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 Fitness For Life
With soaring rates of obesity and the increasing threat of diabetes among U.S. children, experts claim that kids need more physical activity. But for working parents, especially in urban areas, making time for family exercise at the local park can be tough. Luckily, My Gym Children's Fitness Centers, located across California and the U.S., have just what busy families need to keep their little ones moving. Featuring classes with parental participation for infants and toddlers (3 months to 3 1/2 years) and independent gymnastics classes for different age groups (3 1/2 years and up), My Gym can help build strength, flexibility, self-esteem to improve the short- and long-term health of your child. Visit www.my-gym.com for locations and details on classes, birthday parties and exercise videos for fun, at-home workouts.
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| Nearly half (44 percent) of kids ages 10-18 own cell phones, according to a study by NOP World Technology. More than 16 million kids in that age range own phones, and ownership among those 12-14 increased from 13 percent in February 2002 to 40 percent in December 2004. Seventy-five percent of teens ages 15-17 carry cell phones, up from 42 percent in 2002. |
Baby's Smart Toys
Adding to the growing trend of educational toys, the Discovery Channel Store has introduced toys that are designed to teach infants developmental skills as they play. Discovery Channel Grow Toys® is a line of fun products containing an internal clock that is set once at your baby's exact age, and automatically adjusts to deliver increasingly complex activities through four development cycles, from infant to 3 years of age. The line currently includes Phil Harmonic, a content-rich toy that uses songs, sounds and word-play to stimulate language development, and Ann B. Dextrous (pictured above), a motor skills development toy that evolves with the child to offer more challenging activities to encourage grasping, holding and placing objects. The Grow Toys are offered exclusively at the Discovery Channel Store and at www.discoverystore.com.
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Chat Room Smarts
According to a recent survey by the Intelligence Group, a consumer research service, more than 94 percent of teens who use the Internet admit to chatting online with strangers, and of that group, more than 60 percent say that an online stranger has asked to meet them in person. Fueled by these alarming statistics, Web Wise Kids, a nonprofit aimed at helping kids make smart choices online, has developed a video game to educate teens about the online dangers of cyber stalking. "Mirror Images" is a detective-style computer game that teaches safety tips for online chat room use and is based on a real-life cyber stalking criminal case. For more information on "Mirror Images" and other useful programs available only from Web Wise Kids, visit www.wiredwithwisdom.org.
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Allergy Alert
Food allergies are common among young children, and with today's hectic schedules, it's hard to be sure that everyone, from your babysitter to the after-school club supervisor, is aware of your child's dietary restrictions. Now, Jeeto! brand T-shirts, patches and stickers make allergy awareness easy and fashionable! The products feature advisory phrases such as "No peanuts please," and are accompanied by charming and clever graphics. Jeeto! offers awareness accessories for peanut, gluten, dairy, egg and tree nut products. T-shirts come in a variety of bright colors in sizes for children ages 0-6 months through 10-12 years. The embroidered patches have a heat seal for easy iron-on application, and may also be sewn on to sweatshirts, T-shirts, pants, backpacks or bags. A portion of proceeds for these products is donated to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. For more information, or to purchase from the Jeeto! allergy collection, visit www.jeeto.com.
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