Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

#BringIt With BodyArmor

As a mom of a couple of busy kids, I have learned to always be prepared for what life is going to offer. From play dates to practices; from defeats to game-winning runs, and of course, the art of keeping the kids fueled for fun!


Keeping a great sports drink on hand is important for not only the comfort of my hot and thirsty little athletes but also to keep them on their A game! That is why I turn to BODYARMOR when it comes to my kids. BODYARMOR is a premium sports drink with potassium-packed electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins – and has no artificial flavors or sweeteners. That is super important to me as a mother. I want to offer my kids healthier alternatives to popular sports drinks because they have practically no nutritional values to benefit growing bodies.





This post is sponsored by BODYARMOR. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

BODYARMOR is really handy for moms; I love that I can pick up 15 packs at Sam's Club and keep my kids hydrated and satisfied all summer long, no matter what sport they are headed out for! From a practice or tournament, or even a pick up game with neighborhood kids, BODYARMOR helps me to offer a healthy snack to my busy kids. I consider that the win for this mom! Healthy snacks and happy kids are a combination like a game winning hit!




When I grab a 15 pack of BODYARMOR, I can share the flavor and fun with our teammates and friends, which always earns a smile. BODYARMOR is on sale $12.98 (save $3.00) till July 16th, making it a deal you won't want to miss!

Is your young athlete working to be the best? Check out how your athlete can become the next BODYARMOR athlete here: https://goo.gl/hRK7tC.


If you want to stock your cooler with BODYARMOR this summer. You are in luck! Someone is going to win an awesome cooler and a one year Sam's Club membership!



a Rafflecopter giveaway









Easy Butterfly Craft



This easy butterfly craft is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It makes good use of common household items for a fun craft that really takes flight!


This post contains affiliate links.

Harper and I love to craft together! We try to make something every day. It is good for her development as a preschooler, and it is a great way to spend time together, expressing creativity.

This is one we came up with simple supplies that we had at home. I love crafts that don't need special supplies! This easy butterfly craft is a great example of gathering inspiration from the world around you.


To make this cute craft you will need:
Scissors
A Paper Plate
Glue
Paint {We used Kwik Stix }
An empty toilet paper roll
2 squiggly eyes

Have your child cut the paper plate to become wings. Use scissors your child is comfortable with. They are never too young to develop scissor skills which are so super important when it comes time for school!

Next paint the toilet paper roll as a body. We used Kwik Stix because they are easy to handle and clean up. They are also super fast drying!

Paint the paper plate.

Glue the painted toilet paper roll in the center.

Add the eyes and paint on a small smile.




This was easy and fun to make with Harper. She liked getting to cut the wings and paint. I helped with the hearts at her request.

You might also enjoy this easy paper plate lion craft.

Paper Plate Donut Craft for Kids

Paper Plate Donuts are a fun craft to make with the little ones! We paired this activity with the adorable children's book If You Give a Dog a Donut.


Harper and I love to get crafty together! We often pull out our Kwik Stix and paint together! She loves the freedom of painting without an anxious mom and I love offering her an outlet for her creativity.


We also love to read great stories together! So, on this day, we combined the fun of a craft using Kwik Stix with a favorite book to create paper plate donuts!



This craft is incredibly easy but offers so many options for creative expression in toddlers and preschoolers.
You can have the supplies ready in under 5 minutes for crafty fun with the kids.



Supplies
One Paper Plate per child
Kwik Stix
Pom Poms or small bits of paper to resemble sprinkles
Glue

Cut the center out of your paper plates.
Offer the kids the Kwik Stik, if you don't have any paint sticks, you can use markers or crayons.
After the paint has dried (it only takes 90 seconds) have the kids glue on pom poms or paper bits or sprinkles.

There you have some adorable and easy crafts to pair well with a fun book!

If you are making this craft you might want to grab my free Donut Coloring Page.



8 Crafts and Recipes to Make for Groundhog Day!

Groundhog Day is a fun way to break up the monotony of winter while offering a healthy dose of optimism! These craft and snack ideas are the perfect way to add a little something special to the day, for the delight of the kids!

These ideas are cute and easy and I know you are going to love them! I can't wait to hear which one is your favorite! I can't go wrong with any of the pudding ideas as my kids are serious pudding fans! HA!



Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Pancakes

Groundhog Parfait

Quick and Easy Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Cup Craft

Groundhog Face Craft

Shadow Puppet Play 

Aren't these adorable and easy ideas!? I think we are kind of obligated to make the groundhog face craft because it is crazy cute!

The Topiary Park of Columbus

Columbus Ohio is one of our go-to places for family fun. The city has so much to offer to families. From the Columbus Museum of Art to the awesome playgrounds for kids, there is always something to do in Columbus!



A few weeks ago we attended Brick Universe, to the delight of my Lego loving kids. After we had taken the time to play with all kinds of legos and browse the vendors, we decided to take in the Topiary Park of Columbus on Town Street. This is such a lovely little spot in the city. If you have never been, you are really missing out on something amazing.



Giving my kids exposure to art is important to me. Both kids love to sculpt with playdough and they both love to draw. Encouraging their love of the arts keeps them interested in creating! A little-known fact is that as a child, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I often wonder what might have been if only someone told me to keep sketching or had taken me to a fashion week kind of thing...



So, as we arrived at the Park, and found ample parking opportunities, we entered an almost empty park. An elderly man sat reading on a bench. At the other end of the park, a father-son duo conversed quietly. It was nice to be able to allow the kids a little freedom to stretch their legs and observe this living art in their own ways.


The park is one of a kind. It is a gorgeous, green and lush atmosphere with breathtaking flowers, a pristine pond, and these amazing topiaries. It is an interpretation of the painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte by Georges Seurat.


The experience is delightful. It offers one the chance to walk amongst the art, a rare occasion in this digital day we live in. The stroll was nothing short of magical for my kids. They have been several times and they never tire of a trip to The Topiary Park of Columbus.

I loved how serene the park was, despite the location in the city. If I were frequently in the downtown area, I could see myself slipping away to the Topiary Park for coffee and contemplation or a dreamy place to pass time with a good book in hand.

17 Must Read Thanksgiving Books for the Kids

This post contains affiliate links, but the list was inspired by the reading material I have for my children this month.

Thanksgiving is near and everyone is excited for the time with family, the parades and of course the food! This year, why not build on that excitement while offering your kids a chance to read, learn and be entertained without screentime?

I have compiled a great book list for my kids, Roo and Harp and I think your kids will love these titles too. You can order them via the links below or perhaps look for them at your local library.


Pete the Cat's Thanksgiving

Reading Railroad : Giving Thanks

Little Critter Just a Special Thanksgiving

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Helper

Bright Baby Thanksgiving

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie

Ladybug Gives Thanks

What is Thanksgiving?

The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks

T is for Turkey: A True Thanksgiving Story

Happy Thanksgiving Curious George

Fancy Nancy: Our Thanksgiving Banquet 

Arthur's Thanksgiving

 Five Silly Turkeys

Turkey Trouble

10 Fat Turkeys

Have your kids read any of these books? If you have a favorite I would love to hear about it so we can look for it!


Paper Plate Crowns

Paper Plate Crowns are super easy to make and incredibly fun for kids! You need only a few items to make these and your kids are going to adore them!



Harper is into all things princesses these days! The gowns, the shoes, the crowns! A few weeks ago, I made these fun paper plate crowns on Quirky Momma, and I knew I wanted to recreate the craft with Harper! You guys, these are so easy to make. You are going to want to pin this for rainy day reference!

All you need is a paper plate, a pair of scissors and some markers or crayons.

Begin by gently folding your plate in half.

 
Cut it thru the center, extending to right before the plate becomes textured on the side.


Make another cut in the opposite direction, Repeating until you have made 4 cuts. It is kinda like cutting a pie.



Next, fold the cuts so they stand up. Repeat until all sections are standing up.



Color the crown, in whatever colors you like, I added hearts for Harper.



Now you have a crown, fit for a princess! 

You might also enjoy this Tree Silhouette Placemat Craft




Paper Plate Witch Craft

This paper plate craft is perfect for toddlers and school aged children. This one requires simple supplies you likely already have and comes together in a flash!

We have been crafting up a lot of Halloween fun! The kids are really excited about spooky fun and awesome costumes, so I have been indulging their interest and excitement with easy crafts! 




To make this fun witch craft all you will need is:

A paper plate
Green Paint or Markers
2 fun googly eyes
Glue
Black Construction Paper
Orange Construction Paper
Scissors





Color or Paint the Paper Plate Green


Cut a triangle from the black paper, then cut a strip slightly longer than the triangle, glue these onto the paper plate like a witch's hat.



Tear a few strips of orange paper for hair. Tearing instead of cutting will give kids a chance to use fine motor skills plus make the paper curl slightly, which is just fun! Glue the hair onto the witch. 

Next, add eyes and draw on a nose and a mouth. We gave our witch a cute smile.



There you have a cute, friendly and fun Paper Plate Witch craft! This is great for little ones because it is creative, it gives them the opportunity to use their scissor skills and work their fine motor skills too. Additionally, it offers your home a touch of personalized Halloween decor!

You might also like this cute Angry Bird's Pig Craft.

Tree Silhouette Place-Mat Craft

Once school starts, I am ready for fall. Bring on the warm days and cool nights, the changing of leaves and all things pumpkin!  If my family isn't home together enjoying summer break, let's move on to the next best thing- FALL!

Mr. Sweet Silly Sara had to return to work to get the school library set up and ready for the students on Monday. Rolf has another week before he is officially in school. We are trying to make the most of these lazy end of summer days together.

Yesterday morning, the kids and I were restless. It was cool outside and the grass was very wet with dew, so we decided to savor the time and let the sunshine do its thing to warm the day up and dry the grass before we headed out to play.

To make the waiting more enjoyable we decided to get crafty and make this great tree silhouette placemat. This was so easy to make and my son did a great job on his! I knew I had to share this with you guys!



To make a placemat with your kids, you will need to gather a few basic supplies and then let your creativity flow.



Supplies needed:

2 pieces of transparent contact paper, cut to 5" wide and 8" long sections.
Assorted construction paper in the colors of your choice. We used black, pink, purple and blue.

Instructions:
Begin by having the kids tear up the construction paper into small squares and strips.


Keep the colors separated for easy application of colors.
Next, you will want to carefully peel the back off of one section of contact paper.
Lay it sticky side up.
With a few strips of black paper, make the outline of the tree.





Next, begin applying more strips of paper around the tree. We made our tree placemat to look like the sun was setting, with the colors we often see in the evening sky.



Continue to stick your strips of construction paper to the sticky side of the contact paper.



After you have filled in all of the blank space on the contact paper, peel the backing off of the other section of contact paper. Only expose a small strip! This will make it so much easier to line up.


After you have lined up the beginning of contact paper section #2 to the first section, begin peeling the backing away while smoothing the first second section onto the first. {Does that make sense?!}

Then you have an easy to wipe off and very handy placemat for your little ones!



My son loved that he MADE this place mat. It was so much more important to him than the ones we have that came from a store! I loved how it turned out! It is such a lovely work of art!

This project is great because it is affordable to make. You could make 6 or 7 of these at least for a mere $2 if you buy your supplies at Dollar Tree.

It is also a great way to get your kids using fine motor skills. They will develop the small muscles of the hand with the action of tearing paper. This later plays into handwriting skills among other things.

Asides from that huge benefit, making place mats with your kids offers them the chance to express their creativity and make something they can use and admire and feel proud of!

You might also enjoy this Lemonade Craft idea!



Easy Xylophone Craft

It is summer, my kids would live in the pool or perched on a swing, with possible breaks for snacks, lemonade and some screen time if given the opportunity. While I am a firm believer in the importance of play, I am a firm believer in learning year round and brushing up on the things that kids already know too.



One afternoon we were talking about instruments and toying with a few drums, triangles, and maracas when I mentioned a xylophone. My son couldn't picture what I was explaining so I decided to make a quick craft with the kids to see if it would refresh his memory without grabbing the ipad to give him a visualization.


This craft took about 4 minutes for my speedy little boy. It would have taken half of that time had I not nudged him to color the sticks completely.



You will need
6 craft sticks
markers
glue



As you can see I placed 2 of the craft sticks at vertical slants almost mimicking a V

I had Roo color 4 of the sticks in whatever colors he liked


Next we placed the sticks horizontally on the vertical sticks, like rungs on a ladder, securing with 2 beads of white glue per stick

By the time we had placed 3 of the 4 sticks on the frame, Roo remembered what a xylophone was. This was easy to make and the kids had fun banging on the craft stick xylophone. I enjoyed that part too because it was quieter than the real deal.


This was also a great way to discuss colors, shapes, ladders and how one might use a ladder as well as how rungs are like steps in a trickier way. I loved that so much conversation happened around one simple project, involving 6 craft sticks!





Don't miss this fun paper sandwich craft for kids!





Hand Print Fish Puppets


One of my favorite things about being a mom is to watch the pleasure my kids get from simple items. Last spring my husband cut out a photo of Colonel Sanders and glued it to a craft stick. He casually laid the Colonel on the table for the kids to discover at breakfast. They went wild over this! 

Last night after the kids were tucked into bed, inspiration hit me and I got busy crafting up something fun for them.  I hoped that the idea would inspire them to want to get crafty with me after seeing how fun these little puppets could be!

These are so easy to make. This is maybe a 3 minute project that will bring hours of entertainment. While entertainment is important, there are subtle and vital things happening when your kids engage in imaginative play. 

Benefits of Pretend Play
Pretend play allows the expression of both positive and negative feelings, and the modulation of affect, the ability to integrate emotion with cognition (Jent, Niec, & Baker, 2011; Seja, & Russ, 1999; Slade and Wolf, 1999).  Pretend play, fosters language development, thinking skills, and helps to develop emotional and social skills in children ages 2 thru 7. The creativity unleashed thru dramatic play has long-term benefits too. From problem-solving thru imaginary situations to the ability to express feelings.

Isn't it incredible to think that so many things can come from playing with a handmade puppet!?  Well, let's get to it and make one so the play time can begin!




Supplies needed

handprint cut out on colorful paper
small paper triangle
small paper heart
white school glue
a googly eye
craft stick

Directions

To begin, trace a hand and cut it out on colorful paper. 


I applied a little glue to affix the eye.



I also cut out a small triangle from another colorful paper and an oddly shaped heart for lips.



I applied a small amount of glue in the middle of the handprint for the small triangle.

I applied a small dot of glue for the heart paper for lips.



Next, add a little glue on the top of the craft stick and affixed it to the back of the handprint, in the middle of the handprint.

Allow the glue to dry and you have a fun fish puppet.

What Did the Kids Think?

The craft was well received with Harper, who took both of the fish puppets that I made and dashed off to play with them before her brother could see them. I chalked that up as a success.

Once Roo got a peek at the fish puppets he said, "Mom can you trace my hand?" That was all it took and the construction paper came out for handprint tracing.  After lunch today we are going to make a few of these together for an afternoon of crafting and puppet play!

Puppet play is a lot of fun for kids, but there is something almost magical about creating a puppet of your own design and bringing it to life via imaginative play. This project required the most simple of supplies and it can be completed in a matter of moments. There is no reason not to give it a shot with your kids! The benefits of simple projects like this that create an invitation to play are abundant, the mess from such a project is minimal and you likely already have these items on hand, or you could improvise with any paper or cardboard, tape and a straw if not!

Lemonade Craft for Preschoolers

This craft is perfect for a play time pause on a hot summer day. Your preschooler will have a lot of fun creating a craft to go with a glass of lemonade!

Summer is here! The kids are enjoying the chance to play at every park known to man, soak up the sun and splash in the pool! My husband and I are trying to savor these sweet and relaxed moments while they last. We know all too well that the hustle and bustle will begin soon enough as the kids head off to school and he resumes his post as the local school librarian.



Last week I squeezed lemons for our first fresh pitcher of lemonade of the summer. My kids were quite impressed with this. I love the magic of the early years! My toddler daughter thought it was "magic!" My kindergartner thought I was kidding when I told him the lemons would turn into his favorite drink.

After the fruit was squeezed and the lemonade was chilling in the fridge, I decided now was the perfect time to pull out a craft to go with a cold drink. I quickly gathered supplies and had this ready to assemble in under 5 minutes.

Supplies needed:
2 pieces of construction paper in the shape of a glass
1/2 a sheet of white copy paper, cut into cubes
2 strips of paper cut to look like a straw
One cupcake liner, yellow, cut in half
A glue stick

When I called the kids for their snack and lemonade, I had laid out the supplies needed at their place of seating. I asked them to take a long look at their lemonade glasses and notice how the drink looked in the glass.

Next I asked the kids to glue ice cubes on their glasses.
They both thought 3 ice cubes were the ideal amount.
Then I had the kids glue on the half cupcake liner for their lemon.
Novel. Lemons are food, so this had both of my mini foodies intrigued.
Finally, I instructed them to include their straw shaped paper.


This was such an easy craft for the kids. It kept them entertained for long enough to cool off for a moment before rushing back out to play and it gave them a chance to try freshly squeezed lemonade in a calm and relaxed setting. With growing a growing boy, it seems like he gulps and dashes without ever really tasting anything... {wink}. The kids also concentrated on what their beverage looked like so they could create their craft for thinking skills in early learners.

It was cute to see the kids interpretation of what a glass of lemonade looks like too.

You might also enjoy this Paper Cookie Craft.



Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles #CookingwithGerber

This is a sponsored conversation, however, the chit chat, opinions, and recipes are all my own!

Moms, baby cereal is a part of life during the early years of a child's life. We have all mixed it with fruit, spooned it into mouths and cleaned it out of hair! But, did you know that even after your child is past the baby cereal stage, there is a good reason to keep it in the pantry! Gerber brand cereal also makes for an awesome baking substitution and there are so many ways to use it to add a little something special to your recipes!

There are 4 varieties of Gerber baby Cereal available at Wal-Mart stores; Oatmeal Cereal, Oatmeal & Banana Cereal, Lil' Bits Strawberry and Banana and MultiGrain. which are great for different stages of feeding baby and introducing textures. 



I have been around the block of picky eating a few times now, my daughter will eat anything and everything, my son, however, is incredibly picky. His famous line is "That makes me weird..." when he is offered almost any kind of food. He will eat waffles, pancakes, chicken and potatoes... you can imagine how I worry about his nutritional needs! At the age of 6 he is growing and developing. He is active and plays sports, the mom in me needs to know he is getting some essential nutrients in his selective eating phase.

Last week I whipped up a fantastic and easy recipe with Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal and Gerber baby food {apple strawberry banana stage 2}. This was so easy to make and my son had NO CLUE I slipped some added goodness into one of his favorite foods.



If you are looking for a healthy recipe with added nutrients that is an awesome and hearty breakfast in its own, you are going to love my recipe for Apple, Strawberry, Banana Baby Food Waffles!



Ingredients
2 cups of all-purpose baking mix
1 cup of Gerber Oatmeal and Banana Baby Cereal
1 container of Gerber Apple strawberry Banana 2nd foods
2 1/2 to 2 2/3 cup of milk
1 banana sliced finely
1 egg

Directions
Add baking mix, Gerber baby cereal, egg and banana together, lightly stir to smash the banana.
Add the apple, strawberry, banana baby food to the mixture, stir lightly
Begin to gradually combine the milk and the waffle mix. When you reach the desired consistency, stir the batter well to smash up any larger chunks of banana.
Add to your waffle iron and cook until done.
Serve warm with syrup or sliced fruit.

My son really loved these fruity waffles. The fruit flavor was not overpowering which is awesome for parents of picky eaters! If your child likes fruit, you could reduce the milk by 6 ounces and add an additional container of baby fruit food.

How do you use Gerber Baby Food? Have you ever added it to a recipe? I would love to hear about your experiences with Gerber Cereal.

You guys, I want to inspire you to create a great recipe with Gerber Cereal!! Would a $50 prepaid credit card help inspire you to pick up a package of Gerber Cereal at Walmart and make a yummy recipe? If so, enter for your chance to win! This giveaway is not endorsed by facebook or any 3rd party applications or other social media channels! The sponsor will deliver the prize to the winner, who must be 18+ and live in the USA.