Safe Search Kids - Education, Parenting, Internet Safety for All

Video games are often considered to be a bad “parasite” for children. People myth video games as a source of distractions that take children away from their studies and real life. While playing video games for an extreme amount of time could result in the said consequences, managed gaming sessions help kids be mentally stable.

Various pieces of research have concluded that video games let the human brain divert away from stressful circumstances and reduce anxiety. During a tough time, a person has to feel the sense of mastery, confidence and being in charge, while also breaking the thoughtful contact with the cause of the stress. Video games, strangely, have a mixture of exactly the right ingredients to deal with stress.

There are different types of anxiety disorders that your kids can suffer from. Panic disorder, Separation Anxiety or Social Anxiety, and others might make your children go through a hard time. But games can help them escape the unnecessary stress and the burden on their little brains. Developing an ideal schedule incorporating gaming sessions can help your kid deal with that stress.

Finding the right games to relieve stress

While gaming can relieve stress, it can also cause stress if the wrong games are played. Many games today are too competitive to play and the children might get frustrated if they keep losing a level of the game repeatedly.

As mentioned above, gaming relieves stress by putting the player at a stage where he feels in control. If he keeps losing a stage, again and again, the sense of being in control starts to wear off.

To ensure your kid doesn’t suffer from such type of stress, make sure he doesn’t play games that are unnecessarily hard and competitive. Casual games which relax the brain cells are the ideal fit for children.

Exposure to brain stimulation

Children’s minds are designed to absorb new information rapidly. That’s why the early years of a child’s life are the best to teach him life ethics and morals. If their brain doesn’t get enough stimulation and activity regularly, they might start to lose out on their creativity and brain capability.

Games are a great way to ensure your kid gets the necessary level of regular brain simulation. While physical activity is crucial for a healthy body, games are important for a sound mind.

Video games also let the children explore and express their emotions. When they’re trying to get through a level of a game, they’re developing problem-solving techniques. When they fail, they develop the notion of trying, again and again, until they succeed. When they do succeed, the children get the sense of joy and happiness that the brain releases after it’s accomplished a goal.

Keeping gaming sessions in check

Too much of a good thing often turns out to be bad; the same rule applies to video games. Where controlled gaming sessions have many positive impacts on children’s brains, playing games for an extended period might result in mental, as well as physical health concerns.

To begin with, longer-than-usual gaming sessions can produce strain on the eyes. The children might find it difficult to relax their eyes, stay calm, and sleep peacefully. Regular exposure to this strain can weaken the eyesight — which is a terrible, long-term problem.

A creative way to spend time

Children have plenty of time at home. While playing games 24/7 isn’t what I suggest, maintained gaming sessions can help children pass their time and avoid boredom.

Boredom often leads to unnecessary thoughts and worries about difficult circumstances that could result in anxiety and stress. During hard times, we want to stay away from boredom, and giving away an hour of our daily routine to gaming helps well.

Unlocking desired games with residential proxies

Not all games are created equal. You want to make sure your child only plays games that are relaxing and relieve stress. When you find such a game locked due to geographical barriers, you can unlock and access it by using residential proxies.  These proxies also offer a way of protecting your privacy preventing your data from getting stolen while playing games online.  They can also improve browsing speed.

Conclusion

Games are a great way for children to relieve stress and fight anxiety in tough times. They provide the necessary mental stimulation to children’s brains and boost their creativity. However, gaming sessions must be kept in check and shouldn’t exceed a set period.

Read about additional calming strategies for anxious children.

Keeping your kids entertained is not an easy task, especially with the limited movement we have had recently. There are however many ways to keep your children entertained while supporting their development, and these can take place at home.

If you’re fresh out of ideas, here are 5 ways in which you can keep your kids entertained at home while creating fun activities for the whole family!

1. Arts & Crafts

Arts and crafts are a fantastic way to keep your kids entertained while also developing essential skills. Participating in art workshops can further enhance this experience by providing structured opportunities for creativity and learning. When children paint, it improves their dexterity as they are being mobile and using their muscles. Particularly in infants, development occurs both mentally and physically as the actions stimulate their brain.

Using painting by numbers techniques is fantastic for older children. The smaller sections require additional focus and dexterity, honing their fine motor skills. It is also a fantastic way to get them to unwind and remove themselves from technology, connecting with reality.

There is a large scope for painting with kids as the limitations of their work are that of their imagination. It’s important to encourage the use of different materials, textures, and tools to let creativity take over. Encouraging this level of creative freedom is essential when it comes to neurological development.

2. Sound & Music

Music is a sensory experience, much like taste, touch, and sight. If you have the willpower to endure the noise, music is a fantastic tool to support children’s development. It’s important to expose children to music for several beneficial reasons, all of which develop cognitive function and support learning.

For younger children, listening to music is significant in helping them distinguish sounds and noises. As they then listen to lyrics, they hear familiar sounds which they can distinguish into letters and words. The repetition of hearing sounds through speech, through music and books, will solidify their learning and understanding as they grow.

Music should be created, not just listened to. When your kids are older, it’s important to introduce them to instruments. These include a piano, drums, guitar, or even their own voice. Playing with instruments is a way to unleash creativity and you can support the children with making their music. You never know, this hobby may turn into a passion and you could have the next musical star on your hands!

3. Puzzles

There are many levels of puzzles, from basic to advanced. Toddlers and young children are often exposed to simplistic puzzles in the form of putting a few pieces back together. These toys are fantastic for several reasons, they teach children to recognize shapes, hone their concentration and cognitive skills, and give them a sense of satisfaction when they are complete.

Puzzles are a fantastic way to keep children entertained as they get older as well. With the range of puzzles available, you are sure to find one on a subject that interests and intrigues your kids. From Star Wars to Bratz, Harry Potter to Fortnite, it’s a fantastic way to entertain them in a simple way.

The best part is, you can incorporate incentives into the process of puzzle making, in the form of a reward for finishing. When your children become advanced, you can purchase increasingly intricate puzzles, to keep them continually entertained.

4. Create a TV Show

If your kids love watching TV, a great idea is to get them to create their TV show. If you have an old cardboard box lying around or a spare sheet to create a curtain, you’ve just made them a stage to showcase their creativity.

Acting and drama are classic ways to support children with communication skills, boost their confidence, and get them to think outside the box. If your children have been watching TV shows, the chances are that they are familiar with the concept of acting and will have an idea of what to say and how to say it. This is particularly fun if you have multiple children, as they can all get involved!

So where do you start? You may want to give them some prompts if this their first time coming up with an idea. Here are some questions:

• What is your TV show called?
• Where is it set?
• Who is the main character?
• Who are the other characters?
• What would the characters wear?
• What would the characters say?

There are of course so many more questions you could ask to get their mind going but these are a great start. Also, don’t be afraid to get involved! Having your children explain and give direction is a great way to support their communicative skills as they have to explain what they mean. Most children love the shift in power with them being able to tell you how it’s done!

Instead of TV, if your child likes to write or is interested in how websites work, check out our 21 blog post ideas for kids who want to create their first blog.

5. Time Capsule

A great way to entertain your children is to introduce the idea of a time capsule. If your children aren’t sure what a time capsule is, this is a good starting point to get them to do some research. On the other hand, if they’ve learned about it at school, it’s a good way to support their understanding through mirroring the activities at home.

The premise of a time capsule is to give your future self a snapshot of life in the past. The idea is to include significant events and personal experiences from the present so that you can reflect on these in the future. The concept is a great way to get your kids thinking about the world around them and reflecting on what they think is important.

When you create the capsule with your children, some tips are:

• Get the whole family involved
• Include a newspaper from the day
• Have each person write an explanation for what they have chosen
• Choose a date in the future to open it and stick to it

Time capsules are a great way to not only entertain your kids but the whole family. It’s a fantastic way to see what everyone thinks about the present and there is time to reflect on what you think the future will look like.

Everyone has a story within them – the problem that many have is that they lack the tools and encouragement to do so. When you put together the right community and technology, everyone has the power to unleash their story. As Alice Walker the American novelist says, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

People have a habit of sharing parts of their story on social media to the tune of 7.5 million daily blog posts.

These posts include 1 million LinkedIn posts, and over 415 million posts on Facebook and Twitter.  Storytelling helps you achieve success: it makes any fact 22 times more memorable.

Write Your Goals

People that write down goals are 1.5x more likely to achieve their goals.  It also is not as time consuming as you might think, where only 15 minutes over 3 days can improve your mental and physical health.

The psychological benefits of writing include allowing you to heal by processing emotions faster than non-writing methods.  It’s easier to communicate difficult concepts and help you work on your communication skills.  Self-reflection is key – as British actress Emma Watson has stated: “I think your thoughts are so much less frightening when they’re tangible, when you can see them on a page in front of you.”

How To Start Your Story

First, decide what to write about.  Build it up as a habit and start small – even 10 minutes at a time. It’s key to commit and make it a daily / several times a week habit. Daily journaling can also continue your positive habit forming process.

Daily habits and journaling aren’t enough to keep the process going.  Each writer needs support, guidance, and feedback from others in order to be successful. In addition, there are new technologies that have emerged that allow one to socialize writing. You can even create, protect, and sell personal content through these systems.

Connect with Other Writers and Storytellers

If you need help, there are private communities of writers to help you collaborate. There are also online writing workshops for budding writers, as well as newbie authors who want to tell their story.

Don’t keep your story to yourself any longer. Writing your story can help unlock your greatness.

Check out this Infographic on The Secret Power of Telling Your Story:

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Creative Storytelling Tips:  How to write magical tales for kids

Keeping kids physically active for better growth and development is a continual challenge for parents. Luckily, there are a variety of options to occupy kids with activities that are also beneficial.  Among those options, trampolines are unique. And with fun trampoline games kids can be entertained for hours.

The benefits of trampoline games are great in number. But parents have to assure safety before allowing their kids to jump on a trampoline. In the following section, we will explore the necessities of trampolines along with the top game formats and safety procedures. Let’s get into it.

Benefits of fun trampoline games for kids

Trampoline games are great to entertain kids while ensuring numerous health benefits. Here are some of the health benefits before we list our 9 fun trampoline games.  For parents who want to take extra precautions, choosing a springless trampoline can help reduce the risk of common injuries while still allowing kids to enjoy the activity.

Benefits Cardiovascular System

Just 10 minutes of jumping on the trampoline increases a child’s heart rate, resulting in muscle strength and cardiovascular improvement. That means your kids are not merely jumping, they are giving their heart a great workout with even thinking about it.

Improves Energy Levels

When kids are bouncing high in the air, they are carrying more oxygen with the bloodstream throughout the body. This extra oxygen powers up their overall energy levels and keeps them healthy.

Cheers the Minds

Generally, kids love bouncing. They get great fun from it. And while they are bouncing on the trampoline, oxygen flow increases. This increased oxygen assures the release of mood-enhancing endorphins.

Boosts Confidence

While jumping on a trampoline, kids try to reach higher and higher with each jump. They practice various tricks and moves on the jumping mat. All these activities enhance their confidence significantly.

Enhances Motor Skill & Co-ordination

With each jump, kids need to land perfectly to acquire the perfect bouncing effect. To assure this, the jumper needs to concentrate on the landing position and other things. And while doing this, some kids can dunk a basketball successfully. All these movements and mind exercises, contributes to improving their motor skills and co-ordinations.

Top Trampoline Games for Kids

Bubble Blow

Bubble blow is an interactive game. In this game, parents can accompany their kids or two players can go for it. Players will get into the trampoline. One of them will start blowing the bubbles while the other will try to touch or pop the bubbles as many as possible before the bubbles fall on the mat. The players can interchange their roles whenever they like.

Since kids will play with those bubbles you should allow only non-toxic elements for them. Once they are done playing, you can hose down the trampoline quickly.

Piggy in the Middle

This game is perfect for three players. One of them will remain in the middle of the trampoline mat while the other two will stay outside. The middle player is called Piggy. The outside players will throw balls to each other over the trampoline and the Piggy will keep bouncing and trying to catch the ball. The throwers will try their best to trick Piggy. Once Piggy catches the ball, the thrower of the losing ball will become the new Piggy.

Color and Shape

Nowadays various indoor trampolines come with a jumping mat that has various shapes. The shape can include many symbols like the fish, the stars, or simply the alphabet. You can instruct your kid to land on a specific symbol while he is jumping inside the trampoline. This activity is great for kids to improve their memory with synchronization skills.

Additionally, some indoor trampolines come with an interactive sound system. Each time your kids bounce on the trampoline the built-in sound system will inform the count of total bounce. This feature always inspires your kids to jump more and more.

Poison Ball

This game requires several players. Each player will remain outside except one and he will remain inside the trampoline. The outside players will throw balls on the trampoline to reach the insider player. And the inside player will try to avoid the balls while jumping on the trampoline. If the rolling balls touch the player, he will be eliminated and the next player will come inside.

The process continues until the winner is found. The player with the longest bounce time wins. Since the rolling ball eliminates the player, it is called a poison ball.

Crack the Egg, aka Popcorn

Crack the egg or Popcorn is one the most famous games. At least two players are to be there for this game. One will become the egg or popcorn and curl on the trampoline mat while holding the knees to the chest. The remaining player will jump on his knees or feet. He will try his best to make the egg let go of the knees and thus he will win. The players then can interchange their positions.

You can allow at most three players for this game at a time with supervision. And always try to get a trampoline with an enclosure for kids.

Bull and Matador

The best part of this game is all the players remain inside the trampoline. One player goes down on hands and knees and becomes the bull to try to tag the rest. The remaining players try to avoid the bull and can do anything except for jumping over the bull. Thus, they are called the matadors. Each time they successfully avoid the bull, they shout Olay! Once the bull tags someone, he or she becomes the next bull.

This format is one of the most competitive games. And it is always better to supervise kids while they are playing on the trampoline. Parents or adults can accompany kids in this game if it is played on a sturdy larger trampoline.

Basket Ball

Kids love to basket a ball while jumping on the trampoline. Nowadays, you can easily find a trampoline that comes with a basketball hoop and basketballs. Once you attach the hoop with the trampolines, kids can go for it. You can improvise the game by using an empty box or plastic bin on the ground to basket a ball instead of the hoop.

To make the whole game more challenging, you can allow multiple players one by one to score baskets. The highest scorer is the winner and you can gift the little winner as you wish.

Snake aka Jump Rope

This game is quite fun and interactive. Two players will hold a jump rope while sitting on the opposite sides of the trampoline. And the other players will jump back and forth over the snake or rope without touching it. With time, the rope holder will wave it harder and faster to challenge the jumpers. Even they can wave the rope up and down to make the game more competitive. The one with the highest score wins the game.

1-2-3 Sit

In this game, one instructor remains outside and others keep bouncing on the trampoline. After some time, the instructor will shout 1-2-3 and each jumper will try their best to land on the mat with a sitting position. If this happens perfectly, one or more players will fly high into the air. This bouncing up fact is very popular among kids and they love this game a lot.

Since multiple players will jump simultaneously, it is better to play this game on rectangular trampolines. For safety, you should never allow kids to play this game on a trampoline without an enclosure net.

Things to consider for kids’ safety

Trampoline injuries are quite common. Therefore, be sure to take safety measures before allowing kids to jump on the trampoline.

• Get trampolines for kids according to their age. Preschool trampolines will differ from kids’ trampolines.
• You should notice the overall structural quality of the trampoline. The frame and spring must be of good quality.
• If are getting tramps for preschoolers, it is better to avoid the springs.
• You always essential to buy trampolines that come with an enclosure system.
• Explore the pros and cons of indoor and outdoor trampolines to ensure the best fit for your family.
• Check the galvanization quality of the frame and spring, if you are getting it for outdoor use.
• Always try to supervise your kids or be close by when they are playing on the trampoline.

Once you assure those steps, your kids will remain safe. And then you can allow them to play the fun trampoline games they love most. You can improvise any game to any extent you like.