Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Saint Louis, MO

Five things to look for in a Preschool Game

March 16, 2009

In today's guest post, toy expert Jim Silver discusses features that parents should look for when choosing games for their preschoolers.  Jim is a widely recognized and often-resourced authority on the toy and licensing industries, having worked within the publishing and toy industries for more than 20 years.  He's also editor-in-chief for www.TimeToPlayMag.com, a great website parents can go to for toy, gaming and entertainment information.   Read below to learn 5 things parents should look for in a preschool game, then check out Jim's list of top preschool games for 2009. 

 Five things to look for in a Preschool Game

By Jim Silver, editor in chief, TimetoPlayMag.com

1. Easy to play right out of the box. Instructions should be very simple and easy, so that you can open the box and play right away. Set up should be minimal, which also means clean up should be too. Young children don't have the patience for long instructions, and parents don't want a lot of mess.

2. Appropriate levels of reading, color matching, sequencing and memory for the age group. Playing the game should be fun...not frustrating. The great thing is that your children will let you know when they're ready for more advanced games. The child who loves Candy Land for months may suddenly realize he's too old for it, for instance.

3. Correct balance of chance and strategy. For younger children, the balance should be more chance than strategy. They're learning counting, memory, and matching among other skills. As they get older, strategy-thinking a few moves ahead-can be introduced. Kids also respond well to games that have a clear winner, even if it's not them. Children like the defined beginning and ending of a game with a clear objective.

4. 15 minutes or less. The younger the child, the quicker a game needs to be completed before a child gets bored or loses focus. For a three-year-old, a game should be completed in less than 15 minutes. As a child gets a little older, 20 minutes is the magic number. Many game companies are now putting game playing times on their packages; look for these to help gauge what's right for your child.

5. Motor skills. Many games greatly enhance motor skills through the need of hand-eye coordination. Many young children don't have enough opportunities to develop these skills, and games are a great occasion for younger kids to develop them through play.

St. Patrick's Day Weekend Line Up

March 12, 2009

Whether or not you're Irish, St. Patrick's Day Weekend provides opportunities for celebration and fun. Your family can stay in to make corned beef with cabbage or shamrock shaped cookies with green sprinkles or hit these St. Louis St. Paddy's Day Parties.

2009 marks the 40th anniversary for the St. Louis Metropolitan St. Patrick's Day Parade which will be held this Saturday, March 14th and 12:00 pm. The parade will happen no matter the weather which is good because Saturday's forecast is calling for light rain but warmer temperatures (high in the 50's) than earlier this week so dress appropriately but don't forget the green! The parade begins downtown at 18th and Market Streets and will include floats, marching bands and kid friendly cartoon character balloons and clowns. In addition to the parade, there will be an Irish Village in Kiener Plaza with a kid's area including inflatables, entertainment and face painting.There will also be a "Party at the Start" at Aloe Plaza at 18th & Market after the parade where authentic Irish food will be sold and a post-parade concert will be performed. For more information on the parade route, see the official St. Patrick's Day Parade Site.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in St. Louis will also be hosting their St. Patrick's Day Festival on Saturday. Corned beef and cabbage (chicken strips available for kids) will be served from 3-8pm and entertainment will be provided, including face-painting, clowns and inflatables.

If you are looking for a smaller parade in St. Charles County, head to Cottleville for the 1st Annual Firefighter's Community Outreach "St. Pat's Day Parade and Run for the Helmet" also held this Saturday, March 14th in Old Town Cottleville. A fun run will be held at 9 am and the parade is scheduled for 11 am along Highway N. Parade participants include The Rivercity Rascals, The Rage Soccer Team, area cheerleaders, bands and local businesses. Following the run and parade will be an Irish celebration at Sherlock's Steak and Seafood Restaurant. For more information, see the Cottleville Fire Fighter's Site.

Best STL Places for a Kid's Party

March 10, 2009

1. Bounce U or Pump It Up 
2. The Magic House
3. The St. Louis Zoo
4. Local Park Pavilions
5. Build-a-Bear Workshop
6. Roller or Ice Skating Parties
7. Bowling Parties
8. Laser Tag
9. Swing Around Fun Town
10. The City Museum

25 Ways To Say Good Job

March 09, 2009

Preschool aged children can be charming, sweet and kind but they can also be contrary, whiny and screamers who throw frustrating tantrums. Discipline can be difficult and exhausting for parents because there is no magic wand that makes a kid behave. One way to teach kids your expectations for their behavior is by rewarding them when they do things the right way to prevent times when they "do it wrong". Instead of using candy or toys as rewards, parents can reward kids by using positive verbal reinforcement, i.e. telling them good job. The main idea is to catch your child doing something right and heap on positive feedback and reinforcement. By praising your preschooler, you are teaching them your expectations for good behavior which can lead to less bad behavior. Use exaggerated voices, expressions and reactions to show you are very happy with their behavior. Get excited!

However, saying "Good Job" over and over again can become mind-numbing and lose impact because the kid has heard it so many times. The following is a list of ways to say good job without actually saying good job. Praise the behavior you want to encourage with one of these phrases and include the specific action (or lack of action) the child performed with these positive statements. 

1. I'm so proud of you!
2. Excellent choice
3. It makes me happy when you do that
4. Good remembering
5. You are awesome
6. Congratulations, you did it right!
7. Thank you for remembering
8. Nice going/Nice Job
9. Keep it up
10. You are getting better at that every time
11. Now you have it
12. Good listening
13. You've just about got it
14. You must have been practicing
15. That is the best ever
16. You are learning a lot
17. You did very well today when we ____
18. That is the best you've ever done!
19. Way to figure it out
20. That's it!
21. You make me smile when you _______
22. You are very good at that
23. I like it when you did______
24. Wow, you are so nice!
25. Great, Wonderful, Fantastic, Excellent, Perfect, Super, Bueno, Wow or Outstanding!

March Morpho Mania at The Butterfly House

March 06, 2009

 This weekend marks the start of March Morpho Mania at Faust Park's Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House. My kids are probably more familiar with the beautiful blue morpho butterflies because they have been featured on Go, Diego, Go! The morpho's brilliant blue inside wings and brown camoflauged outer wings make them interesting to all visitos but kids in particular seem drawn to them. During Morpho Mania, visitors can watch 1,500 of these colorful insects as well as the many other butterflies housed inside the tropical dome. There will be special releases of Morphos each Saturday and Sunday in March. Saturday releases are at 11am and 2 pm and Sunday releases are at 2pm. Kids can also enjoy educational activities from 10-2 on Saturdays and noon-2:30 on Sundays. All activites are free with paid admission. For more information, visit The Butterfly a House's site.

A closed Blue Morpho Butterfly