CONTENTS

Foreword
by Dr. Remo Cerruti, M.D., F.A.A.P.

A Personal Introduction

1
PLAY TIME

Indoor Activities
Pretend Play
Outdoor Fun
Quitting a Favorite Activity
Arts and Crafts
Recycling "Masterpieces"
Toys
Coping with Toy Clutter
Storing Toys
Quick Cleanup

2OPEN WIDE FOR THE CHOO-CHOO
(Tips from the Kitchen)

Food and Kitchen Tips
Feeding Baby
The Finicky Eater
Dining Out

3
ADVENTURES IN THE BATHROOM

Potty Training
"Staying Dry" Through the Night
Personal Hygiene and Grooming
Bath Time

4
LEARNING

Learning Tips
School Mornings
Learning in the Car
For Love of Books

5
DEMYSTIFYING DISCIPLINE

Discipline Tips
Time-out and Corner Time
When There Are Two or More of Them and Only One of It
When Siblings Argue

6
"PLEASE PICK UP YOUR TOYS"
(Chores for Children)

Chore Tips

7
CLOTHES AND LAUNDRY

Clothing Tips
Laundry Tips

8
HEALTH AND SAFETY

Boo-boos and Owies
Time to Take Your Medicine
Visits to the Doctor
Colicky Babies
Teeth Care
Miscellaneous Health Tips
Safety at Home and Away

9
SELF-ESTEEM AND RELATIONSHIPS

Promoting Self-esteem
Family Relationships
Time Alone with Each Child
Parents Need Time, Too
If You Need a Few Minutes of Privacy
Baby-sitters and Day Care

10
ON THE GO
(with Children)

Are We There Yet? (Car Travel)
Airplane Travel
Vacations
Errands and Shopping

11
NIGHTY NIGHT

Nap Time
Baby's Bedtime
Cribs
"Time to Go to Bed"
Bedtime Rituals
Soothing a Child to Sleep
Noise Can Be Soothing -- Really!
The 3 A.m. Blues
Things That Go Bump in the Night

12
CELEBRATIONS

Gift Ideas
Thank-you Notes
Party Time
Holidays
Family Memories

13
BABY BASICS

Preparing an Older Sibling for a New Baby
Breast-feeding
Bottle Feeding
Command Central (The Changing Table)
At Arm's Reach of the Changing Table
Pacifying the Teether
Weaning (Bottles, Pacifiers, and Blankies)
Miscellaneous Tips for Baby

Parents' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Index
Know a Clever Child-Care Tip?

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

-- Albert Einstein

In a child's world, a doll comes to life, wooden blocks are transformed into cities, and a pail of water becomes an ocean of fun. These types of activities -- creative play -- seem to be the most enjoyable for children and certainly keep their attention the longest. For example, I sometimes pause at my daughters' bedroom door to sneak a peek into their imaginative world. I recently watched my three-year-old put her "babies" to bed. Catching my eye, she held her index finger to her lips and whispered, "Shhh, babies night-night." My six-year-old, only a few feet away, was building a skyscraper with her blocks and Legos. Concentrating with the intensity of an architect, she paused briefly before placing each new piece on the structure. These creative moments stimulate a child's intellectual development, say the child-care experts. And some adults actually credit these early experiences with influencing their career paths many years later.

After repeatedly seeing my children abandon an expensive new toy for the box it came in, I finally learned that simple props found around the house could inspire the best creative play. The abandoned toy could be only one thing, but that simple brown box became their hideout, a crib for their babies, and a "car" to push each other around in. Many store-bought toys, especially the fad toys hyped by the media, can't hold my daughters' attention the same way creative play can. For example, my six-year-old and her friend recently complained of being bored; they had exhausted their toy supply in a matter of minutes. Looking around for something to occupy their time, I yanked the bedspread off my daughter's bed and draped it over three chairs, creating a tent. They shrieked with anticipation, disappeared under the bedspread, and played heartily for two hours. On another occasion, I lined up four chairs and yelled, "All aboard." As they boarded the "train," both girls were shouting out destinations they wanted to travel to. They took turns being the conductor, whose primary job was to take care of a stubborn passenger, our three-year-old.

Arts and crafts are fun and stimulating for young children, and the possibilities of projects are endless. Books, puzzles, games, and television (although, in my opinion, it needs to be used judiciously) are other favorite activities for most young children. Books provide one of the most important activities a child can engage in, from enjoying the pictures to learning how to read (see Chapter 4). Puzzles are another activity that young children are drawn to, from a simple four-piece puzzle for toddlers to a one-hundred-piece jigsaw for older children. Not only are they fun and challenging, but they help children learn sizes, shapes, and colors. Parlor games are fun and have a tendency to bring the whole family together.

To help bring order to the wonderful world of playtime, I have arranged the following activity tips into ten separate sections: Indoor Activities, Pretend Play, Outdoor Fun, Quitting a Favorite Activity, Arts and Crafts, Recycling "Masterpieces," Toys, Coping with Toy Clutter, Storing Toys, and Quick Cleanup. These innovative activities offer hours of fun and adventure for you and your children.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

RAINY DAY/SICK DAY BOX:For a rainy-day activity or when a child is sick in bed, bring out a special box of toys and games to which your child does not usually have access.Karin Poe, Fremont, California

PICK AN ACTIVITY:Decorate a shoe box with your child and place in it strips of paper, each suggesting an activity which you and your child can do together. When your child is bored or you want to share some quality time, pull out a piece of paper and have fun.D.L., Tarsa, Michigan

A LIST OF THINGS I CAN DO BY MYSELF:Ask your children to list twenty or more things they can do all by themselves (reading, drawing, etc.). Save this list and present it to them the next time they say, "I don't have anything to do." It reminds them of fun projects they can accomplish all by themselves.Rebecca Robinson, San Jose, California

TREASURE HUNT:Make up three-by-five cards with a drawing of easily recognizable places in the house and/or yard -- such as crib, refrigerator, mailbox, etc. Help the child find the place pictured on the first card, where she will find the picture card leading to the next hidden card and the next, etc.; and on to the last place, where the "treasure" is to be found.Mr. and Mrs. Roland Giduz, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

A GUESS BOX:A small container such as an empty tissue box or round oatmeal container makes a great guess or touch box. Take turns with your children placing a surprise item in the box. The other person has to guess what's inside just by touching it. It's a fun game and great for language development.Janice Fonteno, Union City, California

JUNK MAIL FOR KIDS:Place unopened junk mail in a colorful shoe box, and save it for a "rainy day" or a "rainy hour"! When your child announces that he is bored, hand him his shoe box. He will spend considerable time opening, examining, and playing with junk mail. Junk mail often contains colorful stickers as well as interesting response envelopes which can be filled and licked -- the best part. Almost all junk mail contains forms for filling in your name, address, and telephone number. This is great practice for an older child. Make certain that none of this mail gets posted or you will triple or quadruple your volume of junk mail!Barbara Allen, Palo Alto, California

GARAGE FUN ON A RAINY DAY:During a recent rainy day, I moved the car out of the garage and brought in all my children's large plastic outdoor toys (small slide, seesaw, basketball hoop, etc.). Our garage turned into an outdoor-play area where the children spent the entire afternoon.Elaine Minamide, San Diego, California

"POOL" PARTY DURING THE SNOWY WINTER:We live in a snowy climate where winters can be long. Sometimes, I fill the bathtub, let the girls put their bathing suits on and get out the Popsicles, and let them play in the bathtub. I sit in the bathroom and read the newspaper or a magazine while they are splashing away.Emily Allen Martinez, Park City, Utah

$$ INEXPENSIVE BUILDING BLOCKS:At many lumber yards, cabinet shops, or construction sites, end cuts of wood in various sizes and shapes are available at little or no cost. When properly sanded to avoid cuts and slivers, a box of these pieces of wood will provide creative play materials for children to construct towers, bridges, cities, vehicles, figures, or whatever comes into their minds.Neil McCallum, Santa Cruz, California

$$ MARBLES ROLL THROUGH PIPE STRUCTURES:Children love to play and create with pieces of regular PVC pipe and an assortment of connectors. They enjoy connecting the pieces together to make engineering marvels. My children especially enjoyed making curving tubes to roll their marbles through. The pipe and connectors are inexpensive and available at most hardware stores. Buy one or more long sections of pipe and an assortment of connectors (elbows, T's, etc.). Cut the pipe in various sizes that will store easily in a box.Jim Stuka, Escondido, California

Let only older children play with marbles. They can be choking hazards for younger children

MOVABLE LEGO STRUCTURES:Our children construct their Lego sets on various-sized particle boards. Then, if we need to move the structure or clean under it, all we have to do is lift the particle board. The Lego structure always stays intact, and our children don't fuss about having to rebuild.Lorrie Rubio, Fremont, California

$$ CLOTHESPINS ARE ENTERTAINING:For an inexpensive game on a rainy day, try clothespins (not the spring type) and a plastic gallon milk jug. Babies can shake the jug and toddlers can empty it. Preschoolers can count the pins and fill and empty the jug. School-age children can make a game out of standing up straight, holding the clothespins close to their noses, and trying to drop the pins inside the jug.Kim VanGorder, Cary, North Carolina

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES -- OUT OF SEASON:Holiday activities can be even more fun to do on nonholidays. For example, I always purchase an extra egg-dyeing kit during Easter. Then, on a rainy day I'll pull out the kit and my children will decorate eggs. My son and I recently decorated the house for Halloween -- in February.Terry LeMonchbck, Pasadena, California

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, TRY A HOME VIDEO:One of the fastest ways of quieting children down is to turn on a home video that contains pictures of themselves or people they know. They will often stop what they are doing and just stand or sit in front of the TV and relive that moment.Scott Hill, Newark, California

Hook your video camera to your TV set so the children can see themselves "live" on TV. Watch them entertain themselves.

MAGAZINES ARE FUN:Toddlers love to play with old magazines. When my daughter was a year old, I put her on the floor with about ten old magazines and showed her how she could tear out a page and then tear it into pieces or crumple it into a ball. She had a ball!Cathy Jones, Cold Spring, New York

OLD TEXTBOOKS BECOME FUN ACTIVITIES:I let my children play with the old textbooks I had stored in the garage. They can scribble in them, cut out pictures, or just browse through them. Offering books they are allowed to play with cuts down the number of new books that get damaged.Khush Lodhia, Fremont, California

TOY CATALOGUES:My children love to look at toy catalogs from stores like Sears or Penney's.Denise Fulford, Southlake, Texas

Be sure your child doesn't put the magazines in his mouth. Some use lead in their ink.

DOMINOES FOR KIDS:After hearing my children tell me how bored they were the other day, I got out my domino set. I showed them how to line up the dominoes in creative ways, then how to knock them over by pushing the last one against the next one in line. They squealed with delight as they watched the dominoes fall in progression. They played with the dominoes almost all afternoon and always asked me to come watch the next "knock down."S.D., Tacoma, Washington

PHOTO ALBUM FOR CHURCH:We belong to a small county church that does not have a nursery. My three-year-old has quite a time sitting still through an hour long service. Books and coloring books weren't working long enough, so I purchased an inexpensive pocket-size photo album and filled it with pictures of siblings, grandparents, pets, animals, and neighborhood friends. I change the pictures frequently and only bring it out in church. My son loves to sit and look at "his book." (I also take snacks.)Sheryl Saxton, Tekamah, Nebraska

INDOOR WATER FUN:Children love to transfer water from one container to another using eyedroppers. Using food coloring, I make each container of water a different color. Children love this activity and it's also good for their eye-hand coordination and color recognition.Janice Fonteno, Union City, California

HIGH-FLYING POPCORN:An exciting adventure in cooking for young children is to pop corn without a lid! I would put a sheet on the floor of the garage where there was plenty of space, set the electric frying pan in the center of the sheet, add a tiny bit of oil and popcorn, and watch the action! Our safety rules required that children could not go on or touch the sheet and the popcorn could not pop off the sheet. Verbal explanations were given to both the children and the popcorn, complete with shaking finger. When all the popping stops, along with delighted screams, the frying pan is removed and the children eat the corn from the outside of the sheet in. A great rainy-day activity.Fran Thole, Santa Clara, California

An air popper also works.

Make sure that an adult supervises the process at all times and keep children at a safe distance. Not recommended for children under three years old.

WINNER PICKS UP THE GAME:One of the best ideas I have come up with (and one my husband and I still follow every day) is "the winner picks up the game!" In my house, the winner of any game played is responsible for picking up and putting the game away. The winner, still flushed with victory, cheerfully accepts the price of winning. The loser saves face by leaving the room or saying something like, "At least I don't have to put the game away!" This rule has been strictly followed for years in our house. It has eliminated hard feelings after the loss of a game and identified very easily who was in charge of cleanup.Sue Crockett, Charlton, Massachusetts

"I CAN'T HOLD ALL THESE PLAYING CARDS IN MY HAND":My children loved to play cards, but their hands were too small to hold the cards dealt to them. To solve this problem, I turned a shoe-box lid under the shoe box. The children placed the cards between the lip of the lid and the box to make a good card holder.Kelly Robson, York, Nebraska

PRETEND PLAY

AN INDOOR TENT:Once or twice a year, I set up my small backpacking tent in the living room for my children to play in. They love to sleep in the tent at night and play "camp" during the day. It keeps them occupied for hours at a time and encourages creative play. If you don't have a real tent, drape a large blanket or sheet over a table.Thomas Leslie, San Diego, California

LARGE BOXES CREATE A-MAZE-ING THINGS:I kept five children and the entire neighborhood fascinated with a room full of large boxes from an appliance store. I tied the boxes together and made a circle out of them, and I cut holes from one box to the other and made a tunnel. I also put in little windows. I put some of the boxes on one side of the main tunnel and made little trapdoors for the kids to crawl through. The boxes were heavy enough that toddlers could crawl on top of them without the boxes falling in.Dr. W.W. Walker, Gastonia, North Carolina

STAR IN YOUR OWN MOVIE:If you have a camcorder, ask your children if they want to star in their own homemade movie. It can be a small family production, or you can invite the neighborhood children over. Older children can write and direct their own script; younger children will enjoy acting out a favorite story or fairy tale. Save the video for posterity; your children will enjoy it even more as adults.Anonymous, Mi-Wuk Village, California

PICNIC WITHOUT ANTS:To break up the monotony of having to stay indoors due to bad weather or illness, we have indoor picnics -- sometimes with a theme. We spread a blanket on the floor, bring sandwiches, chips, fruit, etc. Sometimes I'll pack it up and we will "hike" around the house to find the perfect spot. We have had teddy-bear picnics, doll picnics, and Disney Day picnics. To encourage imagination on these outings, we imagine trees, creeks, fish, birds, even deer. This can also be done in the back or front yard.Stacey Ann Morgan, Oakland, California

OUTDOOR FUN

FUN IN NUMBERS:Plan a two-month calendar of fun activities with three to five other moms (or dads). Each parent selects one or two activities that they plan and organize. Field trips and activities are more fun when shared with friends.Kathleen Waters, Fremont, California

SUMMER FRIENDS: Before your youngster says goodbye to his classmates for the summer, make sure you have the phone numbers and summer schedules of all his friends. If he gets bored during the long summer months, especially while the neighborhood kids are on vacation, he can invite some of his classmates over to play with. Also, you can call some of his classmates' parents to coordinate a few field trips for the summer. Activities are always more fun when they can be shared with a group.S.N., Portland, Oregon

SUMMER FIELD TRIPS:I recently planned a calendar of summer activities with two other parents whose children are close in age to my two children. We each agreed to organize one activity or outing each week for all of our children. So each Monday is my day to take the kids to a park, water slide, museum, fair, amusement park, movie, or some other fun place. The other parents cover Wednesdays and Fridays. One of the parents is even planning an overnight at her cabin in the woods. Although we each spend one day a week with four to six kids, we each get two days a week without kids to catch up on errands and other projects. Our "Field Trip Calendar" lists the activities and the cost per child. So far, all of us -- kids and parents -- have enjoyed this summer arrangement.M.B., Portland, Oregon

A MAGNIFIED WORLD IS FASCINATING:Purchase an inexpensive magnifying glass, and a whole new world will appear for your children. They will enjoy looking at various items through the magnifying glass. My grandson was worried about our regular ant invasions until I bought him a magnifying glass (at age three) to study insects. Also, we respect insects, animals, and people and kill insects only when we cannot catch them to let them outdoors.Patricia R. Hersom, Walnut Creek, California

CORNMEAL DELIGHT:Our house has a back deck instead of a yard, so my three-year-old's outdoor play is somewhat restricted. I filled a small tub with cornmeal and put it on a bench. It was just the right height for her to stand next to the tub and play in the cornmeal. She loved the feel of it on her fingers, digging in it, and "cooking up" all sorts of delights.N.M., Mi-Wuk Village, California

JUNIOR CARPENTER:My husband found that my daughter could feel helpful in his workshop if he let her pound nails into a sturdy cardboard box. The nails go in easily and she feels competent. It's also great for her motor skills and coordination. Anonymous, San Diego, California

Always provide adult supervision -- and watch those fingers.

HUNTING FOR TREASURES:When my children were two and three years old, they enjoyed carrying a small plastic pail with them on walks to collect treasures. Our walks were more delightful and relaxing for me since we slowed down considerably to hunt for, study, and discuss the treasures. Sometimes we would later glue the treasures to colored paper or cardboard (such as from a cereal box).N.K.M., Palo Alto, California

GO PAINT THE HOUSE:To keep preschoolers busy during the summer, I would send them outside with a bucket of water and a paintbrush. They could paint the steps, the house, and the sidewalk. When they turned around, the paint was dry and they could start over again. My adult kids still talk about how Mom sent them out to paint the house.Colleen Weber, Merna, Nebraska

THE LITTLE GARDENER:Children love to play in dirt, so I provide them with a large container full of new potting soil, small plastic planting pots, plastic flowers, and plastic scoopers. Children love to fill the planting pots with soil and plastic flowers.Arlene Stocking, Fremont, California

SPRING PLANTING -- FOR KIDS:Young children love to get their hands in dirt and they're fascinated watching things grow, so designate a small area of dirt in your backyard for their own exclusive garden. A large flower pot or planter will also work. A visit to the local nursery can be a fun learning experience, especially if the children are allowed to select what they will grow. You can start with seeds or small plants. Flowers or vegetables are always popular choices. Teach your children how to plant their new garden and how to take care of it. Join in their sense of awe and excitement as new growth sprouts from the soil or as they collect their own vegetables for the dinner table.Michael Mitroff, Niles, California

RICE IS BETTER THAN SAND:I empty a large bag of rice in the middle of a large blanket or pour it into a large box for my children to play with. They enjoy it more than they do sand.Marilyn Stein, Hampton, Virginia

CLEAN SANDBOX:My young children love to play in the sandbox that my husband built in the backyard, but it was a challenge to keep it free of leaves and cat droppings and water from the rain and lawn sprinklers. Our solution was to buy an inexpensive plastic wading pool and place it upside down over the sandbox when it wasn't being used.C.K., Eugene, Oregon

BUBBLEOLOGY:My son and I came across a great recipe for big bubbles: 1 cup Dawn dish detergent, 1 gallon of water, and 1 cup of Karo syrup (the light-colored or clear kind). Mix it all in a bucket, and then use tin cans (with the top and bottom cut out) to make great bubbles. The larger the can, the larger the bubble; the big institution-size cans made the biggest and best. The Karo syrup works like glycerin and may be less expensive.Debbie G., North Carolina

RAINY DAYS ARE FUN -- OUTSIDE:Instead of keeping them indoors on a rainy day, I help my children put on rain gear and let them go outside. They release some of their energy by jumping in puddles and splashing in the rain. When they're finished, I give them a warm bath, then serve them cocoa.Teena Hubbard, Irvine, California

SAND FUN AT THE BEACH:One of the best things we ever brought to the beach was our large garden shovel, which my husband used to dig a BIG hole in the sand. Our three young children spent most of the day playing in the hole with their plastic shovels and buckets and making castles and forts using the large pile of sand from the hole. Remember to fill in the hole when you leave.R.K., Coos Bay, Oregon

A POOL AT THE BEACH: My two older children love to jump over the small waves at our local beach, but my toddler and preschooler prefer the small inflatable pool I set up near my chair on the dry sand. I pour a few bucketfuls of ocean water in the pool for them to play in. They love it, and it's safer than the ocean.J.P., Los Angeles, California

CLEANING SANDY FEET:Before leaving the beach, I fill my child's bucket with water and carry it to the car. Then, I dip her sandy feet in the bucket and pour the remainder over my feet before we get in the car. Now I don't have to vacuum the car after every beach trip.B.C., Escondido, California

Another way to clean wet, sandy feet is to use baby powder. Sprinkle it on feet; the sand will dry almost immediately and can be easily wiped off with a towel.

QUITTING A FAVORITE ACTIVITY

THE FIVE-MINUTE WARNING:No matter what the activity in which a child is engaged, he or she has the right not to be abruptly interrupted to do something else. Just think about it; would you like someone to whisk you away from something enjoyable to do something odious? Just as you have the right to be informed, so does a child. Remind your child that a change in activity will occur. Then let him know when he has fifteen, ten, and five minutes to complete whatever it is he is engaged in before the new activity.Adrienne Pelker, Santa Cruz, California

"IT'S TIME TO GO":Children have a tough time leaving a favorite activity such as the playground at the park or the local swimming pool. Now, instead of nagging or complaining, I simply tell my children that it's time to leave. If they don't leave immediately, I clock the number of minutes it takes them to quit. The next time we do that same activity, I make my child wait for the same number of minutes before starting that activity. For example, if my son takes ten minutes to get out of the pool after asking him, he has to wait ten minutes before getting in the pool during the next visit.Mary Lea McAnally, Stanford, California

Make sure the child is old enough to understand time and responsibility.

"ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO": When my children are playing at the park or engaged in a particularly interesting activity, I give them a five-minute warning so they can finish up what they are doing and prepare themselves to go. Then, when it is time to go, I say, "On your mark, get set, go!" and we all run to the car. This way, leaving is fun, too, and they do not linger at the park.Sherry Niger, Bountiful, Utah

"THE TIMER SAID YOU MUST GO HOME NOW":When the neighbor children come over to play, they usually give me a message -- "I can stay for an hour." I set my stove timer, then when it is time to go home, I say, "The timer said you must go home now." It has saved a lot of arguments because a child can't plead with a timer.Patti Potts Johnson, Omaha, Nebraska

TIMER TO GO:When my four-year-old visits one of her friends on our street, I send along my small portable timer set for the number of minutes she is permitted to visit. I also set my stove timer for the same amount of time plus a few minutes (allowing for good-byes). I then keep an eye out for her as she walks home. She hasn't been late yet!J.M., Pleasanton, California

LEAVING A FAVORITE PLACE:From a very early age, my son threw a fit whenever I came to pick him up from Grandma's house. It was hard for him to abruptly stop whatever he was doing and get out to the car. I finally started using the pickup techniques used by his preschool. At preschool, the kids are all sitting by the door, ready to go and waiting for their parents to arrive. Then the teacher walks them to the parent's car and helps them get in. So now, I call Grandma just before I leave and they finish their activity and clean up. He is ready and waiting for me. When I pull up, Grandma walks him to the car, and away we go.Kathy Tubbs, San Jose, California

"IT'S TIME TO LEAVE":It's often a challenge for a parent to pry a child away from playing at a friend's house, especially if you're in a hurry. As soon as the host parent announces, "Laura, your dad's here to take you home," both kids run and hide. Then they find other excuses to delay leaving, which can take up to ten to fifteen minutes. I recently tried a new strategy that really worked. I announced that I would count to 20, then I would get in the car and leave. I opened our host's front door and said goodbye as I counted to 17. My daughter immediately came out of hiding and dashed out the door. She knew that I was serious. A process that used to take many minutes now takes only seconds.T.D., Denver, Colorado

ARTS AND CRAFTS

CRAFT BOX:I filled a large flat box with "throwaways" from my home and treasures from the craft store: berry baskets, paper-towel and toilet-paper tubes, Styrofoam meat trays, different-shaped spangles, dollies, feathers, plastic eyes, glitter, different-shaped wooden beads, and glue sticks. My five-year-old daughter and her friends have spent hours creating gorgeous masterpieces. A craft box also makes a wonderful gift for a child.Marie Levie, St. Paul, Minnesota

Be careful that a young child doesn't have access to small items he could swallow or choke on.

STAMP DAY:I save all free stamps, like Christmas or Easter Seals, and any free stickers which I receive. Every once in a while, we have what we call "Stamp Day." I give my kids a piece of paper, and they can lick the stamps or place the stickers in any design they want. They have fun and it doesn't cost a thing. B. Goke, Roselle, Illinois

$$ CHILDREN LOVE MAKING GREETING CARDS:Instead of sending store-bought cards to your relatives, make your own cards with construction paper and a recent photo of your child. The caption can be as simple as "Some one wants to wish you a happy birthday!"D.L. Tarsa, Michigan

COUPONS FOR MOM:Children love to cut things out, so I let my children cut out coupons for me. It saves me time too.Carol Smead, San Jose, California

$$ PLAY DOUGH RECIPE:

2 cups flour 3 tablespoons oil

2 cups water 4 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup salt

If using powdered paint for color, add to flour prior to mixing. If using food coloring, add to water prior to mixing. Then add all ingredients together and cook, at medium heat, till the mixture is sticky and gathers in a big lump (will pull away from the sides of the pan). Cool and knead out lumps.A.S., Fremont, California

NATURE COLLAGES:My preschoolers enjoy gluing treasures (pebbles, leaves, twigs, etc.) which they collect outside onto colored paper or cardboard. I cut up cereal boxes for an ideal weight of cardboard.Nancy Lee, Pasadena, California

A COLLAGE OF PHOTOS:Looking at a photo album of himself or herself is an excellent quiet activity for a toddler, one which always calms ours. I recommend covering the pictures with transparent contact paper. I arranged my daughter's album in approximate chronological order so she can watch her own development. I also included pictures of her family and friends.Melanie Lawrence, Portland, Oregon

PHOTOS FOR THE CRAFT BOX:My three kids have discovered numerous ways to use family photos that didn't turn out good or double prints that I didn't have a use for. They cut out faces on the photos and glue them on their computer-generated (they use Print Shop) or store-bought greeting cards for that personalized look. Some are absolutely amusing! My son has even glued faces from our photos on some of his sports cards. So instead of throwing those photos away, give them to your kids and wait for their masterpieces to appear.L.C., Portland, Oregon

YOU CAN DRAW ON THIS WALL:If your child loves to draw and prefers doing it on the walls, tack up a large sheet of butcher paper on an accessible wall to provide an acceptable drawing area.Peggy Crane, Cupertino, California

REMOVING UNWANTED CRAYON MARKS:The product Soft Scrub works great to remove unwanted crayon marks on plastic toys and other items.Beth Weis, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

REMOVING CRAYON FROM WALLPAPER:If little hands mistake your wallpaper for a crayon coloring book, fear not, there is hope. Heat the crayon marks with a hair dryer. When the crayon wax heats up, wipe it off with a damp cloth. If there is still a stain, use a damp cloth with a small amount of mild soap.B. Hoffman, Seattle, Washington

SHARPEN CRAYONS:A vegetable peeler works like magic to sharpen crayons.J.H., Portland, Oregon

"TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ARTWORK":I love to admire my children's art projects, but I cringe when they show me a drawing and ask, "Daddy, do you know what this is?" I usually guess wrong. "That's a great-looking gorilla," I once said admiringly. "But Daddy," my daughter replied with a frown, "that's not a gorilla -- that's you. Can't you tell?" Since then, my wife has taught me to respond to their drawings by saying, "Tell me about it," instead of trying to guess.Thomas Leslie, San Diego, California

NECKLACES YOU CAN EAT:My son likes to make necklaces on yarn using Froot Loops or Cheerios which he enjoys eating as much as making.Debra Randall, East Haven, Connecticut

RECYCLING "MASTERPIECES"

MEMORIALIZING THREE-DIMENSIONAL ARTWORK:Some artwork is more difficult to

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Excerpted from Kid Tips: Proven Child-Care Tips from Experienced Parents Across the Country by Tom McMahon
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.