Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in new orleans, LA

Guest Post: Five things to look for in a Preschool Game

by Kelly Leahy

March 30, 2009

Our guest author Jim Silver, editor in chief of TimetoPlayMag.com has written a guide for parents who are searching for the perfect board game for their preschooler.

Five things to look for in a Preschool Game

1. Easy to play right out of the box.
Instructions should be very simple and easy, so that you can open the
box and play right away. Set up should be minimal, which also means
clean up should be too. Young children don't have the patience for
long instructions, and parents don't want a lot of mess.

2. Appropriate levels of reading, color matching, sequencing and
memory for the age group.
Playing the game should be fun...not frustrating. The great thing is
that your children will let you know when they're ready for more
advanced games. The child who loves Candy Land for months may suddenly
realize he's too old for it, for instance.

3. Correct balance of chance and strategy.
For younger children, the balance should be more chance than strategy.
They're learning counting, memory, and matching among other skills. As
they get older, strategy-thinking a few moves ahead-can be introduced.
Kids also respond well to games that have a clear winner, even if it's
not them. Children like the defined beginning and ending of a game
with a clear objective.

4. 15 minutes or less.
The younger the child, the quicker a game needs to be completed before
a child gets bored or loses focus. For a three-year-old, a game should
be completed in less than 15 minutes. As a child gets a little older,
20 minutes is the magic number. Many game companies are now putting
game playing times on their packages; look for these to help gauge
what's right for your child.

5. Motor skills.
Many games greatly enhance motor skills through the need of hand-eye
coordination. Many young children don't have enough opportunities to
develop these skills, and games are a great occasion for younger kids
to develop them through play.

Best Spots for Indoor Play

by Kelly Leahy

January 20, 2009

We are lucky in that winters here are usually mild enough to keep us from getting cases of cabin fever (that comes in July). There are days however, some recent, that keep us shivering and away from our favorite outdoor spots. For days like these, I'm recapping favorite indoor spots around the city to let your toddler run wild. The Monkey Room features plenty of climbing equipment for toddlers  Read more...

Just in case you missed us the first time ...

by Kelly Leahy

September 30, 2008

For list day today, we are digging up some of our favorite posts since the birth of Being Savvy New Orleans. So, just in case you missed us the first time, go back and catch up. 99 things you must do with your child in New Orleans before they grow up gives 30 good ideas for activities to start. The other 69 come from you! Though we haven't seen any precipitation in a while, Top 5 things to do  Read more...

Top 5 Things to Do in New Orleans on a Rainy Day

by Kelly Leahy

May 27, 2008

We are fast approaching rainy season here in New Orleans and that can mean anything from a gray drizzle all day long to being locked in the house for hours due to street flooding. Nothing's easy about living in the Crescent City but here are some tips to make a rainy day with your pre-schooler something to look forward to rather than dread. 1. Go Fish. The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is a  Read more...

Looking in the mirror: A list of reflections

by Kelly Leahy

January 13, 2008

Tuesday is list day where we will all be covering the same topics nationally . Today's subject is the best places to find your reflection around town. Here we go. Fountain, Audubon Park. I was going to recommend the reflective canals in the city parks but the last thing I would want would be for someone to fall in. The fountain by the main entrance of Audubon Park has reflective qualites and  Read more...