Best Toys for Fostering Your Child’s Creativity

When it comes to toys, most parents agree that their kids have too many. 

Often the victims of effective advertising, our children want everything, at least for a week. Then it’s on to the next, leaving the “must have” toy taking up space in the already over-crowded playroom. 

While it may take a little getting used to, your child will be best served if he has fewer toys, and if those toys are open-ended toys.

Why Fewer Toys?

Of course the experts have studied this, and with increasing frequency are recommending that having fewer toys will actually serve your child better.

A recent study from the University of Toledo in Ohio concluded that fewer toys can lead to better focus, and more creative and imaginative play. Children presented with fewer toys engage in healthier play that ultimately leads to deeper cognitive development.

The Ohio study focused on toddlers, and found that those presented with four toys as opposed to 16 “played with them in more varied ways and for longer periods of time.”

Why Open-Ended Toys?

Open-ended toys are those that have no one specific purpose. The only limits on how they can be used are your child’s imagination.

One benefit of this type of toy is that there is no wrong answer. Your child can never find herself frustrated at not being able to master or work the toy in the way it was intended.

The benefits of open-ended toys are somewhat obvious. They necessarily spark your child’s creativity as she comes up with different ways to use them on different days and as she gets older.

The open-ended play that is a natural result of such toys encourages problem solving and social development and aids in the development of cognitive skills. 

As Colleen D. Multari, LMSW, points out, “The more ways a child can play with a toy, the more he will learn.”

As Multari noted, there’s a reason The Strong (National Museum of Play), honored “the stick” as its toy of the year. As any parent knows, there is truly no limit to the amount and variety of play kids get out of a “simple” stick.

Toys That Will Serve Your Child Best

What toys should you search for if you’re looking to foster your child’s creativity and not have a house bursting at the seams with toys?

You’ll find everything you need and more with this selection.

Blocks and magnetic tiles: These come in all sizes, shapes, colors and styles. They are a great toy for toddlers up through grade school because the possibilities are truly limitless.

Your collection can include a big set of wooden blocks of various shapes, and a set of magnetic tiles that open up some different building possibilities.

They even make magnetic wooden blocks that are fun, but can be pricey. And of course, it’s hard to beat a big can of the traditional Lincoln Logs that we all grew up with.

Dress Up Clothes and Accessories: This can be anything from mom’s old hand me downs to complete costumes purchased for previous Halloween outings. Your child will find fun ways to mix and match anything and everything.

Local thrift stores are also the perfect place to add to your trunk of dress up play clothes.

Play Food and  Kitchen Accessories: A wooden kitchen set is perfect if you have the room, but even if not, there are an endless number of food items and kitchen accessories out there that will entertain your children for hours.

The wooden items are best, both for longevity and because they are more true-to-life. The Melissa and Doug toy company has a nice, ever-expanding selection of wooden food items and accessories.

In addition to food, kids enjoy anything where they can mimic adult behavior. Depending on your child’s interests, they make doctor kits, mail carrier kits, and many other professions your child will love to play at being.

Animal Figures: The most popular and realistic looking brand of animal figures available are Schleich. They definitely are quality made and will survive even the roughest play. They do tend to be a little pricey, but are worth it.

You can get cheaper versions too at just about any toy store, or from Amazon and eBay.

Animal figures are also a great learning tool for your child, as they make every animal you could imagine, including some you’ve probably never heard of.

Sensory Tables: Sensory tables are a great place to play with your animals and other smaller toys.

You can buy something designated as a sensory table and fill it with sand, water, rice, and other materials specifically made for sensory play, or you can just make your own from a shoe box or plastic bin.

Colorful kinetic sand is also a popular sensory activity, and can be used in smaller spaces such as the kitchen table with relatively little mess.

Play Silks: Play  silks come in a variety of colors and sizes. They’re a great addition to the dress up collection, and can also be used in fort making, dancing, and many other ways that you’ve never thought of but your child will.

Dying your own play silks is also a fun activity. The material dyes easily and works well with natural dyes. 

And as opposed to many arts and crafts that are made and discarded the next week, your child will enjoy the silks she made for several years (or at least until they rip while they’re using them as horse reigns!)

Cars and Trucks: In addition to the individual cars and trucks, you can buy sets that include road signs, and even trees, houses, and buildings that allow your child to set up a city to drive through, or create a construction site to play in.

There are also the large carpet-like car mats that can be a nice addition, but certainly aren’t necessary. They provide one place to play with your cars and trucks, but so do window sills and most pieces of furniture.

Toy cars are also nice because they can easily be put into a bag and taken along on a car ride or to a boring adult event where your child needs a distraction. 

Simplifying your child’s toy life is at least worth experimenting with. Most people report that they are surprised by the results. Less really can be more.

And fostering your child’s creativity and imagination is something that will serve her well throughout her life.

At KidsPartyCharacters.com, we’ve got you covered when it comes to bringing your child’s imagination to life at her birthday party. 

With over 200 characters to choose from, your child will find the perfect party guest for her next birthday. And she and her friends will love the show her character puts on as it has the children singing and engaging in fun games and activities.

See all the characters and packages we have to offer at KidsPartyCharacters.com and by connecting with us on Facebook. It’s never too early to start planning your next party!

Beyond the Enchanted...Ever After by: Cheryl Jacobs

"Beyond the Enchanted...Ever After" by: Cheryl Jacobs

How I branded my KidsPartyCharacters.com

My journal entries including my personal struggles, podcast transcript interviews with all the experts that helped me along the way. 

Connect up with my book editor, podcast coach, animated commercial artist, franchise & marketing expert, my top actors & several other amazing talented coaches.

Ready to transform your business & life to the next level?

Now available on Kindle @ 

http://bit.ly/BeyondtheEnchantedEverAfter

Proceeds will be donated to "The Grace Children's Foundation"

Please share if you think this will help someone you know. 

In celebration of my birthday today I thank you all for the love & support you've shown along the way. I truly appreciate you.

Miss Cheryl Jacobs 

The Quickest Path to Success in Your Work From Home Business

From the time you were born, you’ve had a mentor. 

Your earliest mentor was whoever filled the roll of mom or dad. They kept you alive when you couldn’t move an inch on your own.

As life progressed, they showed you how to hold on to things, helped you learn to walk without falling, and taught you how to get at least most of the food into your mouth when you ate.

A mentor is defined as an experienced and trusted advisor. 

While it takes many of us several years to realize it, we couldn’t have made it to the age of “grown up” without the mentorship of our parent(s).

As is so often the case, business mirrors life a lot in this respect.

It’s hard to build a consistently profitable business without an experienced and trusted advisor by your side.

While mentorship is pretty much a given in life - no one tries to push their parent out of their life, claiming “I got this” until at least their teenage years - people often struggle with the concept in business.

The urge to go it alone, with the help of a few books, courses, and seminars, along with a strong dose of the common sense and wisdom you’ve acquired as an adult, probably comes largely from the fear of failure.

If there’s no one “overseeing”  your business, no one will know when it does fail the way all your friends and family warn you it’s going to.

Another big reason people opt out of mentorship is the fact that it usually costs money, and how do they know if it will be money well spent?

When you’re first starting, money is always something you’re trying to conserve. And knowing who to trust with your money can feel like a crap shoot.

If you are serious about building a consistently profitable business (and really, why bother if you’re not!) then mentorship should be on your “must have” list.

A good mentor is the fastest path to a profitable business. This is true for several reasons.

1. Experience

There is really nothing more valuable than experience. 

A good mentor can help you accomplish something in 6 days that it may have taken you 6 months of trial and error to figure out on your own.

Having the benefit of your mentor’s mistakes is invaluable. 

She’s been down the road before. She can lead you over and around the potholes you would’ve fallen in up to your head if you’d travelled the road alone.

2. Objectivity

Your mentor isn’t emotionally involved in your business the way you are. This gives him the advantage of being able to advise you without the clouded judgment you’ll bring into this venture you are so rightly passionate about.

Your mentor’s objectivity can help talk you off the ledge when you're nervous or uncertain about how things are going.

One of the greatest things about your mentor’s objectivity towards your business is that it allows him to help you get clarity. 

You’ll often find that a good mentor tells you a lot of things you already know, if you’d just stopped to think about it. You simply needed someone who could view the picture rather than be in it, to point out these obvious yet crucial points.

3. Encouragement

You may be thinking you don’t need a cheerleader, but you’re wrong.

In most cases, the majority of your friends and family think you’re having something akin to a mid-life crisis, or may be just down right crazy for chasing this dream of your own business.

Entrepreneurship can be very lonely. And, especially in the beginning when the expenses always exceed the profits, it can feel very defeating. What if your friends and family were right?

Your mentor knows exactly what you’re feeling. Remember, she’s experienced, she’s felt it too.

You’ll be surprised how many days her encouragement is what gets you through the day without quitting.

4. Accountability

This is the first time you’ve been your own boss. As glorious and freeing as it is, it’s also hard to get used to.

Yes, you should write up a sales letter for your new product. But what happens if you don’t?

Well, nothing. You can always do it tomorrow. 

You won’t be fired, you’ll have no one to explain your procrastination to, there’s simply no immediate repercussion for putting it off today.

No matter how excited you are about your new business, you’re going to need some accountability to get it all done, and that’s a perfect role for your mentor to take on. 

A good mentor will gently yet firmly nudge you down the path quicker than you’d ever walk it alone.

5. Investment

We’ve talked about how mentorship is good because of the objectivity your mentor provides, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely neutral when it comes to your business.

On the contrary, your mentor is very invested in you and in your success. More invested than anyone, other than you.

First of all, you’re paying him at least something, so it’s in his best interest that you get results so you’ll keep paying and recommending him to others.

But more than that, a good mentor is someone you actually like and have developed a positive business relationship with. 

At this time when you may be feeling very alone and isolated from friends and family in your business adventure, your mentor is your partner, and will be just as dedicated to your success as you are, if not more at times!

Finding Your Mentor

So mentorship sounds great, but how do you go about finding someone who possesses all of these great qualities.

As a reader of the KidsPartyCharacters.com blog, there’s a good chance that your mentor is sitting right under your nose if you are a stay at home mom looking to start a business, or an entrepreneur looking for additional income opportunities.

Cheryl Jacobs, founder and owner of KidsPartyCharacters.com is a serial entrepreneur, which means she’s started more than one successful business. She has all the qualities of a solid mentor.

And, she’s decided to help jumpstart a select number of new business owner’s careers by offering memberships to KidsPartyCharacters.com. 

With membership you get an exclusive territory in which to book parties, the right to use all of our 200+ unique costumes, access to our casting director and acting coach, and business training and support from Cheryl and the team at KidsPartyCharacters.com.

If what you’ve read today resonates with you at all, if it’s made you realize how crucial mentorship is to your business success, and how much easier that success would be with a mentor, get on the phone with Cheryl and let her help you decide if a KidsPartyCharacters.com business is right for you. 

With her years of experience, Cheryl will talk you through your situation and help you get clarity around your desire to have your own successful business. You can book your friendly, no-pressure chat right here on our website at KidsPartyCharacters.com.

Keep up with all the fun we have making magical parties by connecting with KidsPartyCharacters.com right here on Facebook too.

Why Music Should be Part of Your Young Child’s Life

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to decide which of the ten thousand available options you should enroll your children in. 

There is every sport imaginable, and many are available year round these days. And there are camps that target any interest your kids could dream up, and probably a few more.

But there’s only so much time (and money!) in the day. Choosing options that make your children happy, foster their interests, and provide some long-term benefits to their lives can leave us feeling a little overwhelmed and uncertain.

In making these choices, one that you should put on the schedule as early as possible for your child is music class. Organizations like Kindermusik and Music Together have classes for babies, and provide music education up through age seven.

As kids get older, there can be a negative association with music, as they dread practicing the instrument mom and dad are paying all this money to teach them to play!

But there are an increasing number of alternatives to the “boring” 30 minute private music lesson. 

With just a little effort, you’ll find music camps available through local parks and rec centers, as well as local music schools that have come up with creative ways to develop your child's love for music.

Why Music?

We’ve all heard the benefits of sports on our child’s development, such as team building, self-esteem, and physical development. 

So how do the benefits of music stack up against the advantages of involving your children in sports?

Music and Academics

One of the biggest advantages that all researchers agree on is the academic edge music can provide to your young child.

Learning should be fun, or your child will develop a life-long resistance to it. 

Music allows your child to develop many of the same characteristics that are key to academic achievement, without being sat at a desk and told to “learn.”

According to Kindermusik, “listening, identifying patterns, problem-solving, creative thinking, and self-confidence” are all skills that are developed through music. They are also skills that have been demonstrated to contribute to a child’s academic achievement. 

Many researchers have pointed out the benefits of music to your child’s ability to learn math, a subject children often find boring and struggle to conquer. 

Understanding music beats and learning scales works to teach your child how to divide, recognize patterns, and work with fractions, all in an enjoyable environment that math class could never recreate.

Studies have also shown that music can accelerate brain development, especially in the area of reading skills and language acquisition.

Many even suggest that involvement in music class will improve your child's scores on tests such as the SAT. 

Music Develops Physical Skills

From marching around the room to the beat of a toddler tune, to rhythmically banging on the drums in your school band, music improves all areas of coordination and motor skills. 

In music classes for the younger child, gross motor skill development that is so important at the time is really the entire focus of the class as your child skips, hops, jumps, dances and waves her arms to the beat (or even not to the beat) of the music.

As children get older, music will continue to help them develop their fine motor skills as various instruments teach them to place their hands in new and even initially uncomfortable ways. 

This is especially true with string instruments and the piano, but even learning where to hold and how to move your fingers on a recorder or saxophone will get your child’s fine motor skills in tune in a way that no other activity can match. 

The young child’s movements in music class also stimulate the brain in ways that aid in development of the vestibular system. This will give your child a better sense of balance and awareness of her personal space and the world around her.

Obviously, all of the physical advantages of music translate into advantages in sports, dance, gymnastics, and even just increased confidence at recess and when playing games with other kids.

Music Helps Your Child Learn Discipline and Patience

Discipline and patience are obviously traits that will serve your child throughout his life. 

Children who actively participate in a music class are known to show greater attendance at school, as well as pay closer attention and be more on-task while they are in class.

This may have to do with the role that music plays in teaching your child about delayed gratification. 

In the beginning, your child will find it difficult to even clap on a beat. As simple instruments are introduced, he’ll have trouble making any sound when he first tries to blow into a recorder or flute.

And the sound he makes when he first draws the bow across the violin can be well, down right scary.

But as he experiences and plays with the instruments, he’ll actually hear pleasing improvements in his abilities, and will internalize the fact that patience, determination, discipline, persistence and a whole other host of positive qualities can really pay off. 

This will also improve his self-esteem in a way that traditional classroom learning will never do.

Music is For Everyone

Basically, you just can’t go wrong with music. Everyone is in agreement that music education and involvement benefits your child’s physical, emotional, and social growth and development in an endless number ways.

And unlike sports, which make some children feel uncomfortable or inadequate, no special interest or ability is required to engage in music fun that will provide all the benefits of sports, and more.

At KidsPartyCharacters.com, we recognize and encourage the importance of music at your child’s party. All of our characters enter to their theme song and our actors bring a play list of music along to your child’s party. 

You’ll find your child and her friends smiling and moving happily to the music at a KidsPartyCharacters.com party. Visit our website to start planning your child’s next party and see the 200+ unique characters we have to bring as your child’s special party guest. 

Choose the package that’s perfect for you at KidsPartyCharacters.com and let us do the hard work while you sit back and enjoy the perfect birthday experience with your child and her guests.

See more and stay connected with KidsPartyCharacters.com by joining us here on Facebook.

Free mentoring sessions on how to brande your company

Special thanks for all the love & support. Miss Cheryl Jacobs

Your Child’s In-Home Birthday Party Checklist

Chances are you’ve had that moment a week, or maybe a day, before your child’s party is happening when you realized you forgot something significant. 

While it’s completely understandable, this is not a time you want a disappointed child, or a frantic mom who’s trying to run around and fix things. 

At KidsPartyCharacters.com we’ve put together a checklist that covers everything you need to do to pull off a successful party, as well as gives you a timeline for when to do it.

Follow this list and you’ll avoid any “oops” moments and ensure that things are all smiles at your child’s next birthday party.

Six to Eight Weeks Before Your Child’s Birthday

• Set a date and time for your party

Get it on your calendar now, and maybe even a back up date, so you’ll have a little flexibility if needed. 

• Decide on a theme for the party

Work with your child to settle on a theme. Best to start this now, as it may be something that changes a few times before your child is ready to commit.

See our advice on how to choose a theme right here on the KidsPartyCharacters.com blog.

• Write out the guest list and confirm availability

This is another thing that may be a challenge for your child, especially if the guest list is limited. 

There’s certain to be a person or two that your child “must have” at her party. Confirm availability with this person so you can get a firm date on the calendar.

• Contact KidsPartyCharacters.com and any other entertainment

Visit the KidsPartyCharacters.com website and choose your character(s), along with face painting, balloon twisting, cotton candy, and any other fun you want to add into the party

Call KidsPartyCharacters.com to book your character(s) and choose the package you want.

Also reserve the DJ, or any other entertainment you may want at your child’s party.

Four Weeks Before the Party

• Send out the invitations

For everything you need to consider when it comes to invitations, check out our advice on the blog here.

• Make out a food menu

Work with your child to decide what food to offer, and whether it will be snacks or lunch, depending on the timing of the party.

Again, get all the advice you need on menu planning right here on the KidsPartyCharacters.com blog.

• Decide what activities you want to do

You’ll already have worked out most of the details here because KidsPartyCharacters.com does this for you, but discuss with your child anything he “must do” at his party and put together a list of all the games you’ll play and other fun you’ll have.

• Make a master shopping list for food and supplies

Create a master list for food and supplies you’ll need for games and activities. This is a list you can add to as you and your child finalize party details.

Three Weeks Before the Party

• Decide on party favors and any prizes you want to give away for games

You may want to do some shopping around at local party stores, or just look online. 

Find creative advice on choosing your party favors right here on the KidsPartyCharacters.com blog.

• Determine whether you’ll need any help at the party

Go through the party in your head. Remember you are just one person, and it'd be nice if you could actually enjoy the party too.

Do you need to ask a few parents to stay and give a hand? Maybe parents are staying anyway. Either way, don’t hesitate to give some small jobs to other parents, they’re happy to do it.

You can also hire a local teenager or even professional help if there’s really a lot going on, but usually the parents can provide all the help you’ll need. And, with KidsPartyCharacters.com putting on the show, we’ll take most of the burden off you anyway.

Two Weeks Before the Party

• Purchase all non-perishable supplies

Go to your master list and purchase everything you can. Make this a cutoff date for any changes or additions. 

Going to the store and locating the things you need is time-consuming and something you’ll want to avoid scrambling to do when you try to accommodate last minute changes.

• Pick out the cake

Pick out the cake before you actually need to order it, or buy the supplies to make it.

Again, this is something your child may change her mind about a time or two. It should be easier since you have your theme down, but if you’ll start pressing for a cake choice a week before you need to order it, it will avoid any pressure or drama about changes.

• Check on RSVPs and follow up if needed

A lot of people struggle to get in a timely RSVP. Follow up now so you know how much of everything you’ll need and avoid that last minute shopping trip.

One Week Before the Party

• Order the cake

Finalize the cake order or go purchase everything you’ll need to make the cake.

• Clean the house

Do a good clean now, while you still have a little time and aren’t rushed with last minute details. 

• Prepare the outside area

If the party will be outside, make sure there aren’t any dangerous spots in the yard, the swing set is wiped down, and any outside toys like trampolines or zip lines are in good working order.

• Confirm the details with KidsPartyCharacters.com

You’ll be getting a call from us to confirm all the details. Make sure we connect just to double check that everyone’s on the same page.

Two or Three Days Before the Party

• Go grocery shopping

Again, make this the cut off date for any changes or additions to the menu.

• Prepare the goody bags

Work with your child to put together the goody bags a few days in advance. The less you have to do the night before the party, the better. 

And remember, they’re also getting a goody bag from KidsPartyCharacters.com, which we’ll bring when we come!

• Order balloons

Kids love balloons, and it’s another thing we often think of last minute. You really can’t get them until the day of the party, but ordering them early can speed up the process.

• Double check that you have all supplies

Take inventory of everything you have, and make one final trip if necessary.

One Day Before the Party

• Finish as much of the cooking as you can

You want to enjoy the party too, not be in the kitchen. Resist the urge to say, “I can do that tomorrow,” and if it’s possible to get it done the day before, do it.

• Clean up the house

You’ll be glad you’ve already done a deep clean. Today, just spot clean and pick up.

• Set up the decorations

Put everything out that you can. Prepare tables for food, arrange furniture the way you’ll need it set up for the party.

• Pick up the cake

Don’t forget the cake! Or get to making it if you’re bold enough and talented enough to go that route.

• Make a list for tomorrow

What you’ll need to do the day of the party will be very specialized to you. If you’ve followed this checklist, you’ll have a pleasantly short list of things to do on party day.

For your peace of mind, make a list the night before of every little thing that needs to be done the day of the party and have a plan for how you or someone you designate it going to make sure it gets done both before and during the party.

Having the list will avoid chaos and keep you from that dreaded “What am I forgetting?” feeling.

Two to Five Days After the Party

• Send out thank you notes

For the best advice on sending thank you notes, check out our article on the KidsPartyCharacters.com blog.

• Share your feedback with KidsPartyCharacters.com

We want to make sure you, your child, and her guests are 100% satisfied. Let us know how much your child enjoyed the party, and what her most special moments were.

Putting on a party is usually harder than it looks. If you’ll follow this checklist, being organized, and having KidsPartyCharacters.com as your party hosting partner, will take the stress out and add more fun in.

If you need ideas and inspiration for your next party, check us out on Facebook to see how we’re turning children’s parties into magic every week.