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Are you looking for other family-friendly Halloween activities besides trick-or-treating?
Check out Economoms Baltimore, a relatively new blog focused on deals and budget-friendly activities for Baltimore area families.
Amie, who launched the blog in July, has put together a fabulous list of affordable events and free outings for families. Check out her list here.
And let's welcome Amie to the blogosphere.
The Maryland State Highway Administration is lending reflective safety vests to parents or guardians for their children to use on Halloween.
The vests will be available for free at most counties. You could pick up a vest today and Friday at SHA maintenance facilities from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on a first-come first-served basis. The vests must be returned by Nov. 5.
Besides putting the reflective vests over children's costumes, SHA suggests you also could create a new costume: Combine the vest with a hard hat, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and boots. Good idea.
Click to the next page for a list of participating SHA facilities.
Anne Arundel County
Glen Burnie Shop
910 Stewart Ave
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
410-766-3770
Annapolis Shop
138 Defense Highway
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-1009
Baltimore County
Hereford Shop
306 Mount Carmel Road
MD 137 & I-83
Parkton, MD 21120
410-329-6752
Owings Mills Shop
9130 Dolfield Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-363-1315
Golden Ring Shop
8375 Pulaski Highway
Rosedale, MD 21237
410-574-4511
Calvert County
Prince Frederick Shop
MD 231 at MD 2/4
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-1748
Caroline County
Denton Shop
508 Caroline Street
Denton, MD 21629
410-479-0770
Carroll County
Westminster Shop
150 Wyndtryst Drive
Westminster, MD 21157
410-876-2061
Cecil County
Elkton Shop
2024 E. Old Philadelphia Road
Elkton, MD 21922
410-398-1565
Charles County
LaPlata Shop
Washington Ave
LaPlata, MD 20646
301-934-8031
Dorchester County
Cambridge Shop
750 Handley Road
Cambridge, MD 21701
410-228-4977
Frederick County
Frederick Shop
5111 Buckeystown Pike
Frederick, Md. 21701
301-624-8251
Thurmont Shop
67 Moser Road
Thurmont, Md. 21788
301-271-7787
Harford County
Churchville Shop
3050 Churchville Road
Churchville, MD 21028
410-838-7788
Howard County
Dayton Shop
4401 MD 32
Dayton, MD 21036
410-531-5533
Kent County
Chestertown Shop
615 Morgnec Road
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-0818
Montgomery County
Fairland Shop
12020 Plumorchard Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904
301-572-5166
Gaithersburg Shop
502 Quince Orchard Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20760
301-948-2477
Prince George’s County
Laurel Shop
Talbot Avenue & Second Avenue
Laurel, MD 20810
301-776-7619
Marlboro Shop
6500 S.E. Crain Highway
Upper Marlboro, Md. 20870
301-952-0555
Queen Anne’s County
Centreville Shop
111 Safety Drive
Centreville, MD 21617
410-758-0700
Talbot County
Easton Shop
8265 Ocean Gateway
Easton, Maryland 21601-0745
410-822-3525
Washington County
Hagerstown Shop
I-70 & MD 65
18320 Col. Henry Douglas Drive
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301-791-4790
Wicomico County
Salisbury Shop
660 West Road
Salisbury, MD 21802
410-677-4050
Worcester County
Snow Hill Shop
5630 Market Street
Snow Hill, MD 21863
410-632-0511
Betsy of Fluffy Windover's Diary talks about Edwin playing favorites in this week's Toddler Thursday:
Edwin has always somewhat preferred his dad. This started pretty early, around the time he first started to smile. I would spend all day doing stupid things to get him to smile, and then my husband would walk in the door and it was like the circus came to town. I would impersonate a monkey and get nothing; all my husband had to do was walk in a room and Edwin would fall out laughing. Later, when Edwin started talking, I would get him from his crib in the morning and he would look at me with abject disappointment and say, “Dada! Dada!” And now, when Edwin and my husband are playing or watching a baseball game and I try to join them, I sometimes get a “No, Mommy. Walk away.” It is amazing 1) how rude a toddler can be and 2) how much it can hurt your feelings.
I’ve read all about how babies and toddlers go through phases of favoring one parent over another, and that it’s very common. But it still stings. Edwin sees less of his dad, who works in DC and is gone by the time Edwin wakes up. So I’m sure that’s part of it. And, as my husband likes to remind me, Edwin is a dude. And dudes like to hang out with other dudes, no chicks allowed. But the irrational part of me worries it’s because I’m no fun, or that Edwin doesn’t love me as much.
Of course, all bets are off when Edwin falls down and gets a boo boo. Then it’s me he wants. He will wriggle out of Daddy’s arms and run to find me, yelling, “Mommeeeeeeeeee, Mommeeeeeeeeeee!”. Daddy might be better for playing games and watching baseball, but at least I’ve cornered the market on giving boo boo kisses.
(Photo courtesy of UNICEF)
Liz Atwood talks about celebrating Halloween and doing good in this week's Tween Tuesday:
Can you believe it's just days before Halloween and my tween has yet to decide on a Halloween costume? I've thrown out suggestions both funny and scary, but he is just not that into it.
But while the Halloween spirit might be lacking in my house, I thought I should mention that it isn't for others. This is the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF. I remember carrying those little orange boxes door to door when I was a kid and the organization that aids children all around the world is still at it. Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF has raised $160 million throughout the years and raises about $4 million each year, according to the organization.
The boxes are still available for kids to use to collect money as they go door to door, but this year there is also a new application for the iPhone and iPod to help raise money.
I wonder if I could entice my son to go this weekend as a good-deed-doer? Probably not.
Tony T., who wrote that his son would be "stoked" if he won the book bag because it's the colors of his hero Buzz Lightyear. Plus, the backpack would replace his hand-me-downs.
Thanks for participating in my first giveaway. Your comments were great. I wish I had many more book bags to give away. The winner was randomly chosen.
On another note, don't forget the DIY Halloween costume contest. It ends Friday.
(Courtesy of IHOP)
Celebrate Halloween with a free Scary Face Pancake for kids 12 and under at IHOP restaurants.
On Friday, IHOP is giving away the buttermilk pancake with a whipped topping mouth and strawberry nose. The dish also includes two Oreo cookies and candy corn so kids can create their own Halloween pancake.
The event starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
Check out your nearest restaurant here.
Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a bookbag filled with pens and pencils for your little one. It ends today.
I'm delighted to have Betsy of Fluffy Windover's Diary as Toddler Thursday's regular poster. This week, she writes about finding easy activities for her toddler:
One of the reasons I love the toddler stage is that you don’t have to come up with complicated games to entertain them. Edwin is happy just collecting acorns in a bucket, or chasing a balloon around, or using kitchen utensils to pretend to cook. Of course, there are days when he has exhausted his usual activities and I need to change things up a little. Here are a few activities that I’ve found will hold his attention for more than 10 minutes (which, as parents of toddlers know, is like an eternity):
Finger painting. This is very, very big with Edwin. It’s not something we do often because the mess makes me twitchy, but man does he love this. Do it in a place where you can clean up the mess easily (kitchen floor or outside). Obviously, dress your toddler in old clothes or a smock so you’re not hovering the whole time worrying about the paint getting everywhere.
Balloon baseball. Cardboard roll from wrapping paper + balloon = at least 15 minutes of toddler entertainment, in my experience. If you have a toddler, it’s a good idea to keep a bag of balloons on hand in case of boredom emergencies. (Of course, this requires close supervision because popped balloons pose a choking hazard.)
Making caterpillars out of egg cartons. This is a trick I picked up from Edwin’s daycare: cut cardboard egg cartons into different lengths and decorate them with stickers or paint to make a family of caterpillars. You can use pipe cleaners for antennae. This is a good activity to do together, and then ideally, your toddler will play with the caterpillars afterward. (I say ideally because Edwin never seems interested in the caterpillars after we’ve made them. But maybe your toddler will.)
Making paper chains. I’m sure we all remember these from elementary school: strips of construction paper looped together to make chains. Of course, this is not something a toddler can do by himself, but it is a good time filler. With Halloween coming up, you can make orange and black chains and then have your toddler help you decorate the house.
Bowling. I bought an inexpensive plastic bowling set for Edwin at the drugstore, but you could use empty plastic bottles and a ball. He loves to play “bowling alley” in our upstairs hallway, and this one really requires no supervision (though I always find myself wanting to play too).
What about you? Please share some easy activities your toddler enjoys in the comments!
Liz Atwood talks about the example parents set for their kids when it comes to sports in this week's Tween Tuesday:
This weekend I watched my 9-year-old son’s soccer team lose (again). I believe they have won just one game all season. They have had several ties and a couple of losses.
I tried to reassure my son that he was not to blame for the loss, even though he was the goalie when a couple of the points were scored. It's always a fine line to walk—supporting your child without disparaging anyone else, encouraging competitiveness but at the same time sportsmanship.
Fortunately, most parents I’ve seen at my sons' sporting events have handled both wins and losses graciously, but that is not always the case. Did you catch the video of a brawl that broke out last after a fifth-grade football game in Wisconsin? Both coaches were fired, as I think they should have been.
We're often quick to judge professional athletes for failing to set good examples for our children (think Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger), but we parents shouldn't forget that the example we set is far more important than that of a big-name athlete our kids will never meet.
Do you have a child that you can't pull away from your iPhone?
It appears that the iPhone has become a favorite toy for toddlers, according to The New York Times.
Apple, the iPhone’s designer and manufacturer, has built its success on machines so simple and intuitive that even technologically befuddled adults can figure out how to work them, so it makes sense that sophisticated children would follow. The most recent model is 4.5 inches tall, 2.31 inches wide and weighs 4.8 ounces: sleek, but not too small for those with developing motor skills. Tap a picture on the screen and something happens. What could be more fun?
Still, the trend is drawing concern about "screen time" from some childhood development specialists. The author notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics advices parents not to let their children watch TV until they are older than two.
But I understand the temptation of parents to keep their children entertained as well as free up some time for them to have an uninterrupted conversation or some time for themselves. At the same time, kids love these devices, too. My almost 3-year-old nephew plays games on my sister's iPhone.
Is the iPhone an educational tool or more like TV? Does your child take ownership of your iPhone? What limits you have set for iPhone time?
(The Baltimore Sun)
I was never big on Halloween, even as a kid. But now that I have a child, I'm so excited about celebrating the day with baby J. and E.
I found some fun and reasonably-priced options at several mass retailers. But I'm betting there are some crafty parents out there who have put together costumes for less than $15.
So here's an idea. Let's have a children's costume contest.
If you have an unique idea for a do-it-yourself children's costume, send them here.
The rules are simple: The costume has to be made for less than $15. The cheaper the better, of course. Creativity is also a plus. Send a picture to hcho@baltsun.com and I will post photos in a future post.
My colleagues and I will pick the top three ideas, and we'll have readers pick a winner. Submit your ideas by commenting. Deadline is Oct. 29.
This could be really fun or be a disaster. Let see how this goes ...
In the meantime, Consuming Interests has some cheap costume ideas. Also check out baltimoresun.com's Halloween guide.
Charm City Moms reader and frequent commenter Kayris is giving away two tickets to attend a Oct. 18 workshop with Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabees, the source of the movie Mean Girls.
The mother-daughter workshop will focus on communication and self esteem.
Details are here: http://greatwallsofbaltimore.blogspot.com/2010/10/girl-world-tour-ticket-giveaway.html
Also, please check out my book bag giveaway. The deadline to submit a comment is Oct. 22.
Baltimore's T. Rowe Price Group, which is the title sponsor of the Kids Fun Run during Saturday's marathon, is also providing runners, attendees and children an opportunity to play The Great Piggy Bank Adventure online game.
The game is a companion to an interactive exhibit at Walt Disney World Park in Florida, a collaboration between Price and Walt Disney. It provides lessons on setting money goals and saving and spending wisely, among others.
The game will be available at the Health and Fitness Expo at M&T Bank Stadium today and tomorrow and inside the T. Rowe Price Family Center tent in the Celebration Village on Saturday.
Guest blogger Betsy of Fluffy Windover's Diary writes about toddlers and social graces, or the lack thereof:
My son, Edwin, recently turned two. He is a full-on toddler. I love that every book on child development uses the same words to describe toddler behavior that one might use to describe a crazy person or a wild animal. (And it's all true: they have no impulse control, no empathy, and are often prone to violence.) I love that Edwin says whatever he is thinking. It's usually hilarious. But sometimes it can be a little awkward. Take last week, for example.
We got to daycare in the morning, and Edwin was just chilling on my lap. He's not really a morning person, and he often needs a couple minutes to warm up once we get there. I guess he's not one to socialize before he's had his coffee. One of the other moms came in and cheerfully said to Edwin, "Eddie, I heard you had a birthday! Are you two?" And Edwin held up his hand in a "back off" gesture, and said, "No. Stop. Talking." It was embarrassing, to say the least. I took him aside and told him that was not a very polite thing to say, etc. etc. So he added, "Please."
It's a funny story, but I'm not really sure how to handle this kind of thing. If your child hits someone, or throws food, or pulls the cat's tail, those are pretty definite no-nos. But how do you explain social graces to a two year-old, that we can't just tell people exactly what we're thinking? For now I guess I'll have to settle for, "Stop talking, please."
Liz Atwood wonders whether the lure of Halloween is fading as her boys get older in this week's Tween Tuesday:
In the past, I’ve commented on the trend of trashy-looking Halloween costumes for tween and teen girls and the obsession with gore displayed in the costumes for boys.
But this year, I'm less concerned about what my boys want to wear than clear signs that Halloween is a fading holiday in our house. In the past, Halloween was second only to Christmas in the enthusiasm it generated. We would visit the party stores and Halloween shops weeks in advance to find some new decorations. Usually the kids would pick out their costumes so early that they would be tired of them and want to make a switch by the time the actual day came around.
But this year, the fourth grader announced that he thinks he is too old for trick-or-treating. The high school freshman said he still wants to dress up, but not for trick-or-treating; he wants to scare the little kids who come to our door.
Over the weekend, I pulled the boxes of Halloween decorations out of the basement and began putting out the gravestones and the ghouls and the skeletons. The boys hardly noticed as their attention was focused on a game of touch football in the neighbor's yard.
We still haven't bought the pumpkins. The pre-school field trips to the pumpkin farms are long past, but I had hoped I might be able to interest the kids in a trip to a garden center. Now, I'm thinking I'll probably pick up a pumpkin at the grocery store.
Do you sense that Halloween is fading in your house as your children grow older?
For my first contest on this blog, I'm giving away a bookbag filled with Zebra pens and pencils. (Thanks Zebra!)
So if you would like to win this prize, please leave a comment on why your child should get the bookbag. I will accept comments until Friday, Oct. 22, and choose a winner.
(I'm new to this so bear with me as we go through the process.)
(Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy)
We've discussed swimming lessons for toddlers and drowning prevention. Drowning accidents can also happen inside the home.
Starting tomorrow, FOX45 will begin airing public service announcements targeting moms and other caregivers in Baltimore about the risks of indoor drowning.
The PSAs, developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, offer these tips:
The center also runs the CARES mobile safety center, a 40-foot vehicle built as a house that visits Baltimore neighborhoods to teach parents about injury risks at home and ways to make their homes a safer place.
You can request a visit from CARES Safety Center to a neighborhood event.
Let us know if you catch the public service announcement.
Goodnight Moon. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. These are classic children's picture books. Baby J. loves them as much as a baby could love a book -- he seems to enjoy gnawing at them more than looking at the drawings.
But picture books are starting to fade as parents seek out more text even for kids in kindergarten and first grade, according to The New York Times.
It is not going away — perennials like the Sendaks and Seusses still sell well — but publishers have scaled back the number of titles they have released in the last several years, and booksellers across the country say sales have been suffering.
The economic downturn is certainly a major factor, but many in the industry see an additional reason for the slump. Parents have begun pressing their kindergartners and first graders to leave the picture book behind and move on to more text-heavy chapter books. Publishers cite pressures from parents who are mindful of increasingly rigorous standardized testing in schools.
This is an interesting shift, but not surprising. Parents in New York City are sending their 3- to 4-year-old children to test preparation companies so that they can secure spots in the city's gifted and talented public kindergarten classes, according to another recent New York Times story.
Picture books aren't for dummies, as the story points out, and text-heavy books aren't neccesarily more complex.
What do you think of this shift? When did you transition from picture books to text-heavy books?
Around the country, including in Maryland, schools are encouraging more children to walk and bike to and from school as part of today's Walk to School Day.
The event is also intended to highlight the federal State Routes to School program, which provides funding to allow schools and communities to retrofit roads and create sidewalks and bicycle paths.
The Maryland Department of Transportation has designated $10.3 million to schools and jurisdictions around the state, according to Patrick McMahon, organizer for Maryland Safe Routes to School Network. There is an additional $3.5 million available, and applications are due to the state Highway Safety Office on Nov. 5.
Advocates say walking and bicycling to and from school can help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases as well as help children stay fit and improve their well-being.
I walked to school every day because school busing was not an option for kids in my one-square-mile town.
Did your children participate in the event? Do the walk or bicycle to school regularly? Are there barriers for children to walk to school?
Maryland recently launched a new Web site to help families prepare for the transition of children with disabilities from secondary school to higher education or employment.
www.mdtransition.org provides information on higher education and employment options as well as resources on transportation and healthcare.
"We believe that every Maryland student should have the chance to achieve his or her career goals, whether through post-secondary education, job training or employment," Gov. Martin O'Malley said in a statement.
Catherine A. Raggio, secretary of the state Department of Disabilities, said planning for a successful transition to life after secondary school should start early.
Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, states must provide educational services to students. But adult services depend on meeting certain eligibility requirements and availability of funding.
The Maryland Transitioning Youth web site was developed by the Maryland Department of Disabilities with help from the state Department of Education, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other agencies.
Liz Atwood discusses whether children favors one parent over another in this week's Tween Tuesday:
Are you the favorite parent?
The notion of the favorite child is fodder for childhood accusations and Smothers Brothers comedy routines, but what do you do when your kid says he loves Dad (or Mom) more? Dr. Ellen Libby, author of The Favorite Child, writes that children often have a favorite parent and that sometimes parents consciously or unconsciously compete for this title.
Libby points out that love is different from favoritism. She says children may prefer one parent for a brief time or for a lifetime. Naturally, the parent who isn't favored feels jealous and left out. "Parents working as a trusting team can effectively monitor the favored interactions of one parent while being inclusive of the other parent," Libby writes.
Have you had this happen to you? How did you respond?
