How many foreign languages does your kid speak? None? Why is that?
My daughter is still learning to speak her native language, but I plan to teach all my kids foreign languages as soon as possible. And here is why.
Three simple reasons everyone should teach their kids foreign languages.
1. It is easier to learn languages when you are young.
A very important thing to remember here is that languages are much easier to learn when you are younger. Linguists agree that it’s a period before turning 12, and some say that children can start learning foreign languages as early as age 5. After this period of childhood, learning a second language can be a real struggle.
2. The more languages you know, the easier is for you to learn more languages.
That might sound weird, but that is, in fact, a general rule. Teaching your child any second language will make it easier for them to learn a third (and fourth and fifth) down the line.
3. Your kid will be grateful for this later in life.
No matter which second language you choose, your child will without any doubt be very grateful for this. A second language will give them a leg up in life, that’s for sure.
This is why I will teach my kids foreign languages.
That decision was easy to make. But how to choose the right language to teach your kids?
You have to consider what particular goal you have in mind for this second language.
Some parents teach kids foreign languages for cultural reasons because they want to pass on their native language while others do so because it is common in the area they live. These languages are the easiest for a child to learn because they are surrounded by them.
If you pick a language that is supported by the surrounding culture, it will be easier for your kid to learn that foreign language. If there’s a language that you are a native speaker of or one that is spoken in your area, I would highly recommend teaching that language to your child. It will be easy to learn and at the same time useful to them.
But don’t get so frustrated trying to choose the “perfect” language – you really cannot make a wrong decision.
After some experience with one goofy toddler who chooses to play with wooden spoons instead of dolls EVERY TIME, I can say that I truly believe that sometimes, and maybe even often, less is more.
Here is the list of best simple toys for kids that my daughter can play with for hours. If you have something cool to add, please leave the comment. I would love to hear your ideas.
Best Simple Toys for Kids
1. Balloons
Even without helium, an ordinary balloon can keep a child busy for quite a while. It moves slower than a ball, so it’s easier to catch and to bounce. Perfect simple toy for kids!
2. Blocks
Big wooden ones are the best, but if you don’t have blocks, you (by “you” I mean your kids 🙂 ) can play with shoe boxes, plastic cups, etc.
3. Cardboard Box Oh yes, the simple cardboard box is the toy number one when it comes to simple toys for kids.
The best thing about it is that empty boxes feed their imagination. It can be a hiding place, it can be a bed for dolls or a garage for their cars. It can even be a chair.
Our cat likes it too.
4. Old gadgets.
It’s good to have things for kids to take apart. This will help give them an innate sense of how things work. Give them things like old clock or some other stuff with lots of gears and connected parts.
5. Bubble Wrap
Free and fun! It’s the best to step on it in your bare feet and make it pop!
6. Water.
Splashing in it. Blowing into it. Pouring it from container to container. “Painting” with it. You can do anything with water and it’s completely free.
7. Play Doh
You can spend hours making different animals, tools, people…
8. Uno
This is our favorite family card game. We can play it for hours and it never gets boring.
9. Stuffed animals They can keep them for years and even save them for their kids! Isn’t that cool?
The stuffed toys often become a medium to interactive play, a real friend. Playing with stuffed animals helps them to learn and master social skills, and so much more.
My daughter has her little bear and she is not going anywhere without him. She sleeps with him, plays with him, talks with him…
Simple and fun!
10. LEGOs
Legos are just the best simple toys for kids and I don’t think there is a kid that doesn’t like playing with them. Even my husband plays all the time. You will never get bored of it.
11. Balance Bike
A Balance bike is the most practical way to teach your child to ride a bicycle. Traditional bicycles with training wheels teach your child very little about the balance that it will require to ride a “big kid bike” later. These balance bikes are the very best way to give your child practice stabilizing their own weight. I love them!
12. Wooden toys
Wooden toys are our favorite type of toys. Wooden houses, trains, animals.. Sometimes the old fashion toys are the best simple toys for kids.
13. Puppets
Sock puppets are so simple and can inspire the imagination of every child. The best thing is that you can make them yourselves so you can have double fun!
14. Puzzles
What kind of puzzles will you choose depends on the age of your kid, but those are the best simple toys for kids.
15. Connect 4 This is the classic game I remember from my childhood. I played it all the time with my brothers and sister and we all loved it. It’s really a simple toy – when you get four discs in a row you win.
I still love to play it today, but this time with with my daughter. She doesn’t get it yet, but soon she will beat me and her dad every time. One of those simple toys for kids that can make you smarter, I guess.
16. Rubik’s Cube
This is at the same time an intriguing, educational, and frustrating toy! It’s a perfect simple toy for kids that will make their brain cells work hard.
17. Jenga
Another classic! You don’t know how to play it? Pull out a bock without crashing the stack to win at Jenga. Good luck and have fun!
18. Sand
Playing in sand is extremely entertaining for children and we should let them to that. Children have the opportunity to expand their creativity and imaginations through the designs of a variety of buildings and castles.
19. Blowing bubbles
Babies often love to watch their parents blow bubbles and think they are so interesting, and toddlers and bigger kids love to play with them. Blowing bubbles can’t be any simpler and it’s definitely one of the best simple toys for kids. They just love it, no matter how old they are.
20. Rocks
My daughter just loves to play with rocks. Yes, I said rocks! Don’t underestimate a rock, like I did before.
You can do so much with them: arrange them in piles, move them around, collect different shapes, paint on them.
Just let your kid go crazy! I guarantee you they will have so much fun with rocks! You will be surprirsed!
Let’s try putting down our tablets and smartphones and let’s be creative with the fun and simple toys for kids! There are endless possibilities of simple toys for kids (and you) to enjoy! Just put on your thinking hats and let your imagination out!
*And just for full disclosure, there are affiliate links in this posts. This means that I’m sharing something that I think is helpful, and if you make a purchase through the link, I earn a little bit back. No extra cost to you, and just a little help for me to pay for the blog expenses.
This is one of my favorite recipes for kids lunchboxes or guest parties. It’s really easy to make so even amateur chef like me can prepare it perfectly.
Just remove the ham from the filling, and it’s also a fantastic vegetarian main dish!
Spinach Rolls Recipe
Here is what you will need for Spinach Rolls Recipe:
For sponge cake layer:
6 eggs
6 tsp of flour
3 tsp of water
3 tsp of milk
1 bag of Baking powder
1 tsp of salt
500 g frozen spinach (defrost before using)
For filling:
You can go crazy with filling for this and put anything you like. Here is my favorite combination:
300 g cream cheese
savory cream
200 g of ham (cut it in small pieces)
100 g of pickles (finely chopped)
baked egg (grated)
What’s next:
1. Beat egg whites and salt together in a small mixing bowl.
2. Add egg yolks to the mixture and mix well.
3. Add milk and water. Mix again.
4. Add flour and baking powder. Mix.
5. Add spinach and mix one last time.
6. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Put greaseproof paper on the pan (a 23Ă—33 cm) and fill it with the batter. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. When it’s done leave it so it can cool down and make the filling in the meantime. Just mix everything together and spread filling over spinach roll. Roll it back up snugly and leave in the fridge to cool down. I love to serve it with yoghurt!
Can this Spinach Rolls Recipe be any more simpler? Yum! And the best thing about this recipe is that you can add anything to the mixture so it can be the right fit for your taste buds!
I didn’t find many recipes like this tasty spinach rolls recipe, so I really hope everyone will enjoy it. If your kids don’t really like spinach (or maybe you don’t), I bet they will love it this way. Try it, you won’t regret it!
I know that it is the height of summer vacation and the last thing any parent wants to think about is school work. However, we all know that at one point one of our kids is going to come to us to inform us that they have an essay due. The next statement you will probably here is, it is due in the morning. After you calm down, you will probably realize that it has been years since you thought about an essay, let alone wrote one.
Essay writing is not hard. It can be difficult if you make it hard or stressful. So now that summer is here let’s add one more item to that good old parenting bag of tricks.  The tricks to successful essay writing are good brainstorming, sticking to the thesis, and staying relaxed.
Do Not Overthink
The first tip is not to overthink the brainstorming. Hopefully, you will luck out, and your child will already have the topic. No sweat if they don’t. The easiest way to write an essay is to use the “three-part” thesis method. Even today when I write, you can be sure that this is my old faithful.
Pick a topic that you can come up with three ideas or parts that you can fully develop into at least three sentence paragraphs. They should be separate ideas and easy to write about. Remember to keep them simple. In fact, if you look back to the last sentence of the second paragraph of this post, you see my three part thesis.
Kick those ideas around till you can write an effective thesis with supporting paragraphs.
Stick To It
Now that you have the argument stick to it. It is easy once you start writing to go off on a tangent. If you are like me, you have a tendency to let your mind roam. Start a paper on whales, and before too long you are writing about Finding Dory. It happens; that is what makes the three-part thesis so high a method. Every one of your paragraphs should in some way support an idea of the thesis statement.
If you follow the three-part thesis, you have your body. It will be at least three paragraphs, and for most schools, that is more than enough. All you need to do is write your opening and your conclusion. Me what I like to do, is as always, keep it simple. I restate my introductory paragraph as my closing. Why make life hard?
Stay Relaxed
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of staying relaxed. Too often we turn the simple things into planning the D-day Invasion. Writing an essay can be a challenge, but it need not be scary or stressful. Take small breaks when you feel that writer’s block come on. Do not force writing.
If you become stressed, the ink pen will dry up quickly.
I like to play music when I write, nothing that will distract me, but something that will tune out the background and keep me relaxed. It helps me to stay on task. So much time as I can avoid stress, I can write anything.
Good brainstorming, sticking to the thesis, and staying relaxed can help you write any essay, no matter how last minute.  With summer upon us, I know we are much happier turning our attention to the sun and fun, but it never hurts to be prepared. Those says until that dreaded, “What I did for summer vacation” essays will soon be due.
Still confused in generating ideas for your essay writing? Academic experts at cheapwritinghelp.com will surely help with your homework assignment.
I love smoothie bowls – even though they are sometimes too pretty to eat, don’t you agree? Here are some of my favorites!
Most delicious smoothie bowls
1. Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl
This banana and berries smoothie bowl is made with Strawberry Shakeology, but you can use any flavor you like. Sliced almonds and chia seeds adorn the bowl to give it texture and healthy omega-3 fats. Found on Beach Body.
2. Red Berry Vanilla Almond Smoothie Bowl
This easy breakfast recipe uses raspberries, strawberries, almond milk, Greek yogurt, and Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Powder to make the prettiest, tastiest smoothie bowl! Found on A Latte Food.
3. Mango Smoothie Bowl
If you like mango, this will now be your favorite smoothie bowl! Found on Down Shiftology.
4. Peach Pie Smoothie Bowl
A healthy and filling smoothie bowl that is reminiscent of a slice of delicious summer peach pie! Found on: Recipe Runner.
5. Raspberry Orange Mango Smoothie Bowl
The sweet and tart balance of orange, mango and raspberry is seriously one of best fruit flavor combinations. Found on In it 4 the long run.
6. Apple Pie Smoothie Bowl
Love apple pie? Now you can eat it for breakfast and not feel an ounce of guilt! Found on Fit Food Finds.
7. Grapefruit Breakfast Smoothie Bowl
This Grapefruit Breakfast Smoothie Bowl recipe will help you get going with an energizing and filling breakfast packed with fruit. Found on Frugal Mom.
An Open Letter To All The Single Dads Around The World
Hey Single Dads,
We know it is hard!
Single parenting is extremely hard and has its list of positive and negative effects. And you understood them. You maintained a positive attitude about the adverse things and tried to overcome them.
Doing your daughter’s hair is hard. Those braids and plaits are complicated. Seeing that she doesn’t starve herself to be stick-thin, encouraging her during her low self-esteem episodes, keeping track of her periods and loading the fridge with ice creams and chocolates, it isn’t easy.
Getting your baby boy eat was such a task, wasn’t it? He’s all grown up now, he eats his food and does his laundry. But watching out for any bullies, taking care that he doesn’t get used to substance abuse or unhealthy habits, due to the so-called masculine requirements, it isn’t easy.
You were there. You wanted to be there for everything. You were emotionally available when your daughter was bullied, and you walked her through those tough years. You were there when she went through her first heartbreak. You were there for your son’s graduation. You were there with him during all those sleepless nights he spent during his years of loneliness.
Amidst this, you also managed to write that book of yours. You did that presentation your boss asked. You woke up two hours early and left to work on time every morning. You denied that role which required you to spend more time at work, so you don’t neglect your kids in the process. It wasn’t easy.
Although your kids apologized multiple times for curbing your chances of getting remarried because they’re consuming your whole time, you never blamed them. You saw difficult times pass, and you put your kids’ needs before yours. You brushed off any hardships and had a smile on your face through all of them.
Also, your dad jokes were funny, even if your kids rolled their eyes and asked you to stop. Your jeans were cooler than theirs. Your bacon was always better, and your lasagna was always crispier. You did the boring grocery shopping all by yourself, you ironed the clothes, and did the dishes and never, even for a second, felt ashamed about all those not-so-manly jobs.
You always worried about your kids’ future. You counseled them when they were flunking. You explained the importance of education to them. You did those extra weekend shifts when your kids were on a holiday with their grandparents. You knew it could get harder down the road so you saved every penny and managed your finances accordingly.
You did all of this for your kids, and they love you and are grateful for that. But they also want you to take care of yourself. They want you to remember that self-love you might’ve forgotten. They want you to hit that gym and stay fit. They want you to start dating again. They want you to be happier. You’ve done more than enough, and no amount of thanks will do the job.
For all that you’ve done, your kids love you. They love you more than you think we do.
Thank you! And,
Happy Fathers’ Day!
Aradhana is a writer from India. She covers topics concerning parenting, child nutrition, wellness, health, and lifestyle. She has more than 150+ publications from reputable sites like Natural news, Elephant Journal, Lifehacker to her credit. Aradhana writes to inspire and motivate people to adopt healthy habits and live a stress-free lifestyle.
Oh yes, the simple cardboard box is the toy number one when it comes to simple toys for kids.
They can keep them for years and even save them for their kids! Isn’t that cool?
so you can have double fun!
This is the classic game I remember from my childhood. I played it all the time with my brothers and sister and we all loved it. It’s really a simple toy – when you get four discs in a row you win.
