For all the complaining I do about the tiny bricks scattered all over the living room floor, I adore LEGO bricks for how much they fully engage my kids even more than the latest video game. So we're delighted to you a very Happy 80th Bir…
One of my very favorite things about the just-finished London Olympics was seeing all the gorgeous footage of the city itself. It's made me even more determined to get my kids over to see Big Ben, London Bridge and their picturesque city…
I'm no martyr, but after almost a dozen years raising children, it has been pretty obvious whose needs come first on a regular basis. Hint: They aren't my own. Sound familiar? So when I had the opportunity to spend three days focusing on…
Though enjoying the Olympics means that we are all watching about 2000x as much television as we normally would on a nice summer's day, I love how inspired my kids' play has become. Whether they are turning the couch cushions into hurdle…
When I go shopping for three kids' clothes for Back to School---or "fall" as we homeschoolers call it---I am always on the lookout for cool, unique styles that my kids won't see on all of their peers but that won't also blow my entire bu…
Need a little something more special from the tooth fairy than say a dollar under the pillow? We've got just the teeny-tiny thing. We fell in love with Leafcutter Designs teeny-tiny letters from the Easter Bunny a few years back, which w…
With seven solid releases to their credit (you can read about their last one here), I was pretty certain that we'd love Recess Monkey's eighth offering to the world of kindie music. But what I enjoy most about this trio of enthusiastic e…
If you'll be doing some packing before you hit the road this summer, chances are you don't want the kids to help too much, lest you end up with six pairs of socks and no pants in their suitcases. So try channeling their I can help! persi…
Whether or not my kids will one day stand on the podium of some future Olympics is not yet determined----have they started a category for intense video gaming or speed LEGO building? For now, though, I love these shirts that let them pro…
I spend a lot of time lately telling my kids about the "dangers of the sun" as I apply yet another layer of SPF 30+. But this weekend, we spent a lot of time talking about the cool art that the sun can make with this creative new kit fro…
With so many of us on the verge of Olympics fever, a Summer Olympics party is such a great way to get older kids into the spirit of the games. Whether you're just trying to make the opening ceremonies more exciting on Friday, or throw a …
We've found a set of free Olympics printables that bring the excitement of the far-away Olympics a little closer, no passport required. Which is great because the closest we're going to get to London for the Summer Olympics is through ou…
I jumped through many hoops to get my son to finally use the potty: candy rewards, sticker charts, pleading. But I never did try a potty-training doll since I found most of them to be kind of unappealing as a doll that you'd want to snug…
Between summer camp and school, tossing an ice pack in with a sandwich, apple and yogurt is pretty much a no-brainer at this point. But when you consider that not all lunch boxes and ice packs are made for each other, there are plenty of…
Whether you are planning a trip to Paris or just want to sneak a little bilingual education into your day, I'm totally smitten by these adorable flashcards from our recent favorite freebie find, Mr. Printables. With the same cute, colorf…
While you're still allowed to love your American Girl, we're all in favor of international love and acceptance amongst our treasured dolls. And now there's a new doll in town, ready to put visions of Paris, croissants and classic French …
When my kids were little, they had a bunch of plastic "tools" that they could use around the house. But once they outgrew these toys and actually wanted to "saw" something, I was at a loss since our real tools were just too big and dange…
I wish my kids would smack their lips over kale chips the same way they do the junk-filled candy they stare at in the supermarket checkout line. But while I can't say I've found a line of candy made of kale (ha), I have discovered a bran…
If I had to pick a CD to take with my family onto a desert island this summer, it'd be the Sugar Free Allstars' latest release. The ten tracks pack a whole lot of funky deliciousness into 36 minutes, with lyrics that always perk us up an…
I am planning a garden-themed 4th birthday party for my daughter in a few weeks. I need some creative inspiration! So far, we're going to have the kids each plant something in a pot to take home .. And that's all. I need ideas for other …
Before the hamburgers are done, before the sparklers come out, and before it's dark enough for fireworks, you can take a few minutes to put the United States back together with this easy printable from my favorite new DIY craft site. At …
My oldest daughter is about to enter sixth grade and if statistics are correct, her current love of science will likely wane as society subtly spreads the message that science and engineering studies are "not for girls." But, I'm going t…
I need a birthday gift idea for my soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter. She has tons of Barbies, tons of clothes - she is a girly girl and loves all things to do with painting nails, wearing girly stuff. I feel like we have way too many toys …
Once kids are past the age of banging on an overturned pot and wooden spoon,they can now move onto something more melodious than a simple percussion instrument. And while their fingers may not yet be big enough to tickle the ivories, the…
