NEO Grandparent
Every holiday season, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are faced with the difficult decision of what to gift to children. This year, as part of your holiday gift list, consider the gift of camp.
Camp provides children with a healthy environment of organized activities, free play, friendship building, problem-solving, and more. It offers experiential, energetic, and interactive activities that are a healthy respite from too much screen time.
Find the right camp by using the American Camp Association’s Find a Camp tool. You can search by activity, cost, location, and more. Find a Camp connects over 1.2 million families with camp each year.
As the holiday season approaches, offer the children in your life a gift that will provide them the opportunity for experiential learning and growth — plus memories, skills, and experiences they will cherish their entire lives.
Click here to print a free “gift of camp” certificate. Tuck it in a new backpack, roll it in a new sleeping bag, wrap it around a new flashlight — or put it in a traditional gift box complete with colorful paper and a bow. No matter how it’s delivered, imagine the delight when the gift is opened, and the child discovers that camp is in his or her future.
Looking for more information about summer camps in the region? Make plans to attend Northeast Ohio Parent’s Camp Fair 2019. Click here for more information.
Read on to learn what to look for when buying toys and how a few simple ideas for safe use can often prevent injuries.
Preventing Injuries from Toys:
Most injuries from toys are minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises. However, toys can cause serious injury or even death. This happens when toys are dangerous or used in the wrong way.
10 Toy Buying Tips:
Here are tips to help you choose safe and appropriate toys for your child.
- Read the label. Warning labels give important information about how to use a toy and what ages the toy is safe for. Be sure to show your child how to use the toy the right way.
- Think LARGE. Make sure all toys and parts are larger than your child’s mouth to prevent choking.
- Avoid toys that shoot objects into the air. They can cause serious eye injuries or choking.
- Avoid toys that are loud to prevent damage to your child’s hearing.
- Look for stuffed toys that are well made. Make sure all the parts are on tight and seams and edges are secure. It should also be machine washable. Take off any loose ribbons or strings to avoid strangulation. Avoid toys that have small bean-like pellets or stuffing that can cause choking or suffocation if swallowed.
- Buy plastic toys that are sturdy. Toys made from thin plastic may break easily.
- Avoid toys with toxic materials that could cause poisoning. Make sure the label says “nontoxic.”