A visit to the hospital can be a nightmare for most toddlers. But with the support of parents, children can feel more at ease during hospital visits. Follow these tips to help your toddler have a positive hospital experience.

Keep Your Cool

It is normal for you to feel anxious about taking your toddler to the hospital. However, your toddler can sense your apprehension and make him more afraid. Thus, it is important for you to stay calm so you can help your toddler during his visit to the hospital. Share your worries with a friend or relative if this is the only way you can relax.

Talk About It

It is also very essential that you prep your toddler ahead of time. Explain what a hospital is, talk about what will happen and who will be there. Use words your little one can understand. Keep your explanation brief but clear. For example, if the two of you are going to the hospital for a routine check-up, tell your toddler that the doctor just wants to make sure he is healthy and strong. Welcome questions and answer them truthfully. Watch videos and read books about a toddler’s first hospital visit. Learning as much information as he can not only helps him prepare for the trip but also wards off any misinformation he may have heard.

Take A Hospital Tour

Part of preparing your toddler for a visit to the hospital is taking a tour of the building. Most pediatric units offer group and individual tours to acquaint children with the hospital atmosphere. Your toddler can get to know the staff, use the playroom (if there is one) or participate in “medical play” where he can touch and see equipments in the hospital.

Turn It Into A Game

Why not role play this event. Pretend play is very effective in providing children comfort and understanding about difficult situations. Purchase a toy stethoscope or a medical kit and play “going to the hospital” with your little one. He can examine his teddy or the two of you can take turns playing doctor and patient.

Bring Comfort Items

When it is time to go, do not just pack the essentials but bring one or two loveys such as a favorite stuffed animal, blanket, book, game, pajamas or a small album of family photos. Giving your toddler something to play with that reminds him of home will make him feel safe.

Stay With Your Toddler

Staying by his side is probably the most comforting thing you can do. Cuddle and talk to your little one. If you have to leave, make sure you tell your toddler where you will go and when you will be back. Reassure him that the hospital is a safe place, that the doctors and nurses will not hurt him and that he can go home once he gets better.

Although you will not be able to relieve all your toddler’s fears of visiting hospitals, you can help change his outlook by being honest, considerate and prepared.

Teaching children about money is one of the most important things parents can do for their children. After all, knowing how to shop responsibly is a life skill everyone should learn early. Here are some tips on how you can raise your toddler to become a smart shopper.

Introduce Budgeting

The first step is to teach your toddler the value of budgeting. It is important that your toddler understands that there is no endless supply of money, therefore, spending and saving should be balanced. For example, you can give him $5 as his weekly allowance. Make it clear how much money he has and to plan his spending wisely. This is the fastest way to make him weigh his options carefully.

Take Your Toddler Shopping

Sure, it is more stress-free to shop alone, but your toddler will learn more being with you. Before going to the store, make a list so you can focus on the items you need. Teach your toddler how to read labels. Compare prices. Explain that the brand-name cereal may have a cuter box but the store brand tastes just as good. Stress the importance of quality versus quantity. If you are in a clothing store, discuss why spending more for a good pair of jeans is better than buying 3 shorts for $10.

Use Cash

Your toddler will not be able to understand the true significance of money if he sees you using credits cards and checks all the time. Use cash whenever you can. Explain how credit cards, debit cards and checks work in words he can understand. Limit your own credit card use to your toddler from having credit card debts when he gets older.

Give Your Toddler A Job

You can get your toddler to do simple chores such as setting the dinner table, cleaning the floor or picking up falling leaves in your backyard. Give him money once he has completed his tasks. This gives him an idea that one has to work hard to earn money. Plus, buying things will be less alluring if he is spending his own money.

Avoid Impulse Buying

Impulse buying can lead to overspending. Help your toddler understand his needs and wants. If he wants to buy something, encourage him to plan ahead or sleep on it so he can decide if it is a want or a need, if he will really use it and if it is worth the price.

Teach Your Toddler How To Save

Explain to your toddler that if he wants to buy something, he has to save for it. He can allot a certain amount for a week or month for that robot. Help him collect coupons for future use and search for bargains. When he receives money for special occasions like his birthday, insist that he open a passbook account and have him deposit his monthly savings to his account.

Introduce The Value of Giving

Being a smart shopper is not just about learning how to save or score discounts, but it is also about knowing how to give. Giving helps your toddler learn that he can get satisfaction from money when he is able to help the less fortunate. Drop money to the local donation box. Volunteer in a soup kitchen. Ask him to pick toys and clothes he will no longer use and give them to charity.

Last but not the least, set a good example for your toddler. When your toddler sees you handling money maturely, he will most likely follow your act.

Toddler games are an important part of a toddler’s development. With today’s modernity, more and more toddlers are using iPhones and iPads to play games. To make sure they are learning while having fun, download these popular applications designed for preschoolers.

Wheels On The Bus

Wheels On The Bus is based on an interactive nursery rhyme song designed to provide preschoolers hours of creative fun. It is available in 5 different languages. Your toddler can read the lyrics while touching various objects on the screen to open bus doors, make whooshing sounds by touching the windshield wipers, turn the wheels, pop bubbles and even make a dog bark. Your toddler can also change the settings to hear the instrumental version. He can choose from cello, kazoo, piano and violin. There is even a recording feature which will truly delight your little karaoke master.

Preschool Music

This application will help unleash the musician in toddlers. It features a virtual keyboard with 4 musical activities – an underwater percussion, rhythm game, compose a tune that is narrated by a jolly parrot and a silly group of parrots that sing music in the round.

Preschool Adventure

From the developers of Preschool Music, Preschool Adventure also has the same colorful and simple graphics but focuses on educational games. Your little one can learn basic shapes, count to ten and match colors. This application also includes a game that will teach your toddler animal sounds and noises. It has tons of bright, expertly drawn characters that will surely entertain your toddler for hours on end.

Etch A Sketch

Etch A Sketch is a classic toy you might have played with as a youngster. Your preschooler can now create works of art virtually. He can use his finger or use the knobs to draw, change colors using the paint palette, shake to erase and even save drawings and import photos. Plus, it has various games and puzzles that will challenge your preschooler’s drawing skills.

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is an excellent way to introduce your toddler to colors, letters, numbers, shapes, counting and puzzle solving and matching. It has 6 different activities that is led by a cute monkey. Your preschooler can help the monkey stuff the lunchbox with fruit by solving the games. Once several activities have been completed, your toddler can select a cartoon sticker and tack it on a personalized virtual board.

First Words Sampler

In this game, your toddler is given a picture, the word illustrating the picture and jumbled letters. Your preschooler has to drag the letters to its corresponding place. This application teaches your toddler spelling, sounds, pronunciation and recognition.

Teach Me: Kindergarten

Teach Me: Kindergarten has 4 age-appropriate topics – addition, subtraction, sight words and spelling. You can choose subjects, difficulty levels and even pick a specific question. It is very easy so your toddler can play without asking for help. Your toddler can earn a coin for every 3 correct answers which can be used to purchase stickers to place in sticker scenes or to purchase fish to create a virtual aquarium.

Math Magic

Make Math easy and fun for your preschooler with this game. Math Magic introduces basic math concepts. It features a friendly voice that gently prompts preschoolers towards the correct answers and says “You can do it!” to encourage toddlers when they get the answer wrong. You can also set a timer to challenge your toddler and you receive a colored star for every 5 successful answers.

With these educational applications, your preschooler can spend plenty of time with your phone or tablet without feeling guilty about letting your toddler use them.