April 2011

Spring Is Kite-Flying Season!

These basics, plus tips from meteorologist David Murphy, will get your child's kite airborne.

by Kalima E. Thomas

New at the Philadelphia Zoo: X•tink•shun Puppets

A new live Jim Henson puppet experience is now open at the Philadelphia Zoo.

By Stephanie Halinski

Parks & Playgrounds

Local hot-spots for enjoying the great outdoors with your family

By Stephanie Halinski

New This Month

Easter Bunny sightings, a hippo birthday party, Muppets at the zoo & the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts

By Stephanie Halinski

Running: A Great Sport for Kids

If your child loves to run around, it makes sense to explore the sport of running.

by Suzanne Koup-Larsen

Celebrate Your Bump in Style!

Today’s pregnant woman can choose fashionable maternity clothes that mirror trends straight from the runway.

by Katie Verkamp

Eco Soft

Eco-friendly (and super cuddly!) playthings, just in time for Earth Day on April 22

By Stephanie Halinski

Start Scrapbooking!

Through scrapbooking, you can share your family’s story — and discover a new art.

By Stephanie Halinski

10 Tools To Balance Work & Life

Strategies to care for a young child, work and attend to personal needs

by Marjorie Greenfield, MD

New Advice: Use Rear-Facing Seats Until Age 2, Booster Until Age 8-12

Wait until your child fully outgrows the seat, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, which also advises to keep kids in the back seat until age 13.

Digital Youth Art Exhibition

MetroKids partnered with the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts in creating the Digital Youth Art Exhibition. Readers submitted artwork created by children and teens in the Delaware Valley.

Celebrate Your Bump in Style!

Today’s pregnant woman can choose fashionable maternity clothes that mirror trends straight from the runway.

by Katie Verkamp

Colic Relief for Baby — and You

To calm a crying baby, parents can create a “fourth trimester” of rhythmic stimulation that imitates the womb experience.

by Kathy Sena

Baby Safety Products for $100 or Less

The cost of caution keeps coming down. Here's a sampling of modestly priced, widely available products

by Janet Groene

Autism's Early Warning Signs

The sooner a child gets treatment, the better the outcome is likely to be.

by Susan Stopper

New Advice: Use Rear-Facing Seats Until Age 2, Booster Until Age 8-12

Wait until your child fully outgrows the seat, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, which also advises to keep kids in the back seat until age 13.

Kid Athletes and Asperger Syndrome

Shonda and Curt Schilling talk about their son Grant's sports experiences.

by Jon Buzby

Autism's Early Warning Signs

The sooner a child gets treatment, the better the outcome is likely to be.

by Susan Stopper

A Summer World for Preschoolers

For many families, day camp is the best kind of day care, offering children the opportunity to play outside in a safe and supervised environment.

by Ellen Warren

Camps Nurture Kids' Love of Nature

Some Delaware Valley summer programs are geared to foster kids' inborn love of animals and the outdoors.

by Terri Akman

Activities Spark Kids' Arts Interest

With schools cutting back arts programs, here are ways parents can fill the void.

by Martha Wegner

Help Your Son Gain Reading Skills

Boys seem to have much more trouble learning to read than girls do. Here's how parents can help their sons develop reading skills.

by Denise B. Geier, EdD

Running: A Great Sport for Kids

If your child loves to run around, it makes sense to explore the sport of running.

by Suzanne Koup-Larsen

Baby Safety Products for $100 or Less

The cost of caution keeps coming down. Here's a sampling of modestly priced, widely available products

by Janet Groene

Dogs & Other Childhood Themes

Kathy O'Connell reviews Jamie Broza’s latest CD for kids, I Want a Dog!

by Kathy O'Connell

Babies from a Sibling's Perspective

Several new kids' books have insights about a brother's or sister's feelings about a new arrival.

by Frank Lipsius

Baby Safety Products for $100 or Less

The cost of caution keeps coming down. Here's a sampling of modestly priced, widely available products

by Janet Groene