Teaching Children Sustainability Through DIY Projects

 Sustainability is important as it promotes a different way of living that doesn’t revolve around consumption, spending, and pollution. However, implementing sustainable principles is not always easy, especially if you have small kids. Simply, teaching them how to be more sustainable individuals can be tricky, because first, they’d need to grasp the concept of sustainability and accept it. 

In case you’re a minimalist parent, or you just wish to go more in that direction, here are some DIY projects and other tricks that are a perfect opportunity to teach your children about a sustainable way of living. 

Start your own garden 

Growing plants is the best chance to teach your kids about nature, plants, and how they grow in reality. If you have a backyard, then you’re already set, so you can use that space to grow some useful vegetables that you’ll use later in cooking. Besides, growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs are also an excellent way to reduce your spending and eat true, organic foods. So asking kids to give you a hand while planting seeds or watering the plants will teach them how nature works, plus they’ll feel proud of themselves. 

Try making DIY laundry detergent 

Laundry detergent can be expensive, plus it’s often full of chemicals that may cause certain health issues, while also harming the environment. But, there is a solution: making your own laundry detergent! There are many recipes online, and usually, you’d need borax, baking soda, and a bar of soap. These ingredients are less processed than the commercial ones, so if you feel crafty, try making your own laundry detergent and teach your kids to do the same. 

Show them how to recycle 

Recycling is a staple in one’s eco-friendly journey. This activity will also show you the importance of using less, while your kids will learn a valuable and noble skill. Also, if you’ve ever wondered how can we reduce plastic waste, then recycling is definitely one of the ways to do it. Basically, almost all commercial products that we use are made of plastic, and recycling and reusing them will definitely reduce plastic waste consumption, and therefore, pollution. 

Clean the garbage

Collecting the garbage to compost is another fun DIY activity that can teach children about sustainability and saving the planet. Unfortunately, in some places, people still throw trash and empty their pockets carelessly, and many parents don’t teach their kids about proper behavior. The trash that we often see outside is also polluting the planet, so if you want to teach your kids about eco-friendliness, then collecting some of the garbage is a definite act of kindness that will also show them how to care for the planet. 

Make homemade art supplies

Most kids love art and anything that goes with it: drawing and painting are some of the most popular ones, that’s for sure. So, you’re probably super tempted to buy them all the amazing art supplies, but did you know that you can make them at home? That’s right, you can make your own paintbrushes, paints, stamps, and even crayons? There are many recipes that will teach you how to do it, plus your kids will definitely enjoy the whole process of creating something fun and new that they’ll be able to use later. 

Final thoughts 

These DIY projects and activities are a perfect way to start teaching your children about sustainability and living a greener lifestyle. They will learn to appreciate the environment while also learning new skills that will boost the environment, lower pollution, and make the world, one truly happy place. 

DIY Sorting Toy {Fine Motor Activity}

One of the things I love about being a mom is that somehow, my kids think I am magical when I come up with a fun way to play out of the blue. No matter how simple the activity, they are always interested and amazed. I know I complain sometimes about how hard parenting is, but you know, the tough moments are so worth it. Little kids are so fun and so sweetly simple in what it takes to get them interested in learning new skills and practicing their existing ones.

One of our favorite upcycled activities was completely simple to create and both of my kids played with it for hours! If you have toddlers or preschoolers in your home, this DIY Sorting Toy is a must make. It offers kids a simple fine motor activity as well as a chance to practice sorting, counting, differentiating between sizes and identifying  colors.

You will need:

a clean an empty egg carton

assorted pom poms {use different colors and sizes for additional sorting challenges}

Tongs or Tweezers for Children 

As you can see all I did was dump a handful of pom poms into a clean and dry egg carton. I laid a pair of rubber tongs for kids down and let Roo explore this option on his own. 

He sorted and sorted! He worked on his fine motor skills, his colors and sorting by size. 

This was an upcycle project that was super easy to put together and that my kids had a lot of fun learning and playing with!

Traveling With Kids : A Day at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

I visited the location in this article as a guest of the Columbus Zoo.

On our first week of summer we traveled to Columbus, Ohio with the kids to experience one of the many fantastic offerings the city has for families. We got a chance to get our walk on, enjoy the sun and see so many breath taking animals all in one spot!

Where was this? If you are following me on Instagram you might have guessed that we visited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium! If you are not following me there, you should be! I am getting more active there and sharing lots of my adventures!

We visited the Columbus Zoo on a perfect June day. As soon as we arrived and decided on a path, we were able to take in the sights of the Black Rhino enjoying his morning munch.

The mom in me swooned over the swans with the eggs in their nest.

My son and I loved the Camels!

The sheer number of exhibits and animals at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium makes it well worth the trip to the city,

 The elephants were lovely!

The flamingos made a great group to photograph!

We have visited the Columbus Zoo numerous times over the years. I am never disappointed and I am always very impressed with the continuous effort to make this one of the best places for families to visit for a zoo experience!

This guy stole my daughters heart and attention. She was amazed with him!


I wanted to share a few tips with you to make your next trip to the Columbus Zoo even more enjoyable, if you are traveling with the kids.

Make sure your children wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking and this is a good thing! Kids will get plenty of activity and hopefully sleep wonderfully that night, but folks, do you really want to be carrying a 20+ pound child for several miles?

If your kids are not accustomed to walking very far, take them on a few walks around the block as preparation for the Zoo. 

Pack a few drinks and snacks for the kids to sustain them in between meals and exhibits!

Sunscreen! Enough said!

Bring a pack of travel Baby Wipes. Even if the kids are a bit older these are so handy for freshening up in the summer!

Make sure your phones and cameras are ready for lots of great photo ops!

Grab a map, if the kids are really little, like mine are, decide what exhibits are most important to see and aim for those first, seeing what you can on the way. You never know how much a small child can take in terms of walking in the summer sun.

Take advantage of the play areas for the kids. Give them a break and a chance to let loose. You can rest on a bench and bask in the sound of happy children at play for a little while!


Have you ever visited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium? If not what is your favorite Zoo?

Family Safety Online - Tips Every Parent Should Know

 Keeping kids safe online does not have to be too time-consuming. The devices, apps, and programs can help you a lot, and you can keep track of any online profiles they have if you know their passwords. Here are some top tips and strategies for keeping your children safe when they use the family PC or any other online device. They can help keep your information safe too.

Make A Kids Profile On Your PC

This is a top tip for both of you. Create a user profile just for your kids and lock out certain elements or remove programs you do not want them to have access to. This lets you keep your profile too, and it can remain untouched. You can check on your kid's profile and web browsing history and also install monitoring programs if you wish.

Protecting them in this way also protects your PC activity and your private documents and email access. You may enjoy playing some classic casino games online at Jackpot Casino or play their live casino games. Having a personal profile means they do not have access to your gaming, personal documents, or programs, protecting everyone.

Keep The Screen Where You Can See It

Parenting requires a lot of different delicate balances. You want your children to grow up to be confident and independent, but you also need to keep a careful eye over them to protect them from danger and threats. This is true online as well as in the physical world. 

Make sure you can get a parent’s eye view of the screen from a distance. Give your kids a little leeway and let them do what they want to do on the computer but keep checking what they are up to. When things get loud or go quiet, that is usually a sign they are up to something they should not be. 

Communicate With Them

Talk to your children about online safety and let them know they have to take care when using the internet and the computer. This should include both communicating and interacting with strangers online, avoiding some common pitfalls. They need to be careful what they click on.

Kids are as vulnerable to spam and malware as the rest of us, and a little education goes a long way. Teach them some basic safety rules, and lay down some ground rules for online behavior and how to act around the PC.

No Social Media Until They Are Teenagers

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media services have age restrictions on accounts. A good rule of thumb is to not let your kids join a social network until they are a teenager. Even kids' versions of apps and websites can make them vulnerable to online threats.

When they do get old enough, you will have to decide how to introduce your kids to social media. Facebook is a good first step as you can monitor their profile more easily and keep an eye on their friend group.

Follow these steps, and you should have plenty of control over your young children’s online activity without having to stay over their shoulders. Their self-confidence will benefit, and so will your time management.

Playdoh Meatball Math

Are you looking for a way to make early math engaging for kids? This play doh activity makes for a fun way to master early counting skills in a manner that kids are going to want an extra helping of.

We are a play doh family through and through. Over the years I have created so many hands on lessons for my kids as well as invitations to play that started with a simple can of squishy play doh.  From a prickly cactus craft that my tween was enchanted by, to  DIY food puzzles for toddlers. I have always felt that playdoh was one of the best toys to have on hand because it doubles as a learning tool.

This idea is so much fun! It starts with 2 cans of play doh and a cute little pan. Grab a few dominoes and your little learners are ready to jump into this awesome activity.

Supplies:

Play doh. I used yellow, a little red and a little orange.

A small pan

Dominoes

Directions:

Create a pan of noodles from the yellow playdoh by rolling out into thin strips between your hands and tear them off at various lengths.

Combine a ball of red and orange dough together to make the meatballs. 

Now tear off small sections and roll them into balls.

Place the noodles into the pan.

Leave the meatballs over to the side.

Invite your preschooler to select a domino from the pile and count the dots.

This is how many meatballs this spaghetti needs. Count the meatballs as you add them to the noodles.

Repeat as desired until you have used all of the dominoes or mastered your counting lesson. I know your kids are going to love this take on early math!

Find more epic playdoh activities here.

Favorites include:

Play Doh Pie Counting

Lollipop Counting

Play Doh Pre Writing Activity

Play Doh Snails

Play Dough Ornaments 

Find more fun math ideas like these math games for kids.

Fine Motor Counting Activity

This activity is perfect for small hands. It combines counting and fine motor work for a fun, hands on approach to learning. This introduction to math is perfect for preschoolers. Best of all, you can get everything you need to set this up at Dollar Tree.

Little hands love pinching, so this activity is perfect for making math fun while engaging fine motor skills! My kids both loved this early introduction to counting when they were smaller, and I often pull this activity out when we have little guests in our house who need something to do. This is the ultimate boredom buster and will always have a place in my busy bag collection.

All you need to make this is some tiny clothespins from dollar trees craft section and a few craft sticks. Mark the numbers you are using on the craft sticks and hand the kids some clothespins. Encourage your child to count the clothespins and put them on the craft stick. 

This is one of those activities you will want to supervise, to keep the pins from mouths, noses and ears. 

If you enjoyed this easy activity for kids, you will want to check out some of my other preschool projects.

Play Doh Stamping 

Itsy Bitsy Spider Craft

Parenting Guide: How to Deal with Notorious Kids Smartly

 

"Your kids require you most of all to love them for who they are, not to spend your whole time trying to correct them."

• Bill Ayers 

For once, you may think of agreeing with this thought, but what if you notice your naughty one playing mischievous plays with you? Well, as a parent to a naughty child, your tolerance level will be tested several times a day. When kids behave impossible, kids scream out their lungs just to get their favorite toy in their kitty. At such times, you may feel the urge to lose your temper and scold your child. 

But wait, such incidents can make things worse and impossible for you to handle further. So, what is the ultimate solution then? Well, it seems like you need to look through some interesting options to deal with your kids' mischievous behavior. 

Let's not wait anymore and explore how to manage a naughty child at home. 

#1- Manage the overwhelming emotions - There are times when your naughty child may feel the urge to express those powerful emotions, including - frustration, fear, and sudden sadness. Rather than feeling tired and irritated about this behavior, prefer to calm down and support your baby. This indicates understanding their weird mood swings, which is common to witness during childhood. 

#2 - Find ways to burn off their energy - Kids have an extensive amount of energy that needs to be burned off wisely. Otherwise, it may lead to many issues for you and your family. When their energy is not utilized properly, they may end up indulging themselves in a notorious activity. Rather than this, keep them occupied in hardcore physical activities like - running, cycling, playing outside, and much more. In no time, your child will start feeling exhausted, which will help him/her fall asleep quickly.

#3 - Find alternatives to everything - You need to be smart enough to deal with their trouble-making plays. For instance - if you are fed up buying new cosmetics and lipsticks that are often ruined by your little one, then go for sturdy child-resistant packaging bags that secure everything stored in it. Other examples can be - covering sharp objects in towels like - knives, blades, gardening equipment, etc., which often become a toy for naughty kids. 

#4 - Cook favorite meals - Making your kids eat nourishing meals is one of the daunting tasks almost every mother goes through. Here, the solution is to blend superfoods and nutrient value containing vegetables or fruits in their favorite meals. For instance - prepare multiple fruits-enriched smoothies for breakfast, mix and blend different vegetables in slurry or soups. This is the best way to ensure the intake of all grains and nutrients required for the child's development. 

The bottom line is that - 

Your child's behavior is the ultimate result of your behavior at home. Therefore, make sure you behave ideally to give your child enough good habits to learn and follow. Having restrictions on the child is a good idea to control wrong behavior but ensure it does not turn out to be negative on his/her behavior. 

Mud Ice Cream

This mud ice cream station is so much fun for kids! It is easy to set up and is the perfect use for those leftover ice cream cones from summer, while serving up a bunch of good old fashioned fun!

I am always looking for great ways to keep my kids playing without turning to their video games.This mud ice cream activity kept them entertained with dramatic play all day. They naturally got filthy dirty which is half the fun! If you do this with your kids, opt for old clothes and shoes and do it outside!

Supplies:

Ice cream cone

Sprinkles

Old dishes like a bowl and spoons to scoop with

Mud

Directions:

Fill up a bowl with mud.

Offer your children spoons and scoops , sprinkles and a few ice cream cones.

You might like to add a few old bowls to the mix for variety.

Allow your child to scoop mud into the cones and dishes and add a generous amount of sprinkles!

Both of my kids were enthralled with this idea. It might have been one of the best activities I have ever set up for them. They laughed, they mixed up mud, served it to each other and got so incredibly dirty. It was wonderful fun!

Both kids agreed that this would be fun to try with snow too! Should we be so lucky this winter to have enough snow to play with!

When playtime is over, simply spray the tools your kids used to play with the hose, and toss the ice cream cones! I love easy clean up activities! If the weather is warm enough, your kids might enjoy a splash in the sprinkler, or the garden hose to clean off a little bit before going inside.

You can find more kids activities here

Play Doh Fine Motor Rainbows

Pine Cone Rescue

Seashell Towers STEM Activity

Beach fun meets play doh for a hands on early engineering activity. My 5 year old loved playing with this Seashell Towers STEM Activity.

This is such a simple activity, but it is also challenging and ideal for little learners. It combines fine motor skills and problem solving to create a recipe for hands on fun.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I do earn a small advertisers fee at no added expense to you.

The smallest things can bring hours of entertainment to kids. This seashell tower stem activity is a perfect example. This gives little hands a chance to build and begin discovering the magical world of engineering. Best of all, you might have the supplies you need on hand. I LOVE activities that I don't have to buy anything to do with my kids.

Supplies:

Play Doh

Seashells

Directions:

Invite your child to roll a can of play doh into small balls.

Encourage your child to use the doh and the shells to make a tower.

Talk about how to make the tower taller, larger, wider without it falling over.

This activity is so much fun and was so easy to set up for Harper. She was engaged with building what she called mermaid towers.

After about an hour of building we put the play doh back in the can and added the seashells to our busy bag collection. We will be revisiting this play doh activity many times! I have a feeling my 9 year old would enjoy this one too!

Find more fine motor activities here

Check out my favorite play doh projects here

Gifts Boys are Gonna LOVE This Holiday Season.

Holiday shopping is in full swing and I want to help you find great gifts this year! I have compiled this list of m favorite options and I can't wait to hear what is on your must buy list! This list of Gifts for Boys has options for every budget and so many fun ideas!

Promotional samples were provided to me in exchange for inclusion in my gift guide. The opinions are my own.

Gourmet Christmas Stocking
Boys like snacks as much as anyone else, so one of my favorite ideas for a boy gift is the Christmas Stocking from Gourmet Gift Baskets. The stocking itself is handsome and classy, but the goodies inside really steal the show. Filled with things that any boy will love to snack on like a huge Hammond's candy cane, chocolate covered pretzels, truffles, hot cocoa and peanuts, this is a tasty gift that boys would love to have to fuel their late night holiday gaming sessions. The Christmas Stocking retails at about $30 and is a good choice for just about any boy you are shopping for this holiday season.

Go Trax ION Hoverboard
This self balancing hoverboard is nothing short of awesome for kids. It is fairly lightweight for a hoverboard and can go up to 4 miles on a single battery. The fact that it self balances is perfect for beginners, and makes for a gift that encourages outdoor activity for the win. I was a little nervous about my son on a Hoverboard truth be told, but this has been a fun choice for him that was easy to learn. Retailing under $200 this is a perfect idea for tweens and teens.

Home Planetarium
My son loves astronomy. He goes to a local club about every month to view the night sky and he loves to go to the observatory with his dad when they get a chance! This 8,000 Star Home Planetarium is a perfect gift to encourage his curiosity while helping him to discover new pleasures in the night sky.
This is a desk top model that accurately displays 61 constellations found in the Northern Hemisphere. The built in bluetooth speaker pairs with iPhone and Android devices to play a stargazing soundtrack of your choice.  Retailing for under $130 at Hammacher Schlemmer this is one of my favorite gifts for anyone with a love of the stars.

Magic Tracks
Boys love toys! This year I think Magic Tracks is the way to go for fun for younger boys. These tracks are unlike any other I have ever seen. They bend, flex and glow. I love how kids can customize the race track, even when the race is in motion. These are an affordable and fun way to foster creativity, retailing at about $20 a set.

Stone8
My kids love robots; it has been an ongoing fantasy to have one of their own for quite some time. I have looked at so many, but felt that they were more of a glorified remote control toy. When we hear about Stone8,I was instantly intrigued as this is a truly interactive friend, and a cute little friend he is! I love that he expresses emotions and works with or without a device. Retailing at less than $60, this little guy has enough sensors to allow him to explore with our child and the multicolored antenna allows Stone8 to let you know how he is feeling. This is a really fun option for Christmas that gives your child someone to play games and have adventures with in a variety of ways.

Modarri Car
This is fun for any kid who likes cars or building! This kit allows kids to design and build their dream car, then race it! Named to of the year two times for great reason Modarri is a hands on adventure that kids will be revving up their engines for. My kids were entranced by the idea of building their dream cars and had so much fun doing so. I would highly recommend this gift for any boy. It is engaging and tons of fun. The kits range in price from about $30 and are available at Target, Walmart and amazon to name a few.

Itty Bitty Buggy
If you have a boy on your list that loves creating and has an interest in coding, the Itty Bitty Bug kit is going to be a great gift. This allows fun and creativity to come to life with coding four different creatures. Packed with a rich, fun-filled feature set, the Itty Bitty Buggy kit includes Bluetooth, remote control, voice-control, line tracing, musical color recognition, and LEGO®-compatible pieces, providing users with endless design possibilities and playful configurations. As coding skills become more advanced, users can program and modify the behaviors of a specific creature using a variety of coding languages, including Scratch, Python, and Arduino. The itty bitty bug retails for under $60 and can be found at stores like Target that carry Hasbro products or online in the Hasbro Toy Shop.

FANTASTIC GYMNASTICS VAULT CHALLENGE Edition
This is just plain fun. It reminds me of the tech free toys of my childhood and I love that it takes some skill to land the gymnast! I think kids will love this for those times when there has been too much tech and they need a way to unwind with some good old fashioned play! Retailing at under $20 you can find the Fantastic Gymnastics Vault Challenge at most major retailers that carry Hasbro products.

Connect 4 Edition from The Hasbro Road Trip Collection
There seem to be a lot of road trips to visit loved ones around the holidays, so te Connect 4 Edition from the Hasbro Road Trip  Collection makes it on my list of gifts for boys. This is a fun way to keep the kids busy in the car without turning to tablets. This game is portable but packs a ton of fun and is easy on every budget. Get it at Walmart for about $8 for hours of friendly game play on the next long car ride.

T Rex From Wall Charmers
Sometimes it feels like the kids have too many toys! Adding a fun touch to a bedroom is a great idea this holiday season. We love the T Rex Faux Taxidermy from Wall Charmers. This is simply a fun addition to any bedroom of a dino loving little boy! Well, to be fair, my husband was amazed by this too! It is realistic looking and is bound to inspire any boys imagination while adding an uber unique touch to his decor. Retailing at under $70 this works for tween boys as well.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figure Assortment
When I was a kid, TMNT was super popular. My brother and I loved it and had all of the action figures! I was so excited to see a new line coming out for the new generation, and knew this was something I had to share with my son. The Action Figure Assortment includes:  Raphael "The Leader," Leonardo "The Trickster," Donatello "The Tech Wiz," Michelangelo "The Wild Card," Splinter "The Chill Master," April "Street Smart Best Friend," Origami Ninja "Confetti Commandos," Meat Sweats “The Tenderizer,” Baron Draxum "The Maker of Mutants". The figures retail for about $9 and can be found at most major retailers.

Ben 10 Alien Creation Chamber
My son loves Ben 10, so this was a natural choice. I know he is going to love making his own mini fig with the interchangeable parts and launching it into the air. This set comes with 4 figures to mix and match, including Heatblast, Four Arms, Wildvine and Grey Matter. It retails for under $30 and promises to be loads of fun for any Ben 10 Fan! Find it at mass retailers like Target or Walmart.

Discovery Plasma Globe
Experience a fun light display with the touch of your fingers or sound! The Discovery Plasma Globe responds to touch, music and sound, providing hours of excitement. Perfect for any young scientist! My son has always been intrigued by these globes and adding one to his room would be so much fun for my science kid! Find it at Walmart for under $25.

Buying Ping Pong Tables for Your Home

Do you still remember the last time where you had a blast playing your favourite game or sport together with your family and friends? Are you the type of person that enjoys quality time with their loved ones while doing family traditions and recreational activities? Maybe playing a sport such as a table tennis is perfect for your family and kids!

Sports is a recreational activity that will help a lot of people in keeping their fitness journey in check. It aims to promote muscle build-up, calorie-burning, and skill training, other benefits can be found here. Some athletes aim to try various sports that will promote a healthy mindset and keep their focus. 

Some individuals are also interested in playing sports as their profession. They engage in training almost 8-10 hours a day or more to learn the skills that they need in order to win. Some professionals and trainers offer their services and experience to hone the abilities of beginners and kids who are dreaming to become the next Olympian or professional athlete.

If you are interested in becoming an athlete, this site will help you understand and consider trying different games and sports to boost their morale and at the same time enjoy the sports that interest them. Once a person realizes the amazing benefits and advantages of playing a sport, they will be curious and keen on constantly finding the perfect one for them.

Moreover, you can also enrol your kids and various sports centres that will offer training sessions and other sports recreational activities even at an early age. This is a great way of minimizing their time in front of their gadgets such as phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and other online games. 

There is nothing wrong with playing computer games, however, it is still advisable that people will eventually learn how to manage it and determine whether their playing time is considered unhealthy or too much. 

Some individuals are also keen on playing friendly sports that will promote teamwork, camaraderie, friendship, and unity. There must also be a chance to try different sports because a person will only know if there is hidden talent in playing particular sports if he or she tries it. 

All About Table Tennis

One of the most families sports for kids and kids at heart is ping pong or table tennis. It is normally played using a paddle and a table. There must also be a ping pong ball and a net in playing this recreational activity with your colleagues, family, and friends. It is also a sport that is being played in international games and the Olympics.

Moreover, this sport can be played by 2 persons in a singles match and 4 persons in a doubles match. Normally, the game will run until someone will reach 11 points per round. There are also mixed doubles where a male and a female can play together with the opposing teams. 

You may also check this URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_tennis  to know more about the history and other relevant details regarding ping pong. Understanding the history of the game allows people to be more invested and expand their knowledge in playing this particular sport. You can also start checking some ping pong paddles, balls, nets, shoes, and outfits if you are determined to become a professional ping pong player.

There are also various skills in service or serving the ball to trick and win your opponents. The ball will rotate clockwise or counterclockwise based on how you made your service. There is also a type of service that is called a “chop” that the ball will land downwards which is considered as one of the hardest services that a person must return.

In line with this, there are also some professionals who are more interested in looking for the best pingpong table. The price may also depend on how the table is made, the parts, quality, materials, colour, and size. Some people who are fond of doing do-it-your own activities also made ping pong tables for kids and beginners before buying a professional type one.

A normal ping pong table will range from $300-$2,000 depending on the brand, quality, size, and materials of the table. The recommendation is to start with the most basic one before upgrading to a professional type. You can also check some online sports sites that offer cool ping pong tables for your family’s needs. 

However, some parents are keen on buying a high-quality table for their kids in order for them to be more comfortable and get used to this type of quality which is the same as in professional table tennis games and Olympics. For them, it is better to train them with the required equipment and items to reach their optimum skill and ability in playing ping pong.

Top Picks for Baby Gifts

When my kids were babies, I never knew what to buy them for Christmas. I would stare at toys in stores, and groan over onesies. Babies can't do a lot, but they are always learning. Picking a great gift is a lot more complicated than picking up something colorful and calling it a day.

Now that my kids are officially not babies anymore, I have finally figured out what makes the perfect gift for a little one! It is something useful, stimulating, and or fun!

I have compiled a list of must have baby gift ideas to share with you. From fun to functional, this list contains something for all of the tiny ones on your shopping list! Samples were received to inspire this gift guide.

1) Meadow Days Dynamic Gymini  by Tiny Love
I love this activity center for babies 0-18 months in age. It is colorful, cute and has so many ways to engage your little one. It is perfect for a tummy time mat, and will adapt to meet the needs of a growing baby or toddler. With 7 developmental features from language to cognition, this fun way to play and learn will engage the senses and entice tiny ones to play. This is a great gift idea that can grow with a newborn!

2) Vida Snow Boots
Vida has so many great options in footwear for babies, toddlers and older kids. I love the snow boot collection which includes the stylish  Jamboo Nydia & Azami styles for girls and the  Baltoro & Venom styles for boys. These are stylish, durable and perfect for keeping tiny feet toasty even on the snowiest of days!

3) Maxi Cosi Pria Car Seat
A great car seat makes traveling safer and more comfortable for everyone. The Maxi Cosi line of car seats is one that I would highly recommend to other families as I use this brand for both of my growing children and have for years. I love that with the Pria seat this is the only car seat you will need for many years! The Pria 85 Max convertible car seat fits children rear-facing starting at 5 pounds with removable insert cushions to give smaller babies a snug fit. It then keeps them cozy up to 40 pounds. When they're ready to ride forward-facing, turn this car seat around to safely fit children up to 85 pounds; the highest weight range offered by a convertible car seat. Both stages benefit from the safer side impact protection provided by Air Protect® technology which protects your child where it’s needed most, around the head.

4)Malarkey Kids Munch Mitt 
This is a great stocking stuffer for a baby that is teething! It is undroppable and gives the tiny teether something awesome to chew on. It fits over the hand and gives little ones a chance to teeth and soothe without the fuss of a traditional teething toy.

5) Snack & Shop Cart Tray
This is a great tool for kids that are old enough to sit in the cart while parents shop. The tray attaches to the cart and offers an easy way to serve a snack on the go. This would have made a huge difference to me while my kids were small as snack time at the store can save your sanity and keep the kids happy!

If you have a great idea for gifts for babies, please leave me a comment to inspire other readers that are shopping!

Must Make Star Wars Crafts

 Calling all Jedi Masters, Rebel heroes, and aspiring smugglers! Unleash your inner creative Force and embark on a crafting adventure to a galaxy far, far away.

Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a young Padawan just starting out, there's a Star Wars craft project out there waiting for you. From classic characters and iconic ships to legendary lightsabers and galactic scenes, the possibilities are endless!

Gather your supplies, channel your inner creativity, and get ready to create your own death star, fun puppets and even out of this world soaps. I know you will find a few crafts to make. The force is strong with these fun ideas!

Be sure to click thru the links to get the full tutorials.

Paper Bag Grogu Puppets by Simple Everyday Mom

Got a brown paper bag and some colorful paper? Then why not craft these cute puppets with the kids this afternoon?

Upcycled Death Star by Sweet Silly Sara

An old soccer ball becomes a fantastic Death Star! This is such a fun way to make a DIY toy that can also hold all of the action figures!

Baby Yoda Bookmark by Red Ted Art

Let this little cutie keep your place for you with this corner bookmark. The tutorial is so easy to follow you can make a dozen of these in no time.

Star Wars Soaps for Kids by STEAM Powered Family

Give kids an introduction to soap making with these adorable soaps! They will certainly make bath time lots of fun!

Pool Noodle Lightsabers by Life Anchored

These soft DIY pool noodle lightsabers are perfect for battles without boo boos!

R2D2 Pencil Holders by Crafts by Amanda

Grab some felt and create a pencil holder that Star Wars fans will appreciate and use!

Mandalorian Snowflakes by Kids Activities Blog

This is such a fun idea for paper snowflakes for Star Wars fans! The template makes it so easy to create these little works of art!

Craft Stick Grogu by Simple Everyday Mom

Put the popsicle sticks to use with this cute idea that will have kids crafting up a great time.

Mandalorian Snack Bags by Grace Giggles and Naptime

Paper bags and colorful paper are all you need to make  snack time super special! Make these for movie night and everyone will love them!

Egg Carton Yoda by Fun Learning Life

Give a discarded egg carton a new use with this fun craft! It is creative and encourages dramatic play for the win.

Paper Plate Porgs by Clementine County

Porgs are adorable right?! This paper plate craft will have your kids making porgs of their own to admire and share.

Paper Plate BB8 by Mom Brite

Grab a paper plate and get busy making this really awesome BB8. This is detailed and perfect for droid fans, but easy enough anyone can make it.

Death Star Globes by Julie Measures

If you have an old globe why not create some decor that will mesmerize Star Wars fans? This step by step tutorial makes it really easy to recreate.

These Star Wars crafts are perfect for:

• A fun family activity: Bond with your loved ones over a shared love of Star Wars and creativity.
• A Star Wars-themed birthday party: Keep your young Jedi entertained with engaging crafts and activities.
• A rainy day activity: Let your imagination take flight even when the weather isn't cooperating.
• A unique way to show your Star Wars fandom: Display your creations with pride and let the world know you're a true fan of the saga.

So, gather your supplies, put on your favorite Star Wars soundtrack, and get ready to unleash your creativity! Remember, the Force is strong with crafters of all ages, and there's no limit to what you can create in your own galaxy far, far away.

May the craft be with you!

You might also like these easy Yoda puppets.