Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Back to School Twitter Party with Safari Ltd.

It's that time again! Back to school. Whether you're buying backpacks or curriculum, chances are those three words are a big deal to your family. So let's get together and chat, share tips, and celebrate with fun prizes from Safari Ltd! Keep reading to get all the details, RSVP, and find out about a way to win before the party even starts!

Back to School Twitter Party with Safari Ltd.

Pre-Tweet Giveaway!

Want to increase your chances of winning an awesome prize? You could win just by spreading the word! One winner will be chosen at random and announced in the party just for pre-tweeting! Pre-tweet the following any time before 9pm EST on August 27th and be entered to win a Safari Ltd. Toob of your choice.


Twitter Party! Come join @SafariLtd and @ChildhoodBeckon for a chat about #educationalplay and you could win #prizes! http://bit.ly/14YCh9d

Party Details:

  • The Safari Ltd. Back to School Twitter Party will be 9-10pm EST on Tuesday, August 27th
  • Follow #educationalplay
  • Follow your hosts @SafariLtd and @ChildhoodBeckon
  • Prizes are limited to residents of the US and Canada. 
  • By participating, you are consenting to the use of your Twitter ID and responses for promotional purposes.
  • Please RSVP below to let us know you'll be attending!

RSVP:


We can't wait to chat and hope to see you there!


Friday, July 19, 2013

Field Guide Practice and a Giveaway with Safari Ltd!


Lately, my son has shown an interest in bird watching, and of course Safari Ltd. has a Toob for that! We've been having a lot of fun with the Backyard Bird Toob and I'm happy to share one of the ways we've been using these toys for educational play. And I have some exciting news! Safari Ltd. has generously offered to sponsor this post and giveaway and send one Backyard Birds Toob to one lucky winner! 

Field Guide Practice Activity and a Giveaway from Safari Ltd!


Field Guide Practice


One of the many ways we've played and learned with these toys has been to use them for field guide identification practice. It's a simple activity with a lot of educational value and all you need is the Backyard Birds Toob and a field guide for your region. 

I highly recommend the Stokes Beginner's Guide to Birds field guide for children and beginners because I've found that it is by far the easiest to use. Bird field guides are typically organized by taxonomy, which requires you to know the type of bird you are looking at before narrowing it down. In contrast, the Stokes Beginner's Guide to Birds field guide is organized by color. If you know the color of the bird you are looking for, it's easy to find! 

I gave R the backyard birds and his field guide and asked him to identify each one. The Safari Ltd. birds are very realistic looking so this was easy to do. He chose a bird, flipped to that color section, and then compared the bird in his hand to the bird in each picture.

Field Guide Practice Activity and a Giveaway from Safari Ltd!

He was able to find each bird in his field guide quite easily. After he identified each one, we read the information about that particular bird before continuing to the next. We learned about their habitats, nests, voices and even how to attract them. 

This simple activity really helps kids get familiar with how to use the field guide and what kind of information they can find. They'll be more comfortable using it all by themselves the next time they have a question about a bird in the field. 

The Giveaway


Safari Ltd. is giving you a chance to win a Backyard Birds Toob of your own! There are several ways to enter in the giveaway form below. You can enter with one or more of the options. It's up to you! This giveaway is open to the residents of the US and Canada only. By entering to win you are agreeing to my giveaway rules. Thank you so much for entering and good luck to everyone! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
(Disclosure- This post contains affiliate links. If you'd like more information, you can read my disclosure policy here.)

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Water Safety Tips for Kids


R has taken swim lessons for several years now, and in addition to learning how to swim, he has learned a great deal about water safety. I realize that professional swim lessons aren't an option for every family, but it is important for all children to know how to swim and to know the basic rules of water safety. Even after swim lessons are over, I make it a priority to continuously talk to R about how to stay safe in and around water.  Because this is such an important topic, I would like to share some of the basic rules that we discuss.

Water Safety Tips for Kids: A list of 10 safety topics to help you start a conversation with your kids about how to stay safe in and around water.

This list is not intended to be a complete safety lesson for children. It is meant to be a conversation starter. The age and skill level of your children will affect how many of these safety rules they can retain. You should always closely supervise children, and take measures to prevent them from having access to unsupervised areas of water.

Also, CPR certification is a great thing to have. Those of you in the United States can find classes near you by visiting The American Red Cross website. Your local chapter may also provide water safety classes and swimming lessons for children.

And remember, drowning doesn't always look like drowning. For more information you can visit this post.

10 Water Safety Tips for Kids:


1. Always swim with a buddy in a supervised area. Don't enter any body of water without permission and supervision.

2. Follow pool rules. This typically includes no running, no horseplay, and no glass containers in or near the pool.

3. Look before you leap. Before you jump in, look in the water to make sure there's no debris or people in your path. Also look for depth. In a pool, the depth is marked with a number. The higher the number, the deeper the water.

4. Don't dive into shallow areas of the pool, or into lakes and rivers. Lakes and rivers can have weeds and grass that can trap even the best of swimmers.

5. Stay calm and think so you don't sink. Stop and think about what you should do if you find yourself struggling in the water.

6. Reach or throw. Don't go. If you see someone that needs help, you shouldn't jump in the water to help them because they could panic and hold you down. Instead, throw something that floats, or lay down on the side of the pool and reach for them. You should lay down so you don't fall in while reaching.

7. Don't go swimming when it's cold. Cold temperatures can be dangerous.

8. Learn about boating before you go. Make sure the boat has everything you may need. This includes a first aid kit, an anchor, oars, a map, flashlight, and food and water. And always wear your life jacket! Don't just pack it. Wear it.

9. No playing around drain pipes or suction fittings. These can be very dangerous places and should always be avoided.

10. Know what to do in an emergency. Talk about what you should do if someone is in trouble in the water. Know how to get help and how to call 9-1-1.

Have a happy and safe summer!