Our family has a tradition of sharing the favorite part of our day with each other. We usually share while we are all together eating dinner. It is one of the ways we are encouraging kids to be thankful every day. Even on nights when daddy is away the girls will make it a point to ask him over the phone what his favorite moment was. With so much negativity surrounding … [Read more...]
Kid-Made Valentine’s Banner Craft
Our house was looking a little under-decorated for Valentine’s Day. Recently my friend, Jessie (Homemaking Tips contributing writer), came up with a really simple idea for a kid-made DIY Valentine’s banner craft that uses simple supplies. My school age kids can make this on their own! It is a perfect school-age activity for Valentine’s Day if you like simple when it comes to … [Read more...]
Tips for Baking with Kids
Welcome to Homemaking Tips Tuesdays where contributing writers share helpful homemaking tips so you can feel more successful caring for your home and family. {This week, post by: Jessica} So you’re ready for a day of baking with the kids? Here are a few tips to a more enjoyable experience. … [Read more...]
Back to School Parenting Tips
We made a big decision regarding our kids schooling this year. This year it is vitally important that we follow some back to school parenting tips to get organized for the school year. Whether you homeschool, send your child to private school, a charter school, or public school, back to school parenting tips help us all get organized. We need to use our time wisely to support … [Read more...]
Free or Cheap Kids Activities in San Diego
{Guest Post by Rebecca West} San Diego is known for the beach and sun. Our popular tourist activities can really break the budget. I've put together a list of my family's favorite free or cheap kids activities in San Diego. Your family can have fun without spending a ton of money in San Diego and its surrounding areas. These activities are also great for all ages of … [Read more...]
6 New Language Learning Apps for Kids
{Guest Post by Jennifer Monahan} How much do you remember from your world language classes in school? If you’re anything like me, probably not a lot. I remember feeling pressure to take a language class, but not much of what I learned has stuck with me over the years. That’s not the case for kids today, who are faced with a growing global economy where knowing a second … [Read more...]
Hands-On Division Activity
My second grader has been learning more about multiplication and division. I wanted to give him a hands-on division activity to explore. I was teaching him that multiplication and division are opposites. They are both focused on how we group numbers together. As a former teacher, it is exciting when I get to use activities I once created for my students at home with my own … [Read more...]
Free or Cheap Kids Activities in Eastern North Carolina
There are many free or cheap kids activities in eastern North Carolina. The area gets a bad rap for not having “much to do,” but it is one of my favorite places we have ever lived. [Not in Eastern NC? View the entire Free or Cheap Kids Activities series here.] My family lived in eastern NC near New Bern, North Carolina for the first three years after my oldest was born. I … [Read more...]
Heading to the Beach with Kids
{Guest Post by Jennifer Taylor} Heading to the beach with kids is not so simple as just jumping in the car and leaving, especially when you have toddlers and infants in tow! There is planning and preparation that goes into spending a fun day at the beach, There are some safety rules to follow as well. A day at the beach is one of the most fun ways to spend a hot summer … [Read more...]
Gardening in a Small Backyard
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro Gro-ables. All opinions are 100% mine. Last year I tried to start a container vegetable garden, and with the demands of being a mom and the water restrictions we had going on in California, it did not turn out well. This year I am determined to create a garden with the kids to teach them about self-reliance, get … [Read more...]
Practicing Addition Busy Bag
This practicing addition busy bag gets the process of addition into the hands of school age children and even preschoolers. The more hands on a learning activity is, the younger the child is who can explore it. I truly believe our kids can learn big concepts-or begin to explore them-from a much earlier age than most people think. As long as we use age-appropriate learning … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning Kids Can Do
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fellowes Brands for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Getting my spring cleaning done makes me feel better about being at home. It makes me feel successful, content and glad that I created a clean, comfortable space for my family. But, and this is a big BUT, it takes me a while to get it all done. I want the … [Read more...]
Learning to Tell Time: Hands-On Clock
Create a hands-on clock to help school age kids learning to tell time. Whether your child is home-schooled or learning common core math, a hands-on math manipulative turns worksheet-based lessons into math games. When we can get the learning into our child's hands it can help them think about more complex problems with a much more clear view. This hands-on clock for learning … [Read more...]
Time-Saving Valentine’s Cards for Kids
I received product credit in exchange for offering a giveaway for YOU from Minted. Between my husband being deployed and the toddlers being two, I think time-saving Valentine’s Cards for kids are what is in order for this year. I like to get the kids creating, but with two toddlers in the house most of our creations would end up on the floor or pulled apart. Little pieces of … [Read more...]
40+ DIY Gifts for Kids: Infants, Toddlers, Preschool, School Age
Living on one income means I have to watch our budget when it comes to buying Christmas gifts-and a lot of other things! DIY gifts for kids are a way to create more personal holiday gifts for kids that will get a lot of use. If you have an infant at home, a toddler, a preschooler or children who are school age, these 40+ DIY gifts for kids cover every age group. A bit of … [Read more...]