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Summer Reading Programs for Kids – 2022

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What will your kids be doing over summer vacation? One way for parents to keep their children practicing the skills they need for the next school year is to get them into a summer reading program.  Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Journal Every summer, Barnes & Noble has a summer reading program for kids who will be in grades 1-6 in the next school year. You can download the 2022 version of the reading journal. Here are the rules: Read any eight books this summer and record them in this Summer Reading Journal.  Tell us which part of the book is … Continue reading →

Parents Magazine Names the Best Toys of 2021

Parents Magazine released this year’s list of Best Toys, recognizing the 50 top new playthings for every child in 2021. Selected by the editors following a months-long research process complete with testing by kids, the list of winners is available on Parents.com/BestToys and in the December issue of PARENTS. Here is a list of the top three toys in each of the categories: PLAYSETS Lakeshore Learning Treasures Await! Adventure ShipHasbro Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Rising Cake Oven PlaysetPlay, iLearn Dinosaur Train Adventure Set WOW FACTOR Radio Flyer Tumble Town Foam Climbing BlocksJust Play Ryan’s World Chef Ryan’s Fridge SurpriseLEGO Minecraft: The … Continue reading →

Fun Alternatives to Trick-Or-Treating

There are many families who have a tradition of taking the kids trick-or-treating on Halloween. The children wear costumes (and some adults might, too). The whole family goes door to door so the little ones can collect candy. There are also several fun alternatives to trick-or-treating that your family can participate in. Trunk Or Treat This is a relatively new Halloween tradition! Sometimes it is arranged by a local church or school. Adults purchase Halloween candy to give out, as usual. Instead of handing out the candy at your front door, you bring it to a specific location (usually a … Continue reading →

Nine Fun (and Free) Ways to Have Fun This Summer

Have fun with the family this summer without forking over a dime. There is a whole world of entertainment out there that you can get for free. All it takes is knowing where to find it. Library programs. Sure, you can take out books, movies and CDS, but did you know that you may also be able to take a free painting class, dig for fossils, learn how to play chess, make a kite, create an animated short, make a puppet, do science experiments, watch a magician and more? Libraries are getting very creative with their free programs, especially in … Continue reading →

Simple Summer Fun

After an extended school year, brought about by using too many snow days in the winter, classes are officially over for kids in my neck of the woods. And by woods, I mean fenced in backyards where parents can let their kids roam free before cabin fever sets in. If you are looking for simple projects to keep your kids entertained during the endless days of summer, consider the following: Fluorescent Slime Materials: Glow-in-the-dark paint Elmer’s glue gel Borax Hot water Directions: Combine one cup of hot water with a cup of Borax.  Stir until the Borax won’t dissolve anymore. … Continue reading →

Dive Into Summer Fun

Contending with rising temperatures doesn’t have to be a summer bummer.  With a little planning you can have fun beating the heat without busting your budget. Splash into the season with a pool party to remember; only instead of draining your wallet on expensive invitations and activities, consider these affordable options: DIY FISH INVITATIONS Download a fish template from the Internet or free-hand one on construction paper and cut out the center of it.  When you are done, you should have a fish-shaped frame and a smaller paper fish.  Place the frame on the sticky side of clear contact paper. … Continue reading →

The Summer Fun Calendar

Today I am spending some time working on our summer fun calendar. School will be out  soon, so I want to make sure that we prioritize the fun things that we want to do. Of course, we are on a budget. First I start doing my research to find out what free activities and events are available. There is our town website, the “catalogue” of summer activities from neighboring towns, the events for any museums we are members of, library programs and more. I start with these events, since they often have specific activities with dates (make your own glow-in-the-dark … Continue reading →

Fun Summer Ideas for Kids

Boredom doesn’t have to be busted by spending a lot of money. Try one of the following fun summer ideas for kids that are creative and frugal. No more “Mommy, I’m bored” this summer. Pick Blueberries  …Or raspberries, or strawberries. Find a local pick-your-own farm nearby and enjoy the sunshine. Picking berries is a fun and frugal activity for kids, and you get to take the sweet fruit home with you. Make Baggie Ice Cream Forget the expensive ice cream maker. Instead, grab two inexpensive plastic bags for a cool homemade treat. You’ll need a set for each child. Ingredients: … Continue reading →

Homemade Cinco de Mayo Fun

Ole!  It’s almost time to fiesta Cinco de Mayo-style. Fortunately, throwing a party to celebrate El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla) doesn’t have to cost you plenty of pesos.  Instead of heading to your local party shop to purchase fancy games and decorations, look around your house for items that can be given a Mexican twist. For example, you can pull out an old “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” game, make some minor changes with a Sharpie and play “Pin the Sombrero on the Burro.”  The Mexican hats can be sketched … 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 →