My four-year-old is starting school soon and, while he can recognize his own name, he is still learning to put the letters of his name in the correct order. I want him to know how to write his own name before school starts but first, he needs to know what order the letters go in. This DIY Name Recognition Puzzle and Scissor Practice activity has been perfect for that.
Since this puzzle was so easy to make I made one for my two-year-old as well. If she can be further along than my four-year-old is right now, I will be so excited because we won’t have to cram the summer before four-year-old preschool starts.
The cutting practice involved in this activity is so good for both of them, too, so it was definitely worth the few minutes it took me to put the activity together.
This activity is so simple, it will only take a couple of minutes to prepare. Plus, it will keep your kids busy for a while.
DIY Name Recognition Puzzle and Scissor Practice
To start, I drew a “sun” shape onto a piece of yellow paper. It was *supposed* to be a sun, but it definitely didn’t turn out as round as a sun. My kids didn’t mind so I didn’t fix it LOL.
I cut the shape out myself and then wrote their name on it. I left space in between each letter so that I could draw lines and they could cut on the lines.
That was all the preparation I had to do… they did the rest!!
I gave my kids scissors and explained to them that they had to cut on the lines that I drew. Sylas (four-years-old) did it with no problem and Josie (two-years-old) just needed a little help with hers.
That was it! It is so simple. Sylas is already putting his whole puzzle together on his own and starting to recognize where the letters go in his name.
What name recognition activities have you done with your kids? Tell me about it in the comment, or even drop a link if you’ve written a blog post about it!
So I know you’ve heard someone complaining (or been the one complaining) that cartoons just aren’t as good as they used to be, right?! It’s so true! Well, I wanted to see if my kids agreed with this, or if they think our cartoons sucked.
My husband and I compiled a list of our favorite childhood cartoons and decided to watch them with our kids to see if they would enjoy them as much as we did.
There is an 11 year age difference between my husband and I but, surprisingly, we had a few of the same favorites!!
*Disclaimer: None of the cartoon images used in this post are my own. I have linked every picture to the original source and also included the source in the caption area, just to be safe. The graphics are mine, however.*
Cartoons From the Past to Watch With Your Kids
Tom and Jerry
This was my absolute FAVORITE when I was a kid. My brother and I watched it all the time and it never got old. My littles loved it, too. Josie said, “I don’t like the cat, I only like the mouse” and laughed her butt off watching. Sylas said it was a good choice and that, “I liked when the ants carried the mouse Jerry and I also liked the one where the cat Tom was trying to use Jerry to catch a fish like he is a worm”. We found episodes of Tom and Jerry on YouTube.
Image from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_and_Jerry
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner
When we watched it with Sylas and Josie, Sylas laughed the entire time. Not just a giggle, a big ol’ belly laugh. He said his favorite part was when “the punching bag hits him – it’s the silliest thing”. He was talking about when the boxing glove comes back and hits him. We found this on YouTube, too.
Image from http://cinemagogue.com
Garfield This one is a favorite in our house. All the kids think Garfield and Odie are so funny and laugh throughout the whole show, even the big kids.
Image from garfield.wikia.com
Bugs Bunny ft. Elmer Fudd
I think my husband may have enjoyed this one more than the kids, but the kids did still enjoy it. There was a part when bugs bunny kissed Elmer Fudd and Sylas shouted out, “he kissed him!!!” and laughed so hard. Josie thought it was hilarious every time Elmer Fudd would look for Bugs Bunny when Bugs Bunny was right behind him the whole time. She kept yelling at Elmer, “there he is!”. It was pretty adorable.
Image from villains.wikia.com/wiki/Elmer_Fudd
Rocket Power Okay so I know this one is a newer one, but it’s still old and my kids had never seen it or heard of it. Peyton and Sylas LOVED it and have been doing the little handshake ever since. Rocket Power was THE BEST and in my late elementary years, I tried to watch it whenever it was on.
Image from justwatch.com
Scooby Doo I feel like Scooby Doo is still kind of popular, but definitely not as well-known as when I was a kid. Plus, it’s just different now (what isn’t, right?). My kids are familiar with the “new” Scooby Doo, but I wanted to find an old episode that aired in the early/mid-90’s. We went to YouTube to watch some of the old episodes and my kids really enjoyed them, but I’m not sure if it was any more or any less than the new cartoon. I prefer the old ones best, though, so that’s what we’ll stick with since they didn’t seem to have a preference.
Image from wikivisually.com/wiki/Scooby-Doo_(character)
The Tasmanian Devil Taz was fun right from the beginning. Josie jumped up and started dancing to the theme song, so I knew it was going to be a good one. Sylas was pretty mesmerized… I don’t think he looked away from the screen the entire time. Since we watched it, he has been spinning around the house Taz style. It’s kind of fun, also a little obnoxious.
Image from thegospelside.com
Arthur I have Arthur books from when I was little and my kids really like them so they were already familiar with Arthur. They had never watched the TV show before, though. Sylas fell in love with it and keeps asking to watch it, which is completely okay with me.
Image from commonsensemedia.org
Rugrats Who didn’t like Rugrats?! Everyone did!! My kids included, apparently. Josie really liked Angelica and that worries me a little. 😉 LOL
Thundercats I’ll be honest here… I never watched Thundercats. My husband did, though. It was his favorite. We have an 11 year age difference so I’m not surprised it wasn’t as popular when I was a kid. Sylas and Peyton both really liked this one.
Image from https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/301512-thundercats-lion-o
This post was so much fun because I got to sit down with my littles and watch cartoons that I loved as a kid, but haven’t watched in probably 10-15 years. It was so cool to show them some of the things my husband and I enjoyed when we were little. Sylas thinks it’s cool, too, and even told our elderly neighbor about Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner and then added, “my dad watched it when he was a kid. Did you know my dad used to be a kid!?” It was hilarious.
Have you watched any of your old favorite cartoons with your kids? What did they think? If you haven’t yet, which one would you want to show them first?
It’s my favorite day of the week… WINE WEDNESDAY!!!
So the wine I am reviewing for this Wine Wednesday is seriously my new favorite. I’m not even exaggerating, I want a case of it.
Beach Cottage Red is made and sold at 12 Corners in Michigan. The winemaking is done in Benton Harbor but there are 12 Corners tasting rooms in several places in Michigan, including South Haven (read about my visit here). I usually only write about wine that you can buy at a grocery store but if you are dying to try it (and you should be!), 12 Corners ships! The cost of this wine is only $12.99 which is AMAZING for the quality.
Beach Cottage Red is a semi-sweet red table wine and will remind you of being at a… BEACH COTTAGE. 😉 For real, though. It is so refreshing, goes down smooth, and the nose is one that you can only get on the Lake Michigan shore. You really don’t want to miss out on this wine!
This wine is very fruity, which is my favorite kind of wine, and it is full bodied. It was hard to tell what exactly I was tasting because the flavors mix together so well, but I’m pretty certain I got a nice taste (and smell) of a Concord grape. This is the kind of wine that I can thoroughly enjoy and drink anytime.
Have you tried wine from 12 Corners? If not, would you ever order wine online and have it shipped to you? Let me know in the comments!
If you follow me on Twitter you already know that my husband and I took a trip to South Haven, Michigan this past weekend. It is my favorite place on earth and as soon as my blog makes me rich (hey, I can dream, right?) I’ll be buying a beautiful home there.
The view from my recliner in the apartment we rented.
See the lake out there?
I really do love everything about South Haven. The views of Lake Michigan, the clean beaches, the cute little shops in town, the food (oh, the food!!!!), the activities, and the people. The best part is the Lake Michigan sunsets, though. NOTHING in this world beats a Lake Michigan sunset.
Even cloudy, it is still beautiful
People from all over the country visit South Haven. While we were there we met someone from Alaska and another person from Texas. We are lucky that it is less than a 2-hour drive from us, but if you are farther away than us, I promise you it is worth the trip.
We have begun to compile a list of places in South Haven we love and will return to as often as possible, and also a list of places that we weren’t so fond of. I’m happy to say that the “love” list is much, much longer than the other list.
So, if you are visiting South Haven in the future or even if you are just curious about Michigan’s little gem, this post is for you.
***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***
Things to do in South Haven, Michigan
Watch a sunset over Lake Michigan. I mentioned before that there is NOTHING like a Lake Michigan sunset so, of course, this is at the top of my list. We sit above the beach on a waterproof beach blanket and watch the sunset over the lighthouse. It is so beautiful and so peaceful.
Swim and hang out at the beach. This should go without saying when you visit a lake town. Get your floaties and boogie boards and head in. Don’t forget to bring a beach chair with you!
Try a new restaurant. Every time we go to South Haven we try at least one restaurant that we haven’t tried before. Our favorites are Clementines (for dinner), 3 Blondes Brewing (lunch and drinks), Black River Tavern (dinner and drinks), Golden Brown Bakery (breakfast and coffee), and Chomps Gourmet Hotdogs (lunch).
We also tried Captain Lou’s, the Idler Riverboat, and Captain Nemo’s (yummy breakfast). Captain Lou’s is is right on the Black River and we got to watch a drawbridge lift up for boats to go through while sitting on their deck. We also tried Venezia Pizza but will probably try Brix Oven next time we go instead. We also want to try Maria’s next time, which is an Italian restaurant that we’ve heard a lot about.
Clementines
Black River Tavern
The Chicago
Chomp’s Gourmet Hotdogs
Go on a boat tour. There are a couple of different options for this. Right on Water St. there is a marina on the black river where they offer boat tours. You can do a daytime one or for $10 more per person, you can do a sunset tour. There is also the Michigan Maritime Museum which offers tours on a “pirate ship”.
Wine tasting. There were a couple of wineries I wanted to try but we chose 12 Corners this time. We loved it! My husband usually doesn’t like wine, and he says everything tastes like MD20-20 or something BUT he actually found a couple he liked at 12 Corners!
It’s right on Pheonix St. and they have a large wine list. The price was $10 for 5 tastes and we got to take the cute stemless wine glasses with us. We also left with a bottle of Beach Cottage Red. Yummmm.
I’ve been reading about their monthly Wine Club and I’m really thinking about joining… they ship!! I would probably make the trip every 3 months and pick the wine up but they have a bi-monthly shipping option.
Beer tasting. So there are quite a few breweries in the South Haven area but we chose 3 Blonds Brewing. I read about them online and had to try it out.
I normally am not a beer person but I couldn’t pass up on a beer tasting date with my husband. I tasted 3 beers that I LOVED, 1 that I really liked, and the others were IPA’s and apparently, I’m just not a fan (hubby is so disappointed in me). For you IPA lovers, my husband said the IPAs at 3BB are amazing!
Paddleboard or canoe! You can rent these right on South Beach so it’s super easy and convenient.
Go shopping. There are SO many cute little shops on Pheonix St. and Quaker St. We always get souvenirs here and quite a few of our favorite restaurants are on the same street.
Kal-Haven Hiking Trail. This is a trail that runs from South Haven all the way to Kalamazoo. You can bike or hike. There are so many beautiful stops along the way. I have never completed the trail because I am way too out of shape to hike 32 miles in one direction, but the South Haven part is beautiful.
Icecream. Buy your ice cream at South Beach (I recommend the Mackinac Island flavor) and then…
Walk to the South Beach Lighthouse. This is our tradition… on our first day, before we even check-in at the place we’re staying, we buy ice cream on South Beach and then walk to the lighthouse while we eat it. It’s so fun and the perfect way to get into relaxation/vacation mode.
Go see a comedy show or a live band at the Black River Tavern. They have them on Saturday nights and they also have amazing drinks and appetizers. It was the best date night. We had the BEST time ever, laughed so much, and sang along with the band’s songs. Take me back!!
I call this look “beach and booze”
You guys, seriously. Please take me back. Our 3 night, 4-day mini-vacation was AMAZING and MUCH needed. We only get away together once a year and while we thought about other places for this past trip (New York City), we couldn’t imagine spending our anniversary trip in any place but South Haven.
Have you ever been to South Haven, Michigan? If so, tell me about your favorite part! If you haven’t been, tell me what you would want to experience the most if you were able to visit. I’d love to hear about it!
Chris and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary this past weekend. We got married last year in South Haven, MI and the little town quickly became my favorite place in the world. We were able to have a small beach wedding at a very reasonable price.
As a kid, I dreamed of a big wedding but when the time came and the planning began, I panicked. My anxiety got the best of me and I started stressing out about the wedding before there was even anything to stress about.
I jokingly (kind of) suggested to Chris that we elope. He vetoed that idea because he wanted our parents and our kids, at least, to be at the wedding. BUT he didn’t completely knock the idea of not having a traditionally large wedding.
Researching Low-Key Wedding Options
I began researching some different options and decided that I wanted to get married in a beach wedding on Lake Michigan, no reception or anything. At first, I was worried about what everyone would think but then remembered, our wedding day is supposed to be about US and that would be impossible if I was stressed out and anxious all day.
I found a cute little bed and breakfast in South Haven called Martha’s Vineyard that offered a wedding package… 2-night stay and a private wedding (with a couple other perks as well) and went for it.
In the description on Martha’s Vineyard’s website, it stated that the wedding would be held at the bed and breakfast. I was okay with that but I reaaaallly wanted a beach wedding. I sent an e-mail over to the owner asking if it would be possible. She agreed and made all the arrangements. I literally didn’t have to do anything except bring the marriage license and look nice. Oh and bring the rings, of course.
The Wedding
A handful of our closest family members were able to make it to the wedding. Since we didn’t have a reception, we all went out to eat afterward.
This tiny little low key wedding was SO perfect for us. We have no regrets about our decision.
The wedding was so inexpensive, intimate and personal. Plus, we got to spend the weekend in a beautiful place. Having a 5-month-old baby, I didn’t want to be away for long and definitely didn’t want to travel far so a traditional honeymoon was out of the question, too. The South Haven wedding still gave us the chance to spend relaxing alone time together both before and after the wedding.
We loved it so much we are heading back this coming weekend to celebrate our marriage.
Did you choose to have a big wedding or did you opt for something smaller? If you aren’t married yet, what kind of ceremony do you plan on having? Let me know in the comments!
My kids have a pretend kitchen that they LOVED when it was new to them. They spent at least an hour every day playing with it. After a couple of weeks, they got kind of bored, though, and I found myself just picking up the play food and dishes off the floor after they were dumped out and not played with.
This is the first day that we had the pretend kitchen… we hadn’t even gotten the food and dishes in it yet.
I contemplated getting rid of the entire playset but knew I would regret it as soon as it was gone.
The only option was to find ways to make it more fun and exciting for the kids so I began brainstorming some ways to play with it.
It worked! I taught the kids a couple of new ways to use the pretend kitchen playset and they fell in love with it all over again.
7 Ways to Play With a Pretend Kitchen
*this post contains affiliate links*
Cooking/Following recipes
I know that most toddlers can’t read but that doesn’t mean they can’t follow directions! Using pictures with just a few words is all they need, and usually, they can figure it out from there. They use the pictures as a guide and eventually, they may start recognizing the words that are included with the picture. Even if they can’t figure out what the recipe is calling for, they can still pretend to create a meal or a treat from a recipe. If they see you do it when you’re cooking real food, they’ll be so excited to be able to do it with their play food. You can create recipes using Canva (if you click the link it’ll take you right to their recipe card template!) or even just Microsoft Word. Keep it short and simple, and don’t forget the pictures! The recipes (I’ve only made 2) I created for them are not even close to as cool as some of the ones I’ve found on Pinterest so I definitely plan on stepping my game up there.Recipe Book by Emily at LaForce Be With You – link
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Grocery shopping/Putting food away We don’t have a grocery store set up, but I just take small baskets and sort out some of the food that way and then they come through with their shopping carts and choose which food they would like to “buy”. We use play money for this.. we actually made it ourselves and it looks NOTHING like real money aside from the fact that it is green. You could use monopoly money or anything else you have. After they “buy” their food, they push the shopping cart “home” to the kitchen playset and begin putting it away. When I first had this idea I was worried they wouldn’t want to put it away but turns out they really like to do it! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because when I go grocery shopping they love to help put groceries away.
Restaurant This one is their FAVORITE!! We use the play money, a tablet, and a pencil. I sit at the table and they come over to take my order. Then they go and prepare/cook whatever it is I ordered and serve it to me. It’s so much fun. I want to take this a step further and make a menu for them soon. There are a couple menus I’m considering.. the first one you can purchase (this isn’t an affiliate link, however) and the second one could be made at home. If you don’t feel like creating your own you can buy one for pretty cheap on Teachers Pay Teachers (pictured below).Created by Andrea Miller on Teachers Pay Teachers – linkCreated by ObSEUSSed – Link
Setting the table Josie really enjoys this one. I used paper and traced a toy plate, fork, spoon, knife, and cup onto 2 different pieces of paper. I also wrote the word out for what goes where because we are working on recognizing words. When the kids are setting the table they use the paper as a placemat and place everything where it belongs. We usually do it before we play restaurant.
Washing dishes This one is fun because they love to “wash” dishes. I’ll admit, this is the one we do the least often because it usually results in them asking for real water in their kitchen playset. I let them do this sometimes. Other times I tell them to just pretend or to pick something new to play.
Pizza shop I have a small tote where I store all of their “pizza” pieces. These pieces were all cut out on paper, but plan to re-do them on felt soon. I cut a circle on brown paper for the crust, small red circles for the pepperoni, and a bunch of small yellow pieces for the cheese. You could also include green peppers, mushrooms, ham, pineapple, etc.
“House” I’m honestly just not sure what else to call this one… Josie likes to play mommy and feed her baby doll. She puts her baby’s highchair right next to the kitchen and cooks for her, then pretends to feed her the food.Sometimes she sneaks real food for her baby doll
Usually, throughout all of the “cooking” activities, they wear a chef hat and apron that I picked up at Dollar Tree.
You will definitely need play food to go along with the kitchen playset. The pretend kitchen comes with a little, but not enough. I have found the best deals on Amazon.
This is the kitchen playset that we have. When you click the link below you’ll be able to see lots of other options, as well. There is literally a pretend kitchen for every budget!
I love watching them use their imagination and pretend to do real, everyday activities. It is such a good learning opportunity and if you play your cards right, they’ll be working on letter/word recognition, number recognition, and counting. They’ll get practice using writing utensils and speaking/asking questions. The possibilities are endless.
I did have to show my kids the first couple of times they did some of these activities. Now I’m usually able to leave them to it. They either do the activity I showed them or create an entirely new activity. I still play with them sometimes just to reinforce the learning opportunities involved.
If your child has a kitchen playset, what do they like to do with it? We’re always looking for new ideas!
Before this summer I had never taken my kid’s on a family camping trip. Call me a bad mom or whatever, but I was terrified of taking 3 littles camping!
Well, we finally did it and I definitely don’t regret it. I would do some things differently and pack differently, but we will definitely be doing it again SOON.
It was so much fun and the kids loved it, so I took note during the process of things I needed that I didn’t think to pack, things I packed but didn’t need, and things that would have been nice to have.
Now I’m giving you the opportunity to learn from my mistakes!! I’ve put together a list of what you should pack for a family camping trip. I even included a section dedicated to packing for a toddler, a teenager, and a big kid. You’re welcome. 😉
What to Pack for a Camping Trip
Bedding/Misc.
Tent (if needed)
Sleeping Bag/Blanket
Pillow
Sheets if staying in a cabin
Flashlights (flashlight tag anyone?!)
Glowsticks
Backpack
First aid kit
Cell phone & Chargers
Garbage bags
Clorox Wipes
Citronella Candle A book
Lawn chairs
Beer bottle opener/corkscrew
Cash
Any necessary medication
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Bikes
Games (board/card)
Chairs
Bluetooth Speaker
Kayak/Canoe
Fishing poles
Clothing
Raincoat/jacket
Swimsuit
Tennis shoes
Clothes (2 outfits/day for everyone, more for younger children)
Shorts/t-shirts
Pants/Long sleeve shirts
Hats
Extra socks
Sweatshirt/sweatpants (in case it gets chilly at night and you want to be comfy)
Underwear (duh)
PJ’s
Flipflops
Extra shoes for everyone
Personal
Shampoo/Conditioner
Soap
Deodorant
Toilet Paper (You never know!)
Toothbrush/paste
Shower Bag
Hand Sanitizer
Lotion
Lip balm
Towels and washcloths
Bag for dirty laundry
Hair ties
Brush/Comb
Cooking
Camping dinners
Pre-prepped breakfast meals
Wine
Beer
Water
Gatorade (if you’re feeling nice)
Coffee/Creamer
Favorite snacks
S’mores ingredients
Condiments
Coolers/Ice
Firewood (Sometimes you have to buy this right at the campground)
Lighter
Plastic utensils
Paper plates
Napkins
Plastic cups
Tablecloths
Paper Towels
Grilling/Fire utensils
Foil
Skewers
Resealable Plastic Bags
Toddler Specifics
Toddler-sized chairs
Blocks
Lots of extra clothes (3 per day if your child is extra messy or the weather isn’t cooperating) Sand/Beach toys Life Jackets
Teddy bear/baby doll, favorite blankets
Baby wipes
Big Kid/Teenager Specifics
Football, baseball, volleyball, other sports equipment
Water toys
***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***
What would you add to this list? Have you ever forgotten something essential on a camping trip? Tell me about it in the comments! 🙂
I recently wrote a guest post for Elle Goes Global called Wines of the World and in the post I talked about wine from France, Argentina, South Africa, and the United States. Well, the wine I’m writing about today is from Mendoza, Argentina, where the best Argentinan wine comes from.
This Alamos Malbec is amazing. I’ll just start there. I may have accidentally drunk the whole bottle. I take that back, Chris’ brother drank a little, too. 😉
It can be purchased for around $10 at grocery stores. This mama doesn’t have time to go anywhere special to buy her wine. 😉
The first thing I noticed was the dark, intense red color of the wine. The next thing I noticed was that this Malbec is VERY aromatic. I could smell cherry, peppers, and a little blackberry.
The taste was very cherry forward with hints of cocoa, and a soft spice on the finish. That is honestly all I could come up with when I was drinking it because the cherry is VERY powerful.
I think it would pair really well with barbequed foods.
Overall, it was a well balanced, medium-bodied wine with strong tannins. I’d rate it a 4.5 out 5, so for the price, it is a MUST TRY.
Have you tried this wine or a different Malbec before? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! 🙂
It’s safe to say that most kids have too many toys. Between Christmas, birthdays, and other random gifts during the year, it is so easy to acquire TOO MANY toys.
It happened to us without me even realizing it until it was too late. The big kids had toys, of course, (they were 6 and 9 when Sylas was born), but those toys were easier to contain in bedrooms because the kids didn’t require CONSTANT supervision and there were only 2 of them.
When Sylas was a newborn, we had only a couple toys because he didn’t really play yet. When he started moving that all changed. Grandma was buying him every toy she saw, Christmas came and he was spoiled by every person on both sides of the family, and then 5 months later was his birthday.
All of a sudden we had toys EVERYWHERE. Josie was born not long after that and within a year, we had even MORE toys because she’s a girl and needed her own stuff (at least that’s what everyone said).
Then we had Liam so add even more toys at Christmas and another birthday into the mix. Plus random pickups and hand me downs and we were literally drowning.
There were toys EVERYWHERE. Upstairs, downstairs, in the car, in the hallway, EVERYWHERE. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t keep up with the cleaning up, organizing, etc.
It was time to get it under control.
What to do When You Are Drowning In Toys
Get rid of toys that aren’t played with or are missing pieces. I started with the toys that my kids never touched. I didn’t ask them what they WANTED to get rid of because their answer probably would have been “nothing”. Instead, when they weren’t paying attention I started getting rid of things that they just didn’t play with or that was broken/missing pieces. We donated some, threw away others (happy meal toys, broken toys, remote control cars with missing parts, puzzles with missing pieces, etc.). This actually cleared out a ton of the junk.
Use baskets or clear plastic totes to organize and store all toys. Yep, all of them. Amazon has a ton of different sizes to choose from but I mostly use the plastic totes pictured below, which come in a pack of 12. I also have several that are a little bigger, which I also found on amazon. I believe you can also find some small totes at dollar tree or dollar general.Label them and store them in an easy to access place. I put toys that have a lot of pieces that go together or follow a specific theme (Mr. Potato Head, horses, animals, balls, etc.) in the clear plastic totes and I label the front. I want to put pictures on them soon, too. I store larger toys in baskets. One holds all musical instruments.
Choose toys to leave out, but only choose enough that each toy has a “home” and won’t get mixed in with other toys. Everything should have a home. You can’t expect the toys to be organized and put away if there is no designated “area” for them. This has been the hardest part for me because we don’t have a ton of space for storing toys. I still want a cube organizer (pictured below) to have a couple more things out but we use a toy organizer with 12 bins (also pictured below). It works really well for us and the toys we have because the kids can easily see what toys they can play with and can pull the whole bin down when they want to play.
We choose 12 different “themes”, one theme for each bin (Ex. balls, blocks, PJ masks, Paw Patrol, Mr. Potato Head, horses, animals, technology, hot wheels, magnatiles, music, puzzles, etc.).We also use our entertainment center to store toys. I know this is kind of ridiculous but they get into it anyway so why not. LOL. In there we store a handful of books, a couple puzzles, and a couple other toys that won’t fit in a bin.
Decide where (out of sight) you are going to store some (or most) toys. We use our hall linen closet. I hate it but we don’t have much storage so it works for us. You just need a place that has shelves.I put all of the totes and baskets of toys in the closet, even the empty containers from the toys that are out are neatly stored here. Make sure it is easy to see what is in there so you can switch toys out regularly and put toys back in their labeled container.
Set a schedule for rotation. Each week or month, let the kids help choose what toys should be brought out and what ones should be put away for a while. Not only will this help lessen the toy clutter in your home, but it will also help your kids appreciate their toys more.
For bigger toys (toy kitchens, etc.) place all small pieces out of reach and designate times to play with it. Usually, I want these kinds of toys readily available to the kids but there are certain times when I’m busy (usually getting ready to leave the house) that Liam dumps all the pieces on the floor and wanders away. This leads to the pieces getting scattered all throughout the house and it usually happens during our busiest times of day. What works for us is to leave the smaller pieces (the play food) out of sight and out of reach when you aren’t able to pay as close attention or don’t have the time to help clean up the pieces.
Kids thrive on simplicity so don’t feel bad that your child doesn’t have EVERY toy they own accessible at one time. That’s overwhelming for everyone involved and leads to toys being forgotten, damaged, or lost and also leads to having a house cluttered with toys because nothing has a “home”.
What are some ways you’ve tried to combat toy clutter in your home? What worked and what didn’t? Let me know in the comments!
I like to make holidays memorable for my kids. One way I do it is by doing holiday-themed crafts and activities in the days leading up to the holiday. My kids love it, I get keepsakes, and it offers an opportunity to discuss what the holiday means. 4th of July activities and crafts make the holiday more fun and exciting. Plus, there are plenty of ideas to choose from.
The 4th of July is always busy for us. We have a cookout the day of the holiday and another party the weekend after. It’s hard to talk about the meaning of the holiday with so much going on. Luckily, our craft time gives us that needed time to connect.
4th of July Activities and Crafts
This year we’ve done two crafts already, including:
4th of July Ripped Paper Wreath Kids Craft
These ripped paper wreaths were fun and easy. We used white paper, cut it into a circle (or close enough), and cut a round hole in the middle. Then, the kids ripped blue and red paper to glue on. I cut out stars to put on at the end. We hung the finished wreaths on the kids’ bedroom doors.
Handprint Firework Craft
This one is my favorite one we have made so far this year. It’s so cute, and I love handprint keepsakes. I painted their hands red before helping them put their hand flat on white paper. Then, using blue and red paint (separately so it doesn’t turn purple), they used their fingers to make the “fireworks” part. Super simple.
Other 4th of July Crafts and Activities
There are three other crafts I want to do with them before the 4th of July and one scavenger hunt.
Kids Blowers Patriotic Craft Idea
These patriotic kids blowers from Natural Beach Living are so cute. The kids can use them during fireworks displays to add more festivity.
Footprint Rocket Pop
I love this Footprint Rocket Pop craft from Tippytoe Crafts. It’s another keepsake for Mama and a craft the kids will love. It could be a general summertime craft, but with the red, white, and blue, it gives me patriotic vibes.
Painted Rocks
We want to paint some rocks like these Painted Rocks for the 4th of July created by Thrifty Nifty Things. I don’t know if this is popular everywhere, but where I’m from, people paint rocks and hide them for others to find. When you find a rock, you’re supposed to post a picture on the dedicated Facebook site and say where you found it. Then, you re-hide it in a new location. I want to paint them this weekend and hide them in the couple of days before the 4th of July. My kids LOVE hiding and finding rocks around town, so it’s perfect for them.
4th of July Scavenger Hunt
I fell in love with this 4th of July Scavenger Hunt Printable from Women With Intention on Pinterest. I’m bummed that the link didn’t work, and the website no longer exists, so I can’t download it directly from who created it. Later tonight I’ll make a scavenger hunt printable to use at home on the 4th of July and maybe a second one for the larger party the weekend after.
Recap: 4th of July Activities and Crafts
How do you teach your kids about holidays? Are you doing any fun crafts or activities with them for the 4th of July? Tell me about it in the comments!
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Black River Tavern
Sometimes she sneaks real food for her baby doll
