1. When children show signs of illness, keep them home. This greatly reduces the spread of illness at camp. Ask your camp director about the timeframe that a child must be symptom-free before coming to camp. For more information, watch Bob Ditter’s “Ready for Camp” video at http://www.campparents.org/bob_ditter_video.php. 2. Teach your child to sneeze and cough in his/her sleeve, and to wash his/her hands often at camp. Hand washing with soa.... read more

Special Needs families often face a daily roller coaster of challenges and joys - and finding the right resources for both the children and parents can be a time consuming and overwhelming process. The NJ Kids Team is here to help - we are constantly updating our educational, emotional and early intervention contacts. We also know that kids just want to be kids, regardless of their disabilities or issues, so we've got the best museums, water park.... read more

From time to time, Suburban Mom and NJ Kids like to introduce you to one of our friends – and hopefully together we can learn about some of the great programs offered throughout our state.  Today:  HealthBarn USA.  We all know that childhood nutrition is an important issue; we also know it can be a daily struggle.  Recently, Suburban Mom had a chance to talk with Stacey Antine, founder of HealthBarn USA.  Read on to see.... read more

Valentine’s Day may be over until next year (and, let’s be honest, am I the only one who has already finished that box of chocolate already?) but personally, I was so inspired by the hugs, kisses, and homemade cards, I decided to jot down the top things I love about being a mom – just in case I ever have one of those moments when I’m questioning my maternal decision. The Top 10 Things I Love About Being A Mom…. .... read more

Valentine’s Day is great opportunity to show appreciation for the people we love. Even when we’re young, this day revolves around heart shaped candies and glittery notes covered with stickers passed from desk to desk. This is a guide for parents to help their children express their love and friendship on this special day. Food: Surprise your child with valentine food art! If there’s one thing they love more than food, it’.... read more

I know I’m speaking because I can hear my own voice, and in fact I know he can hear me because he’s nodding in agreement at all the right times.  Yet, somehow he hasn’t heard a word I’m saying for the moment I stop talking, he turns and heads back to bed, stepping over the discarded shirt, shorts, underwear, pajamas, sneakers and sock (the location of the other sock is still undetermined), picks up a book and begins reading again.  With.... read more

Encourage Imagination: Raise a creative child Nowadays, the toy industry is overly concerned with education, causing them to shove creativity to the back burner. Don’t fall into this trap. Encourage your child to embrace their creativity. Allowing them to explore will not fault their learning. In fact, a bigger imagination allows for a broader mind, and there is no wrong in that. To start off, when it comes to creativity, stray away from the wo.... read more

Family Bonding The good and the bad. How was school? Good.Sound familiar? They’re growing up and it’s hard to pry information out of them about their day… especially when you go about it with a question like that (no offense). Try going about it in a different way. Ask them to share one good and one bad thing that happened throughout their day. Share and exchange stories. This will allow them to open up and connect with yo.... read more

What’s better than an easy and healthy meal?  An easy, healthy AND kid-friendly meal!   Head to France with this simple crepe dinner.  Start with Chicken and Asparagus crepes, then finish off with Apples and Cinnamon crepes.  Best of all, the crepes can be made in advance and the fillings can be made the day before, so all you have to do is assembly, cook and enjoy! Crepe Recipe Ingredients: 2 Cup flour 4 teaspoon sug.... read more

What to wear It is a common mistake to protect babies and young children from cold weather with blankets, quilts, and pillows Loose bedding is not ideal for a baby’s sleeping environment Loose bedding may contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Instead, dress the child in warm one-piece sleep wear (onesies) or wearable blankets This rule goes for both children and adults—dress in several thin layers instea.... read more