10 Best Children’s Activities at Walt Disney World

I’m sure you all know about Disney World’s amazing theme parks, but are you familiar with the myriad of fascinating activities for children offered throughout Walt Disney World that are either complimentary or offered for a reasonable fee to Disney resort guests? Here are some of the best:

• Snag a Bass On a Kid’s Fishing Excursion. 1-hour angling trips just for children are available from the resort marinas of Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, Yacht and Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn and Villas. For miles of shore fishing head over to Disney’s Ft. Wilderness where cane poles and rods and reels may be rented at the Bike Barn in the Meadow Recreation Area. Fishing excursions are approximately $25 per child. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations.

• Enjoy the Old West. Hayrides depart each evening from Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness for a 45-minute trip. Very tame, cowboy-guided trail rides are also offered, or younger children can opt for a $2 pony ride at the Fort Wilderness Petting Farm. Hayrides are $8 per adult and $4 per child; no reservations taken. Trail rides are $30 per person; reservations are required and may be made up to two weeks in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.

• Sing-Along in Front of the Campfire. Families gather round the campfire each evening at Ft. Wilderness for a sing-along, marshmallow roast, and a Disney animated movie. Complimentary to all Walt Disney World resort guests.

• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant Parade. Nightly on the Seven Seas Lagoon is a delightful 1000-foot string of illuminated barges featuring King Neptune and his court of whales, sea serpents, and other deep-sea creatures. The free show can be seen from the beaches of Disney’s Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge Resorts.

• Ride Up Front with the Monorail Driver. Simply ask the Cast Member on duty. They will be happy to oblige as long as the front car is empty.

• Take a Spin on a Watermouse Boat. Rent one of these two-seater mini-power boats and zip around one of Disney’s lakes at 22 miles per hour. Kids love them, but they’ll need to bring someone along in the boat with a valid driver’s license. Available at the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, the Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and the Wilderness Lodge. Approximately $22 per half-hour.

• Dive into One of Disney’s Fabulous Themed Pools. You can’t do much better than a dip in one of Disney’s wonderful swimming pools. Children’s favorites: the Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort featuring a smoking volcano slide, underwater music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view of the Seven Seas Lagoon; the Wilderness Lodge’s boulder-lined pool featuring waterfalls, rocky overlooks, water slide, and a nearby geyser; the eye-popping Stormalong Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between the Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding, watery delight including sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to the beach, and enough length to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.

• Search for Buried Treasure on a Pirate’s Cruise. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, children ages 3-10 sail from the dock of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort on a 2-hour supervised trip to a deserted island. $28 fee includes snacks, bandanas, and treasure. Call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.

• Attend a Children’s Tea Party. A “Wonderland Tea Party” happens Mon-Fri at 1:30 P.M. in 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Hosted by characters from Alice in Wonderland, the little ones play games, listen to stories, and drink apple “tea”. $28. Strictly for children ages 3-10. Call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.

• Take in a Character Meal. These extremely popular dining opportunities, offered at both the Disney theme parks and resort hotels, are a perfect way for your children to spend extra time with favorite Disney characters. Meals are offered in three ways depending on the restaurant: buffet-style, family-style, or pre-plated meals; regardless, it’s essentially all-you-can-eat. Characters work the room, stopping at each table to interact with guests, pose for photos, and sign autographs. Book priority seating early, particularly for Cinderella’s Royal Table, Epcot’s Princess Breakfast in Norway, and Chef Mickey’s by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available at 800-247-6553, or www.luxurydisneyguide.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cara_Goldsbury

How To Get Your Child To Bed At Night Without A Fuss

Many parents find trying to get their child to bed at night to be one big struggle. The child may play up, whinge and even cry. When in bed, the child may then repeatedly keep getting out of bed and coming downstairs. This article gives advice on how to successfully get your child into bed at night, without all of this fuss.

Some children even though they know that they are tired, do not want to miss out on any of the action or excitement. They want to spend as much time with mom and dad as possible. They can even see the fact that they have to go to bed before their parents as unjust and even cruel. These types of children will want to disrupt and even avoid going to bed at all cost.

I myself have two young children and have been through this experience myself. My daughter especially needs her sleep and can be very moody in the mornings, if she has not had a particular amount of hours of it. As a parent it can become very frustrating as well as upsetting when you see your child crying because they do not want to go to bed. Comments like, please dad just one more program on the television, were far too regular, and at times I felt like backing down.

I have now learnt via reading many books on parenting, how to best deal with this situation. Each child now has a set time when they have to be in bed by. This is a time that they have both agreed to!

They get changed into their pyjamas around half an hour before this time, and then can either spend that period of time playing with their toys or watching the television. If they want to play, we ensure that the games are relaxing ones and not too energetic.

If there is a program that is on later than their agreed bedtimes, I agree to video it for them, this way they know that they are not missing out etc.

I have agreed that I will read them a story at bedtime. This is something they both love and helps them to wind down and relax. They are also given a drink to go to bed with, therefore there is no need for them to keep coming downstairs. This drink is always a juice and should not be fizzy.

I have explained to each child the importance of sleep and that it should be something to enjoy and not to see as some sort of punishment. I have even gone as far as saying that I would love to go to bed at the time that they do, unfortunately their mother does not allow it.

I have tried to make their bedrooms their own little palace. A place that they want to spend time, a place which they find fun, relaxing and comfortable.

My son likes to hear music and therefore we play a tape of his favourite songs in his room. The volume is set quite low and this certainly helps him to get to sleep quite quickly.

These tips have helped to make our childrens bedtimes a pleasant experience, where it once was quite fraught. The children themselves are now into a routine, a routine they are happy with. I hope this advice proves useful to you as well. Good luck.

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including: stuttering treatment anti-aging free poker tips Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill

Preparing Your Child For That First Preschool Day

That first preschool day marks a milestone in your child’s life but for most parents it is a very worrying time as concern mounts over just how well the child will cope. With a little bit of thought and forward planning though you can do a great deal to ease your child (and yourself) through this big day.

The first thing you need to do is your homework. All preschools are not the same and not only are some better than others, but some will suit your child better than others. Take your time to draw up a shortlist of suitable preschools and then find out as much as you can about them.

Talk to friends and co-workers and see what they recommend. A recommendation from somebody you know and trust is an excellent starting point. But don’t stop there. Once you’ve narrowed your list down visit each of the preschools under consideration and talk to the teachers. Use this opportunity to ask probing questions and to really get a feel for the school.

Having decided on a suitable preschool the next task is to prepare your child for the big day.

For most children the problem with starting preschool lies simply in the fact that this is the first time that they have been away from you and from home. The best way to overcome this problem is to introduce your child slowly and gradually to being away from you and to being away from you in a strange environment. This is not as hard as it seems and can usually be accomplished quite easily with the help of other parents.

Start by spending time away from your child by arranging for a trusted friend to keep an eye on the child in your own home. Begin by leaving the child alone with the friend for just a few minutes and then gradually build this up to an hour and then several hours. During this time the trusted friend can also help considerably by not simply acting as a babysitter, but by gradually introducing some structured learning activity into the time spent with the child.

Once the child is happy being away from you for extended periods the next step is to move onto getting the child used to being in a strange environment.

Start by moving the child’s new learning activity into a neighbor’s house or somewhere unfamiliar and again build the child up slowly and gradually. Begin by caring for the child yourself, then together with a trusted friend and finally with the trusted friend alone, once more gradually increasing the time spent in this new environment.

One important element throughout this process is that the child should also spend an increasing amount of time in structured activity rather than simply in play. This structured activity should of course be fun and you’ll find it particularly helpful if you take your lead to some extent from the child and structure activities around things that the child enjoys doing. The object here is simply to introduce the child to the idea of concentrating his or her attention on a variety of different activities for a reasonable period of time and of completing one task before moving on to the next or being allowed a break to play or to have a drink or eat.

If circumstances allow, the ideal way to accomplish this preschool training is through a small group of parents in a similar situation which will not only allow your child to get used to being away from you but will also get him or her or used being with other adults, in a variety of different environments and also with other children.

Building your child up gradually over several weeks or months before preschool will mean that their big day is not quite so daunting. Of course, it will also go a long way towards helping you to overcome your own anxiety about the day too.

Parenting4Dummies.com covers a wide range of topics and provides advice on child parenting, tips on only child parenting, parenting teenagers, step parenting, and divorced parenting. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders

Fun Kids Games – Any Day’s A Great Day For Fun Kids Games!

Any day’s a great day for fun kids games! Rain, shine, or any season is a perfect time to play games. Has it been awhile since you thought about fun kids games? Here’s a short list to jog your memory . . .

Do you remember “Duck, Duck, Goose”? It’s terrific fun, and can be played outdoors or in. And believe it or not, it’s fun for any age! Here’s how it’s played:

• Have the children all sit down in a circle (make a smaller circle for the little tykes).
• One person is “It,” and he or she walks around the outside of the circle, touching the other children’s heads saying “duck, duck, duck.”
• When he comes to the person whom he wants to chase him, he calls “goose.”
• The goose chases the “it” person around the circle, and the one who reaches the empty space first sits down.
• The other one is now “It”!

Add a few twists to the “Duck, Duck, Goose” game and you have another of the most fun children games called Indy 500:

• Have the kids sit in the circle (on the floor, or in chairs) and give each a number and name of a car (example: 1’s are Ferraris, 2’s are Fords).
• The game leader calls out a car name, and those cars have to get up and run around the circle.
• The first person back to their spot wins . . . BUT, the cars can have “mechanical difficulties”, as their leader chooses.
• The leader might choose to holler “run out of gas!” or “flat tire!” or “no muffler!” or “turbo boost!”
• The person has to act/sound out those commands in their attempt to get back to their seat!

Of course, Hide and Seek is always a favorite, and for a sitting game, Old Maid is fun for parents, too! Think back about the games you played, or thumb through some magazines. You’ll get excited to share ideas with your kiddos!

Laughter is wonderful medicine, and fun kids’ games are sure to invoke plenty of good times, whether there are two or twenty participants!

Visit 123KidsGames.com – Educational Kids Games to find a large selection of educational kids games. Board games, computer games, math, reading and spelling games and much, much more. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amar_Mahallati

How To Create A Fun & Functional Child Playroom

Play is what being a kid is all about. By creating a fun and functional child playroom we give our kids the best foundation there is. Sure there may be other rooms in the house where your children hang out to watch TV, play on the computer or play a board game with the rest of the family but none compares to the value of having an actual child playroom.

Having a room where imagination fuels the play is where it’s at. Child playrooms are all about giving your children the space and the equipment needed to inspire play. All children need is imagination and a child playroom to be creative in.

When it comes to creating a fun and functional child playroom it’s important to consider your child’s natural tendencies. What type of play does your child enjoy the most – is it arts and crafts, building forts, dramatic play, creating tall skyscrapers out of building blocks etc.?

Get input from the whole family regarding room design and set-up. Although it’s important to accommodate current interests and activities a wise parent also plans the space for future use. This is where it’s important to include adjustable shelving and incorporate lots of flat surfaces for future projects. A 5 year old will use a playroom very different from how a 10 year old would use it.

For more ideas on designing and decorating child playrooms visit http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/decorating-child-play-room-decor-ideas.html

For a versatile child playroom and one that grows with your children keep the permanent elements in the room like tables, chairs and wall units basic. That’s the functional part.

The fun part comes in how you bring the room together with decorative accessories like fashionable slipcovers, wall decals, posters, and funky storage bins.

No matter their age, kids are natural magnets for stuff. Open shelving with lots of bins is often best way to go as it provides storage flexibility for now and in the future. Your shelving unit for the next few years may house a collection of storage bins filled to the brim with stuffed animals and building blocks and may later be replaced by books, board games and DVDs. As children get older many of them also like to display their collections of things. This is where open shelving comes in really handy.

If on the other hand, you prefer out of sight, out of mind storage when the kids aren’t actively using their playroom you may wish to consider armoires or storage cupboards to keep everything behind closed doors. It’s all a matter preference and what type of playroom you wish to create for your children.

Either way if you opt for open or closed storage you will want to make sure that any shelving units, storage cupboards or armoires are secured to the wall with toggle bolts and brackets.

Following are some creative ways to add a little fun to a functional child playroom space.

*In the craft area paint the chairs in different colors.

*Create a cushion floor using large multi-colored rubber puzzle pieces.

*Use a bulletin board for displaying artwork and posting special activity reminders.

*Turn baby wipe containers into great storage boxes for small craft supplies.

*For a great storage unit paint an old table and cover the sides with fabric to hide roll out storage containers of craft supplies.

*Revitalize old metal shelves with a little spray paint.

*Purchase unfinished shelves and paint them to match the room.

*To protect little fingers and bruises from hard edges consider padding your child’s toy box with quilt batting and fabric that matches the rooms décor.

*Create handy little cubbies by installing a few wooden shelving boxes here and there.

*Since kids love to play in enclosures consider purchasing a lightweight nylon tent, or making one yourself in a fabric that co-ordinates with the room. Another great idea would be to add some nylon crawl though tubes and cardboard house than can by decorated by your kids using paints or markets. Catalogues and magazines are a great source for ideas that you can adapt and craft yourself.

Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children’s rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net – Copyright. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherrie_Le_Masurier

The Perfect Baby Room Decor

Baby room decor is very important for your children’s further development. Baby room decorations are a psychological factor, which helps the little one to feel comfortable and at home. The baby room décor should pacify the child’s eyes, and should be chosen accordingly to its age. It is that soothing environment needed for the healthy development of your child. You should carefully choose the wallpapers in the baby room, because they surround your little one and bring different thoughts and feelings. A baby is as sensible to its surroundings as any other adult. They will be affected by the way their surrounding looks like. A well-designed baby room décor can be really helpful in raising your kid.

Color is an important factor. You should decorate the room with the majority of one color. But which one should predominate? Which is the most appropriate color for babies? Soft, gentle colors can be the answer. Don’t choose too loud and bright colors, because they will not sooth the atmosphere. But the baby toys should be bright: because babies really enjoy seeing and playing with bright and shiny things. The walls and the wallpapers should be relaxing though. Babies would feel stressed if they were put in a bright baby room decoration, and would have sleep problems, panic attacks, eating deficiency and so on.

You should also choose the baby room décor in accordance with the whole atmosphere of your house. It is up to you to make the baby room part of your home.

The theme of the baby room should be carefully considered. It may by floral or animal theme, because babies really like animals and flowers. Animals are preferable, though, because they are more lively and vivid, and they can make your baby react more actively at its environment. Choose the animal decorations for the wallpapers, the blanket, the curtains. Animals are fun for everyone, and moreover, they give the babies something to look at while they are lying in their beds or cribs.

You can also pick up the night sky theme, which is very relaxing for a sound sleep. Deep blue is used to decorate the walls and ceiling. The pictures of stars and planets can give the baby a sense of wonder, and it will like it immensely. Babies can be touched by the wondrous universe, they appreciate the beauty, don’t forget that! A night sky decoration will make your baby a dreamer even from this early age on!

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning babies. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Baby Room Decor Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton

Incredibles Kid Birthday Party Idea

Mr. Incredible and Elastiwoman to the Rescue.

The Incredibles based on the hit Disney movie has become a favorite fun kid birthday party theme.

The Incredibles Invitations

Have fun creating a “top secret” message as your Incredibles child birthday party theme invitation.

You might say something like this. “Calling all superheros… The Incredibles need your help!”

“You’re invited to help Mr. Incredible and Elastiwoman protect our city from the evil villain, “syndrom” at (insert the first and last name of your birthday child)’s birthday party… And we’re celebrating with The Incredibles.” “The superhero birthday action begins on (date of party).”

“Our superhero birthday party location is top secret and will be known only to our superhero guests… Only by holding this invitation up and facing it toward a mirror will you be able to decode this secret address message.”

(Write the address backwards on the invitation so it will appear correctly when held up to a mirror).

“Our superhero birthday party fun begins at (time) and will end at (time).”

“Superhero refreshments will be served.”

“All superhero party guests are requested to RSVP using the secret telephone number known only to our invited superhero guests.(phone number)”

“Every party guest wearing an Incredibles costume will be given a special secret party favor.”

Have fun and be creative with your invitation. Your guests will quickly get the idea that this party is going to be special. They won’t be able to wait for your birthday party!

The Incredibles Decorations

Yellow, red and black are the main colors for The Incredibles.

Get your Incredibles birthday party theme started right.

Decorate with yellow, red and black balloons, and crepe paper… Put “superhero” signs all over the place. Next to your telephone put a sign that reads “telephone for superheros only.” On the door to the restroom put up a sign that reads, “Superhero Restroom.”

Have fun, be creative, it’s an Incredibles superhero party!

On your front door, attach yellow, red and black balloons and a sign that reads “Secret Location, (name of your birthday child)’s Incredibles, superhero birthday party.”

Incredibles Birthday Party Theme Costumes

Costumes are a great way to get everyone into your Incredibles birthday party theme.

There are excellent online party stores and costume stores where you’ll find a great selection of costumes including The Incredibles…

Or you can try putting together your own costume… Using yellow, red and black as your main colors, put together your own creative version of Mr. Incredible or Elastiwoman.

Say Cheese

Remember your camera, digital camera and video camera… You’re going to want to take lots of pictures and video of your birthday child and all their friends in costume. You’ll want to remember how everyone looked in their Incredibles birthday party theme costumes.

Get Your Incredibles Party Started Right

You want to start your party as soon as the first guest arrives… Don’t sit around waiting for everyone else, start having fun.

Have a large glass or glass jar filled with yellow and red jelly beans and tell each guest to use their superhero X-Ray vision to guess how many jelly beans are in the jar…

Write everyone’s name on one piece of paper and put their guess next to their name… Then just before your party ends, announce the superhero guest with the best X-Ray vision. (whoever guessed closest to the actual number of jelly beans in the jar wins.)

And remember to actually count the number of jelly beans you put in the jar before your birthday party begins… Then write the actual number on a piece of paper and put that piece of paper somewhere safe and where you can easily get to it.

The Incredibles Movie And CD Fun

Set your Incredibles birthday party theme right away by having The Incredibles movie DVD or video playing on your TV as your guests arrive. (You can turn the sound down low or off)… You can also surprise your birthday child by announcing that The Incredibles DVD or video is one of their birthday gifts…

For music during your birthday party games and activities, play The Incredibles movie soundtrack CD. This is an excellent way to keep your Incredibles birthday party theme going… You can also make the CD a gift for your birthday child.

The Incredibles Coloring Book

Depending on the age of your group, you can pick up an Incredibles coloring book and some small boxes of crayons… Take pages out of the coloring book and let your party guests choose pages to color… This is also a fairly quiet activity.

The Incredibles Puzzle

Kids love puzzles and what better way for your guests to get to know each other than working on a puzzle together… Having a puzzle that fits your Incredibles birthday party theme is an added bonus.

The Incredibles Superhero Food and Drink

Even The Incredibles superheros need to replentish their energy after a long day of saving the world from the villainous “Syndrom.”

Consider these fun superhero foods

How about a “superhero sandwich?” Let each guest build their own (super) hero sandwich… Keep it simple and put fun superhero labels on everything.

“Power Bread”

“More Power Mustard”

“Red Energy Sauce” (ketchup)

“Power Pickles”

“Total Energy Turkey”

“Super-Sauce Mayo”

“Mr. Incredible Celery”

“Elastiwoman Cheese Slices”

“Raw Energy Raisins”

“Power Packed Carrot Sticks”

The Incredibles Superhero Energy Drinks

Try mixing Ginger Ale with cherry ice cream for a colorful superhero drink.

Punch can be re-named “The Incredibles Super Sauce”

For a fun and creative drink project, let your party guests mix three different and colorful Cool Aid drinks and Ginger Ale into their very own superhero drink… Cherry and Lime anyone?

For extra fizz, let them add pop-rocks…

Your Incredibles birthday party theme is going to be a big hit!

For more FREE kid birthday party ideas visit us at: Fun-Kid-Birthday-Parties.com

Mike Dougherty “Grandpa Mike” is a television and motion picture writer/producer/director who is now webmaster on Fun-Kid-Birthday-Parties.com and a movie based web site Best-DVD-Movie-Club.com

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas

Thar be fun pirate birthday party ideas ahead me buckos…AAARRRH! So haul in the gang plank, trim yer sails and be watchin’ for ships flyin’ the Jolly Roger.

“Avast and ahoy maties, this here be yer captain speakin to ya… Captain Grandpa Mike says me.”

Yer birthday child and all their guests will be havin’ a swashbucklin’ good time with this here adventure on the fun kid birthday parties high seas!

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas – Invitations

Yo Ho A Pirate’s Treasure Map

Your party guests will really get into your Pirate theme when you send them an invitation that looks like an old Pirate Treasure map…

Cut a brown paper bag into a square.

Then, with a black marker write something like “Captain__________’s (insert your birthday child’s name) treasure map”…

“Ye be invited to a swash-buckling good time matey… (then give the party date, time, length of the party and any other details) then close the invitation by saying something like…

“If you dare, you’ll be findin the party by followin this here treasure map… And remember this me buckos… “X” marks the spot!”

The map is actually directions to your party location and the “X” is the actual birthday party address…

Then crumble up the paper so your map looks old and mail it to your guest… You can even be creative with the envelope.

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas – Treasure Map

Have some fun with your Pirate Party Invitation buy constructing another treasure map for a real treasure hidden somewhere at your party location.

Cut this map up into puzzle pieces (one for each child you’re inviting).

Include a piece of the treasure map in the envelope and instruct your guests to bring their piece of the treasure map to the party.

When your guests arrive, have them put their puzzle pieces together, then they can all hunt for the treasure you’ve hidden…

Make sure you keep a copy of the map in case one of your guests doesn’t show up.

For treasure, put some chocolate coins (always a big hit with our kids) in a box and hid them somewhere for your guests to find together with their map.

Fun Kid Pirate Costume

Your birthday child will love wearing a special pirate costume at their party.

*A Tip From Grandpa Mike

When I was a boy, one of my favorite Halloween costumes was a pirate costume.

You can find a head bandanna at your local thrift store, a colorful old shirt and grey stripped pants.

Cut the shirt sleeves to 3/4 length and fray the edge of the sleeves so they look worn… Cut the pant legs to 3/4 length and fray the edges so they look worn and “ship wrecked”.

You can make an eye patch out of a small piece of black card stock or black cloth… Attach a black string or shoe lace to the eye patch and tie it around your child’s head.

A wide black belt with a large buckle (you can make a buckle) can be cut to fit around your child’s waist.

Fun Pirate Make-Up

You can complete your child’s pirate look by putting black smudges on their face with an eyebrow pencil. Smear it around to look like a beard on a rough pirate face.

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas – Decorations

Black, red, yellow, orange, blue and white are great pirate colors.

Use streamers and balloons to decorate your party area.

You can also pick up some pirate flags and make treasure maps and swords to put on the walls.

Fish nets, star fish and sea shells will help give yer party a sea goin’ look.

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas – Pirate Pinata

Imagine the fun when one of yer ship mates breaks open a pirate treasure chest pinata aaarrrh, an all kinds ah “treasures” fill yer pirate ships cabin. You can easily find online stores that feature pinatas for just about any party theme.

Fun Pirate Birthday Party Ideas

With these ideas to get your creative juices flowing, you’ll be able to come up with lots more great ideas that will make your child’s Pirate birthday party adventure a great success.

“Shiver me timbers, this be Captain Grandpa Mike sayin have a swashbucklin’ fun Pirate birthday party, AAARRRH!”

Mike Dougherty has lots more fun pirate birthday party ideas waiting for you at http://fun-kid-birthday-parties.com where you’ll discover just about everything you’ll need for a successful fun kid birthday party. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Dougherty

7 Tips for Decorating Your Child’s Room

If you’re not sure where to start or how best to tackle updating your child’s bedroom, you’re not alone. In a lot of families, the baby nursery takes a lot of planning and decorating time but there’s often less thought and energy put into decorating the same child’s room as they grow older.

It’s common for baby toys and furniture like diaper disposals, pull toys and cribs to get removed, but other things often stay around for quite a bit longer than the growing child might wish. For instance a wall paper border with prints more suitable for your baby or young child’s room, may not be as enjoyed by your now older child (or teen?!).

Here are a few tips to help you get started with decorating your child’s room. The best part about this is that your child can help you do it this time around. So this can be a fun project you can do together!

1. Select a new color to paint the walls, a color that your child likes. If you have a strong objection to it, though, negotiate with perhaps a lighter version of that color, or limiting their color choice to only one wall. (Or, encourage them to put up some nice posters to lessen the wall color’s impact!)

2. Mood lighting! Kids of all ages enjoy mood lighting of one sort or another. Together, select either a night light, a small novelty lamp with a low-wattage bulb, or an interesting colored or black light bulb lamp. Other lighting effects kids enjoy include disco lights, dog statues, flowers with light effects, and glow in the dark items.

3. Bedspreads. Get rid of baby blankets and exchange for favorite cartoon throws or bed covers. When they’re teenagers, they might enjoy sports, frilly, or even more adult taste bed coverings.

4. Personalize something for their bureaus or their walls, with their names and/or photographs. Photos can be made into a collage. Exchange those baby and stork photo frames with an upgrade to novelty photo frames. Try one with hearts, a sports theme or a safari look, for instance. Engraved stones with your child’s name or an inspirational thought and personalized acrostic poem name prints are fun and unique decor ideas that kids enjoy. Engraved name stones become long-lasting gifts and keepsakes. Acrostic name prints use the letters of your child’s name to start off self-esteem enhancing phrases that can inspire your child and highlight their special talents and interests.

5. Create a comfort zone area in the room, for cuddling up cozy and reading. You can use big pillows, plush or inflatable chairs, anything your child might enjoy to sit on and relaxing in. You’ll also want to conveniently have some books placed within their arm’s reach. You can also place some music equipment by that area for them to enjoy. And if there’s room, add an additional seating space for you. Then together you can enjoy reading, listening to music, or simply chatting with each other. If you have a teenager, they’ll likely want to have another seating space for you or their friends to use.

6. Together with your child, agree upon a wall paper border that you can use to decorate their room with. This idea can be in addition to or used instead of painting their room. Adding or changing a wall paper border can be a very simple and quick way to change the look and feel of your child’s room.

7. And… here’s an interesting idea my daughter suggested when I asked her for suggestions about decorating a child’s room … (I simply had to share this intriguing idea with you!) She said, “tell them to get an extra thick room door so you don’t hear your kids fighting!”

Can you tell that she shares her room with her sister and something about the noise level in their room at times?

Hmmm… she might have a good idea there after all!

Liz Hekimian-Williams is founder of Giftsprings.com, a home decor and gift shop that features unique personalized gifts including engraved stones and personalized acrostic name prints, as well as novelty decor photo frames and accent lamps. To delight your child with his or her name etched in stone, you are invited to explore the personalized engraved stones available at http://www.giftsprings.com/category/estones © 2004 by Liz Hekimian-Williams, Giftsprings.com ———– Permission to reprint this article is granted as long as you agree to publish it in its entirety (including author byline, resource box with active link, and copyright notice); email only to your own private mailing list of subscribers who have specifically opted-in to receive your emails; and notify the author of your usage. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Hekimian-Williams

Decorating a Child’s Room

So, your goal should be to decorate a child’s room in a way that is perfect for them. Make it personal, here’s how:

• Get Inspired! A great idea would be to bounce around several ideas before you actually start decorating. Determine what they would love now, and if it is something they will love 6 months down the road as well. Start by looking in your child’s favorite books, magazines, etc. This will give you an idea of things they like. Then look in decorating books, and get ideas online of things you can do and personalize just for your child. You’ll get great inspiration for a theme, and this will make the decorating process faster, less expensive, and more personal.

• Involve your children! Ask your child what they would do, what they would want, and incorporate some of their ideas. This will give them a sense of pride in their room. Ask their favorite colors, artistic interests, story or movie characters, and other preferences.

• The three R’s. Once you have chosen a theme for the room you want to reinforce, repeat, and reiterate the idea. So, shop for fabric, wallpaper or border paper that will reinforce your chosen theme. Select a main print that will set the tone for the whole room, and use repetitive elements throughout the room to show that the decorating is not haphazard.

• Choose a background color to use on the painted walls, floors, and ceiling. Then select coordinating fabrics, accessories, and prints that mix well with the main colors.

• When decorating a child’s room it is important to choose a focal point for the room. What you choose does not matter at all. While many choose the bed as the main point of interest, you could focus on a display shelf, a painted wall mural, or decorated play area. The focal point should really reinforce your chosen theme, and can be anything you want it to be.

• Get creative. Use things that are not going to be found in every child’s room in the country. Your child’s room should be unique to them, and not be made up of things they will find in their friends rooms, per say. For example, if your child loves tennis, string a net behind the bed for a headboard; place tennis balls onto the tips of clothes hooks, or as the ends of your curtain rod. Have fun with the theme, and do not buy everything ready made.

• Personalize! Nothing makes a kid feel more at home then a room decorated with their things. What do I mean? Well, for example, you can decorate a child’s room with their artwork displayed tastefully in nice frames. Or you can set projects, crafts, etc. on well-placed shelves or make an artistic display on the wall. Basically, utilize things that your children love and have created themselves to decorate the room. This can be done tastefully, and artistically.

• Details! For any type of decorating, whether it is decorating a child’s room, or decorating a dining room, details matter. Use embellishments on handles, knobs, etc. Add details, through coordinated color, fabric, and print. Decorating a child’s room is fun, and you are sure to enjoy it as you and your child create a fun and functional living space that can be enjoyed and shown off with pride for years to come. Unless you want to redecorate every few years, try to use prints and styles that will not be quickly outdated, and make sure you get your child’s input so that they will still love it a year down the road.

HomeBuildingRemodeling.com is your source for top quality home building, remodeling and home decorating information. For free articles delivered daily by email, visit http://www.HomeBuildingRemodeling.com and enter your name and email under the Free Home Building and Remodeling Updates section. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Calderwood