Easy Summer Art Activities

We're headed into that home stretch of summer: August. Sometimes I feel like the season is dragging,  but this year I feel like it's been going way too fast! Nevertheless, when August hits I always find myself in need of a few good, simple art projects that the kids can handle on their own. Head over to the OOLY blog to catch a few of our favorites! 

2017 Summer Bucket List Update #1

We're a little late with our Summer Bucket List update this year, but we've been knocking things off in a somewhat more random haphazard way this year. The weeks the kids have been home from camp or we haven't been traveling had been filled with absurdly hot weather and other extracurricular  activities, so we simply haven't had a whole lot of down time to really get at our list. Plus, now that the kids are older and more independent, it's easier to just kind of putter about. We don't seem to need our bucket list to spur our every day activities. But, we've still tackled a good number of things so far this year ....

1. Summer playlist -- the kids are killing me with our playlist on repeat. Despacito needs to die. But we can cross that off our list!

2. Unplug for a day -- ironically the kids have had a lot of technology-free days this summer as a result of losing technology privileges for what feels like constant squabbling. They currently have audiobook privileges only, but they're always hopeful.

3. Buy lots of peonies -- I got a big bunch of beautiful peonies for my birthday -- thanks fam!

4. Cook together -- the kids have really bumped up their helping around the house game this summer and have actually been helping me cook quite a bit. I think their chocolate chip cookies were insanely good.

5. Go running together -- they are both into cross-training and strength and conditioning for their various sports, so we've been running together a bit (although not so much now that it's hotter than hell in DC!).

6. New hike -- when they are home from camp, they must assist in Penny duties. So we picked up a Rock Creek Park trail map and have been discovering all new hiking trails.

7. Water balloons -- easy fill water balloons are a total game changer. We had an epic water balloon fight over July 4th.

8. Sparklers -- the kids' grandparents put together a stunning display of sparklers and fireworks for the holiday. Penny was not happy.

9. New art museum -- we LOVED our visit to Artechouse.

10. 1 new science experiment -- we had a blast using saline solution to make a whole new kind of slime last week!

11. Family olympics -- our friends returned for another epic family olympics over July 4th. This year we had a bucket-filling contest, an unwind-a-streamer race, a shaving cream head/cheetos toss, a three-legged race, and the water balloon fight. And everyone cheated.

12. Swim club cookout -- the kids love our new pool and the swim team! Every Tuesday the pool lights up the charcoal grills for you, so that's when we grill :)

13. New sewing project -- Cam has been taking sewing lessons and made a quilted pillow and is working on a backpack now.

14. 1 new service project -- the kids accompanied their grandfather on one of his Meals on Wheels deliveries and got a big kick out of helping him. I hear they were a big hit too.

15. Chase fireflies -- we had a great dinner with the kids at our friends' house and the kids spent a lot of time debating the best way to catch but not kill fireflies. They caught at least a few when they stopped talking.

Saltwater Taffy Slime

We've seen all kinds of recipes lately for "fluffy" slime. Mixing up mysterious compounds and potions is always really high up on our kids' fun lists. And, as I mention in Banish Boredom, I love how much we get out of sensory play -- from the making to the playing to the cleaning (everybody and everything else) up, sensory activities are always a good solid chunk of play time. Plus, I really love any activity that incorporates both science and art. Anyway ... we decided to try out a fluffy slime recipe ourselves (thanks to Little Bins for Little Hands!).

After watching the kids mix, shape, and play for the better part of a morning (including taking a break to shower up!), I decided that we'd have to call this Saltwater Taffy Slime! Watching saltwater taffy being made along the New Jersey boardwalk is one of our fave summer vacation activities and this reminded me so much of the sweet treat. And since the recipe we followed uses saline solution, the saltwater idea really stuck.

It was an incredibly messy activity, but the kids loved every single part of it. The slime we made ended up being really, really sticky for much of the mixing process. But the kids actually been bickering a lot that morning, so I got a huge kick out of them two of them being literally stuck together while they worked to make the slime. It was perfect!

They let the slime sit for a bit while they cleaned up and it got less fluffy, but also less sticky. It turned much more like flubber than slime, but they loved that too. They popped air bubbles, rolled it out, and even bounced it.

If you're in need of a good mid-summer activity, give this one a try!

DIY Ice Candles

One of my most favorite art projects is candlemaking, but my supplies have basically been stashed away since Kane was born. I was so excited to find them old enough now to start making simple candles. Head over to Honest to Nod to get the goods on these super cool Ice Candles they made! 

5 DIY Plant Ideas for Spring

I spent a lot of the winter season looking forward to spring and the return of outdoor gardening, but there are significant benefits to planting indoors, too. Along with adding design details and a great punch of color, house plants also help clean and filter the air inside your home. Plants can actually filter out mold spores, bacteria, and a variety of toxins, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Don't have a green thumb? Don't worry. Many of the indoor plants that help improve indoor air quality are also of fairly hardy stock. We have some mother-in-law's tongue plants prominently displayed in our home year round, but I've also been keeping my eye on some fun DIY planters to add into rotation this spring. In particular, I've been looking for projects that the kids would enjoy too. Here are a few of my favorites.

Recycled Faux Marble Planters

It's no surprise by now that I have a serious love for all things marble. But I also love that there is a recycled component to these faux marble planters that makes this DIY project even more green. The fact that succulents are low maintenance is an added bonus.

Fun Toy Planters

 This is technically another recycled DIY project. Try using one of your kiddos' old toys to make a modern and fun planter. I particularly like the idea of spray painting the toy gold for a chic look. Cam would be all over that.

Kids' Hair Planters

These silly hair planters double as science lessons for your kids. The grass will grow quickly, but you could also try planting a crazy succulent to give your kiddo's photo a fun looking hat.

Air Plants

There are so many different DIY projects out there for air plants. Check out this roundup that has a good range of easy to more complicated projects. You can't beat a plant that doesn't need to be watered! In addition, I think some of the hanging versions would be great clutter-free ways to add color to a child's room. Because, let's face it, probably the last thing they need is another tchotchke on their dressers.

Indoor Herb Garden

An herb garden is one of the first outdoor projects we get going in the spring. We have a sunny spot in our side yard, and we use big planters to grow my favorites for cooking. If you don't have the outdoor space or if you simply want a smaller version handy in your kitchen, think about planting a series of pots or organizing them on a tray. I like this DIY project that also offers extra space to store kitchen necessities.

Honestly, there are so many cute options, it's hard to pick a place to start. You can't go wrong with any of these low-maintenance DIY projects that serve double duty to keep your indoor air clean and give you a healthy boost for spring.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Bounds Heating & Air. Thanks for helping to support the sponsors who support us!

Fave DIY Valentines Printables

We spent a significant portion of our the kids' free time this weekend working on valentines. Our school asks that the kids make the valentines themselves or at least add a custom touch to each. And they have to be candy and food free. I am 100% behind both ideas! (Although, don't get me wrong, I would be just as fine with store bought directives). Cam was in charge this year and decided that they would make a personalized bracelet for each classmate along with a little card (we used the You're a Real Gem printable below!). Kane was all for that until the beads showed up and then he decided he didn't want to make the bracelets (of course!). Cam offered to make all of them, but Kane ended up hand making each a card instead and then adding a positive message rubber band bracelet. In case you're about to embark on the valentine journey yourself, I rounded up my fave DIY valentines printables—all are easy to do at home, candy free, and Amazon-accessory ready. Gotta love the love!

You Light Up My World Valentines // Finger Lights

I Can Always Count on You Valentine // Play Bills and Play Coins

You Are Out of This World Valentine // Bouncy Balls

Pencil Arrow Valentines // Cute Pencils

Watercolor Valentines // Watercolors

You're a Real Gem Valentines // Gem Rings

Funny Glasses Valentines // Funny Glasses 

You Make My Heart Race Valentines // Race Cars 

You're the Balm Valentines // EOS Lip Balm 

Fancy Paper Crowns

We've all been needing something to make ourselves feel a little better lately. So I dug out one of our favorite go-to crafts and we all made each other fancy paper crowns! Determined to get ourselves in a good mood, we made some sparkly lovelies. Head over to OOLY to see how!

DIY Rainbow Lip Gloss

It's that time of year when I chase our kids around with chapstick, warning them to head off the inevitable chapped lips. And because they never listen, I find myself sneaking into their rooms at night and smearing A&D ointment anywhere on their face I can get it. To try and keep these charades to a minimum this year for at least one kid, I decided to help Cam make her own "lip gloss" after I spotted this tutorial on BuzzFeed.

DIY Party Hats!

How are the holiday countdowns going in your neck of the woods!? We celebrate pretty much anything and everything, so this month is verrrrry festive for us. To help the kiddos get ready to party, I decided to try making our very own DIY Party Hats this year. We're saving them for New Year's Eve, but they'd work to celebrate any occasion. Head over to the International Arrivals' blog to see how our party prepping is going! 

DIY Thanksgiving Gratefulness Banner

Apparently this is just the week where we're going to pop up everywhere else around the interwebs! But I am really excited to share this particular project because I am really trying this holiday season to keep our kids focused on being grateful, spreading kindness, and helping out. So I made a printable Thanksgiving Gratefulness Banner over at International Arrivals' blog that you can download for free! We used the International Arrivals awesome Magic Puffy Pens to color in the graphic black and white pennant and write our own messages of gratefulness to add on each year. Share the love!

DIY Rainbow Hair Chalk

Cam is always after me to color her hair and I'm all for it. But I know well how it feels to take a leap with hair color and wake up the next morning with regret, so I have stayed away from permanent color with her. She finds hair clips annoying though so we decided to try out some bright hair chalk and LOVED it. Head over to Honest to Nod to see how we did it! 

p.s. I might have also tried to relive my own hot fuchsia hair days and colored a few of my own strands. My 21-year-old self sported a full head of pink curls with no problem, but my current self was glad it washed out the next morning.

DIY Wooden Bead Necklaces

Cam and I made these bright wooden bead necklaces using International Arrivals' awesome Neon Chalkables Liquid Chalk Markers this week. Head over to the IA blog to see how we put these bright beauties together! 

DIY Tiedye Playdough Bath Soap

Our kids can smell the bathstore LUSH from miles away (who can't, really) and they are obsessed with their moldable soap. Its fantastic, but, like everything else in there, it's expensive. Now being a DIY veteran, I'm fully aware that "doing it yourself" often ends up costing far more in money and effort than simply sucking it up and buying it. BUT we found an incredibly easy recipe for playdough bath soap. Then we tie dyed it. BOOM. It's a snap to customize and you probably have all the ingredients all ready!

The Not-So-SAHM Book Launch!!

I'm so excited to share the launch of my book Banish Boredom: Activities to Do with Kids That You'll Actually Enjoy!! Taking a lighthearted approach to the serious business of parenting, Banish Boredom helps parents find activities that they enjoy, while their children learn and have fun. I worked incredibly hard to capture our favorite activities in an accessible and fun way for parents. And I can't wait to hear what people think!

Just in time for summer, you can purchase the book NOW through Gryphon House Books or Amazon.

And stay tuned for news on book readings and maker events!!

Alphabet Hunt Bingo

A few years ago, I put together a Number Hunt Bingo game for the kids and it turned out to be SO much fun. We put an alphabet hunt on our bucket list that same year, but never got around to it! I was determined this year and liked that the kids were a little further along in their reading than when I first thought of the idea. It forced me to get creative and come up with different levels of challenges using the same cards.

I put together two separate sets of alphabet hunt games. First, bingo cards that we used to explore our neighborhood. At first I let the kids mark off any letters they saw. Kane went up to one or two street signs and did just that and very quickly found Bingo on most of his cards. Cam said she didn't want to take the "easy way out" -- she was looking for "a challenge." So she picked a row of letters on each Bingo card and went out in search of those particular letters. And she usually picked letters that were difficult to find (Q, W, etc.), but found them all over the place -- on city buses, campaign signs, license plates, house placards, etc. Pretty telling of their personalities! To give Kane an extra challenge, I said he had to find words that started with the letters on the card -- not just any word that contained the letters. That slowed him down a bit.

Once we got back to the house, they each picked a bingo card and then found corresponding letter "prompt cards" I made. If they'd used the letter E to get bingo, for example, they picked the E prompt card. Then they had to think of as many words as they could that started with that letter. They had a lot of fun and thought of some great words. Kane particularly got a kick out of thinking of Harry Potter and Star Wars-related words that started with the letter Q.

If you're looking for a fun game with a broad reach in reading skill, try it out! If your kiddos are on the young side, just go searching for the letters on the Alphabet Bingo Cards. And if they are starting to write, have them practice writing letters on each prompt card. If they are older, try one of the variations we did. We used pencils to mark off our Bingo sheets, but you can also use Bingo chips and do this at home just by looking for items you see around the room.

You can download the Bingo cards by clicking RIGHT HERE. And the Alphabet Prompt cards by clicking RIGHT HERE.

Enjoy!

2016 Summer Bucket List -- 101+ Ideas of Family Fun for the Summer!!

I can hardly believe that our kiddos are out of school in just a few days! While summer doesn't technically start until June 20th, our summer starts when school is done. So that means it's time for a new bucket list! We crossed a paltry 19 items off of our spring list—it just wasn't meant to happen for us this past season. But we are back and we mean business. Follow us along on Instagram to see our progress—we'd love to hear what everyone has going on too!!

DIY Father's Day Aromatherapy Spray

My birthday is in June, so I tend to think about it being a celebratory month for moi. BUT, Father's Day is also just around the corner. Mr. Not-So-SAHM has been working even harder than usual lately, so we decided to put together a special little rest and relaxation DIY for him this year. Head on over to Honest to Nod to see what we've got planned!

A DIY Teacher's Gift Full of Laughs

The teacher's gift we put together for Kane's class this year turned out so cute! I spent lots of really hysterical time with all of his classmates encouraging them each to write their favorite joke. And then I took a photo of each child to put with their joke. So much love and laughter. Head over to the Paper Source blog to check it out!!

DIY Birthday Party Garlands

Cam's 6th (SIXTH!!) birthday is almost upon us and although we are sticking with our trend of keeping parties more on the simple side of things, I can't help but oogle at all the fabulous DIY celebratory decor popping around out there. Garlands are one of my most favorite ways to decorate for a party and I always find a great way to reuse them afterwards. I don't even need to make garlands for Cam this year, but if I did, I'd have a hard time picking from this set! Some require more DIY than others (one is even just a DIY arrangement, really), but I love them all.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

p.s. I also love these simple and free printable party banners, which would be super easy to jazz up!

Pop Art Portraits

Our trip to the International Pop exhibit at Philadelphia's Museum of Art last weekend prompted this super fun art project! We'll have more on our trip to the museum tomorrow, but in the meantime, head over to The Land of Nod's blog to make your own!

p.s. can you tell that Kane still has Jamaica and Bob Marley on his mind?