Wednesday 1 August 2012

Hoppity Hop - Bounce Houses for Toddlers and Kids


Bounce houses are quickly gaining popularity, especially ideal for toddlers, learning and implementing some basic bounce house safety tips is necessary. It's very important to let the kids know that there will be certain rules and guidelines in place to ensure their safety.

The first thing you need to do is make sure the inflatable bouncer is adequately anchored and firmly in place. There are several occurrences of these contraptions blowing away with large gusts of wind. It's better to err on the side of caution, and use plenty of stakes and sandbags to properly secure the baby bounce house.


In fact, if the wind is blowing particularly hard on any given day, then just don't allow the kids to use the toy. They may be upset at first, but it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to injuries and safety concerns.


It's important that kids of the same age group be using the bounce house together, as opposed to letting a wide range of ages to play together. There is a big difference between four year olds hopping around and thirteen year olds hopping around, and you don't want the little ones to get squashed by the older kids.


It's also good to keep a limit as to how many kids should be allowed to hop around in the inflatable at the same time. Keep the number to a respectable level, like 5-10, and this should greatly diminish the possibility of injuries. It also keeps the stress on the unit to a minimum, which is great for those parents who purchase one to own and keep for many years to come.




There should always be an adult present to monitor the goings on inside bounce houses. Feel free to implement your own, or even tweak these just a bit. Just remember that it's of paramount importance to set some basic rules and guidelines to help keep things safe for you, your kids and the entire neighborhood.

Eye the Baby Wherever it Goes - Baby Monitors


A baby monitor is a system that allows you to hear or see your baby when you are in different rooms. Choosing the right baby monitor for your baby needs utmost care as it plays a vital part in regard to the parameters of safety of the baby. Baby Monitors usually come in two units a Parent/Unit and a Baby/Unit. The Baby unit is the transmitter that goes in the nursery near your baby to pick up any sound he makes and then send them to the receiver Parent Unit which is usually placed in a room with yourself. Many baby monitors have clips that allow you to attach the receiver to your belt or clothing.

There are some visual baby monitors that are usually more expensive as they come with a camera built in to the Baby Unit and pick up images of the baby and transmit them to a small screen in the parent's room. However most commonly are the ones that pick up sound only. The more expensive the baby monitor the more features you will get with it. For instance; Temperature baby monitors check the baby's room temperature and will warn you if the room gets too hot or too cold. Respiration baby monitors which check babies breathing. Some have Child alarms that will warn you if your child is wandering off. They can also play soft lullaby tunes to help your baby drift off to sleep.


Baby monitors are either mains or battery operated. Mains operated baby monitors are very simple and the cheapest, but you must be positioned near a plug both in the nursery and in the parent's room. The battery operated baby monitors are portable so can be positioned anywhere, some of them come with rechargeable batteries which can also save on the expense. Decide on a one-way or two-way system. A one-way baby monitor allows you to hear your child, while a two-way baby monitor allows your child to hear you as well.


Respiration baby monitors sound an alarm if breathing or movement is not detected and may be useful if you are particularly worried. Respiration baby monitors also use pads placed under the baby's mattress, which can detect movement and breathing. Baby monitors let you know your baby is safe at all times. Baby monitors include all kinds of plug-in, digital, walkabout and rechargeable units; they are all designed to ensure parents have a peaceful night. Baby monitors have come a long way with technology and now come with digital and video features.


Some baby monitors are duplex or bi-directional, using transceivers that allow the caregiver to communicate back to the baby, and some have a feature allowing music to be played on the transmitter. Such devices sometimes are equipped with video facility also and they are known as baby video and two way sound baby monitor. There are some devices equipped with movement sensors on the transmitter allowing it to warn caregivers of possible sudden infant death syndrome. The device monitoring heartbeat is known as baby heart monitor or baby heartbeat monitor and the device-monitoring baby breathing is known as baby breathing monitor.


Some baby monitors have a vibrating alert on the receiver making it particularly useful for people with hearing difficulties. Some baby monitor packages include two receivers. Whatsoever, a baby monitor should be carefully picked up, to ensure that its services are fool proof and gives your baby utmost protection.


Baby Keepsake Gifts


Adorable baby keepsakes are always the best baby shower gift ideas to give during infant showers. There are so many newborn memento available in the market today, most of them can be made personalized for additional special effect. Little hand prints, a tiny lock of hair and all the baby photos that capture the first year can be included to make a wonderful infant keepsake for a newborn.

Just find something that you treasure a lot and you have your keepsake. Giving it to the baby shows how special he or she is to you since you are entrusting one of your most prized possessions. However, there are a few things that you have to keep in mind so as to make the keepsake gift all the more special.

First thing that you have to keep in mind is that the keepsake that you will be giving may not be used by the baby until he or she is a little older. Add to that the fact that you have to wait a few extra years for the kid to realize that the keepsake is something that you hold dear and passed on to her to treasure. With that said, you may want to consider getting a "time capsule" for it.


Baby keepsakes are best given with baby keepsake boxes. These boxes serve multiple purposes. One such purpose is to keep the baby keepsake safe until the baby grows old enough to use it. For instance, a pendant for a baby keepsake is a choking hazard for the baby, and it would be good if you have a box to put it in until the kid stops putting everything in his or her mouth.


Baby keepsakes are great options when giving baby shower gifts as well. Often, guests in a baby shower would likely to bring their own gift for the new parents, and that gift could either be a baby necessity like baby clothes, blankets, and feeding supplies or a special keepsake. Other adorable baby keepsakes include personalized piggy banks, tooth and curl box set, birth certificate holder, baby picture frames and albums, growth chart, etc. these all can make special baby shower gifts for babies which they'll truly remember for years.