There’s nothing like becoming a parent that makes you realize all the potential dangers in your house. Electrical outlets, cords, bookshelves, knick-knacks, and the corners of your end table suddenly have the potential to hurt your new precious bundle.

Many parents instinctively “baby-proof” their house so it is a safe environment for their growing little one. Here’s a beginner’s guide to babyproofing your house.

When to Start Babyproofing Your House

Some excited or anxious parents begin to baby-proof their house as soon as they get pregnant. This isn’t necessarily wrong, especially if you have valuable or fragile items, or have a very busy life and need to take a slow and steady approach to baby-proofing. 

However, it’s generally unnecessary to begin baby-proofing until your baby shows signs of being mobile. By the time your baby can roll belly to back (or back to belly), you should have everything up to about 12 inches off the floor checked for safety. Once your baby can roll, you will start finding them anywhere but where you set them down! They can roll over to your end table and pull books or knick-knacks off the lowest shelves. 

A parent’s job is never done when it comes to baby-proofing! For a few months, the lowest shelves and outlets will be your primary concern, but then your baby starts to crawl, and then pull to standing, and then to toddling! Every delightful new stage comes with a new set of baby-proofing. Every few months, take stock of what might need to be relocated to ensure your child’s safety. 

Basic Babyproofing Guide

Baby proofing isn’t something to skim through; your baby’s life is potentially at risk if you skip over an area of the house. Take your time!

Each room in the house has its own unique baby-proofing needs. So while this isn’t an exhaustive list for every room in the house, you should check these safety items off for each room.

• Electrical Outlets: Cover any unused electrical outlets with a plastic covers
• Electrical Cords: Conceal or secure any electrical cords, as these can cause strangulation or electrocution
• Furniture: Secure all furniture that could fall over on the child. This would include but is not limited to dressers, bookshelves, TVs, cabinets, and lamps. 
• Choking hazards: This is a broad category, so take your time evaluating all choking hazards. Generally, if an object can fit down a toilet paper tube, it is a choking hazard. All small items should be removed from the child’s reach! However, items like potted plants, pencils (the child can bite off the eraser), magnets, and more, could also be choking hazards. 
• Door latches: Closed cabinets are like a present waiting to be opened for a baby–except they often conceal things like toxic cleaning supplies and heavy appliances that are dangerous. Door latches keep cabinet doors from opening so a baby can’t get what’s inside.
• Safety gate: Baby gates are an excellent way to promote your baby’s safety by blocking off certain areas of the house. That way, you don’t have to rearrange your whole home office or laundry room. 
• Batteries: Ensure any and all batteries are put high out of reach in a baby proof container. 
• Alarms: Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have new batteries and are in good working order.

What About Things I Can’t Babyproof?

You can’t move everything out of your child’s reach, especially as they grow into climbing toddlers. Things like outlets and fireplaces have permanent places in your home. And you can’t keep all your books and knick-knacks on the top shelf of your bookcase. 

While parents have the responsibility to make their living space as safe as possible, children also need to learn how to avoid potential dangers around them. Someone else’s house might not have outlet covers or might have their fragile possessions temptingly on the edge of a table. Parents must be equally diligent in baby-proofing the house and teaching their children not to touch dangerous or fragile objects.

Start training your child to respond to your corrections and redirections as soon as they’re mobile. As they reach for something you don’t want them to touch, say a firm but gentle “no” and pull your baby away from the object. Then cheerfully give them a toy they can have with encouraging words like “This is what you can play with!” Further reinforce these concepts by praising your baby for playing with their own toys. 

Training your baby early to respond to your directions can save you some major apologies from broken items, or even save your baby’s life! 

Take Baby Proofing Seriously

Baby-proofing your house is a big job, but it’s vital to your baby’s safety and your peace of mind. Take your time to wiggle each piece of furniture, check the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, crawl down to your baby’s level and see your house through their eyes, and be diligent in keeping locks and gates closed at all times. 

It was once acceptable to just put your infant in a basket in the front seat, or have a few simple straps or bars keep your toddler in the same general area of the back seat. Granted, people drove at significantly slower speeds and shorter distances back then. But still, it’s startling to see how far engineering has come.

Nowadays, car seats can range from a basic seat to a mini throne with cup and device holders. There are so many to choose from, and you can pay hundreds of dollars for designer brands. How do you know which is the right car seat for your child?

Does Price Indicate Safety Standards?

Parents want to do everything they can to protect their children in case of a car accident. New parents especially are easily guilted or scared into purchasing a luxury car seat because they equate price with safety. Although this is understandable reasoning (generally speaking, anything more expensive is better than a cheaper alternative!), the more expensive car seats are not necessarily safer.

All car seats must meet rigorous safety standards, regardless of the price. If you don’t want to indulge in a luxury car seat, you can rest assured that your child will be safe, regardless of the price tag. 

What Is Important in a Car Seat?

If the price doesn’t indicate a quality car seat, then what is important?

Car seats are always evolving, so parents should do their due diligence in researching car seat brands. Read through the good and bad reviews. Check if there have been recalls or lawsuits. See if other consumers have your same model car and if the car seat works well in their car. 

After you’ve ensured the car seat is safe, you can move on to preferences. Countless details can make a difference between you loving and hating your car seat.

For instance, if you frequently move the car seat between different vehicles, you probably want a car seat that is smaller, lighter, and with quick anchor releases. However, if you frequently travel long distances, you might want a car seat with extra padding, or a place to hold drinks, snacks, and toys. 

If you’re looking to save money, you might want to invest in a convertible or all-in-one car seat. These grow with your child so you don’t have to get new car seats at every stage. 

Does My Child Need a Front or Rear-Facing Car Seat?

Current car seat safety standards state that children should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least two years of age. They must also be at least 40 pounds or at least 40 inches tall. If your child exceeds the manufacturer’s height or weight limit, then it’s time to upgrade to a new car seat.

Although your child can turn front-facing if these standards are met, there shouldn’t be a rush to turn them front-facing (unless they exceed the manufacturer’s guidelines). 

Studies show that children in rear-facing car seats are 50% less likely to sustain a severe injury and have a 5.6% lower mortality rate than children in front-facing car seats. Many sources encourage children to stay rear-facing for as long as possible, even into their early elementary years, because of the improved safety. While this may not be necessary, it at least emphasizes that parents shouldn’t be in a rush to turn their child front-facing. 

When Can I Turn My Child Front-Facing in a Car Seat?

Once your child is older than two years of age and is at least 40 inches tall or weighs at least 40 pounds, then you can consider changing your child to a front-facing car seat. However, you must purchase a new, front-facing car seat; you cannot simply turn your infant car seat around. 

Install Correctly and Get It Checked

Of course, the safety of the car seat is dependent on the installation. Carefully read (and reread!) the instruction booklet and plan plenty of time to get it just right. Remember, your child’s safety is in your hands. This is one area you don’t want to get “mostly right.” 

If this is your first time installing a car seat, it’s best to get it checked at your local fire station. Firemen routinely perform car seat checks and will give you feedback and tips so you can feel confident re-installing the car seat in the future.    

Children of all ages love playdough. There’s just something about the squishy texture that delights children. And the colors provide endless creativity options!

It’s also irresistible not to squish those bright colors together. Almost every parent has attempted to enforce the “don’t mix colors” rule. But unless you sit and play with your child at all times, the colors will inevitably get mixed. And then it’s not long before the whole lot is a muddle of brown.

Replacing playdough is expensive, but there’s a much cheaper option that even allows you to experiment with colors before making your creations!

Why Should I Make DIY Playdough?

Buying playdough is the easiest way to give playdough to your child, but there are benefits to making playdough that you don’t get by buying it. For instance:

• Budding Chefs: If your child is dying to help you in the kitchen, making playdough is an excellent alternative. They will experience the joy of making something and the connection with you, but it doesn’t have to be edible! Making playdough will increase their upcoming cooking skills so they can actually be a help to you in the kitchen. 
• Cheaper: This recipe makes enough playdough for 6 children for a fraction of the cost. 
• Customizable: You can make whatever colors you want! Make the deepest blue or the brightest yellow–it’s even an excellent opportunity to teach the color wheel. 
• Softer: This recipe makes beautifully soft playdough that’s easy on little fingers. Young children will especially benefit from working with softer dough. 
• Safety: Even though store-bought playdough is nontoxic, you still don’t know all the ingredients. This recipe has simple, real ingredients without any of the toxic stuff. If your child does happen to take a little nibble of their cookie creation, you know exactly what they’ve eaten. 
• Add-ins: You can add glitter, beads, or scents to the recipe to enhance your child’s playdough experience!

Playdough Recipe

Making your own playdough is simple and uses ingredients you likely already have in your house. This recipe comes from Jamielyn Nye of I Heart Naptime:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup salt
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil (coconut oil works too)
• Food coloring, optional
• Quart sized bags

Step 1: Stir together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large pot. 

Step 2: Add the water and oil. 

Step 3: Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the dough has thickened and begins to form into a ball. 

Step 4: Remove from heat and then place inside a gallon-sized bag or onto wax paper. 

Step 5: Allow to cool slightly and then knead until smooth. 

Step 6: Divide the dough into balls, one for each color. Add the dough to the quart-sized bags. 

Step 7: Add 5 drops of color (add more as you see fit). Knead the dough inside the bag (to avoid staining your hands). 

Note: Cream of Tartar minimizes the dough’s stickiness, so it’s essential to include. Cream of Tartar can be found in the spices section of the grocery store. 

Store the playdough in Ziploc bags and it will stay fresh for three months.

Give this recipe a try and you’ll be surprised by how easy and fun it is. Plus, you’ll encourage your child’s independence and creativity while making fun memories.

When most families grab a bite from a restaurant, it’s usually something quick from a drive-thru window. And there’s a good reason! Everyone can get exactly what they want while staying strapped inside a climate-controlled environment. It’s cheaper than a sit-down restaurant and you don’t have to deal with public meltdowns or your child making a monstrous mess.

However, there will be times you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant. Maybe your family is coming into town, or you’re celebrating a birthday or graduation. Surely there’s somewhere better to eat than a McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A with their built-in playplaces!

Thankfully, the Crestwood and East Louisville area offers several excellent kid and family-friendly restaurants so you can enjoy a nice meal without wanting to pull your hair out or spend an exorbitant amount of money.

1. 3rd Turn Oldham Gardens (East Louisville)

Located in Crestwood, 3rd Turn was: “Established in 2017 Oldham Gardens has a rich history in Oldham County. The venue was most recently a greenhouse and nursery and the space still reflects that history. With over 1.5 acres of beer garden this space has so many unique spots to enjoy yourself.  Get beer, cocktails, slushies or wine from one of the many locations  on site indoor or outdoor.” 

3rd Turn has lots of outdoor space for kids to roam. They regularly feature live musicians and have events like Jeep night, Derby fundraisers, and Bluegrass jam sessions. 

Visit 3rd Turn Oldham Gardens at 6300 Old LaGrange Rd Crestwood, KY 40014 or call them at (502)-233-7591 for more information.

2. Havana Rumba (East + South Louisville)

Havana Rumba is a tapas restaurant, which means all the dishes are on the smaller side, but you order multiple dishes and share. This is an ideal situation for a family with young kids! Ordering this way allows you to save money on overpriced kids’ meals by letting your kids have a little of everything. This also exposes your kids to new and exciting flavors. 

If you decide to order from the kid’s menu, the kitchen staff prioritizes getting kids meals out fast, which, as every parent knows, is a lifesaver! 

Havana Rumba also has fun music to groove to and the relaxed environment puts parents at ease. 

Havana Rumba has several locations:

• Lyndon: 2231 Holiday Manor Center Louisville, KY 40222 / 502-425-0949
• St. Matthews: 3939 Shelbyville Road Louisville, KY 40207 / 502-897-1959
• Middletown: 12003 Shelbyville Road Louisville, KY 40243 / 502-244-5375
• Highlands: 2210 Bardstown Road Louisville, Kentucky 40205 / 502-749-4600

3. Wild Eggs (East, Jeffersontown, South, Downtown)

Who doesn’t love breakfast food? In fact, most people love Wild Eggs so much, that they’re willing to flip a celebratory dinner into brunch. 

Wild Eggs is very kid-friendly because it’s easy to please little children with breakfast food. It’s a bustling place and there’s always something to look at to keep your child’s attention. They also have coloring mats and activities. Because breakfast food doesn’t take that long to make, service is generally fast, which keeps your dining experience short and sweet (literally!). 

Wild Eggs is so popular, that they have multiple locations:

• Westport Village: 1311 Herr Lane Louisville, KY 40222 / (502) 618-2866
• Middletown: 153 English Station Road Louisville, KY 40245 / (502) 618-3449
• Jeffersontown: 9010 Taylorsville Rd. Louisville, KY 40299 / (502) 473-5959
• Downtown: 121 South Floyd Street Louisville, KY 40202 / (502) 690-5925
• Dupont/St. Matthews: 3985 Dutchmans Lane Louisville, KY 40207 / (502) 893-8005

Wild Eggs is generally busy from open to close, so if you want to guarantee that you dine at a certain time, it’s best to call to reserve a table. 

4. Noodles & Company (East, Southwest, South) 

If you’re tired of hamburgers and chicken nuggets but still need to feed a picky eater, try Noodles & Company. Their menu offers dozens of customizable noodle and rice options so everyone gets exactly what they want. Just choose one of their delicious meal options and, if you so desire, customize what goes in the bowl. They also offer kid-sized portions or spaghetti and meatballs, mac n’ cheese, or buttered noodles, and come with a healthy choice of applesauce or steamed or crispy broccoli. 

Noodles & Company expects to see families, so their atmosphere is friendly and welcoming to young children. As a quick-service restaurant, there is minimal wait time. After ordering at the counter, you take a number to your table and the waiter will bring your food to you. 

Noodles & Company has two locations in the area:

• Cardinal Towne: 319 W. Cardinal Blvd. Louisville, KY 40208 / (502) 632-2846
• Plainview Village: 1225 S Hurstbourne Pkwy Louisville, KY 40222 / (502) 625-6137

5. Impellizzeri’s Pizza (East, Jeffersontown, South)

Named Kentucky’s best pizza pie by Reader’s Digest, Impellizzeri’s Pizza is the place to go for pizza. Impellizzeri’s is the originator of Louisville-style pizza, has lots of customization options, and even a delicious gluten-free crust. 

Where there’s pizza, there will be kids! Impellizzeri’s is ready for kids of all ages. You will feel at home, and your kids will, too. 

Impellizzeri’s Pizza has three locations in the Louisville area:

• Highland’s: 1381 Bardstown Rd Louisville, KY 40204 / 502-454-2711
• Holiday Manor: 4933 Brownsboro Rd Louisville, KY 40222 / 502-425-9080
• Middletown: 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy #105 Louisville, KY 40243 / 502-653-7243

6. Hauck’s Corner (South Louisville)

From Hauck’s website: 

“Hauck’s Corner, located in Louisville’s trendy Schnitzelburg, Germantown neighborhood, offers a vibrant blend of delicious food and expertly crafted cocktails in a welcoming atmosphere.” Hauck’s has multiple bars, a spacious patio, and even a playground for littles with the wiggles. 

Their menu features crowd favorites, such as wings, burgers, sandwiches, and desserts. Kids can enjoy tasty food, too!

Visit Hauck’s Corner at 1000 Goss Avenue Louisville, KY 40217 or call 502-384-9374 for more information. 

7. 80/20 at Kaelin’s (South Louisville)

80/20 at Kaelin’s has a rich Louisville history that has entered the modern restaurant era. The menu features classic hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches that are cooked to perfection by two outstanding chefs.  There is a huge outdoor patio area that is completely fenced in, so it is safe for little children to run around.

80/20 at Kaelin’s also has a unique Malt Shoppe that features a 50’s flair. Families can enjoy the 20 delicious homemade ice cream flavors, or a handmade milkshake, malt, or sundae!

Visit 80/20 at Kaelin’s at 1801 Newburg Rd. Louisville, KY 40205 and check their Facebook page for current hours.  

Which of these restaurants does your family love? Let us know in the comments!

Reading is one of the best ways to increase your toddler’s language skills, vocabulary, and literacy. But the benefits of reading to your child go beyond academic intelligence, you also develop a sweet emotional bond through reading!

This is why a children’s podcast, audiobook, or television series can’t replace reading. 

Babies can make no sense of stories without a visual context, but even the American Academy of Pediatrics states babies under two shouldn’t watch television. There’s a reason babies are so fascinated by another’s facial expressions, inflection, and mouth. Babies will frequently reach to touch your mouth or neck while you’re talking to understand how to move their lips and tongue to form words.

Toddlers and young children may understand basic stories from an audiobook or television show, but there is no emotional bonding, and oftentimes, there can be a technology “crash” after turning it off that doesn’t happen with reading. 

Build a Library

Babies and children love to have books read over and over again. This is because children find comfort in the predictability of the story. The repetition also helps them learn new words (think of all the repetition you need to learn a second language!) and encode new information. 

While your local library is an excellent resource, you eventually have to return your favorite books. Begin building a little library of special, quality books for your toddler that you don’t mind reading time and again. Here are just a few to get you started.

17 Classic Toddler Books

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
2. Little Blue Truck
3. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
4. The Runaway Bunny
5. Goodnight Moon
6. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
7. The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
8. Blue Hat Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
9. Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
10. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
11. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
12. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
13. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
14. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
15. Corduroy by Don Freeman
16. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
17. From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

How Do I Start a Habit of Reading With My Toddler?

Hopefully, you are inspired to read to your child, but maybe you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Luckily, reading to your child is easy!

First, set reasonable expectations based on your child’s age and how much time you have. Babies won’t sit for long periods, and toddlers who aren’t used to reading stories may not sit for a long time, either. Start small by reading one short book and aim for just a few minutes of reading a day. Slowly add in one or two more stories, then add in longer stories. 

Before you know it, both you and your child will enjoy reading together!

Crestwood Preschool Academy Values Reading

At Crestwood Preschool Academy, we understand how important it is to read to babies and children. That’s why we prioritize read-aloud time in our daily routine. While you should still read with your child, you can rest assured that your child is listening to quality stories and experiencing all the benefits of early-age literacy. 

Without a doubt, one of the biggest hurdles parents and children struggle with when starting daycare is separation anxiety. Your child’s crying, screaming, and pleading can be intense and overwhelming. 

Separation anxiety is a completely normal developmental milestone for your child–but that doesn’t make it easy to handle! Sometimes, even parents can experience separation anxiety, especially if their child throws a tantrum at dropoff.

Neither you nor your child wants to experience separation anxiety, so how can you help your child overcome their fears and have an uneventful dropoff? Here are 5 tips that parents find helpful. 

Build Independence At Home

Parents have to be careful not to rob their children of the opportunity to learn independence at a young age. When a child feels successful at being independent at home, they will naturally feel confident about being successful in daycare. They know they don’t have to rely on their parents to take care of them; they can take care of themselves!

Fostering independence can start even in infancy. For instance, during playtime, you can perform a task and then say “Molly’s turn!” or “Molly do it!” At first, help your child complete the task, but you’ll soon find this fun game can help them realize they can play independently.

For toddlers and young children, plan for extra time for them to accomplish tasks on their own. Let them pick out their clothes and dress themselves, serve their own meals, and perform simple tasks like putting silverware in the dishwasher. Be sure to verbally praise and reinforce their efforts.

Give a Security Object

Whether it’s a blanket, lovey, stuffed toy, or other object, a security toy will help your child feel calmer upon drop-off. A security object will help your child stay connected with you, even when they can’t see you. 

Soft or fabric toys are generally the best security toys because they are easy to cuddle with. They even absorb your scent so that your child (especially babies, who often recognize their parents by scent rather than sight) can feel a connection to you. 

Model a Calm Demeanor

Your child looks up to you in everything, and that includes how they should act during a drop-off. If they sense you are anxious, sad, frustrated, or annoyed, this will only heighten your child’s anxiety and the intensity of an ensuing tantrum. 

Resolve to be a calm, confident, caring parent at drop off. 

Don’t Belabor the Drop-off

Give hugs and kisses, but don’t belabor drop off; it’s not good for you or your child. Then, it’s ok to leave! Your child may cry, but this shouldn’t deter you from leaving. You shouldn’t feel guilty or anxious. 

It’s a paternal instinct to comfort our children when they are sad, but returning over and over again will only add to everyone’s frustration. It will take longer for your child to settle down because they think you will return if they just keep crying. Instead, be genuine in your affection, but keep your drop off short and sweet. 

At Crestwood Preschool Academy, our staff are skilled in helping your child quickly acclimate to their classroom and have an excellent day! 

Conclusion

Remember, separation anxiety is normal and even healthy. It shows your child loves you and feels secure and happy with you. 

Separation anxiety is also temporary. The more you and your child practice, the easier drop-off will get. Your child will eventually learn that you do return, and you will eventually grow accustomed to temporary separation. 

At Crestwood Preschool Academy, our teachers are skilled at helping children gain confidence and independence in their classrooms. They will help your child become comfortable in their new environment, ready to grow, and reach new milestones.