Tag: big kid

13 Random Acts of Kindness to Do With Kids

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date February 15, 2020
21 Comments on 13 Random Acts of Kindness to Do With Kids

random acts of kindness, kind things to do with kids, teach kids to be kind, how to be kind to others, bob kerrey

February 17th marks National Random Acts of Kindness Day in 2020. With the date approaching, I want to celebrate the day with my kiddos. I’ve been working on teaching them how to be kind to others, so it’s the perfect opportunity to practice.

Random Acts of Kindness to Do With Your Kids

1. Compliment someone

A simple compliment can make someone’s day. Teach your kids to say nice things about those around them. Whether you compliment someone at the grocery store or you have your kids compliment one another at home, this is a good habit for them to form.

2. Pick up trash outside

There is no better way to do a kindness for others than by taking care of the environment. Walk around the neighborhood or a local park and clean up trash. Have the kids wear gloves or put a plastic bag over their hands so they don’t touch anything yucky.

3. Donate some toys to children in need

Let’s face it, most of our kids have too much. I know mine do. Encourage your child to select a few toys that are in good, working condition and donate them to someone in need.

If they have younger cousins or there are young kids in the neighborhood, you could take the toys there. Otherwise, donating to St. Vincent or somewhere similar is a good option.

4. Help them write a kind note for their teacher

If your child can write on their own, this is a good one for them to do alone. Otherwise, ask your child what they want to say to their teacher and help them write it. This is perfect for teachers of any grade as they could all use a note to let them know they are appreciated.

5. Donate canned goods to a local shelter

Have your kids help you gather canned goods and take them to a local shelter for donation.

6. Do a chore for a sibling or do an extra chore

I know my kids would be so surprised and happy if their sibling did one of their chores. I also know that the happy sibling would likely do the same in return, so it could end up being a never-ending (but awesome) cycle.

If your child doesn’t have siblings, they can do an extra chore to help their parents out.

random acts of kindness, kind things to do with kids, teach kids to be kind, how to be kind to others

7. Thank emergency services personnel

Police officers, firefighters, EMTs and other professionals in the emergency services field sacrifice themselves each day to protect us and our towns. Oftentimes they work long hours with very little sleep, and they also work weekends, holidays, and overnight shifts.

By simply making them a picture or writing a note about how much they are appreciated, you are sure to make their day. You could take it a step further and bake cookies or another treat to deliver with your kids.

8. Leave coins on a ride-on toy at the mall or grocery store

Our local grocery store has a pony for kids to ride on. I’m going to have my kids leave a handful of coins on the pony as an act of kindness so that other kids can ride even if their parents don’t have any change on them.

9. Move a neighbor’s garbage can from the end of the driveway back to their house

If you’re anything like me, your garbage can may sit at the end of your driveway for a couple of days before you pull it back up to the house after garbage pick-up day. Teach your kids to help out the neighbor after trash has been picked up by having them pull the can back to the house. It would be a big help!

10. Return someone else’s cart to the cart corral at the store

When someone is finishing up loading their groceries into their car, run over and offer to put it away for them. It’s the simple things in life that are the most meaningful sometimes.

If you see a stranded cart in a parking lot, that’s a good one to put away, too. It’ll help out the store employee who has to collect all of the carts.

11. Share a favorite toy with a sibling or a friend.

Sharing is caring, right? Encourage your child to share their toys as a way of showing kindness to others.

12. Smile at everyone you see

Challenge your children to smile at everyone they pass today. A smile can make someone’s day and it’ll make you and your child feel good, too.

13. Read a book to someone or to a pet

Being read to is soothing and can reduce stress or anxiety. With this being the case, reading a book to someone is one of the kindest things you can do.

If you can’t think of a person to read to, find a pet who is willing to sit still or cuddle. The shelter is full of animals who would love some attention.

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

Final Thoughts on Random Acts of Kindness to Do With Kids

Random acts of kindness are amazing anytime of the year, but with National Random Acts of Kindness Day coming so quickly, it’s a good time to talk about it with your kiddos and spend a day practicing it. By the end of the day, you may find that your kids are coming up with more acts of kindness on their own!

Which random acts of kindness would you add to this list? Tell me in the comments!

Tags big kid, Holiday, little kid, Parenting, Teenager

Adulting Big Kid Life Organization Our Family Parenting Printables Teenager

Free Printables: Paycheck Budget & Chore Chart

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date February 11, 2020
14 Comments on Free Printables: Paycheck Budget & Chore Chart

problem solving freebies, easy budget, budget for beginners, paycheck budget printable, weekly budget, easy chore chart, simple chore chart, free budget

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to create a simpler chore chart than what I’d previously been using. My original one was literally four pages long. Well, when I decided to buckle down and create the simple chore chart I was wishing for, I decided to come up with one other freebie, bringing you the two free printables I’m sharing today.

Simple Chore Chart Printable

The first printable, the easy chore chart, is intended to make it easier for my kids to get their chores done each day.

I wasn’t kidding when I said my original chore chart was four pages long. It definitely didn’t make it easy for the kids to pick chores each day, and it definitely didn’t inspire motivation.

Luckily, the new one has been a much bigger hit. It makes it easier to keep up on chores, and the kids know exactly what they should be doing that day.

I’ve noticed that the chores are getting done more quickly, sometimes before I even make it home from work.

Paycheck Budget Printable

Since I was simplifying my life with the chore chart, I was inspired to simplify my budgeting method, as well.

Before, I had been writing my budget out on notebook paper every single pay period. Not a very organized method, I admit. It worked for me for a while, but I needed something a bit easier to wrap my head around.

I have a master list of when all of our bills are due, and each week I sit down to plan out what will need paid that week. I do this before I get my paycheck, and then the day I get paid, I reference my list and pay everything.

This printable can be used for weekly or bi-weekly budget planning and monthly budgeting, whichever you prefer.

In “other expenses” I put things like food, gas, and cheerleading (which we pay weekly). In the “savings” section I put upcoming holidays and our emergency fund, which I distribute money to weekly, as well. “Extras” is for any extra money I’m putting towards debt.

Then, the final box titled “leftovers” is to figure out what I’m left with at the end of the pay period. I take our total income and subtract the total amount of money going out.

Final Thoughts

Printables make my life so much easier, and simple printables are essentials. I can’t keep up with multiple pages for a budget or chore chart. I need simple ones that allow me to keep all of my thoughts on that one page.

What do you think – do free printables help you simplify your life?

Tags adulting, big kid, Life, little kid, Organization, Parenting, Plans, Printables, Teenager

Big Kid Gifts Holiday

Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date November 10, 2019
2 Comments on Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy

gifts for a 12 year old boy, best gifts for 12 year old, gifts for middle schooler

Whether you need birthday gifts, a “just because” gift, or Christmas gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy, this is the perfect gift guide. At 12, boys stop asking for toys as much and become a little more difficult to buy gifts for. I think it’s important to still find gifts for boys to “play” with, so I make sure to mix in toys for a 12-year-old with the video games and electronics that they always tend to ask for.

Since they are sometimes hard to buy for, I did my research (including asking our own son) and put together this list of gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy.

22 Best Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy

1. Atmosphere Smart Galaxy Star Projector

This projector can transform the color and mood of the room in only seconds. There are 16.7 million colors to choose from, and he can control the speed settings and brightness. The best part is that this is a smart projector, so it can be controlled right from a phone. It can also be connected to an Alexa or Google device, and you can set a timer for when it shuts off.

2. Game System

A PlayStation 4 or Xbox 1 are both great gifts for a 12-year-old boy, and Fortnite gifts are always a safe choice.

2. Xbox Live Membership

If your son plays online (which is the case with most games) this is a necessity. You can choose a 6-month option or a 12-month option. This allows the gamer to play online with his friends.

3. Drone

Drones are so much fun, and they normally get kids outside to play. If you’re unfamiliar with a drone, the child will use a remote control to fly the device through the air.

4. Amazon Echo

Our 12 year old loves to listen to music, and we are always finding our kitchen Echo in his room. He’d LOVE to have his own, so I know that it is a great gift for a 12-year-old boy.

5. Fortnite Nerf gun

It seems as if kids are growing up quicker than ever before, and I’ve found that 12 is about the age when kids stop asking for as many toys. This one is perfect because it does help them return to their younger years and relax a little more, but it is also a little cooler because it is Fortnite. 😉

Really, though, our son doesn’t ask for many toys anymore, but I always make sure to get him one Nerf gun. Since I only get him one, I make sure it’s cool and different from anything he’s had before.

6. Xbox controller

If the 12 year old boy plays video games, he could normally use another controller. And if he doesn’t NEED one but wants a cooler one, why not, right?

7. Bluetooth headset

Again, if your son plays online and with his friends a lot the Bluetooth headset is kind of a necessity. They want to be able to communicate with their friends while gaming.

8. Legos

There are so many Legos to choose from, and it can be difficult to choose just one Lego set for a 12 year old boy. To avoid the stress of picking the “perfect” one, you could choose an option that allows the child to build many different thins.

9. Wireless ear buds

If your son has a smartphone, and an older sibling, this one is definitly a want on their wish list. And lets be honest. No one likes the wires;)

10. Apple Watch or Fitbit

If your son has a smartphone this comes in handy as a parent as well as a kid. Kids like it because its the latest and greatest and you’ll love it because you’ll always be able to get ahold of them (without an excuse) and kids don’t follow the “street light” rule anymore.

11. Waterproof Bluetooth speaker

12. K’Nex Thrill Rides

There are so many cool options when it comes to K’Nex Thrill Rides as a great gift for a 12-year-old. It was so hard for me to decide on one as a gift for a tween, only because there were so many potential options.

13. Monopoly Voice Banking

14. Chromebook

15. Over the door basketball hoop

16. Electric scooter

17. Go pro

18. Gaming chair

So I never knew why kids wanted “office chairs” for their bedrooms when they never sat at their desk anyway, but then I learned that these are “gaming chairs”. My bad. Anyway, if you’re buying for a kiddo who plays video games, he’d love something like this!

19. Madden 20

This is one game that I have found that boys of all personalities love! I buy the newest version each year.

Playstaton 4:

Xbox One:

20. NBA 2K20

PlayStation 4:

Xbox One:

21. Champion clothing

22. Amazon Music Membership

If you are interested in giving Amazon Music Unlimited as a gift for a 12-year-old boy, you can try it out yourself first. If you’re anything like me, you have to feel confident in the gifts you’re giving. The free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited will allow you to see exactly what it is before you gift it.

Final Thoughts On Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy

With the holidays coming, there are so many kids to buy for. It can be hard to come up with awesome gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy since that’s about the age when they stop asking for toys as much. Luckily, I’ve done the research for you, and I hope this gift guide for a 12-year-old helps you find the perfect gift!

What would you add to this list of best gifts for a 12-year-old boy?

Other Gift Guides

Gift ideas for a:

Tags big kid, big kids, Christmas, Gift Guide, gifts, Holiday

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

Easy Fall Sensory Bin With Dyed Rice

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date October 13, 2019
6 Comments on Easy Fall Sensory Bin With Dyed Rice

how to dye rice, dyed rice, rice dying, easy fall sensory bin, easy sensory activity, easy fall activity, fall sensory activity

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.

How to Make an Easy Fall Sensory Bin by Dying Rice

What you need:

4 cups of white rice
4 teaspoons of white vinegar
Food coloring (I used orange, yellow, brown, and red)
4 Ziploc bags (any size) – one bag per color
Paper towel

Directions:

Put 1 cup of rice in each Ziploc bag.
Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar into each bag of rice.
Add a differet color of food coloring to each bag.
Zip the bag and mix the rice with the food coloring.
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
Once all of the dyed rice is dry, mix the 4 colors together in a bowl or sensory table.
Add small Halloween toys or fall colored leaves for more fun.

Halloween Dyed Rice Sensory Bin

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:

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:

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!

Tags big kid, big kid activities, DIY, fall, halloween, Holiday, How to, Preschool, sensory play, toddler activities, tot school

Big Kid Big kid fun Classroom crafts Family Activities Sensory Play

Dyed Rice Layers of the Earth 3D Project

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date October 9, 2019
6 Comments on Dyed Rice Layers of the Earth 3D Project

layers of the earth model, layers of the earth 3d project, layers of the earth project, dyed rice, mason jar

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!!*

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

How to Make it:

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.
Add each of the 5 parts into individual Ziploc bags and add 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar to each.
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.
Dump each color out onto a dry paper towel, keeping all colors separate.
Allow the dyed rice to dry for one hour.
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.
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.
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.

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!

Tags big kid, big kid activities, big kids, DIY, Family Activities, How to, learning, sensory play

Big Kid On My Mind Our Family Parenting

A Letter To My First Born as He Starts Kindergarten – A Moms Honest Emotions

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date August 19, 2019
2 Comments on A Letter To My First Born as He Starts Kindergarten – A Moms Honest Emotions

As you prepare to start kindergarten, I think back to your infant days, when you wanted to lie in my arms all day long. It seemed like you were always nursing, always needing me.

Back then, I took it for granted. I complained of being tired, sore, needing a break. Now, I want those days back. I want to hold you for 3 hours straight, cuddled up in our favorite chair.

a letter to my child as he starts kindergarten, first born, back to school, kindergarten

You’re off to kindergarten now, buddy.

It’s hard to believe that we are at this point in your life already. I’m sure I’ll feel this way each year, with each new grade, but right now it’s constantly on my mind.

I know you’ll love learning, making new friends, and having fun at school, but I can’t help but be a little sad. You are needing me less and less, I’ll be seeing less of you than ever before, and soon you won’t want to cuddle with me so much anymore.

I know that this is all normal, and it happens to every parent at some point. But, I wish I could be the one that could keep her babies little forever.

In 5 short years, you’ve grown so much and have become your own person, but you’re still mama’s baby. You always will be. I’ll never forget those days when it was just you and I.

As you start kindergarten, I hope your infectious laugh continues, your kind heart only grows kinder, and you become an even better friend than you already are. I hope you learn so many new things and teach others whatever you can. Most of all, I hope you are happy on your kindergarten adventure.

I know you’ll have to get used to some things, like not having your teddy bear and blanket for an hour each day and not having Fridays off to hang out with me and your siblings and grandma. It’s a new time in your life, and the changes will be huge, but you’ve always been so resilient and open to change. You’ve never had an issue with change, and I am certain that will continue into kindergarten.

things to teach your kindergartner, kindergarten, back to school

You’re going to impact this world in a huge way, love bug. I wish I could be there for every tiny little moment of it, but we both know that isn’t possible. So, I just want to send some words of wisdom to you:

Be kind
Respect yourself and others
Stick up for those who are wronged
Speak up when you see someone being mistreated
Spread love
Stay true to yourself
Have fun
Smile and laugh
Learn all that you can
Try new things
Listen to your teacher
Be safe
Don’t be afraid to join in on the fun
Be yourself!

I can’t be there with you at kindergarten, but always know that mommy will be here as soon as you get home each day to hear about all the awesome things that happened.

If you didn’t think the day was very awesome, that’s okay too. Mama will be right here to hear all about it and give you a big ol’ hug.

It doesn’t matter how big, responsible, and independent you become, you’ll always be mama’s baby. No matter what grade you go into at school, mama will be here to help you through it all.

You’ll do great, my kindergartner, I know you will.

kindergarten, a letter to my child as he starts kindergarten, first born, back to school, kindergarten, things I want my child to know

#kindergarten #letter #lettertomychild #mychild #child #firstborn #backtoschool #school

Love always,

Mama

Tags big kid, kindergarten, little kid, On my mind, Parenting

Big Kid How To Our Family Parenting Printables Teenager

8 Ways to Get Ready For Back to School (plus FREE printable)

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date August 4, 2019
15 Comments on 8 Ways to Get Ready For Back to School (plus FREE printable)

back to school, school supplies, ways to get ready for back to school, how to get ready for back to school, back to school tips

Can you believe summer is coming to an end and another year of school is upon us? Less than 3 weeks and my kids will be back to school again. Unlike many parents, I am so not happy about this.

I love having my kids home, as weird as that may be. Plus, my firstborn is starting kindergarten!! We have two older kids (bonus kids for me), so I’m definitely not new to back to school, but it’s different when you’re doing the kindergarten thing for the very first time.

Anyway, although I’m dreading the kids going back to school, I have to get ready for it regardless. I’m working on getting all 3 of the kids ready.

Nevaeh is going to be a sophomore this year, Peyton is starting 6th grade (his first year of middle school!!), and Sylas is starting kindergarten. Needless to say, we have quite the preparation ahead of us.

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

Ways to Get Ready For Back to School

1. Adjust bed time.

Summertime means staying up late… sometimes way too late. Back to school means a “normal” bedtime and waking up early. Bummer, right?

It’s another unfortunate aspect of back to school. To set your kids up for success, begin getting them back on their school schedule at least one week in advance.

2. Make a list of what you need.

Each grade requires different items but, for the most part, they all have similarities. Figure out what each of your kids needs (I found lists for my kids on their school’s website), and start making a list for yourself.

School clothes and shoes are other things you need a list for. I just went through my 5 year old’s closet to see how many pairs of jeans he has, how many t-shirts, etc. From there, I was able to determine how many new school clothes he needs.

3. Watch for back to school sales.

This year, Amazon has been my go-to. It’s actually become my go-to for pretty much everything, so you’re probably not surprised.

Seriously, though, you can find pretty much every brand and every price range on Amazon, and you can find awesome stuff that you can’t find in most stores.

4. Get into a routine.

This routine should be similar or exactly like the routine you use during the school year. My family got WAY off schedule this summer, so we have started our back-to-school schedule already! I just want them to be ready and start the school year on a good note.

Our back-to-school routine is more than just bedtime. It involves reading or writing around 4:00 pm, dinner at 6:00 pm, baths and stories at 7:00, and then bedtime (7:30 for the littles, a little later for our older kids).

5. Take your child to see their new classroom and meet their new teacher before the first day of school.

Most schools have open houses where this can happen but, if yours doesn’t, ask if you can bring your child in so that they are more comfortable on their first day of school.

6. Talk to them about all the exciting things they can look forward to.

Seeing their old friends, making new friends, field trips, recess, riding the bus, etc. Mention anything that excites your child about school.

7. Find another kid in your neighborhood who can be your child’s bus buddy.

With my little man starting kindergarten, I kept saying that I would never let him ride the bus. I feel that there isn’t enough supervision on buses and with him only being 5 years old, I still get a little bit crazy about how he is treated or if his feelings are hurt. (Don’t judge me, this is a judgment-free zone LOL!).

He reaaaaallly wants to ride a bus, however, and it would honestly make my life a million times easier. His big brother won’t be on that bus anymore since he is moving on to middle school, so I talked to another older kid in the neighborhood about keeping an eye on Sylas for me.

This other kid was actually really excited to help me out, and I think it made them feel even more mature. Plus, Sylas is excited to have a buddy on the bus already, especially since it is someone he has known (literally) his whole life and has looked up to.

Now, I’ll probably follow the bus to school the first couple of days, but at least I’m letting him get on it. 😉 The rest will be an adjustment for mama, later on, I suppose.

8. Discuss safety, bullying, respect, and other important topics with your kids.

When it comes to safety, you should make sure to talk about how to be safe on the bus, how to be safe when walking to school or to the bus, and even how to be safe in the classroom. Discussing bullying is SO important, as well, and I’m sure we all know why.

Talking to your kids about respect can cover almost any topic from following directions, respecting their teacher even when they disagree, respecting themselves and others, not doing gross things such as picking their nose, helping out when they see a need, etc. Whatever your definition of respect is, make sure you are instilling it into your children.

Bonus Tip

I have found that the best way to get kids in the back-to-school mindset is to get them their school supplies and back-to-school clothes. This gets them excited for the inevitable and helps them with the transition.

Back to School Checklist – Free Printable

Whatever grade your child is going into, I’ve got you covered. I created THREE free printables just for you guys, in order to make the process easier for you.

back to school, free printable, back to school checklist, back to school grades k-3 — Click to enlarge

back to school, free printable, back to school checklist, back to school grades 4-5 — click to enlarge

back to school, free printable, back to school checklist, back to school grades 6-12, middle school check list, high school check list — Click to enlarge

Where to Buy Inexpensive (but great quality!) School Supplies

My go-to for everything else is, of course, my go-to for school supplies, too. Amazon has AMAZING back-to-school deals, and you can buy packages of school supplies that contain almost everything your kids will need. Check out some of the deals I’ve scored this year down below.

school supplies, back to school dry erase markers, 16 pack, back to school deals — Click for the link

school supplies, back to school bundle, back to school deals — Click for link

school supplies, back to school bundle, back to school deals, ticonderoga pencils, graphite pencils, graphite #2 pencils

Final Thoughts On Ways to Get Ready For Back to School

The end of summer is approaching quickly, and now is the time to begin preparing. These tips for getting ready for should help you, and the printables will help you make sure you have everything that your kids need for the first day.

What tips would you add to this list? What school supplies would you add to the free printables? Let me know in the comments!!

Tags big kid, How to, little kid, Parenting, Printables, Teenager

Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Parenting Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

10 Nostalgic Books to Read With Your Kids (or alone!)

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date July 20, 2019
31 Comments on 10 Nostalgic Books to Read With Your Kids (or alone!)

books to read with your kids, nostalgic books, books for teenagers

Think back to your childhood… which books did you LOVE to read? Which ones were you extra excited to see at story time? As you got older, which books captured your attention the most?

I have ALWAYS been a reader and can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love books. Instilling that passion in my kids is something I’ve always tried to do. This means that I buy them books at any chance I get, and if I see an old favorite of my mine, we’re reading it that day for sure.

From books I loved as a young child, to the adventures of big kid books, and then continuing into my teenage years, I literally buy them all. Now, I’m sharing some of our favorites with you! These are ones that I absolutely loved as a child and that my kids enjoyed, too!

Ok, you all should have known that I couldn’t just choose little kid books, big kid books, or books for teenagers, so I made one list of each. I have 3 littles (ages 5, 3, and 2) and 2 big kids (ages 11 and 15), so I have to have a wide range of books for all different age groups.

If you don’t have kids, no worries!! You could use a little nostalgia in your life, anyway! Go ahead and choose a book or two, and relive your childhood.

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

Nostalgic Books For the Littles

My personal favorite: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Nostalgic children's books, books for kids — I was always SO excited when my teacher would pull this book out at school!

Books for Big Kids

Bonus: Every book on this list counts toward AR tests and points. Since school is coming quick, it’s best to be prepared!

I’ve included the recommended grade levels for each book, but remember each child is different. If you want to read a book with your child, it’s OK if it’s a little higher than their grade level, because you’ll be reading with them to help with unknown words and meanings.

Matilda: Grades 3-6
The Witches: Grades 3-7
The BFG: Grades 3-7
Box Car Children: Grades 2-6
The Baby Sitter’s Club: Grades 3-7 **Check out this retro set!!**
Amelia Bedelia: Grades K-3
Ramona Quimby, Age 8: Grades 3-7
The Watson’s Go to Birmingham: Grades 5-8
Junie B. Jones: Grades 1-4
Holes: Grades 4-6

My personal favorite: This is too difficult to answer!! I’ll have to choose three – The Witches, The BFG, and Box Car Children.

Books for Teenagers

Depending on the reading and maturity level of your child, these can also be books for preteens. I read many of them when I was a preteen myself including numbers 3, 7, 9, and 10.

I find that it is more difficult to get our teenager to read books than it is to get my younger kids to read, so reading with her or sharing my favorite books with her seems to be the best way.

Anything written by Sarah Dessen – all of her books are nostalgic to me, honestly. I read and loved them all!
The Great Gatsby
Harry Potter
Romeo and Juliet
The Scarlet Letter
In Cold Blood
1984
The Bell Jar
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
– This may be the best one on the list to read with a preteen or teenage girl. It makes for an awesome movie night after!
The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird

I’m sure you noticed that there are 11 here… just count that as a bonus, because I couldn’t bring myself to eliminate any on this list!!

My personal favorite: The Great Gatsby, for sure!! It’s still my favorite book!

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, books to read with teenagers, books for teenagers

Final Thoughts on Nostalgic Books To Read With Your Kids

As adults, we oftentimes find ourselves over-stressed, over-worked, and over-tired. We rarely take the time we need to relax and enjoy ourselves. Having kids, however, allows us a few moments to sit back and pretend we are a kid again while reading books that we used to love ourselves.

So, go ahead and pick out a few books to purchase that you loved as a kid. You won’t regret the time spent with your own children, reminiscing over your own childhood while creating new memories that will last forever.

What were some of your favorite books as a child? What about as a teenager? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!!

Tags big kid, big kid activities, books, Family Activities, learning, little kid, nostalgic, Parenting, Teenager

Adulting Big Kid Family Activities Holiday Printables Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

National Give Something Away Day: Two Free Printables – Updated

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date July 14, 2019
6 Comments on National Give Something Away Day: Two Free Printables – Updated

Updated 9/20/2019 to add my Christmas gift to you – a free Christmas list printable!

As I was preparing for the upcoming holiday season, I decided I wanted to give my readers an early Christmas gift. I hope you and your children enjoy it!

Christmas, Christmas 2019, Christmas list, free printable, printable Christmas list, Holidays

Happy National Give Something Away Day!! Today I encourage you to find things in your home that you could do without and give them to someone who could use them. My kids and I will all be giving a few things away, but I also want to give something to all of my readers!

Have You Thought About Starting a Blog?

If you have ever thought about starting a blog but life got in the way, there is no better time than right now!! It’s not as hard as you think, and you can do things at your own pace. Trust me, I have 5 kids, work a job outside of my home, and I still find time to run this blog.

It’s so possible to have an awesome blog even with a busy life, and it’s FUN. When I have time to myself to relax, I choose to work on my blog. You won’t regret taking the plunge!

If you want to know how to start a blog in 3 easy steps, check out my blog post that tells you how to do it!

Free Blog Checklist Printable

If you already have a blog or you decide to start one today, this blog checklist printable will be perfect for you! Now, this is the checklist I follow on a daily basis, meaning after work and spending time with my family. When I have some free time, I will likely spend way more time on each category.

daily-blog-checklist-3 Download

Final Thoughts On National Give Something Away Day

Now, after you start your blog, download the printable, and get started on setting everything up, find something in your home to give to someone else. The things that get little to no use in your own home may make a huge difference in someone else’s life.

Tags adulting, big kid, Blog, Holiday, Printables, Teenager, Toddler

Holiday How To Sensory Play Summer

How to Make an Easy 4th of July Sensory Bottle

Post author By Sarah Barkley
Post date June 28, 2019
6 Comments on How to Make an Easy 4th of July Sensory Bottle

4th of july, sensory bottle, july 4th, july 4, independence day, america, patriotic

Sensory bottles are one of my favorite ways to make a holiday more exciting, and this 4th of July sensory bottle was a hit with my kids. This sensory activity keeps the kids busy as they make the sensory bottle and watch the glitter and small objects swirl together and settle back into the bottom.

Making a sensory bottle is easier than it sounds, and you don’t need many materials. You can also substitute the materials I recommend for something else you have on hand already.

*this post contains affiliate links*

Benefits of Sensory Bottles for Kids

Research shows that sensory activities benefit children in many ways. It promotes their mental health, encouraging emotional regulation, relaxation, and tension relief. Sensory activities stimulate interest, promoting curiosity and encouraging a child to learn and explore.

Sensory bottles help build sensory skills by stimulating the senses. The differing colors, objects, sounds, and materials help. Additionally, when the child touches the bottle to turn, twist, shake, or squeeze, it furthers the sensory experience.

Sensory bottles stimulate fine and gross motor coordination. They also help a child focus as their eyes follow the movements. It encourages them to be present and set aside distractions.

How to Make a 4th of July Sensory Bottle

Materials:

A clear bottle (recyclable water bottle, tea bottle, or a glass jar – I used an empty vinegar bottle)
Water (from the tap is fine)
Glitter glue (I used the silver from this one, I probably should have used 2 of them)
4th of July necklaces (or confetti)
Hot glue gun

glitter glue, sensory bottles, glitter for sensory bottle, craft glitter glue

Directions:

Empty and clean a clear bottle.
Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way up with water. You will fill it more after you add the rest of the materials.
Add 1- 2 bottles of glitter glue, depending on the look you are going for. I used 1, but I wish I would have used 2. My bottle is larger than a regular water bottle, however, because I used a vinegar bottle.
Cut 4th of July beaded necklaces into small pieces and put them into the bottle of water and glitter, or use 4th of July confetti instead of the necklace pieces.
Fill the bottle the rest of the way with water.
Replace the lid, and hot glue it shut.

Final Thoughts on 4th of July Sensory Bottle

Sensory bottles are easy, fun, and so much fun. This 4th of July sensory bottle was a great way to kick start our July 4th celebrations. What fun activities do you have planned for Independence Day?

For more sensory fun, click here. Or, you can read other 4th of July ideas in a separate post by clicking here.

Tags big kid, big kid activities, craft, DIY, Family Activities, Holiday, How to, little kid, Preschool, sensory play, summer, Summer Fun, Toddler, toddler activities, tot school