Although it feels like Christmas was just last week, before you know it, it will be summertime! That means kids will be out of school and ready for those fun summer activities you have planned. (Hint hint)

One of the best ways to give your kids a fun summer experience is by enrolling them in fun but educational summer camps. These tend to fill up fast, so it’s best to start enrolling your child sooner rather than later! Here are some tips of what to look for in a summer camp.

Ensure Safety and Staff Requirements

You don’t want to drop your child off with adults who aren’t trustworthy or at a camp that doesn’t emphasize safety. Check out their website, policies, and independent reviews, and ask around on social media sites about the reputation of the camp. You can even contact the camp through email or phone call to learn more about the training the staff receive.

Some areas to research include:

• Staff background checks
• Child safety protocol, including policy on abuse
• How to get in touch with your child, and how your child can contact you
• CPR/AED certifications

One way to ensure the safety of a summer camp is by checking their accreditation with the American Camp Association. If a camp receives this accreditation, you can trust that the camp has met all safety standards.

Look for a STEM Camp

Summer camps should be fun, but children thrive with educational elements mixed in with their sunscreen and campfire time. 

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM camps can help grow your child’s brain and passion for education by incorporating interesting and educational activities. After all, the extra time in summer gives children the opportunity to make big, messy projects and experiment to their heart’s content. 

Identify Your Child’s Interests

What does your child enjoy? What are their natural talents? In what academic, athletic, or artistic areas can they grow?

Zeroing in on your child’s interests is an easy way to identify a camp they’ll be talking about for the rest of the year! You can’t go wrong with a camp all about the big thing in your child’s life. 

Diversify Your Child’s Interests and Peer Groups

While fun is a top priority for a summer camp, there’s nothing wrong with pushing your child’s comfort boundaries just a little. Perhaps they are brainiacs and don’t do a lot of sports; you might want to enroll your child in a camp that has regular physical exercise time or games. Or, if your child is super athletic, opt for a camp that includes STEM or volunteer work as well as physical activity. Your child is more likely to enjoy learning something new amid the excitement of being away at camp. 

Additionally, you can expand your child’s world by enrolling them in a camp with children from other cultures and backgrounds. This will increase their worldview, empathy, and care for all kinds of families. 

Budget-Friendly

You don’t have to spend a fortune on a summer camp! There are plenty of excellent summer camp options that don’t break the bank. These might be at your local YMCA, community center, or school program. Generally, day camps that only last for a few hours are cheaper than overnight camps. 

Some other ways to save money on kids’ summer camps are:

• Early bird registration: Often, the cheapest price for a summer camp happens months before the event. Do your research early so you can sign up before the price increases.
• Sibling discount: Many camps offer discounts for each subsequent child you register. 
• Scholarships: Some camps offer or receive scholarships based upon a child’s academic achievement, passion for learning, or other outstanding qualities.
• CRISTA discount: Some camps accept military discounts for children of military members. 
• VBS: Many local churches run Vacation Bible School camps that range from a few days to a whole week long. These are a fraction of the cost of other camps but include many of the games, crafts, and outdoor time that summer camps offer.  

Don’t Delay

Now that you know the top tips for finding a quality summer camp, don’t delay! Get researching right away so your child can have an excellent summer camp experience and you can save a little money, too.

Children of all ages love playdough. There’s just something about the squishy texture that delights children. And the colors provide endless creativity options!

It’s also irresistible not to squish those bright colors together. Almost every parent has attempted to enforce the “don’t mix colors” rule. But unless you sit and play with your child at all times, the colors inevitably get mixed. And then it’s not long before the whole lot is a muddle of brown.

Replacing playdough is expensive, but a much cheaper option allows you to experiment with colors before making your creations!

Why Should I Make Playdough?

Buying playdough is the easiest way to give playdough to your child, but there are benefits to making playdough that you don’t get by buying it. For instance:

• Budding Chefs: If your child is dying to help you in the kitchen, making playdough is an excellent alternative. They will experience the joy of making something and the connection with you, but it doesn’t have to be edible! Making playdough will increase their upcoming cooking skills so they can actually be a help to you in the kitchen. 
• Cheaper: This recipe makes enough playdough for 6 children for a fraction of the cost. 
• Customizable: You can make whatever colors you want! Make the deepest blue or the brightest yellow–it’s even an excellent opportunity to teach the color wheel. 
• Softer: This recipe makes beautifully soft playdough that’s easy on little fingers. Young children will especially benefit from working with softer dough. 
• Safety: Even though store-bought playdough is nontoxic, you still don’t know all the ingredients. This recipe has simple, real ingredients without any of the toxic stuff. If your child does happen to take a little nibble of their cookie creation, you know exactly what they’ve eaten. 
• Add-ins: You can add glitter, beads, or scents to the recipe to enhance your child’s playdough experience!

Playdough Recipe

Making your own playdough is simple and uses ingredients you likely already have in your house. This recipe comes from Jamielyn Nye of I Heart Naptime:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup salt
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil (coconut oil works too)
• Food coloring, optional
• Quart sized bags

Step 1: Stir together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large pot. 

Step 2: Add the water and oil. 

Step 3: Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the dough has thickened and forms a ball. 

Step 4: Remove from heat and place inside a gallon-sized bag or onto wax paper. 

Step 5: Allow to cool slightly and then knead until smooth. 

Step 6: Divide the dough into balls, one for each color. Add the dough to the quart-sized bags. 

Step 7: Add 5 drops of color (add more as you see fit). Knead the dough inside the bag (to avoid staining your hands). 

Note: Cream of Tartar minimizes the dough’s stickiness, so it’s essential to include. Cream of Tartar can be found in the spices section of the grocery store. 

Store the playdough in Ziploc bags and it will stay fresh for three months.

Give this recipe a try and you’ll be surprised by how easy and fun it is. Plus, you’ll encourage your child’s independence and creativity while making fun memories. 

The evolution of car seats over the last 100 years has been truly remarkable. It was once acceptable to put your infant in a basket in the front seat, or have a few simple straps or bars keep your toddler in the same general area of the back seat. Granted, people drove at significantly slower speeds and shorter distances back then. But still, it’s astounding to see how far engineering has come.

Nowadays, car seats can range from a basic seat to a mini throne with cup and device holders. There are so many to choose from, and you can pay hundreds of dollars for designer brands. How do you know which is the right car seat for your child?

Are Expensive Car Seats Safer?

Parents are easily guilted or scared into purchasing a luxury car seat because they want to do everything they can to protect their child in case of a car accident. Although this is understandable reasoning (generally speaking, anything more expensive is better than a cheaper alternative!), the more expensive car seats are not necessarily safer.

All car seats must meet rigorous safety standards, regardless of the price. If you don’t want to indulge in a luxury car seat, you can rest assured that your child will be safe, regardless of the price tag. 

What Is Important in a Car Seat?

If the price doesn’t indicate a quality car seat, then what is important?

First, parents should do their due diligence in researching car seat brands. Read through the good and bad reviews. Check if there have been recalls or lawsuits. See if other consumers have your same model car and if the car seat works well in their car. 

After you’ve ensured the car seat is safe, you can move on to preferences. Countless details can make a difference between you loving and hating your car seat.

For instance, if you frequently move the car seat between different vehicles, you probably want a car seat that is smaller, lighter, and with quick anchor releases. However, if you frequently travel long distances, you might want a car seat with extra padding, or a place to hold drinks, snacks, and toys. 

If you’re looking to save money, you might want to invest in a convertible or all-in-one car seat. These grow with your child so you don’t have to get new car seats at every stage. 

Does My Child Need a Rear-Facing Car Seat?

Current car seat safety standards state that children should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least two years of age. They must also be at least 40 pounds or at least 40 inches tall. If your child exceeds the manufacturer’s height or weight limit, then it’s time to upgrade to a new car seat.

Although your child can turn front-facing if these standards are met, there shouldn’t be a rush to turn them front-facing (unless they exceed the manufacturer’s guidelines). 

Children in rear-facing car seats are 50% less likely to sustain a severe injury and have a 5.6% lower mortality rate than children in front-facing car seats. Many sources encourage children to stay rear-facing for as long as possible, even into their early elementary years, because of the improved safety. While this may not be necessary, it at least emphasizes that parents shouldn’t be in a rush to turn their child front-facing. 

When Can I Turn My Child Front-Facing in a Car Seat?

Once your child is older than two years of age, and is at least 40 inches tall or weighs at least 40 pounds, then you can consider changing your child to a front-facing car seat. However, you must purchase a new, front-facing car seat; you cannot simply turn your infant car seat around. 

Install Correctly and Get It Checked

Of course, the safety of the car seat is dependent on the installation. Carefully read (and reread!) the instruction booklet and plan plenty of time to get it just right. Remember, your child’s safety is in your hands. This is one area you don’t want to get “mostly right.” 

If this is your first time installing a car seat, it’s best to get it checked at your local fire station. Firemen routinely perform car seat checks and will give you feedback and tips so you can feel confident re-installing the car seat in the future.

Having a newborn is an exciting adventure. But it doesn’t take long before parents realize the many potentially dangerous objects in their house! From electrical outlets to the corners of your end table, it seems as if everything in your house could hurt your new precious bundle.

Many parents “baby-proof” their house to ensure a safe environment for their growing little one. But when do you need to baby-proof your house, and how do you know the job is done?

When Should I Babyproof My House?

Some excited or anxious parents begin babyproofing their house as soon as they learn they’re expecting. This isn’t necessarily wrong, especially if you have valuable or fragile items or have a very busy life and need to take babyproofing at a slower pace. 

However, it’s generally not necessary to begin baby-proofing until your baby shows signs of being mobile. If your baby is beginning to roll belly to back (or back to belly), you should have everything up to about 12 inches off the floor checked for safety. Once your baby can roll, you will start finding them anywhere but where you set them down! They can roll over to your end table and pull books or knick-knacks off the lowest shelves. 

A parent’s job is never done when it comes to baby-proofing! For a few months, the lowest shelves and outlets will be your primary concern, but then your baby starts to crawl, and then pull to standing, and then to toddling! Every delightful new stage comes with a new set of baby-proofing. Every few months, take stock of what might need to be relocated to ensure your child’s safety. 

How Do I Baby-Proof My House?

Baby proofing isn’t something to take lightly; your baby’s life is potentially at risk if you skip over an area of the house. Take your time!

Each room in the house has its own unique baby-proofing needs. Take each room individually. But in general, you should check off these safety items for each room.

• Electrical Outlets: Cover any unused electrical outlets with a plastic covers
• Electrical Cords: Conceal or secure any electrical cords, as these can cause strangulation or electrocution
• Furniture: Secure all furniture that could fall over on the child. This would include but is not limited to dressers, bookshelves, TVs, cabinets, and lamps. 
• Choking hazards: This is a broad category, so take your time evaluating all choking hazards. Generally, if an object can fit down a toilet paper tube, it is a choking hazard. All small items should be removed from the child’s reach! However, items like potted plants, pencils (the child can bite off the eraser), magnets, and more, could also be choking hazards. 
• Door latches: Closed cabinets are like a present waiting to be opened for a baby–except they often conceal things like toxic cleaning supplies and heavy appliances that are dangerous. Door latches keep cabinet doors from opening so a baby can’t get what’s inside.
• Safety gate: Baby gates are an excellent way to promote your baby’s safety by blocking off certain areas of the house. That way, you don’t have to rearrange your whole home office or laundry room. 
• Batteries: Ensure all batteries are put high out of reach in a baby-proof container. 
• Alarms: Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have new batteries and are in good working order.

When You Can’t Baby-Proof the House

Realistically speaking, you can’t move everything out of your child’s reach, especially as they grow into climbing toddlers. Outlets, TVs, gaming consoles, and other appliances often can’t be relocated. In this case, you need to “house-proof the baby” instead of baby-proofing the house. 

Parents have the responsibility to make their living space as safe as possible for their children, but children also need to learn about the potential dangers around them. Someone else’s house might not have outlet covers or might have their fragile possessions temptingly on the edge of a table. Parents must be equally diligent in baby-proofing the house and teaching their children not to touch dangerous objects.

Begin teaching your baby to avoid objects once your baby is mobile. As they reach for something you don’t want them to touch, say a firm but gentle “no” and pull your baby away from the object. Then cheerfully give them a toy they can have with encouraging words like “This is what you can play with!” Further reinforce these concepts by praising your baby for playing with their own toys. 

Training your baby early to respond to your directions can save you some major apologies from broken items, or even save your baby’s life! 

Take Baby Proofing Seriously

Baby-proofing your house is a big job, but it’s vital to your baby’s safety and your peace of mind. Take your time to wiggle each piece of furniture, check the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, crawl down to your baby’s level and see your house through their eyes, and be diligent in keeping locks and gates closed at all times.

When most families grab a bite from a restaurant, it’s usually something quick from a drive-thru window. And there’s a good reason! Everyone can get exactly what they want while staying strapped in a climate-controlled environment. It’s cheaper than a sit-down restaurant and you don’t have to deal with public meltdowns or your child making a monstrous mess.

However, sometimes you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant! Maybe your family is coming into town, or you’re celebrating a birthday or graduation. Surely there’s somewhere better to eat than a McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A with their built-in playplaces!

Thankfully, the South Louisville area offers several excellent kid and family-friendly restaurants so you can enjoy a nice meal without wanting to pull your hair out or spend an exorbitant amount of money. Many of these are close to Children’s Academy Childcare, so you can treat your children to a tasty meal after picking them up. 

1. Hauck’s Corner (South Louisville)

From Hauck’s website: 

“Hauck’s Corner, located in Louisville’s trendy Schnitzelburg, Germantown neighborhood, offers a vibrant blend of delicious food and expertly crafted cocktails in a welcoming atmosphere.” Hauck’s has multiple bars, a spacious patio, and even a playground for littles with the wiggles. 

Their menu features crowd favorites, such as wings, burgers, sandwiches, and desserts. Kids can enjoy tasty food, too!

Visit Hauck’s Corner at 1000 Goss Avenue Louisville, KY 40217 or call 502-384-9374 for more information. 

2. 80/20 at Kaelin’s (South Louisville)

80/20 at Kaelin’s has a rich Louisville history that has entered the modern restaurant era. The menu features classic hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches that are cooked to perfection by two outstanding chefs.  There is a huge outdoor patio area that is completely fenced in, so it is safe for little children to run around.

80/20 at Kaelin’s also has a unique Malt Shoppe that features a 50’s flair. Families can enjoy the 20 delicious homemade ice cream flavors, or a handmade milkshake, malt, or sundae!

Visit 80/20 at Kaelin’s at 1801 Newburg Rd. Louisville, KY 40205 and check their Facebook page for current hours.  

3. Havana Rumba (SouthLouisville)

Havana Rumba is a tapas restaurant, which means all the dishes are on the smaller side, but you order multiple dishes and share. This is an ideal situation for a family with young kids! Ordering this way allows you to save money on overpriced kid’s meals by letting your kids have a little of everything. This also exposes your kids to new and exciting flavors. 

If you decide to order from the kid’s menu, the kitchen staff prioritizes getting kid’s meals out fast, which, as every parent knows, is a lifesaver! 

Havana Rumba also has fun music to groove to and the relaxed environment puts parents at ease. 

Havana Rumba has several locations, the first two being closest to South Louisville:

• Middletown: 12003 Shelbyville Road Louisville, KY 40243 / 502-244-5375
• Highlands: 2210 Bardstown Road Louisville, Kentucky 40205 / 502-749-4600
• St. Matthews: 3939 Shelbyville Road Louisville, KY 40207 / 502-897-1959
• Lyndon: 2231 Holiday Manor Center Louisville, KY 40222 / 502-425-0949

4. Wild Eggs (Downtown, East Louisville, Jeffersontown)

Who doesn’t love breakfast food? In fact, most people love Wild Eggs so much, that they’re willing to flip a celebratory dinner into brunch. 

Wild Eggs is very kid-friendly because it’s easy to please little children with breakfast food. It’s a bustling place and there’s always something to look at to keep your child’s attention. They also have coloring mats and activities. Because breakfast food doesn’t take that long to make, service is generally fast, which keeps your dining experience short and sweet (literally!). 

Wild Eggs is so popular, that they have multiple locations, with Downtown being the closest to South Louisville:

• Downtown: 121 South Floyd Street Louisville, KY 40202 / (502) 690-5925
• Dupont/St. Matthews: 3985 Dutchmans Lane Louisville, KY 40207 / (502) 893-8005
• Jeffersontown: 9010 Taylorsville Rd. Louisville, KY 40299 / (502) 473-5959
• Middletown: 153 English Station Road Louisville, KY 40245 / (502) 618-3449
• Westport Village: 1311 Herr Lane Louisville, KY 40222 / (502) 618-2866

Wild Eggs is generally busy from open to close, so if you want to guarantee that you dine at a certain time, it’s best to call to reserve a table. 

5. Noodles & Company (Southwest Louisville, South Louisville, East Louisville) 

If you’re tired of hamburgers and chicken nuggets but still need to feed a picky eater, try Noodles & Company. Their menu offers dozens of customizable noodle and rice options so everyone gets exactly what they want. Just choose one of their delicious meal options and, if you so desire, customize what goes in the bowl. They also offer kid-sized portions of spaghetti and meatballs, mac n’ cheese, or buttered noodles, and come with a healthy choice of applesauce or steamed or crispy broccoli. 

Noodles & Company expects to see families, so their atmosphere is friendly and welcoming to young children. As a quick-service restaurant, there is minimal wait time. After ordering at the counter, you take a number to your table and the waiter will bring your food to you. 

Noodles & Company has two locations in the South Louisville area:

• Cardinal Towne: 319 W. Cardinal Blvd. Louisville, KY 40208 / (502) 632-2846
• Plainview Village: 1225 S Hurstbourne Pkwy Louisville, KY 40222 / (502) 625-6137

6. Impellizzeri’s Pizza (South Louisville, East Louisville, Jeffersontown)

Named Kentucky’s best pizza pie by Reader’s Digest, Impellizzeri’s Pizza is the place to go for pizza. Impellizzeri’s is the originator of Louisville-style pizza, has lots of customization options, and even a delicious gluten-free crust. 

Where there’s pizza, there will be kids! Impellizzeri’s is ready for kids of all ages. You will feel at home, and your kids will, too. 

Impellizzeri’s Pizza has three locations in the Louisville area:

• Highland’s: 1381 Bardstown Rd Louisville, KY 40204 / 502-454-2711
• Holiday Manor: 4933 Brownsboro Rd Louisville, KY 40222 / 502-425-9080
• Middletown: 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy #105 Louisville, KY 40243 / 502-653-7243

Which of these restaurants does your family love? Let us know in the comments!

Kids these days spend an average of seven hours a day looking at screens like phones, televisions, tablets, and more. Since it’s generally more entertaining to watch a show or interact with friends on a screen, more and more children are becoming sedentary early in their lives. 

Gross motor development is essential to the overall growth and health of children. Where is the best place for kids to run, jump, climb, and test new motor skills? Outside, of course! 

Why Should Kids Play Outside?

Parents don’t want their kids running and shouting through the house, climbing and jumping off the furniture, or trying any crazy tricks or flips around hard tables and chairs. While some families might have a basement or playroom where kids can cut loose, in general, parents expect and appreciate when kids are respectful of indoor spaces.

While inside, kids resort to generally sedentary indoor activities, like video games, tablet or phone time, television, LEGOs, reading, or playing games. 

But kids aren’t meant to be sedentary! One of the best ways kids grow and develop is through vigorous gross motor play–the kind that can only happen outdoors. Playing outside:

• Improves motor skills
• Improves coordination
• Lowers body mass
• Promotes general health
• Improves muscle strength
• Boosts the immune system
• Improves their mood
• Uses all their senses for better brain development

But Won’t My Kid Be Cold?

Many adults can hardly stand to be outside in the winter because they get cold very easily. When adults do go outside, they bundle up and blast the heat in the car.

But have you ever noticed that many kids wear shorts in the winter? Or while playing outside, many kids shed their coats, hats, and mittens? While it’s true that one reason for this is vigorous play raises their body temperature, there is actually another reason kids are more tolerant of cold.

According to The Guardian,

“Babies and very young children do have an alternate store of heat. This is called brown fat, which diminishes over time when skeletal muscles take over the bulk of the heat generation. This brown fat sits in areas across the body and simply converts energy into heat, which can’t be created through movement at these earlier stages of life.”

While you should still dress your child appropriately for outdoor weather and pay attention to frigid temperatures, don’t let moderately cold weather deter you from encouraging your child to play outside. And don’t be surprised if they shed their outdoor gear after a few minutes!

Help! My Kid Won’t Go Outside 

Understandably, it’s much more comfortable to sit on the couch and play video games. So of course, it can be hard to get kids to be outside in the winter. But that doesn’t mean parents shouldn’t encourage (or even require) some outdoor activity every day! Here are some ways you can help motivate your child to play outdoors.

Go Outside With Them

If you really care about your kids getting outside, one of the best ways to motivate them is to go outside with them. Doing this once or twice a week, or even for fifteen minutes to get them started on a game, can make a huge difference. Children follow what their parents model. “Do as I say and not as I do” can be frustrating for children. But when parents join their children in getting healthy, they are inspired and motivated to be healthy, too.

Plus, there are dozens of health benefits to being outside in cold weather. Just a few of them are:

• Reduced inflammation
• Improved brain function
• Improved sleep
• Better emotional health
• Burns greater calories to maintain body temperature
• Improved immune system
• Stronger heart

Who wouldn’t want these health benefits? It’s worth carving time out of your day! 

Provide Outdoor Equipment

Especially in the winter, it’s hard to “just find something to do” outside. But you can get your kids excited about playing outdoors by providing toys and other objects to make their outdoor time an adventure.

Some open-ended toys that allow for multiple uses and creativity include:

• Balls of various sizes
• A playhouse or slide
• Bubbles 
• Sand toys like buckets, shovels, and dump trucks for snow
• A build-a-snowman kit like this one 

You don’t have to invest lots of money in new toys. Oftentimes, young children are content with things like empty and washed plastic food or beverage containers and plastic utensils to play “Restaurant.” Fill old spray bottles with water and food coloring to make artwork on the snow. Or, do an Easter egg hunt!

Give a Warm Treat Afterwards

A cozy cup of hot cocoa or spiced cider after playing outside is a big motivator for many kids. Reward their willingness to play outside (especially if it’s cold, windy, or cloudy) with a warm treat. 

What If I Don’t Have a Yard?

If you lived in an apartment or house without a yard, getting your kids outside can be more of a challenge. But still, you can take a walk around the neighborhood, play in the parking lot of your apartment complex, or go to the park. Don’t let your child (and yourself!) miss out on the many health benefits of playing outside in the winter!

Playing Outside at Children’s Academy Childcare

Whenever the weather permits, we let the kids enrolled in Children’s Academy use our fantastic outdoor playspace. This is true for all age groups! Even infants benefit from being outside in the cold. Parents should bring appropriate winter apparel for their children so they can play outside.