Together Time Tuesday: Rhythm Dance Party! 02/15/2011

It’s time to put on your dancin’ shoes and introduce your little one to the world of rhythm! In celebration of our new World of Rhythm Discovery Kit we’ve put together a few ideas for a baby dance and music party. Turn your living room into a disco and explore the world of rhythm and music together!

Move to the Music
Kick off your dance party with the World of Rhythm CD or your favorite Radio Disney station. Start off by bouncing your baby to the beat of the music and watch as she begins to follow the rhythm. Continue the party by clapping and snapping with your little disco queen. Clap along to the music and your baby will soon follow suit. If your tiny dancer is a bit too tiny, lead the way by clapping her hands together for her. If your baby is walking or standing already, show her how to stomp her feet to the beat- just be careful, she might not stop!

Baby Beats
Now it’s time to break out the musical instruments and make your own music! If you have small musical toys like tambourines or maracas, incorporate them into the dance party. Show your baby how to shake and pat the instruments to make music. The Baby Einstein Rain Stick Pal is the perfect toy for shaking and baby will love the musical rain sound it creates. If you don’t have any of these toys or instruments on hand, make them! You can easily make maracas using a paper or plastic cup, rice and paper. Fill the cup half-way with rice and cover it using the paper and either a rubber band or tape. Now you have an instant instrument; just shake and enjoy! You can also invade the kitchen and create a drum set out of pots, pans, Tupperware and wooden spoons. Demonstrate for your baby first and then sit back and watch as he bangs away!

Rock on, baby!

Discovering Water with Your Little One: How to Turn Bath Time into Playtime! 02/11/2011

Dive into the wonderful world of water with your little one! Exploring water is fun for you and baby. During these cold winter months it’s not always possible to enjoy time at a pool, beach or lake with your little fish, so we’ve come up with a few ideas to make the most out of baby’s bath time. Take a look at our fun-filled water games below and get splashin’!

Splish, Splash!!
Splash around with your little fish! Show your baby how to pat the water with her hands. She will love the big splashes the water makes and also the sound of the water. Show her that bath time can easily turn into playtime!

Toys Galore
Introducing new toys opens up a whole new world of fun for your little one. Instead of bringing the same old rubber ducky into the tub, switch it up a bit by adding household items to the bath. Plastic measuring cups, toy watering cans, ping pong balls and sponges are great items that can double as bath toys. Show your baby how to pour the water with the cups and watering cans. If she’s too young to pour herself, do it for her. Your baby will love the sound of the cascading water and will also love the feel of the water being poured on her. Start on her body and move up to her head when she’s ready!

Ping pong balls are great toys to help your baby discover floating and sinking. Push the balls to the bottom of the tub and your baby will squeal with delight as they pop to the top! Another household item that’s great for the bath is sponges. Squeeze the water-filled sponges on your baby’s body and she’ll love the way the sponge feels. Just make sure the sponge is clean as babies love to suck on them!

Bubbles, Bubbles everywhere!
Everyone loves bubbles! Show your baby how to blow bubbles in the water by using a straw. Demonstrate how to blow bubbles first, then hold the straw and have your baby try it. Once he’s old enough you can introduce the ping pong balls and show how blowing bubbles will move the ping pong balls across the water.

Wheels on the Bus
Singing ‘Wheels on the Bus’ is a playtime favorite and can easily turn into the perfect bath time game. Just follow the lyrics and act it out with your little fish. For “up and down” bounce your baby up and down in the water. During “round and round” spin them gently in the water. When it comes to the part of the song where the “wipers go swish, swish, swish” hold your baby securely and sway them back and forth in the water. Enjoy!

Remember: Safety First! Never leave your baby unattended in the water. Infants and toddlers can drown in just a few inches of water. Also be sure to wipe up any excess water around the bath to avoid slipping.

Guest Blogger Spotlight: Discovering Books with Happily Domestic 02/09/2011

One of the most important things we can give our children is a love for reading. How do we do this? We do this by giving our little ones (including babies) every opportunity to discover books.

In our house we keep a large basket filled with colorful, fun, soft cloth books and chunky board books. We keep this basket in our living room where the books can easily be accessed by our baby and toddler throughout the day. It always pleases me when I see one of my children enthralled in a book because I know it is increasing their intelligence and growing their imagination!

When my children were babies I gave them each a soft cloth book of their very own. It was fun to watch my babies explore the books for the first time. Slowly turning pages, slapping the book with their chubby little hands, wide eyed as they discover new colors and pictures! I will never forget those special times.

As my children have grown reading continues to be a special part of our day. My baby and toddler like to bring books to me throughout the day and we read together. They love hopping up in my lap and pointing to all the pictures. They love to make the sounds of animals and cars. They love when mom reads in silly voices making them laugh. It is a lot of fun!

Reading can be such a special bonding time. I know it has brought my children and I closer together. With all the busyness and chaos of the day it is nice to have that special, quiet time with my children.

Beth Hunter is a stay at home mom to 4 children ages 10, 8, 2 and 1. Between homeschooling and caring for her babies, she is one busy mama! You can read more about her at her blog, Happily Domestic.

Lullaby and Goodnight 02/04/2011

One of the most soothing sounds for your baby is your voice, so why not sing your little one to sleep with a classic lullaby? Help to relax your baby while also helping her discover the world of music. If you have older children, have them join in and make baby’s bedtime a fun, family event. Below are the lyrics to some classic lullabies to ease your baby into a peaceful sleep.

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Traditional English Lullaby first printed in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, have you any wool?
Yes, sir, Yes, sir, three bags full
One for the master, One for the dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, have you any wool?
Yes, sir, Yes, sir, three bags full

Hush Little Baby
Author Unknown

If that mockingbird don’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring
If that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama’s gonna buy you a looking glass
If that looking glass gets broke,
Mama’s gonna buy you a billy goat
If that billy goat won’t pull,
Mama’s gonna buy you a cart and bull
If that cart and bull turn over,
Mama’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover
If that dog named Rover won’t bark, Mama’s gonna buy you a horse and cart
If that horse and cart fall down, You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town
Hush little baby don’t say a word.
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird

Brahms Lullaby
Written by: Johannes Brahms

Lullaby and good night,
With roses bedight
With lilies o’er spread
Is baby’s wee bed
Lay thee down now and rest, May thy slumber be blessed
Lullaby and goodnight,
Thy mother’s delight,
Bright angels beside
My darling abide
They will guard thee at rest, Thou shalt wake on my breast

Rock-a-bye Baby
Traditional English Lullaby, AuthorUnknown

Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all

 
In honor of our upcoming Baby Lullaby Discovery Kit, we want to know: What are your baby’s favorite lullabies? What songs best soothe your baby? Share your little one’s favorites in the comments section below!

Party Animals: Getting Ready for Baby’s First Birthday Party 01/25/2011

A baby’s first year is full of cute, memorable moments, awe-inspiring new discoveries, and boundless love and affection. It’s no wonder that parents go all out for their little one’s first birthday. Many parents choose to go with a theme, and with so many resources and options available, it’s sometimes easy to go overboard. If you choose to go with a theme party, remember that it’s always better to pick something simple and do it well, rather than try to pull off something complicated with too many elements. We find that animal themes are always cute, fun and easy to whip up. Here are a couple of Baby Einstein inspired themes.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Go country! Your baby will look darling dressed up in a gingham shirt and overalls (or a denim skirt for the little ladies) with a cowboy hat. Cover your tables in checkered tablecloths, or if it’s warm out, set it up on the grass or on a bench for picnic-style dining. Set the mood with the CD and DVD from our Animals Around Me Discovery Kit and serve up American comfort food such as macaroni and cheese, apple pie, and lemonade or sweet tea. You can find some great inspiration for a barn-themed cake online. Create your own photo studio against a wall by arranging a haystack or two and some plastic farming toys, stuffed animals (think cows, piggies, and some costume props to get creative with. Guests will love posing their babies on a haystack and having an adorable memento to keep. You can also use the photos to send a personalized thank you card to them after the event.

Get Wild With an Animal Safari
If you want something a bit more exotic, a safari theme is always fun. Dress up baby in a pair of khaki pants and a safari hat. Grab a few pieces of fake foliage from your local Home Depot or Michael’s to add a wild, jungle feel to your home. Use them to frame the front door and other major entryways. Cover furniture in beige and olive colored sheets for a camouflage effect (this does double duty by protecting your furniture from children). Conjure up animal sounds with the CD from our Wild Animal Safari Discovery Kit. Be sure to have some animal crackers on hand for snacking. Add some excitement to your beverages by serving them in disposable Pick Your Nose Animal Cups. Kids really get a kick out of them! Set up a face-painting station with supplies and costume props from your local party store, such as animal ears, snouts, and masks. Parents will love seeing their cuddly little ones transformed into furry, spotted, and whiskered baby animals.

While you may want to invite the entire world to share in your joy and celebrate the little VIP in your life, it’s important to remember that baby might get overwhelmed by too many faces. Limit the guest list to a close circle of loved ones and familiar faces so that baby will feel right at home. We’d love to hear how you celebrated or plan to celebrate baby’s 1st birthday!

Together Time Tuesday: Making Indoor Time a Blast for the Family 01/18/2011

Feel like you’re trapped indoors? Turn time stuck inside into a fun adventureland filled with new things to discover with your baby. The winter months can be a wonderful opportunity to spend so much together time. Here are a few tips and tricks for having some indoor fun with your little one.

Bathtime Partytime
Turn bath time into play time by adding some fun to your routine. You can use our Baby’s First Bath Gift Set to make bath time a treat. Get baby in the mood by introducing her to the wonderful world of water with the Baby Neptune DVD. Then run a warm bath and let her explore the water for herself. Once she’s in the tub, read her the Water Water Everywhere bath book, which is designed to withstand washing, dunking, and squeezing. Once she’s all soaped up, try making the rubber duckie disappear among the suds and see if she can find it. Remember never to leave your baby unattended in the bath, even in low water. Bringing bubbles into the bathroom is another way to fascinate her and make her forget she’s taking a bath.

Visit Friends and Family Without Leaving the Couch
If traveling to see friends and family is impossible, don’t forget that many computers now have a built-in camera. Put it to good use by having a family video chat with relatives you haven’t seen in a while though Google or Skype, both of which offer free, easy-to-use video chat services. Baby will be fascinated, you’ll get to catch up with loved ones, and they’ll be able to marvel at how she has grown. If you don’t have a webcam, look at a photo album or flip through photos on your computer with your baby. Point out your family members and the people that baby knows and repeat their names. Be sure to show her pictures of herself too!

Choose Your Own Adventure
If you’ve flipped through baby’s favorite books for the umpteenth time already and she’s lost interest, channel your inner publisher and create your very own book for her. Clip pictures of familiar objects from a magazine or print them out and put them in a photo album. Let her turn the pages as you weave a personalized story for her, incorporating the images into your tale.

Whether you’re snowed in or not, we hope that you and your baby make the most of your winter together. If you have tips of your own on how to banish the winter blues and liven up the season, be sure to let us know in the comments!

Playground Chatter: Keeping Baby Warm This Winter 01/12/2011

Much of the country is blanketed in snow, turning into a winter wonderland. As magical as it might be to watch your baby witness her first snowfall, keeping our little ones warm is always a top priority for every parent. We recently asked our community on Facebook and Twitter for their tips on how to keep their little ones toasty during the cold months. Here are some of their suggestions for chasing the chill away:

Heather suggests, “Stay inside watching Baby MacDonald over, and over, and over, and over again! .” Sheila and Ruby agree that staying inside is the best solution.

Sarah adds, “Stay home as much as possible and if we have to go out we bundle up big time!!”

Anna finds it’s best to, “bundle her up head to toe with her snowsuit hat gloves boots but we stay inside only go out if need be.”

When venturing outside is necessary, Jennifer says, “I use a bunting bag in the infant seat and if going for a stroll in the fall and its chilly i put the bundle me in the stroller and keeps my son warm with out the use of a bulky snow suit and its much safe to but a baby in the car seat with out a big coat they could slip out of the harness because u can get it tight enough on them.” Karie agrees.

Pamela’s must-have for car rides is “a cover for the carseat.”
Renee shares her technique: “I use an infant snuggler and a bunting bag over the car seat as well as bundle him up but there is not need for a heavy jacket with those items. It is wonderful.”

Now that her son is a bit older, Janie says, “loved the infant carrier seat bags for winter last year, now I pretty much have to put my 18-month old in his snowsuit for stroller walks, which took some getting used to for him (he still doesn’t love it!). Just a jacket, warm hat, mitts & boots for the car tho….”

Thanks to our Facebook and Twitter community for sharing all your wonderful suggestions! From car seat covers to infant snugglers, snowsuits to just plain staying in, there are plenty of great solutions to help keep your baby warm this winter. Do you have a tried and true technique? Feel free to add your two cents in the comments!

Together Time To Do’s for 2011 01/06/2011

We’ve all been making New Year’s resolutions for what seems like forever. But what really is a resolution? We suggest that this year you put a positive twist on the traditional “New Year’s resolution” and use this time to make a few plans for how you will share discovery with your little one this year. Grab a pen. Write 5 things that you want to share with your baby this year and post it on your fridge or plug it into your iPhone so it’s on the front of your mind all year long! We have some ideas to get you started, but think about making it as personal as possible and really sharing beautiful things that you are passionate about with your baby.  

Spend a day at the Children’s Museum Many museums offer discounted week day rates so do a quick Google search to see if there are any local deals that you and your little guy can take advantage of.  If you don’t have a museum in your town, you can look for parent group trips on your local parent’s group website. This may spark some other ideas for child-friendly activities or special exhibits that are designed for young eyes and ears.

Make a Play Date in the Park As soon as the weather warms up make a date to explore your local playground with baby. Try to pick an off-peak time, such as early in the morning or when bigger kids are at school, so that baby doesn’t get overwhelmed.  A gentle push on the baby swing is always a hit, as is an assisted glide down the slide by sliding down with baby in your lap, or holding him midway down the slide and slowly guiding him down. If there’s a sandbox, trace shapes in the sand with baby and let him watch it slip through his fingers.  Just make sure he doesn’t eat it!

Discover Friends They make the world go round!  It’s important for a child to build healthy relationships throughout life and learn how to socialize well with others.  Help him discover friendship by setting up a date with parents of a baby close in age.  Watching the babies “discover” one another and try to talk will be a great experience for parents, too! If possible, try to set regular play dates to allow the two of them to get familiar with one another.

Susan McLain’s Holiday Reflection 12/23/2010

In honor of the holiday season, we’d like to share a very special guest post from Baby Einstein GM Susan McLain!

Fun, laughs, exhaustion, happiness . . . what a full and exciting year this has been! With two daughters, 4 and 1, the year has been chock full of unforgettable moments – like my little one learning how to use her voice – to babble, sing and even scream – and, boy can she scream. Or, my older daughter finding her way around her preschool, becoming confident as the world, and, people in her world, opened up in a whole new and exciting way.

For me, this was a year of figuring out how to balance a full time job and TWO children – last year I was still in the newborn fog – and learning that there are so many people out there to help you through your times of struggle… and moments of joy.

At Baby Einstein, I’m particularly grateful for the amazing group of people both in the office and through our communities who have shown incredible passion for Baby Einstein. I’m thrilled to have watched you build the Baby Einstein social media community this year from nothing to over 22,000 fans on Facebook eager to share tips and tell us what you love and what we can do better. I have to say that finally introducing the new Discovery Kits to you was a personal highlight for me. As a mom that uses Baby Einstein to raise my own girls, I was so excited that we found a way to give you a complete experience with the 3-product Discovery Kits to truly bring discovery into your baby’s life…without you having to break the bank. And I can’t forget to mention the fun times, from introducing our guest blogger series to showing off some adorable giggly babies in our smiling babies contest. And we did it all together! Most importantly I am thankful for you our amazing fans, so invested in your baby’s upbringing that you give us amazing feedback to help us to make the best possible products. It’s what drives me every morning to be a working mom.

At this time it’s a sweet tradition to gather the family around share good times and memories that you all have made together. As my family sits around the tree this season I will look back at how amazing they and you have made this past year. I wish you many holiday blessings and best wishes to a new year filled with new discoveries for your whole family!

Guest Blogger Spotlight: Discovering the Holidays 12/22/2010

We gave a Discovery Kit and a video camera to three families with little ones and asked them to capture their holiday moments together. Here’s a look at some of our favorite moments . . .

A very big thank you to bloggers So You Think You Can Mom, My Silly Monkeys, and Little BGCG for sharing these special moments with us!

We wish you and your family a safe, happy and joyous time together this Holiday season. May your 2011 be filled with many more wonderful discoveries!