7 Simple, Magical Ways This Smart Mom Entertains Her Kids Inside

*We’re partnering with Kinder Joy™ to bring you some fun ideas to entertain the kids when you’re stuck inside.

Growing up in Idaho, the weather is always a roller coaster. It’s a common joke that you can never predict the weather here. You can have sunshine, snow, and drizzling rain all in the same week.

As a kid, you became adept at learning how to entertain yourself both inside and outside, because you never knew when the weather would force you indoors. I think for that reason, I became very creative. My four siblings and I would invent games inside using whatever my mom had lying around: string, tape, blankets…you name it! That creativity has served me very well as a mom, and now whenever my kids are stuck indoors, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Simple joys come in small packages.

Simple joys come in small packages, like a roll of painters tape and Kinder Joy™. I’ve found that entertaining my kids on an inside day doesn’t need to be extensive or expensive. A parent shouldn’t have to run around, performing a song and dance. In fact, research shows that you can actually boost your child’s IQ by letting them play with child-directed toys that allow them to be original thinkers. Give them a roll of painters tape and let them use their imaginations!

Entertaining Kids When You’re Stuck Inside

I’ve found that the best entertainment is actually the simplest. Sure, I could take my kids to a movie or indoor trampoline park, but why spend a fortune when they can have just as much fun with a little creativity?  Here are  a few tricks I’ve used with my kids that turned out to be pretty magical. So when you’re stuck inside on a rainy day, a snowy day, or when it’s too hot to go outside, grab a simple roll of painters tape and a fun treat like Kinder Joy™—it’s a treat like no other that my kids love and I know yours will too!

7 Simple Games You Can Play with Painters Tape

1. Make an indoor race track. Take the painters tape and have fun laying it down on the floor in various race track patterns. Better yet, let your kids use their creativity to make their own track! Use the fun roller skates or skateboards in a Kinder Joy™ treat and let them play.

2. Take a straw and blow feathers or marbles along the track. Using the same track, your kids can take a drinking straw and different items like feathers, marbles, or even pieces of paper and blow them along the race track, trying to keep the items inside the painters tape.

 3. Hopscotch. It’s that classic game that kids just don’t play much anymore. Teach your kids the art of hopscotch and then let them create their own variations of the game. You can even use the Kinder Joy™ egg to play! Roll it into one of the squares and then hop over that square when you come to it.

4. Bean bag toss. Turn hopscotch into a bean bag toss game and work on a little target practice. You can create numbers using the painters tape and let your kids use their addition skills to tally up the points.

5. Hot lava maze. Use the painters tape race track or hop scotch layout to play one of my kids’ favorite games: hot lava. You have to run, jump on one foot, skip, etc. through the maze without stepping on the painters tape or stepping out of bounds (a.k.a hot lava).

6. Indoor dribbling practice. Used the painters tape track to practice dribbling a basketball or soccer ball. You can even use the tape to make two goals for soccer.

7. Paper airplane target practice. Make a target on the wall or door using painters tape. The kids can make paper airplanes and then have fun trying to hit the target.

All of these games can easily take up the better part of a morning or afternoon, and the only items you need are a roll of painters tape and a Kinder Joy™ treat. Now that’s my kind of entertainment!

Kinder Joy™: It’s a treat and a toy!

An inside day always deserves a treat of its own. I don’t know if you’ve seen these yet, but Kinder Joy recently came to the United States and my little family has been loving them ever since. Now available across the country, Kinder Joy™ is a treat made of two separately sealed halves—one side a creamy, layered treat and the other side has a fun mystery toy inside!

The treat is delicious…not like anything I’ve tasted before. There are these two round, chocolate-covered wafer bites that are filled with cocoa cream and are pure heaven. Seriously, heavenly! And Kinder Joy™ comes with the cutest little spoon that you can eat everything with, so no messes!

It’s simple, but this unique confection sparks the simple joys of childhood that make me remember my own childhood. My kids had so much fun opening their Kinder Joy™ (kids are all about opening packages!), eating the treat, and then assembling their new toy. Afterward, they played with their Kinder Joy™ toy on the painters tape track they made. I love activities that encourage imaginative play.

You can find Kinder Joy™ in a store near you. 

Seeing the surprise and delight in my children’s eyes when they open a Kinder Joy™ and play for hours with a roll of tape makes my mommy heart happy. It’s spontaneous, surprising, and it’s what being a child is all about. Don’t feel like you need to be the ringmaster in a circus. Give your kids a few simple tools and see what they can do with them.

Photos by Melodee Fiske

*A huge thanks to Kinder for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

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by Nicolette via Home And Garden

Bethenny Frankel Selling “Morning Glory House” in the Hamptons

Did you catch the Halloween costume-party episode of The Real Housewives of New York? If you did, you probably remember Bethenny Frankel and Ramona Singer getting into a heated argument over real estate. I think this house is the one they were arguing about. Ramona implied it wasn’t as good an investment as Bethenny thought, […]

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5 Ways To Be an Excellent House Guest and What Not To Do

We’ve all been a house guest and we’ve probably all been on the flip side and had guests in our home. You learn something from each perspective and there are certain unspoken rules to follow. So whether you are staying with a family member or friend, it’s always good to keep these considerations in mind.

5 Ways To Be a Good House Guest

1. Come bearing gifts.

Every time my sister-in-law comes to visit, she brings a suitcase full of goodies. The kids absolutely adore it and can’t wait to see what she’s brought. Sometimes it’s a big jar of jelly beans and other times it’s a small toy she picked out just for them. Every once in a while she brings a book she thinks I’ll like and it starts the visit off on a very fun and gracious note.

It doesn’t have to be big, but bringing a gift always makes a good impression.

2. Go with the flow.

Uptight guests are hard to handle. When staying in someone’s home, remember that it is just that—their home. Go with the flow of things. Be open to abiding by their schedule; if they have kids that need to nap in the afternoons, act accordingly.

I remember at one point being the only one in my family with small children who needed to nap. My siblings wanted to be out and about all day long, which just wasn’t doable for me at that stage. Find ways to have fun while still respecting your host’s circumstances.

3. Verbalize your gratitude.

Two little words can make or break your stay. “Thank you” is the simplest gesture that will go a long way in any host’s book. Say it often and find ways to express your gratitude. Every time my sister and her family come to visit, they always leave a note or send a text on their way back saying thank you and telling us how much fun they had. It’s a small thing that always puts a smile on my face and makes me glad they came to visit.

4. Pitch in.

An excellent house guest will pitch in while they’re there. My mom is the best at this. Whenever she visits, she will do the dishes, fold a batch of laundry, or make breakfast for my kids in the morning so I can sleep in a few minutes.

Although it feels like your vacation, take a look around and see what you can do to help your host out. Offer to make a dinner one night that you’re there, take out the garbage, or fill a need that you can see needs to be filled.

5. Always leave the space as good or better than you found it.

When it comes to house guests, I’m always reminded of the Dr. Seuss book The Cat in the Hat. The cat comes in and brings all of his chaos and fun with him, while the children worry about what their mother will say about the mess. But like any good house guest, the cat comes through in the end and cleans up every last trick, including Mother’s best dress.

Like the cat, make sure to leave your host’s space as good or even better than how it was when you got there.

What NOT To Do

• Don’t expect to be entertained. One of the biggest stressors for a host is trying to figure out how to entertain guests. Be courteous and come with your own ideas of things to do in the area and then be open to suggestions and recommendations.
• Don’t be too loud in the morning or at night. Be considerate of quiet hours. Ask your hosts when they prefer to go to bed and wake up and then observe those quiet hours too.
• Take over. Don’t hijack the TV or spread yourself and your stuff all over the house. That’s just plain rude.
• Never assume you can just bring your pet. Some people don’t like animals and especially don’t appreciate them in their homes. If you have an animal friend, make alternative arrangements or at very least, run it by your host.
• Overstay your welcome. There’s nothing worse than a guest who stays too long. Make it clear how long you wish to stay and then keep good on your promise.
• Leave your child’s diapers lying around. Similar to pets, some hosts are not used to babies. Don’t leave their soiled diapers lying around or even in a seldom-used garbage can. Take all diapers outside immediately.
• Bring your vices inside. Whether it’s smoking or picking your nose—be conscientious of your bad habits and leave them at the door.

When in doubt, the golden rule always applies: treat your hosts like you’d like to be treated and they’re more likely to extend a second invitation.

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by Nicolette via Home And Garden

My Night Time Routine by Rachel Talbott

My Night Time Routine
Hey guys!! Every night varies a bit, but I do try to keep a general routine. Since I had my first son Oliver, the night time has really become the only focused "me time" I get. I love to be as productive as possible because I really realize what a little focused time & self care can accomplish. I feel like I took that time for granted a bit before I had children. You may not relate to my scenario exactly, but every one of us has passions and gifts. It's important to nurture those passions and gifts and care for ourselves while also trying to balance our daily responsibilities. My Music On Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LrSaw9 My FIRST original song & production to come out of my home studio iTunes- https://apple.co/2xerBaG Spotify- https://spoti.fi/2sgYYDS In The Video- Seventh Gen Coconut Care Shampoo Mousse + Lotion & Babyganics Bubble Bath (I order mine every month or two in my Grove Collaborative order) Most of the studio goodies including the sage smudge stick, incense, picture frames, crystals, candles & matches etc are from my boutique shop http://www.PacificThyme.com The vegan soap with seed paper, lavender body oil & crackling wood candle are also from the shop... I buy for the shop, so I absolutely love and use everything or I wouldn't buy it.. haha P.S. We are having a Memorial day sale this weekend. 15% off the entire shop when you use code: "MemorialDay" .. Also, our entire sale section is either $3 & $6, so you can get some goodies for Wholesale prices and even less... Shipping U.S. Only (FOR NOW haha) Studio Vibes - Raw Clear Quartz Crystal - https://bit.ly/2GTMG9U Smudge Bowl (currently sold out) Sage Smudge Stick- https://bit.ly/2IKIrDr Picture Frames- https://bit.ly/2s7R0hm Peacock Matches- https://bit.ly/2sfU8Hc Oakmoss & Amber Candle- https://bit.ly/2xeYzHP Warm Amber Incense- https://bit.ly/2GW21a8 Lava Lamp is from Target I use Logic Pro X for editing my music. I have a Yamaha MOXf8 Keyboard. I'm saving for a real piano at the moment, but I love that this feels pretty close to the real deal for a Midi Keyboard. It's been amazing for producing and practicing. Self Care & Bed Side Rest Nest- Midnight Moon Vegan Soap w/Wildflower Seed Paper - https://bit.ly/2GW2KYU I get my exfoliating gloves from Target. You can find them for about $6. I've been loving and using this Hyaluronic Acid serum from Derma Doctor for a while now. It's simple but very effective.. Very moisturizing and hydrating to the skin. Amethyst Crystal + Succulents -https://bit.ly/2JaEkQi Wood Crackling Candle- https://bit.ly/2KZl1Xv ♥MY WEBSITE: http://www.racheltalbott.com ♥TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/racheltalbott ♥INSTAGRAM: http://followgram.me/racheltalbott ♥MY PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/racheltalbott/ ♥MUSIC CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/SingingProudAndLoud ♥VLOG CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/RachelTalbott ♥HUBBYS COOKING CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/ByronTalbott ♥FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.talbott ♥MAILING ADDRESS: 18653 Ventura Blvd., #655, Tarzana, CA 91356 * DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed are true &my own. I link affiliate links to make it easier for you to find the exact products I mention.....and... I LOVE YOU!!!! =) Thank you for supporting what I do!! ♥♥♥ THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED VIDEO

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The ONE Thing You Should Do While They’re Young

I’ve done plenty of things wrong while parenting my small brood of four, but one thing that I’m so glad I did was start a kids’ quote journal. It has preserved their childhood in small doses—quotes that they’ve said over the years that were adorably cute and funny that illuminate their age, personality, and measure growth.

I used to love journaling; I’d write regularly about my life and my thoughts. But when all of a sudden I had four kids, my time for journaling flew out the window. I still want to document this part of my life, but just don’t have time for a traditional journal. So I customized this little notebook and keep it on my kitchen counter. Throughout the days and weeks, I quickly jot down the endearing things that I hear my children say.

I started this kids’ quote journal when my oldest was two years old. Now she is nine and has three siblings. They all love looking through the journal and reading the things they’ve said and done over the years. We laugh at the entries and it’s amazing how one little notebook has captured so much of our life during this crazy phase.

Keeping a kids quote journal

1. Why?

A kids’ quote journal is a book of quotes that come directly from the mouths of babes (or tweens, or teenagers). It is one of my most valuable possessions.

Kids really do say the coolest things. My journal is filled to the brim with little quotes that I never want to forget, like:

I asked my four-year-old, “Am I the best mom in the world?” She thinks for a minute then answers, “No, but you’re sweet.”

Even though I don’t write in it every day, the journal is always visible so that when I do have a quick second, I write down a quote or two. Now that they are growing, it’s more important than ever. One day, the four little ones who are always underfoot, babbling my ear off will grow up. They’ll be off on their own and the house will be quiet. This book will be all I have left of those tiny voices.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle, think about keeping a kids’ quote journal—it’s never too late to start.

2. How To Keep a Kids Quote Journal

It’s really easy. First get a journal, or make one. You can find them with fancy graphics and adorable speech bubbles or you can use any regular journal. Mine is just a notebook with a handy elastic strap to keep the pages in check.

Convenience is key. Keeping a pen inside the journal at all times and keeping the journal in an easy-to-see, easy-to-reach spot reminds me to write in it regularly. I keep mine on the kitchen counter because it seems to be the central place we all gather. Whenever any of my kids says something funny, cute, or too sassy for their own good…I grab the journal and jot it down.

Some of my favorite quotes:

I overhear my two oldest (6 and 4) talking in the next room. Sis asks her brother, “Who you gonna marry?” He replies, “Tumbody I don’t know.” Sis asks, “Are you gonna marry someone in high school?” He laughs like that is the silliest question in the world. “NO! I going to marry tumbody in the church!”

***

Little buddy (5 years old): What are those drinks in the fridge?

Me: Oh, those are to help Dad lose weight.

Little buddy: I know what can help Dad lose weight…Nutrisystem for Men! (He’s obviously seen way too many ESPN commercials watching basketball with Dad.)

In the business of raising children, there exists a stark dichotomy—we want them to grow up, but when they do, we mourn the end of their childhood. There is something so incredibly special about those years, and as they pass through our fingers, the loss is tangible.

If hadn’t been recording these lines, they would have been gone forever. As much as we’d like to think we’ll remember the important stuff, it’s just not possible. It pains me to think of the ones I’ve missed along the way. Don’t wait a second longer. Start right now—it’s never too late—and safeguard their childhood one little quote at a time.

The post The ONE Thing You Should Do While They’re Young appeared first on How Does She.

by Nicolette via Home And Garden

*A huge thanks to Always for sponsoring this post. Always and Walmart have joined forces with the Girl Scouts of America to help us raise confident daughters who will pursue their dreams and live #likeagirl!

5 Ways To Raise Confident Daughters

I have four daughters – they range in age from 11 to 18 and let me tell you a little something about them: they ALL love math and excel in it.

I will also say that they do NOT get that from me.

Growing up, I struggled terribly just trying to get through my math classes, particularly through high school. In fact, I barely passed. It’s weird because I remember really liking math in elementary, and even in middle school. Actually, I can pinpoint the moment things changed for me – I was struggling with a math question so I asked the teacher. She proceeded to make an example of me in front of the class and I felt shame like I hadn’t felt before. I determined never to ask for help again, and I just floundered through math and science the rest of my school days.

A Startling Statistic

Recently I learned a statistic that really bothered me, and which showed me that my experience is not unique to me.

The most recent Always Confidence & Puberty Survey found that 50% of girls feel paralyzed by the fear of failure. Um, I know that feeling well. Unfortunately, this fear deters girls from trying new activities, especially within the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

In fact, Always found that before puberty, 87% of girls are interested in STEM but experiencing failure makes 1 in 2 girls choose not to study STEM. Oh boy, can I ever relate to that! How sad is that statistic?

And how do we as parents of daughters, help them realize that failure is just a blip on the radar, and that success comes from rising every time we fall? It is so important to have women in the STEM fields – they need our perspective, and our intelligence! And now I realize that the encouragement for these girls needs to start young – before that paralyzing fear sets in.

Enter: The STEM Academy!

Here is the amazing thing:

Always #LikeAGirl and Walmart are joining forces to encourage girls everywhere to use FAILURE AS FUEL to keep going #LikeAGirl and continue to pursue STEM. I am so grateful for this support from these great companies who have been been championing girls’ confidence, encouraging girls to realize their full potential for over 30 years. This is something that two of my girls and I were able to witness first-hand.

Always and Walmart recently hosted an exclusive event for participating Girl Scouts which my daughters and I were able to attend, and let me tell you – it was inspiring to the max!

Girls on Top of the World

My first impression of the event was “WOW!”

Always and Walmart really went all out for these girls – treating them like queens for the day. I can only imagine the work and time it took to organize this event, and all for these girl scout troops from all over the USA. They thought of every detail. They put the girls up in the amazing W Hotel in Hoboken, which is located right next door to the Jet.com headquarters, and had the most amazing view of the Manhattan skyline. These girls felt like they were on top of the world!

On Sunday were able to do a little exploring along the waterfront and enjoy the shopping/dining on Washington St, just a couple blocks away.

Monday was the day of the #LikeAGirl Academy event and we began with a delicious breakfast at the hotel before walking next door to the Jet.com headquarters.

Now THAT is Confidence

It warmed my heart to watch these girls filing in with their amazing troop leaders and seeing them all begin to mingle with one another, waiting for the event to begin. The energy was electric and contagious! The Jet.com headquarters was the perfect location for this event – beautiful and modern, open and trendy. My girls commented that this is just the kind of place they want to work when they grow up. I had to chuckle when one of the girl scouts asked the Jet.com CEO if they were accepting any interns at the moment! Now THAT is confidence!

Always and Walmart brought in an amazing panel of inspiring women who have found success in STEM fields – we are talking the cream of the crop here. There was:

• Sumaiya Balbale, VP of E-Commerce, Mobile & Digital Marketing 

• Chandrika Kasturi, R&D FemCare Director 

• Tracy Van Houten, Systems Engineer at NASA, Lead of Mars 2020 Mission

• Sylvia Acevedo, CEO, Girls Scouts of the USA

• Dr. Knatokie Ford, Founder of Fly Sci Enterprise & Former Senior Policy, Advisor at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy under the Obama Administration

That panel discussion was energizing, and packed with motivation and inspiration galore. I kept thinking, how amazing for these girls to have role models like these, showing them in person just what their potential can be, and how to reach it!

Here are a couple of tidbits some of these ladies shared that really stuck with me and my girls:

5 Ways To Raise Confident Girls: Tips from Powerful Women

 1.Recognize the problem out there waiting for you to use your unique skills to solve.

Dr. Knatokie Ford taught the girls all about programming and how there are many ways to reach a desired outcome. The girls had to work in pairs to communicate (without speaking) to organize some playing cards in chronological order. I was fascinating to see each team’s ideas – how different they were, and how they all worked! They were able to trouble shoot their problems and find ways to accomplish their task more efficiently.

2. Don’t give in to the “imposter” syndrome.

You know that feeling you sometimes have – especially when trying something new? That feeling that you’re somehow an imposter and will be found out by everyone! That you just don’t belong? I learned that if you feel like there is no one like you in whatever you are doing, your perspective is needed all the more!

One of the group activities was an improv session with The Harnisch Foundation’s Funny Girls as well as actress Abigail Breslin, which was “super awesome” (according to my girls – and me!). The girls had a chance to express their creativity and build their confidence as they participated in some acting exercises. Some of the girls were unsure, uneasy, and a little shy. I can imagine the feeling. It didn’t take long, with some encouragement and confidence from the session leader, for these girls to realize that what they brought to the group was not only valued, but NEEDED! It helped draw them out of their shells and showed them that they belonged.

3. Let your fear of “What if I don’t try?” outweigh your fear of failure. 

Failure IS an option – and sometimes it’s the only path to finding what works. Especially when talking about STEM. I saw this first hand when watching the girls (and women) in our group trying their hand at making slime!

Some of us had never made slime before, while other’s were near experts. But that did not stop everyone from giving it a try! Boy, were the results ever varied! Some found that theirs was a little too sticky. Others had over activated theirs and it didn’t stretch. Still others found the perfect recipe for their ideal result. It was fun seeing everyone let loose and do more experimenting by mixing colors and playing with their slime. What a great example of letting go of the fear of failure and being willing to learn from experimenting!

4. Own the “watch me!” attitude whenever you’re confronted with opposition to your dreams

Tracy Van Houten spent some time teaching the girls how to make a simple circuit using very basic materials.

She intentionally left the instructions vague to allow the girls to use their creativity to find ways to make it work. I found it refreshing to see how, when they had a question, she helped them think the problem through and they discovered that they were more than capable of problem-solving to make it work! Amazing!! When those little lights lit up – so did the faces of the girls!

5. Redefine the world to reflect who we are as women and girls.

Sylvia Acevedo is a wonderful example of this idea.

She spoke about her Girl Scout story where she was encouraged to get her science badge after enjoying  the stars at a camp out and learning about constellations. She began to love science and, even though she was a visible minority, she persisted in following her dreams and became the first ever hispanic Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of the USA! Sylvia also was an engineer for NASA and blasted past boundaries her entire life. She has set the standard for all girls to have the courage to redefine the world in ways that reflect who THEY are!

So, what has made the difference in my girls’ having confidence – especially as they pursue STEM in school and beyond?

I’d have to say that, in our home, the emphasis has never been on the grades – it’s been on the effort, on how they feel in their successes, and how they work through their failures. Failure IS an option, success is found in the trying, and if you believe you can, you’ll be right!

*This post was sponsored by Always and all raving opinions are our own. We love this company and their continued support of confident girls everywhere.

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by Bobbi via Home And Garden