Sample Content Preview

46 Backyard Play Ideas for Children

Children need to get outside and be away from the TV. Especially in the summertime, when they can get loads of fresh air and exercise. It is even more important if you live in areas that have cold winters, since being cooped up in the winter happens often!

Pediatricians have also recently concluded that children do not get enough free play during their day. One great way for them to have free play is by being in their backyards. Setting up play areas and giving them ideas for play is vital to their health, but now and for their future.

There are several ways to make any backyard area more fun for the kids.

1 – Garden

The love of all things in nature can never begin too early. Start that love with your child’s very own garden. This garden can be very small or elaborate, depending on their age. A simple garden that is low maintenance contains sunflowers, green bean plants and tomatoes. Annual flowers like marigolds, petunias and zinnias offer bright colors and blossoms all year long. Give your child small chores like watering and weeding (with help). They can also be artistic and make signs to label all of their plants. A scarecrow can keep away the birds. In the fall, have them harvest any fruit or vegetables you planted.

2 – Garden House

The garden house is actually made from a specific garden design. The house is the garden itself. To make the house, you need to plant strategically. Plant giant sunflower seeds to form a large square or rectangle. Leave one gap to act as a door and the rest boxed in for a house effect. On the outside of those sunflowers, plant smaller sunflowers and bushy flowers like cosmos or zinnias. Once the sunflowers grow tall, pull the heads towards each other and band loosely with rope or string. The thicker the row of sunflowers, the more like a “roof” it will seem. The shorter sunflowers and bushes will provide a solid wall.

3 – Swing set

A swing set is the ultimate play machine. Swing sets are made in so many different ways, it’s hard to choose what you want. Well, what the kids want. There are metal sets, with the basic swings, slide and a glider. Then there are the deluxe plastic sets with slides, climbers and tunnels. Even more elaborate are the wood designs. They have forts, swings, tunnels, walls, ropes and everything a kid could possibly want. The only limit is your budget. If you can’t afford a pre-made set, plans are sold individually and you just buy the materials and construct it yourself.

4 – Sandbox

Every child needs to play in the sand. Sandboxes can be purchased as a plastic shape and ready to fill. There are dinosaurs, ladybugs, trucks and plain shapes available with different sand capacities. Sand for fill is available in five-pound bags, already screened and cleaned at toy stores, home improvement stores and some department store. Sand can also be ordered by the truck full from a landscaper or garden store. Make sure to buy shovels in a variety of sizes and buckets, tractors and other sand toys. If you don’t want to buy a sandbox, use 4 pieces of wood, nail at the corners and fill with sand.

5 – Trampoline

A trampoline provides hours of recreation, even for young kids. The jumping helps their coordination and flexibility, and giving them exercise at the same time. Kids can make up games when jumping inside with a group or just jumping alone. Some games could be leapfrog, popcorn or kangaroo. When buying a trampoline, you should also buy the safety net that goes around the outside perimeter. The net will keep all kids inside and prevent serious injuries from happening.

6 – Fort

A fort is a wooden structure, all by itself. Many boys like to play hunter with the fort, or act like a spy from it. The fort has four wood stilts built into a square and secured in the ground with cement. Support boards are put in place and then a floor over top of that is made of plywood or two by fours. Add sidewalls for security and to prevent anyone from falling out. A roof is optional. Make several small peepholes and a space for an opening. A ladder rests at the opening for easy access.

7 – Tree House

Every child has dreams of a great tree house. Tree houses can be simple structures made of cardboard or designs made of wood. Whichever route you choose, make sure it is sturdy and secured so it will not fall down. Tree houses can be just platforms, a floor and walls or a complete house structure with a roof. Make sure it has easy access with a rope or a ladder for exit.

8 – Chalk

Your child can use chalk to draw pictures on the sidewalk or driveway anytime. Make a contest with all of the neighbor kids to see who can make the funniest, scariest or prettiest picture. Of course, give out prizes to every participant. Chalk can also be used for games. Draw a hopscotch chart, write numbers for shuffleboard or draw a road for the bikes to travel down. Chalk opens up endless possibilities for creation and imagination. Large pieces will keep finger scrapes to a minimum too.

9 – Bubbles

Bubbles are a cheap and easy way to occupy your child’s time. To make your own batch of bubbles, mix 4 quarts of water, 1 cup of corn syrup and 1 cup of dish soap and store in a two-liter bottle. Label it so it is not mistaken for something else! To use, pour soap into a shallow bowl. Use straws or bubble wands and blow bubbles all afternoon. Hook several straws together and blow large, fancy bubbles. Bubbles can be stored indefinitely under the sink or in the garage.

10 – Basketball Hoop

A basketball hoop can be purchased for any level of player. You can have your hoop mounted to the garage or side of the house or have a freestanding hoop. More expensive systems allow for dunking and breakaway rims and then basic models to just shoot hoops through. If you have serious players, mark the garage where the actual free throw line would be. Hold neighborhood contests for free throws and two on two tournaments.

Sample Content Preview

51 Ways to Create a Great Home Office

More and more people these days have home offices, but it can be hard to separate the “home” from the “office.” This ebook is designed to help you make a wonderful home office that will be efficient, appealing, and comfortable.

MAKE A PLAN

If you’re building an office from scratch, the first thing you need to do is make a plan. This first set of tips will get you thinking about where to start.

1. Define Your Space

The first thing you need to do is decide where your office is going to be. Do you have a whole room to dedicate to it? Or maybe just a corner of a room? Whatever the case, it’s important to clearly define your office space.

2. Questions to Ask

You’re going to want to ask yourself some important questions while considering your home office. Questions like:

- What furniture do I already have (desk, chair, lamp)?
- Will clients need to come in my office??
- Is my space big enough that I won’t feel crowded?

3. Draw Your Work Area

It’s a good idea to plan out your work area. Where is your desk going? Do you have room for shelves? If you can see everything on paper, It’ll be a lot easier when you move things to where they need to be.

4. Measure

After drawing your office, get out a measuring tape and measure everything. Be sure you measure your office space and all of your furniture. Even if you don’t yet have all the furniture that you need, at least you’ll have the measurements of what will fit.

5. Give Yourself a Space to Write

When planning your office, make sure you give yourself room to write. With all of your computer equipment, lamps, printers, etc., you can easily forget to give yourself space to write. Even the most technology-savvy individual needs to simply jot down an idea sometimes.

CREATING SPACE

Many people don’t have room for a home office, so they need to make room. All it takes is a little creativity. This next set of tips will give you some ideas and hopefully get those creative juices flowing.

6. Using Long, Narrow Spaces

If you have a long wall, you can use it as a make-shift office. Just look around for a narrow desk, and you’re halfway there. You can even use some cinder blocks and a sturdy piece of wood.

7. Use a Wall Separator

Wall separators do wonders for would-be-rooms. They’re not very expensive and can make any corner look like a real room. You also can use the extra “wall” for calendars, sticky notes, etc.

8. Look For Nooks

You’d be surprised at the little nooks and spaces you can use for an office. Look for things like:

- Under stairs
- Entryway
- Laundry room corner
- Walk-in closet

9. Garage or Basement

Don’t forget to consider your garage or basement for a make-shift home office. You may need to do some temperature and lighting control, but in the end, either could make a great office.

ROOM LAYOUT

There are several types of room layouts for your home office. This next set of tips will help you get an idea of what yours might look like.

Sample Content Preview

51 Tips for Greenhouse Gardening

Greenhouses can be a very fulfilling investment. This ebook is designed to give you some great ideas about how to start an awesome greenhouse garden.

WHY A GREENHOUSE?

This first set of tips will discuss some of the great reasons to start a greenhouse.

1. Winter Plants

Many people have greenhouses so that they can grow plants to use in the winter. It’s easier to grow smaller vegetables for this purpose than bigger ones.

2. Early Start

Having a greenhouse is a great way to get an early start for tender plants seedlings. You can protect these young plants better in a greenhouse, thus having better success.

3. Experiment

Having a greenhouse can be a fun hobby. With a greenhouse, you can experiment with different plants, or to develop new varieties.

LOCATION

This next set of tips will tell you some of the factors that you need to consider when choosing a location for your greenhouse.

4. Sunlight

Your greenhouse should be in a place where it gets maximum sunlight. Sunlight all day is ideal, but morning sunlight on the east is best for plants.

5. Direction

It’s a good idea to face the long side of your greenhouse south. There are two reasons for this:

- The angle of the roof is made to catch he maximum amount of the sun's rays
- If you use shadecloth, you will need to shade only one side, instead of both sides.

6. Trees

Maple and oak trees can shade your greenhouse from the afternoon summer sun. Keep in mind though; these trees should not shade your greenhouse in the morning.

7. Water Source

Your greenhouse will need a reliable water source. Either bring in a whole separate watering system, or have a hose that can reach the entire length of your greenhouse.

8. Drainage

Good drainage is also very important for your greenhouse. If you can, build your greenhouse above the surrounding ground, so rainwater and irrigation water will drain away.

STRUCTURAL TYPES

There are several types of greenhouses. This next set of tips will go over some of the structural options that there are.

9. Lean To

Lean -to greenhouses usually attach directly to a wall of your home or garage. Here’s a picture:

10. Quonset Hut

Quonset hut greenhouses are sometimes referred to as “hoop style.” They’re domed shaped, inexpensive and easy to heat. Here’s a picture:

11. Gothic Arch

Gothic Arch greenhouses are a lot like the Quonset style, except that the sides are usually straighter and the curved roof is pointed on top. Here’s a picture:

12. Classic A-Frame

Classic A- Frame greenhouses have high, slanted sides. They’re a bit harder to heat because of this. Here’s a picture:

13. Modified A-Frame

Modified A-Frame greenhouses are different from the classic, because they’re built with Gable roofs, which are usually not as steep. Here’s a picture:

14. Barn Style

Barn-Style greenhouses, like their name implies, looks like a barn. They have straight walls; therefore make very good use of space. Here’s a picture:

15. Even-Span

An even -span greenhouse is a full-size structure that has one end attached to another building. Here’s a picture:

SIMPLIFYING

This next set of tips will give you some ideas on some shortcuts that you can do to simplify your greenhouse.

16. Cold Frames

If you don't have much space, cold frames are the way to go. They are small, boxed in gardens, covered with glass or Plexiglas. It’s like a miniature greenhouse.

Sample Content Preview

51 Tips for Coping with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy affects approximately 800,000 children adults in the United States. This ebook will help give you information, resources and tips for helping to live with this debilitating condition.

BASICS

This first set of tips will go over some of the basics of cerebral palsy.

1. Definition

Cerebral palsy is a chronic condition that affects body movements and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development, or during infancy.

2. History

Cerebral palsy was considered a distinct condition in 1861. Dr. William John Little, published the first paper describing the neurological problems of children with spastic diplegia (also known as cerebral palsy). This is still sometimes called Little's Disease.

3. Statistics

Two children out of every thousand born in America have cerebral palsy. At least 5000 infants and toddlers and about 1,400 preschoolers are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year.

TYPES OF CEREBRAL PALSY

There are 4 types of cerebral palsy. This next set of tips will discuss these types, and their differences.

4. Spastic

Spastic cerebral palsy is characterized by stiff or permanently contracted muscles. 70-80 percent of people with CP have this type.

5. Athetoid

Athetoid cerebral palsy is characterized by uncontrolled, slow movements. 10-20 percent of people have this type of CP.

6. Ataxic

Ataxic CP is characterized by a lack of coordination and balance. This type of CP accounts for 10 percent of all cases of CP. Ataxic CP (or any kind of CP) is not degenerative.

7. Mixed

Mixed CP is when one person has two or more types of CP. The most common type of mixed CP is Athetoid/Spastic-diplegic or Athetoid/Spastic-hemiplegic.

DIAGNOSIS

This next set of tips will discuss how cerebral palsy is diagnosed.

8. Symptoms

Diagnosing children with CP at a young age is important. Here are some of the symptoms to look for in a newborn child:

- Lack of alertness
- Abnormal cry
- Trembling arms and legs
- Problems sucking and swallowing
- Weak muscle tone
- Favoring one side of the body
- Abnormal reflexes
- Seizures
9. Muscle Tone

Abnormal muscle tone is very common in people with cerebral palsy. Even as newborns, their muscles may change from low tone to high tone. They can also go from floppy to very stiff.

10. Developmental Delays

If you’re concerned that your child may have cerebral palsy, look for developmental delays such as:

- Rolling over
- Sitting up
- Crawling
- Talking
- Walking

11. Time

Understand that it takes time to diagnose cerebral palsy, especially specifying the type of CP. If it’s for a child, his doctor will want to take time to do tests and examine him several times before making the diagnosis.

RISK FACTORS

There are several factors that put you at risk of having a child with cerebral palsy. This next set of tips will explain a few of these risks.

12. Age and Race

According to research, the following people have a higher chance of having a child with CP:

- A mother or a father under 20 years old
- A mother over 40 years old
- African-American ethnicity
13. Blood Type

There is a rare circumstance where the mom’s and child’s blood is incompatible. This is called Rh or ABO blood type incompatibility, and it puts you at risk of having a child with cerebral palsy.

14. Micro-Organisms

In rare cases, your infant’s central nervous system can be attacked by micro-organisms. This will put him at high risk of developing cerebral palsy.

15. Doctor Error

Unfortunately, there are some cases of cerebral palsy where the doctor was at fault. There are now a ton of lawyers that are dedicated to bringing these doctors to justice. If you think a doctor was at fault for your child’s CP, you can contact www.cerebralpalsy.ws to talk to an attorney.

Sample Content Preview

51 Babysitting Tips

Babysitting can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can also be competitive. This ebook is designed to give you some great tips to make you the best (and safest) babysitter on the block!

RESPONSIBLITIES

This first set of tips will outline what your responsibilities are as a babysitter.

1. Love Kids

To be a good babysitter, you have to love kids. Children are smart. They’ll know whether you like them or not. Parents will watch you closely as well to make sure you’re going to love their child.

2. Maturity and Self Confidence

It’s important to be mature when you’re babysitting. Be sure of yourself, and calm at all times. Self confidence will play a big role in how the children and parents react to you.

3. Treat it Like a Business

Parents will respect you more if you treat your babysitting jobs like a business. Make sure you and the parents are clear on the wage that you expect. Tell them your plans for caring for their children.

4. Be Adaptable

Chances are, you’ll be babysitting for a variety of different families. They will have different routines, rules, and beliefs. You need to be able to adapt, and fit in with the family's usual pattern or routines.

5. Stay Calm

It’s important to stay calm, even in stressful situations. If you panic, the kids will too. It’s a good idea to review safety tips before each babysitting job, to prepare for any emergency situations, just in case.

6. Learn CPR

It’s a great idea to learn CPR. You can usually certify for free at your local Red Cross. Being certified will also look really great on your resume.

SAFETY

This next set of tips will discuss things that you can do to keep yourself and the kids safe while babysitting.

7. Lock Doors and Windows

Keep all the doors and windows locked while you’re babysitting. This is important not only to keep people out, but to also keep the kids from going outside when they’re not supposed to.

8. Put Away Anything Dangerous

Right after the parents leave, quickly go through the house and put away anything that may be dangerous. These can be things like cleaners, appliances, medications, and anything that could be a choking hazard.

9. Phone and Door Safety

When answering the phone, don’t tell strangers that you’re alone with children. If someone unexpected comes to the door, don’t answer it.

10. Never Leave Them Alone

This is an important rule. Never ever leave the children that you’re tending alone. Accidents can happen in a split second. Even if they’re sleeping, check on them often.

11. Food Safety

If you’re preparing food for the kids, make sure to use safety precautions. When cooking, keep the kids away from the stove, and stay in the kitchen at all times. If you’re tending toddlers, make sure to cut up their food well so that they don’t choke.

12. Call For Help

Never be afraid to call for help. If anything doesn’t feel right, or you’re worried about the children, call the parents. You can even call your own parents for any advice or questions you may have.

13. Outdoor Safety

If the parents say it’s ok to go outside, make sure that you and the kids know all of the rules. Give the kids a clear idea of their boundaries, and make sure that you can see them at all times.

14. Pools

There are thousands of accidental drownings each year. If there’s a pool at the home that you babysit, make sure that there’s no way for the kids to access it.

15. Never Walk Alone

Never walk home alone at night, even if it’s just a few blocks. Make arrangements before you babysit to be driven or walked home when your job is done.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Before the parents leave, you need to get some important information. This next set of tips will go over this information that you need to ask for.