Staying hydrated makes more sense when it's hot, right? Our kids play, sweat, and us parents have to make sure they drink enough… Apparently proper hydration is just as important during winter time. Warm clothing and layers increase your child's sweating during winter, research shows that some common winter illnesses are caused by dehydration, among them flu and norovirus.Here are some tips and habits to keep your kid hydrated all year long;Water in food - rich vegetables and fruits Adding those healthy and tasty vegetables and fruits to your kids lunch box or meals on a daily basis can do wonders for his health and well being!Fruits: Apple, Oranges, Grapes, Pineapple, StrawberriesVegetables: Carrots, Broccoli, Lettuce, Celery, SpinachDevelop a habit to drink strategically a few times a day Make it a habit for your child to drink water when he or she wakes us, before they go to sleep, before and after play time. Embrace water drinking as a daily, fun activity!Add liquid foods to your kids diet Yummy soups or smoothies contribute to good hydration and health- simplicity is key… that’s why chicken soup is for the most part on the top of your child's list!Get your kid a Gululu bottle This way your kid will interact and make friends with the Gululu pet, will bond and take care of it as he drinks more water, parents will track kids’ water intake and can have the peace of mind knowing your kids are water- smart all year long!Since Gululu is all about keeping a healthy lifestyle while having fun and caring for others, we have launched a special sale for Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday: During November 25-28, Gululu will be giving 3 Extra Spouts for every pre order purchased of Twin or Family packs!  Click here for more info 

Many kids have access to iPads, Tablets and smartphones. As much as they can be used to entertain the kids, more and more parents want to make sure their bundles of joy won’t end up on websites they shouldn’t access, won't mess up the device settings, and of course, won’t get exposed to “unfriendly” figures that are out there in cyber space….To address that, we have crafted a list of educational and fun apps for kids, that will make their time with their device enjoyable, improve different skills and teach them new exciting facts!Counting ParrotsThe Counting Parrots Game is a fun educational tool that teaches children mathematical skills. Together with the colourful parrots your child learns counting, addition, associating numbers with quantities, and simple equations. The kids game also strengthens motor skills and memory and prepares your kid for school!Ages: 3-7 //  Price; Free, $5.00  //  iPhone, iPad, AndroidHabitat the GameTeach your kid to care for the environment by practicing real world actions - smart use of water, turning light off and even adopting a polar bear! Let your kid develop awareness on how to make a real difference for the environment on an everyday basis with this fascinating game!Ages: 4 years+ // Price: Free  // iPhone, iPad, AndroidCookie Monster's ChallengeIn this fun app, the cookie monster will prepare your kids for school through the teaching of various practices such as: how to follow directions, focus, self control and more. The game offers different levels and as the kid progress, he earns pieces of a cookie making machineAges: 3 years+ // Price: $2.99  // iPad, AndroidThe Magic School Bus: Oceans by ScholasticYour kid will get to embark on an aquatic journey in this interactive storybook, which features science facts, pictures, games, and videos.Ages: 6-8  //  Price: $3.99  // iPad onlyAnsel & Clair's Adventures in AfricaYour kid will meet Clair the robot and Ansel, an intergalactic travel photographer, that will guide your child through animations, quests, puzzles, and games located in exotic places such as the Nile Valley, Sahara Desert, and Serengeti Plains. It instill a sense of adventure and exploration in your kid with this engaging game!Ages: 6-8  // Price:$4.99  // iPadNow us parents can either join our kids and play together or have the peace of mind knowing our kids are in “good hands”!

As the summer days get shorter and autumn begins to cool the air, it’s time to find a new type of fun to get you and your kids through the new season. Fill time with crafts, games, and lot of laughs with these creative ideas from the Gululu pets!Gather up all the leaves from the yard, rake them into one huge pile, and jump on in!Pumpkin/apple picking! An activity for the whole family where you get to enjoy the “fruits” of your labor even after the fun of picking is done!Knitting is fitting! This might be an activity for the older kids, but it’s never too early to learn how to make fun scarves, hats, or gloves for the colder weather up ahead!Make some spooky, silly, and surprising masks with some construction paper, glue, glitter, markers, scissors and tape! Add a little string and it’ll look great!Hot apple cider and warm hot cocoa! Here is a DIY home recipe of the drinks of the season!Take a hike! This is a great way to explore how the fall is changing all the places around your home! It doesn’t matter where you live, either way your surroundings are shifting-so go out and see!Make a campfire and bake up some s’mores! Give me some more of those s’mores! Endless excitement begins with gathering firewood, feeling the warm glow of the fire, and putting together chocolate, marshmallows, and gram crackers for the perfect snack!Go camping quick! Hurry, before the weather gets too crisp! Whether in your living room, back yard, or on the side of a mountain, get out into nature and let the adventure happen! Now you have additional ways to celebrate the changing of the seasons together!

With Halloween just around the corner, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite healthy and festive treats! Sometimes the amount of candy consumed during Halloween can be the spookiest part of the holiday, so we’ve compiled a list of snacks that are both fun for your kids to create together, share with others and of course good for them! 1.“Grapenstein” This spooky snack is super easy and portable. Perfect for packing into your child’s lunchbox! 2. Tangerine Pumpkins and Banana Ghosts These adorable and fruity snacks are perfect for parties or as snacks for the whole class. 3.Witches Hands This spooky witch hand is out to get you…! Use seethrough food handler gloves (non latex), and fill with popcorn and use candy corns or almonds for the fingernails. This hand is delicious and fun to eat! 4.Spider PB&J For an easy and festive school lunch on Halloween day, try this creepy crawly sandwich that your kid will love eating! 5. Candy Corn Popsicles   Even though the weather is cooler, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a frozen treat! These candy corn popsicles are super easy to make and delicious, too. 6. Witches’ Teeth These witchy treats are easy and healthy and look fantastic. Cut apples in the shape of an open mouth, and sub the almonds for seeds or pretzel stick bits to accommodate allergies! 7.Witch or Frankenstein Guac Platter These magnificent displays are not only healthy but make great centerpieces for a Halloween party or as a contribution to a Halloween-themed potluck! With little cooking involved, these are easy and fun to assemble. We hope you enjoy these tasty and nutritious treats! Happy Halloween from everyone at Team Gululu!

While the advancement of technology today is a great way to expand the creativity in a child’s mind, there are also everyday objects and activities that can do just the same trick for you and your kids! We may have grown up in a time where cardboard boxes and forts out of pillows and sheets were the best form of entertainment and imagination, but why does that have to be left in the past? Let’s bring the play times of our past to the present and show the little how to have fun the old fashioned way.Imagination is all about making something extraordinary and fun out of something that is just plain ordinary. The world is made of so many simple delights and imagination is the practice of changing them into something much more than they are!Here are a few games that your family can play to extend the fun throughout the fall days!1. The floor is lava! A staple game in which all you need are some cushions, pillows, tables, or chairs. Anything that isn’t the hardwood or carpet flooring is the ultimate obstacle course for your kids to challenge themselves through! This imaginative exercise helps kids develop decision making skills, problem solving, and goal setting too!2.Make a whole universe under the in-home fort that you create together. Bed sheets, blankets, comforters, pillows or whatever else that is on hand can change the atmosphere and can help kids be their own little architects. Creativity can grow with your kid’s imagination as they make a little escape within their safe space!3. Don’t stop at the cardboard box! No matter size-small to giant, the cardboard box is much more than it seems. It once held tangible objects coming in, but now it will make way to intangible memories and experiences.With your imagination you and your kids can travel anywhere, do anything, or be anyone. Obstacles will no longer stop the fun, they’ll just allow for more imaginative ways to discover along the way!

Labor Day is coming up quick, so here are some quick tips on how you can teach your kids to help around the house and have fun doing it! Labor Day is all about the hard work of Americans in our past and your children can join in too by learning how to be responsible and how to help out the family on this special day. Household cleaning, yard work, laundry, taking out the trash and so many others are chores you can choose for your kids.Here are some tips so that your kids too can work hard and want to participate in Labor Day this year:A chore, AND a pleasure! Treat chores as a pleasure verses a punishment. If your kids begin to associate being in trouble with doing something productive, they won’t want to voluntarily contribute to all the things that Labor Day is all about!Keep time! There is nothing more motivating than a count down clock to get kids moving. They love to be timed! Give your kids a chore and time them to see how long it takes, this can even continue on to the future where your children can try to beat their time each different turn that they do the chore. If you have multiple children, or want to challenge your kids to a cleanup contest yourself, you can make a game out of who can complete the tasks the quickest!Make a chore chart! You don’t always need money to motivate your kids, and even stickers on a board can give them a sense of accomplishment! Write out chores on a piece of paper or some cardboard lying around the house with their names on an opposing axis and add stickers to the board once a chore is complete so that your children can equate more chores to more stickers which equals more fun!Keep challenging your kids! Start them off with a small and simple chore, and emphasize how you think they can do much bigger and much more! Not only does this let your littles feel like they are more grown up each day, but it also helps you with your work as well!Add music to the mix! Keeping kids on beat, or distracting them with their favorite song makes doing chores last so much longer before your kids get bored! If you want them to work through a specific job or just for a certain amount of time, this is a good way to add entertainment to work for days even after Labor Day.Teach your child responsibility! Teach your kids that being responsible and helping out, on all days of the year, is all a part of growing up. Steps to being a big girl or a big boy are all about being able to do things on your own and one of these things is to be able to keep their spaces clean!Keep them hydrated and helping! By staying hydrated throughout the day kids will have the energy to keep working hard!Labor Day is a great chance to teach responsibility in and around the home, not matter what age your littles are! We hope these tips will help you out and a Happy Labor Day from Team Gululu! Reference:http://www.parents.com/kids/development/social/motivate-kids-to-do-chores/?slideId=40370http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting-challenges/motivating-kids-to-clean-up/inspire-your-kids-to-do-chores

  It’s THAT time of year, parents, when we simultaneously breathe a sigh of relief and furrow our brows in anxious anticipation of the structure that the school year will impose on us and our little Darlings. There’s so much to do before their first big day of school, so we at Gululu have put together a list of Back to School Essentials to help the school year to begin smoothly. We know that you know where to get their pencils and paper by now, so we thought we would make a list of the more easily-overlooked things that they will need to succeed from the moment they step through the front doors. A great “Hello!” – First impressions last, so it’s best to teach our kids how to make a great one, and it all begins with “hello”. It sounds so simple, but it’s more difficult than it seems for a young person to stand tall, look into another’s eyes, smile, and muster up enough breath for a warm and confident greeting. Heck, it’s even hard for me to do this sometimes! Practice makes perfect, so don’t be shy to “hello!” back and forth at the breakfast table or on the way to school. You will also want to teach your kids what kind of greetings are appropriate for which situations, as certain occasions will call for them to address adults using the proper title, and, depending on your child’s age, a hand shake may be appropriate as well. Taken all together, a proper greeting can go a long way to making a great first and lasting impression. Here’s an old 1960’s classic clip teaching greetings and introductions that is still relevant today (minus a few of the dated and amusing expressions). Your kids will get a kick out of watching what was part of their grandparents’ curriculum!  Open Hearts and Minds–Though it may be human nature to form small groups and exclude others in some situations, we parents should give our kids the gifts of open hearts and minds by teaching them tolerance and inclusion of those who are different from themselves. These are skills are often difficult to learn, especially if a child does not feel confident in him/herself, so we parents must do all we can to support our children’s self-esteem. Only when they love themselves can they then reach out to love others. It is important that we reinforce these values repeatedly, and keep an open conversation with our kids about how to help create an environment of inclusion in their schools. Most schools are developing anti-bullying curricula and policies, and it is best to find out what they are teaching so that you can give consistent messaging. Contact your school for details, or refer to the websites here (A, B, C) for more information. As Helen Keller said, “the highest result of education is tolerance.”     Nature’s Candy and Whole Grain Goodness – As hard as parents and schools try to limit kids’ access to super sugary and low-nutrient foods, kids can still get a hold of them pretty easily. It’s our job as parents to educate our kids about the importance of choosing healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, otherwise known as “nature’s candy”, and products made with whole grains. Not only will their blood sugar be more stable, and as a result their attention spans and energy levels, but their long-term brain and body development will benefit from all of the vitamins and minerals in the nutrient-dense foods. It may be difficult to say no completely to tempting treats, so learning moderation is a valuable life and social skill. Eatright.org recommends some fabulous apps to help teach kids healthy eating habits in a fun way.   H – 2 – Oh! Water in the body is like the grease on a bicycle chain—without it the gears just don’t turn as smoothly. Keep your kids’ brains and bodies functioning optimally by sending them to school with their favorite water bottle, full of good and pure water. Gululu Interactive Bottle is a great option that will motivate them, and others around them, to drink water regularly, and to choose water over sugary beverages. Gululu will delight and inspire your children to develop healthy habits that last beyond the school day. You can learn more and purchase your Gululu here! For best results, keep the conversations about healthy habits going throughout the year. Good luck to all of the families who will soon begin another great school adventure!    Written by Sarah Northrop, Strategy & Digital Communications Consultant and Pilot User for Gululu. Sarah is a Physical Therapist and wordsmith working on her MBA who has two daughters that inspire her to spread healthy habits as far and wide as possible. They are all currently traveling across the US in a minivan from California to New Hampshire, hitting as many national parks, and seeing as many friends & family members as they can along the way before the first day of school begins. And, of course, they bring their Gululus wherever they go!  

“Once upon a time……” Those are the words that began the most imaginative and exciting stories of our childhood that held the power to take us to another Universe. Whenever told, a story can expand a mind through the use of vivid imagery, careful word choice, and pure cuteness! Storytelling can transform the world to make it even bigger than it was before and can also offer a great sense of adventure all along the way. Today it is your children’s turn to experience the magic and there are many paths and plots to take to do that! Story time is important to families. It gives parents and children time and a chance to connect and bond all through the comforts of under a blanket or snuggled up together on the couch.  Through the rises and falls as a story is told, you and your child can both band together and cheer for the hero, fight against the villain, and laugh a lot along the way! No matter where, or what moment, the time taken to tell a story will always be remembered, even if the particular story is not! Stories also have additional educational benefits for learning even more in everyday life. Storytelling gives kids a chance to grow and develop their creative side. Their ability to be creative and expansive with their words allows kids to not only continue to learn, but also have fun doing it! Here are a few tips to let kids’ creative flags fly through stories: 1. As mentioned above, start your story with “Once upon a time…” or another that is similar as a key phrase to open up the story possibilities for your kids. 2. Invite your kids to fill in the blanks. Let your children take the lead in the actions and the details, offer them transitional phrases or questions so that they can continue to develop their story and their discovery of the Universe that they will create entirely by themselves. 3. Let your children be the characters! Allow your kids to put themselves into the story so that they can even more firsthand experience the adventure of a new world. 4. Use props. Either homemade or repurposed household items let your kids be active in their experience and make extraordinary things out of ordinary objects. 5. There doesn’t have to be a lesson. Although stories with an extra learning opportunity have value, just plain old-fashioned fun works just the same at making a good story great! Gululu has its own stories too! By following the three Gululu pets you can travel the Gululu Universe and unlock many journeys and stories along the way. Sansa, Ninji, and Purpie all have different personalities to ensure that your children can continue to have fun and care for them as they hydrate throughout the day. Your kids can explore and discover with action-filled adventure throughout the seas, finding paths and secret places to enjoy and let their imaginations soar. They can investigate the sea floor, find mystical creatures, and continue to help the Gululu pets, like Purpee, grow and evolve through imaginary snacks! Following the magic as your children are guided through the Gululu Universe means that there isn’t anything that they can’t imagine! Stories have a beginning, middle, and an end, but the connection, the surprises and the adventure contained within them can last forever in a child’s mind. Continue to support your child’s imagination as they grow and age. Share a story with your children, whether your own or Gululu’s, and watch their faces light up like never before!

Former IDEO design lead JD reveals how being a father made him a great entrepreneur, how storytelling relates to products, and how to make any idea successful At Gululu, we are lucky to have a team of not just experts, but experts with big hearts and big vision. JD, our head of product and design, former IDEO design lead and frequent Red Dot and IF design award winner, is father to a three-year-old son, and holds the title of coolest shoes on the Gululu team. He was instrumental in bringing to life the world’s first-ever child-friendly, technology-laced interactive bottle, Gululu! On Father's Day, JD takes a moment to share insights on life, innovation, and design. ****************************************************************************************** JD, you’re always upbeat, active and innovating. What inspires you? JD: Many things! I have a curious personality. I like to look at different things, go to different places. I pay a lot of visits to Japan and Europe to look at shops and museums. I also like to make things. I’m a maker. I make leather bags, furniture, and many more. When you’re doing something, making something, your brain is not just thinking, it’s learning. In that process, you actually train your brain to be more creative. But the most inspiring thing for me is people. I talk to many people. I like talking to people to get different perspectives. What are the biggest challenges going from an idea to a product? JD: To make an idea work, you have to first understand the people who will be using it. I made a leather bag for my wife. It worked because I know her well. I know what kind of style she wants, what kind of function she needs. With my new project, we targeted children and their need to drink water. During our research, we got involved with many kindergartens. And in every classroom I went to, there’s a water bottle shelf and a sign saying “I love drinking water.” That was a huge insight for me. I wanted to move from that idea of a passive sign saying “I love drinking water”, to making a real proactive product that actually makes kids fall in love with drinking water. What are some of the designers throughout history that you look up to? JD: Well of course, Dieter Rams, a senior German designer for Braun; the godfather of industrial design. Many design languages are inspired from him, and even Apple takes their design cues from him. But I really love Naoto Fukasawa. He’s a guy who creates products with personalities and stories to tell. In fact, all the work we do is a form of storytelling. Every craft, every product, has a story to tell. There is a story behind everything. This storytelling is in fact the most critical and fundamental for humanity. So the story behind everything interests you. What kind of story is your favorite in daily life? JD: When my son comes home from kindergarten everyday, I ask him a question that will make him tell me a story, so he can practice. ‘What was the funniest thing that happened?’ or ‘What was something you noticed that other people maybe didn’t?’ His stories always inspire and motivate me. I love this kind of conversation. These are the best stories of all. How does your son feel about Gululu? Is Gululu a gift you create for him? JD: Well, of course, he loves his Gululu. But it’s a lot more than that. My son helped me unlock my potential; not just to be a good father, but to be a good entrepreneur. Before he was born, I worked in design consulting for 14 years and started my own design studio for clients. After he was born, I joined this startup and we decided to make Gululu. As a father, I feel I have to do something not just for my son but for all children. I was thinking, ‘wow, I want to do something meaningful in my life.’ I got fed up designing consumer electronic appliances. Yes, there’s a need there but I no longer want to create design solutions only for business impact. Now, I want my effort to be not just for business, but for the well-being of children. How do you think these choices for yourself will affect your son later on? JD: As a father, I should be a role model for my children. That’s why I chose to be an entrepreneur. For one, it will help my son to be more creative and more determined. Second, I want him to be free to express himself and not be restrained by limitations; where he may not reach the full expression of his own unique idea. In my point of view, regardless of the outcome, this is what defines success. And I want that for my son. ****************************************************************************************** Gululu is a gift from a father to his son, and to the children around the world. It's not only a bottle to improve life and health, but also an entrepreneurship spirit a father wants to pass on to his kid. To all the dads in the world, Happy Father's Day!

Enjoy the summer sun with this planting and playing project for you and your kids. It’s that time of the year again: SUMMER! Along with it comes thoughts of the beach, ice cream, and of course, the long anticipated summer vacation. School’s out, and your kids will be home all day, ready to play. It’s a good opportunity to spend some time with them, and what better activity than planting and crafting flowers? In this post, we will be focusing on sunflowers. Not only are sunflowers fantastic summer flowers, they also hold a special meaning. According to Native American tradition, sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty, and longevity. They are flowers of bright joy that stretch toward the sun. We hope that they will bring you and your child some brightness in your lives! Don’t feel limited to just sunflowers: you can do this activity with any flower you want. The idea is first you plant it, then you create it. Activity 1: Planting Sunflowers What You Need: Sunflower Seeds Container or area to plant seeds Soil Water Some Background Information Before You Start… Best time to plant: The best time to plant sunflowers is the late spring, so right now! Big ones and little ones: There are two types of sunflowers: dwarf sunflowers and tall sunflowers. Dwarf sunflowers are better for planting in pots while tall sunflowers are better for your planting in your back garden. Check what kind of sunflower seeds you have before you plant them! Grow your flower with a wish: Together with your child, prepare the soil where you will be planting your seeds, whether it is in a container or in your garden. Take a handful of soil and have your child make a wish. Plant the seeds, and ask your child to water everyday until you see a sprout! As the sunflower grows, remind your child of their wish and of how it’s growing toward the sun. Making connections?—?we all need water to be strong and healthy: What connection could there be made with growing sunflowers? Actually, a sunflower is similar to your child: both need water to be strong and healthy. Also show them that while they care for the flower, they are similar to you, the parent. You care for your child and make sure they drink lots of water everyday and they do the same for the sunflower. Learning the natural way: Hopefully, by learning to care for a flower, your child will learn both how fragile and beautiful life is, as well as a sense of responsibility. They, too, are like that sunflower seed, ready to blossom into a beautiful flower. Activity 2: DIY Sunflowers What You Need: Yellow Construction Paper Glue Picture of your child OR sunflower seeds (optional) Make your flower petals: Using your hands, you and your child can make the petals for the sunflower. This step is for you to bond with your child and show them the value of cooperation. Here are some ideas on how to accomplish this: -Hook your hands by the thumbs and place them flat on the yellow construction paper. Ask your child to trace your hands onto the paper, then do the same for him or her. -Hook your hand and your child’s hand together by your thumbs. Together, trace your connected hands onto the yellow construction paper. By working together on this task, you can demonstrate to your child how much easier it is to cooperate with others. Make as many flower petals as you would like! Glue your petals together in a circle to form a sunflower: As you glue the petals together with your child, you can explain the impact that your child can make. Glue the hands together by the palms so that the fingers are pointed out. Ask your child to count the number of fingers in the flower. Each finger represents one person that they are able to “touch” in their lives. Explain to them that there are millions of ways for them to help make the world a brighter place. (OPTIONAL) Glue sunflower seeds in the center of the sunflower: Glue sunflower seeds in the center and tell them that they, like these seeds, are young and hold much potential for the future. (OPTIONAL) Glue a picture of your child in the center of the sunflower: Place a picture of your child in the center and tell them that they, like a sunflower, can brighten up your day. Good luck, and have fun planting! Love, Gululu

“Please let me know how and when I can buy these (Gululu). What a great gift these would make for so many of my friends.” –Gululu fan on Facebook Dear Gululu fan, and to all parents and gift-givers, We are so happy to hear that you love Gululu so much that many of you would like to give our products as gifts—hooray! Actually, while crafting our products, we always keep gifts in mind, but not the kind you wrap up with paper and ribbons. We are talking about priceless gifts! Here, parents are sharing the priceless gifts that are most important for kids. Learn what they think, and add your own. Below, we highlight some of the most inspiring priceless gifts that we keep in mind while crafting our kid-centered products. Healthy habits: Healthy habits lead to a healthy life. If we develop good habits early on, we can use them to boost our health, our esteem, and our energy. Model good habits to your children by drinking enough water, exercising together, and having consistent bedtime. Sometimes these habits can be difficult to keep, but by turning them into a game, they can help bond a family together. Imagination: Imagination gives us paintbrushes, broadens our palette of colors, and strips our canvas of its borders. How can we inspire more creativity in our kids and in ourselves? One way is through reading stories together and creating something new. Try adding your child as a character in your favorite picture book, or invite your child to create their own story. You’ll be amazed! Love: Unconditional love is a child’s birthright. Parents show their children love in different ways, but usually the more, the better. Don’t underestimate how much a hug, a conversation after school, a secret note in the lunchbox, or a kiss goodnight can mean for the little ones in your life. The best gifts are intangible. Priceless gifts like imagination, good habits and love can never get lost, and can be regifted again and again, even to your kids’ kids later on. The mission of Gululu is “wholehearted dedication to children’s wellbeing.” This sense of mission has moved us through difficulties along the way as we integrated technology, innovation and creativity. We hope that the endeavor to bring this product to life is priceless too. What do you think matters most to your children? Share a priceless gift that you love sharing with your child! Love, Team Gululu Wholehearted dedication to children’s wellbeing

Do you know your love language? Find out so you and your partner can build healthy habits in your children and avoid leaving gaps in their development. Do you know what your love language is? Surprisingly, what makes you feel most cared for is often not the same way that you express care for others. Our natural tendencies in giving and receiving love make a big impact over time, especially on the development of our children. Parents too reliant on one language tend to neglect others, leaving children lacking a full scope of affection. So which is your love language? And how can you build healthy habits in your children by embracing each of the five love languages on a regular basis? 1.Gifts-Health-oriented toys and products fulfill this need while helping children with their development. Parents tending toward this language express and receive love through gifts. A special, personal item says it all. Love through gift giving can nurture children by rewarding them with toys and products that cultivate healthy habit formation. Rather than a video game, a learning game or spelling game may be a better choice. In fact, all children relish toys and the companionship they bring. By embracing this love language, but giving health-forming toys to your children, you can fulfill this need for your little one.   2.Quality Time-Breakfast and evening traditions nurture this language while creating sustainable habits for child and family. If you and your partner tend to exchange love through time spent giving undivided attention, you can use this language with your children. One of the best ways to is through breakfast. Taking the steps to still the chaos of the morning, like waking up 15 minutes earlier, or preparing the night before, can make the shift from a rushed morning to a warm one. Likewise, taking a break from cells and laptops at night for dinner, a conversation, a board game, or even a show, teach your child that relationship with family and friends should sometimes takes priority.   3.Words of Affirmation-Along with compliments or praise, training positive outlook through words builds long-lasting confidence in your kids. Parents versed in this language use statements like “I love you,” and “I’m proud of you.” While absolutely necessary for children to hear, going beyond this is also crucial. It’s easy for children to get discouraged,especially as the world becomes more competitive. Life at school may not be as easy as it used to be. Children need to hear that they are okay not based on accomplishments but based on intrinsic qualities like kindness, positivity and perseverance. A statement like, “it makes your parents so happy to see you keep trying,” can make all the difference.   4.Acts of Service-Creating chores and ways to help others teach children healthy,long-lasting habits of service and participation. Parents who swoon when their partner does something practical for them and eases their burden best understand this love language. Most families have chores for children, and most children drag their feet to complete them. By bringing chores and community service into family rituals,through games and togetherness, you can signal to your kids that whole-hearted participation shows care to others. Likewise, making sure they know that you are helping them with laundry or homework because of your deep love teaches them gratitude and helps prevent them from taking you for granted.   5.Physical Touch-Choosing enjoyable physical activity and getting the family off the couch is crucial for long-term physical and mental health, as well as discipline. If you and your partner love to hold hands, smooch on the couch, and cuddle, it’s likely you are good at this language and at giving healing touch to your child. Even before a child speaks,they feel the love of their parents through physical touch. Roughhousing and play is very important to fulfill this need. Another great way is choosing sports and activities for the family to engage in together. Getting close on a picnic blanket, cuddling together with hot chocolate in a cabin in the winter, and even having a laugh circle where you lay your heads on each others’ bellies and tell jokes are all great options to fulfill this need. These languages, developed by Gary Chapman, PhD, in 1995, can enlighten parents and help kids grow up healthy and well rounded. Embrace the scope of these languages to ensure your children develop not only good habits, but also strong connections to many forms and expressions of love.