These playful ways to connect with your kids on weekday mornings are simple to set up, easy to clean up afterwards, and only require a couple of minutes to do! Weekday mornings are notorious for being a busy and hectic time — especially once the school year begins. Thankfully, with just a bit of planning the […]
Fun Crafts and Activities for Kids Ages 8-12
February 20, 2014 by
Here are 10 fun crafts and activities for kids ages 8-12 that are sure to delight! These projects can be a great way to connect with your kids, spend time together, and learn something new. Best of all, they don’t cost a lot of money, and many of these make fantastic handmade gifts for family […]
Freezer Meals for the Busy Holiday Season
December 16, 2013 by
It’s game time! We are in the fast-paced countdown to the end of the year. You are being pulled in every direction: school concerts, cookie exchanges, gift shopping and wrapping, visits to Santa, but who’s in charge of dinner? Oh yeah, that’d be you too. Freezer meals to the rescue! If you’re anything like me, […]
Teaching Empathy To Children Through Volunteering
May 18, 2013 by
We all want our little ones to learn to read and write, to know the difference between right and wrong, to be confident and self-assured, but most of all parents want their children to be happy and healthy. Teaching your child to experience empathy is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your […]
5 Story Books About Kids in the Kitchen
April 22, 2013 by
Do your kids like to help in the kitchen? Here are some inspiring story books to read to (or with) your child that feature kids playing an active role in the cooking process, or exploring the world around them through food. Afterwards, try making a snack together — whether it’s popping popcorn or baking an […]
5 Ways to Make Old Toys Seem Like New
April 18, 2013 by
Getting the most play value out of the toys your kids already have doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort. Here are some easy ways to make old toys seem like new! These tips can help teach kids to appreciate the things they already own, and promote plenty of imaginative playtime fun. […]
Quick Tip — Eat Your Rainbow!
March 6, 2013 by
Here’s a quick tip to get kids to eat healthy vegetables and inspire them to try new foods too! Eat your rainbow! Getting children to enjoy whole, raw healthy veggies isn’t so hard if you start introducing them early, and often, and in various preparations, as to find out what textures or preferences they may […]
5 Simple Tips to Try with a Picky Eater
February 28, 2013 by
Once upon a time, I gave birth to two very healthy bouncing baby boys. They were pretty good eaters and meals/menus never produced an argument regardless of what was being served. They ate a lot of amazing foods and it wasn’t abnormal to hear my oldest order salmon and broccoli when we were out to […]
5 Biggest Obstacles to Crafting with Kids
January 28, 2013 by
The 5 Biggest Obstacles to Crafting with Kids (and how to overcome them) If you ever experience problems while crafting with your kids, you’re not alone. While crafting with my own kids, writing crafts for this blog and designing crafts for children’s magazines over the years, I have come across many issues. Thankfully, most of […]
Funny Kid Quotes
January 26, 2013 by
Funny Kid Quotes Do you need a good laugh? Here are some funny kid quotes from my silly little ones to help brighten your day. Overheard from the living room one day. 4yr old (piling stuffed animals on the couch): Come on, kids! It’s time to go to IKEA. Vrrooom… Vrrrroooommmm… 8 yr old: What’s […]
Help Your Kids Set Goals for the New Year
January 2, 2013 by
New Year’s resolutions are not just for the grownups! Kids benefit greatly from setting, working towards and achieving their own New Year’s goals. Big or small! A list of questions can help guide your child through their own thoughts on their goals and give you a wonderful way to ‘take a picture’ of their personality […]
10 Virtually Instant Ways to Improve Play
August 15, 2012 by
Are you stuck in a playtime rut? Looking for some ways to foster creativity and imagination through play? Are you short on time?? If so, here are ten of our favorite ways to improve play time with your kids instantly and without spending money! 1. Go outside! — Playing indoors is always fun, but taking […]
Connect with Your Kids: Camping …or Camp-In??
July 21, 2012 by
Do your kids crave a camping adventure? Whether you’re planning a trip to the great outdoors, or pitching camp in your own backyard, Joyce from Childhood Beckons and I got together to share some simple camping activities to keep the kids entertained! Tasty Camping Treats Banana Boats — Whip up a tasty campfire treat! Make […]
Building Fairy Houses
June 18, 2012 by
Just as I was about to tackle the pile of dirty dishes in the sink, the girls asked if they could do some crafting. Well! They didn’t have to twist my arm!! Those dishes can wait. Instead, I put together a super-quick, CUTE, tiny, fairy house building kit for them. It’s made with some leftover […]
Happy Father’s Day!
June 17, 2012 by
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. – Bill Cosby My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.’” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.” – Harmon Killebrew Happy is the father whose child […]
Ice Cream in a Bag
June 5, 2012 by
Making your own ice cream in a bag is definitely a great activity to include on your list of What To Do With The Kids This Summer!! It’s super quick (takes about 5 minutes) and it’s VERY easy to do! Also? Super FUN!!! And the smiles totally made my day! Then there was the taste […]
More Tips to Make Cleaning Fun
June 2, 2012 by
Clara and I had a lot of cleaning to get done this week, so we filmed a short video with parenting tips to show how we make cleaning fun. You can watch it on our NEW YouTube channel. — 5 Ways to Make Cleaning Fun for Kids Pst! Be sure to click on the “subscribe” button […]
What To Do With The Kids This Summer — 10 Simple Ideas
May 14, 2012 by
Summer is quickly approaching, and you may be looking for ideas on what to do with the kids once they are off from school. Here are some of our favorite kid crafts, activities, and ideas for Summer fun with the kids: 1. DIY Sponge Bombs — perfect for an impromptu sponge bomb bucket toss game! […]
