Beware Of Peeps Made With Red Dye 3

Families that celebrate Easter tend to obtain pastel colored baskets and plenty of Easter candy for their children to find on Easter morning. One thing parents need to be aware of is the type of dye that is included some of the most iconic Easter candies. Consumer Reports posted a news release titled: “Popular Peeps Easter candy is made with cancer-causing Red Dye 3”. From the press release: Consumer Reports is alerting consumers that the purple and pink Peeps candies popular this time of the year for Easter are made with Red Dye No. 3, a known carcinogen. Earlier this … Continue reading →

Tips For Gathering And Supporting Family

The month of December includes several holidays, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Solstice. Many people enjoy gathering together to celebrate with members of their families during these holiday celebrations. For best results, follow these tips for gathering and supporting family members. Plan Gatherings Around The Most Vulnerable Family Members CNBC News reported advice from Dr. Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her number one piece of advice is to plan gatherings around the most vulnerable family members. Vulnerable communities include people who are immunocompromised, children, and elderly people. Dr. Wallace listed the following examples of how … Continue reading →

Summer Fun During COVID-19

Are your kids sad because they cannot go out and enjoy the summer activities they were looking forward to? They aren’t the only ones! The COVID-19 quarantine is hard for kids of all ages (and many adults) to adjust to. Here are some ideas to try that might improve your children’s moods. Parents can start by asking their child, tween, or teen how they are feeling. Get them talking about their emotions. Being able to share what they are thinking and feeling can make people (of all ages) feel heard and understood. Little kids will enjoy splashing around in a … Continue reading →

Where to Find Free Valentine Printables

Want a fun, free, activity that your kids can do for Valentine’s Day? There are plenty of Valentine’s Day coloring sheets that you can print out for free. They make wonderful Valentine’s Day cards for grandparents and relatives that live far away. In addition, there are also some kid-friendly Valentine’s Day cards that parents can print out and their kids can sign and give to their classmates. Printable Valentine Coloring Pages Crayola.com has two Valentine’s day inspired coloring pages. Both of them are cute and have large spaces that little kids will find easy to color. Choose a Cupid or … Continue reading →

Fourth of July Kid-Friendly Fun

Eye-popping fireworks shows may be the highlight of a Fourth of July gathering, but there’s plenty of time to kill before the aerial festivities blast off. To keep kids busy while they countdown to the glittery pyrotechnic display have them complete these fun Independence Day-inspired projects: Patriotic Pinwheels Cut-out a 4-inch by 4-inch square from cardstock or white construction paper. Use crayons, markers or colored pencils to decorate the paper in patriotic colors. Next, use a ruler to lightly draw diagonal lines from corner to corner. When you are done, you should have an “X” drawn in the middle of … Continue reading →

Fourth of July Fun for Less

Celebrating America’s birthday doesn’t have to send you to the poorhouse. By opting to party at your own home this holiday, you can save money and still have fun. To cut down on food and beverage costs, consider having a potluck and asking each guest to bring along a favorite dish to pass. Edible American Eagles Ingredients: One package of Oreos 1/2 cup white chocolate One dozen large marshmallows One cup of finely shredded coconut 12 cashews Black icing Directions: Melt the white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Spread the shredded coconut in an even layer on wax … Continue reading →

Fun and Affordable Dad’s Day Gifts

He may say that all he wants for Father’s Day is a long nap, but if you have young children at home, they’ll want to give Dad more than some quiet time on Sunday. Put your kids’ energy and enthusiasm to good use by having them assist you make the following easy, affordable and fun Father’s Day gifts: POTATO STAMP SHIRT Materials: One white t-shirt Large piece of cardboard Bag of large potatoes Cookie cutters (use shapes that will match dad’s interests, including dogs, trains, stars, sailboats, hearts, balls, or letters that spell out special words, such as “love” or … Continue reading →

Hunting for Easter Fun

Easter is a fun-filled holiday for kids of all ages with much of the excitement saved for the traditional egg hunt that serves as the centerpiece of family get-togethers. Of course, for some, “traditional” can translate to “boring.” If you fear that your upcoming Easter egg hunt may leave your pint-sized guests snoozing rather than shouting with glee, consider the following ideas: Scavenger Hunt: This hunt requires looking for clues as well as eggs. Start off by placing an egg next to each clue. Next, begin the hunt as a group. The first child who figures out the clue gets … Continue reading →

Chinese New Year Fun

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Happy 4710! You don’t have to be Chinese or have Chef Chu’s on speed dial in order to celebrate this festive event. Today kicks off Chinese New Year, a holiday commemorated with fireworks, feasts and plenty of family fun. Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days until the Chinese Lantern Festival. This gives you two full weeks to ring in the Year of the Snake with your loved ones. Even kids can get in on the action by creating these simple and affordable Chinese New Year-themed crafts: Dancing Lion: If you can’t make it to … Continue reading →

Holiday Themes on the Cheap

Use the word “cheap” during the holiday season and you’re likely to be labeled “Scrooge” or “Grinch.” However, not everyone can afford to bleed through wads of cash in order to deck halls, make merry and spread holiday cheer. Fortunately, there are ways you can get into the spirit of the season without spending a ton of money. One way is to stick with a theme. There are a slew of holiday-friendly themes you can use to spice up your home in time for Christmas. For example: Hawaiian Holiday: You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars importing fresh flowers … Continue reading →