Author : Suri Poulos

When you watch children playing games, from checkers to football, you can see that they are both having fun and learning important skills such as teamwork, strategy and cooperation

There is prestigious support behind the educational benefits of games playing:

The head of Ofsted was quoted in national papers a few years ago saying that children who play games at home with their families do better at school

John Dewey, the founder of modern educational theories, wrote in Democracy and Education ” experience has shown that when children have a chance at physical activities which bring their natural impulses into play, going to school is a joy, management is less of a burden and learning is easier”

Even the venerable Plato said “Not by force shall the youth learn, but through play “

Here are 8 steps to help you bring the many benefits of game playing to your own family to produce brighter children and a happier home life

1 Buy or dust off some games that are old favourites Games like draughts, dominoes, connect four and card games, are not only terrific fun but they are also stimulating, challenging and involve concentration and strategy

2 Try to find a regular weekly time when your family can enjoy games together, such as a Thursday night or each Saturday afternoon

3 Add some elements to help “game time” become a family tradition: add favourite foods (bowls of popcorn or hot chocolate perhaps?) a comfy warm setting (in front of a roaring fire?), invite grandparents etc

4 Start with games that a suited to the youngest age group present, or have a few games going at the same time that fit the various age ranges Make sure everyone understands the rules and aims of the game being played and give everyone the benefit of examples of good moves and strategies by illustrating them on the game board before beginning the “real” game”

5 Explain that to enjoy playing games we all have to play by the rules, respect our partners and respect the outcome of the game Regardless if we win or lose, to have fun playing games together we can’t gloat when we win, and can’t get upset when we lose Since we will be playing lots of games together, sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose Either way we will have had a fun time playing together

6 Show your own interest and enthusiasm for the game, give it concentration and effort, both for your own enjoyment, and also as a role model for your children Rather than play ineffectively to ensure your child wins, instead, help your child learn from your game playing skills Discuss out loud the moves you are making and why, to help your child understand the strategies you are using If your child makes a move that is to their disadvantage, encourage them to look again and guide them to see a better move by asking them open questions such as “what are all the different options you have?” “What would happen if you take that move?”How could you improve on that move”?” I can see a way that you can win, can you see it?”

7 Whether your child wins or loses, at the end of the game summarise what you learnt from the game and then ask your child “what did you learn from that game?”How could you improve your game playing next time we play?”?”

8 Keep the “game time” fresh by bringing in new games Surprise everyone by giving the family a new game “present” every few weeks Games that can be played within an hour and involve thinking, memory, strategy or calculation are recommended such as: Othello, Guess Who, Mancala, Nine Man Morris, Scrabble, Chinese Chequers or Rush Hour

We hope you enjoy and learn from “game time” in your family as much as we do in ours!

Suri Poulos is Managing Director of Mind Lab Europe. She has an MSc. in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Masters of Business Administration and a BFA.. Mind Lab is the world’s leading provider of thinking skills, social skills and emotional intelligence development of children in schools using board games to create an ideal learning environment:
http://www.mindlabeurope.com

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Author : Gregory Garner

When you want to decorate your dining room with rugs, at least have two feet from the back of the chair to the edge of the carpet Make sure that they are long and wide enough so that the chairs can be removed from under the table easily

When pushing the chair inward, the legs would get tangled in the rug If the dining room is large enough, have at least two feet between the wall and the edge of the carpet

In order to make it look right, it’s important to check out the colors, the design and any details that you need to know about the rugs that are being placed in your dining room Try using different patterns to spice it up a bit

Or you can use solid colors that have inside borders that are about an inch away from the edges Using rugs that have a pattern on the entire rug adds a nice touch The design can make a difference with the décor

You can also use solid colors mixed with different patterns to have an eclectic look It’s important that the colors and the patterns blend in with the color of the dining room walls Some people don’t think much of dining room décor, but it is also an important part of your home

If you have children or animals that are prone to spills, you may want to think about getting darker and deeper colored rugs Using this shade of colors can help to keep spills from being visible

It’s better to use high quality fibers and material in order for your rugs to last longer However, everyone cannot afford some of the best pieces So you can use some of the ones that are not as costly You will still add a nice touch to the furniture in your dining room

The key to making this work is to make sure that you have enough room for people to push up and push away from the table when they need to It’s very difficult to do when you have rugs that easily snag when you are pushing up or pushing away a chair

You can find rugs that will complement your dining room by going online in the comfort of your own home You can take your time and look through all of the colors and styles to see what would be the best fit for your home

Greg Garner represents the oriental rugs industry.

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Author : Paul Emile

When I see a wood burning stove in a store or in a magazine it brings back some good memories I really loved the odor and the nice heat our old wood burning stove was giving us in the kitchen on cold winter days

It may look odd in this day in high tech, but wood burning stoves are getting more popular than they were in almost 100 years Many individuals would suppose that a wood burning oven was almost the least practical article that you would install in your home After all, there are a lot of negative aspect to a wood burning stove First of all, there isn’t the same type of fine temperature control as with a gas heater Woodburningstoves, basically, are either on or off When they are on, you constantly have to stock them with wood When they are off, they take hours to heat up again

Even so, the wood burning stove has a lot going for it First of all, wood burning ovens are multipurpose Not only can you use them to heat a room, you can also use them to dry clothes, and warm cold hands You can also cook certain things on some wood burning stoves! There is also the matter of the cost of heating Wood burning stoves was thought of as impractical because of the amount of labor that goes into running them Nowadays, however, they make more and more sense They burn wood very slowly, and in many areas fire wood is available for free Hundreds and hundreds of dollars can be saved every winter if you have a wood burning stove That is no laughing matter for many families

But there are risks associated to wood burning stoves Although they are easy to maintain, they have dangers that normal gas furnaces do not have Woodburningstoves required in the middle of your living space That signifies that if you have young children, they are at risk If the children run into the wood burning stoves, they can burn themselves! Also, a lot of persons believe that wood burning stoves have a lot of greater emissions than other type of heating systems Even oil burning furnaces – infamous for the air pollution they produce – are known to be healthier for you than wood stoves If your wood burning stove is not adequately insulated from the house, it can liberate hazardous indoor pollution and be toxic for you and your family

Nonetheless, even with all of these drawbacks, wood burning stoves make sense They are enjoying a renaissance among environmentally conscious individuals Not only are they more efficient now, but they also let you survive with less outside dependence on our shrinking natural gas supply

So next time you see a wood burning stove, why not stop and have a closer look at it? onkeyup=”cntWords(this,document postform c)”>

Nathan Knightley a busy publisher is also a communication expert and really takes time sharing his newest findings with you. Discover more now about Wood Stove and Wood Burning Stove Resources at his website http://www.homeimprovementcenteronline.com

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Author : Mitch Endick

The first step to developing a home decorating budget is to determine the maximum amount of money that you are willing to spend and how many rooms this will apply to Everyone is different and everyone expects a different level of decor You can range from early dumpster rescue to fine home furnishings and everywhere in between

First you will need to purchase your essential decor If you do not have window treatments, privacy is really essential The least expensive way to gain privacy with regards to windows is mini blinds and they come in many colors and they are very easy to install You can measure the windows and have the sizes custom cut at any big box hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot If you have more money or better taste, blinds come in solid wood, bamboo and any number of other materials More expensive would be curtains and draperies Some handy people can actually sew curtains to fit the decor you need

Your next concern would be a place to sleep comfortably Again, you can just purchase a decent mattress and lay it on the floor For more money, you can purchase a metal bed frame and a box spring and be off the floor and away from the spiders and such Add more money to this and a headboard and bedroom set can be added I am in the mattress business and I can sadly report that some people actually purchase lousy mattress sets and pour most of their money into the headboard and other bedroom furniture While it is true that most visitors will see the fancy bedroom furniture and not know that your mattress set is cheap junk, your restless nights will eventually affect your overall health Try to purchase a good mattress set

You will need at lease a sofa for your living room Again, if you can afford to buy new, pick something comfortable Keep in mind that a sofa will degrade over time because the foam that adds the cushioning will compress and lose support If you have to buy a used one, again look for comfort You might ask around your family and friends to see if anyone is in the market for new living room furniture because many stores charge to take back old furniture and you could be doing someone a favor Besides, most people will not want to sell their used furniture and have people who they do not know coming into their home to look it over

Your next furniture buy should be a table and chair set You should have a chair for every member of the immediate family plus one or two for guests if possible The family table and chairs can double as a desk and hobby workspace in off hours A table and chair set will lend itself to creative decor treatment The chairs can get colored cushions and the tabletop can be covered with an inexpensive tablecloth and bowl of fruit or figurine

Your clothes storage will be important If you are really on a budget, you might be able to choose a dresser or chest of drawers that can make double use as a living room piece of furniture If you do not have a closet, most big box discounters sell cheap ready to assemble free standing clothes racks Plastic boxes with lids can even work They can be stacked up

Lighting will be important You will need to pick up some inexpensive but decor worthy lights If you shop at a second hand store, be every careful that the electrical part of the light is sound Some people donate lights because they are shorted out, which can pose a fire hazard It is always best to buy inexpensive lighting new at a big box discounter

Floor coverings can be purchased inexpensively Big box retailers have a good selection of cheap area rugs with nice designs Try to stay away from used area rugs unless you find something eye popping Some people have pets and fleas could emerge from your second hand rugs weeks after you brought them into your house The fleas will feast on your blood if they can not find a house pet to dine on

Round out your inexpensive home decor project with posters, second hand art, photographs and cheap plants A couple of inexpensive ivy plants look great and if watered, they grow larger fast You might check your recycler for old magazines Many magazine pictures are nice enough to frame Picture frames can be had cheaply and the combination of nice picture framed looks like it cost much more Have fun decorating on a budget!

Mitch Endick is a staff writer for the quality online store LumbarSupportRecliner.com. LumbarSupportRecliner.com offers a complete line of quality Lane recliners with lumbar support. Visit LumbarSupportRecliner.com today.

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Author : Jacklyn Hartfield

Dealing with water damage can be stressful for anyone, especially if you’re in the recovery stage It can be overwhelming if you think of the million things that need to be considered to return to your normal routine after dealing with water damage To help you out with this taxing process, here are some tips for easy recovery from water damage

* Contact your insurance company

After your recovery efforts from water damage, contact your insurance company to check if they will shoulder all the expenses that you incurred in the restoration process Even if you think you are not covered, you still need to file a claim To do this with ease, remember to track all your expenses and document everything In terms of vehicle water damage, if you have comprehensive auto insurance, you can file a claim for it Remember to file a claim immediately to avoid any more hassles on your part

If you have a rider in your insurance policy, check if the things listed in your rider covers the items which were water damaged If this is the case, you can file a claim against it

* Start cleaning immediately to prevent more damage and growth of molds

Mold can start growing within the 24-48 hour period after the water damage so it is better to act quickly and try to salvage as many things as you can You can place things in different categories based on their importance and value You should opt to save the irreplaceable and valuable documents and things In removing the water from the property, you can use dehumidifiers and fans to facilitate the drying process It can also help if you open your doors and windows

* Safety First!

Once you start the recovery process, keep in mind that your personal safety, as well as the safety of your family members should come first If your house is suffering from flood damage, make sure that it is safe to enter before you go in Also, put on protective clothing like a hard hat, rubber boots and disposable plastic gloves so that you will be protected from contaminated water that might be a breeding ground for deadly organisms

* Seek professional help if you need it

If you think you can not do it alone, it is best to contact a professional restoration service company to help you out They have specialized equipment that is specifically designed to restore your water damaged furniture and fixtures

* Schedule regular maintenance for your house

After the successful recovery efforts, you can schedule regular maintenance work to be done to your house to make sure that next time a flood hits your home; your house will be better equipped to survive it

As for other sources of water damage, check the interior and external parts of your house for possible water leaks If you found one, make sure that you fix it as soon as possible to avoid possible water damage in the future

Next time that you are faced with the task of restoring your home from water damage, think of the different tips that we provided above so that it will be an easier and attainable duty for you and your family

discusses homeowner problems for Long Island, NY Water Damage Restoration and Syosset, NY Water Damage Restoration

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