5 Tips for Celebrating a Green Halloween

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

With Halloween less than two weeks away, children across the country are getting their costumes ready for the big day. For parents though, Halloween is a less-than-exciting prospect, as their children are even more tempted by sugary sweets than usual. Candy is almost literally thrown at their children while trick or treating, at school, and at friends’ houses. Here are some tips for ensuring that your children have a healthy Halloween.

  1. Recycle costumes – Trends come and go in children’s worlds. Cartoon characters that were popular today may be out of style by the end of the month. So if you are looking to use older costumes, chances are, with a little effort, you can re-purpose old costume accessories and make them into new ones. Moms who have kids with bigger age gaps know all about making old clothing look like new. You can find organic fabrics like these from Birch Fabrics to help you add some pizzazz to an old costume.

    Image courtesy of Phaitoon

  2. Pass out organic fruit snacks – Instead of handing out candy to trick or treaters, why don’t you try giving them organic fruit snacks, like these from Annie’s, that are organic. They are tasty, all-natural, and made from fruit juice. They come in cute little bunny shapes that are designed to appeal to children. They are tasty and even have a lot of vitamin C, an extra added bonus!
  3. Organic candy – If you absolutely cannot fathom a Halloween without candy, then wander over to NaturalCandyStore.com. Their candies are made with organic components and in some cases, fair trade elements. They have items ranging from organic chocolate skulls to organic gummy spiders. Candy should always be in eaten in moderation, organic or not, so be careful to not overindulge in the tasty organic butterscotch candies or the tempting organic cotton candy!
  4. Pumpkin decorating time – Everyone loves to decorate pumpkins. Whether you are carving yours into extraordinary designs or painting funny faces on them, pumpkin decorating is always a fun family activity. Get your organic pumpkins at a local farmers market.  You can make delicious pumpkin pies from the insides and paint the outside of your pumpkin with organic paints to create a wonderful seasonal decoration for your home.

    Image courtesy of zirconicusso

  5. Halloween party time – Some parents would prefer to let their children attend or even host a Halloween party, rather than let them go out and trick or treat. It is a safer environment in many regards, and parents have less to worry about when their children are in a friend’s home. If you fall into this category, or just like to host parties, you can find organic party decorations galore online, plus you can control what the children eat. From organic apple bobbing to a miniature corn maze in the backyard, there are no limits on what you can do to host a healthy Halloween party.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Ways to Make Play Fun

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

One of the best things about having a new baby is playing with them, watching them grow, explore the world with new senses, and learn new things. Baby playtime is about more than just fun, though. The earlier that you can start your child’s educational development, the better. Obviously newborn babies aren’t capable of much beyond sleeping and eating, but when they reach a few months old, their sight is good enough to start playing games using visual acuity as they are able to recognize people and things. Here are some fun ways that you can play with your little one.

  1. Use stuffed animals to teach the baby about different animals and the sounds that they make. Cute stuffed animals aren’t just for cuddling. They can be used to teach babies about the different sounds that the animals make. Babies often imitate sounds that they hear and will learn through association.

    Image courtesy of Argington

  2. Some toys are timeless, and brightly colored blocks are one of those toys. Blocks like those offered by ChildTrek are simple yet classic wooden blocks, painted in a variety of bright colors. Bright colors seem to hold babies’ attention longer. You can also start teaching your baby about shape recognition with these brightly colored, high quality blocks. For really young babies, try fabric stuffed blocks
  3. Through a wide variety of toys and playthings, you can start to teach your little one about different textures through different kinds of fabrics and materials. Products like the Dandelion Organic Activity Ball offer a wide variety of fun and engaging little activities for little fingers. These kinds of toys help to stimulate several senses at a time, making them an educational (and very cute) option. Best of all, it’s soft, so baby can chew on it if they so desire.
  4. For the more technically inclined, you can break out your iPad and discover the wide variety of apps designed for children. There are a vast multitude of apps, both paid and free, in the App Store. Apps like “Peekaboo Barn” and “Baby Touch & Hear” apps are great for stimulating baby’s senses and keeping them busy for a little while.

    Image courtesy of AdamR

  5. If you want to keep something on in the background, consider investing in the Baby Einstein series. Babies learn various things through musical association. Baby Einstein isn’t about just planting your baby in front of a TV but, as they say, was created by a mother who “wanted to create products that encouraged interactive experiences for parents and their young children as they discovered the world together.” They can be a bit pricey but if you look in a big box store, you might be able to find them for less money.