After School Activities

Save a few household items to create a set of adorable binoculars with your sweet kiddo! Use stickers, markers, sequins and beads to jazz them up to your liking!Supplies:

• 2 Empty TP Tubes
• String
• Paper
• Markers
• Stapler
• Tape or Glue Stick

Procedure:

1. Place the toilet paper tubes next to each other. Staple them together at the top and bottom.
2. Cut about 12-16” of string. Use a pen to poke a hole in one side of each toilet paper tube. Insert the string and tie a knot so it’s secure.
3. Wrap the piece of paper around your binoculars and mark where the ends of the paper meet. Also mark the bottom of the binoculars.
4. Cut the paper along the lines you marked.
5. Decorate the paper and make it unique! Add your own personal touches like your name, a cool pattern, or a fun picture.

Photo credit: @themotheroverloadEaster is upon us! This year give the gift of creativity by building a basket designed to inspire imagination, expression, and pretend play, including:

Art Supplies and Craft Kits

Art is a wonderful way for young kids to explore and express their own unique ideas and perspectives. Artistic creativity also fosters social/emotional skills, introduces early math concepts, and even encourages scientific exploration. What happens when you mix two colors? When you add water to paint? When you smash clay flat?This Easter, help your kids get creative by packing their Easter basket full of beautiful new art supplies and craft kits, like the reusable Color by Playfoam® Dragon and Unicorn. Provide the materials (check out our well-stocked craft closet post for a list of the basics), create a space where it’s okay for kids to get messy, then stand back and let them do their thing. Resist the urge to direct or interfere with your kids’ creative process. Instead ask them to tell you about what they are doing or what they’ve made.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="615"] *NEW* Color by Playfoam® Unicorn[/caption]While younger kids enjoy the process of open-ended creativity – choosing a color, the feel of the paint on paper, the sound the brush makes – older kids can use the art supplies to create their own, custom versions of the Easter crafts on our Pinterest board![caption id="attachment_5409" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo credit: redtedart.com[/caption]

Creativity Inspiring Basket Booty!

• Crayons
• Markers
• Stampers
• Playfoam®
• Watercolor Paints
• Clay
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Sketch Book
• Stickers

Building Sets

From blocks to bricks to construction sets, building play definitely develops STEM skills, logic, and problem solving capabilities, but did you know that it’s also great for inspiring imagination and creativity?This Easter, give the gift of the Design &Drill® Stem Garden and let your little builder place their stems, select and stack their petals to design and grow their very own spring gardens.[caption id="attachment_5410" align="alignnone" width="1029"] *NEW* Design & Drill® STEM Garden                                      Photo credit: @kayceesworld[/caption]Or maybe the bunny will bring the Design &Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket so your kids can construct their own space craft and engage in hours of out-of-this-world imaginative play with the included astronaut Bolt Buddy and space dog.[caption id="attachment_5412" align="alignnone" width="2000"] *NEW* Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket[/caption]

Collectibles

Speaking of pretend play, collectibles are a wonderful way to encourage imagination and creativity! These pocket-sized cuties are totally portable and perfect for pretend play anywhere, anytime. And, when kids pretend, they are observing reality and imagining their own way to replicate what they see. This requires an incredible amount of creativity – re-purposing various objects to represent the props they need and playing various “roles”. Pretend play also helps kids develop empathy, learn to take turns and cooperate, develop language and communication skills, and foster self-confidence.*NEW* Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic (Sets of 2, 6 or 10)Pop a Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic pod into your little one’s basket and watch as a fantastical pretend play session unfolds. Kids open the rainbow case to reveal heart-sparkle Playfoam with four magical surprises hidden inside. Find the collective unicorn character, then use the non-toxic Playfoam to sculpt pretend play props for the unicorn friend. Also available in Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad theme.[caption id="attachment_5415" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad 2-Pack (Sets of 2, 6 or 8)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5396" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo Credit: 100daysofrealfood.com[/caption]

Snacks, Games, Crafts, and Books to Help Little Kids Learn to Love Reading

Today, millions of school kids will spend the day paying tribute to some of America’s most beloved authors. Yup, it’s Read Across America Day! Celebrated every year on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, it’s a great day to get your kids excited about reading. To help you and your little ones get in on the fun, we’ve pulled together some sneaky, snacky, Seussy ideas for whiling Read Across America day – or any day – away, like:

Start the Day with Dr. Seuss…

Start the day with a reading of Green Eggs & Ham, accompanied by, you guessed it, a breakfast of green eggs and ham. Two or three drops of BLUE (not green) food coloring will turn typical scrambled eggs green, and your kids might prefer diced ham over sliced, but you know best. If you prefer to keep it natural, eggs and kale make a surprisingly yummy scramble (pictured).If there’s just no way your kids are eating green eggs, a striped stack of red and regular pancakes or alternating banana and strawberry slices on a skewer will also set the mood.Sneak some fine motor work into your Seussical day by crafting your very own striped hat! With 4 easy supplies you can follow these instructions for the perfect Cat in the Hat paper plate hat by anightowlblog.com.Once your hats are complete, pop them on your heads and find your copies of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Which Pet Should I Get. Give them a read, then take a walk through your local pet store, fish shop, or aquarium and be on the lookout for any crazy, Seuss-ish creatures. Stop when you hit the fish and see if you can spot one, then two, then one that’s red, and one that’s blue.For other fun, Dr. Seuss-inspired craft ideas, visit artsycraftsymom.com for a roundup of her favorite DIY projects, like Pom Pom Truffula Trees, Tweetle Beetle Bottles, Thing One and Thing Two bookmarks, and more!Then Squirrel the Afternoon Away!Pack a picnic and head to the park (or set up an indoor picnic if it’s too cold where you live!) because it’s time for some sneaky, snacky, squirrel fun! A few strategic slices and you can create your own squirrel sandwiches, like this one from the mamas at Puppylovepreschool.blogspot.com.Once you’ve squirreled away your lunch, head off for a walk around the park to see who can spot the most squirrels. When you’re ready to relax, it’s back to your blanket for a round of The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel®! Game to see who can collect one of each colored nut first, followed by a reading of The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Board Book!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3Io65ZH9e0Keep the fun rolling at home with a super cute Dixie Cup squirrel craft! Follow the instructions outlined on The Pinterested Parent to turn a mini cup, construction paper, paint, and googly eyes into an adorable, DIY cutie.Bringing books to life through games, crafts, and snacks keeps the stories top of mind – and keeps your little ones coming back for more. A little research and you’ll find all kinds of things to do with your kiddo’s favorite read!????

“IN A WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, BE KIND” - Unknown

February 17^th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day and that’s a holiday we can all get behind! Take our Random Acts of Kindness Challenge and see how many of these activities you can do in a single day – bonus points if your kids see you doing them!

1. Hold the door open for the person behind you.
2. Print a funny GIF or surprise note in your kiddo’s lunchbox. Get FREE printables.
3. Pay it forward in the coffee line.
4. Greet each person you pass.
5. Email your boss with positive feedback about another employee.
6. Compliment a stranger.
7. Pick up a piece of litter and toss it in the trash.
8. Edit out any negative comments and let the positive flow.
9. Double your tip at lunchtime.
10. Introduce yourself to someone new.
11. Bake a batch of cookies – then share them all.
12. Call your mom.
13. Bring a coworker or friend a coffee.
14. Take your dog for an extra-long walk.
15. Ask each cashier you encounter how THEY’RE doing today.
16. Let someone – or everyone! – merge in front of you.
17. Surprise a former co-worker with a great review on LinkedIn.
18. Make a lunch date with a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
19. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. Even if you know they’re wrong ????
20. Ask your kids for advice about something and really listen.
21. Email, text, or call someone who has made a difference in your life and let them know.
22. Leave a kind comment on every social media post you read.
23. Put your phone away when you’re talking to someone.
24. Thank someone who makes your life better or easier.
25. Make a small donation to a cause you support.

Kindness doesn’t stop with you! Challenge your kids to complete these five acts of kindness today (and every day!):[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="716"] Photo credit: parenttoolkit.com[/caption]

1. Smile at everyone you see.
2. Look for someone standing alone and ask them to play or sit with you.
3. Tell everyone in your family that you love them – and why.
4. Share your snack.
5. Give your teacher a hug.

You can do it – we know you can! To continue the challenge, check out https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ and download their free monthly kindness calendars for school and work![caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1400"] Photo credit: childrenshomeandaid.org[/caption]

Stuck Inside?  Cooler weather means more time inside, but it doesn’t have to mean endless hours of screen time and sibling squabbles. Check out eight of our favorite activities for indoor family fun and turn your next winter day indoors into memories your family won’t soon forget!1. Classic Card Games – From Go Fish and Old Maid to Concentration or even Spoons, card games are a great way to spend time together, as a family. And all you need is a deck of cards (and some spoons)![caption id="attachment_5097" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo Credit: signupgenius.com[/caption] 2. Sardines – You may have forgotten but you’ll soon remember what fun it is to hide and seek! One person hides while the rest cover their eyes and count to 30, then let the hunt begin! Find the hidden one and join them until everyone’s hiding – together! Then choose a new hider and start all over again.3. Sculptapalooza – Add a bit of creativity to your together time with Sculptalooza™  the fast-paced, laugh-out-loud family game! Work together to guess what your teammate has sculpted out of squishy, squashy, Playfoam® before time runs out. No one likes reading directions, so watch this super fun tutorial on how to play![embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhS_Ah5NqFo&t=37s[/embed]4. Storytelling Circle – Sit in a circle. Someone starts a story with a single word, the next person adds another, and so on, until a silly story begins to take shape. Guaranteed to get you giggling, this game encourages creativity and teaches flexibility and thinking on your toes!5. Make a Fort and Read – Gather your pillows, blankets, and chairs (tip – chip clips are a great way to keep things in place) and design your own family fort! Then climb on in with your favorite book and a flashlight.[caption id="attachment_5094" align="alignnone" width="620"] Photo Credit: familyeducation.com[/caption]6. Board Games – Board games bring families together and, with Educational Insights’ squeezer games, even preschoolers can get in on the game! Adorable fun for everyone, little ones can practice colors with Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game®, learn their letters with Frida's Fruit Fiesta™, and master numbers and counting with Shelby's Snack Shack Game®.[caption id="attachment_5096" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Shelby's Snack Shack Game[/caption]7. Treasure Hunt – Take turns hiding something in your house and racing each other to find it. Give one word hints to guide your family closer and closer until you have a winner, who gets to hide the object next![caption id="attachment_5095" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo Credit: realsimple.com[/caption]8. Charades – Get ready to giggle with a simple game of charades! Everyone writes an act-it-out challenge down on a slip of paper, folds it, and drops it in a bowl. Then, take turns drawing a clue from the bowl, set a timer, and act it out!So let it rain, or snow, or gusty winds blow – you’ll be too busy having fun inside to notice! You can find even more indoor family fun ideas on our Pinterest page.