Connect with Your Kids – 10 Easy Tips for Family Game Time

For an easy and FUN way to connect with your kids, try setting aside a little time to play some games together as a family. To help get you started, Joyce from Childhood Beckons and I got together to share some of our best tips to turn game time into cherished family memories. We hope […]

How to Make a Doll Clipboard and Pencil Set

It’s official — Emily has inherited my love for office supplies! Know what’s cuter than office supplies?? MINI office supplies!! What I love about this project is that Emily (now 8 yrs old) could make the little clipboard and pencil set for her dolls with very little help from me, and she was inspired to […]

10 Simple Pleasures for Cherished Childhood Memories

1. Brighten the walkway with some Sidewalk Chalk Stencils.   2. Kids LOVE dirt!! Create an outdoor Mud Pie Kitchen for hours of messy pretend play fun.   3. Bubbles are sure to make everyone smile!   4. Grab a roll of pennies, and visit a local water fountain to Make Lots of Wishes.   5. Go shopping for […]

Special Storytime

For a GREAT time, pack up some of your favorite books, a few tasty snacks, and a picnic blanket. Visit your favorite park for some outdoor storytime fun and make some lovely memories with your kids!! Stories don’t always have to be read indoors, you know. Extra bonus points if your books happen to be […]

Spring Crafts — 5 Simple Flower Crafts for Kids

Spring Crafts for Kids 1. Create a a Cheerful Flower Window Display!   2. Craft a Spring Tree Mural using flower-shaped sticky notes!   3. Stamp your own hyacinth picture with the help of a cork!   4. Use items you probably have on-hand to make a 3-D Spring Art project!   5. Get the […]

Sunday Snapshot — It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane!

It’s….. SUPER CLARA!!!! Wishing you and your family a lovely weekend!!

10 Ideas to Foster Creative Play with Your Kids

Looking for some inspiring ways to promote creative play with your little ones?? Here are some of our favorite screen-free, simple, imaginative playtime activities for kids that won’t break the bank! 1. My kiddos have enjoyed hours of imaginative play with Story Stones and Sidewalk Scenes. Lots of creative storytelling fun!   2. Learn a […]

Colorful Bird Card Craft

The girls and I had lots of fun crafting up these colorful bird cards to mail to their grandparents! Added bonus — this is a no mess craft!! Yay for crafts with very little clean up!!! Emily and Clara cut up some paper cupcake liners to form the birds. 1/2 a cupcake liner makes the […]

5 Festive Easter Crafts for Kids

1. Tiny Easter Baskets — Easter baskets are cute. Tiny Easter Baskets are ADORABLE!!!   2. Super Easy Last-Minute Carrot Card — Made with finger prints.   3. Easter Egg Thumbprint Card — with free printable!   4. Spring Chick Card — You won’t believe what we used to paint these Spring chicks.   5. […]

Cherry Blossoms

I think cherry blossoms are such a beautiful first sign of Spring, BUT — I’m terribly allergic to them. Boo!!! Thankfully, the girls and I crafted up some “allergy-free” cherry blossoms to enjoy in our home. They are so bright and cheerful!! The girls gathered up some sticks from our yard (Oooo….yardwork and craft project […]

7 Creepy Crawly Crafts for Kids

Happy SPRING!!!! The girls were so excited to see some bugs at the playground this afternoon — a sign of warmer weather! Here are some of our favorite crafts to celebrate….. bugs!   1. Creepy Crawly Seek n Find — Recycle a clear plastic container to make your own Seek n Find toy.   2. […]

10 Awesome Ways to Make Cleaning FUN for Kids

It’s time for some Spring cleaning, so why not make it fun?? I asked some of the most creative moms in the blogosphere to share their best tips for keeping the kiddos motivated to help out around the house. These mamas make cleaning time seem like a blast! Pretend Play — 1. “Dress up like […]

Meet Melissa Twitter Party

Pst! Hey.. did you hear the news?? Our lovely friends from Melissa & Doug are hosting a Twitter Party to chat about play time fun, give away prizes, AND…. guess who will be there…. tweeting with the tweeps…… on Twitter?? Melissa!!!!! Yes, yes…… THE Melissa!!!  ***squeal*** I know, right?! Totally awesome. Did you know that Melissa […]

Pantry Boredom Buster

Emily kept herself happily occupied by crafting up several rainbow necklaces using a few items from the pantry — some colored cereal, and some cotton kitchen twine. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! To make the beading a bit easier, I added some tape to the end of the string (almost like a shoelace). Beading is […]

5 Fun St. Patrick’s Day Crafts for Kids

1. No Mess Pot O’ Gold Craft — All the fun of crafting without the mess!   2. Capture those little thumbprints with a festive St. Patrick’s Day card!   3. Pillow Boxes — Save some empty paper towel rolls to make these pretty treat boxes.   4. Turn your walkway into a leprechaun trap […]

5 Spring Crafts to Make You Smile

Are you tired of Winter? Is Spring not arriving quickly enough for you?? Then it’s time to take matters into your own hands with these five easy Spring crafts for kids that are sure to make you smile! 1. Colorful Spring Branch Craft — A beautiful way to welcome Spring, and even the littlest crafters […]

It’s A Circus In Here!

During a recent trip to the local thrift store, I happened to spot these adorable vintage handmade wooden animals. They were begging to be used for some pretend circus play! I was about to create a little printable circus tent for you to download and print out your own, but the very nice folks over […]

10 Creative Ways to Make Time for Your Kids

For many busy parents, finding quality time to be with their kids can be a big challenge. I asked some of the busiest moms in the blogosphere to share their BEST tips for squeezing in quality time with their kids. You’ll notice how many of these busy moms don’t just “find” time to spend with […]