Lowe's is having a FREE Kid's Build & Grow Clinic this weekend that you won't want to miss! Your kids can build their very own Monster Jam® Grave Digger® Truck!
Every child who participates will get to complete this project for FREE at the workshop, plus they'll get a free Apron and a patch.
Many nights when I'm putting my kids to sleep, I ask them to tell me 3 things they are grateful for. It's a moment to focus on our happy moments and the little things in life that really matter. We don't remember to do this every night, but when we do, it's always very special. If my sons are ever reluctant to share, I'll go first and tell them what I'm grateful for, then, they usually quickly chime in with their own answers. It's such a nice way to end the day and it helps me recognize the things in their life that are really important to them.
There is actually quite a bit of research that shows the positive effects of this simple routine. Renee Jain, a certified coach of positive psychology, says "One of the most well-known practices uncovered from this research is known as the Three Blessings exercise.
Each night before going to bed you write down three good things (ordinary or extraordinary) that happened to you during the day. Studies reveal those who continue this exercise for one week straight can increase their happiness and decrease depressive symptoms for up to a six-month period." (source)
How do you teach your children to be grateful?
Check out this article on PsychologyToday.com: Gratitude is Good Attitude: Teach your children to be grateful and they will lead happier lives
Do you do anything to practice gratitude with your children?
Hello, there! After nearly a whole week of no blog updates, I feel like I should have something phenomenal to share with you... something big! But, sometimes, being a Mom, Wife, Sister Daughter & Friend takes precedence over all else.
Nothing extraordinary has happened. I was sick. My son was sick. We had snow, school and sports, of course. We were celebrating two very important birthdays with family. Then, there's all the everyday 'mom' stuff like work, cleaning, taking care of the kids, and the never ending task of matching socks!
Now, we're all healthy and we're getting ready for Valentine's Day! I got some super cute Valentine cards from Shutterfly for my kids to hand out at school. Both of my kids wanted the orange cards which made me really happy. In the photo below, I blocked out my son's name and photo, but you can still see how cute they are. I love these personalized cards and I think they go perfectly with a little clementine. It's a nice, healthy, non-candy Valentine treat!
What do you think? Do you have your kids' Valentine's cards ready or are you going to whip something up at the last minute?
I will definitely be posting more this week. See you then!
Valentine's day is on my mind right now and I know a lot of moms are wondering what they can do to celebrate with their kids. If you're anything like me, you want to celebrate, but you also want it to be EASY!
I've been checking out lots of kid-friendly blogs and trying to find some fun and unique Valentine's Day activities and snack ideas. Even though I could write a post with a ton of different links, I thought it would be easier to give you ONE link!
Just head on over to my Valentine's Day Ideas Pinterest board. This is my own personal library for all of my favorite V-day ideas including many Valentine's Snack Ideas for Kids! As I find new ideas, I'll be pinning them there, so be sure to follow me on Pinterest.
If you know of a kid-friendly Valentine idea, just leave me a comment below and I'll pin it!
Is it just me, or do all the things in your house seem to break at the same time. We've been spending way too much time at Home Depot recently, but, luckily, it gave me a chance to pick up a few paint chips for a quick little Valentine craft.
I got the idea for this craft when I saw Valentine bookmarks on Pinterest. I decided to change them up a bit and make heart shape bookmarks instead. This is how to make them:
Choose a paint chip in whatever color you like. Since we're so close to Valentine's Day, I chose pretty shades of pink.
Take a heart cookie cutter or stencil and trace out your hearts.
Cut out your heart. Punch a hole in the corner. I prefer to use a hole punch that makes a smaller circle, because it's a little more discrete. Then, cut a piece of ribbon and pull it through.
This project is really easy, inexpensive and I think the results are super cute. Mel, the Crafty Scientist has an amazing Pinterest board full of very creative Paint Chip Crafts. Are you getting crafty this Valentine's day or making it simple and using store bought cards?
There are so many inspiring quotes out there, but this one (shown right) really touched my heart. It's almost Valentine's day and love is in the air, but nothing is more precious that Unconditional Love.
Unconditional love is known as affection without any limitations. Each area of expertise has a certain way of describing unconditional love, but most will agree that it is that type of love which has no bounds and is unchanging. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is more frequently used to describe love between lovers. By contrast, unconditional love is frequently used to describe love between family members, comrades in arms and between others in highly committed relationships. An example of this is a parent's love for their child; no matter a test score, a life changing decision, an argument, or a strong belief, the amount of love that remains between this bond is seen as unchanging and unconditional.
There are so many Valentine themed events going on this time of year to help you connect with your kids.
Check the Best Blogs for Local Fun to see what's going on in your area.
It's official, an early spring is on its way! Pennsylvania's own "Punxsutawney Phil" emerged from his dwelling at Gobbler's Knob this morning and did not see his shadow.
How did the Groundhog Day legend come to be? According to the The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club:
Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. Myths such as this tie our present to the distant past when nature did, indeed, influence our lives. It is the day that the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.
If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole.
If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.
Here's a really easy Groundhog Day song for kids to brighten up the day.
Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks for stopping by to check out this week's Kid's Co-op! As I look outside at the snow covered ground, it's no surprise that Snowman Crafts and Activities were popular this week. Here are a few easy snowman themed kid crafts that I want to highlight: Shredded Paper Snowmen, Hole Punch Math Snowman, Roll a Monster Snowman and Cotton Swab Snowman Painting .
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When I started this website, I knew it was going to be a labor of love, but I never would have guessed that 2.5 years later, I'd still be at it. It has definitely evolved over the years, and I'm pretty sure the best has yet to come.
As I was watching the weather last night, I saw that much of America is incredibly COLD right now! Honestly, I don't think the word "cold" does it justice. It is frigid, bitter, and intense here in the Philadelphia suburbs. I decided to do a quick search and see what other posts I had written about the snow, and I found one that was perfect to share again. It's about snow safety and kids.
Back when I wrote this, my kids were 2 years younger, and the mere thought of being out in the snow was enough send shivers down my spine. I feel like I've definitely toughened up since then. Maybe that's what being the mom of boys does to you, (or maybe I just bought a warmer coat.) Whatever the case may be, playing outside in weather like this can be fun as long as you know how to stay safe. Continue here to read Kid's Safety and Snow Play.
Welcome to this week's Kid's Co-op! This week, there were 3 new activities that caught my eye: Snowstorm in a Bag by JDaniel4's Mom, Controlled Fizz by Life with Moore Babies and Crystalized Snowflakes by Gift of Curiosity. These are fun ways to introduce simple science concepts to your child and have fun too.
Do you have any other ideas for simple science projects or easy activities for kids? If so, link them up or leave a comment below!
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Isn't it funny how things come around full circle? I originally posted this last January, but since we're in a rainy, dreary slump here in the Philadelphia suburbs, I thought I'd re-post for all the other families that are going a bit stir crazy and trying to beat the winter blues!
You know those rainy, snowy, foggy days where you really need to keep busy in order to maintain any sanity? It's so easy to just let the kids watch t.v. all afternoon or play video games. But, I really try to make a conscious effort to keep those things limited and get everyone focused on other activities. I'm not saying that it always works. But, here are 15 ideas to get us through more of these long winter days....
1) Craft with recycled materials or other things you already have at home. I recently found this Jellyfish in a bottle (shown to the right) on Pinterest. My sons also loved creating sculptures with styrofoam and pipe cleaners. Crafts such as DIY Snowflake Window Clings, Recycling your Crayons are easy and fun. Plus, you probably already have the supplies around the house.
2) Make paper snowflakes out of recycled paper or coffee filters.
3) Do some simple science experiments. Bill Nye the Science Guy also has many kid-friendly science experiments listed here.
4) Make a contact paper collage.
5) Make a sensory box filled with colored rice. Or search Google for other great sensory box ideas.
6) Make clay or play dough out of a few simple ingredients that you have in your pantry. You can even make your own colorful clay by adding a few drops of food coloring.
7) Go to your local library for some good books and a change of scenery. Continue here to read: Ten reasons why your local library is perfect place for indoor fun.
8) Make sock puppets with some of your mismatched socks and things you find around the house.
9) An afternoon bath can be so much fun. Gather up all of their race cars and have a 'car wash' in the bath tub, have a barbie pool party or play with other water toys. Or check out more activities on the Bath Activities for Kids website.
10) Check the Best Blogs for Local Fun to see what's going on in your area. Escape to an indoor play ground, bowling alley, mall or museum.
11) Make a bird feeder. Here are 5 easy ideas for DIY Bird feeders.
12) Snuggle up and read books. "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." - Emilie Buchwald
13) Take masking tape and create your own giant maze on the rug or a new race track for your kids' hot wheels.
14) Make a special treat like these Valentine Pops, Raspberry Bars or Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins.
15) Call a neighbor or friend and have them join you for some indoor fun.
Do you have any other ideas? Leave a comment below.
If your child decides they want an Angry Bird themed birthday party don't panic! There are so many places to get inspiration and this is a great place to start. I found 15 fantastic places to get decorating ideas, party games, and even food ideas.
An Angry Bird party can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. The links below show everything from fancy professional affairs to complete do-it-yourself, budget parties. Take a look at all of these different ideas and see what you like!
15 Angry Bird Birthday Party Ideas:
1. Happy Angry Birdsday to you! via Catch My Party
2. Pinterest Inspired Party by Kidspired Creations
3. Premium Party via the Cake Blog
4. Themed Party and Outdoor Game Ideas by Kara's Party Ideas
5. Party Food Ideas by Pink Peppermint
6. Game Inspiration by Mighty Maitz
7. Outdoor Party and Recycled Tin Game via Whole Buncha Words
8. Pig Punch by Rindy Mae
9. Red Bird Pinata by All Things Thrify
10. Pig Pinata via The Party Animal
11. Angry Pizza
12. Festive Cupcakes
13. Pom Pom Birds by Our Bower
14. DIY Stone Bird Craft by Brassy Apple
15. Free Printables by Your Life Events
What's your best tip for planning a kid's birthday party? I always let me husband plan the date, time and event, and then I cover all of the details like party favors, decorations and food. Do you have any other good tips? Leave a comment below.
This has been quite a week! The ABC's of Valentine's Day has been such a fun series and today we're wrapping up with W,X,Y,Z. These last few letters are going to take a bit of creativity, so let's se how it goes.
W for Wall - This is no ordinary wall! Learn how create an entire Valentine Wall from Balancing Home. It's complete with Valentine balloon topiaries, a wreath, framed art and a pennant.
X is XOXOXO {Hugs and Kisses} - Here is a cute Hugs and Kisses printable for Valentine treats by Sew Dang Cute.
Y is for Yummy and my friend Darcy has got us covered! Get your kids in the kitchen and make these delicious heart shaped pastries for a special someone {as shown above}. Aren't they gorgeous?
Z is for Zebra - Now that so many schools are implementing healthy eating practices, it's nice to have an sweet-free alternative for Valentine's treats. Check out these I'm Wild for You Valentine's by Design Mom
Thank you so much for joining me this week. If you want to check out more ABCs series by some other great bloggers, you can check out the full list of ABC Bloggers here. I have so much more planned for the year ahead. See you soon!
Welcome to Day 4 of the The ABC's of Valentines Crafts, Recipes and Kid's Activities! Yesterday, I featured yummy Valentine's snacks, but today is 100% calories free! It's time to check out U & V of this special series.
U is for Unconditional Love - In the spirit of the holiday, KC Adventures shows us 6 Easy Ways to Love Your Child on Valentine's Day. These ideas are simple, full of love and fun!
V is for Vintage - Have you ever seen the Graphics Fairy Website? I've been a fan of this site for years and it has a fantastic collection of vintage Valentine illustrations and clip art. You can use them for DIY Valentine's cards, crafts and decorations. Here's a sample of what the site has to offer:
If you're loving this Valentine cip art, head on over to the Graphics Fairy Website to see her amazing collection of vintage Valentine images. I think I'm going to print out some of these images and let my kids make homemade Valentine's cards this year. What do you think?
It's funny how things change in life. Before the kiddos came along, I'm sure I thought Valentine's day was all about me. What little surprise will I get? Where will we go to dinner? What will I wear? But, now that I'm a mom, it's about the giving vs. the getting. Don't get me wrong, I would love a beautiful bouquet of flowers on Valentine's Day, but it has definitely become a family celebration - and that's okay.
This week, I'll be focusing on the ABC's of Valentine's Day. What does that mean? Throughout the week, I'll be highlighting different kid-friendly ideas for Valentine's Day from A-Z. I will be including crafts, recipes and activities for toddlers, preschool and elementary school age kids - with a few ideas for moms mixed in as well.
Let's get started!
A is for Art - Everyone knows the traditional ways to use crayons for art, but for a unique new twist, try this Melted Crayon Art using crayon shavings.
B is for Bag - You've probably heard about 'Sensory Bins' before, but you have to check out this Valentine sensory bag craft.
C is for Chocolate - This Chocolate Milk Bath Recipe is the perfect cure for the winter blues. If you can't get to the Hershey Spa to experience the real deal, this is a nice, calorie free treat for a hard-working mom. Continue here to read: Chocolate Milk Bath Recipe
D is for Doily - I truly love being the mom of boys, but every now and then, I see a blog post which makes me wish I had a little girl to craft with. This is one of them! Check out this blog post to see how to use a pre-washed t-shirt, a doily, and some fabric paint into a totally adorable t-shirt for your little girl. Read more about these DIY Valentine's shirts here.
E is for Eyes - Recycle those old toilet paper rolls and make these adorable Heart Shaped Binoculars.
F is for Filter - If you want a completely unique Valentine for your kids to hand out at school, take a look at these Heart Coffee Filer Zipper Pulls. They are fun, fashionable and functional!
G is for Glitter - Grab your glitter, contact paper and construction paper to make this Glitter Window Heart Craft with your Preschooler!
H is for Holder - Kid's typically come home from school with a bunch of little Valentine Cards from their classmates. This Valentine Card Holder is really easy to make, and it helps to keep all of those little cards organized too! Continue here to read: Kid Valentine Holder Craft
I is for I Love You - Beth from Living Life Intentionally shares a simple idea so that everyone in the house feels loved. Read more about her 'Why I love you doors' here
J is for Just let them lead the way - Isn't there a famous saying about the best intentions that seem to go astray? When it comes to Kid's Valentine Cards, maybe it's just best to let your child lead the way! Read more about this with B-inspired Mama.
Check out my other posts for more Valentine craft ideas:
Day 2: More Valentine's Crafts & Activities for Kids
Day 3: Valentine's Recipes for Kids
Day 4: Love & Vintage Valentine Printables
Day 5: Valentines Wall, XOXO, Yummy Pastries, and Wild Zebras!
Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers participating in ABC's week too.
Art Education / Krissy at B-Inspired Mama, Cardboard Box Creations / Here Come the Girls
Children’s Music with Art / Debbie at Rainbows within Reach, Coffee Filters / Adrienne at The Iowa Farmers Wife, Crafts & Art / Maggy at Red Ted Art, Crafting on a Budget / Tammy at Housing a Forest, Paper Plates / Kelly at Domestic Goddesque, Toddler Crafts / Cerys at Rainy Day Mum, Upcycled & Recycled Crafts / Esther at Craft To Art
I want to introduce you to my new local love: Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, PA. It's a magical place you can go again and again, and have a different experience each time. That's what I love so much about local parks, gardens and arboretums. They are constantly transforming from season to season, and there are always new surprises with each visit.
My family first visited Longwood Gardens during Christmas time about 5 years ago when we had family visiting from out-of-town. People flock to Longwood each year around the holidays because of the spectacular holiday lights, flowers, trees and decorations throughout the grounds. More than 16,000 plants, over 500,000 Christmas lights, and over 1,600 starry ornaments are used for this year's display. It really is a feast for the eyes.
Even though we went to Longwood years ago, our recent trip was our first trip there as a family with both the kids. When we pulled up to the entrance and saw some of the lit trees, my kids were already excited. I knew that if they were that excited about the entrance, they were going to be completely mesmerized once we got inside - and they were!
We started our visit by walking around outside. The kids loved the outdoor Garden Railway, and then we moved onto the Conservatory. They really were in awe when they saw the towering trees, lights and ornaments hanging from the ceiling.
Just as the kids were getting worn out, we wandered into the Children's Garden and they were instantly filled with energy again. It was like a switch flipped, and suddenly they were ready to go! It was almost impossible to keep up with them in there. They quickly went from one area to another, exploring every little corner. Even adults, without kids, were wandering this garden with curious smiles on their faces.
At the dragon's mouth, there were paint-brushes to paint the walls with water, which my kids loved! There was a little spiral staircase, a wall of water, a flower maze, water fountains and other details to get lost in. This was definitely a highlight of our visit.
Our recent visit to Longwood Gardens is a night I will never forget. My family is really looking forward to going back again very soon, and I can't wait to bring my parents along with us. If you're planning on going too, here are a few tips:
1) Plan your visit. Times tickets are required during the busy holiday season. Timed tickets sell out quickly, so purchase early online to avoid disappointment.
2) Time your visit to avoid the rush! Arrive by 2pm and avoid the evening rush. If you're a member, you can enjoy Member nights on Mondays which are much less busy. If you're not a member, try to go Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday when crowds are typically much smaller than on peak days.
3) Bring your stroller. My kids are 4 & 6, so we don't generally use a stroller anymore, however, we did enjoy having our sit n'stand stoller with us during our evening at Longwood Gardens. My kids had already had a long day at school and I knew we were going to be doing a lot of walking, so it was nice to give the kids the option of resting as we were trekking around the grounds.
4) Bundle Up. It was really cold the night we went, so I was happy that we brough our hats, gloves and warm winter coats.
5) Enjoy lunch or dinner there. They have lots of indoor seating, a nice variety of food, and I think their food is fabulous!
6) Support the local merchants in downtown Kennet Square, PA. There's a great mix of unique shops, a winery and some fantastic restaurants, such as La Verona.
If you have any questions about Longwood Gardens with kids, leave me a comment or visit the Longwood Garden website.
This is such a fun time of year! Check out all of the new crafts, recipes and kids' activities with this week's edition of the Kid's Co-op.
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Are you crafty? I am always surprised by how many moms say they aren't crafty. It really is so easy to use things you have around the house to get crafty with your kids. These salt dough, sugar and cinnamon ornaments are a perfect example. Even if they don't turn out perfect, it doesn't matter. My son and I made cinnamon ornaments yesterday, and, they may not be perfect, but they still look great and we had a lot of fun making them!
You need:
- 3/4 cup of Applesauce
- 1 bottle (4.12 ounces) of Cinnamon
Just put the cinnamon and apple sauce in a bowl and mix it up. We found that mixing with a spoon doesn't cut it, you really need to get in there with your hands and make sure it's completley mixed into a firm, smooth ball of dough. Then, on a large flat cookie cheet, roll it with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness. Use cookie cutter to make your shapes and use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the top (where you'll put the ribbon). If you feel like it's too stick roll it in a little more cinnamon.
Bake 2 1/2 hours at 200°F or lay the ornaments gently on a wire rack where they should be completely air dried in about 2 days.
Once they're dry you can decorate if you choose, or just leave them all natural.
You will need:
- 1/2 cup of Salt
- 1 cup of Flour
- 1/2 cup of Water
- Glitter & Paint (to decorate)
Mix up the ingredients until they are the consistency of a bread or pizza dough. If it feels too dry, add a little bit of water. Or, if it seems too sticky, add a little more flour and salt (in equal parts).
Then, roll out flat on a cookie sheet to about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to make shapes and use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the top (where you'll put the ribbon). You can either leave your ornaments out to air dry or bake them in the oven at 250 degrees until they harden.
Once they are dry, you can paint them and decorate them any way you want. If you don't want to paint them, mixing colored glitter into the clay makes it really pretty and adds some sparkle.
Sugar Ornaments are also really easy to make with things you have around the house. They look great and are a very kid-friendly holiday craft.
You will need:
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Glitter
- 1 teaspoon of water
First mix up the sugar and the glitter. Then, add in the water until it's all mixed in.
Let the kids fill the cookie cutter with the sugar mixture. Then, you should gently tap the ornament out of the cookie cutter onto a cookie sheet or plate. Allow the sugar ornament to dry overnight. When it's completely dry, just glue a ribbon on the back of the ornament. That's it!
Do you have any other creative ideas for easy homemade kid's ornaments?
The holidays can definitely be a hectic time of year, but it's also a time when the kids have more time off school. When you need a quick winter boredom buster, nothing is better than using recycled materials from around the house to whip up a holiday craft to keep the kids entertained.
Pipe cleaners, construction paper, googly eyes and ribbon are a few of the craft staples that I always have on hand. Recently, I've added another item to my craft stash: empty toilet paper tubes and other paper tubes from paper towels, tin foil, etc.
Here are 8 easy Christmas crafts for kids using recycled paper rolls:
1) These toilet roll Snowman Ornaments are so precious! I'm definitely going to make these with my kids.
2) I think these simple Reindeer ornaments are perfect for preschoolers.
3) Kids will love tearing apart these traditional Christmas Crackers just as much as they'll enjoy making them!
4) Here's how to make a simple model Christmas Village and cotton ball snowman.
5) You can also try this recycled Nativity Scene and baby to go with your Christmas village.
6) I love this Santa's bushy beard in this paper roll Santa Craft.
7) Reindeer Candy Boxes - made with long paper tubes and a new brown sock
Try these out and let me know what you think!
