It was about six years ago when I noticed that our son, who was a good reader, didn’t enjoy it. He knew his sight words, he did well with comprehension, his fluency was great, yet he didn't WANT to read. I, on the other hand, love Read More
How to Create Intentional Play Moments
“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein What a great quote to remember right now, as we are navigating uncharted waters as far as education and socialization are concerned. Lucky for your children... they Read More
The Best Board Games for families (games for teenagers & younger kids)
Our family loves to play games at night, so today I'm sharing a list of some of the best board games for families. With so many different ages in our family (teenagers down to elementary school), it's nice to find family board games that Read More
Disney Themed Party Ideas
Thinking about planning a Disney Themed Party? It's never too early to start planning and you've come to the right place! After taking several trips to Disney (check out how we go for half-price), looking at the changes to Read More
Stained Glass Sidewalk Chalk Art with Kids
If I had to pick a favorite outdoor activity to do with the kids, it would have to be making chalk art with sidewalk chalk. When our kids are at home or looking for things to do outside - I can always suggest easy chalk art Read More
DIY cardboard box cars and movie night
My biggest priority in life is to raise our kids to be the kinds of kids that we want to hang out with as adults. That can only happen by spending time with them… teaching them, guiding them, talking to them. In order to make that Read More
Activities for Teens
Are you looking for some fun and creative activities for teens or tweens? What about a List of Activities for Teens During Quarantine? I know that during the time of social distancing and staying home, it can be hard to be creative, Read More
Activities that neighborhoods are doing together (Neighborhood Hunts)
Today I wanted to share some activities that neighborhoods are doing together as a community. I've been sharing ideas like Stained-Glass sidewalk chalk and Inspirational Drawings on windows, so I thought these ideas would be fun to share, Read More
Easter Activities you can do from Home!
We are sharing Easter Activities you can do from home... just Easter is going to be very different this year doesn't mean that it won't be just as great as years past. Many states are under "stay in place orders" throughout spring, which means Read More
How to Learn States and Capitals – Songs, YouTube Videos & Websites for kids!
Yesterday, I received an email from a parent asking for advice on teaching geography to kids. She wrote, "I have three kids, and we are working on geography while they are home. I wanted to see if you had any suggestions on how to teach them Read More
Make the Most of Social Distancing: Embrace the Crazy
I've been talking about how we can make it through this pandemic right now, with free online resources for students & fun ideas to do at home. Today's post about how to Embrace the Crazy of Social Distancing comes from my Read More
Non Candy Valentines : Bubbles Valentines
If you are looking for adorable Non-Candy Valentines, you've come to the right place. These Bubble Valentines are perfect! While candy Valentines are always fun, it's nice to mix it up a bit and give their friends something new to play with... Read More
Teach My Baby: Important activities for your baby
I am a play therapist with a background in elementary education & child development, so I like to use my education to help others by sharing tips. Today I was talking to a parent and she was concerned with her son's Read More
60 Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids
These Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids are perfect! There is nothing quite like getting away from technology, even if it is just for a no-technology week! It is sad, but before kids had virtual school, they found that American children Read More
8 activities to keep kids entertained … for when kids have spare time that needs to be filled
Sometimes, you just need a "filler" for your day. You need something that is going to give you thirty minutes of quiet time (well- no kids under your feet time) while you cook, or fifteen minutes of quiet time while you are getting a quick shower. Read More
The bottle flipping craze… how it started & why it’s a GOOD thing
I was talking to my brother a few weeks back when he told me about this new bottle-flipping thing that his students were doing (he is the principal at a local charter school and apparently they've been doing this for months). I had never heard of it. Read More
Surviving a day out with toddlers – tips to help!
Surviving a day out with toddlers is always a concern, so I have to be prepared! In my house, with twin toddlers and a 5-year-old, we spend more time getting in the car than at the destination. Sometimes, I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort. Read More
Teaching kids to wait at the restaurant
Our family stays busy. We run to the store, we go to church, the kids go to church and we love to eat out. We go out to eat about once a week… I'd love to eat out more, but we are always trying to save money and eat healthy, so once a week is Read More
Teaching kids to create their own fun
It is so important for us to continue teaching kids to create their own fun. What does that look like to you? Kids need unstructured play time. This means that you just let them play, without electronics, without a planned Read More
Board with Chores?
I love to motivate our kids to do chores. I currently use my chore basket as a fun way to have our kids helping with chores, without having to worry about a chore chart. The kids have their age-appropriate chores (you can see that list Read More