Thanksgiving Game

This time of year it's easy to overlook the "thankful" part of Thanksgiving and skip ahead to the turkey and pumpkin pie. If you'd like to remind your kids of the real purpose of Thanksgiving, play this fun game:

Have one person start with the letter 'A' and tell one thing they are thankful for that starts with that letter, for example, 'apples'. The next person will then say, "I am thankful for apples and bananas." (starts with 'b'). The next person will say, "I am thankful for apples, bananas, and cheese!"

Continue through the whole alphabet and see how far you can get! It's a fun challenge to not only think of something that starts with a particular letter, but to also have to remember everyone else's answers!

Last night we played this game and discovered that family members were thankful for goats, elephants, and underwear, among other things. It's a great way to add a little laughter and an attitude of gratitude to your Thanksgiving celebration! :-)

The Family Game

We were having some pretty serious issues with sibling rivalry in our home, and a general lack of love and respect between our kids, so I decided to try something new.

For Family Home Evening one night, I made up a game. I taped together two pieces of card stock paper to make a large rectangle. On the rectangle I drew a game board, much like Candy Land, with a path starting in the upper left corner winding its way down to the lower right. At the upper right corner I drew a picture of our house for the start, then at the lower right-hand corner I drew a picture of our favorite frozen yogurt shop as the finish. I divided the path up with lines, making a series of spaces leading from the start to the finish.

Next, I made a single game piece. It was a small rectangle of card stock with a simple stick figure drawing of our family on it.

I then created cards with things like, "You don't clean your room when Mom asks you to. Move back one space." Or, "You helped your little sister put on her shoes. Move forward one space." I made several of these cards.

So then for Family Home Evening I talked briefly with the kids about why it is important for us to work together as a family so our home can be a happy place. I told them that when any one of us does something that is mean or uncooperative, it hurts our whole family. To demonstrate, I had each family member take a turn choosing a card and moving the game piece. The kids were slightly chagrined to recognize several of their common misbehaviors among the statements on the cards.

After we had been through the stack of cards, I pointed out that when we do more bad than good, we don't get very far and our home is not a very happy place to be. I then told them that we would play the game for real in our house. I posted the game board on the wall, and I put some tape on the back of the game piece.

Now, whenever someone does something positive, they are allowed to move the game piece ahead. When something negative happens, they move it back. I have noticed that even when one child is wronged by another, they will find a way to make amends so that we will not have to move the game piece back. They are also going out of their way to do kind things for one another so that they get to move us ahead. Once our game piece reaches the finish, we will celebrate with a trip to our favorite frozen yogurt shop. :-)

Lost & Found

At our house I get SO tired of constantly having to holler at the kids to come pick up their stuff out of the kitchen/living room/hallway/bathroom, etc. And so I created a Lost & Found box.

Here's how it works:

- I warn the kids that in 5-10 minutes I will be collecting for the Lost & Found box. This gives them an opportunity to grab their stuff and put it away.

- Once time is up, anything that belongs to them that is not where it should be gets tossed in the box. Makes for an easy cleanup!

- Once an item is in the box, Mom or Dad are the only ones who can take it out of the box (or a child with Mom or Dad's permission).

- In order to get something out of the box, the child must do a chore (specified by Mom or Dad) such as sweeping the kitchen, wiping down the bathroom counter, cleaning up a particular space, etc.

- At the end of the week, anything that has not been earned back gets tossed or taken to Goodwill.

So far this has been working marvelously for our family! They are more careful about leaving their things out, and if they do leave something out then I can clean it up by simply tossing it in the box. Then I get lots of help with the chores so they can earn their items back, and we declutter because anything that's not important enough to warrant a chore means it's not important enough to be in our home. :-)

Finding Their Way Home

Cleaning up after ourselves is one of the biggest challenges in our household (and not just for my children...ahem...) so I am always looking for new and creative ways to make clean-up time not only easier, but also less intimidating and more fun!

For young children, I've found that a good way to explain the process is to tell them that each of their toys has a home. Toys that are left on the floor or anywhere they don't belong are lost, and the child needs to help them find their way to their home. If there are any toys that don't have a home, the child should make a home for them.

This little trick is a great way to teach very young kids about cleaning, and to explain the concept of, "a place for everything and everything in its place." It helps them take ownership over their things by giving them control over where they choose to keep them. It also makes clean-up time something of a fun experience as the children pick up each toy and say, "Hello Mr. Teddy! Are you lost? Here, your home is right here on my bed. There you go!" and "Oh, poor little block. You are sitting out on the floor all by yourself. Let's go get you back with the rest of your friends in the block box."

Now if only I could teach my husband to help his dirty socks find their way to their home in the hamper... ;-)

What Should You Do?

At church my children frequently play versions of the "What Should You Do?" game. In this simple game, a child chooses a slip of paper from a jar. On the paper, a fictional scenario is described and it is up to the child to decide what should be done in that particular situation. For example,

You are playing outside when your ball accidentally rolls into your neighbor's flower bed. What should you do?

The child would respond with something like, "I would go over to my neighbor's house and tell her what happened, then ask if I can get my ball and find out if there is a way I can make up for the damage the ball did."

Like I said, it's a simple game but it gives children an opportunity to practice their moral decision-making skills. I have discovered that I can use the format of this game to help my children make good real-life decisions as well. For example, if my son takes a toy from my daughter, rather than scold him and ask him to return it, I might pull him aside and say, "'A' has a toy that 'T' wants to play with. He asks her for it but she says no. What should he do?" By putting it in that format, my son quickly realizes the error of his ways and knows what he needs to do to rectify the situation.

This little game can defuse an emotional situation and allow the child a clearer perspective on their part in the disagreement by allowing them to see it from the outside. It also turns potentially negative conflict situations into a positive learning opportunity and invites a happier spirit into the home. :-)

A Fine Day For a Picnic!

Just because it's winter and you may have six inches of snow on the ground doesn't mean it's not a fine day for a picnic! Grab a tablecloth, blanket, or even just a few towels spread out on the floor and have an indoor picnic!

I did this with my kids last night because we just finished reading The Swiss Family Robinson and the movie was going to be playing on tv during dinnertime, so we decided to make an event of it. I spread out a tablecloth on the floor, made dinner as usual and just put the plates on the floor. We got to watch our movie, eat our dinner, and then clean-up was a snap! The kids loved the change of pace and I enjoyed it as well.

Go on, it's a lovely day for a picnic!

Love Bugs

For a fun (and super easy!) Valentines (or anytime you want to show someone some love!) craft idea, check out my other blog- The Beautiful Thrifty Life. :-)

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Love Coupons

Do you need a fun, free, last-minute Valentines Day gift for your kids? Make love coupons!! I made these for my kids for Christmas, and they were one of their favorite Christmas gifts. I kept mine very simple and made each child 5 coupons:

- 2 Free Room Cleaning coupons

- 2 Extra Treat coupons

- 1 Free Playroom Cleaning coupon

Whenever a child was asked to clean their room or the playroom, they could choose to use one of their coupons instead! The treat coupons are for whenever they want an unscheduled treat during the day or if we're having something for dinner that they just can't bring themselves to eat, then the coupon allows them to still get a dessert.

Here are a few extra tips for your coupons:

- Print them up on the computer to make them look official!

- Decorate them with stickers just for fun

- Add the child's initial to each of their coupons so they don't get mixed up

- Add an expiration date to make sure they use them!

- Present them in a special envelope that has their name on it. You can even decorate it with more stickers!

- Keep the envelopes in a safe place!

- After the coupon has been redeemed, be sure to tear it up and throw it away- no two-fers!

Do you have anything special planned for your kids for Valentines Day??

Mommy Playtime!

I ended up with the watercolors tray that was pretty much used up except for black, brown, and a little bit of orange...and so Mr. Snowman was born!

If you're a busy mom like I am, you probably don't often have time to yourself to pursue your own interests. Luckily, as your children grow, you can find ways to incorporate your own personal interests into the time you spend with your kids.

My kids love to paint (I think most kids do!) and I used to just sit down with them and paint random rainbows while I thought about the laundry that needed folding in the next room. One day I thought, Hey, I used to be pretty artsy back in the day. I wonder what I could create if I really tried? So when I sat down to do some watercolor painting I really thought about what I wanted to paint. It was fall at the time, and I was in love with the beautiful colors on the trees, so I painted a tree, trying to capture all of the lovely fall color. Not only did I get to spend time sharing a fun activity with my children, but I was able to tap into my artistic side and create something truly beautiful. It was a wonderful feeling- I was able to just slip into this world of paint and color and I got so involved with my painting that more than an hour passed without me even realizing it!

Since then, I have taken every opportunity to sit down and not just nurture my children's creativity, but mine as well. If you enjoy reading, then find a good chapter book that both you and your children will enjoy. If you enjoy sports, then get the kids outside with you to play! The best thing about being a mom is that you get to play like a kid!!

What is your favorite thing to do with your children that is also nurturing yourself?

Owies!

Children are klutzy, it's a fact. This is another reason that I feel so connected with my children- I, too, am a complete klutz. Well, there are few things more painful and embarrassing then oh, say, running into a wall, tripping over one's feet, banging one's head on...anything... These things are just as painful for kids!

The next time your child has an unpleasant encounter with an inanimate object, blame the object. If they stubbed their toe on a corner, say, "What? That mean little corner tried to get you? Bad corner!! You leave my baby alone! Shame on you, picking on poor innocent children. What did he ever do to you? You need a time out!" Encourage your child to scold the corner as well. Their tears will turn to giggles in an instant!

Surprises

I love surprises as much as the next person, but I think that there is also something to be said for anticipation, especially for children. Anticipating something exciting just makes your whole day/week/month better!

Sometimes it's fun to surprise my son by showing up for lunch at school, but I usually tell him the day before, because I know that way he will go to bed happy. The next morning he will wake up excited for the day, because he knows Mom is coming for lunch, and that's special. That excitement will carry him through the morning as he eagerly anticipates my arrival. Isn't that so much better than the few moments of surprise when I arrive?

So next time you have something fun coming up for your child, don't save it for a surprise- let them know so they can be excited too! If you still want to have an element of surprise, then just tell them that a surprise is coming and let them wonder what it might be. :-)

Rainy Day Jar Series: Imagination Jar

Welcome to the last post in my Rainy Day Series! I hope that you have found some great ideas for having fun with your kids on those stay-inside kind of days! Here is one that is sure to become a favorite!

For Christmas I made Imagination Jars for my kids and my nieces and nephews. I got the idea from a favorite blog, Penny Carnival. Find her post about these here. She calls hers "Story Starters." Basically, the children have a jar, and inside are little numbered envelopes (the numbers and envelopes are just for fun- slips of paper in a jar work just as well). Inside each envelope is a "story starter." For example, "You have been shipwrecked on a deserted island. You need to find food and make a shelter." The children then use that starter as the beginning of their imaginary adventure! You can pretend to go fishing to try to catch food, pretend to build a fire to cook it, and gather items you find on the "island" (or the couch?) to build a shelter. What a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and exercise the imagination at the same time!

Check out Penny Carnival's post about this to find more printable story starters for your own Imagination Jars!

Rainy Day Jar Series: Horse Jumping

I happen to be an equestrian, and when I was a little girl I loved to pretend to ride horses too! I would hold my hands in front of me like I was holding onto the reins, and then my legs would be the horse's legs and I would gallop myself around like I was riding the most beautiful stallion in the world!

Well, when I got older I wanted to share that fun with my kids, and let's face it- when you're stuck inside you need a little exercise! So I invented our Horse Jumping game. I let the kids take turns creating jumps for our "horses" to jump over, using blocks, pillows, toys, etc. Half of the fun is seeing what kinds of crazy jumps you can design! You can do them in a straight line or set up a jump course, depending on how much room you have.

Each child names their horse (Lightning is a popular name; sometimes the girls like Sparkle or Starlight) and the games begin! Everyone takes their turn on the course, and you try to see if you can do the jumps smoothly and without knocking them down. This can be even more fun if you add some sports commentary to it! Try not to make it competitive, just have fun with it and use your imagination. It's a great way to burn up some energy on a rainy day!

Rainy Day Jar Series: Finding Treasure

What kid doesn't love the idea of a good treasure hunt? The thing I love most about treasure hunts is that there are so many different ways to do them. Here are a few I've tried!

For Little Bitty Ones- Find a toy that you have a lot of, like blocks or toy cars. Take the toys and hide them around the house when your child is not watching. Give them a basket or bag and have them go in search of the toys, like an easter egg hunt! You can make this educational by sorting the found toys by color or shape, and by counting them. This is so simple and so fun!

For Little Ones- Make clues for your treasure hunt using pictures. For example, draw simple pictures of various places around your house, like a bed, lamp, table, couch, television, etc. Hide the clues in the various places- hide the picture of the lamp in the bed, then at the lamp hide the picture of the table, and so on. The children will go from place to place looking for clues until eventually a clue will lead them to the treasure, which can be a treat or even just items for your next activity, like paints and paintbrushes!

For Bigger Ones- You can do a hunt similar to that for Little Ones, only make the clues using riddles. For example, "Sometimes our food we like to save, then we heat it up in the ________." Or, "It gets dark when it is night. To see we must turn on the ________." These are pretty simple, but you could make it even harder for older kids!

Older kids can even make up their own treasure hunts for their siblings- and for you!

When was the last time you searched for hidden treasure? ;-)

Rainy Day Jar Series: Super Easy Chocolate Cake!

Don't you hate it when you're in the mood to bake something yummy and you realize you have no baking mixes or you're out of chocolate chips or eggs or butter? Well, that probably never happens to you because I'm sure you're much more organized than I am and you always keep your kitchen well-stocked. But just in case you are like me, here is the recipe for you!

Busy-Day Chocolate Cake Recipe (from marthastewart.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 cup cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an 8-inch square baking pan, whisk together dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center and add in wet ingredients; whisk until well combined.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

My daughter and I were having a lazy day watching a cooking show one day (Mad Hungry) and we watched the chef make this. I was so surprised to realize I had all the ingredients on hand, and it looked really good, so we went in the kitchen and made it! Just like that! It turned out moist and delicious, and I loved that we didn't even need a bowl- we just mixed it all right in the baking dish! How awesome is that? Makes it a perfect rainy-day recipe!

What is your favorite thing to cook on a rainy day?

Rainy Day Jar

Don't you just dread those days that are too rainy, cold, snowy, etc. to play outside? Well, you get a lot of those in winter, so today's post is the first in my Rainy Day series! Throughout this week I will give you some fun ideas for stay-inside days. In our home we have come to look forward to those days because of our Rainy Day Jar. Inside this jar are slips of paper that include our favorite rainy day activities:

- play a board game

- bake treats (super fun easy and delicious recipe to come later this week!)

- have a treasure hunt (more about these later in the week too!)

- play horse jumping (see above!)

- make an obstacle course

- paint

- build with blocks

- read books

- make cards

- build a fort/tent

- play from imagination jar (more on those later this week too!)

- dance party

As soon as we see it's going to be a stay-inside kind of day, we pull out our Rainy Day jar and one child gets to pick out a piece of paper. We do the activity on the paper until we feel like doing something else and then the next child gets a turn to pick.

I make sure that all of the activities in the jar are things that I enjoy doing too, because that means that I will be have fun and be more likely to participate. As they say, "If Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

Now when it's a rainy/snowy/cold day we all look forward to reaching into the jar and finding out what adventures our day holds!! Be sure to check back this week for more on these fun ideas!

What is your favorite rainy day activity?

Secret Kisses

As I have mentioned before, my relationship with my oldest daughter is always a concern of mine. She is the middle child, so she often gets lost in the shuffle. Add to that that her personality is completely different from mine, and you can understand how we sometimes have a difficult time connecting.

I wanted to have something that was just between her and I, something special like a secret signal or a secret handshake, so I came up with the idea of a "secret kiss." If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll share it with you. It goes like this- eskimo kiss, kiss the right cheek, kiss the left cheek, kiss on the lips, then we wiggle our fingers at each other and say, "Woogie woogie woogie!" It just takes a moment, but we do it at bedtime and before she leaves for preschool in the morning. It has become like a little security blanket and it always puts a smile on her face. If I forget she'll say, "Secret kiss!" Whenever we share our secret kiss it is that brief moment of connection when we're really engaged with one another, knowing that we are sharing something special that's just between the two of us.

My son caught us "secret kissing" one day and so he wanted something like that too- but without the kissing (boy+kissing=eww!) so we created our own "secret hug." Secret kisses and secret hugs aren't hard to do- just be creative and have fun with it!

Dabba Dabbas

It's that lovely time of year when little noses get the sniffles and the sneezes and the runnies! Eww! If your little ones are anything like mine, then they HATE to have the nose wiped. However, I have developed a strategy to significantly reduce the amount of running and screaming and crying when I pull out the tissue. I say to the little one, "Time for dabba-dabbas!" I then take the tissue and gently dab it against their nose, not wipe it (though I may sneak in a couple wipes at the end) and say each time I dab, "Dabba-dabba! Dabba-dabba!" My babies have always thought this is very silly and they don't mind it one bit. My baby girl will actually come running to me with a big grin on her face and stick her nose out when I tell her it's time for "dabba-dabbas." Who knew a snotty nose could be so much fun? ;-)

The Big Interview

So you're outside and your child yells, "Hey Mom! Watch this!!" You watch as they proudly demonstrate their newfound skill. You call back, "Wow! That's great sweetie! Good for you!"

Next time this scenario happens, try something a little different. Ask the child what they are going to do for you and then be their sports commentator!

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Lucy Lane is going to attempt to ride her bike all the way to the end of the street and back. Her entire bike-riding career has been leading up to this moment. Let's watch.

"Here she goes! She has such control as she works the pedals with ease. What grace, what precision and speed as she makes the final turn! Here she comes! She has done it! Lucy Lane has ridden to the end of the street and back!!!"

(hold up pretend microphone to Lucy)

"Tell me Lucy, how did that feel?"

(giggles) "Umm, good!"

"Well it sure felt good to watch you! It looked like that final turn might have been a difficult one, but you handled it well. Were you worried about it going in?"

(more giggles) "Umm, no!"

"That is good to hear. I can see that your confidence is what really gives you an edge and makes you a true cycling superstar. Congratulations on your incredible accomplishment today!"

(grins) "Thanks!!"

What a great and fun way to be supportive and boost your child's confidence (and of course, be a little bit silly at the same time)!

Where is the Happy?

I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that I read parenting books, because quite honestly, I need all the help I can get. I once remember reading from one of those books that when a child is being grumpy or throwing a tantrum, just telling them to stop being that way can be difficult for them to understand. The author said that rather than tell the child you want them to stop a certain behavior, try instead to describe the behavior you would like to see.

My children and I have made this something of a game. (For privacy's sake, I will refer to my children by only their first initial.) If my son is sad because he is not doing well in a game we're playing, I will tell him how much more fun the game can be if everyone tries to have a good time, and I'll say, "I need a happy T. Where's my happy T?" Usually he can manage to push out a little smile. If not, then I have to start looking for "my happy T." I'll say, "I know there's got to be a happy T in here somewhere. Let's see..." I then proceed to check under his arms, poking around in his armpits, under his chin, around his middle, until he's laughing so hard from the tickling he can barely breathe. Then I say, "Oh look! There he is! I knew I could find my happy T in there!"

This is one of the best ways I've found to turn a potential tantrum into smiles and giggles. And that makes the day more fun for everyone!

Time Together Box

The busier my life gets and the more kids I have, the less one-on-one time I seem to have with each child. Last fall I realized that my relationship with my 4-year-old daughter was being affected by not being able to have that individual time with her. It seemed all of my attentions were going to her baby sister or her big brother when he needed help with his homework.

The solution I came up with was a special time each day, after baby sister had gone down for her nap and before big brother came home from school, that would be our time together. I had her help me decorate a shoebox that we designated our Time Together Box. Each day I put something in the box to show her what we are going to do together that day. Here are a few of the things that have gone into the box:

- dolls

- wooden spoon or cookie mix

- game piece (Candyland is a favorite)

- paintbrush

- nail polish

- princess movie

She loves to come home and open her box to see what we're going to do together.

My son got a little jealous, so I made one with him also, with the condition that we get to do it only after homework is done. It helps him to focus on getting his homework done more quickly. But if time runs out he also understands that homework time is my one-on-one time with him, and the time can't always be extended to allow for more fun stuff (baby sister gets up from her nap and dinner needs to be prepared). However, we usually get a chance to do something fun (Legos, War card game, dominoes, etc.) a few times a week.

I have found that I learn more about my kids from these 15-30 minutes I spend with them each day than I learn from the other 6-9 hours we're all together! It's something we all look forward to!

What Was Your Favorite Thing Today?

For disclosure's sake, I stole this idea from a novel, "Marcelo in the Real World."

Every night at dinner my husband or I (or whichever of the kids might remember first) will ask another family member, "(Name, Name), what do you say? What was your favorite thing today?" So if my son said, "Mommy, Mommy, what do you say? What was your favorite thing today?" I might answer, "I loved snuggling up with you and your sisters and reading stories this afternoon." I would then use the rhyme and ask another family member what their favorite thing was, and so on around the table until we have all shared.

This is not only a nice nightly family tradition, but I've found that when we have guests over it gives the kids an opportunity to open up the conversation to them. In the past the kids might have been shy around new faces at the table, but now they will smile and ask the guest what their favorite thing was for the day. After the guest shares, the children will encourage them to repeat the rhyme to someone else (which usually means that the kids have to help them remember the rhyme). Guests enjoy sharing and the kids enjoy being a part of the conversation.

Reader, Reader, what do you say? What was your favorite thing today?

Yuck!

Every kid does it- they pretend to make food. And, inevitably, they bring it to you for a "taste." You pretend to taste it, praise them for their culinary mastery, and they go on their way.

Next time they do this, take a pretend taste and say, "YUCK!!!!!" and make a terrible face (sticking out your tongue is always a nice addition). You might thing you'll hurt their feelings, but you might be surprised at how funny they think this is. (Of course, if your child is particularly sensitive, and appears hurt by this, then you can remedy the situation by claiming a bug in your portion and redoing the taste test.) They'll take it back to their "kitchen" and try again. Continue with the yuck as long as they are laughing. Don't be surprised if they start bringing you new combinations like "Scrambled Worms with Eyeball Sauce." That's a good time to start praising their cooking skills again. Mmmm.

You can change it up by screaming, "YOOOWWEEEEEEE!!!!! THAT'S HOT!!!!" I have gotten lots of giggles from that tactic as well.

If you always give your kids the same response, they'll assume you're not paying attention. Pay attention. Make each time different. It doesn't take a lot of effort and the smiles will be worth it.

On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

I know we've all experienced it- it's called The Kid Speed. It's that speed they go when you're desperately trying to get out the door on time and they seem to have suddenly stepped into quicksand, unable to move but only a few inches at a time. They make a snail look like a cheetah.

Here's my go-to solution (this works especially well with little boys- they're very competitive): Say, "I'm gonna race you to the car! On your mark, get set- GO!" If they take off before you say "go", then be sure to make a big deal out of being left behind. Say, "HEY!!! I didn't say GO yet!!! GET BACK HERE!!! NOT FAAAAIIIIRR!!!!" You will have them laughing their head off, and they will be in the car where they need to be in record time.

To be honest, anytime you need any of your kids to do something quickly, just say, "On your mark, get set, GO!" It's weird, it's like this switch hardwired into their brain that when they hear that they suddenly take off.

"Pick up your toys! On your mark, get set, GO!"

"Get your coat on! On your mark, get set, GO!"

Just make sure they can remember what exactly you want them to do or they could end up running halfway down the street before you can get them to stop... ;-)

Welcome!

I am not a parenting expert. I read a lot of books that are by parenting experts, but that's because I am constantly in need of help. Because I am not a parenting expert.

What I am is a fun-loving, creative person, and lucky for me, kids also happen to be fun-loving creative people! So if you are looking for a parenting expert, look elsewhere. If, however, you are looking for some ideas on how to make everyday life a little bit more fun, laugh a little bit more, and build a joyful and loving relationship with your kids, then you are in the right place.

I don't have cure-alls for behavioral issues, but I have a few fun ideas that have helped me with some of the everyday hassles that I face. I won't give you step-by-step instructions on cute crafts to make with your kids, but I will give you a few outside-the-box silly adventures you might enjoy together.

The point of this blog is to give you simple, easy ideas that don't cost money, don't take a lot of time, and don't take a lot of energy for you to do, but they will help you and your kids have a blast during this time in their young lives.

Because kids are silly. And parenting should be too.