Fun & Easy Science Fair Experiement

As a kid, I loved science. I remember if I asked my dad about something science related, we would often dive full force into it - searching for answers. My dad was not a science person by any means but he loved learning and wanted me to have that same love. My love of learning has certainly been passed onto my kids. Both are smart boys who love asking questions and discovering those answers.

When my son and I heard about the schools upcoming science fair, we started searching through Pinterest for some ideas. {Click here to find all the science projects we found.} The one that really caught his eye was "Rethink Your Drink" or discovering how much sugar is in the drinks we enjoy (and he thought it was be great to be able to drink all of those drinks afterwards!) We decided on a twist to that and wanted to discover how much sugar was in candy bars (of course, still fun to eat afterwards!)

Ashton picked out the candy bars he wanted to use and to make a guess as to which candy bar had the most sugar. Then he went about collecting data from each of them:
Name
Serving Size
Grams of Sugar

Once he figured out how many grams were in a teaspoon and did the math to figure out how much was in each bar, he started putting the exact amounts into some plastic containers and labeled each one accordingly.

After he wrote out all of his data and other information collected mounted it up on his poster board. We found a post from Hand Made Kids Art that really helped us being able to organize the board and make sure he collected all of the necessary information.

Looking back to when I was a child, when dad and I did science projects for school I'm sure anyone looking could tell that I obviously had not wrote out much of anything. While I remember pouring over encyclopedias (remember those??) And doing the research. I remember him doing most of the work on the poster itself. I remember kind of sitting back and him working the poster just right - so it looked good perfect (Type A parent for sure!!) I really try to not be that parent. It's not easy by any means....sloppy handwriting can drive me over the edge sometimes....but for the most part - I let him do all the work. In the end, it doesn't look perfect...but it looks perfect for him. And, really, that's all that matters.

And that he learned something. And had fun doing it. I think his favorite part was being able to present the project to his class and teach others.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Make sure and visit me on Facebook and Pinterest for more fun science fair ideas.

Label It - Don't Lose it with Kidecals {review} #labelitdontloseit

 

If you need a strong, durable label that will stand up to your family,

you don't have to look anymore!

 

Kidecals labels are so thick and stick like glue to everything.

I chose to get a universal label for our family.

Just our last name and phone number

I wanted to be able to use the labels on more then just stuff for the kids.

 

But I still chose a design the kids would dig...

 

 

 

Here are just a few places, my new Kidecals have been stuck on.

 

My Tupperware cake holder

my cupcake carrier

my crockpot

My large Pyrex carrier

my camera

my sons backpack

his lunch carrier

all of his school folders

snow pants

snow boots

my hubbys school books

my camera bag

my coupon carrier

and finally on my laptop!

 

I'm really loving these labels

So much that I about stuck one to my cell phone.

Then I realized that it has my cell phone number on it...so if I lost my cell phone, that would be a little pointless.

 

Anyways.

These labels come in some really cool designs!

Here are some of my faves...

 

 

The prices are super reasonable too.

A "Mega Set" of labels includes 24 two inch labels and 48 one inch labels...for a total of 72

all for just $28

 

They also have smaller packages, starting at $21.

 

These labels are waterproof, dishwasher and washing machine proof

There are pretty much indestructible!

 

I love that they have labels for everything!

They can help you get organized, share some home-made brew with friends, decorate your keyboard and so much more!

 

Guess what? Celebrities love these labels too!!! Check out all the pictures from The Emmys!

 

Make sure and sign up for their newsletter, and they'll send you a coupon for 15% off your order!

 

Go check out Kidecals on

 

Facebook

Pinterest

Instagram

and Twitter

 

Again, Kidecals is a great place to help get your family organized and will help save money too from not having to replace things that the kids lose! Thanks so much to Kidecals for allowing me to review their labels! I love them!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

I was given a Mega Set sheet in return for my review of Kidecals. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching Kids About the World Around Them - The Post Card Game

I had been looking for a fun way to teach my kids about the United States.

Looking at books or watching videos is fun.

I've found that, with my boys, they are hands-on learners.

So I needed to figure out something to spark their interest!

I started emailing every I knew.

Asking them to send my kids a postcard from their state and to write a little info about the state on the back.

I also asked them to forward my email onto anyone they knew that might help out too.

In return, I told each person that if we received a card from them

That the boys would send them a postcard from Nebraska.

That was great too, because we went to the library and found out a lot of interesting information about Nebraska that we never knew about.

The response was over-whelming!

The boys received over 90 postcards!!!

They were from all over the country!

It was amazing!

We also found out that a distant cousin of my husbands was a truck driver.

Him and his wife really got into it - and send Ashton and Colton postcards from every state they traveled to for months!

Everyone wrote interesting information about their states,

some included their favorite spots to visit.

And the boys LOVED getting all that mail! 

Everyday they got a postcard was like Christmas to them. 

I saved all the postcards in a photo album for them and we marked on a map of the US where they received postcards from - they learned so much! 

Side Note: Be patient with this. The cards won't start coming right away. Our first card came in almost a month after I sent out the email. It took about 6 months for them to get all 92 cards. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Do you have hands-on learners?

I'd love some new ideas! Please share!

 

 

Linking up to: Craft-o-Matic, Create with Joy, BoogieBoard Cottage, Homemaker on a Dime, Flour Me with Love, Alderberry Hill, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Sew Can Do, DIY Home Sweet Home, Uncommon Designs, Watch Out Martha, Keeping it Simple

Kids Can Make Chocolate Shakes

My boys love chocolate shakes!

Whenever we go out to eat or happen to be near a place with chocolate shakes, they get em!

Tonight we decided to stay in and make some at home!

They loved helping!

Chocolate Shakes

2 scoops chocolate ice cream

1-2 cups of milk

2-3 squirts of chocolate syrup

Add the ice cream and chocolate syrup into your blender or Ninja. Slowly add the milk a little at a time. A little milk will make a thick shake, add more to thin it out. 

I like to top my shakes with another scoop of ice cream and put in a mason jar.

They would also be great topped with whipped cream or chocolate chips!

This is a great little snack for the kids to help make.

Thanks so much for stopping by today - have a great week! 

Cheers!

Someday Crafts, Lil Luna, Sew Much Ado, Sugar and Dots, Make Bake Create, Lady Behind the Curtain, Gingersnap Crafts

Summer Bucket List - Kids Plan (and Cook) Dinner

Summer went by quickly.

I keep trying to remind myself that we still have plenty of time to do all the fun stuff I wanted us to do...we still have about 5 weeks left. Not much...but it's enough.

At the beginning of the summer, I printed out this summer bucket list.

(source)

We've done a pretty good job of getting through some of them - but looking now, we still have a long way to go.

The boys really wanted to do "Kids Plan Dinner". They were so excited to make menus and place mats for everyone to use. 

On the menu for dinner will be...

Macaroni and Cheese

Chicken Nuggets

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Apples 

(I love that they picked a fruit to be on their dinner.)

They were also in charge of making the dinner too.

Colton laid chicken nuggets on a cookie sheet, Ashton stirred the Macaroni.

Colton also set the table. 

Then is was time to get all the food on the table.

(we ended up forgetting to actually make any gravy!) 

 It was nice to have a dinner full of yummy kid food.

The boys loved it and said they want to do this all the time. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

What have you done on your summer bucket list?

Tidy Mom, Frugal Fit Family, Truly Lovely, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, 504 Main, Cheerios and Lattes, Mad in Crafts, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Mad in Crafts, Craft-o-Matic, Piggy in Polka Dots, It's So Very Cheri, That's What Che Said, Homemaker on a Dime, BoogieBoard Cottage, Flour Me With Love, Alderberry Hill, Sumos Sweet Stuff, Sew Can Do, DIY Home Sweet Home, Call Me PMC

My Day as a Stay at Home Mom

Today has been one of those days.

Colton is a tired guy. 

Mommy is tired too.

When Colton is tired, this is what I see all day.

Always right there. 

"Mommy, I want you" he says over and over.

He's so cute, it's hard to say no.

These kids are always the best part of my day.

(P.S. I tried to suck in the belly while I took these shots...I'm working on.)

How to Make Camping with Kids More Enjoyable - 5 Tips

Here are some tips I've learned over the past couple of years, to make camping with my kids more enjoyable. Our kids have been camping for years and love it. But there's a method to make sure that it goes fairly smoothly and that everyone has a great time...including mom and dad!

1. Bring things to do.

Most camp grounds are like little neighborhoods. Most have a ton of other kids and they all bring their bikes and scooters and skateboards. Bring yours too! Give your kids age-appropriate boundaries on where they can and can't go in the campground. As long as they understand the rules and wear helmets - we let them go! Our kids are into basketball, so we always bring a basketball to play with and sometimes frisbees or some type of waffle ball game. Make sure you book at campgrounds that have playgrounds too! 

For the little people, make sure you have things for them to do also. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles are great. 

2. Keep snacks and drinks on hand

Kids outside playing hard get hungry and thirsty...make sure you bring more then you think you'll need of drinks and snacks. Juice boxes, cold water, fruit and pre-packaged snacks are the way to go for camping. (You can make your own pre-packaged snacks at home too!) I usually like to bring a special treat for the kids when we go camping....something that we don't normally have at home. That makes camping extra special!

3. Bring on the activities!

Anymore, most campgrounds have planned activities just for kids. Ice cream socials, art projects, putt-putt golf and more are all fun (and free) ways to keep the kids busy. Of course, if your campground has a pool or beach - you have to take advantage of that. Our camping trip last year, there was a nature reserve near-by...it was amazing (and free) and the kids had a blast hiking! 

4. Bring the essentials.

Sunscreen, changes of clothes, hats and more. Make sure you're applying sunscreen several times throughout the day while kids are out playing. No one is going to have a good time if the kids get sunburns. Bring changes of clothes for when the kids get too dirty. Extra diapers for the little ones. First Aid kits for scraped knees. Extras of everything is always high on my list!

5. Chill.

This is the most important rule of camping with kids.....chill out. You're camping. You're suppose to be having fun. Chill out. Things may not go exactly as you had planned...that's okay. Don't let it ruin anyone's day. Let the kids run and have fun during the day....they're usually passed out by 8pm anyways! 

Camping with your kids creates memories. Great memories. Lower your expectations of your first outing together. Plan easy meals. Put the cell phones, iPads, and iPods down. Turn them off. Tune into your family. Eat smores and tell ghost stories. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I'd love for you to follow my blog through BlogLovin or on my Facebook page.



Someday Crafts, Lil Luna, Sew Much Ado, Lady Behind the Curtain, Make Bake Create, Sugar and Dots, Gingersnap Crafts, Kitchen Meets Girl, Creations by Kara, Buns in My Oven, The Trendy Treehouse, Frugal Fit Family, Five Days Five Ways, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Craft-o-Matic, That's What Che Said, Boogie Board Cottage

He Digs It...

My little guy has discovered

that he loves to dig in the dirt

My oldest son never did this

it was too dirty for him

Colton could spend hours digging...

and the days it's nice outside

he does!

I love this little guy!

Happy Wednesday!

Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer

Summer is finally here!

I'm so excited to have a few months alone with my boys...

no more waking up early for school

no more homework

late nights

and all around fun!

Here are some ways to keep your family active all summer long!

#1 - Bubbles! My kids (even the 9 year old) love bubbles....the bigger the better. I love this idea of having a bubble refill jar! The next time I see an old tea jar at a garage sale, it's mine! {La-La's Home Daycare}

#2 - Fun Bible Games - this is a great activity to have the boys do while I'm making lunch. Something they can sit at the table and do....and (hopefully) work together as a team - and learn at the same time! {When You Rise}

#3 - Summer Reading Star. This is a great idea and a great motivator for kids that either don't enjoy reading very much or find reading kind of difficult (like my oldest). {How Does She?} I'm also going to set up a day each week to take the boys to the library to check out books. You can also sign your kids up with Barnes and Noble or Half Price Books Kids Summer Reading Clubs for more rewards! 

#4 - Summer Bucket List - I like this because it can be tailored to fit your family...and even add a few things that are a bit out of the box! {This Homemade Life}

#5 - Adventure Book. I usually like to make a scrapbook each summer of all the activities we did and vacations we took. This is a great way for the kids to remember what they did. {Crazy Little Projects}

#6 - Summer Schedule. Love this idea. I'll have to make one that fits our town because Tuesday will be free movie day and Thursdays are story-tellers day. But, my kids will love knowing what we're doing each day! {Remarkable Home}

#7 - Zoo Passports. We live in Omaha, NE and have an amazing zoo right here (Henry Doorly Zoo). We also have a zoo membership, so we go to the zoo alot. This would be a neat idea for them to seek out different animals and write down one or two facts about each animal. {We Wilsons}

#8 - Making Kid Friendly Food Together. On my weekly summer schedule with the boys, I'm going to have a cooking day. This is a great way to make my kids eat food they wouldn't normally eat! {My Pinterest Board and Mom on Timeout}

These last two, I'm really excited about!!!

#9 - Building the kids a fort. We're going to try and do the whole fort for free - using found materials on Craigslist! {This Old House}

#10 - Outdoor Play Area - Colton (our youngest) would love this! He loves playing in the dirt. {Lowe's}

I'm ready to get started now!

What projects do you have lined up this summer to keep the kids busy?

Linking up to: Lady Behind the Curtain, Make Bake Create, Creative Geekery

Laughing Baby

My little guy, Colton, loves to be tickled!

And he is really ticklish too!

I love this kid. 

Happy Friday.