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Gifts Holiday Kindergarten Age Learning Parenting Toys and Games

12 of The Best Board Games for Kids: Meaningful Gift Ideas

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I don’t know about you, but I start my Christmas shopping in August. With five kids, it’s essential to begin early and to make sure all my gift plans are in place. My kids love games, so I have been researching the best games for kids.

While I know some of the games they would enjoy, there are so many games out there that I have never heard of. I like to buy games for kids that help develop their skills, and all of the games in this post are ones that do just that.

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

Best Games for Kids

1. Race to the Treasure

I love this game because instead of playing against one another, the kids work together to beat an ogre to a treasure. While playing Race to the Treasure, kids will learn strategy, math concepts, making decisions as a team, and cooperation.

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2. 5 Second Rule Jr.

This is a family-friendly version of the 5 Second Rule adult game. When playing 5 Second Rule Jr., kids will read a card and give an answer within 5 seconds. Since it involves quick thinking, funny answers are bound to happen.

With good laughs and light-hearted fun, this game is perfect for family bonding time. If the child can’t quite read yet, playing on teams is fun, too.

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3. Pie Face Showdown

Pie Face is such a fun game, even if it is a little messy. The original game involved players passing the whipped cream covered hand around the table and turning the crank, hoping to not get hit in the face with whipped cream.

Pie Face Showdown is an upgraded version of the original. This one requires two players to both have their faces in front of a whipped cream covered hand. The players have to push their buttons faster to make the whipped cream hit their opponent.

4. Guess Who?

Guess Who is a classic, and it’s one of my favorites. Each player has a card with a person on it, and their opponent has to figure out which character the other one has. The first to figure out their opponent’s character wins the game.

The way you eliminate characters is by asking descriptive questions. These questions can be “Is your person wearing a hat?”, “Does your person have a mustache?”, or anything else that can help eliminate characters and lead you to your opponent’s character.

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5. Buggaloop

This game features a Hexbug that crawls underneath the “backyard” (the game board). It can climb vertically, horizontally, turn corners, and go through loops and tubes. You have to try and get your game piece all the way across the board before the Hexbug appears and takes you out.

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6. Uno

This simple classic card game is perfect for kids because it teaches so many things at once. Color and number matching, taking turns, and paying attention are all skills they can develop while playing.

I play this game often with my 3 and 4-year-old, as well. The only change I make is that we can see each other’s cards so that I can help as needed.

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7. Rush Hour Jr.

To play this game, kids will shift vehicles out of the way to clear a path to the exit. There are 40 levels, allowing for endless fun and brain stimulation. Rush Hour Jr. can help improve logical and spatial reasoning, planning skills, and problem-solving.

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8. Operation

Another classic, the game of Operation has stood the test of time. Kids love this game, no matter which era they were born in.

It helps develop fine motor skills as kids use tweezers to remove ailments from the patient’s body. If the child misses and hits the side of the opening, the game buzzes, and the patient’s nose lights up. The player who can remove the most ailments wins.

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9. Ravensburger Labyrinth

I am so excited to get this game for my son for Christmas. The game changes each time you play it because the tiles move. This ensure that the child won’t get bored with it, since it’s pretty much a different game each time.

They will move their piece around the board, working their way to a treasure. On each turn, the child will also have the chance to change the path of the maze. It’s the perfect game to teach strategy.

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10. No Stress Chess

This game offers a chance to teach kids how to play chess with little frustration on their part. It comes with a deck of cards that teach the rules of the game and strategies that should be used.

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11. Skillmatics Educational Game: Brain Games

This is a game that is fun for the whole family, as the age range is from 6-99 years. It teaches thinking and reasoning, plus logic and problem-solving skills. As the game is played, the boards can be wiped off and done again.

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12. SpringFlower Sight Word Game

My son isn’t a huge fan of working on his sight words the traditional way. I’m always looking for new activities to help him learn them. When I found this game, I was so excited. I only wish I had come across it sooner!

The kids will use the fly swatters to smack the appropriate sight word when it is called out. It’ll help them recognize the word more quickly, and it’ll be fun, helping to commit it to memory.

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Final Thoughts on 12 of The Best Games for Kids

With as much as my kids love games, I always want to choose the ones that they will love. The best games for kids are the ones that offer a learning opportunity or help develop skills.

What are some of the games your kids love? Do you have any games for kids that you want to buy as a Christmas gift this year? Leave me a comment and let me know! I’d love to hear about it.

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Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Free Activities How To Outside Fun Sensory Play Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

Can You Grow a Pine Tree From a Pine Cone? A Lesson In Sustainability For Kids

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I saw this picture being shared on Facebook and Pinterest where a pinecone was planted into soil. The photo showed that the pine cone was about half-buried in soil, with the top half sticking out. There were sprouts coming from the top of the pinecone, indicating that it’s possible to grow a pine tree from a pine cone.

This left me wondering… is it possible? Can you really grow a pine tree from a pine cone?

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The Research About Growing a Pine Tree From a Pine Cone

I tried to find information about this, and couldn’t find a conclusive answer. Just when I thought I had, someone else had a different point to make.

I couldn’t find any accounts of someone successfully going a pine tree from a pine cone. Plus, many people did explain that it is pretty much impossible.

Some people thought it would work, though, and I just have to test the image that was floating around.

With that being said, I found literally no confirmed answer. I couldn’t even find a source for the image that was floating around social media. **Updated to add that the social media image can be found here**

The Information We Did Find

Before we tried this for ourselves, I assigned our teenager the task of learning a couple of things about pine trees. She had to share the information with the younger siblings before we went around the yard hunting for pine cones.

One of the things she shared was that there are male and female pine cones. Am I the only adult who didn’t know this?!

With that fun fact, we took all of the pine cones we collected and played a game. We made teams and worked together to sort the pine cones into two pines; male and female. We also learned that the female pine cones are the ones that carry the seeds.

Finally, we learned that trees produce oxygen and that oxygen is what we breathe.

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Growing Pine Trees From Pine Cones

So, since I couldn’t find the actual answer online, we decided to figure it out for ourselves.

Materials

  • Empty 2-liter soda bottle
  • X-acto knife (or you can use a pocket knife)
  • Soil
  • Pinecone

This is the exact knife I used. I use it for pretty much everything, to be honest. LOL.

Yes, that’s an affiliate link, which means I’ll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. I truly do use this x-acto knife and stand behind it, however.

Instructions

1. Cut the soda bottle so that you only have the bottom portion left. Say, 1/4 of the bottle.

2. Add soil to the soda bottle bottom.

3. Create a hole in the soil that is big enough to fit 1/2 of the pinecone.

4. Fill dirt back in around the pinecone. Only the top half should be showing.

5. Water everyday and monitor the progress.

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Did it work?!

Ok, so since we know that this method for growing a tree isn’t for sure going to work, just bear with me. I’ll update on the progress (if there is any) right away.

In the meantime, however, do this project with us!! Help your kids plant their pinecone so you can see for yourself if it is possible to grow a pine tree from a pine cone.

We’re all looking for ways to teach kids from home, so why not mix in a fun science lesson?

What do you think will happen? Is it possible to grow a pine tree from a pine cone?

I had the kids all draw pictures of what they think will happen. Nevaeh was the only one who thought we would have to remove the seeds from the pinecone to grow a tree. The others thought the tree would grow from the pinecone.

Lets be honest, I think Nevaeh is right. Tell me what you think.

Will a tree begin to grow out of the planted pinecone? Tell me the reason behind your answer! I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks!

Need another project idea?

Check out this paper mache diamondback rattlesnake! Using paper mache is so easy, and the post has a recipe to make it with ingredients you already have on hand!

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Big Kid Family Activities Free Activities How To Kindergarten Age Life Parenting Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

15 Fun and Easy Ways to Keep Kids Busy at Home

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When you’re stuck at home with your kids, you might all go a little stir crazy. You can avoid it and have some fun by learning how to keep kids busy at home.

Some of these ideas will require assistance and/or participation from you (or another adult or older sibling). Of course, I know you will need ideas for how to keep kids busy so you can get stuff done, too, so there is plenty of activities for that on the list, too.

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How to Keep Your Kids Busy at Home

1. Help them or encourage them to set up an obstacle course.

The older your kids are, the more likely they will be to do this independently. Be prepared to have to attempt the obstacle course in the end, however.

For younger kids, you may have to assist them in the setting up process, and then teach them how to get through the obstacle course. You may be able to back off eventually and let them make their way through the course on their own.

2. Do a craft.

This doesn’t have to be hard! One of my favorites this week was using old magazines to make collages. All of my kids loved this craft, even the teenager.

Simply supply each kid with a magazine or two, a glue stick, and scissors. Then let them have fun and create whatever they want. Likewise, other engaging activities for kids include face painting. Interestingly, you can buy face paint for kids from online stores; these colors are safe for children to use. It pushes the kids to explore their creativity and try out new crafts. 

There are so many other crafts, however, so be creative and do whatever you think your kids will like. You’ll also have to decide how hands-on you want to be during the craft, too, before deciding on one.

3. Set up a sensory bin.

I love sensory bins!! You don’t have to have a sensory table to enjoy sensory play. All you need is a container such as a medium-sized tote or a large bowl. Then, fill it with whatever you think your kids will enjoy for a while.

Sometimes I just go with soap and water in the sensory bin, or I will dye rice. Other times I get fancier and do a shark-themed sensory bin. Oh, another favorite was our frog sensory bin! There are so many options.

4. Make something out of paper mache: How to keep kids busy

A few years ago, our son had to do a project where he created a 3-D animal. He chose to make a paper mache diamond-back rattlesnake. This project ended up being one of the best he’s ever done, and it gave us all a new-found love of paper mache.

These types of projects are so much easier than they sound and actually require only a few ingredients. Kids can make whatever they want, or you can challenge them to make something specific.

Click here for an easy paper mache recipe.

5. Have a push-up competition: How to keep kids busy

I’m excited for this one! My kids love to compete with one another, and I think even our 12 and 15-year-old will have fun with it. Actually, it may keep my husband busy for a while, too. If you have a gym or workout space, you could even make a day of it. Or if not, creating a purpose built space to entertain your kids could be great.

With a great contractor and basement waterproofing company, it will take no time at all and give you the exact space you need to have more fun as a family. Either way, spending time having a mini olympics or sports day can be fun for the whole family. Make sure someone is counting out loud, too!

6. Have them work on puzzles.

While I’m working from home, puzzles are one of my go-to options when the kids want to be right next to me. I get out a few wooden puzzles for them to choose from

One of the choices is always an alphabet puzzle and as they put it together I’ll call out a random letter that they have to find next. It’s helping with letter recognition along with keeping them busy. I’ve also been having my littles practice their name with the letters.

7. Let them play with and write on sticky notes.

So at first, I was completely against this idea. I didn’t want my sticky notes wasted. htat quickly changed when I realized that my kids left me alone for a bit when I let them use the sticky notes. A small price to pay.

My son has been having me write math problems out on sticky notes for him and then he solves them. My daughter has been practicing writing her name on them. Other times they make random pictures and stick them in random places, but that’s okay, too.

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8. Write a letter on a piece of paper and have your child write it in different colors.

My kids love this one because I pull out my “special” markers for it. Really, these markers are just the ones I hide from the kids so they don’t get lost or dried out.

Sometimes I even let them use glitter pens or a mixture of many different writing instruments.

9. Challenge them to build a Lego or block tower.

Tell them to make it bigger or wider than they ever have before, and to keep it a surprise until they are 100% finished. This should buy you a little time to get things done with kids in the house.

After that is done, you can always challenge them to make different things out of Legos. Be creative and come up with fun ideas that they’ll be excited about.

*Check out my Pinterest board called “Legos” for ideas!”

10. Set up an art center.

Before you get busy doing your own thing for the day, set up a small art center for your kiddos. This could include blank paper, markers or crayons, glue, some colored paper, or any little add-ons you can find to put in the bin.

If you want a themed art center, just go with whatever holiday or season is coming up and offer colors pertaining to that. You can use whatever you have around your house, or you can head to a dollar tree to grab a couple of seasonal items that they can use for artwork.

11. Find a free electronic resource for your kids to use.

Right now, many companies are offering free online resources for kids. This is to ensure every child has the chance to learn something new. A few good ones are Scholastic and ABC Mouse.

My 12-year-old has been loving the Scholastic lessons because they are about things that are interesting to him, and my 3-year-old has been really enjoying ABC Mouse. I think finding the right online source for your child based on their interests and their age group is important, but there are resources for all kids right now.

12. Blow up balloons: How to keep kids busy

No, I’m not kidding. This keeps ALL of my kids busy for a while. There are so many different things they can do with balloons. From playing indoor volleyball or balloon soccer to simply throwing the balloons at each other, they have fun for such a long time when I randomly blow up balloons.

13. Have a board game day.

Pull out yours and your child’s favorite board games and spend a few hours (or the entire day) playing games together. This is great bonding time, and your kid will love the time you spent with them. If you can’t play for such a long time, play a game or two and then suggest that they play with their siblings.

Since I have big kids and little kids, this gets a bit trickier, but it’s still possible. The other night we played Monopoly Voice Banking, which is our 12 year old’s favorite game. The littles wanted to play, too, of course, and instead of sending them away we formed “teams”.

Each little (there’s 3 of them) chose one big person’s team to be on. The little was responsible for rolling the dice and moving the piece (with help when needed), and the big person was responsible for the rest of the turn. We had very little argument or whining during the game and everyone had a good time!

14. Remember, it’s National Reading Awareness Month.

There are TONS of ideas out there to celebrate reading month. This could be as easy as pulling out your child’s school calendar and copying what your child would have been doing at school that day to celebrate. Otherwise, you can check out my blog post about Fun Ways to Celebrate National Reading Month.

15. Play hide and seek

We’ve already played in the house, in the backyard, and in the front yard since our social distancing began. The kids love this game and its one that can be played with parents or with siblings. Even better, it’s actually fun for everyone.

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Recap: How to Keep Kids Busy

There are many ideas for keeping your kids busy, but it’s sometimes hard to think of them when you need them most. This post can help.

What do you do to keep your kids busy? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Big Kid Big kid fun crafts Family Activities How To Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

5 Fun Ways to Celebrate National Reading Awareness Month

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National Reading Awareness Month is one of my favorite times of the year. I don’t know what it is, but it’s a good mix of many books with excuses to read. Plus, the weather is slightly warmer, so I’m feeling good all around. Then, the kids get to dress up in fun outfits each day for school, making the month that much more exciting.

Since the school celebrates so heavily and has the kids dress up for National Reading Month, I wanted some fun ways to celebrate at home, too. Participating outside of school ensures that our kids understand reading is important (and fun!) at home AND school. It’s also a way for younger children to participate if they haven’t started school yet.

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

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Ways to Celebrate National Reading Month

1. Make it memorable and fun

Making the book and reading experience memorable is easy to do. You can do crafts related to the book, make snacks, or do any other activity that will help engrain that book into your child’s mind. Not only will they remember the book better, but they’ll have fun while doing it, encouraging more reading.

Other ideas to make a book memorable include acting them out or having your child re-tell the story. Drawing the story also helps and allows your child to get creative.

Check out these crafts based on books that my kids have done:

2. Make each book a learning opportunity

Try not to read a book and forget it right afterward. Find ways to help your child learn from the book. You can do this by discussing themes in the books such as kindness, trying again after failure, and others you notice or want to touch on.

Another simple way to make sure the learning aspect sticks is to talk to your kids about it. I like to do this while I’m tucking them in at night, but you can bring it up anytime. You can recall the ideas you learn from a story in any situation, and it helps your child make a connection and understand the lesson.

3. Read in different ways during Reading Awareness Month

Switching up the reading methods helps the story stick in their head. Some of the different ways to read include having the children read the book aloud or taking turns reading (I read a page, the child reads a page, etc.). Another fun method that kids seem to like is listening to the story on YouTube while seeing the words on the screen. Of course, it’s best to read with them as a bonding experience, too, but videos can be highly beneficial.

You can also build a fort with the child and then read books inside the fort. Another idea is to have the child read to a pet or stuffed animal. The possibilities for reading in different ways with your kids are endless.

4. Dress up as favorite book characters

This fun way to celebrate National Reading Awareness Month is probably my absolute favorite. Help your child pick out some clothes or accessories to dress up as a favorite book character or even as a character from a brand new book that you’ve just read together. You don’t have to have the exact costume, so be creative in making the look come to life.

Parents and older siblings can get in on this one, and it’s fun for everyone! I’ve been obsessively referring back to a blog post about a teacher who dressed up as a different book character every day. If you’re interested, check it out by clicking this link: PHraseD

5. Surprise your kids with a new book or two

As a kid (and even now, let’s be honest), nothing got me more excited about reading than getting a new book. My kids are the same way. You can take them to the store and let them choose their own, or you can surprise them with a new book that you picked out!

My kids and I are obsessed with Bookroo, a book subscription service for kids. They offer options for all ages and reading levels, including chapter books for middle grades. It’s so much fun and gives your kiddos something to look forward to even after reading month is over.

New favorites delivered monthly!
National Reading Awareness Month, March is Reading Month, Books for kids, best books, favorite books, celebrate reading, books to read with your kids, C.S Lewis
National Reading Awareness Month, March is Reading Month, Books for kids, best books, favorite books, celebrate reading, books to read with your kids, Charles W. Eliot
National Reading Awareness Month, March is Reading Month, Books for kids, best books, favorite books, celebrate reading, books to read with your kids, George R. R. Martin

Best Books for Kids of All Ages to Celebrate National Reading Awareness Month

If you need some ideas, some of my favorite children’s books include:

For more ideas (specifically throwback books) that you and your child would love reading together, check out my post 10 Nostalgic Books to Read With Your Kids (or Alone).

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Final Thoughts On Fun Ways to Celebrate National Reading Awareness Month

Reading month is so much fun for me, but I know that it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Luckily, there are fun ways for everyone to celebrate National Reading Awareness Month, even those who don’t love to read.

With this month being all about reading awareness, it’s the perfect time to teach our kids the different ways they can make reading fun. What are you doing to celebrate reading month? Tell me about it in the comments!

National Reading Awareness Month, March is Reading Month, Books for kids, best books, favorite books, celebrate reading, books to read with your kids
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Big Kid Craft Free Activities Holiday How To Printables Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

Martin Luther King Jr Craft, Experiment and Quotes

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MLK Day is approaching and as I was planning a Martin Luther King Jr craft and activity, I decided to quiz my kids a little to see what they knew about him. My littles really had no idea and their answers were as follows:

5: I saw him at my school once.
Me: Like, a picture of him?
5: No, the real him.
Me: I don’t think that was him, kiddo, Martin Luther King Jr isn’t alive anymore.

4: Umm, I knew when I was a baby but I forgot now.

2: I see those M&M’s mom. Can I have an M&M, please?

With those kinds of answers, our 12 year old was on his own. He was the most knowledgeable, of course, and gave us the run down. In case your kids are still a little too young to already know, here is a run down you can summarize for them.

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  • MLK Day craft, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, MLD activity, Martin Luther King Jr Day activity, MLK day experiment, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, Martin Luther King Jr Quote
  • MLK Day craft, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, MLD activity, Martin Luther King Jr Day activity, MLK day experiment, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, Martin Luther King Jr Quote

Who is Martin Luther King Jr?

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr had a dream of equality and worked hard to make that happen in America. As a husband and father of four, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wanted his children to live in a world where they wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin.

To give his kids the life he dreamed for them, MLK lead the civil rights movement by leading peaceful protests, marches and bus boycotts. His most famous march was the March on Washington where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in front of 250,000 people.

He went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and, after he died, the Congressional Medal of Freedom. Since 1983, we celebrate MLK Day in honor of his birthday. While his birthday was the 15th of January, however, we observe MLK Day on the 3rd Monday in January.

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Martin Luther King Jr Book

We started our MLK activities with a book called Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It focuses on the dream idea and kids in the book tell what their dreams are. I think it really helps kids understand that Martin Luther King’s Dream speech wasn’t about dreams when you’re sleeping because my littles struggled with that at first.

Martin Luther King Jr Day book by Robin Hill School
Click for the link

MLK Day Craft

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Our craft, like the book, went with the dream idea.

Materials:

  • Blue cardstock or construction paper
  • White paper
  • Glue sticks
  • Markers
  • Glitter

Directions

1. Cut the blue paper in half

2. Cut out a cloud from the white paper.

3. Write the dream on the cloud

I wrote Josie and Liam’s for them. Syas insisted on doing his own and who am I to say no, so a translation is on the back. He dreamed that everyone would be nice. Liam was just not participating well and only wanted the M&M’s that we were going to use on the experiment.

4. Glue the cloud to the blue paper, leaving space at the top to write.

5. Write “I have a dream…” at the top of the blue paper, above the cloud.

6. Add glitter.

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  • MLK Day craft, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, MLD activity, Martin Luther King Jr Day activity, MLK day experiment, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft

Martin Luther King Jr Experiment

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I’ve seen so many of these experiments that use one brown egg and one white egg, but since my little guy has an egg allergy I needed a different option. We decided to use some Christmas M&M’s we had leftover. You could use any color M&Ms, and I honestly would have preferred using a regular pack with more colors.

In the first box of the printable, the kids laid out their different coored M&Ms and drew what they saw. Then, they took one bite of each M&M and put them in the second box where they drew what they saw on the inside.

Once they were done, we talked about how, like M&Ms, we all look different on the outside but the same on the inside. The kids loved this and really seemed to get it!

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  • MLK Day craft, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, MLD activity, Martin Luther King Jr Day activity, MLK day experiment, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft
  • MLK Day craft, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft, MLD activity, Martin Luther King Jr Day activity, MLK day experiment, Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft

Heres the free Martin Luther King Jr printable that I created! Feel free to print it for personal use or to share.

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Final Thoughts On Martin Luther King Jr Day Craft and Activity

I feel like Martin Luther King Jr Day doesn’t get enough attention sometimes, so I want to ensure that my kids know and understand the sacrifices Martin Luther King Jr made and how much courage he had. MLK changed America for the better and left us with an amazing message to pass on to our kids.

What do you and your family do to observe Martin Luther King Jr Day? Tell me about it in the comments.

Categories
Adulting Big kid fun Family Activities Free Activities Printables Teenager Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

Fun Trivia for Kids and Adults – Free Printables

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I’ve always loved trivia so when I found out that January 4th is National Trivia Day, I knew I had to celebrate in some way. I decided to create a kids trivia printable, and then I became inspired to create one for adults, too! So — here are two free trivia printables.

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Free Trivia Printables

Trivia for Kids

This printable is perfect for siblings or for parents to quiz their kids. You can even play parents vs. kids and read the kid questions to the kids and the adult questions (see below) to the adults.

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The Answers:

1. How many points are scored during a touchdown in football? Answer – 6

2. Which famous painter cut off a part of his ear? Answer – Van Gogh

3. Which character’s nose grew bigger each time he lied? Answer – Pinocchio

4. What is the world’s largest mammal? Answer – Blue whale

5. What is a baby goat called? Answer – Kid

6. Where can you find the Eiffel Tower? Answer – Paris

7. What is the money called that is used in Germany? Answer – Euros

8. Who sings the song ‘Shake it Off’? Answer – Taylor Swift

9. Who was left alone in the movie ‘Home Alone’? Answer – Kevin

10. Who was the first president of the United States? Answer – George Washington

Trivia for Adults

For a night with friends or an easy date night with your partner, trivia is a fun way to spend your time together. This trivia printable has questions for everyone, so feel free to split up into teams and determine a winner at the end!

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The Answers:

1. In which year was the first iPhone released? Answer – 2007

2. What is the shortcut for the “paste” function on a computer? Answer – Ctrl + V

3. In what year was Tupac killed? Answer – 1996

4. When did the Great Depression occur? Answer – 1930’s

5. What is the diameter of the earth? Answer – 8,000 miles

6. Where is the largest desert located? Answer – Antarctica

7. Which author first became a billionaire by writing books? Answer – J.K. Rowling

8. In which state did Roseanne and the rest of the Connor family live? Answer – Illinois

9. What is the Richter scale used for? Answer – Measuring earthquakes

10. On the TV show Family Ties, who did Michael Fox play? Answer – Alex P Keaton

My Favorite Trivia Games

Trivia is a common game night theme in our house, and we have two trivia games that we play over and over again.

The first one is Trivial Pursuit, the Classic Edition.

The other is Trivillennial.

I honestly couldn’t choose between the two, it really depends on who I’m playing with.

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

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Final Thoughts: Free Trivia Printables

Trivia is such a fun game, and it’s a great way to bond with your kids, your spouse, or your friends. Do you like to play? Is there a certain trivia game you prefer? Tell me about it in the comments.

Categories
Holiday How To Parenting

16 Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids

New Years, New Year's Eve With Kids, New Year's 2020, New Year's Eve 2020, Goals for the New Year, New Year's Resolution, New Year's Eve craft for kids, New Year's Eve food for kids, celebrate New Year's with kids, New Year's activities for kids

Gone are the days of going out for New Year’s Eve or having a house party with a group of friends. Now, our New Year’s Eve festivities involve our kids and while it is a big change from the past, I wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, celebrating New Year’s Eve with kids is the best way to bring in the New Year.

I love coming up with new ideas to make the night exciting, and it’s also fun to continue with old traditions. A mix of both together make for the perfect New Year’s Eve with kids.

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How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids

1. Don’t overwhelm them early in the night.

If you throw every activity or event at them right in the beginning of your evening, they’ll quickly become burnt out. Instead, try to spread out all of the fun and introduce new activities one at a time as the night goes on.

2. If you want them to make it until midnight, plan a fun activity for each hour.

This goes along with not overwhelming them, and it gives them something to look forward to each hour. Simply decide what time you want the fun to start, and create an activity for each hour.

In the past, we have used bags and written a time on them (5:00, 6:00, …. midnight) and put an activity inside of each bag. If the activity wouldn’t fit in the bag, we would just write the activity on a slip of paper and put it inside of the bag.

Each hour, on the hour, the kids get to open one and we spend the next hour doing that activity. If it doesn’t last the full hour, we just find somethin else to do until it’s time to open the next bag.

3. Offer simple, child-friendly food, snacks and drinks.

While it is fine (and encouraged!) to have adult treats to indulge in, it is even more important to have child-friendly foods for New Year’s Eve. Pigs in a blanket, milkshakes, s’mores dippers, homemade pizza, punch or sparkling soda, and whatever other treats your kids will be excited for are all great ideas!

4. If you are having champagne or wine at midnight, offer sparkling soda or punch to kids.

The kids will want to celebrate, too! If they see you toasting the New Year’s with your husband or friends, they’ll want in on it. A few years ago my sister just put orange juice in a plastic champagne flute and the kids were so excited!

5. Do a countdown.

Even if you send your kids to bed early on New Year’s Eve, you can still have a countdown with them! There are YouTube videos that do an early countdown to “midnight” as well as a Netflix show that does it.

If you keep them up until the real event, turn on the Times Square countdown or another countdown that you can find, or just have your own countdown complete with shouting, screaming, and celebrating.

6. Watch fireworks.

If there isn’t a fireworks event that you can see from your home, you could always go to an event in your city that has them, or you could buy a few small fireworks to set off yourself. Sparklers are an easy firework option, too!

If none of those options will work for you, you can find a firework show on the internet that you can watch with them.

7. Have a photoshoot.

Use a tablecloth or some wrapping paper as a backdrop, add streamers and balloons, and a New Year’s banner. If you’re feeling extra celebratory, you can get photo props to go along with it.

8. Get dressed up.

Use this night as an opportunity to get our your fanciest clothes and dress up. Just think, it’s going to be the 20’s, after all, so make sure you look your best.

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9. Have a dance party.

Create a playlist of your family’s favorite songs and have a dance party in your living room. You could even have a dance contest and give out prizes such as candy or party favors.

10. Set New Year’s resolutions.

Talk to your kids about setting goals and resolutions and what it means to do so. Then, have everyone in the family set one or two resolutions for themselves. Help them to make sure that the goals they are setting are realistic. You could even set a resolution for the entire family to accomplish together.

11. Build a fort.

Kids always love to build a fort, so why not make it part of your New Year’s Eve with kids celebration? You could eat snacks, watch movies, play games, or even watch the countdown inside of the fort.

12. Play board games.

Pull out a favorite board game or two, or grab one that they got for Christmas and haven’t gotten to play yet. Spend some time playing games, bonding, and laughing during your New Year’s Eve with kids celebration.

13. Do a New Year’s craft.

There are SO many options for this New Year’s activity! One of my favorites is New Year’s firework craft with card board tubes. Another idea is to have them put 4 handprints on a piece of paper (with paint), then when the handprints dry paint or write a 2 on one hand, a 0 on the next, a 2 on the third, and a 0 on the fourth hand.

14. Prepare in advance a ‘Year in Review’ photo slideshow to watch on NYE.

Spend some time in the days before New Year’s Eve going through photos from the past year. Choose your favorites and put them together in a slideshow to watch with your kids on New Year’s Eve.

15. Play dodgeball with marshmallows.

How often do you let your kids throw food in the house? Never? Me either. But, this is New Year’s Eve and we have to make it fun for them! You can make your own rules or use traditional dodge ball rules.

16. Choose a New Year’s printable to fill out.

A quick Pinterest search will bring up tons of New Year’s printables. There are some that review the year, allowing your kids to list out all of their favorites from the year past, and there are also printables that allow your kids to start looking ahead at the New Year and deciding what they want their 2020 to look like.

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Final Thoughts on How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids

New Year’s Eve with kids can be just as fun (if not more fun) than the crazy New Year’s Eve of times past. With a simple mix of activities, crafts, and yummy treats, you’ll give your kids a New Year’s Eve they’ll always remember.

What are your New Year’s Eve plans? Tell me about them in the comments!

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

DIY Easy Christmas Sensory Bottle

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Sensory bottle (also known as discovery bottles, calm down bottles, quiet time bottles, and many other names) are a must-have in our house. We make one for almost every holiday, and we pack them away with that holidays ornaments so that we’re sure to have them when the holiday rolls around the following year. Somehow, we have never made a Christmas sensory bottle, however.

I believe that we have at some point… but it must not have been worthy of saving or even taking pictures of. This year, though, our easy Christmas discovery bottle is perfect. So perfect, in fact, that I HAVE to share it with you!

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Materials Needed for a Christmas Sensory Bottle

  • An empty, clear bottle
  • Lukewarm water
  • 2 Containers of glitter glue, any color (I used silver and gold that I bought HERE)
  • Christmas glitter (I found mine in the dollar spot at Target or you can buy some HERE)
  • Hot glue and a hot glue gun, or just super glue

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

Directions to Make a Cute Christmas Sensory Bottle

  1. Peel any paper from the bottle
  2. Fill the bottle just over 1/2 way up with lukewarm water
  3. Add the 2 bottles of glitter glue, put the lid on, and shake it up.
  4. Open the bottle and add the glitter. Add as much of it as you want!
  5. Fill the bottle the rest of the way up, leaving enough space for the water to still move.
  6. Put hot glue around the ridges where the lid goes in order to keep it closed so your kiddos don’t accidentally open it.
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Final Thoughts On Easy Christmas Sensory Bottle

Christmas activities don’t have to cost a ton of money, and if you’re doing Christmas on a budget or just want an easy Christmas activity for kids, a Christmas sensory bottle is the perfect way to go.

What are your favorite holiday activities to do with your kids? Tell me about them in the comments!

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Categories
Holiday

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

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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.)
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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
Big Kid Big kid fun Classroom crafts Family Activities Sensory Play

Dyed Rice Layers of the Earth 3D Project

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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!