Pirate-themed birthday party

Ahoy mate! Pirate-themed birthday dos are always a hit with the kids. It’s stylish, interesting and fun! Nothing beats pretending to be the baddies. We browsed around and found you some inspirations for your next party.

We love this ship look-alike dessert table by Amy Atlas. It’s simple yet impactful and creates the wow effect when your little guests walk in.

This is another great idea by Kara’s Party Ideas. Just mix and match with red, white and black, and you’re ready to go.

If you have a nautical-inspired cloth like Catch My Party, just drape it over the table, do up some pirate-themed buntings and voila!

More ideas from Catch My Party. This makes a great party food for pirate-themed parties. Put in some chips and fish biscuits in a clear bowl and you’ll get fish and chips 🙂

Get some chocolates with gold wrappers and this can be the pirates’ gold nuggets. Photo by Catch My Party.

If you’re adventurous, carve up a pirate ship with a watermelon like this idea we got from Hative. Cool and sweet!

More pirate ships by Suburble. This will certainly be a crowd pleaser!

What’s a party without games? Inspired by Suburble, kids will be super excited to see this Walk The Plank activity. Just get an inflatable pool, put in some sea creatures for the extra effect and place a plank across.

Yet another easy-to-prepare pirate-themed activity by Suburble. All you need are boxes, rings and a DIY cardboard sword.

Let’s get messy. Hide some treasures in the sand bucket and get the kids to look for them. Idea courtesy of The Fickle Pickle.

Party on a budget? No problem! Get those long pool foam noodles, cut them into handheld sizes and get the children to decorate and turn them into telescopes. Idea by Suburble.

For parting gifts, East Coast Mommy came up with these pirate hooks. Cool and easy!

You can also do what Mum Monique Gibson did – find a tiny treasure box and load it up with chocolate gold coins, stickers, mini bubbles and more.

Otherwise, it’s the thought that matters! Kids would love simple chocolate coins bags like these made by Home Made by Jill.

Hope you like our pirate-inspired assemble!

If you’re looking for a child-friendly venue for your child’s party, look no further. The Happikiddo store in Quill City Mall stores a family cafe designed with kids and parents in mind. It also offers all-inclusive party packages where all you need to do is leave the work to our team and just turn up for the party! For enquiries, please email bigdaddylittlechefs@gmail.com

 

Caring for your baby’s teeth

After months of seeing your baby’s toothless grins, you finally spot that first little pearly white sprouting through the gums. Over the next few years, your baby’s gummy smile will gradually be replaced by baby teeth.

Albeit small, baby teeth are important as they are the foundation for adult teeth. Without a healthy set of baby teeth, your child will face difficulty in chewing and speaking clearly. That’s why oral hygiene care should begin early.

How to care for your baby’s teeth

Before your baby’s first tooth makes its debut, get into the habit of wiping his gums with a soft wet washcloth during bathtime. Once the teeth start coming in – generally around six months onwards but fret not if it takes longer as some kids don’t start getting teeth until they are 15 to 18 months – get a baby toothbrush. Choose something with a small head and grip suitable for your hand. With just a tiny amount of toothpaste, gently brush on the inside and outside of each tooth.

Prevention is better than cure. In addition to caring for baby teeth, take precautions by protecting those little pearls. To prevent cavities, refrain from giving your child fruit juices, sodas, and other sugary drinks which can settle on the teeth and lead tooth decay. Once your baby turns one, bring him for a dental check-up. Always watch out for any signs of tooth decay such as brown or white spots or pits on the teeth.

You may want to consider some of our recommended toothbrushes:

Ange Finger Toothbrush
Suitable from 3 months onwards, this helps to massage and clean baby’s gums. Use the soft bristles to gently clean baby’s teeth later on. Made in Korea.

Beaba My First Toothbrush
With a narrow, triangular head, it is perfect for a child’s mouth and offers greater brushing precision. The conical handle is easy to hold; the brush has ultra-soft bristles. It comes with a toothbrush holder.

R.O.C.S. Baby Pro Toothbrush
Its bristles are extra soft with unique triple-polished tips. The unique shape of the handle prevents excessive pressure on baby’s teeth and gums while cleaning. It also prevents the deep insertion of brush into the mouth.

Kidsme Silicone Finger Toothbrush
Its dual sized brushes gentle clean baby’s teeth to remove sugars and bacteria that can lead to future decay. It can also be used to massage baby’s gums while they are teething.

Little Bean Finger Toothbrush
Extra soft for cleaning baby’s teeth and gums, it slips on adult’s finger comfortably. This also gives a better access to baby’s tiny mouth.

2080 Smart Kids Toothbrush
Imported from Korea, it comes in bright and colourful designs for varying Step ranges for different age groups.

Jack n’ Jill Bio Toothbrush
The environmentally responsible toothbrush, it is biodegradable with its ergonomic handle made from 100% corn starch. It has rounded nylon bristles for superior cleaning.

Basilic Silicone Toothbrush
Made of non-toxic silicone, it has a stopper to prevent from deep insertion of toothbrush into the mouth that may hurt the throat. It comes in assorted colours.

Pigeon Baby Training Toothbrush
Packaged in a set of 3 toothbrushes, the Lesson 1 (6-8 months) toothbrush has a safety shield for practising with having a toothbrush in baby’s mouth. The Lesson 2 (8-12 months) toothbrush has rubber bristles soft enough for baby’s gums. Introduce brushing with the Lesson 3 (12-36 months) toothbrush after all of baby’s teeth have appeared. The rounded bristle-ends are soft and gentle on baby’s gums.

Get them at any Happikiddo stores or click here to shop online.

How to raise emotionally intelligent kids

In this modern era driven by constant technology advancement and a materialistic world, staying grounded and grateful becomes a challenge. With peer pressure and limitless exposure to various media, emotional intelligence (EQ) is the key to raising a socially responsible child. Nothing beats the solid confidence of understanding the real meaning of life and success.

According to psychologist John Gottman, a child with a high EQ is better able to cope with his feelings, can detach himself from emotional high-wire acts, understands and relates well with others, and can form strong friendships more easily than a child with a lower EQ.

We share with you some tips to raising emotionally intelligent kids:

1. Listen with empathy
Whenever your child expresses his feelings to you, acknowledge him and reflect what he’s shared back to him. Then, use examples from your own life to show him your comprehension of his feelings. This tells him that these feelings are normal, and that they will pass.

2. Validate your child’s emotions
Instead of sweeping your child’s tantrum under the carpet by saying “There’s no need to be so upset!” or “Quiet now or…”, acknowledge his feelings and reactions. Say “Yes, it must be upsetting because you want the toy now” or “It’s really frustrating when you can’t climb the table and be like a superhero”. Tell them it’s normal to experience that and coach them what to do with those feelings.

3. Allow your child’s burst of emotions
Don’t try to distract him from his feelings. For examples, don’t shame him when he hurts himself by saying “It’s nothing!” “Big boys don’t cry”. Acknowledge, empathise and let him show you what happened. Allow him some time to process. Soon, he will be ready to move on.

4. Turn tantrums and conflicts into coaching tools
Talking through emotions works the same way for children as it does for most adults. If your child is upset, talk with him about why he’s feeling that way, work out some options on managing it and guide him through them.

5. Model emotional intelligence
Monkey see, monkey do. Their behavior is a reflection of yours. Stay in touch with your own feelings. Manage your anger calmly. By acknowledging you’re upset without acting harsh, you are showing your child that even difficult feelings can be managed.

How else can we cultivate healthy emotions among our children? Do feel free to share your tips!

Sterilising bottle-feeding equipment

Whichever way you choose to clean your baby’s feeding equipment such as bottles, teats, pacifiers and milk storage bottles, sterilising helps to get rid of germs and bacteria. From the moment your baby is born, steriliser comes in handy especially for full-time bottle-fed babies. Once your baby starts solids, your steriliser can be used to sterilise bowls, spoons and sippy cups too.

It is recommended to sterilise your baby’s bottles and utensils up to one year old as after that, his immune system is stronger to fight off any germs or infections. Most sterilisers are made to last a good while – so if you’re planning on expanding your family any time soon, it may be best to invest in a robust one.

Generally, there are four main sterilising methods:

• Traditional ‘steriliser’ – Simply boil your baby’s feeding equipment in a deep pot for ten minutes. The pot you use should be exclusively for that purpose.
• Electric steam steriliser – This is a stand-alone plastic container that comes with an electrical power point and functions to kill bacteria using steam. Most fit six bottles at once.
• Microwave steriliser – This also uses steam to get rid of bacteria on baby’s feeding equipment. Most hold up to four bottles.
• Cold-water sterilizer – This involves dissolving a solution or tablet in water and submerging the bottles to eliminate any bacteria. It’s also the most time consuming to use.

From wallet-friendly type to splurge-for-quality range, we offer a good selection of sterilisers:

Little Bean Electric Steam Steriliser
A simple, straightforward device to sterilise any brand of six standard and wide neck bottles at one go. Its steam cycle takes eight minutes to complete. It also comes with a switch fitted with thermostat control, a power indicator and a free bottle tongs.

Snow Bear Milk Bottle Steriliser
It’s micro-computer controlled and takes around 10 minutes to complete a steaming cycle. Easy to clean and comes with a special slot to refill water without repolution effects.

Kidsme Multi-Purpose Steriliser
Holding up to six bottles, this includes a top rack for you to place the soothers, teats and food feeders. It also comes with a microwave tray and rack and is BPA-free.

Tommee Tippee Electronic Steam Steriliser
Sterilises in 5 minutes, it’s fuss-free and has an illuminated power indicator. It holds a day’s worth of milk bottles and is easy to clean due to minimal parts. It comes with two bottles, a formula dispenser and a nipple tongs.

Philips Avent 4-in-1 Electric Steam Steriliser
Whether it’s a few small items or a full load, the steriliser is adjustable to your needs. It has an integrated dishwasher basket that perfectly fits the items you want to sterilize. The 5-minute cycle with automatic shut-off uses natural steam sterilisation to kill 99.9% of harmful germs.

Beaba Steril’Express
It has a large capacity, fitting nine standard bottles or six wide-neck bottles. The heat sensitive safety handle changes colour to show when the lid is hot. Sterilises in six minutes and features a water measure with anti-scale filter.

Come see and feel our range of sterilisers in our store. Click here to purchase online.