Need an hour (or 4) to make dinner this weekend? Need table decorations in a pinch? Need to occupy the kids? This activity is easy, low budget and really fun. And all you need is something from the backyard.
Leaves. Wonderful, brilliant, free and colourful leaves. This is a 3 part activity:
Part 1
• "Kids go outside and get some leaves!" Fresh air, scavenger hunting and activity procurement all in one.
The right babysitter is a tough find. (Aside: The "right" babysitter is not always the best, nor cheapest, nor the one that is available...the "right" babysitter is the one that is right for you and your family). I have had some rights and wrongs when it comes to babysitters.
Yesterday, I left my 9-month-old baby for the first time for a whole day. A. Whole. Day. That equals months and years to a stay-at-home-primary-caregiver-mom. Who can I find to babysit for a whole day?
We Day exists because some people think the power of youth can change the world. Power of today's youth. It's a movement. A motivation. A momentous moment in history. 18,000 students and educators joined together at Toronto's Air Canada Centre for this youth empowerment event and I brought my 10 year old daughter to join in and discover that one child can make a difference.
Roll it, pat it, mark it with C...it's time to make some play dough with me! This is a super easy recipe for homemade play dough...a fun activity and it can even double as a cool made-at-home-present for a friend.
SUPPLIES
Medium pot (for stove use) Wooden spoon 1 cup flour 1 cup warm water 2 teaspoons cream of tartar* 1 tablespoon oil 1/2 cup salt food coloring
Hot topic...perhaps. Important topic...yes. Timely topic...well how do you know when is the RIGHT time? Should sex education be taught at school or at home?
What grade is the right grade to talk sex? How young is too young? You want your kids to be informed about their bodies but you don't want your kid to be the one telling all the other kids the story of the birds and bees at recess. ?
As parents, we tell our kids to play nice together. If you don't have anything nice to say - don't say it. Recently, another mom criticized something I said behind my back...and here I thought...put-downs were just in playgrounds.
Aren't we all in this together?! Aren't we all just "real moms" trying our best to "keep it real"? Is it right to get up in the morning...put on your Miss. Judgy Pants...and walk the street? (you too can find Miss. Judgy Pants - in the clothing section next to Ms. Smart Ass Undies).
It really IS the most wonderful time of the year! Back to school (or just back - depending on your school zone). Whether your student is starting kindergarten or going off to university, here are a few tips.
Tip #1 - Read my Back to School letter (which I had forgotten about until @SharonDV tweeted it out last week. And I got all teary. Good Ghandi I loved writing that piece. It's kleenex-worthy really). Read it. With kleenex.
For the love of Pete, if you are so passionate about soccer...sign yourself up...otherwise leave the poor 8 year olds on the field alone. I have heard parents yell, bribe, bully and side-line coach. And someone needs to stop the madness. Really, what the hell is wrong with soccer Moms?
And Dads...Dads, some of you are just plain "Le Nuts" for yelling out at 13-year old referees for what you think is a "stupid" call. The 13-year old is doing a part time summer job. This is not World Cup action here. Leave him alone.
We just got back from a looonnggg road trip (and I swear, they should make a special express lane for people driving with crying babies!). This column comes from the "been there, done that" file of mommy-hood...bookmark these 5 tips for surviving a road trip with a baby.
"I'm going to do this with MY kids!" my daughter said after we did the pepper experiment. With ingredients from your kitchen and only minutes of time...you can do these cool science activities with your kids. Great for a summer science week theme or just if you have some time to kill between camp and dinner...
Scare the Pepper! Science Experiment
You'll Need:
Cereal bowl Water Pepper Dish soap A finger or two
What do you do when your baby spikes a fever of 102 degrees and you're at a cottage that has a good 45-minute highway drive to any medical help? I just went through this last week and learned three things to always take on a family vacation.
Always take infant/child pain/fever reliever. Ever since my middle daughter broke her arm in France (and the hospital offered a pain reliever in the form of a suppository) I pack our trusted brand of (oral) kids' medicine.
Nothing says summer like ice cream (just ask the girl who runs the ice cream shop in our 'hood - she knows my face well). So this week, our activity is to make some homemade ice cream...and I mean having the kids make it. Here's the scoop:
You'll need
2 x Ziploc bags (1 small 1 big)
1 cup of half & half cream
2 tbsp of white sugar
Splash of vanilla
Ice cubes
1/2 cup of salt (kosher, rock salt or regular ol' table salt)
With summer time crunch, traffic on the highways and cost of vacations soaring - a staycation is sometimes the perfect option for a busy family. This week we decided to be a tourist in our own city; exploring, discovering and having a bit of fun. This week The Summer Fun Project is all about staycations.
How do you keep your kids math and literacy skills sharp over summer? Sneak in long division? Make them write out vocabulary sheets? Yes, you could do that...OR...you could incorporate school skills in some fun activities. This is week 2 of the Summer Fun Project.
Some of the best summer activities are free! Here is part deux of my Summer Fun Project with some cross-Canada free activity ideas for every family...this is print-out-worthy information people. Free summer kids' activities!
I wish I had known about The Cross-Canada Powder Room on my last family road trip. It maps approx. 800 public restrooms across Canada – and just coming off a pregnancy where my bladder was reduced to the size of a walnut – knowing restroom locations is a travel-saver! For me…and the kids…
Are your kids ready for camp? Are you? Whether it's day camp, overnight camp or camp Mom - you've got to be ready by now right? *waiting* *waiting* does that silence = a gasp of not being ready. Yah, me too. Welcome to my Summer Fun Project...Camp edition.
Is there such a thing as a bad teacher? The out-to-lunch-lady who "educates" your kids? The teacher who prefers to talk sports more than teach math? A teacher who just doesn't give an "F"?
I think there is a "bad" in every profession - from doctoring to teaching. Bad happens. What can you do?
So why does it get so itchy-under-the-skin when you get a bad teacher?
My kids have been all "get out of my room!" lately - to the point where they are shouting and hitting each other. Driving. Me. Crazy. (and waking the baby which is not cool). So I gave them a safeword to stop the madness. And it's working!
You know how in S & M, the participants have a "safeword" to stop an specific action? (and to be clear - I know about safewords from an C.S.I. episode where Grissom was investigating a murder at Madame Heather's establishment...oh the things you learn when American Idol isn't on...) Moving on...
