Useful Links and Resources

Below is a collection of local resources and websites that your family might find fun or useful. For even more resources, check out these Pinterest boards.

We cannot be responsible for websites other than our own. Additional links can be found in other categories (such as "Feeding" and "Nutrition").

Health and Development

 

• CPR classes: CPR classes for both healthcare providers and non-healthcare providers are listed on Kansas City First Aid.

• Parents As Teachers

  Did you know your school district has a free parent information program for parents of infants to 3 years? This is called Parents As Teachers, and we find it to be a valuable resource for new parents.

  Call your school district for more information:

  Gardner 913-856-3035 
  DeSoto 636-586-1008 
  Shawnee Mission 913-993-9380 
  Olathe 913-780-8106 
  Blue Valley 913-239-4400

• NoseFrida: A nasal aspirator that really works from Fridababy! Available at local and online retailers.
• Saline Irrigation: For those unsure of how to use saline irrigation, visit Nasopure for demonstration videos. Some are even young kids doing it themselves! The site also includes instructions for teaching kids of various ages how to use irrigation.
• Stop the Spread of Germs: Henry the Hand has information for kids of all ages (and their parents) regarding ways to stop the spread of germs.
• Mental Health:
  • For general information on mental health topics, such as depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, children of divorce, and more, visit Mental Health America.
  • If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts, please visit Suicide.org.
• Autism News: Autism Science Foundation
• Sports Injury Prevention: STOP Sports Injuries — a coalition of many organizations dedicated to helping prevent sports injuries.
• Sport Support: Changing the Game Project helps parents support their student athletes in a healthy way.
• Girls Health: This is a SUPER site for girls! Topics include nutrition, illness, feelings, exercise, bullying, and more. Visit GirlsHealth.
• Fitness/Nutrition/Weight Loss: Camp Jump Start is a summer camp for 9-17 year olds that promotes a healthy lifestyle and weight loss.
• WebMD offers a slideshow of common childhood illnesses
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine offers many resources for choosing and evaluating complementary and alternative medicine health resources.
• UpToDate is a resource for physicians, and they now offer FREE patient information. Search their database of symptoms and conditions.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics sponsors HealthyChildren.org, a great resource for parents.
• Proper Hand Washing, Teeth Brushing and Other Hygiene Practices is a wonderful collection of websites for parents and kids from Dental One Associates of Virginia.
• A list of their top 100 special needs resources is found on PhDinSpecialEducation.

Children's Legislation for health, education, and improving kids' lives

• Kansas Action for Children:Stay informed and know facts about policies that are on the legislative agenda that affect health, education, and the lives of children and their families. Visit Kansas Action for Children.

Educational Sites for Kids

• Khan Academy offers many (MANY!) lessons, lectures, and online classes for FREE. 
• Starfall is a free site that teaches reading readiness and early reading
• The AR BookFinder helps you search for reading-level appropriate books on many topics by interests
• Story Snoops: Another book search site that offers books by age and subject or keyword
• Book Connect is offered through the Kansas Department of Education, and allows searches of titles, authors, subjects, and genres
• Librarians have put together a list of great websites for kids: Visit KidsClick
• Math Fact Cafe
• Multiplication.com
• FunBrain
• More math help can be found at the KhanAcademy
• Try Science offers games, videos, and information about science centers worldwide
• For a list of many science websites, visit Selected Science Web Sites for Primary School Students
• National Geographic for Kids
• PBS Kids
• FactMonster has many references and information for kids
• Charters of Freedom archives the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights
• The Smilestones is a site to learn about healthy teeth!
• The American Dental Hygienists' Association's Kid pages contains more healthy tooth education
• Need a good book? Check out ABookandAHug
• Online homework help from CommonSenseMedia: search "homework"

Nutrition

See also specific pages on our nutrition page.
 

• Zis Boom Bah: Click here for a fun site that allows kids to "build" a meal and learn about nutrition.
• Great Grub Club: Click here for games, food facts, fitness fun, and more.
• Passport to Nutrition: Click here for more information, games, and videos on nutrition.
• The Food Guide Pyramid has been replaced by MyPlate. Click here!
• Dietary Supplement information: From the National Library of Medicine: Click here.
• Nutrition Data: Click here for checking the nutritional information on all foods and to calculate your BMI and caloric needs.
• Help plan healthy family meals with an online recipe planner that plans your own shopping list to make life easier! Click here (subscription required after free trial)
• CAMP JUMP START is a summer camp for 9-17 year olds that promotes a healthy lifestyle and weight loss. Click here for details.

Safety

• Family Watchdog: This site allows you to register to be notified when sex offenders move into your neighborhood.
• Kids Against Bullying: Click for a kid-friendly site about bullying.
• Common Sense Media is a website that helps parents decide age appropriate media for their children, including books, movies, and games.
• Safety Net: For Internet safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: Laws regarding bicycle helmet use, best helmets to buy (not always the most expensive!), research on helmets, and more are on this site.Click here.
• CPR classes for both healthcare providers and non-healthcare providers are listed on this site from Kansas City First Aid. Click here.
• Poison Control Center: Call 1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the US or click here.
• Register your car seat here. For other car seat safety tips and information, see our Car Seat page.

Parent Stuff

• Text4Baby: During pregnancy, sign up for free weekly texts to help you through pregnancy and baby's first year.
• Baby Buffer was developed by the Kansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics for parents with babies and toddlers. 
• Traveling with kids? JetwithKids is a great resource!
• Talk to your kids about sex... most parents dread it, but all parents must do it. See Parents and Kids Talking.
• Divorce, shared custody help on Our Family Wizard.
• See our Daycare and Camp page for help finding childcare
• KC Metro Moms, Macaroni Kid, and KCParent are websites with many things to do with your kids, coupons, and more.
• Learn discipline methods on Positive Parenting.
• ZerotoThree is a great resource on discipline, behavior, development, and more for kids 0-3 years
• Tufts University offers The WebGuide, a directory that evaluates, describes, and provides links to hundreds of sites (child development and practical advice). 
• Education.com has more resources (parenting, health, school/education, college issues, and more!)
• Sleep tips for kids and their parents is found on Sleep for Kids.
• Colic information,  see The Period of Purple Crying.
• The Alcohol Addiction Center has many resources for alcoholics and their families.

Teens

• General:
  • Teens Health: A search-able database for multiple topics from health, school, work, safety, sexual topics, and more.
  • TeenCentral: Teen help covering many topics, including a help line, pod casts, links, and more.
  • If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts, please click here!
  • Suicide Prevention Resources: More resources for suicide, depression, general mental health: click here.
  • Grown and Flown is a blog for parenting teens and young adults.
  • Information on Teen Binge Drinking from the Alcohol Addiction Center.
• College planning:
  • Next Step Magazine: college, career, and life planning publications for life after high school.
  • Quintessential Careers: Resources about college and major choices, financial aid, and more.
  • Parents need to help older teens prepare for emergencies. See our Teen Page for more. 
• Safety/Drugs/Alcohol:
  • US Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA has a database for drug and alcohol information, click here.
  • Above the Influence is a site with many facts about drugs, alcohol, depression, addiction, and more. Click here for details.
  • The Alcohol Addiction Center has many resources.

American Academy of Pediatrics Parent Information

• For more helpful information on children's health visit the Healthy Children website.

Create a card for a child admitted to Children's Mercy: click here.