Kids and Pets!

Kids and Pets!

Kids and Pets…So many Benefits!

We’ve been spending our warm summer nights at the park with the kids. We jump on our bikes and sail on over. There is nothing more magical than warm summer days, with a warm breeze, riding with happy, smiling kids. I swear, it is pure bliss. Our kids are nighthawks…so we don’t ever leave the house until about 7:30/8pm.

This week we’ve had the fortune of bumping into some of our neighbourhood friends. This family has four kids ages 10-2 and they are just lovely. The recently have welcomed a dwarf bunny named Drako into their house and he accompanies them to the park. My kids are obsessed with this little guy (and I must admit he is incredibly cute). When we come home, all we do is talk about Drako and the kids now want a bunny instead of a dog!

We have two ageing cats in our household who have stood the test of time (and the test of children chasing them). They are warm and loving towards the kids now as are the kids to them. My parents have two dogs, so my kids also have ample opportunity to play with both small and big dogs frequently.

All this brings me to the lovely benefits of pets for children.  A quick look through all the books, clothes and movies your children have will remind you of just how much imaginary animals are entwined with little ones. As I type, I am smiling as I remember our kids saying moooooo and quack for the first time! Animals and kids, kids and animals….it’s just a thing!

Pets and Learning:

Researchers and educators are finding that all children can benefit from the presence of animals. In one recent study, children were asked to read in front of another child, a dog and an adult. Stress levels of the kids were monitored, and the study found that kids were most relaxed around the animal!

Pets and Nurturing:

Pets give unconditional love. They are non-judgmental and gives a child someone to talk to. A pet can comfort, support and listen to a child’s troubles without judgement or consequence. A bet can also be your child’s best buddy!

In terms of your child learning to nurture, pets help in this way as well! Caring for a pet that is dependent on you teaches empathy. Children learn to read their pet’s cues. Are they thirsty, hungry? Are they scared? Are they happy? Empathy is a huge skill to learn and caring for a pet supports that growth.

Pets and Responsibility:

Children can gain confidence when they care for pets. Children as young as 2 (we’ve got one in our house!) can manage the simple tasks associated with having a pet, like filling the water dish.

Pets and Activity:

Pets can get your kids moving! Taking the dog for a walk or run is inevitable. Even with Drako the bunny, the kids let him hop away and they run to follow him and bring him back to the center of the field!

Pets and Communication:

This is something we’ve noticed with our kids. When we are out for a walk, they stop to meet every dog we see. When doing so, they ask the owner what the dog’s name is, how old the dog is and all sorts of other questions. We think is really interesting to watch our kids get more comfortable having conversations with adults and older kids and being comfortable enough and curious enough to ask these questions.

 

We'd love to hear about your kids and pets! Hope you all are having a great day!

 

All the best,

Vanessa

 

Benefits of Water Play!

Benefits of Water Play!

Water and Kids

It is starting to get beautiful out and one thing we are really missing is swimming. With COVID19, all the pools in our community are closed. I think this is the longest my kids have ever gone without swimming. I’ve been a water baby my whole life and am so happy that my kids love to swim as much as I do. During the winter, we swim at least twice a week as a family (I swim 4 times a week) and in the summer …. that all just increases. Not this summer though, so we’ve had to get creative! We’ve been using the sprinker, watering can, hose and water tubs/buckets and we’ve been having a ton of fun (and learning along the way!).

Water play with kids is so important in terms of development. Water play helps develop motor skills, sensory play, problem-solving and social-emotional growth. I will walk through these points below and give some examples from our little family unit.

Motor Development

Water play gives many opportunities to develop fine and gross motor skills across all age ranges. Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination will be developed through actions such as pouring, scrubbing, stirring, squeezing and squirting!

Sensory Play

Water play is an awesome sensory experience. Kids are introduced to textures such as slippery and slimy and also temperatures!

Problem Solving Skills

If you put a stick in a tub of water, doe it sink or float? How about if you put a rock in? What would happen if you sat in the tub of water? Would the water go up or down? What happens when you get out of the water tub? Tons of problem solving opportunities!!

Social-Emotional Growth

This one is quite relevant in our household right now as we’ve got some water squirters that the kids love to play with. Squirting water at each other is all fun and games …. until it isn’t ;) Both kids are learning to recognize the desires and needs of the other and are working hard to listen to each other. It is a work in progress, but their awareness of both their actions and the other’s reaction to their actions has greatly increased and it has been really neat (but I will be honest - at times trying) to watch and be a part of.

Turn taking is also a big part of social-emotional growth and this is also something we are working on in our household. Talking about sharing and taking turns with the hose, sprinkler and watering can: these are real conversations we are having on a daily basis. All part of growing!

 

Tell us how you are turning to water this summer! How are you getting creative to keep your kids active, learning and of course cool!?

 

All the best,
Vanessa

 

 

10 Virtual Field Trips for Your Kids!!

10 Virtual Field Trips for Your Kids!!

10 Virtual Field Trips for Your Kids!!!

Wondering what you are going to do with your kids for the rest of the summer?! Look no further than this list! We’ve compiled a great list of companies that have gone over and above the COVID call of duty to make kids’ (and parents’) summer amazing!

Learn about the Amazon Rainforest!

Sail through Antarctica!

Climb the Grand Canyon!

Calling all astronauts! The Space Launch System lets you go behind the scenes here!

Get a live look at Mount St. Helen’s volcano!

Travel to the Etosha National Park in Namibia for an African safari!

Baboons!!! Check out the San Diego Zoo’s live camera feeds!

Baseball anyone? Take a look around Yankee Stadium!

Panda, panda, panda! The Atlanta Zoo has a live camera feed!

Go to the Galapagos Islands!!!!

Bonus: 

The Great Wall of China!

 

Hope you've all enjoyed your trip!
All the best,
Team Mobi
Kids and Racism

Kids and Racism

Kids and Racism

These conversations must be had. They can be tricky as we always want to say the “right” thing but by being silent so that we don’t say the “wrong” thing…we are part of the problem. I’m writing this blog, not to tell anyone what to do or say but to share some great and helpful resources I have found. History and present-day prove that we can and must be better. Our little ones look to us as examples and I've found that when we are able to speak about topics openly, so many great questions and conversations come to light. We've found the topic of race to be no different.

I’ve been reading a number of great articles on kids and racism and I will share them below. They are well worth the read and provide both great content and great reading suggestions. Reading is a really popular time in our household and I’m looking to purchase a number of these recommendations for my little ones. Author Christine Taylor-Butler notes to “provide 20 joyful books for every one book about racism. [Kids] need to know POC kids are like every other kid.”

Here we go!

Read Brightly:

Olugbemisola Rudya-Perkovich:

Olugbemisola is a mom, wife, sister, friend and library lover. She is also the author of great books like 8th Grade Superzero.

Olubbemisola’s “How to Talk to Kids about Racism: Books and Resources That Can Help” is filled with both big and small tidbits that you can use as a parent. There are also numerous book recommendations…

https://www.readbrightly.com/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-books-and-resources-that-can-help/

 

Parent Toolkit:

This is a great article that dives into talking about race, setting examples, helping kids navigate their curiosity, making the topic relatable, being open about mistakes and being an advocate.

https://www.parenttoolkit.com/social-and-emotional-development/advice/social-awareness/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism

 

Brittany Smith:

Brittany is a Pre-K teacher from New Jersey and she recently shared a list of children’s books that discuss race and racism. You can find the list in the link below. Adding these to my book order!

https://time.com/5848192/childrens-books-about-race/

 

I hope these have been of interest. We’d love to hear from you and what you are reading with your little ones, how you are approaching this topic with your littles ones … and how you are doing in general.

 

Sending love and light.
 
Vanessa
August 11, 2020 — Mobi Games Inc

How to Deal With Uncertainty

Team Mobi here!

This is a big topic for sure.  Just as a disclaimer--we definitely know that not everything works for everyone, but these are some tips that may help you and your kids cope with uncertainty, especially around starting school again.

The last 6 months have been more than confusing.  There has been a lot going on socially, politically, and of course due to COVID.  One of the most uncertain things right now is regarding return to school for our kids.  We know that this is a stressful time for everyone thinking about coordinating child care, figuring out how to teach your kids math/science/etc if the need arises, and just trying to answer any questions your kids have!  Like, when can I see my friends?  Can I play basketball/ soccer/hockey this year? Why can't we just go to school?  And the list goes on... 

The important thing to remember is that most of us are in the same boat--juggling work, home life, and kids is a tough balance!  Throw in the potential of being teacher and many of us are about ready to give up!  But take a deep breath and use some of these tips to address some of the difficult questions that come up.

  1. Focus on what you do know for sure (the facts).  Avoid catastrophizing with your kids.  Sometimes this is hard to do, but talk about the things you know for sure instead.  For example, it's ok to say that you don't know what will happen, but you know that you got through these last few months.  Remember how you got to camp in your backyard?  Or remember how much we got to bake together?  Didn't we have fun on our nightly walks? Focus on the moments of joy that were made possible while staying at home. 
  2. Allow your child to feel and express their emotions.  Our kids have definitely suffered through some of the same things we have over the last 5 months--frustration, isolation, anger, fear, sadness.  Let them know that it's ok to feel these things, and give them reassurance that you're always there to support them.  Some kids may not be as expressive verbally, so if they need another outlet (art, music, physical activity), give them that option.  They may need some space sometimes too, and that's ok!  Let them know that when they're ready, you're there.
  3.  Seek help.  If you're unsure how to tackle difficult topics, it's ok to ask!  There are lots of great counsellors, social workers, psychologists, etc out there who specialize in this.  Sometimes it's difficult to know when you need another opinion, but it doesn't hurt to check out your options for both you and your child.  Making sure that you're in the right mental space will make sure that you are able to communicate more clearly with your child.

Again, there's no magic pill to make feelings of uncertainty go away, but we hope you find these tools useful!

Much love,

Team Mobi

 

August 06, 2020 — Mobi Games Inc

Slime! Slime! Slime!

Make Your Own Slime!

I've got to be honest....I've been putting off slime for as long as humanly possible as, well, it's slime and slimy and I just didn't really want it all over our house. But alas .... our 6 year old really wanted to make some. I have to say, it was super easy, really fun and if you make it just right, it isn't super sticky at all! We've made just about every colour under the rainbow now. The tactile play is amazing. There is also measuring, patience and sharing involved. Check, check, check! A nice little afternoon activity for the littles that is super fun and also educational.

We've tried a couple of recipes and this is the best one we think!

INGREDIENTS

  • (4-ounce) bottles washable school glue, such as Elmer's 
  • 1 to 2 drops  liquid food colouring (optional)
  • 1/4 cup glitter (optional)
  • teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons saline solution (i.e., contact lens solution) - get one that includes borate

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Color the glue (optional): Pour the glue into a medium bowl. Stir in the food colouring and glitter, if desired. This mixture doesn't need to be homogeneous, as you'll mix it even more after adding the baking soda.

  2. Add the baking soda: Add the baking soda to the glue mixture and stir until smooth.

  3. Add the contact lens solution: Pour in 2 tablespoons of the contact lens solution and stir slowly. The mixture should begin to harden and/or becoming stringy.

  4. Mix, mix, mix: Continue mixing slowly until a ball of slime forms.

  5. Let it sit:  Let the slime sit for 3 minutes (have your little ones count to 180 ;) ) and then the slime should be ready!

    Options!

    Hidden Figures: Fold small figures or cars into the slime and ask your children to find them.

    Polka-Dot Slime: Fold 10 to 15 soft pom-poms into clear slime (no coloring, no glitter)

    Cut-and-Measure Slime: Provide your kids with a metal or plastic ruler and kid-safe scissors. See who can stretch their slime the furthest. 

RECIPE NOTES

  • Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • Glitter glue slime: Glitter glue is a wonderful way to add glitter to your slime and it is much less messy if you can find it. Skip the optional glitter called for here if using glitter glue.

Have fun everyone!!!

Vanessa

August 04, 2020 — Mobi Games Inc
Summer Update from Team Mobi!

Summer Update from Team Mobi!

Team Mobi here!

Now that we are deep into the summer, we thought it would be a good time to recap what's been going on at Mobi over the last few months.  Although COVID shut down much of the world for at least some period of time, things have been bustling at Mobi!  We definitely took the opportunity to spend quality time with our families (which we LOVED!!) but we stayed hard at work coming up with new toy ideas, beefing up our social media game (we're still working it!),

July 30, 2020 — Mobi Games Inc

Gardening with Kids

Gardening with Kids

We are staying home more these days and the weather is beautiful. We’ve been spending a lot of time outside and recently the kids have been interested in helping me garden. We don’t have a huge garden but we certainly make the most of it. What I’ve learned is that you don’t need a big space to have fun or learn the amazing lessons that gardening provides! I’ve also learned … throwing soil seems to part of the fun ;)

 Here are 5 great reasons to garden with kids: 

  • Gardening is an awesome family activity:

Everyone can help! We’ve got spades and shovels, dirt and flowers…what else do you need? Oh the watering can! A hit with both kids. From the start – picking the flowers…to the digging of holes to the sprinkling with water after you’ve planted….each phase seems to be a popular one!

  • Gardening enhances fine and gross motor skills and development:

We are all about motor skill development at Mobi. You can see this in the games and toys we develop and also in the other blog posts! From picking up tiny seeds, to gently caring for seedling and plants…fine motor skills are at work. When your kids are carrying the plants from one part of the garden to the other and squatting down to dig a hole…gross motor skills are at work. The best part? Your littles won’t even know they are working on them!

  • Gardening helps kids understand planning and organizing:

When you garden, you have to think ahead and plan. What plants grow at what time of the year? Some plants like to grow in rows, while wildflower seeds can put sprinkled. How tall are the flowers we are planting? Do they require shade or sunlight? What do we want the garden to look like when in bloom? A lot of great conversations can happen around planning and organizing and allowing your kids to partake will give them a sense of importance and independence.

  • Gardening teaches patience:

Whether you are planting flowers or growing veggies…gardening takes time. This is a great activity to teach kids about the rewards of being patient and also lets them practice the skill!

  • Gardening involves all five senses:

You know, we at Mobi are all about development and it is so fun to have an activity that is great for the whole family and that involves all the senses! See, touch, taste, hear, smell … gardening covers them all!

Let us know what you are planting and/or growing! We’d love to see!!!! What are your favourite parts about gardening with your little ones?

 

 

Yours in the dirt,
 
Vanessa

Walking with Kids

The Benefits of Walking with Kids

We’ve been walking….and walking….and walking since COVID began. We’ve always walked and gone on adventures as a family, but there was usually our Thule Chariot involved so the kids jumped in and out when they wanted. For about three months now, we’ve been leaving the stroller at home and the kids have really taken to our walks. Our walks are more like marathons now as little feet only move so fast, but this allows for us to find so many cool things….snails, caterpillars, cool rocks!

Just the other day we came home from a weekend out of the city and when we arrived home (at 10:30pm), our son asked if we could go for a family walk. A “midnight” walk we had … and it was magical. Warm summer night, stars out, a neighbourhood cat to play with. Simply perfect.

Benefits of Walking:

1) It’s fun and interesting: You get to notice things along the way, say hi to neighbours and get to know your neighbourhood

2) It’s social: chat, chat, chat, chat, chat…..at least that’s what we do! We love hearing our kids' stories and questions they have along the way. Our walks have become such an important catch-up and connection point for our family.

3) Kids feel better: Exercise has been proven to make kids feel calmer and happier. It also improves concentration. Walking has also been proven to give your kids mood and self-esteem a boost.

4) It promotes independence and freedom: As opposed to riding in a car, when children are on foot, they get to be part of the decision-making process of their journey. They can choose to stop and jump over the log, look at a house, dig for worms or pet a dog. Kids can also start to make decisions about road safety. For older children, walking independently or a few steps ahead offers them some time to themselves.

We'd love to hear about your adventures!!
All the best,
Team Mobi

How To Stay Active This Summer

Many of us are scrambling to figure out how we will keep our kids active this summer since a lot of camps and children's programs have been cancelled.  Things won't be the same this year, but we'll all have to make do with what options we have this year!  Here are a few activity options for you to check out in your area!
July 02, 2020 — Mobi Games Inc