DIY crafts for kids: Kids stepping stone path, Quikrete stepping stones

 Looking for cool summer crafts for kids? I've been making DIY stepping stones with a friend of mine for years. Between us we have eight children and it's always a joy to walk down her kids stepping stone path and mark time with the stepping stones we've made over the years. Here's how to make an easy, decorated concrete kids stepping stone path or DIY patios with homemade stepping stones. I'll give directions for a group, homeschool or classroom kids stepping stone path and a smaller scale kids stepping stone path crafts for families.  DIY crafts for kids: Kids stepping stone path, Quikrete stepping stones | Examiner.com

Outdoor Summer Life Science Activities, Biology Nature Crafts for Kids

Life science, or biology, is an essential school subject. But kids often hate science because it's taught from boring textbooks in meaningless paper-and-pencil activities. Whether you homeschool or not, summer is a great time to explore life science with kids--outdoors, up-close and personal! Rediscover the inherent fascination of life science this summer with hands-on experiments and crafts. Teach green, using recycled supplies.  Outdoor Summer Life Science Activities, Biology Nature Crafts

How Parents Can Manage Free Summer Childcare Plus Teach Kids Accountability

Kids are rejoicing that "school's out for the summer" but parents who face three months without childcare may be singing a different tune. How do you juggle daycare if you can't afford a babysitter (which many work at home parents can't)? You think like a detective and ask who, why, where, when and what. Then based on your answers, you develop a plan for free and low-cost summer childcare.  How Parents Can Manage Free Summer Childcare, Teach Kids Accountability

Free (or Dirt Cheap) Children's Summer Enrichment Activities

Hurrah, summer vacation! Yikes, summer vacation! Why yikes?? As much as we parents enjoy school holiday, it means entertaining children for three long months. And work-at-home parents have to juggle home business and kids every day. Plus, time away from the books can sabotage learning retention. As a teacher, SAHM (stay at home mom), homeschooler, WAHM (work at home mom) and tightwad, I know how to productively occupy kids cheap! Here are free and low-cost summer enrichment activities for children from A-Z.  Free (or Super Cheap) Summer Enrichment Activities for Kids

How Parents Effectively Teach Kids, Putting Learning Theory Into Practice in the Home

I'm a teacher and former homeschool parent. I've explored learning theory inside out and found home an ideal teaching environment. It's best-suited to real-life learning experiences. Parents, you don't have call yourself a "homeschooler." Because parenting IS educating. Here are effective ways to teach children using everyday family activities.How Parents Effectively Teach Kids at Home, Learning Theory Into Practice

Survival Tips for Memorial Day Weekend Travel with Kids, 2.0 Parent Version!

Memorial Day weekend is here. Your family is heading out for a much needed vacation. But wait--traveling with kids--that sounds like more headache than holiday. And it will be, if you don't follow these parent survival tips. Enjoy stress-free car travel with kids. Follow my lead. Parent Survival Tips for Memorial Day Weekend Travel with Kids

Easy, Homemade Mother's Day Party Dads and Kids Can Make

As a 25-year mom of four, I've been the guest of honor at many child-hosted Mother's Day and birthday parties. Our children learned to throw a budget, homemade bash from me and my husband. For a guy, my husband is great at party-planning. Dads, here are tips from the master's knee, on planning an inexpensive Mother's Day party with your kids, that your wife will love!  Dad-Inspired, Kid-Friendly Mother's Day Party, Homemade and Cheap

Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day, Mardi Gras Activities for Families

Mardi Gras, (Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day) anticipates Ash Wednesday and Lent. Although used synonymously with the Carnival ("farewell to the flesh") celebration, Mardi Gras is one day. It is also called "Shrove Tuesday." "Shrove" or "shriven" means to be purged. Here are activities for Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Lent.
Mardi Gras is the last day of ordinary time before Lent, the 40-day spiritual pilgrimage that follows Christ on his journey through the desert and temptation by Satan. As Jesus was tested and tempted and fasted, Catholics are called to refrain from self-centered practices. The principal virtues of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. At Ash Wednesday Mass, the first religious event of Lent, the faithful are marked with ashes and told to "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."  Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Lent Activities

Making Kids Thanksgiving Helpers (not Hindrances!)

In holiday party preparation, children may be more of a hindrance than a help. Parents may find Thanksgiving not so thankful and Christmas not so merry if they're juggling shopping, cooking, party planning, housecleaning and childcare. Here are ways kids can help with holiday party planning. Tips work for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Day, and any party year-round.  Read more

Simple life parenting: Teaching kids how to slow down

Whenever I ask fellow parents how they are, the first answer is always "busy." Parents are under a lot of pressure from work, family, school and community. It's easy to get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget to live. We disconnect from spouses and kids because we're stuck in a too-fast lifestyle. We complain that kids are too busy, but they learn from our example. Here are ways parents teach kids, by example, how to slow down. Simple life parenting: Teaching kids how to slow down 

Montessori Mom--at Home Preschool Science Learning Center

From 27 years in Montessori and special education, I've developed a learning center approach to parenting. From the time our kids were toddlers, I arranged their play area with learning stations. When I home schooled, I did the same with the school room. If you've got preschool age kids or are homeschooling, I highly recommend at-home learning centers. Here's how this Montessori mom set up a science learning center. Montessori Mom--at Home Preschool Science Learning Center 

Teaching kids friendship skills begins with parent example

Making friends (and keeping them) is one of the most important skills kids learn. But it's not learned with textbooks or lesson plans. Building healthy relationships is a hands-on activity. When kids struggle to make friends, it's easy for to blames schools. But schools can only do so much to foster friendship skills. The best lessons begin and end at home. Here are ways parents can teach kids to make friends. Teaching kids friendship skills begins with parent example 

Biggest parenting time-wasters with better alternatives

Wasting time is something we all need to do now and then. Continually working at maximum productivity isn't good for machines, let alone humans. We parents are especially notorious for working ourselves to the edge and over. When I work too hard for too long, the quality of my work suffers (I'm also freakishly grouchy). Having said that, there are more and less healthy ways to waste time. Here are some not-so-great ones, with better alternatives. (Picture shows us wasting time at a gazebo at Myrtle's Plantation in St. Francisville, La. For tips on how to waste time, click here Biggest parenting time-wasters (with better alternatives)

Bullying Parents Get Kids' Easter Egg Hunt Canceled

The Associated Press story of bullying Easter egg hunt parents in Colorado Springs, Colo., who got their event canceled for egg-snatching doesn't surprise me. I've been a mom for 23 years; those guerrilla parents were around then, too. It's why I stopped taking the children to some of those kiddie-freebies. Extreme Easter Egg Hunting Parent-Style is Scary

Best Black Friday Toy Picks from Parent Gurus

Best Black Friday Toy Picks from Parent Gurus With Black Friday this week, parenting gurus are exploring toys and creating shopping recommendations. It has asked kids to test and evaluate various toys. Parents look not just for low prices but also lots of educational bang for their toy-buying buck. Here are the top picks for games, crafts, building sets, dolls and toy car sets. Read more...

'Sesame Street' Addresses Social Issues, Poverty with 'Lily' the Hungry Muppet

'Sesame Street' Takes on Poverty with 'Lily' the Hungry Muppet "Sesame Street" is debuting a new muppet "Lily," whose parents are poor. Lily, the "hungry muppet," doesn't always get enough to eat. In "Growing Hope Against Hunger," a one-hour special, the muppets explore ways to help Lily, her family and the millions of children that Lily represents. The show addresses community food banks and gardening as solutions. Here's why and how the show can raise awareness and make a difference. Read on...

Free Printable Food Safety Activities and Recipes

The holidays can be a time for sharing and family bonding. The holiday season also poses certain safety and health risks. Health risks are associated with some holiday foods. Here is a free food safety guide with free printable activities, lessons, recipes, games and coloring pages. This was written for Christmas, but is just as useful for Valentine's Day school parties, candy give-aways, treats exchanges,  birthday parties and more. Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents. Read on...

Easy, Hands On, Creative Christmas Holiday Gifts for Kids to Make

It's almost Christmas and the kids are bored; not a good sign! Here's a solution: set up an old craft table and put them to work making gifts for grandparents, care-givers, god-parents, scout leaders, aunts and uncles. Here are quick, easy, inexpensive gift crafts. Read on...

Free Printable Health, Human Body Lessons Plans

Free Printable Health and Hygiene Activities GHealth is one of the most important subjects we can teach children. We need to start young educating them on nutrition, hygiene, human body, mental health concepts. Here are free printable coloring pages, lesson plans, games and activities to explore. Read More

How to Organize Your Family, Schedule and Life

Easy Ways to Organize Your Possessions, Your Home, Your Schedule and Your Life
Does your life feel out of control, chaotic, disorganized and overwhelming? Here are easy, free tips to organize, purge, free up resources and live simply. These tips won't cost you anything except the loss of a massive load of stress.
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