sprinkles april/may issue

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volume 5: issue twenty twoApril 2014 + May 2014

Dogs & Preventing Dog Bites

page 16

What’s My Excuse? A Few Things

page 22

Spring CleaningPreschooler Edition

page 26

Easter Recipespage 30

www.SprinklesMagazine.com April 2014 + May 2014 x

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Contents

IssueApril/May2014

Kid's Health Dictionarypage 12

Dogs & Preventing Dog Bitespage 16

What’s My Excuse? A Few Thingspage 22

Spring Cleaning: Preschooler Editionpage 26

Jellyfish Stingspage 32

Sprinkles Spoonpage 38

April 2014 + May 2014

page 16

page 26

page 22 page 38

Susanah Lopez

ON THE COVERPhotography:Photos by [email protected]

What happens if you Swallow a Bug?

There are two paths a swallowed bug might take:

1. Down the esophagus (food tube) into the stomach

2. Down the trachea (windpipe) into the lungs

If the bug ends up in your stomach, it will get mashed up and digested just like any other food. And whatever’s left of it will “come out the other end” when you go to the bathroom. It’s gross, but unlikely to cause you any more trouble.

If you feel like you inhaled the bug and you think it could be in your lungs, tell a parent or another adult. Usually this will make you cough and feel a little uncomfortable. Your mom or dad will want to check with your doctor. Unlike your stomach, your lungs won’t digest the bug.

During the first few weeks of April, I start contemplating how much I will get done during this season’s spring cleaning! I’m a believer, that if you have something in your closet that you haven’t worn in a year, it’s time to give it away. Year after year, as soon as April planning kicks in, all sorts of ideas pop in my head. From decorating to planning our Easter brunch menu, everything about spring screams fun!

On another note, entertaining during the spring and opening doors to friends and family is one of my favorite things to do during this time of year. Taking walks in the early morning or evenings is the one thing that I always find time to do. If I can’t take my walks alone, then I go to a nearby park and take the kids with me. This is something they also enjoy and they love riding their bicycles while I walk alongside.

Whatever it is you like to do, enjoy each moment! Have a beautiful and amazing Easter and enjoy these days with family and friends!

Letter From Publisher

Growing Up

April 2014 + May 2014 www.SprinklesMagazine.com x

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www.SprinklesMagazine.com April 2014 + May 2014 8

Stuck in traffic, entertain your little ones with these Apps and Games perfect for small children and preschoolers!

Jelly Car 2With many levels, three new modes, this customization lets a player create their own Jelly Car and puzzles. It also offers

new Balloon and Sticky Wheels abilities.

Smack TalkThis little app records anything your child chooses to say, and repeats it back in either a “high squeaky or low freaky voice” via a fuzzy critter interface.

Scribble LiteDraw your masterpiece, then shake to erase. Perfect for quick drawing ideas and doodles. Turn your iPad into a sketch.

*All photographs courtesy of iTunes

iPhone Apps

for Kids

April 2014 + May 2014 www.SprinklesMagazine.com 9

Alphabet AnimalsTalking ABC Cards for Kids is the perfect learning tool for your toddler. Packed with colorful animations, animal sounds, and learning examples, Alphabet Animals - Talking ABC Cards will keep your child’s attention while they absorb the alphabet.

WordSearch KidsWord Search Kids is a word find game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Fun and educational! Cool graphics & sounds, Word categories handcrafted for kids, Large word lists, always

something fresh. Fun & educational.

Wacky SafariSafari Joe and Safari Jane invite you to join them on this colorful, crazy, Wacky Safari where you can play five different entertaining and engaging activities!

iTot Toddler FlashcardsiTot Toddler Flashcards teach the names of animals, foods, and other objects, as well as

the alphabet and numbers.


AstigmatismIf you take a good look at your eye, you might barely see your cornea, the clear outer covering of the eye. For someone with astigmatism, the cornea is uneven, which changes how light enters the eye and may make things look funny. Things may look blurry, like making the letter “D” look like a “B,” or wavy, like looking in a funhouse mirror. But glasses will fix that problem in no time.

Beta CellsBeta cells make insulin, a hormone that controls the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. Beta cells are found in the pancreas. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly destroys the beta cells. Without beta cells, the pancreas can’t make insulin.

CochleaThe cochlea looks like a spiral-shaped snail shell deep in your ear. And it plays an important part in helping you hear: it changes sounds into nerve messages and sends them to your brain. After the eardrum takes in a sound, the sound gets turned into a vibration that travels to the cochlea. There, the tiny hairs that line the cochlea move and shake, sending messages to your brain that you hear a sound. And this all happens in a split second!

DandruffDandruff is flakes of dead skin on your head that come loose all the time, but especially when you scratch your head, brush your hair, or pull a shirt over

your head. Sometimes, during puberty, your oil glands go a little wild and you develop a lot more dandruff than normal. But with the right shampoo or medicine, you can fight that flaky feeling.

EpidermisLook out - your epidermis is showing! But that’s OK; epidermis is the fancy name for the outermost layer of your skin.

FrenulumYou’ve got a friend in your frenulum, the piece of skin that attaches your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. But if your frenulum is too short, that’s called tongue-tied, and it can cause problems with your speech. Doctors sometimes do an operation to free up the tongue by snipping the frenulum. If you need this operation, a doctor will give you a special medicine called anesthesia to keep you comfortable.

GingivitisGot gums? Then you have to protect them against gingivitis, the word for gum disease. So brush and floss to keep those gums feeling fine!

HyperopiaHaving hyperopia is also known as being farsighted, which means you can see things far away, but have trouble seeing objects up close, like the words in a book. A lot of people have hyperopia, which is usually corrected by wearing glasses.

Kid’s Health Dictionary

Parents, have you ever heard someone say these “medical words” and you had no idea what they were or meant? Here are the definitions to some very common medical terms:

IrisHey there, bright eyes! Your iris is the colored part of your eye. So if someone has brown eyes, it means that person’s irises are brown. The iris is about more than looks, though. Your iris controls the size of the pupil - the black dot in the center of your eye - and how much light is let into your eye.

JointsJoints are the places in your body where bones meet. You have big joints - like the ones in your hips, shoulders, and legs; and itty, bitty ones - like the ones in your hands and feet.

KetoacidosisKetoacidosis, a condition that can happen to people with diabetes, occurs when the body uses fat instead of glucose for fuel. When fat is broken down, chemicals called ketones are produced. They get into a person’s blood and urine (pee). High levels of ketones cause the blood to become more acidic.Symptoms of ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting, belly pain, fast breathing, and, in severe cases, unconsciousness. People with ketoacidosis need to get emergency medical treatment.

LunulaTake a look at your thumb and you’ll see this: it’s the light half-moon shape at the very bottom of your nail. Every nail has a lunula, but it’s easiest to see them on thumbnails.

MyopiaMyopia is also known as nearsightededness, which means you can see things up close, but have trouble seeing objects far away, like the words on a chalkboard. A lot of people have myopia, which is usually corrected by wearing glasses.

NitsMany kids have had nasty nits. These are the eggs that lice lay. A nit is smaller than a sesame seed and is firmly attached to a strand of hair.

OtolaryngologistEar! Nose! Throat! An otolaryngologist is a doctor who takes care of all these parts. You might go to see an otolarygologist (also called an ENT doctor) if you have too many ear infections or problems with your tonsils.

PolydipsiaIf someone’s diabetes isn’t under control, he or she might be really thirsty and drink a lot of fluids. Polydipsia is the medical word for this. In diabetes, polydipsia happens because the person’s blood sugar levels are high and the kidneys are working overtime to get rid of the sugar. To do this, the kidneys produce more urine (pee). A lot of fluid leaves the body in pee so the

person feels really thirsty and tries to replace the fluid by drinking a lot.

RetinopathyHaving diabetes for many years - especially if it’s uncontrolled - can damage an important part of the eye called the retina. The retina is important for vision. It’s the lining of the back of the eye that senses light. Retinopathy is the medical word for disease of the retina. The disease of the retina caused by diabetes is called diabetic retinopathy.SternutationThis is a long word for something that happens in a short time: sneezing! Sternutation can happen at amazing speeds, too — up to 100 miles an hour!

TympanogramTympanic membrane is the fancy name for eardrum, so when a doctor wants to find out how your eardrum is working, he or she may get a tympanogram. In this test, a doctor uses a special machine that is small enough to be inserted into you ear. It makes a quiet noise that should get your eardrum moving. The result of this test is known as a tympanogram.

UrticariaUrticaria is the fancy name for hives. No, not bee hives! Hives are those itchy, red bumps people get on their skin when they’re allergic to something, like certain foods or medicines. Allergies are not the only reason someone might get hives. Some infections, hot or cold temperatures, or even stress can make those bumps appear. Your doctor can give you some medicine that can help stop all your scratching.

Vitreous BodyThe vitreous body takes up most of the eye and gives the eye its shape. It is the space between the lens and the retina and it is filled with vitreous humor, which is a clear jelly. Just don’t spread it on toast - yuck!

WheezeA wheeze is the whistling sound air makes when your breathing tubes are narrowed. This is what happens during an asthma flare-up. If the breathing tubes get too narrow, a person may have trouble breathing. Sometimes you can hear someone wheeze, but usually a doctor needs to listen to a person’s lungs with a stethoscope to hear wheezing.

ZoonosisZoonosis means a disease that people can get from animals. Some examples of zoonoses include ringworm, Salmonella infection, and rabies. You can prevent zoonoses by keeping your pet healthy, staying away from wild animals and always washing your hands after touching animals. You probably saw the word “zoo” in “zoonosis” - and now you know why!

Kid’s Health Dictionary


Maybe you love them and want to pet every one you see. Or maybe you’re afraid of them and want to move to a dog-free neighborhood. Either way, dogs are a part of life.Millions of people have dogs as pets. You’ll see them all over town, in the city, country, and even when you’re on vacation. They come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities — a lot like kids!

Like many kinds of pets — no matter how small or cute they are — dogs need to be respected as animals that, under certain conditions, could hurt you. You can respect a dog by giving it space and following certain rules. These rules not only keep the dog happier, they can protect you from getting bitten.

Nearly 5 million dog bites happen every year in the United States. Of those, close to a million require medical treatment, like a trip to the doctor or emergency department.

No one wants a dog bite, so how do you prevent one?

Use Your Dog Manners

When we say to use your “dog manners,” we don’t mean you should eat off the floor or pee in the yard! We mean you should follow certain rules when you meet or spend time with dogs — especially ones you don’t know.

If you meet someone new, maybe your mom or dad showed you how to shake hands and say, “Nice to meet you.” Well, you can also have some equally good dog manners. That means taking certain steps every time you meet a dog or spend time with one. Dogs will love that you’re so polite and, best of all, they will be less likely to bite you!

Where do you go to learn dog manners? You’ve come to the right place!

Dogs & Preventing Dog Bites

Learning DOG SAFE

One dog expert has come up with an easy way for kids to remember seven tips to prevent dog bites. It spells “DOG SAFE.”

D: Don’t Tease, PleaseO: Only Pet With PermissionG: Give SpaceS: Slow DownA: Always Get HelpF: Fingers TogetherE: Even Good Dogs Can Bite

Let’s talk a little bit about each one of these.

Don’t Tease, Please: Teasing a dog can make it angry or frustrated enough to bite. For instance, if a dog has food or a toy, never try to take it away. You wouldn’t like it if someone grabbed your snack while you were eating it!

Only Pet With Permission: Never pet a dog without asking the owner if it’s OK. Some dogs don’t like to be touched by strangers. And don’t try to pet a stray dog.

Give Space: Little kids especially might run right up to a cute dog and try to pet it or give it a hug. But dogs need space. Crowding a dog can frighten or anger the dog.

Slow Down: Some dogs like to chase and bite. Of course, you don’t want to be chased or bitten! The way to avoid it is to go slow around dogs. Never run toward them or away from them. If a dog you don’t know runs toward you, freeze. If you need to get away, back up slowly.

Always Get Help: It can be tempting to bring home a dog that seems lost or injured. But animals who are lost or injured may be very frightened or in pain. Find a grown-up instead who can decide how to care for the animal.

Fingers Together: When feeding a dog a treat, put the treat in the palm of your hand and keep your fingers and thumb close together. Why? The dog is less likely to get confused about which is the treat — the doggie snack or your finger!

Even Good Dogs Can Bite: Some people are very surprised when their dog bites someone, but all dogs can bite. Avoid doing things that make dogs scared or angry, such as backing them into a corner or bothering them when they are sleeping. Also learn the warning signs that a dog may bite, such as growling, backing up, or curling its lip.

Get a Grown-up to Watch You

But the most important advice of all starts with “G.” That’s “G” for “Get a grown-up to watch you.” Even though many dogs love kids, it’s safest for everyone when an adult is watching over the kid and the dog. The grown-up can help control the dog or maybe decide that the dog has had enough play time with the kids and it’s time for them to separate.

Grown-ups also can remind you to use your dog manners. And grown-ups can help you know how your dog manners might change a little bit, depending on how well you know the animal. For instance, you might play a friendly game of chase with your new puppy. But you wouldn’t want to chase — or run away from — a strange, growling dog!

Speaking of strange dogs, here’s another reason to turn to a grown-up. If an unfamiliar dog wanders into your neighborhood, the grown-up can decide what to do next. Maybe you will need to come inside until help arrives or the dog is taken back to its owner.

When kids use their dog manners (and grown-ups keep an eye on kids and dogs), the day can end just the way it should — with happy kids, happy dogs, and no dog bites!

www.kidshealth.org



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ADVERTISE IN OUR JUNE/JULY ISSUE

The recent “fat shaming”, “mommy wars” have brought us the newest celebrity in the shape of Maria Kang. If you have watched the news or have a Facebook account you may remember her as the fit mom posing with her young boys all under the age of five with a hefty tag line above that reads, “What’s your Excuse?” Grant it, she is in remarkable shape and she forces us to truly re-analyze our priorities in life when it comes to our health. What the media focused on instead was her supposed fat shaming rant and her personal opinions on what she feels is healthy or not. Truth is there is a lot that picture is not telling you, here is what you are not seeing.

Genetics play a large role in your success.

There is a sad misconception out there that if you work out and eat right you will automatically be blessed with perfection. The problem is there is no cookie cutter program that works for everyone. My family is a perfect example of this.

My sister is ten years younger than me; we both have three beautiful children. Currently she is doing amazing, she has dedicated herself to a fun circuit training program that she enjoys and she has changed her eating habits dramatically. In short she looks amazing. Me on the other hand, I dance twice a week and my eating habits are not what they are supposed to be and that stems directly from laziness. There I said it. Here is the clincher; looking at the two of us one would assume I am in better shape. Truth is, she can outrun, out circuit and out perform me in a number of ways.

Yes our bodies do change after childbirth but your genetics play a major role in how and when it will bounce back. My skin elasticity is superior to hers and so my midsection was able to trim down with zero stretch marks. She has lost all of her baby weight but her skin still sags a bit and sadly there isn’t much she can do about it short of surgery. Mind you, she looks fabulous but you won’t see a body like hers splattered on magazine covers anywhere and the reality is that’s what a majority of women look like. Fit, beautiful, healthy with a few stretch marks here and there, it’s called human.

You are a product of your habits.

There is no magic diet pill, exercise, or fad that will ever work better than a true life style change. I know watching TV is relaxing and it helps you forget about your day but so does a stroll around the block. Yes,


By: Susanah Lopez


eating out is quicker and sometimes even cheaper but planning your meals ahead of time will save you money and useless calories. If you want change you have to start by changing your habits. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Thank you Albert Einstein.

Changes do not have to be extreme I found the best success by swapping out habits as opposed to dropping them entirely. Rather than telling yourself you are going to drink more water give yourself a specific goal. I will drink 4 glasses of water today and only 1 soda instead of 2 sodas and 1 glass of water. Exchanging bad habits for better ones is always easier than trying to simply adapt one. If you know you don’t eat enough vegetables or fruits make it a point to swap out a bag of chips for a healthier alternative. You don’t have to do this all at once success comes in multiple small steps. All you have to do is take that first step.

Find your true body type role model.

My daughter is 14 and quickly absorbing all the ways the media celebrates and punishes women through their bodies. She adores curvy women and seeks out body role models like Jennifer Lopez and Sofia Vergara. So, with a heavy heart I look her right in her eyes and tell her the truth, you will never look like Jennifer Lopez. It may sound cruel but the reality is she will never have that figure because it is not her body

type. What I do instead is point her in the direction of women like Cameron Diaz or Jennifer Aniston.

We have a myriad of body types and it’s hard to name them all but the three most common are, endomorph, ectomorph and mesomorph. You can have a combination of meso-endomorph, or ecto-mesomorph but those three are easily found everywhere. An ectomorph is leaner and longer and usually struggles to gain weight. Mesomorphs tend to be more muscular and stockier. Endomorphs are curvier and struggle to lose weight. Each of these body types breaks down calories in completely different ways and their fitness routines are just as diverse. Know your body type and train accordingly. Stop beating yourself up because you don’t have a “bubble butt” celebrate your shape by making it the best it can be. Beauty is in our diversity what fun would it be if we were all shaped the same?

Remember what you see in the media is not the whole truth it’s simply the most marketable option.

Susanah Lopez is an English Professor at Miami Dade Kendall Campus as well as the Social Media Marketing Director for the fitness apparel Pezzi International. A long time fitness enthusiast with over 18 years of Personal Training experience you can find her on Facebook through Pezzi sport or on Twitter @pezzisport. Mention this article and get 15% off your next order at Pezzi.com.

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Advertise in our Summer Issue!Find us at www.sprinklesmagazine.com

Contact: [email protected]

By the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe

April showers may bring May flowers, but they also bring a lot of inside play time. And that leads to big messes from our favorite little people.

Cleaning up after a fun day of play is probably very low on your preschooler’s “Things I Like to Do” list. Unless you want to spend your time tripping over

blocks and school buses (and farm animals and action figures and everything else you can imagine), your preschooler needs to put away his own toys.

An important part of a child’s development is learning responsibility. Learning to clean up after himself helps develop this sense of ownership and responsibility.

How a child learns to clean up sets the stage for how they will complete the chore as they get older. If a parent is constantly picking up after a child at this age, the child will learn to expect it.

As with any moment with a child, make clean-up time a teachable moment.

“Young children often need guidance completing complex (multi-step) tasks,” said Dr. Christine Hughes, Director of Research, Evaluation & Assessment for the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe. When you work on establishing a clean-up routine, you should join in at first so that you can show your child how you want it to happen. Modeling it this way will help him to know it’s something we all do, instead of feeling like a punishment.”

Here are a few tips to help your child get through this.

Choose your words carefully. Find a way to use a different phrase other than “clean up.” A preschooler might become overwhelmed with a big mess, often because he doesn’t know where to start. Break down the job into separate tasks, like books first and then cars. This will make it seem more manageable for the child.

Explain why cleaning up is necessary. This may seem like an obvious task for parents, but a child may see it as putting away the fun.

Create kid-friendly storage. Place removable picture labels on drawers and bins to help kids learn that

spring cleaning:preschooler edition



everything has a place. Have your child either draw or cut pictures out of magazines of specific items like blocks, puzzles and games. Under each picture, write the name of the item. This is especially important for pre-readers who are learning word recognition.

Pump up the tunes. Blast your child’s favorite music while clean-up time is underway. It makes the job go by faster while keeping your child in a good mood. It also allows your child to exercise their way to a clean room.

Make it a game. Set the kitchen timer for 10 minutes and challenge your preschooler to “Beat the Clock.” Or make it a race between the two of you. See who can finish first between you putting away the clothes and him putting away his toys.

Reward a job well done. Keep a chart in the kitchen or another prominent place in the house. As soon as your preschooler finishes the task, give him a sticker to put on the chart.

When his room is finally clean, don’t redo what isn’t perfect. As long as the job was done to the best of his ability, leave it be. A 4-year-old will never clean up as well as an adult.

preschooler edition


Family celebrations, church services and traditional recipes are all part of Easter Sunday. Have a wonderful time while still enjoying some of these delicious recipes

which are perfect for Easter Brunch!

Blow out the interiors of each egg before decorating, then hand-paint with various shades of acrylic paint. Once dry, use a liner brush to paint polka dots, swirls or other designs with glue onto painted eggs. Then sprinkle the wet glue with glitter. The end result will be a batch of glamorous and glittery eggs to display for spring guests.

Preserving Easter Eggs

Strawberry-Lemon Punch

INGREDIENTS1 can(s) (12 ounces) frozen pink lemonade concentrate 1 pint(s) (12 ounces) ripe strawberries, reserve 8 with tops for garnish, rinse and hull the rest (2 cups)

6 1/4 cup(s) cold water 1 quart(s) ginger ale

Whole strawberries , for garnish DIRECTIONS1.Process lemonade concentrate, hulled strawberries and 1 cup of the water in blender or food processor until berries are liquified.

2.Pour lemonade mixture into punch bowl. Stir in remaining 5 1/4 cups cold water. Gradually stir in ginger ale. Serve over ice. Garnish with berries.

Easter Recipes

INGREDIENTS6 eggs¼ cup finely grated sharp cheddar, plus more for garnish¼ cup mayonnaise2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped, plus 2 tsp. rendered bacon fat reservedKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to tasteHot sauce, such as Sriracha, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS1. Put eggs into a 4-qt. pot of water and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit 15 minutes. Drain eggs and crack each shell slightly. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Peel eggs. Halve each egg; using a small spoon, transfer yolks to a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash yolks. Add cheddar, mayonnaise, ¾ of the chopped bacon, and bacon fat; season with salt and pepper. Stir vigorously with spatula until smooth.

2. Transfer mixture to a plastic bag or a piping bag fitted with a smooth tip and pipe into egg whites. Garnish eggs with the remaining bacon, more cheddar, and hot sauce and serve cold or at room temperature.

Bacon-and-Cheese Deviled Eggs!

INGREDIENTS:8 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 2 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 cup baby spinach leaves 2 oz. white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated Directions:In a bowl, using a fork, beat together the eggs, salt and pepper until blended.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, reduce the heat to low. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring several times, until curds just begin to form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cheese, stir once or twice, and continue to cook just until the curds are soft, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Spoon the eggs onto a warmed platter and serve immediately.

Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and White Cheddar



About Jellyfish

Jellyfish have been around for millions of years (they predate dinosaurs) and live in oceans all over the world. You might have noticed on visits to the beach that many days there are none to be seen; other times, you might spot a bunch of them among the waves or washed up on the beach.

There are many different types of jellyfish, and while their appearances can vary greatly, they all have the gelatin-like composition that gives them their

name. Some just look like small, clear blobs, while others are bigger and more colorful with tentacles hanging beneath them.

It's the tentacles that cause the stings. To eat, jellyfish sting their prey with their tentacles, which release a venom that paralyzes their targets. Jellyfish don't go after humans, but someone who swims up against or touches one — or even steps on a dead one — can be stung all the same.

While jellyfish stings are painful, most are not emergencies. Expect pain, red marks, itching, numbness, or tingling with a typical sting.

But stings from some types of jellyfish — such as the box jellyfish (also called sea wasp) — are very dangerous, and can even be deadly. These jellyfish are most often found in Australia, the Philippines, the Indian Ocean, and central Pacific Ocean.

When Jellyfish Sting

Jellyfish stings leave thousands of very tiny stingers called nematocysts in the skin. These stingers can continue to release jellyfish venom (poison) into

Jellyfish Stings

You look forward to your family vacation all year: the sun, sand, surf. But who invited the jellyfish?

Frolicking in the ocean is a summertime rite of passage, but a jellyfish sting can spoil the fun. Here’s how to handle it if someone in your family gets zapped by one of these mysterious sea creatures.

the body. Sometimes, they can be rinsed off with seawater or scraped off.

One old folk remedy touts peeing on a jellyfish sting. But experts recommend rinsing with seawater and vinegar instead. Vinegar is a weak acid that, for many kinds of jellyfish stings, might keep the nematocysts from "firing," or releasing venom. Similarly, seawater from the jellyfish's home environment also seems to prevent them from firing. Fresh water, though, may cause the stingers to fire.

If your child is stung:•Remove him or her from the water.•Rinse the area with seawater. (Fresh water can prompt the stingers to release more venom.)•Don't rub the area, which can make things worse.•With many types of jellyfish stings, it helps to soak the area of skin with vinegar for 15 to 30 minutes.•Use a credit card to scrape off the stingers still in the skin. If available, put shaving cream or a paste of seawater and baking soda on the area. Then scrape it off.•Check in with your doctor to see if pain relievers might help your child feel better.

Call an ambulance immediately if someone has been stung and:•is having trouble breathing or swallowing•has a swollen tongue or lips, or a change in voice•has bad pain or feels generally unwell•has stings over a large part of the body•the sting is in the eye or mouth

Avoiding Jellyfish Stings

Reduce your family's chances of a jellyfish encounter by swimming only at guarded beaches, which are more likely to warn visitors about jellyfish. Look for a sign or warning flag (some beaches fly a purple warning flag when there's "dangerous marine life" in the water). Also consider stashing a small container of vinegar in your beach gear, just in case.

www.kidshealth.org



Calendar of Events

RapunzelBook & lyrics by David Crane & Marta Kaufman, music by Michael Skloff

April 24 - May 23, 2014

*Public Performances on May 10 & 17

“All Kids Included” Sensory-Friendly Saturday Performance onMay 10, 2014 at 11 a.m.

www.actorsplayhouse.org

Spring Garden Festival Featuring the 35th Annual Spring Plant Sale and Butterfly DaysSaturday, April 12, 2014 - Sunday, April 13, 2014 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM

www.fairchildgarden.org

Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites™Now Open, February 1st through May 4th 2014

www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Great Egg SafariApril 19 - 20, 2014

11:00 am to 4:00 p.m.

www.zoomiami.org

Bunny Palooza at Miami SeaquariumApril 18-20

www.miamiseaquarium.com


Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites™Now Open, February 1st through May 4th 2014

www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Bunny Palooza at Miami SeaquariumApril 18-20

www.miamiseaquarium.com

Sprinklesspoon

the

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

What you need:

• ½ cup plain, nonfat Greek-style yogurt• ¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise• ½ teaspoon salt• ½ teaspoon black pepper• 1 large celery stalk, finely chopped• ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped• 1/3 cup grapes, cut in half• 2 cups leftover roasted chicken, chopped into ½-inch pieces• 4 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped

Equipment and supplies:

• Mixing bowl• Knife for chopping• Bowls for serving

What to do:

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, celery, red onion, grapes, and chicken.

2. Mix gently until everything is well coated in dressing.

3. Divide lettuce between four bowls.

4. Top each bowl with some chicken salad. Serve cold.

Chicken Salad & Greens

Your kids will love to sew after this easy-to-do at home project that only require some basic stitching!

my buddy

With the “my buddy” project, your kids will learn how to make a pillow that will become their new best friend.

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:

Fabric markersLinen fabricNeedle and threadFiberfill or stuffingStraight pins

1. From the fabric, cut two 6 x 9 inch rectangles. On the top third of one rectangle, draw a face of any animal, i.e., cat, dog, bear, with the markers. Be creative and decorate the body as you desire;

2. Pin the rectangles with their right sides together. With the needle and thread, sew a small and closely spaced running stitch around the two short sides and one long side, then along the half remaining long side. Sew over the last stitch an few times to reinforce that spot;

3. Remove the needle, leaving the excess thread in place instead of trimming it;

4. Turn the case right side out and stuff it with the fiberfill until you reach your best firmness. Rethread the needle with the excess thread at the opening, fold in the raw edges and stitch the opening closed. Sew over the last stitch a few times to reinforce it.

SEWMUCHFUN


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