• If you’ve got large plastic toys or play areas set up outside, it’s time to get them stored or at least out of the way. In our yard, for instance, we have a standing plastic playhouse and children’s picnic table. These things should be protected and stored just as you’d do for your other summer outdoor goodies, such as your grill and canopied swing.

• For light items that are easy to take apart, like child-sized canopied swings, you can simply remove a few bolts and collapse them for easy storage. Use zip ties to keep poles together and tape a small plastic bag with small pieces like nuts and bolts right to the side.  Then just find a place in the basement, attic or garage to put the pieces until next spring.

• For larger plastic pieces that can’t be so easily disassembled, you can either clean them up and find a space in your garage or basement, or pull them close to the wall of your house and cover them with a heavy tarp so they’re not out in the elements. This is what we have to do with the picnic table and playhouse.

• Once all the big yard toys are safely tucked away, do a full sweep of your yard to make sure there are no straggling Frisbees, balls  or other small equipment and toys hiding out in the yard. Not only will the weather wear on them, but if they’re covered in a light covering of snow, a little one could trip or twist an ankle when playing outside during the winter.

• Finally, bag up all of your warm weather outdoor toys such as bats and balls, jump ropes and hula hoops, and store them somewhere out of the way until the warm days come back. If you’d like, leave out some sand toys, like buckets and scoops for snow play. Why buy different toys when they’ll do just as well for making an awesome snow fort?

Getting outside now and clearing your yard of summer toys might seem a little premature with the chances of there being a couple fall-like weeks left, but you never know when the weather will take a turn. It’s better to get it done now, than trying to pry a plastic playhouse off your frozen, snow-covered lawn.

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My son is turning six years old this month, and we are heavy into planning the big birthday party for him. Phone calls are being made, and in the middle of all the planning and executing, the thought suddenly dawned on me that we have to get a birthday present, too. (Don’t worry, I still have about two weeks.)

He’s finally at the age where he knows what he wants and has no problem asking for it. On a daily basis, I hear about the latest toy he saw on television or talked about at school. He wants everything, of course.

The problem with children his age is they’re fickle. One minute, they absolutely need a particular toy, and then five minutes later it’s been replaced by the newest trend. Toy companies count on the ADD-like attention span of most children, so they keep churning out toys that make kids salivate and parents reach for their pocketbooks.

I admit that, when I open my wallet, money doesn’t come pouring from it like a fountain of green. I don’t have leprechauns following behind me carrying pots of gold, and my pirating adventures have yet to collect any booty.

So what’s a parent to do? I would love him to get the end-all-be-all gift for his birthday, but I’m having a hard time pinning it down. Between Spider-Man, Bakugan, Play-Doh, Hot Wheels and the million other brands out there, my head spins when I walk through a toy aisle.

I think my best bet is to just let my natural instincts take over. My usual thought process usually employs weighing the safety and age aspects with the education and fun aspects. I think I’m going to throw educational out the window for this one…it is his birthday after all. No kid wants to open up a birthday present filled with a Map of the World game where he has to figure out where Portugal is.

Clothes aren’t in the cards, either. I let grandma and grandpa get the clothes because, let’s face it, they don’t know their Bakugan from a Samurai Power Ranger. I know, right? Ridiculous. Bakugan’s don’t even have zords.

I know whatever I get him will be 100 percent with love. He may love it for 15 seconds and then start playing with the box, but at least I know I did my best, and that’s what’s most important.

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We are born with the ability to dream and, many times, my baby would giggle or twitch while asleep and I knew he was dreaming. Was he in the grip of a thrilling dream about drinking his next bottle or being in his mother’s arms?

Could he be thinking about the future and how he will grow? Is he running from the ferocious stuffed lion that silently sits in his nursery?

Babies have had little experience in the world, so what fills their minds in these dreams? My eldest son had night terrors when he was younger; he was only six months old and would wake up screaming and thrashing until he finally calmed down and returned to a quiet slumber.

He was never awake for those episodes, but what thoughts filled his mind to give him such a terror? My eldest son often talks to me about his dreams now and they typically involve his friends or something from school. He even talks bravely about his occasional nightmare.

My youngest is still in the toddler phase and can’t really talk about his dreams much. My middle child used to talk in his sleep and suddenly just burst out laughing in the middle of the night. It’s kind of creepy hearing from the bedroom for the first time, but cute after that.

I hope that as they grow their dreams become inspirations for their life. I hope they think about the happy times growing up, the wonderful things they will do in the future and remember me when I am gone. The dream world is a place where the impossible is possible (I learned that in a Freddy Krueger movie).

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You can personalize your Mother’s Day gift by adding your own photos and text to each gift. Choose from a variety of items including mugs, necklaces, t-shirts, ornaments, key chains, posters and cards. There are thousands of free templates from which to choose and each gift will feature vibrant, full-colored printing.

We can also help you get free shipping, as long as your orders are worth $50 or more. Just use our Zazzle coupon, which is good through May 30, 2011.

With a 100% satisfaction guarantee from Zazzle.com and some help from us, you can finally find the perfect gift your mother will surely treasure forever.

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Known for their theme and water parks, Six Flags is a popular destination that will satisfy every kid’s thirst for fun and adventure. With jaw-dropping rides and water slides that will twist, turn and drop you into a whole different dimension of thrill, Six Flags offers an experience that will never be forgotten.

Go online at Sixflags.com and find great promotions that can save you up to $300 in park savings when purchasing a season pass. Other great promotions include saving 5% online and all over the park when you use your Discover Card. Save on season passes, play passes, daily admission tickets, parking, food, merchandise, vip tours and more. These promotions are ongoing with no expiration date.

Be sure to find these and other promotions here at our Six Flags coupons page.

Shop online now and head straight for the rides to avoid those long lines!

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Pi Day isn’t something I dreamed up in my nerdy brain, either. It’s celebrated by mathematicians, scientists, schools and families globally. Most enjoy some pi-related food like pie or pizza in honor of the day. Who knew math could be so tasty?

Still, most kids hear the word ‘math’ and bolt for the door, which is why the folks at piZone.org have made it their mission to spread their enthusiasm for math, one slice of pie at a time. They feel that by sharing tons of fun activities, photos, cool learning tricks and other pi-related goodies, they can open children’s minds and make them curious about what other wonders the world of mathematics holds.

At piZone.org, your kids can explore all sorts of cool pi stuff, including images, puzzles, games and even videos. Take a look:

Some other neat features they have are special programs, built right into their site, which allow you to “play” with pi. For instance, in “Your Slice of Pi,” you can put in any number, up to 10 digits (like your phone number), and see where it falls within pi’s infinite sequence.

Math doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. It can be entertaining and interesting with the right tools and exposure to its lighter side. Giving kids a different perspective of mathematics, circles and pi, shared with an enthusiastic flair, might just give them a new appreciation for arithmetic in general. Every flame starts with one little spark.

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We’ve all taken to sitting in our cars until the door opens, shielding us from the cold, but it doesn’t make the time go by any faster. So, after twiddling my thumbs for a couple days, I decided to find things to constructively make use of my time.

Each day, I settle on a task I’d like to accomplish. It has to be something relatively simple, or that can be stopped and picked up later, just in case my little dude actually makes an appearance when he’s scheduled to. Which, to date, has yet to happen, but in a perfect world, it could.

When I’m choosing my mini-project of the day, I try to find something I’d like to get done, but just never seem to find the time for when I’m at home. It still amazes me how every single second seemed to get cut in half when I had kids. Now a simple task like cleaning out my wallet is something I have to schedule. So, I do.

The delayed preschool pickup time affords me a perfect chance to get something done that doesn’t seem to fit into the rest of my day’s schedule. And the bonus is, I’m by myself, so tasks take a fraction of the time they would if my boys were around to “help” me.

Some of the things I’ve been able to accomplish during my preschool pickup break are the following:

• Cleaning out my purse
• Switching purses
• Updating my planner
• Making my to-do lists
• Brainstorming blog topics
• Putting pictures into photo albums
• Copying recipes onto recipe cards
• Sewing buttons on a couple shirts
• Updating my cell’s address book

Two things I don’t recommend doing to pass the time are reading and playing games on a cell phone. While they’re both pleasurable ways to pass the time, and everyone can use a little “me” break, they’re pretty focus-intensive activities. Getting wrapped up in a rousing game of Tetris and missing the fact that my son is standing in front of the school looking for me is a serious parenting faux pas, and trust me, you don’t want to make that walk of shame.

How do you pass the time while you wait for your children to get out of school?

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And you can always visit us online at Smarter.com to browse popular searches, find out what’s hot and find the best prices on your favorite products.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/88526923@N00/2114874155

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So here I am thinking of things that a family can do together. There are always board games. But what about a bigger picture? A big ticket item, if you will. How about rallying the whole family around a cause? There are so many great challenges, causes, and organizations out there. Wouldn’t it be great to have a whole family believe in something and grow closer together during family-time while accomplishing something to make the world a better place? Here are some ideas if you want some ideas.

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.  “A pillowcase can provide comfort for a cancer patient, hope for a foster child, encouragement for a battered woman, or beauty for a nursing home resident.” Basic premise: make some pillowcases together as a family. Here are some tips to get organize and make it work: little kids can pick out crazy fun fabrics, older kids can sew, the whole family can get enthusiastic.

Meals on Wheels. “[Meals on Wheels] has worked to arm local senior nutrition programs with the resources, tools, and information they need to provide meals and make a difference in the lives of our neighbors, our veterans and all of our nation’s seniors who are facing the threat of hunger.” Encourage kids to care up close as you go as a family to deliver meals.

Fundraise for a Cause. As a family, decide on a cause that is important to your family that may be just out of reach. Cancer, autism, clean water…whatever has impacted you. Then decide how you want to make a difference: whether it be training for a marathon (TEAM in Training will teach you how to do just this!) or writing letters to get others involved by donating.

Illiteracy. Know someone who can’t read? Kids can learn compassion as they learn their ABC’s. Small children can learn with the person, and older kids can improve what they know as they help teach.

What causes are important to you? How can your family make the world around you a better place?

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/evilerin/3565026821

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We have tried to load up on as many books as we can. We registered for them before she was born and asked for them as gifts for the year’s holidays. We’ve gladly accepted used books, and we tend to pick up some of the ones that were our favorites as kids. We’ve added board books for her to enjoy as a toddler (so she can turn the pages without destroying the book), as well as paper-page books for her to grow into. We are glad we got a quality baby bookcase to hold her collection!

Reading is so fundamental for not only encouraging an enthusiasm for learning but has also been known to build everything from a strong vocabulary to positive self-esteem. With a toddler, books with strong rhyme and repetition can help to hold their attention.  Some of the books that our daughter currently enjoys are Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Good Morning, Good Night, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Reading with a child can be a great time to relax and snuggle together. As they get more active, it’s also a chance to get them to sit still when they get wound up. It is recommended that you start out with 15 minutes of reading per day. To hold a child’s attention, use fun voices for the different characters. Be enthusiastic about what is being read: the excitement is contagious. Reading is a fun opportunity to get the whole family involved and have everyone act out a character. Set aside specific times through the day just for reading. Soon enough, a child will automatically associate wanting to read with that time. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a great guide called “Read Me a Story” that marks milestones and gives great encouragements to help children become better readers.

Most local libraries have a weekly story-hour. Older kids can be swept away with their imaginations in the story telling. Younger kids love the animation of the story teller. Even the youngest munchkins enjoy watching the other kids hearing the story. There is something for everyone! And while at the library, take advantage of the visit to borrow more books.

Since reading is so fundamental, one can never start too young. If introduced with enthusiasm, reading can be very fun. This week, make it a goal to find a fun book and read with your child at least once every day.

Image Source: search.creativecommons.org

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