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HIPPA compliant forms of communication  

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HIPPA compliant forms of communication  

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This article gives organizations a HIPPa compliant option to continue providing confidential case management meetings, counseling sessions etc online.

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Counselors find new ways to treat patients under quarantine | Penn Today

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Like many areas of medicine, COVID-19 has uprooted the routine of mental health treatment. Telehealth is filling in the gaps—and may be a preview of what standard care looks like in the future.

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This link is to a list of tips on how to abide with social distancing guidelines while still being able to feed your clients.

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How parents can help children manage anxiety during COVID-19 

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How parents can help children manage anxiety during COVID-19 

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This article provides tips to parents to help their children manage any potential anxiety during these difficult times. This resources is available in both English and Spanish. It will help parents support their children's emotional development during this time.

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6 Ways to Help Your Child Manage Their Anxiety During COVID-19 | Our Children

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Guidance for parents and other caregivers to help children manage anxiety and insecurity that may they may feel from the COVID-19 crisis.

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This Youtube video showcases 10 DIY activities appropriate for the ages 3-5.

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10 DIY Indoor Activities for Kids during Quarantine!

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Ms. Monica creates preschool circle time videos 5x times a week Monday through Friday.

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Monday - Preschool Circle Time - Learn at Home - Monday 3/23

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This article explains HIPPA safety in nonprofits, ways to follow rules, and consequences of violating.

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HIPAA compliance for US nonprofits is critical

Since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996, organizations throughout the U.S. have been acutely aware of the need to protect the privacy and security of health information. At first glance, it's easy to think HIPAA affects only healthcare providers. However, that isn't necessarily the case.

Find out if HIPAA compliance is required for your nonprofit - and what that means for your organization's processes.

What do HIPAA standards address?

HIPAA established the first national standards for protecting personal health information, preventing the unauthorized sharing of that information with those who don't legally need to know it.

For example, because of HIPAA, health information can't be provided to anyone - including employers - without the consent of the individual in question. This includes information in medical records, billing information and conversations regarding medical treatment. HIPAA also gives individuals the right to view and receive copies of their health information and to be notified when the information is used and shared.

HIPAA is made up of different components that regulate how certain types of organizations are required to handle health information. For example:

The Privacy Rule governs who has access to protected health information and restricts how any company working with sensitive patient data must ensure the confidentiality, availability and integrity of that data.

The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, technical and physical security procedures to assure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic protected health information.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) more clearly defines proper interaction with electronic protected health information, allows for more stringent enforcement, and increases the liabilities of companies subject to oversight as well as noncompliance fines.

How do HIPAA standards apply to nonprofits?

HIPAA standards apply to two broad categories of organizations: covered entities (any healthcare provider, health plan or healthcare clearinghouse) and business associates (any company that comes in contact with electronic protected health information, including employers that offer group health plans).

Whether or not your nonprofit needs to be HIPAA-compliant depends on the nature of your organization. As a rule of thumb, compliance is necessary if your nonprofit interacts with health information in any way. For example, compliance is required if your nonprofit:

Provides health insurance to employees

Provides health care services

Provides services to clients or organizations in the health care field

Requests medical information from clients or volunteers

While organizations such as life insurance companies and schools don't fall under HIPAA laws, access to protected health information still requires consent from the individual. Exceptions are made in certain circumstances, such as:

If required by law, court order, public health officials or the FDA

In cases of abuse or domestic violence

To assist government actions

To help in disaster relief efforts

But even then, stringent rules apply. The information shared must follow minimum necessary standards and adhere to HIPAA-approved guidelines while maintaining confidentiality and security at all times.

What does it mean to be HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA compliance involves implementing and maintaining adherence to ever-evolving HIPAA requirements, including physical, network and process security measures.

This includes:

Drafting and distributing policies, authorization forms and other HIPAA-required documents regarding how health information is used and protected

Encrypting emails that contain sensitive data

Avoiding faxing confidential information

Using passwords to restrict access to electronic protected health information

Turning monitors so they're not visible to others while working with electronic protected health information

Logging off computer systems when leaving the work area

What are the consequences of violating HIPAA standards?

Breaching HIPAA compliance - defined as the acquisition, access, use or disclosure of unsecured protected health information in a manner not permitted by HIPAA that poses significant risk of financial, reputational or other harm to the affected individual - is a serious matter.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Office for Civil Rights are responsible for investigating and enforcing HIPAA privacy standards, while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services enforce the code set and security standards. The Office for Civil Rights determines the amount of each penalty, which depends on the nature and extent of harm that results from the breach.

For example:

First-time infringement of an unknown HIPAA violation is $100 to $50,000

The fine for willful neglect corrected within a specified period is $10,000 to $50,000 per violation

If a willful neglect violation is not corrected, the minimum fine increases from $10,000 to $50,000

A Privacy Rule infraction may be considered criminal and result in fines as high as $250,000 with imprisonment for up to 10 years

What happens if federal and state laws conflict?

Occasionally, federal HIPAA laws and state privacy laws conflict. When this happens, basic tenets apply. If the state law is contrary to the federal law, the federal law generally preempts the state law. If the state law is more stringent than the federal law, however, federal and state laws are considered complementary and both apply. If a conflict arises and you're unsure whether federal or state law takes precedence, seek counsel from a trusted legal resource.

What resources are available for help?

Navigating HIPAA is complex. Not only are the numerous rules and provisions nuanced and confusing, they continue to evolve. Every time that happens, chances are your organization needs to evolve, too. The good news is that help is readily available.

You might start with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website. Other resources include attorneys and other experts well versed in HIPAA guidelines and resources, as well as third-party vendors and technology providers that offer HIPAA compliance services and solutions.

Wherever you choose to start, being informed is critical. Seek expert HIPAA guidance as needed, and then act accordingly.
This article draws on the expertise of Grace Davies, a Minneapolis-based attorney with special interest in product liability, medical malpractice and employment discrimination.
References
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: HIPAA for professionals
Venable: What your nonprofit needs to do about HIPAA - now (2013)

OnRamp: Compliant hosting

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HIPAA for Nonprofit Organizations - MissionBox

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Since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996, organizations throughout the U.S. have been acutely aware of the need to protect the privacy and security of health information. At first glance, it's easy to think HIPAA affects only healthcare providers. However, that isn't necessarily the case.

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Encryption on websites, emails, and PDF's

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Encryption on websites, emails, and PDF's

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Some of us who are aware of technology or who are just starting should learn about the safety of encryption. This basically protects your data from breach or theft, and can leave the data useless to anyone who obtains or steals it. More information on how it adds security to your sensitive information is down below.

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HIPAA Encryption: What You Should Know HIPAA encryption is recommended under federal regulation by the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), but what is it and why do you need it? The HIPAA Security Rule sets specific safeguards that must be in place to protect ePHI.

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This website explains tips on how parents can meet their physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and religious needs. In these times, it is are hard to uphold, so here are a few ways to take care of parents.

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Any time you travel on an airplane, the flight attendants announce that if the oxygen masks drop down, you should first put on your own mask, and 'then assist small children.' This is good parenting advice for life in general. Yes, our children have many needs that need to be met, and even more desires they would like you to fulfill. But in order to have the energy to care for them, you need to make sure that you're also taking care of yourself! Take a few whiffs of parenting oxygen now and then, and it will help to rejuvenate you.

Here are some tips for what to do when you're "running on empty."

Ideas for meeting your physical needs:

Exercise, on your own and as a family

Sleep (as much as you can), and nap when your child naps

Eat right: food affects mood, so try to cut down on sugars and processed foods

Get or give a massage

Cuddle, kiss, or make love with your partner

Take a hot shower, or a long bath (add a little lavender oil to increase relaxation)

Have a cup of chamomile tea or warm milk (or hot chocolate with marshmallows!)

Go for a long walk outdoors - on your own, or with your child in a sling or stroller

Ideas for meeting your emotional and social needs:

Spend time with friends

Spend time alone each day

Prioritize the activities that make you happy

Be creative / flexible about social activities you can work around your child's needs

Schedule time each day to talk to another adult

Allow yourself to cry

Find things that make you laugh

Find a way to have a weekly date with your partner

Say no to extra responsibilities

Ideas for meeting intellectual needs:

Take your child to the library, but pick up something for yourself while you're there

Listen to radio programs, audio books, or podcasts from the web while you drive, or while you work around the house

If your child is doing an art project, sit down and create your own art!

Write - stories, a blog, a personal journal - get your thoughts out on paper

Watch documentaries on TV, or on DVD from the library or Netflix

Identify a project that would be challenging and rewarding

Return to old hobbies you may not have pursued since baby's birth

Ideas for meeting spiritual needs:

Go to religious services

Meditate or pray each morning, or each evening

Do volunteer work or help out others spontaneously

Spend time outdoors

Write in a journal - reflect on your new life

Be open to inspiration and awe

Contribute to causes you believe in

Every morning when your alarm goes off, or shortly after your child wakes you, spend one minute in bed deciding what you are going to do for yourself that day. Start small - promise yourself just 15 minutes a day. You'll soon see the rewards (for yourself, and your family) of a little bit of "me time."

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Tips for meeting your physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. You need energy to care for your kids, start by taking care of yourself!

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This link is extensive to learn the basics or more complex but useful techniques on how to use Zoom. For example, it explains how to share a meeting with others or how to prevent zoom bombing. This can be a valuable activity that can be done with families or children to show them support or ideas on things to do.

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Offices closed. Travel was restricted. Employers scrambled to knock together hasty virtual setups and access to corporate networks for workers required to work from home.

At the beginning of 2020, few predicted that the spread of would have such an effect on our daily lives, our work environments, and day-to-day business operations. In the new year, little has changed.

As the coronavirus outbreak spread worldwide, we became reliant on our household internet connections to keep working.

There are many freelancers and contractors out there who are used to remote work; however, countless employees once based in the office are now left to master the tools available for teleconferencing on their own.

Once, Skype was a key tool for communicating remotely. However, Microsoft's software has been overtaken by Zoom, a video communications platform that many of us at ZDNet consider easier to use, more lightweight, and without the same spam problems.

One of Zoom's key strengths is its simplicity, but this does not mean that the platform is without a variety of advanced features that remote workers will find useful for improving their productivity. Below, we'll show you how to get started, and also offer some tips and tricks that experienced users may be missing out on.

Let's get started: Zoom basics

First of all, head over to Zoom in your browser. The platform is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. The layout will be slightly different depending on whether you are on desktop or mobile.

There are four plans available; the most popular now likely being the free tier, in which virtual meetings can be held with up to 100 participants, 1-on-1 meetings without a time limit are possible, and meetings with multiple participants can be held for up to 40 minutes. (When your time is up, you can simply restart a meeting if need be.)

The free option also allows users to conduct meetings in HD video and with audio, participants can join via their PC or a telephone line, and both desktops and apps can be shared.
Also: Best video conferencing software for business in 2021
Zoom's Pro, Business and Enterprise packages come with additional features, including an increase in meeting duration limits, cloud recording and storage, Skype for Business interoperability, single sign-on options, and company branding.

It is possible to join a meeting just from your browser, but in the interests of longevity and avoiding browser limitations, you should download the application.

Also:

To start using Zoom, make your choice (browser or a direct download) and then sign up. You will be prompted to type in your work email -- but any will do -- or sign in through either Google or Facebook.

At the next prompt, Zoom will ask for permission to send resources including product videos and how-to guides your way. Either click "confirm" or "Set Preferences;" the latter option being to receive emails once a week, once a month, or never. Make your selection.

By now, a confirmation email should have landed in your inbox. Open the message, click "Activate Account" or paste the included confirmation link into your browser, and then at the next prompt, you will need to complete account creation with your name and a strong password.

If you wish, on the next screen, you can invite your colleagues to also create an account. If not, click "Skip this step."

Now you can choose to create a test meeting if you like, as well as add Zoom as an extension. There are various plugins available including a Google Chrome extension, Mozilla Firefox extension, Microsoft Outlook plugin, and IBM Notes plugin. If you will be using Zoom for the foreseeable future for work purposes, you may want to select and install appropriate add-ons now.

Once you've launched your test meeting, you will be met with a screen similar to below, containing the meeting's URL and the option to invite others. We will go through the core features of the meeting system in a moment, but for now, let's head over to the web portal, zoom.us, to make sure that the correct settings are enabled -- and that you know how to create and launch a meeting.

The web portal

On the Zoom website, head to " Your Account" in the top-right to manage your profile.

You can change details under the " Profile" tab such as your name, picture, default meeting ID, password and time zone.
Also: 250+ tips for telecommuting and managing remote workers TechRepublic Premium
Next, head to " Settings." Here, you can adjust settings implemented by default, including whether or not video is automatically enabled when you -- or participants -- join a meeting; and whether or not participants can join a scheduled meeting before the host arrives.

In the interests of security and to prevent scammers from hijacking a meeting, you should make sure you use strong passwords.

Passwords were not always enabled by default, but after Zoom founder Eric Yuan apologized for "falling short of the community's -- and our own -- privacy and security expectations," a rush of security changes were made, including the enabling, by default, of passwords for scheduled, instant, and personal meetings.

Next up is audio type. You can pick telephone and computer audio or one or the other to be automatically permitted. However, given the rapid rise of users, Zoom has warned:

"Due to increased demand, dial-in by phone audio conferencing capabilities may be temporarily removed from free Basic account[s]. During this time, we strongly recommend using our computer audio capabilities."

You can also decide whether or not to allow public and private chats when you host a meeting; you can give permission for files to be transferred, and who can share their screen -- just the host, or participants, too.

There are other, more advanced controls, but these are the main settings you should be aware of for now.

The Zoom desktop app has a similar layout, with "Settings" accessible from the top-right corner. The options you can access here are related to your PC, such as whether or not you want to use dual monitors or automatically enter a full-screen mode when a meeting starts.

You can also test your microphone and speaker setup, choose a color theme, select a default location for recordings, and tweak accessibility controls, among other functions.

With your basic preferences in place, let's go to the " Meetings" tab in your profile.

Scheduling and hosting a meeting

The first screen you will see reveals any scheduled meetings in your diary. Click "schedule a new meeting" and a new screen will appear, in which you can name your meeting, add a description if you want, and choose the date or time.

If this is to be a continual meet up with colleagues, there is a handy " recurring meeting" checkbox under the timezone tab. If you select it, you can then choose how often the meeting needs to be repeated -- whether daily, weekly, and monthly.

Once you have input these details, scroll down and click "save."

The meeting is set, but how do you invite others?
SEE: The future of work: Tools and strategies for the digital workplace (ZDNet/TechRepublic special feature) | Download the free PDF version

(TechRepublic)
The short answer is: you must do so manually. There are two ways to do this: through calendar invites, or via your own email account.

If you wish to invite others through a calendar, links to Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Yahoo Calendar are displayed once your meeting has been saved.

Alternatively, next to the "join URL" link on this screen, there is an option to "copy this invitation."

Clicking on this page element brings up a screen with all of the important information required for the meeting, including the URL, of which the meeting ID is already embedded. Copy this to your clipboard, open your email client, paste the details into a new message, and invite away.

So, in short, all participants need is the meeting URL, date and time, and a password if applicable.

If you want to try out features before bringing other people in, create a test meeting at this stage and select "Start this meeting." Alternatively, you can do exactly the same within the first page of the Zoom desktop app:

The first prompt, in either case, will ask you to join with computer audio if you are on PC, and will also give you the option to test your speaker and microphone. At the top right of the meeting window, you can choose to go full screen.

We are now going to go over the basic settings you need to know about in meetings for management purposes.

Two fundamental options can be found in the bottom-left part of the black menu tab: the option to mute/unmute your microphone and either start/stop your camera. If you are using an external microphone, speaker, or camera, open up the arrow tabs next to these options to choose which equipment you want to use (external or inbuilt).

Moving on, the " Manage Participants" tab is particularly important. Under this tab, you can find " invite," which is useful if you've forgotten to bring someone into a session.

Clicking this option will bring up a box with everyone connected to the meeting. If you hover over a name, you can mute/unmute them, and at the bottom, there are options for doing the same for every participant. In the interests of privacy, however, hosts and other participants cannot control individual camera feeds.

A handy feature to note here under " More" is " lock," which stops anyone else from joining an active session.

Speaker or Gallery view: At the top, you can pick one of two view options -- but this only impacts how you view a meeting, and not others. By default, Active Speaker is the default video layout -- in which the person talking is ramped up to a larger screen -- but there is also a gallery layout that brings in every participant on one screen through a grid.

The " Share Screen" tab has a number of interesting features. When selected, under " Basic," you can choose to share your PC screen with others, including your full desktop, browser, or open applications. There is also a whiteboard option that can be annotated -- we will talk about this more shortly -- and it is possible to share iPhone screens if you are on the move, too.

Under " Advanced," you can share a screen portion, music or sound only, or content from a second, connected camera.

There is also a file-sharing tab under "share screen" (shown under "Files"), which includes application links to Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and Box.

As a host, you can also use the arrow next to the "Share Screen" tab to control whether participants are limited to one screen share at a time, or alternatively, you can give permission for multiple screens to be shared at once.

Now, let's talk about messaging. The " Chat" tab on the main bar is designed for users to type out questions and messages, as well as share files either hosted by cloud storage providers or stored directly on your PC.

As a host, you can also select the "..." button to save a chat session and control who participants can talk to -- no one, the host alone, everyone publicly, or everyone publicly and privately.

The final tab of note is the " Record" option, which you may want to use if you are discussing work matters and want to save the session in order to email a copy of it to others later. By default, no one except the host can record a session unless the host gives permission to do so. (More: Check out TechRepublic's guide to recording Zoom meetings.)

Finally, the " End Meeting" tab finishes the session. If the host needs to leave but the meeting should carry on, they can assign the host status to another participant -- but enabling co-hosts has to be selected first in the "Meetings" tab and can only be selected by subscription holders. Alternatively, you can leave the meeting or end the meeting for all.

Breakout room: split meeting participants into separate, smaller rooms. This can also be done before a meeting begins to prevent logistical problems

Remote support: allows a host to provide 1:1 support to a participant

Camera control: you can allow a participant to take remote control of your camera

Show a "Join from your browser" link: a workaround for users that can't download Zoom software

Invitation languages: You can choose from a variety of languages for meeting invitations, including English, Spanish, French, and Russian.

Virtual backgrounds: enabling/disabling

Waiting room: a feature to keep participants in a 'waiting area' until the host is ready for them -- particularly handy for remote interviews or office hours. This feature is now on as default for education, Basic, and single-license Pro accounts.

The security tab

The company added a "Security" icon for meeting hosts to more easily access settings including lock, waiting room, and remove participants.

Under this tab, scattershot security settings are now clustered together. This includes the "lock meeting" function, whether or not to enable the "waiting room," and participant control -- allowing or disabling screen sharing, chat functions, renaming, and annotating. In addition, you can quickly remove gatecrashers or disruptive participants.

Advanced tips and tricks

Now that the basics have been covered, there is a range of settings and features that more experienced users might want to use.

Let's head back over to the web portal to run through a few options. If you are using the desktop application, you can quickly access this area by going to "Settings" -- > "View More Settings."

Under "Settings," select " In Meeting: Advanced," to find features including:

Webinars

If you have a Pro, Business, or Enterprise plan, you can take advantage of the webinars option. Webinars can be set up that broadcast to up to 10,000 view-only attendees at a time. Screens, video, and audio can be shared; chat sessions between attendees and panelists can be hosted, and webinars can be run on either a pre-registration or open basis.

Virtual Backgrounds

Virtual backgrounds can be used to hide the chaos and clutter of your home. There are specific hardware requirements, which can be accessed here. Most modern PC setups should be able to manage -- but the virtual background works best with a green screen and uniform lighting.

Keep your meeting links off social media

Choose "only host" for screen sharing control during a meeting

Only allow signed-in users to join a meeting

Use the "lock" feature to prevent random users from joining in. You might also want to consider using the Waiting Room.

If you are gatecrashed, hover over the user's name in the Participants menu to bring up a "remove" option.

To set up a virtual background, go to the desktop app, "Settings," and choose "Virtual Background." You will be prompted to download a virtual background package -- just once -- and then you can try out different screens or add your own image/video instead. You may see a warning that says your hardware isn't good enough -- but give it a go, anyway.

Once you've enabled and selected a virtual background, while in a meeting, you can toggle them off/on next to the "Stop Video" tab.

Whiteboards

Permitting meeting hosts to configure minimum meeting password requirements

Changing the 9-digit setup for randomly-generated meeting IDs to 10 or 11 digits

Removing Facebook's iOS SDK client to stop unnecessary data collection

Implementing new ways to deal with gatecrashers

Resolving vulnerabilities in the Zoom installer and Windows client

Using personal meeting IDs (PMIs) can now be disabled

Showing profile pictures can be disabled

An expiration date for cloud recordings can be set, as well as whether or not they can be shared

Earlier, we mentioned the " whiteboard" option under the " Share Screen" tab. This is a useful option if you are canvassing ideas or soliciting feedback and it comes with different annotation options, including text boxes, arrows, and more. The "spotlight" is a form of highlighter which can be used to bring user attention to a particular area or point.

What about Zoom gatecrashers?

When software is popular, scammers come out of the woodwork to try and find a way to capitalize. Zoom is no different; the appearance of scammers jumping into unprotected meetings and posting malicious links and pornography has given rise to the phrase "Zoom-bombing."

The problem has become common enough for Zoom to publish a guide on how to prevent gatecrashers from disrupting your meetings, including pointers such as:

Zoom security

Since the video conferencing software's popularity exploded due to COVID-19, the vendor has been working on improving the security of the software, together with the help of researchers and security experts.

The company has introduced a range of new measures, including:

When screen sharing, the "optimize option" is especially useful when sharing YouTube and other online videos as it can prevent distortion, lagging, and buffering issues.

Hot Keys and keyboard shortcuts are available for Mac and Windows machines. A full list can be found here.

Meeting times: If you are experiencing connection issues at peak times, consider scheduling a meeting at times other than on-the-hour or on a half-hour.

Need training for specific purposes, such as for education? Zoom offers over 30 live training sessions per week.

If you need additional technical support, Zoom has an online help center.

Zoom plugins and integrations

Double-check meeting default settings

Test your audio and video as you join

Use a USB-connected headset

Mute your microphone when not speaking

Position your webcam properly

If hosting, connect from a large screen

For best results, use the app and not a browser

Use a stable/wired connection

Join meetings in quiet areas

To extend the video platform's functionality, Zoom offers a variety of plugins and extensions to make meeting scheduling and joining more convenient. At present, there is a Microsoft Outlook extension, Chrome browser extension, Mozilla Firefox add-on, Skype for Business plugin, and IBM Notes plugin available.

The guides for each are below:

Zoom Rooms

Zoom Rooms is a more advanced software offering available as a $49 per month subscription. (There is also a 30-day free trial.) Zoom Rooms, an option for business owners, combines audio conferencing, video conferencing, and wireless screen sharing. A PC running Zoom Rooms is the bare minimum requirement, but iPads, TV displays, and external speakers, cameras, microphones can all be integrated within one room.

You can find the Rooms client and controller software (iOS, Android, or Windows) in the Zoom Download Center.

Additional points

Zoom's best practices

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The complete Zoom guide: From basic help to advanced tricks | ZDNet

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Offices closed. Travel was restricted. Employers scrambled to knock together hasty virtual setups and access to corporate networks for workers required to work from home. At the beginning of 2020, few predicted that the spread of would have such an effect on our daily lives, our work environments, and day-to-day business operations.

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Here are some activities that toddlers can do with household items. This is helping the child with their four domains. As well these activities can be done with children up to five y/o depending on the activity.

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These Cheap Toddler Activities are perfect for keeping young kids entertained without spending a ton of money! Most can be done using things you probably already have around the house! Do them indoors in the winter or outside in the summer.
Hi friends!

Back in January, I wrote a post about Indoor Activities for Toddlers and it was a big hit! I intended it to be helpful during the cold winter months but it actually got more popular this summer when it was too hot to go outside. Over the summer, I started keeping track of some of the activities we did and thought I'd put them all together in another post in case you're looking for some inspiration. Most of these activities could be done inside or outside and the best part is they're cheap! Nothing fancy needed- in fact you could probably do most of them with things you already have laying around the house!

Ready? Here we go!

Baking soda and vinegar volcanos
This is a classic little science activity that Squish had a lot of fun with. We put water in a cup with a squirt of dish soap and a little bit of washable paint (not necessary, just adds some color). Then we stirred in a scoop or two of baking soda. And finally, we poured in some vinegar and watched it bubble over. Vinegar and baking soda were both already in my pantry but if you don't have them on hand, they're easy to find and very inexpensive.

No specific measurements are needed here. I'm sure you'll be doing it more than once, so just play around with how much baking soda and vinegar you need. The best part is he could do this pretty much all himself and I just had to supervise!

Cardboard Box Transformations
If your house is anything like ours, you probably have no shortage of cardboard boxes lying around. Almost every box that enters our home now gets transformed into something else. Smaller boxes can be taped or glued together to make robots (along with some things from your recycling bin!). Bigger boxes are great to turn into space ships, trains, airplanes (basically any vehicle. Use scissors to cut wings, etc and then let the kids go to town decorating with crayons, markers or paint. If you have extra large boxes, transform them into a fort or clubhouse!

Added bonus? If you get on a roll and do a lot of stamping, cut some of the artwork into cards and use them as homemade stationary for thank you notes, birthday cards, etc!

Popsicle Stick Puzzles
Draw simple pictures across 4-5 popsicle sticks. Then scramble them up and let the kiddos try to put them back together to form the picture. Added bonus - you can make these double sided. You can also use popsicle sticks to practice counting, etc!

Photo Scavenger Hunt
Dig up an old camera or hand them your phone and send them on a mission to take pictures of various objects around the house or outside. Tell them to find "something green" or "a tree" or "a circle". Then let them take a photo once they find it.

See some ideas that caught your eye? Pin this post and share with friends!

[clickToTweet tweet="Looking for some new activities to entertain your toddler without breaking the bank? " quote="Looking for some new activities to entertain your toddler without breaking the bank?"]

Let's chat:
What are your favorite inexpensive activities to do with the kiddos? Leave them in the comments so we can all try them out!

Enjoy!
-Lindsay-

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These Cheap Toddler Activities are perfect for keeping young kids entertained without spending a ton of money! Most can be done using things you probably already have around the house! Do them indoors in the winter or outside in the summer. Hi friends!

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This is a document that shows various programs/organizations that can help parents find housing.

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Animated videos and quizzes for children to interact with their learning.

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Animated videos and quizzes for children to interact with their learning.

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It is an application that can be downloaded on

Apple iOS 11 and later

Android Lollipop (5.1.1) and later

Windows 10 mobile device

Apple Mac

Windows PC

It is an interactive application that allows the child to complete lessons. Quizzes are offered throughout the lesson as the lessons are packed with information on the subject. This supports a child's socio-emotional and language development. Languages include English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin. They have closed captioning for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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Access BrainPOP's award-winning animated movies, activities and quizzes made by educators and replace your kids' passive screen time with active, enriched learning.

Start your free trial today to access content for grades 3-8 across all subjects. BrainPOP Family is a research-backed learning platform created by educators that know how kids learn best, and perfect for age-appropriate, independent learning.

Start watching, learning, playing and growing with us!

Terms of Use: http://www.brainpop.com/about/terms_of_use/
Privacy Policy: http://www.brainpop.com/about/privacy_policy/
User Agreement: http://www.brainpop.com/about/user_agreement/

- We've updated our app with a brand new look and feel!
- Optimized for portrait, landscape, and multitasking on iPadOS
- New content discovery pathways highlighting recent updates, top movies, and editorial collections curated by grade level
- New family accounts let parents and kids access BrainPOP on any platform with their app subscription
- New child profiles to show activity and comprehension for each child

Editors' Notes

Students and knowledge-seekers will love learning about a huge range of topics with this fantastic educational app. Spanning everything from global warming to the art of Frida Kahlo, BrainPOP's animated movies pack a ton of information into just a few minutes, using a conversational style that's easy to understand. And because each movie is followed by a quiz that records grades, teachers can ensure students understand the material. With dozens of free movies and hundreds more available with a paid subscription, BrainPOP Featured Movie is an excellent resource for any classroom.

A very great game!!!

Brain Pop is a very great game. It teaches you stuff in an easy and fun way! It helps me with some of my problems and upcoming problems. One thing I don't understand is how to make your own account but they have movies for free that are amazing to watch to! This game is very great and I recommend if you kid wants it or if you want it for your kid than you should get it! Tim and Moby always make me laugh and have a great time on the device. This way when your kids are on the device they are not playing some silly game or anything they are actually learning stuff! My dad loves when I do math but sometimes I don't want to do it in a book because not a lot of books make it fun so sometimes I go on the device, go on BrainPOP and learn that subject from there! 😌

BrainPOP is the best game ever !

This app has helped me learn so much about everything and also raise my grades. I'm now definitely the first one to answer the questions in school and I always get them correct. I think this app would make you, your child/children and your family know a few more things than before. There are also some more versions of this app, but I love this version the best. Tim and Moby are really funny to listen to and watch. There are captions for what they are saying in case it's noisy, if you prefer to read what is being said, or have trouble hearing. Overall, this app is pure awesomeness and doesn't glitch.

The developer, BrainPOP®, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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‎Access BrainPOP's award-winning animated movies, activities and quizzes made by educators and replace your kids' passive screen time with active, enriched learning. Start your free trial today to access content for grades 3-8 across all subjects. BrainPOP Family is a research-backed learning platf...

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Children looking for videos appropriate for their age which supports their Cognitive, emotional, language, and physical development. Supported languages include English, Spanish, Danish, Hindi, Punjabi, Cantonese, Japanese, etc.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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For those who feel overwhelmed and stressed this meditation podcast can nurture your emotional development as well as cognition! All you need is to listen and meditate (Available only in English).

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Guided meditations are offered freely by Tara Brach, Ph.D, psychologist, author and teacher of meditation, emotional healing and spiritual awakening.

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Joyful Living with Toddlers blog by Amanda Adams

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Joyful Living with Toddlers blog by Amanda Adams

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Families with toddlers/Parents who seek tips on parenting. This supports parent's emotional and physical well-being. All of the blogs are text and pictures /English