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Fun Outdoor Party Games for Kids

outdoor party games

Springtime means longer days and warmer weather, and for kids, that means more outdoor fun. Check out this list of fun outdoor party games to make your next celebration a blast for the children. Photo: iStockphoto

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School-Age Children Spotlight10

Sports Injuries in Children

Monday May 7, 2012
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There is no question that playing sports provides kids with numerous benefits including opportunity for physical exercise, development of important social skills such as learning how to work with others on a team, and even learning good sportsmanship.

But playing sports can also pose some risk of injury for kids. One recent study commissioned by Johnson & Johnson and Safe Kids Worldwide revealed that as many as 1 in 3 children who play team sports are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment.

Even more disturbing, 9 out of 10 parents underestimated the amount of time kids need from any one sport to protect against overuse injuries, and more than half of the coaches surveyed believed that there is an acceptable amount of head contact (the reality is that the symptoms of head injury can often be subtle, and parents and coaches must be vigilant about avoiding head contact and have a child checked out if there is any possibility of a head injury).

As this eye-opening survey indicates, parents and coaches must be more educated about the potential risks of sports injuries, and must learn how to protect kids from getting hurt. We must also learn how to spot the signs of sports injuries and be advocates for our children's health.

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Oven-Baked Panko-Encrusted Chicken for Kids

Monday April 30, 2012
panko_chicken

Need a quick and easy recipe for dinner with the kids? Here is a simple, healthy, and kid-friendly recipe for an oven-baked panko-encrusted chicken by Danielle Butler-Leu of Two Busy Moms Gourmet that's sure to be a hit with your family.

If you make it, let us know what you think! We would love your feedback. And check out About.com's new Parenting and Food You Tube Video Channels for more recipe ideas for busy parents.

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National Screen Free Week

Monday April 30, 2012
kid_watching_TV

Today marks the start of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC)'s Screen-Free Week. By "screen," CCFC means TV as well as computers, video games, cell phones, and other electronic devices that vie for our kids' time and attention these days.

The goal of the campaign is to get families thinking and talking about how much electronic devices are cutting into other important activities in our lives (reading books, spending time together outside getting exercise, and more). (According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids are spending an average of 7 hours a day on electronic gadgets.)

There are lots of reasons to curb electronics in our homes. While television can certainly be beneficial (who can argue with the merits of Sesame Street or a great documentary that can teach kids about our planet or history?), the fact is that kids can be exposed to inappropriate content, such as violence, depictions of drug or alcohol use, and sexual images and situations. And excessive use of media has been linked to attention problems, difficulties at school, sleep problems, and eating disorders and obesity, according to the AAP.

Do you plan on cutting back on screen time this week? Or is this something you try to do all throughout the year?

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Cognitive Development: Your 10-Year-Old Child

Thursday April 26, 2012
10 year old child development

What's going on inside your 10-year-old child's mind? In this action-packed phase of cognitive development, your child is devouring information and hungry for learning.

Read together, discuss current events, listen to music--in other words, enjoy the company of your growing grade-schooler. In these small steps, you will find yourself on a journey that will one day culminate in your marveling at the bright, informed, and interesting adult your child will grow to become. I, for one, feel blessed to find myself loving my child's company, and exchanging ideas and opinions with him. I don't know exactly who he will become, but he is learning, exploring, and growing, and right now, the promise of what's to come is thrilling to see.

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