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Tomorrow is Halloween. If you are home with the kids over the next two days you may be looking for some fun Halloween activities to do with them.
Here are some great Halloween-themed craft and activity ideas for kids that I found . Enjoy and Happy Halloween.
- Halloween Treat Holders – makingfriends.com
- Halloween Games and Puzzles – dtk-holidays.com
- Plastic Spoon Witch – Kaboose.com
- Felt Pumpkins – activity-village.co.uk
- Hand-print Spider – allfreecrafts.com
- Halloween Coloring Pages – apples4teachers.com
- Halloween Cookies – allrecipes.com
Involving your kids in fun activities around special days and holidays like Halloween can help build fun family traditions. Kids love holidays and it can be fun to do some holiday themed activities and crafts around those special days.
Have fun, stay safe, and Happy Trick-or-Treating to your little ones.
Halloween is a time for kids to dress up and have a great time trick-or-treating with their friends. What kid doesn’t love Halloween? As parents we play an important role in making sure our kids have a safe and happy Halloween. It is our job to help them use their creativity to pick out a great costume while making sure that costume is safe and appropriate. It is our job to teach them about the important safety tips that will keep them safe and healthy as they venture out for some trick-or-treating.
As your kids get ready to celebrate Halloween in a few days here are a few important safety tips to keep in mind.
- Make sure your child’s costume is safe. Masks can be dangerous as your child can’t see well out of them. If they will be wearing a mask make sure the eye holes are big enough for good visibility. Also, be sure there aren’t any long pieces hanging down around their feet that could pose a trip hazard.
- Teach your child about appropriate Halloween behavior including; what houses are okay to visit, stranger rules, staying in a group, etc.
- Always have a responsible adult available to accompany your children out trick-or-treating. They may feel like they are old enough to go out on their own, but having an adult present helps keep them safe.
- Explain to your child that he or she should not eat any of the candy they collect until they have brought it home and allowed you to examine it.
- Consider the weather in your area. If it is cold where you are make sure your children are dressed appropriately.
- Set guidelines for how long they are allowed to stay out, how many homes they can visit, etc.
The most important thing is to make sure your child understands the rules and what will make this a safe and happy Halloween. Let them enjoy themselves while keeping a careful eye on them to ensure they are safe.
Happy Halloween everyone 
Flu season is upon us, again. (I know you probably feel like we just finished with the last flu season!!) And you know what that means, flu shot time. If you children haven’t already received their yearly flu vaccine it is time to make an appointment.
The Center for Disease Control recommend that the following individuals receive a flu vaccine every year.
- Children between the ages of 6 months and 19 years.
- Pregnant women.
- People 50 years of age or older.
- People with certain chronic medical conditions.
- People who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
- People who live with or work with individuals in the high-risk group for complications from the flu.
If you have questions about the flu vaccine and who should receive it talk to your doctor.
Paint Can! Children’s Rooms
If you are interested in giving your child a very colorful, personalized space to call their own this just might be the book for you. Paint Can! Children’s Rooms
The book is filled with very colorful photos depicting both what the room will look like when it is done and step by step photos of some of the more intricate details. Each room guide provides a list of the paint colors featured in the room, the painting techniques used, and step-by-step guides for creating the room. Many of the rooms can be adapted for a boy or a girl by changing the paint color selections a little (the book gives some great mix and match ideas).
When your child is old enough consider allowing them to help with the redecorating project. Imagine the pride they will have knowing they helped create their cool new bedroom! You can even let them pick out the room they most like in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book for any parent considering a child’s room paint project, especially if you are looking to create a room with a lot of cute little details. When my daughter is older and ready for an update to her room I will definitely try a few of the ideas in this book.
During pregnancy, while your baby is developing, protein plays a crucial role in your diet. Most prenatal caregivers and nutritionists recommend that you include 3 servings of protein per day in your diet, for a total of about 75 grams. If you are a vegetarian you know that finding enough protein rich foods can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Being a pregnant vegetarian it becomes all the more important to find those protein rich foods.
Here are a few foods to consider including in your diet to help ensure you are getting enough protein. Talk to your prenatal caregiver if you have questions about your diet and what foods you should include and avoid.
Dairy:
- Milk. About 3 8oz glasses of milk per day will give you 25 grams of protein.
- Cottage Cheese. 1 cup will provide 25 grams of protein.
- Cheese. 3 oz of cheese will provide 25 grams of protein.
- Yogurt. 2 cups of yogurt will give you 25 grams of protein.
Legumes:
- Beans. 3/4 of a cup of beans, lentils, or peas will give you about 15 grams of protein.
- Tofu. 4 oz of tofu will provide about 15 grams of protein.
- Soy dairy. 1.5 cups of soy milk or 3 oz of soy cheese will provide about 15 grams of protein.
- Vegetarian “meat” including garden burgers, hot dogs, or chicken. Read the label for the protein content.
Grains:
- Whole wheat pasta. 3 oz will provide about 15 grams of protein.
- Whole grain cereal. About 2 cups will provide 15 grams of protein.
- Whole grain bread. 4 slices will give you about 15 grams of protein.
- Couscous, bulgur, buckwheat, quinoa. 1/2 a cup will provide 15 grams of protein.
Nuts and Seeds:
- Nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc). 3 oz will provide about 15 grams of protein.
- Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumkin, etc). 2 oz will give you about 15 grams of protein.
- Flaxseed. 1/2 cup will provide about 15 grams of protein.
By including a few of these great protein options per meal you can ensure you meet the recommended daily intake of protein. Always read the labels so you know what contains protein and what does not. If you are worried that you may not be getting enough protein talk to your doctor.