Make Someone's Day - Color A Smile!

Not too long ago, I read about this idea in Family Fun magazine to have your kids create a "crayon masterpiece" and send it in to Color A Smile - a non-profit organization that distributes children's artwork to nursing home residents and Meals on Wheels recipients.  What a neat service opportunity for little helping hands!

Just print out the coloring sheets, gather up your kiddos (and even your kiddos' friends), and let them draw and color their little hearts out!  We ended up with about twenty "masterpieces" to send, and the kids were all really excited to know that they were helping to make someone smile. :)

A Valentine's Must Read - My Heart is Like a Zoo

Making heart animals with my kids has always been one of our favorite Valentine's Day crafts. (Cut out a bunch of hearts of different colors and sizes, and let the kids get creative!)

(Noah's Valentine Goldfish bag with heart bubbles - 2010)

So when I saw this eye-catching book cover a couple of years ago, my heart seriously skipped a beat! 



Vibrant colors, clever rhymes, and every animal you can imagine constructed completely out of hearts -



Pure genius and a perfect snuggle book for Valentine's Day! My kids loved it just as much as their mama.

Storyland Yoga - Indoor Fun & Exercise Too!

Being a children's dance and creative movement teacher, I use a story format with my students while we are stretching on the floor during class, so I was really interested to see yoga taught to children using this same type of approach. And I must say - Storyland Yoga did not disappoint! Abby and Noah have loved going on "Condor Treks" to return baby Condor eggs to their nests. We've also ventured to the ocean to help save a beached whale  - the second story on the dvd. The scenery is absolutely BEAUTIFUL for both stories. Sunshine, green grass, tall trees, sparkling ocean, crashing waves...I'm a little partial to the "Save A Whale" story just because it feels like you are at the beach in your living room!

The instructor, Ahmed Fahmy, is great too. He genuinely engages with the kids in the dvd and makes the viewer feel like you are right there with them. Not only is it a good workout (for both mom & kids), but the yoga stories also stretch the imagination as the kids do different poses to become dolphins, mermaids, crocodiles, snakes, mountain lions, bears, and tall swaying trees...

Who knew yoga could be so interactive and fun? Storyland Yoga has definitely helped rescue the kids and I from the winter blahs by getting us moving, playing, and "saving whales" together. We've really enjoyed it!


*Disclosure: I received a free Storyland Yoga dvd  from Playful Planet in exchange for this review. Originally posted January 2011.

Simple Service Idea: Blankets for Project Linus

"As Charles Schulz’s Linus character from the PEANUTS® comic strip was comforted by his blanket, Project Linus strives to do the same and more for children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. The blankets our nearly 400 chapter coordinators collect from thousands of “blanketeers” (volunteers) across the United States and then distributed to these children provide love, a sense of security, warmth, and comfort."

Our family donated our first Project Linus blanket two Februarys ago. Even though my kiddos were only 3 and 5 at the time, they were excited to help make this super simple no-sew fleece blanket -


From picking out the animal-print fleece at the store to making cuts along the edges (with a little assistance from Mom) and even handing the blanket to a PL "blanketeer", both of my kids eagerly participated in this effort from beginning to end. They were all smiles knowing that this soft blanket was going to comfort a sick child who needed a big hug.

We're planning to make another blanket this year to donate in time for Valentine's Day - such a warm and fuzzy way to teach how great it feels to help others.


Want to donate a homemade blanket to a Project Linus chapter in your area? Click here!

PILLOW FIGHT - Freeze Dance Style!!!

My attempt at an action shot when a Saturday afternoon game of Freeze Dance took a crazy turn!

I convinced the kids to let me start and stop the music (to avoid being pummeled with pillows) and discovered a great way to make sure their pillow fight didn't get too out of control.

Those blurry smiles speak for themselves - so simple, yet SO fun!

Fighting Those Winter Blahs with "BORED GAMES"!

Wouldn't it be great to be a bear and hibernate through the rest of this unbelievably long winter? I am SO READY for spring. Did you hear that, Punxsutawney Phil? No shadow!!!

In the meantime, there is a whole slew of activities on the Fishful Thinking site to help keep our spirits up and focus on "what is controllable" (because this cold weather stuff is definitely out of my hands). This activity seemed to CALL OUT to me -

BORED GAMES : Tired of your kids spending all of their time playing video games, i-chatting or watching television, but dread the inevitable "I’m bored" chorus (or in Noah's case - incessant whining) whenever you make them step away? Try creating a list of "Bored Games."

First, help your children explore some of the things they like to do - cooking, reading, drawing, learning to play an instrument, etc. Then, once you have a good list, put each activity on a slip of paper and place them in a "Bored Jar." When the time comes and your kids get bored, they can draw a random activity out of the jar.

Examples of activities sure to bring a smile: 

• Stacking cups (See how long it takes to stack and unstack plastic cups in the form of a pyramid)

 (How my boy loves to stack cups!)

• Creating knock-knock jokes (Noah loves this one too!)
• Giving mom or dad a fashion makeover (I've had a few of these already. Dad? Not so much.)
• Painting  (perhaps with pudding or shaving cream!)
  
• Baking (Homemade chocolate chip cookies always brighten my day!
• Bake cookies for a neighbor
• Draw a picture (or write a letter) for a grandparent or someone special
• Plan a funny surprise for one of your family members (The kids love the rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer trick.) 
• For curious kids: reading a mystery book (Abby loves A to Z Mysteries.)
• For adventuresome kids: making an indoor obstacle course

 (cardbox "tunnels" courtesy of Daddy)

Here's hoping these "bored games" keep 'em busy - at least until Valentine's Day.

*What are some of your kids' favorite boredom busters?

A New Year's First - Bubble Wrap Fireworks!

Bubble Wrap is now on my list of kid-friendly New Year's Eve must-haves along with hats, noisemakers, and ginger ale in fancy glasses. We happened upon a Kid's Countdown at a local fun spot this past Saturday afternoon complete with a bubble machine, confetti, juice boxes, and "fireworks" (aka 30-40 kids stomping all over giant sheets of bubble wrap)!

What a fun way to POP into the New Year! The kids had a blast!