Popular Backyard Activities for Toddlers

It has been said that the early years of a child’s life is important to developing lifelong skills.  If you are the parent of a toddler, this means that you will want to instill good habits in them early on. One of those good habits may involve love for the outdoors. While playing outdoors is fun, it is also great way to stay healthy and fit.  That is why you may want to start encouraging your child to play outdoors. To increase their appreciation for the outdoors, you may want to familiarize yourself with some popular backyard activities, especially those that are designed with toddlers in mind.

When it comes to backyard activities for toddlers you will find that you have an unlimited number of options. The wide range of options is mostly due to their age. Unlike adults or older children toddlers are pretty easy to please. This means that whatever backyard activity you organize for your toddler, it will likely be something that they enjoy. However, it is important to remember that toddlers are just like everyone else: after a while they may get bored with the same activities. To prevent this from happening, you will want to think about a wider range of different backyard activities.

One backyard activity that most toddlers enjoy is playing on a swing set. Swing sets come in all different sizes and styles.  Most swing sets not only have a swing, but slides, monkey bars, and more.  If you do not own a swing set, you may seriously want to think about purchasing one. Depending on your budget, you can purchase an expensive, elaborate swing set, or a plain one for low price. What is nice about most swing sets is that they are able to accommodate children of all ages.  This means that as your toddler grows, they should still be able to enjoy their swing set.

Swimming is another popular backyard activity that many toddlers enjoy.  What is nice about swimming is that you do not have to have a full size pool. In fact, kiddie pools are a safe way for toddlers to swim. Kiddie pools are ideal for toddlers because they usually have less than two feet of water in them. As with in-ground and above-ground pools, there are also pool accessories that are available for kiddie pools. These accessories include swim rings, beach balls, and small floating toys.

Another popular backyard activity is playing in the sand.  Sandboxes are not only fun, but they may help your child develop other skills such as cause and effect. If you do not have a sandbox, you can easily purchase one (or build one, like THIS great plan...one I plan on implementing next spring). Like swing sets, sandboxes come in a wide variety of different sizes and styles. If you are looking for a small sandbox, you should be able to find one at your local department store. Many plastic sandboxes sell for around thirty dollars. Sandbox toys can also be purchased from most retail stores, often for a low price. And don't forget to check out the dollar store for plastic toy sets under $5.00.

Swimming, swinging, and playing in the sand are all fun backyard activities that you and your toddler can enjoy together. While your toddler may have fun playing with you, you may also want to give them the opportunity to play with other children. By contacting the parents of a child the same age as yours you could give your toddler a buddy to play with. In addition to being fun, play dates are also a great way to further develop your child’s social skills.

If you are looking for additional backyard activities or supplies, you may be able to find what you need online or at one of your local retail stores. For an affordable price, you should be able to find bubbles, water balloons, kites, balls, and t-ball equipment. These items may help to create a fun, but memorable backyard experience for your toddler.

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Women We Love: EXCLUSIVE: Veronika London

"Women We Love" is a new feature where we explore the strong personalities and personal power behind the beautiful women we see. Our goal is to get at what makes beautiful women tick, and that includes not only tapping their advice on relationships and dating, but also thinking about what drives them in their work and professional lives.

We're thrilled to launch this feature with an exclusive interview with Canadian actress Veronika London. While anxiously awaiting the premiere of her new feature film and hopping back and forth over the Atlantic, this energetic and erudite lady was able to grace us with a few minutes to give us a glimpse into her amazing career.


Name: Veronika London
Occupation: Actress
Education: University: Marketing ( finishing up), Pro-Actors Lab: Acting
Highlights: International Maxim model, starring roles in Showtime’s American TV Series “Body Language” and the gritty feature film “Searching for Angels” alongside Vivica A. Fox.




How did you get started on your current career track?

I originally wanted to be a publicist in the entertainment or fashion industry. I have a huge passion for sales and promoting. My love for acting started in 2008 after shooting promotional pictures for the edgy rock band “The Ending” who had just signed with Universal. After the shoot I was tracked down and asked if I wanted to be the lead in their debut music video.  I shot the music video and everything just snowballed after.  That was my last “generic” modeling gig and my acting career started. (Check out the video HERE)

I don’t consider myself a model. I never really did. I think it’s such a strange job to get paid to play dress up and just stand there and have your picture taken. I am a very intense, in-depth, conflicted person. I am definitely an actress all the way. 

Of modeling and acting, which gives you more satisfaction as an artist and what is your take on it?

Both “jobs” feed different things in terms of personal satisfaction. With “modeling” I like being the Creative Director or working with the CD of the shoot to execute images that are congruent with the brand that is being sold. Acting is my therapy. I get satisfaction with being able to exploit my personal experiences and feelings in a positive way through characters. It’s almost become my salvation. In the end, truthful expression through the image via print or film is my greatest joy. 

What motivates or inspires you in your work?

Competition, love, living life outside my comfort zone and to its fullest motivates me. Brand creators like Lady Gaga and Victoria Beckham inspire me in addition to watching mind blowing, amazing performances on film or in theatre productions.

Do you have a personal work philosophy?

Yes: “What the mind can conceive, it can be achieved”. 

I am a very visual person. I look at my “wall of fame” everyday, twice a day. 

I am an intense workaholic, always have been. I remember I was the kid that would ask my teacher for homework in grade one despite having dance and drama class after school because I needed to have something to do all the time.  It’s just one of my natural traits. 


If you weren't doing this, what could you see yourself doing?

I would love to be a lawyer. I love presenting, persuading, research and selling. 

What are you working on right now?

I just received the script for a horror feature Canadian film called “SICK” that I will be shooting this fall. In addition, I will be shooting another Canadian feature film; more “Sin City” style; called “Lady of the Night” later this month. 

You've been hailed as something of a "scream queen" for your work in horror, and of course we know there's been a lot of style comparison between you and Megan Fox. But "Searching for Angels" is an important departure for you in terms of flexing your dramatic muscles. How does this sort of change in gears feel to you personally, knowing that this film is being hailed by critics as an artistic challenge for you; that many are seeing it as your first "serious" role?  

My role in “Searching for Angels” is more like me. Playing the role wasn't hard, but becoming aware of how similar I was and am like the character was a challenge. I had to open a lot of personal vaults that I had thrown the key out for in order to bring the character to life in full dimension. By nature I am a more intense, edgier person than a bubbly one. I am grateful that my career has steered towards roles that allow me to be more authentic.  

Given your "natural NYC street edge," how natural was Angel for you? 

Lol! I am her; she is me…in certain ways…

Being method trained, did you discover anything about yourself in developing this character?

Yes...I went pretty far to experience the real deal to bring it to life. I’ve got a lot more balls than I thought. 

Can we expect more of this kind of dramatic lead role from you in the near future?

Yes, these types of roles are my focus. It is currently in development. 

Note: "Jane Doe" was the original working title of "Searching for Angels." Ed.

What do you first notice about a guy?

His eyes or tattoos

What gets you interested?

Personality or motorcycles. If you’re a rock star you are automatically on my radar. 

What keeps you interested?

Besides mind-blowing sex, someone business smart, street smart, open, positive and edgy.

What's your number one deal breaker?

Betrayal.

Turn-ons: Colin Farrell, Clive Owen. In addition: confidence, cologne, deep voice, tattoos, physically fit, driven. 

Turn-offs: Laziness and complainers

To stay in shape, what's your basic diet look like?

I used to be all about low carb but that just lead to binges. Now I just eat whatever but I box six days a week for about an hour and half or so.

What sort of fitness plan, if any, do you follow?

I’m at the gym six days a week for about 1.5 hours. 30 minutes cardio (skipping), 45 minutes boxing, and 15-30 minutes abs, legs, etc.

Favourite workout tip: Choose a sport you like!

Favorite recipe: I don’t cook anymore so I’m not familiar with a specific recipe.
iPhone or Android: iPhone
One thing guys should know when talking to a beautiful woman: Be authentic!
Absolute WORST experience on set/shoot: Shooting a horror film, the tube that was attached to the side of my mouth was displaced when I went down to bite the other character while shooting. The blood that squirted out all went up my nose.  This was worse than shooting in a tank top during -40 degree weather.

My office is filled with biographies and marketing books. I can read them non-stop. I like to study the bios and learn what drives them to become legends.

Check out Veronika London's full bio at IMDB

Follow Veronika London on Twitter

Follow Veronika London on Facebook

Veronika London's Homepage

Filmography

2011 Searching for Angels (post-production) 

Angel

2010 Three Shades of Black (post-production)
Mickey

2010 À première vue (short) (completed)
Patricia

2010 Black Eve
Nun

2010 Body Language (TV series)
Luz / Dancer

– Fight Girls (2010) … Luz

– Fresh Meat (2010) … Luz

– Stripper Logic (2010) … Luz

– Russian Roulette (2010) … Dancer

– Stormy Weather (2010) … Luz

See all 11 episodes »

2010 The Elusive Man (short)
Senorita Peligro

2009 Love Kills (short)
Janet

2009 Lingerie (TV series)
Cindy

– Rags to Riches (2009) … Cindy

– Model Girlfriends (2009) … Cindy

– Picture Perfect (2009) … Cindy

2009 Stripped! (short)
Emmy

2009 Love Court (TV series)

2007 American Pie Presents Beta House (video)
Miss Mexico Beauty Pageant Contestant

Behind the scenes on "Searching for Angels":

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TACFIT Commando Recruit Mission 1 Post-mortem

Well, yesterday I completed the first 28-day Mission of the Recruit level of TACFIT Commando. I have to say that on the whole I'm quite impressed.

I've got quite a bit more definition in my shoulders, chest, and legs. I did add ab and biceps exercises to the system, so I'm sure those have helped a bit. But you do really see the difference in the shoulders and chest. The lats seem to get their share as well.

But what gets measured gets managed, they say. For this cycle I only took a morning waist measurement (no weight). The results are what they are:

Day 1: 40.5 inches.
Day 28: 38 inches.

So, that's a reduction of 2.5 inches. Not the fastest result for a month, but the most consistent result I've seen so far.

To manage the next mission, I will be tracking weight as well, so Day 29's measurements are:

Waist: 38
Weight: 200
Body Fat: 23.44%

For this last one, there's a simple formula for estimating body fat for men (the one for women is a bit more complicated). The formula, which I got from Gastelu & Hatfield's Dynamic Nutrition for Maximum Performance, is as follows:

Take your morning waist measurement in inches (around the love handles, at the level of the navel).
Take your morning weight in pounds.
Calculate: (Total Body Weight x 1.082) + 94.420 = Weight Factor
Calculate: (Waist Measurement x 4.150) = Waist Factor
Weight Factor - Waist Factor = Lean Body Mass in Pounds
Total Body Weight - Lean Body Mass = Body Fat in Pounds
(Body Fat x 100) / Total Body Weight = Body Fat Percentage (BF%)
100 - BF% = Lean Body Mass Percentage

We're working on a calculator for the sidebar here so you don't have to do that much. However, if you'd like to do a spreadsheet version (I'll put one up later I'm sure), just set it up like this:

Column A:
Waist
Weight
Waist Factor
Weight Factor
LBM
Body Fat (lbs)
BF%
LBM%

Column B:
blank [input your waist measurement]
blank [input your weight]
=B1*4.15
=(B2*1.082)+94.42
=B4-B3
=B2-B5
=(B6*100)/B2
=100-B7

I know from using this and the Tanita scale at the gym that this method is accurate within about 4%. That's a big sweep, so if you're competitive you may want to be more accurate. For me, I need to track progress, so I can use a less accurate measure and a mirror to see if I'm getting there.

So there you have it. Only two more 28-day cycles to go at this level and I can take four days off. It's a long road, but it's working for me.

I have my reasons and my goals. How about you?

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Dating and Attraction: Get Her Age (without creeping her out)

This one is important.

Summertime can be a dangerous time for the guy on the prowl. When I was growing up, only certain types of high school girls wore bikinis. Parents in those days thought anything too revealing was simply inappropriate. So, you could tell at a glance which girls on the beach were in high school and which were in college. At the time, given my sixteen-year-old libido, the logic of those parental restrictions was simply lost on me.

Now in my thirties, I can certainly see the sense of it.

Please bear in mind, I'm in no way moralizing on this issue. The simple reality is that once you're down to today's trends in fashion and makeup, there's just no way to clearly distinguish 17 from 27. And in the summer, this is even harder. You can't take it for granted that if you see someone working at a department store in the middle of the afternoon they must be at least out of school.

So the safest pickup tip for summer is this: DON'T GO TO THE BEACH TO PICK UP. Seriously...it's just a bad idea. The only thing that might play for safety is that if they're at the beach at 2:00 p.m. they're obviously not holding down a full-time job, and therefore are probably too young to consider. Don't believe me? Check out these pictures:

One of these models is 23. The other is 14. Think you could spot the difference on the beach? I doubt it.

What are you doing at the beach at 2:00 p.m. anyway?

Better bet: hit the pubs, patios, bars and clubs. At least you know they need an age of majority ID to get in. If they have a drink in hand, green light.

A reader emailed me this question last week:

"There's a really cute girl who works at the cosmetics counter at my drug store. Like REALLY cute. I can tell she's young, but she also seems to really know her stuff, so I'm thinking she must be in college. I'm 32. Can you find some tips on getting her age without looking like a creepy older guy who's just trying to hit on her?"

Derp...That's a tough question. For some reason it's still considered impolite to ask a woman her age (although it's easier with practice, and most don't really seem to mind). But how else are we supposed to know that we're not going to throw out a creepy vibe by flirting with someone who's too young?

Incidentally, in just my opinion, if this reader is 32 and she's 18, I still would probably suggest against it...it'll still seem creepy.

Anyway, I asked my friend Sam, who is a published relationship author and dating "guru" (his website will be relaunching soon...maybe we'll tap a guest article from him!) what he thought, and this was his response:

Wow, tough one. But you're right...you need that info. There are a couple of fun ways to do this though.

First, if the guy is shy, he could engage one of her co-workers in conversation. Use a product question as a point of engagement, and casually point out the girl in question, saying something like, "I didn't realize you guys were tapping the grade school pool for summer staff! How old is that kid?" This will usually get the co-worker laughing, and you can ask them more directly without looking like a nutcase.

Going directly to the girl in question, he could use a product pretense as well, just to get her talking and build a rapport. The trouble is the way the information is gathered. Some experts think a C&F approach with something like, "I didn't realize they were hiring high school kids as cosmetics experts now," would be a great lock, especially if there's already a bit of banter going. If you're lucky, she might respond positively. However, what I've found is that women 18-24 (roughly, of course) like to be thought of as mature and responsible. This is especially true if they're being professional or working in management. So the high school crack might be offensive.

By the same token, women 25 and up tend to like to be seen as younger than they really are. If she's obviously 30, then it would be ridiculous enough to be funny, and you might have a good opener.

Sometimes direct is better, but not too direct. Veil it as a compliment, and you'll have more luck getting the info you're looking for. I tried this out with a server at a pub in Toronto just to see how it would work. She was obviously the younger of the three girls working that night, so I thought it would make a good test case. Here's how that went:

Me: Wow, you really know your drinks for someone so young. How old are you anyway? (this is called a "neg." It removes me as a possible pick up artist because it kind of lacks their typical flow; yet it still shows a bit of interest, even though it's so casual...remember, it's not "normal" to ask a girl her age...she won't expect it from a PUA)
Her: Haha...guess! (this is a "shit test" that she threw back to see if I would jump her hoops...so rather than take the bait, I reversed it. Plus, this keeps her talking.)
Me: Should I guess high or low? (now I'm the one qualifying her...)
Her: Ummmm....low. (so now I know she's probably over 21, closer to 25, so I can ballpark it...but I'm still gonna swing wide)
Me: Then I'd say you're...nineteen going on twenty-five.
Her: Haha!! Nice...way to hedge your bets! I'm twenty-four actually.
Me: So I was right then.
Her: Looks like! (big smiles at this point...let her go)

When she came back to see if I needed another drink I said I had to go, but that we should get together for lunch the next day. After all, she works nights, right? So I left with a phone number and a date for lunch (which was a lot of fun by the way). I guess if your reader is interested, I'd suggest using either the co-worker approach or the conversation approach I just described. Just replace "drinks" with "men's cologne" or something (men's cologne is a good one...how could some high school kid know lots about men's cologne?...nice context there too).

If he's still only 80% certain he wants to try it out, start with the co-worker. Then if she turns out to be underage, or too young for him, he can pre-filter and avoid the conversation altogether.

Hope this helps.

So there you have it. Rule #1: Daytime pickups (especially at the beach) are riskier in the summer, so they're best avoided without context. Rule #2: If there's any doubt at all, you must get her age. Rule #3: If you're not sure how to start, go with the funny co-worker conversation. Rule #4: If you have an established frame of reference (i.e., you know her age), you can still use the age conversation as a fun opener IF you handle it the right way.

Thanks to Sam Adrian for helping out with this one. We'll keep you posted on updates to Sam's site when it's ready to go...I have a feeling we're going to be picking his brain a lot!


[about the pictures: The top picture is 14-year-old Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian's half sister. The bottom pic is 23-year-old Canadian film actress Veronika London.]

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Happy Canada Day!

Well folks, it's another beautiful Canada Day morning. Time for beer, barbecues, fireworks and friends.

Oh...speaking of beer...

One of my private music students got me a taster four-pack of Cameron's as an end-of-semester gift. As I unpacked the bottles, I discovered that one of the employees at the Cameron's Brewing Co. might have been taking the employee sampling policy a little too much to heart. See if you can spot it:

Yeah, that bottle's a keeper.

This seems like a good time to report on that most Canadian of outings, the Highland Games. Yes, I know they're Scottish. But the fact that all summer these events will be held all over Ontario, and probably the rest of the country as well, speaks to something uniquely Canadian: a heritage that blends these proud traditions, and peoples dedicated to preserving these traditions and sharing them with their neighbours.

To that end, here's Big Paul brandishing a solid piece of steel from Forth Art Scotland in Alliston, ON:

To give you a frame of reference, that man is 6'7" and has a 465 lb. bench press.

...that's a BIG sword.

The games themselves were the main draw for us, though. Not the bagpipe or dance competitions mind you, but the actual big-guys-throwing-stuff games. We missed out on the amateur competitions earlier in the day, so Paul didn't get to try his hand at the caber toss, but it was still fun to watch Kevin Fast and his crew of strong men fling hunks of metal and lumber around the field.

For those of you who don't know, Kevin Fast is a Lutheran minister from Cobourg who holds several world records in strength, including:

• arm-wrestling a 16,000 lb. truck (moving it 12 inches with an arm-wrestling pull);
• pulling a truck weighing 126,292 lbs. a distance of 137 feet;
• pulling a 280 ton (416,299 lb.) C-17 cargo plane 8.8 metres.

Unreal.

I'm not going to go into detailed explanations about all of the various events at the games. Basically what's pictured here would be the "weight for distance" (a 28 lb. weight, thrown as far as possible) and the caber toss. This one is a bit complicated, but basically the goal is to flip a log end for end. Since the bigger log is some 24' in length, this is no mean feat. In fact, only the brothers Marcus and Christoff Ward were able to get a flip on the caber.

The same two brothers took the lead in the weight for distance as well, with Marcus tossing the ball and chain a whopping 69' 3", and Christoff coming in second just a foot shy of that at 68' 2". I don't know who's pictured here, but they're good pictures, so just enjoy them:

Paul and I had a bit of a running joke going throughout the day. Some of the events seemed like they were just made up on the spot. Like the Stone Put, where they hurl a big rock; hardly seems like an "event" considering it's, you know, a rock. Or the Keg Toss, where they hurl an empty beer keg.

Really? That's an event? OK. Actually it was pretty funny when one of the Ward brothers flung the keg and it rolled right out of the field and into one of the porta-potties you see in the background there. No more quintessentially Canadian pastime than bowling for outhouses with a beer keg! 

All in all, a good day. Here's hoping we can get some good shots of the Canada Day festivities to put up for this week. I'm off to pack my beach stuff.

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