Categories
Holiday

Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves: Everything You Need for Thanksgiving Dinner

Think back to your favorite Thanksgiving memories. For me, I think of waking up and smelling food cooking and of the excited anticipation of the day ahead, knowing that I would be seeing family and eating a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

I think of relaxing with my family, laughing, talking, creating more memories to look back on. Mostly though, I think of the years we had a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Aside from spending time with family and being thankful, the food is literally the most important part of the celebration!

If you’re anything like me, you always feel like you are missing a crucial part of Thanksgiving dinner. You’re worried you will ruin Thanksgiving in some way by forgetting something or not being prepared. No worries, however, as I have come up with a list of Thanksgiving dinner must-haves.

Everything You Need for Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving appetizers:

Main course:

Turkey, obviously. This goes without saying, right? My family also does ham, however.

I found this roaster oven that has a self-basting lid, by the way. Click the link to check it out.

Thanksgiving side dishes:

For a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, you should choose at least 3 side dishes, plus a salad of some sort, and of course, rolls with butter. Some of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes include:

  • Corn
  • Green bean casserole
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Stuffing
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Carrots
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Scalloped potatoes

Oh, and you can’t forget the gravy!

With all of these Thanksgiving side dishes, you can browse around for different recipes so that you can make them to your own liking.

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Thanksgiving dessert

  • Pumpkin pie
  • Apple Crisp
  • Apple pie
  • Rhubarb pie
  • Whipped cream
  • Pumpkin cheesecake

Drinks to have on Thanksgiving:

This is up to the personal preference of each family. Think about the people you will be hosting in your home, or about the family that is hosting you in theirs. What do they like to drink when they are celebrating a holiday? What pairs well with the foods and desserts being served? Some options include:

  • Wine
  • Beer (is this normal or just my family?! LOL)
  • Cider
  • Hot cocoa
  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Apple cider sangria (please, please, please Brandy?!?! P.S. – Brandy is my sister, and she makes a killer apple cider sangria.)
Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves, Side dishes, desserts, Thanksgiving appetizers, drinks, the perfect thanksgiving dinner

This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

Other Things to Consider When Making Thanksgiving Dinner

Does anyone have allergies? Are there other dietary needs such as a vegan option? The most important part of planning food for Thanksgiving or taking a passing dish is to consider the other people who will be attending.

Final Thoughts on Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves

Thanksgiving time is my favorite time of year. It’s a time for feeling and showing thankfulness, a time for spending with friends and family, and a time for reflecting on the year that has gone by since the last Thanksgiving gathering. Thanksgiving should be close to perfect, so including as many Thanksgiving dinner must-haves as you can is the way to go.

What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves, Side dishes, desserts, Thanksgiving appetizers, drinks, the perfect thanksgiving dinner
Categories
Allergies Holiday

Popular Halloween Candy That is Not Safe for Allergy Kids

My son is severely allergic to eggs and since his diagnosis, I have become so much more aware of the ingredients in any food my family eats. Last Halloween was the first time I paid much attention to candy ingredients, and I was shocked by all of the popular Halloween candy that is not safe for allergy kids.

I realized that my little man couldn’t eat more than half of the candy in his trick-or-treat bag!! It wasn’t a huge deal last year since he was only a year old, but this year he’s really starting to notice that he doesn’t get what his brothers and sisters get all of the time.

My son isn’t alone in this battle, either. There are 1 in 13 kids in the United States who suffer from an allergy to one of the 8 main allergies.

For these kids, coming into contact with the ingredient can cause a minor reaction of hives and an eczema outbreak OR a serious reaction that requires an EpiPen and hospital visit. Worst case scenario (but completely possible) is that the child could die. I don’t mean to be blunt, but it’s the harsh reality of living with an allergy.

8 Major Allergies

The 8 major allergies that tend to be the most unsafe include:

  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts
  • Dairy
  • Egg
  • Soy
  • Wheat
  • Fish
  • Shellfish
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Popular Halloween Candy That Is Not Safe For Allergy Kids

1. Snickers

Of the 8 major allergies, Snickers contains dairy, soy, peanuts, and egg. There is also a warning that it may contain tree nuts.

2. Milky Way

A Milky Way candy bar contains soy, dairy, gluten, and egg.

3. Butterfinger

Of the major allergies, Butterfinger contains peanuts and dairy.

4. Kit Kat

Kit Kat candy bars contain dairy, soy, and gluten.

5. M&M’s

Dairy and soy are both found in M&M’s.

6. 3 Musketeers

This popular candy bar contains dairy, soy, and egg.

7. Twix

One of my favorites, but it, unfortunately, contains dairy, soy, and gluten.

8. Hershey’s Kisses

A Hershey’s Kiss contains both dairy and soy, making them unsafe for many allergy kids.

9. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

Obviously, this one contains peanuts, but it also contains dairy and soy.

10. PayDay

Many people know that this candy bar contains peanuts, but are surprised to learn that it also includes dairy, egg, and soy.

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Allergy Friendly Halloween Treats

So, now that you know most of your favorite Halloween candy contains some of the top 8 allergies, you may be stumped on what to pass out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Think outside of the box here! You can pass out fun toys and other items that kids love just as much as candy.

I love this option, as it includes quite a few choices.

Kids like more than just candy, so it’s not spoiling the fun if you opt-out of the option. Plus, the kids will likely be MORE excited to have an extra surprise that they weren’t expecting in their bag!! Since this day is dedicated to candy, however, I also included allergy-free candy in the list.

  • Play-doh
  • Stickers
  • Tattoos
  • Coupon books
  • Dots
  • Ring Pop
  • Skittles
  • Smarties
  • Sour Patch Kids
  • Starburst
  • Swedish Fish
  • Jelly Belly
  • Bubbles
  • Circuit Peanuts
  • Push Pops
  • Baby Bottle Pops
  • Jolly Rancher
  • Halloween rings
  • Hot Tamales
  • Halloween pencils
  • Mike & Ikes
  • Halloween erasers
  • Dum Dums
  • Welch’s fruit snacks
  • Fun Dip
  • Spree
  • Runts
  • Matchbox Cars
  • Small dinosaur toys
  • Crayons

Please remember: The manufacturing process can change at any time, so always read ingredient labels and check for warnings just in case it has changed since the publication of this blog post. If you are ever unsure about the ingredients in a piece of candy, it is always best to skip that one.

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The Teal Pumpkin

If you see a teal pumpkin, this signifies a place with treats that are not food. This movement ensures that all treats are safe for children with allergies, and prevents anyone from being in an unsafe position or feeling left out.

If you see a home with a teal pumpkin on Halloween, they’re likely joining in on the movement for non-food Halloween treats. If you’re interested, check the list above which contains some non-food treats.

***Plus, you can buy a teal pumpkin by clicking on THIS link.***

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

What is the “Switch Witch”?

The “Switch Witch” is where the unsafe candy is traded out in the middle of the night for treats that are safe. Some parents have a non-allergy sibling switch with the allergy sibling, while others buy candy that they know is a safe option to switch with their allergy child’s unsafe candy.

Can You Offer Both Options?

Sure! If you keep the allergy-friendly Halloween treats separate from the other candy, most allergy kids will be able to choose those options. Don’t be offended if an allergy child has to refuse if you offer both, but most of the time keeping the candy in a separate container will be fine!

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Final Thoughts On Popular Halloween Candy That is Not Safe for Allergy Kids

Allergies are becoming very common for children, and oftentimes these allergies are life-threatening. For these kids and their parents, holidays such as Halloween that revolve around food and treats are incredibly stressful and frustrating as it requires heavy monitoring on the parent’s part and lots of sadness on the child’s part.

Knowing which treats are safe and which ones are unsafe ahead of time can greatly help allergy families during Halloween. The even better option, however, is to have allergy-friendly treats available and separate from the allergen-containing options. Non-candy treats are the best option yet!

What non-candy treats can you think of to pass out on Halloween? Leave your ideas in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorized

Halloween Math With Free Printable

Halloween is so much fun, and it’s a holiday that can be celebrated in so many ways. From pumpkin carving to dressing up in costumes, Halloween is fun for everyone. I like to find extra ways to make Halloween fun, so I created a Halloween math printable that can be used with candy, cheerios, crayons, or anything else you’ve got around (plastic spiders?!).

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Ways to Use the Printable

These printables are perfect for any age group because you can do so many different things in the boxes. When our 11 year old did a couple of these, he doodled different designs in each box. My kindergartener colored the squares, and my 4 and 2 year old both put cheerios in the boxes.

Some other ideas to fill the boxes include:

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How to Print the Free Halloween Math Worksheets

I didn’t want these Printable to be huge, so I created them to fit two to a sheet on portrait mode. When you click ‘print’, you will need to change the printer settings and choose 2 pages to 1 sheet so that 2 pages of the Printable will print on the same page.

If it doesn’t automatically make the printables fit on the same page, just choose to print them as 5×7 images, which will definitely fit 2 to a page.

Now, if you prefer to have large printables, go ahead and choose to fit one page of the printable to one sheet of paper and it will print well that way, too.

Fun Halloween Math, Halloween, Halloween Activities for Kids, Toddler Halloween Activity, Preschool Halloween activity, Kindergardent Halloween activity, Kindergarten Math

Halloween Math Printables

You may notice a slight difference from the original graphics for this post… the only change is that I added 10 boxes instead of 8 boxes.

Final Thoughts on Halloween Math Free Printables

Holidays are the perfect time to implement fun learning opportunities. This Halloween Math Printable can be used anywhere and can be fun for all ages, although it is more designed for ages 6 and under.

What Halloween learning activities do you like to do with your kids? Tell me about it in the comments!

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Holiday How To Sensory Play Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

Easy Fall Sensory Bin With Dyed Rice

The fall fun has begun, and that means we’re doing ALL of the fall activities at our house. When Peyton created his Layers of the Earth 3D Project, I was inspired to dye rice in all fall-inspired colors and create an easy fall sensory bin.

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How to Make an Easy Fall Sensory Bin by Dying Rice

What you need:

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Directions:

  1. Put 1 cup of rice in each Ziploc bag.
  2. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar into each bag of rice.
  3. Add a differet color of food coloring to each bag.
  4. Zip the bag and mix the rice with the food coloring.
  5. Once the rice is completely coated and dyed to the color you want, dump it onto dry papertowel and let it dry for about 1 hour
  6. Once all of the dyed rice is dry, mix the 4 colors together in a bowl or sensory table.
  7. Add small Halloween toys or fall colored leaves for more fun.

Halloween Dyed Rice Sensory Bin

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Using the same ingredients and similar steps, you can make an easy hallowed sensory bin for your kiddos, too! Instead of separating the rice in 1 cup increments into 4 separate bags, you will put two cups of rice into two separate bags (4 cups of rice total, still).

Once the rice is distributed, you will put 2 teaspoons of vinegar into each of the 2 bags, and then put orange food coloring into one bag and black food coloring into the other bag.

Follow the remaining steps, waiting for the dyed rice to dry before mixing colors together.

Another Easy Halloween Sensory Idea

Instead of doing orange and black for the Halloween sensory bin, you could dye all of the rice purple and add fun things like googly eyes or witches cauldrons in the sensory bin.

You could really do this however you want. Just follow the steps and change up the colors as needed.

And if your kids are like my kids they will do this:

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I’m not sure if I should blame Liam or Josie for mixing the fall sensory bin with the Halloween sensory bin, and then they added purple and pink rice, too.. they both blamed one another. Still fun, though!

For more Halloween fun checkout these posts:

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Final Thoughts On Easy Fall Sensory Bin With Dyed Rice

I love fun and easy activities, so this easy fall sensory bin with dyed rice was perfect for us. It was incredibly easy to make, pretty inexpensive, and the food coloring goes a LONG way so we were able to make a ton of dyed rice in all different colors.

My kids loved this… my 11-year-old loved it just as much as my 2-year-old, so it’s definitely a hit with everyone. My favorite part is that it is easy to clean up. You can simply sweep it up and throw it away, with no sticking or staining.

What is your favorite easy sensory activity to do with your kids? Have you tried dyed rice before? Leave me a comment and tell me about it!

Categories
Adulting How To Life Parenting

The Right Financial Plan Can Help Your Family Stay on the Right Track – A Guest Post

A note from Sara B. (the author of this guest post):  As a widow and mother of two, I know from experience how important it is for parents to have a strong financial plan. So, naturally, it concerned me when I read recently that only 25 percent of Millennial parents have life insurance and that only slightly more than half of parents have wills.

Her goal with this article is to explain the importance of financial planning for parents and give tips on how to get started.

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Building your life one piece at a time is exciting, but it can become more and more difficult financially. According to GOBankingRates, the cost of living in the U.S. has increased by 14 percent, and median household incomes aren’t covering the jump.

Throw the cost of raising a kid into the mix, and Americans are even further from living comfortably within their means. The only way to get ahead and thrive is by thinking critically and coming up with a plan. Start developing your personalized financial plan today by using the tips below, so you can get back to creating the life you want for your family.

Down With Debt

Before you can start planning your financial future, you have to get rid of debts that casts a shadow on things like procuring a home loan or any other line of credit. Some debt is unavoidable, but if you don’t take care of it now, you’ll feel its effects later.

Calculate your personal debt-to-income ratio and start working toward lowering it. Your credit will get a boost from the dropped DTI, and interest rates on future lines of credit will most likely drop as well. If it’s out of hand, consider debt consolidation or meet with an advisor. A professional will help you get on the path to saving more for your future rather than paying for mistakes in the past. Once you’ve got a handle on your debt, it’s time to start saving for everything you hope to accomplish.

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Figure Out Your Aim & Budget

Think about what you want for yourself and your children in the future, and what it’ll take to get there. You have to figure out the destination before you can map out a way there. Do you want to buy a home with a bigger yard, send your kid to a private school or start saving for college? Your goals can be short-term and/or long-term. Maybe you’re focused on providing for your kids after you’ve passed. All of these goals give you something to work toward and will help you develop a budget.

Even if you’re already running your home within a budget, you should revisit it in light of your goals. You should be putting money into a variety of savings accounts, but the first one you should stock is an emergency fund. Whether something happens to you, your home or your employment status, the last thing you want to do is stress yourself and possibly risk incurring more debt.

Life happens, so you should be ready for it. Protect your family by thinking ahead, and teach your children financial health by being a role model for them. They will be watching and will appreciate your budgeting down the line.

Life happens, so you should be ready for it. Protect your family by thinking ahead, and teach your children financial health by being a role model for them. They will be watching and will appreciate your budgeting down the line.

The Right Financial Plan Can Help Your Family Stay on the Right Track, financial plan, family plan, financial stability, preparing for the future

Prepare For The Future

Now that you’ve figured out where you want to save, it’s time to put it into action. Put some of your savings to use by investing, which is part of every financial plan. From contributing to your 401(k) to 529 college savings accounts, there are many ways you can invest in yourself and your family.

If you feel comfortable handling investments on your own, build an investment portfolio. If you prefer to have some help, look into using a robo-advisor, which offers a much lower fee than an in-person advisor. Save that bit of money to tackle another significant part of your future.

Additionally, get your estate planning handled as soon as possible. Avoid probate court with a living trust, protect your heirs’ property and designate a guardian to look after your children. If your children are grown, consider giving one of them control of your finances. 

You should also look into life insurance to lessen financial stress after your departure. Specific financial needs like childcare, debts, and healthcare costs can be alleviated with life insurance. Use a tool, like an online calculator, to help you determine which insurance policy is right for you. 

Everyone’s situation is different, including their finances. One thing that is consistent is the desire to do what’s best for the family. Make your financial plan today to help solidify a secure future for you and your children.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Classroom crafts Family Activities Sensory Play

Dyed Rice Layers of the Earth 3D Project

Peyton (our 11 year old) loves school projects where he gets to use his creativity. In 4th grade, he had to create a 3D animal and he chose a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake, which turned out SO cool. This time, he had to create a 3D model of the layers of the earth (6th-grade science) and he chose to use dyed rice in a mason jar.

How to Make the Layers of the Earth with Colored Rice

What you need:

  • 2 cups of white rice
  • 2.5 teaspoons of white vinegar
  • Food coloring (yellow, orange, red, green, brown)
  • 16 oz. mason jar
  • Ziploc bags (any size) – one bag per color
  • Paper towel — *You’ll be mad if you don’t check out this AMAZING deal I found on paper towel!!*
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This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

How to Make it:

  1. Divide 2 cups of uncooked rice into 5 parts. The parts should be divided based on the sizes of each layer of the earth… some will be smaller than others.
  2. Add each of the 5 parts into individual Ziploc bags and add 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar to each.
  3. Then, begin adding the food coloring to each bag. The amount of food coloring you use will depend on how you want the colors to look.
  4. Dump each color out onto a dry paper towel, keeping all colors separate.
  5. Allow the dyed rice to dry for one hour.
  6. Pour the dyed rice into a 16 oz. mason jar, beginning with the innermost layer of the earth. In Peyton’s case, this was the inner core, which he made yellow and poured into the bottom of the jar.
  7. Pour each additional layer on top of that one, working from the inside layers to the outside layers. The outermost layers will be at the top of your jar.
  8. Put the lid on, and your layers of the earth project is complete!

Layers of the Earth Used in this Project

  • Yellow: bottom layer, inner core
  • Orange: 2nd from the bottom, outer core
  • Red: 3rd from the bottom, lower mantle
  • Green: 4th from the bottom, upper mantle
  • Brown: top layer, crust

Tips:

*Fill the mason jar ALL the way to the top with rice. This prevents the rice from moving around and mixing together. You’ll want to keep your colors separate, as those represent the layers of the earth.

*Distribute the rice to 5 bags before dying any. Determine which bag of rice will be making up which layer, and write it on the outside of the bag. This way, your largest layer (the upper mantel in Peyton’s case) has the most rice in the bag and it doesn’t get mixed up with a different layer.

*—->This<—- pack of food coloring is the exact one I bought for this project. It contains all the colors Peyton needed plus some additional colors, too.

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Other Ideas for Layers of the Earth 3D Project

His original idea was to use 5 different colors of glitter, which I thought would have looked super cool. He changed his mind and decided on the rice model instead, however.

Some other ideas include:

  • Styrofoam ball
  • Play-doh or clay
  • Colored sand
  • Glitter
  • Cake

Final Thoughts on Layers of the Earth 3D Project

I’m always so excited when Peyton is assigned a school project. He is SO creative and has so much fun with them.

What project would you create if you were to make a 3D model symbolizing the layers of the earth? Tell me about it in the comments!

Categories
Family Activities Free Activities Infant/Toddler Learning Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Toys

Rubber Band Character Rescue – Easy Fine Motor Activity

This rubber band character rescue was a HIT with my kids. It kept them busy and having fun while fine tuning their fine motor skills. Some days, keeping them productively busy is hard to do when they just want to watch YouTube and Netflix or play video games.

I admit, my kids get a little too much screen time. I try to balance it out with activities that work their hands and minds at the same time. As a busy mom, that’s sometimes difficult when so many activities take just as much time preparing or cleaning up as your kids will spend doing the actual activity. Because of that, I’m always trying to find new ideas that don’t require much preparation, clean-up, or supplies.

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This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

This easy fine motor activity was perfect because:

  1. It required less than 5 minutes of preparation.
  2. I was able to pick random toys that we already had and that I didn’t have to search for. You can literally use ANYTHING.
  3. My kids loved it.
  4. They spent quite a bit of time taking rubber bands off (rescuing) and putting them back on (re-trapping).
  5. They spent time sharing toys and trading fairly.
  6. Helped develop fine motor skills.
  7. This can be done anytime and anywhere. If you throw a pack of rubber bands in your diaper bag or purse you can always count it. I bought *these* rubber bands (click for link) because the rubber bands are sturdy, stretchy, and affordable).
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Fine Motor Rubber Band Character Rescue

Choose their favorite characters, or do a variety of different characters. I chose PJ Masks characters, a Paw Patrol, and a dinosaur… mostly because those toys were some of the first ones I found, but also because my kids love those ones and play with them daily.

This activity is so easy. You can just grab a couple characters that your child loves and throw some rubber bands on them. Be creative and add more fun by using multiple colors of rubber bands and wrapping the rubber bands different ways.

Your child will then get to rescue their favorite character from the rubber bands while fine tuning their fine motor skills.

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Take Activity a Step Further

Once your child has rescued their character from the rubber bands, challenge them to wrap the characters back up in the rubber bands.

My kids were excited when I told them that they had to tie the character back up so that we could see if I could rescue them, too.

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Final Thoughts On Rubber Band Character Rescue – An Easy Fine Motor Activity

I love doing fun developmental activities with my kids, but life gets so busy that it’s hard finding the time. It took me too long to figure out that fun stuff doesn’t have to require tons of prep or clean-up. A quick bit of time after work/school can make for just as much fun as the more complicated activities.

Since trying out different easy fine motor activities, this rubber band character rescue has become a favorite for my family. From “trapping” spider man to PJ Masks toys, we spend time rescuing pretty much everything.

**What character would your kids love to rescue?! Tell me about it in the comments! **

My kids love this one and ask to do it all the time. It’s become my go-to activity in the car, in restaurants, and during any other “boring” wait times. Give it a shot and tell me how it goes for your child!

Do you have a favorite easy activity for kids that you like to do when you don’t have much time? Let us know!

Categories
Craft crafts Free Activities Holiday Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

4 Simple Fall Handprint Crafts For Kids

**I originally wrote this Fall Handprint Crafts post for my old blog, which I do not post to anymore. I decided to move it over here when I realized it was still being shared.**

Years ago, I worked as an infant/toddler teacher. I taught one-year-old toddlers, which was so much fun. Between my classroom of Wonderful One’s and my own babies at home, I did lots of simple crafts that could be used as keepsakes for years to come.

Handprint crafts are always my favorite because, let’s face it, what parent doesn’t want to see their tiny toddler’s handprint when that tiny toddler grows to become a not-so-tiny child, teen, adult, etc.? I know that my little’s won’t be little for long, and I want every memory possible of how little they once were.

Without further ado, here are a few of my favorite simple handprint crafts for fall.

Simple Fall Handprint Crafts

1. Frankenstein handprint craft

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For this cute little Frankenstein, you’ll just paint 4 of the child’s fingers black (do not pain the thumb), and the rest of the hand (not the thumb) green. Then, place their hands flat on the paper. Once the paint is dry, use a sharpie or other black marker to draw the face and the lines.

2. Handprint pumpkin with fingerprint stem

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For this fall handprint craft, you will paint your little one’s hand orange and place it flat on a white piece of paper. Then, paint their pointer finger green and place that flat on the same sheet of white paper. While you wait for the paint to dry, cut an orange pumpkin shape and a green stem shape out of construction paper.

Once the paint is dry, you’ll cut around the handprint and around the fingerprint. Have your little one help you glue the handprint to the pumpkin shape and the fingerprint stem to the green paper, and then glue the stem to the pumpkin.

3. Handprint leaves

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I love, love, love this one!! You’ll paint the child’s hand 3 separate times, once for a yellow handprint, one for red, and once for orange. You’ll put all 3 handprints on the same page, wait for them to dry, and then draw “stems” through the handprint leaves.

Check out my post about this craft here —-> Fall Crafts for Kids – Handprint Leaves – Mom Wife Wine

4. Handprint spider

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This one was so much fun and the kids really loved it. You’ll paint your child’s hand black (excluding the thumb) and put it flat on the paper but sideways. Then, you’ll do the same with the other hand, overlapping the palms of the hand. Once the paint is dry, add a white smile and googly eyes. You can even add a spider web to the craft, too.

Side Notes on Fall HandPrint Crafts

*If you don’t know what kind of paint to use, here is the link to what I use!

*Always remember to write the child’s name and the date somewhere on the craft (this could be on the back).

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

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Final Thoughts on Simple Fall Handprint Crafts

You could really turn any Halloween or fall-themed idea into a fall handprint craft of some kind. You just have to be creative and use your imagination (or Pinterest, of course).

What do you think? Which ones are your favorite? Leave a comment and let me know!

Do you love fall as much as I do?

Check out my free fall bucket list printable!

Categories
Family Activities Holiday Parenting Printables

Fall Bucket List – 25 Things to do This Fall (+ a free fall printable!)

Fall is one of my favorite seasons… probably my most favorite if I’m being honest with myself. While I love all things summer, fall has a sweet place in my heart. It’s the first sign that the holidays are coming, there are so many fun things to do in the fall, and you’re not as likely to sweat your butt off doing outdoor activities. This fall bucket list will ensure you complete all of the wonderful fall activities you desire.

Cute clothes, warm drinks, family time, pretty leaves, football, getting cozy watching movies, pumpkin everything, apple everything else…. I could go on and on. I made a list of all the things I want to do this fall, and I decided to share my fall bucket list and printable with you!

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25 Things to do This Fall: Fall Bucket List

1. Apple picking

Find a local apple orchard and make a day trip out of it! Bring home all the apples you need to make apple pie, apple crisp, apple strudel, apple bars, apple sauce… be prepared to share with your friends and family!

2. Pumpkin patch

This is another day trip you can do with your entire family. Not only can you pick out your own pumpkins, some pumpkin patches offer tractor rides and corn mazes.

3. Corn maze

There is nothing that says fall quite like a corn maze. I let my kids take turns picking which way to go, and it doesn’t always turn out well. It sure is fun, though, no matter how long it takes!

4. Tractor ride

Our favorite pumpkin patch offers a tractor ride that takes you to the corn maze. Convenient, right?!

5. Jump in leaves

This is one of the most simple and easiest fall activities you can do. You’ll feel like a kid again.

6. Fall photo shoot

Get your kids cute one day (or make yourself cute… no one said it has to be a kid photo shoot), and take pictures in the leaves. Get beautifully colored trees in the background, put some pumpkins in there… get creative! Fall offers all the free backdrops.

7. Haunted house

It’s not Halloween time without a haunted house. You can’t skip out on this one.

8. Halloween craft

My kids and I love to do crafts. I like to decorate my kitchen with crafts that they’ve made. It might look cluttered, but they love to see their artwork on display, and it really gives a festive feeling to the house.

9. Thanksgiving craft

Think turkeys and thankfulness… you can’t go wrong there. Use Thanksgiving craft time to talk to your kids about the meaning of Thanksgiving and how it originated.

10. Carve a jack-o-lantern

You didn’t go to the pumpkin patch just to look around, did you? Use those pumpkins for something scary!

11. Watch a scary movie

Better yet, make it a marathon with all your favorite snacks. I like to make this a date night for the hubby and I after our kids go to bed.

12. Go for a scenic walk & look at leaves

We love to take quick walks around our neighborhood in the evenings to look at the leaves changing and falling. Sometimes we head downtown and explore, as all of the businesses look so pretty when the leaves start to change in front of them.

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13. Make home made soup

Nothing says fall like a bowl of hot soup. Find a new soup recipe, throw it in the crock pot, and have yourself a delicious fall meal.

14. Paint nails a fall color

Fall colors are so much fun and can really set the tone.

15. Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

This is a favorite to do with my kids!! We eat our favorite fall treats and cuddle up to watch together.

16. Bake pumpkin bread

Share some with your neighbors, friends, or family.

17. Make apple pie

Don’t share this. Keep it all to yourself. Just kidding, kind of.

18. Drink cider & eat donuts

You can’t have cider without donuts. Well, I guess you can, but it’s not the same.

19. Chili & football night

I choose a day when my husband’s favorite NFL team (even though the Raider’s suck) is playing for chili and football night. I also make a few yummy finger foods and get a variety of drinks so that everyone enjoys it… even my hubby when his team is losing.

20. Caramel apples

I’m really excited to do this. I’ve never done it with my kids before, and I plan on slicing the apples into wedges, putting them on skewers, dipping them in caramel and offering a couple candy options.

21. Read “October” by Robert Frost

This made the list because of my love for Robert Frost. I read it aloud to my kids, hoping to instill a love for his work in them, too.

robert frost, illustrated poems

22. Have a bon fire

Fall is bon fire season. Not too cold, but cold enough to enjoy sitting next to a hot fire. S’mores anyone?

23. Create a craft using materials from nature

Our favorite thing is to gather leaves from our yard to use for fall wreaths, sensory bottles, and just gluing onto paper.

24. Go for a nature walk

We like to find nearby trails that we can explore. If your kids are joining, do a nature scavenger hunt with them. You can make a list of items and challenge your kids to collect these while walking.

Your list can include small insects, flowers, and even stones. Add an exciting twist to the activity by allowing the kids to examine what they have gathered, and discover what these are made of through an easy-to-use kids microscope.

This activity is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while learning and having fun at the same time. Also, using a kids microscope would guarantee a 100% wow-factor for the whole family.

25. Donate to a food bank

Fall is the time to really show how thankful and appreciative you are of all you have and to give back to those who are less fortunate.

Free Fall Bucket List Printable

Final Thoughts On Fall Bucket List: Things to do This Fall

Printing this fall bucket list and displaying it on my refrigerator has gotten me so excited about fall. Next up, pulling out all of my fall decorations!

What is your favorite thing about fall? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Categories
How To Parenting

8 Tips to Stop Your Child’s Whining

If your child is anything like mine, then they whine at completely unnecessary times. Sometimes, they may not be able to stop whining even when there is nothing to whine about. If that’s the case for you, you’re likely looking for a way to stop your child’s whining.

For parents and caregivers, whining can be absolutely aggravating. When your patients are already being worn thin, whining can push you right over the edge. It’s hard being a calm, patient, and understanding parent when you can’t figure out how to stop your child’s whining and what causes it to begin with.

Research shows that the sound of a child whining is the single most distracting sound in the world, so it is completely understandable when a mom loses her … stuff when her kid keeps whining. (I’ll explain why losing it isn’t a good idea, however.. keep reading).

Reasons your child may whine:

Your child might whine because they:

  • feel like they need help
  • are hungry, thirsty, tired, etc.
  • need to feel a connection.
  • can’t properly express their feelings.
  • are feeling overwhelmed.
  • have been taught that they will get their way.
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How to Stop Your Child’s Whining

1. Figure out what makes them whine.

Is it that they feel they aren’t being heard? Maybe it’s during a certain time of day that the whining occurs, and they are tired at that particular time (i.e. after school, before bedtime). Try to figure out your child’s patterns of whining, and it will give you a clue as to how to stop the whining.

2. Remind them to take a breath and refocus.

Our children are still learning to control their emotions, and if they are feeling negative feelings, their initial reaction may be to whine. It’s our job to teach them to regulate those feelings and handle them in a positive way.

To help them real in those overwhelming feelings you should:

  • remind them to take a deep breath and release it slowly
  • breath with them, continuing slowly until they’ve begun to calm down
  • look them in the eyes and ask them to use their words and tell you what they need
  • if they still can’t calm down, allow them to find a quiet place to gather their bearings before rejoining
  • avoid getting angry, as it only makes it worse

3. Respond in a non-reactive way to stop your child’s whining.

When you react in a non-reactive way (that was a bit of a contradiction on my part, huh?), you will acknowledge your child, but you won’t acknowledge how the whining makes you feel. You won’t let your child in on the fact the whining does bother you, because that is what they are looking for. Instead, try saying things such as:

  • “I can’t understand what you’re saying when you use your whining voice.”
  • “Could you please say that more clearly?”
  • “I can’t hear you when you whine that way.”
  • “I would love to help you when you decide to use your words.”

If these types of phrases don’t work, just walk away. It may be hard to do but, if your child knows they won’t get attention for behaving in that way, it’ll get them to stop whining. You have to stick to it, however, in order to teach them to stop.

4. Give positive attention before they start to whine.

When kids whine it is oftentimes because they feel they aren’t being given attention. To children, negative attention is better than no attention at all. To get ahead of whining and prevent it from happening, make sure you spend some time each day giving your child positive attention. Make sure they know they are wanted and loved and noticed.

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5. Make sure all of their needs have been met.

If your child whines at a certain time each day, think about what could be wrong that triggers the whining? Are they hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Think of the basic needs before trying to stop them in any other way.

6. Acknowledge and support your child’s feelings.

Sometimes our kids feel like their feelings aren’t understood. This can really be an issue if you say things like, “you have nothing to be crying about!” or, “get it together. the way you’re feeling is unacceptable”.

Our kids are still learning how they are supposed to feel and how they are supposed to behave when they feel a certain way. Instead of telling them that their feelings are wrong, say something like “I can see that this made you frustrated/sad/angry/etc., can you tell a deep breath and tell me how I can help?”

7. Respond to your child when they are speaking to you – even if you know that you will say no.

Don’t just ignore your child. When a child feels that they aren’t being heard, they will whine. So, if you have to say ‘no’ to your child and know that they will whine either way, just get it over with and answer them so you both can move on with your day.

If it isn’t a yes/no question, respond to their question or comment as best as you can. Ignoring them will only make the situation worse, leading to whining, and even extending whining for longer periods of time.

8. Take your child aside and find a quick way to connect with them.

Sometimes kids just need a “re-start”, so to speak. They may feel like they’re losing their connection to you when you’re out and about or when you’re busy with something. If you see that they are struggling, take them aside and help them reconnect and refocus.

You can do this by making them laugh, smile, or just by letting them cry in your arms if their feelings are that overwhelming. Just help them through their moment and the whining will likely subside.

9. Getting frustrated won’t stop your child’s whining.

This only fuels the fire. If your kid sees that their whining is getting a reaction out of you, they’ll only continue the behavior. Set an example and keep it together (I know, it’s so hard sometimes) as best as you can.

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Final Thoughts On How to Stop Your Child’s Whining

Whining kids is overwhelming for the parent or caregiver, and it can be so tempting to just give in to what your child wants just to make them stop. This isn’t going to help, however, as it just teaches them that whining works to help them get their way.

Instead, using these 9 tips to stop your child’s whining, you should be able to lessen the problem or eliminate it completely. It can be hard to figure out what to do when your child won’t stop whining, but there is a solution.

Do you have a child who whines? What do you do to stop it? Tell me about it in the comments!