Soft on the inside with lightly crisp cinnamon sugar edges, these easy homemade snickerdoodles have become one of our family's favorite recipes for baking together.
These moist Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with sour cream for the softest texture. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunchboxes.
Looking for meaningful gifts that inspire curiosity? Discover 50+ parent-approved gift ideas for kids ages 8–12, from STEM toys and astronomy gear to coding kits, books, puzzles, geography, and hands-on activities. Plus, see the products our own family has loved and the free resources that helped turn small interests into lifelong hobbies.
Summer 2025 is here! Whether you're heading to the pool, beach, or splash pad with your little ones, packing smart is key. As a mom who’s done her fair share of summer outings, I’ve narrowed down the ultimate list of water day essentials that make the experience easier, safer, and way more fun. This update includes my favorite must-haves—tested over time and kid-approved! Scroll through for links and tips to keep you organized all season long. * This post includes Affiliate Links. These mom summer essentials 2025 picks will keep you and your family prepared for every sunny water day. Sun…
Generosity is never a common trait in kids. In order to raise a generous kid, you need to help them understand why giving can be rewarding. We all want our children to grow up to be kind, empathetic, generous kids that care about others and are willing to give back and make a difference in this world. But raising a child is overwhelming enough so the task of raising a fully conscious and generous kid seems nearly impossible. However, giving back isn't just about the money. There are many ways parents can motivate their children to give back to society,…
Packing for a trip to the beach with kids can become overwhelming, especially when you're traveling. But it doesn't have to be. This family beach vacation packing list was created for minimalistic travel or items that can fit in your carry-on. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Family Vacations Are For Relaxing A family beach vacation sounds like the dream, until you're trying to cram everything into your carry on luggage! As parents, we have to worry about sun protection, swim safety, and hours of entertainment, which tends to result in a full list of items we weren't even planning on…
Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday. I love all the cute Halloween decor, the creativity in the air, and the fact that winter holidays are just around the corner. One of my favorite things to do during the Halloween season is to craft and DIY. This year I made this yarn ghost craft for the first time and loved it so much I couldn't stop. It looked great as a garland but even better within my existing home decor. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Yarn Ghost Craft Materials: White yarn Googly eyes Ribbon Scissors Glue (tacky glue or hot glue…
Both my kiddos really enjoyed a lovely morning of making their very own q tip skeleton crafts. This craft is very easy for toddlers as well as big kids of all ages. This q tip craft always comes out so beautiful and is totally adaptable! We did this activity as one of our Halloween crafts this year but it's also perfect for any x-ray themed learning activity. Check out this post for more ideas on how to celebrate Halloween all month long. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Materials Black Construction Paper Scissors School Glue Q-tips Optional: white crayon, pencil, or…
When I was pregnant with my first child, I remember being so nervous about going into labor and not making it to the hospital in time. Little did I know that should have been the least of my worries. I never went into labor naturally and ended up having an emergency c-section. Recovering from a c-section was one of the hardest things I ever experienced. The reason I needed a c-section was because at 40 weeks and 2 days my fluid was low and the baby was big. So I was induced. Instead of waking up in the middle of…
This mama loves Halloween and making crafts out of toilet paper rolls so, of course, I had to combine both. Making Halloween-themed toilet paper roll crafts is totally the way to go every year at any age! Lately, my creative energy has shifted toward designing and printing graphic shirts with my family under our brand Ctrl Ink. We draw inspiration from seasonal fun like Halloween (so yes, I love pumpkin/ghost graphics too). If you ever want to peek at what we’re making, I’d be honored. Check out this post for more ideas on how to celebrate Halloween all month long. * This post includes…
Have you ever felt guilty for "ruining your kids?" Maybe you've blamed yourself for things that weren't really in your control or completely doubted your parenting methods. You've got mom guilt. And if you're struggling to fight it when it takes over, you need to learn how to stop that mom guilt from stealing your self-confidence. Being responsible for another life is extremely overwhelming. Mom guilt is real, you are not alone. And yes, you can do this! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Mom Guilt Is Normal And Can Be A Good Thing Mom guilt pops out at any…
Kids love sharks and kids love crafts. For this activity, we did a shark craft! This shark craft requires some fine motor skills but is great for preschool-aged kids as well as big kids. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Learning While Crafting and Playing You might be surprised to find that crafting and playing are some of the most important ways young kids learn. A preschool-aged child is still developing various skills in their fine motor development, logic and reasoning, patience, and creative expression. Crafting and playing not only boosts mood but it helps children develop these skills. That…
It's not every day that I share recipes with you guys but every once in a while I need to share my absolute favorites. For a time, I used to make these every Sunday for the whole family and it was always a hit! I like baking from scratch and this combo is one of my absolute favorite breakfast or brunch meals. So here's my recipe for homemade waffles with cinnamon butter and apples. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Personal Backstory I'm no chef but I like to share my favorites. A few years ago we discovered a great…
So many of us have been impacted by Eric Carle at some point in our lives. As part of a Kindergarten art lesson, we did a few Eric Carle-inspired texture collage craft activities. * This post includes Affiliate Links. The Freedom to Create Adults often envy a child's ability to be so creative and free and this craft actually brought me back to my own childhood. As I was explaining the first steps in creating this art collage to my kids, they became a bit confused. At 4 and 6 years old, they are already developing a standard form of…
Clumsy Thief Junior is a card game for kids that teaches them how to add two numbers to make 10 in a really fun way. For me, it was like a blend between Go Fish and Uno with a mathematical twist and a raccoon thief. The goal of this game, other than to entertain, is to memorize the different combinations of addends of 10. It's a fun game for young kids that teaches them important math skills and memorization. You can purchase Clumsy Thief Junior individually on Timberdoodle.com as part of Timberdoodle’s Kindergarten curriculum kit.In exchange for our honest review, we received a…
Looking for a fun summer craft? We spend a lot of time making paper crafts over the summer on rainy days or just to avoid the heat. Popsicles are the perfect summer snack for cooling off, but also a fun craft to make and play with. Your family will love this paper popsicle craft! The fun part about this craft is that you can decorate it however you want. And then you can use them to play ice cream shop, how fun! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Paper Popsicle Craft Materials Popsicle sticks Cardstock paper (to make it sturdy)…
Summer is basically here because it's graduation season! I'm super proud of my kids' academic growth this year. My oldest is graduating from virtual kindergarten so I wanted to do something special and made this fun graduation cap craft for us. I figure we might even make it a yearly tradition. The craft itself is fairly simple and requires materials you'll likely have at home anyway. I've put together step-by-step instructions and pictures below as well as a template. Over time, as I’ve loved creating fun crafts like this with my kids, my creative spark grew into something more…
Art with kids is always so much fun. Printmaking is a really fun art technique where you use different objects to transfer shapes and patterns with ink. It's also a wonderful way to show cause and effect. For this activity, we made a simple turtle art piece using a potato masher and the kids were thrilled! * This post includes Affiliate Links. What is Printmaking? Printmaking is a technique for making art by printing, or recreating, the same picture multiple times. This means that you can recreate the same pattern multiple times using existing objects or objects you create yourself.…
As a stay-at-home mom, I've come to realize that screen time isn't all that bad. For starters, it gets my kids to sit still while I accomplish other tasks or simply take a breath. But it's been really educational for them as well. I was one of those people who swore I wouldn't let my kids have too much screen time, but then I became a mom and reality kicked in! So, instead, I made sure to monitor the things my kids have access to on the screens and made sure to choose great educational tv shows since they were…
Young kids have short attention spans, which makes it hard to keep them entertained for long periods of time. And it's no secret that kids love playing and exploring with water. But playing with plain water can often get boring so why not add a pop of color... or three? In this water activity, your toddler will not only be entertained for a long time but will also be learning color mixing fundamentals! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Benefits of Water Play Not only does water entertain for hours but children gain a range of rich and valuable benefits.…
Most kids love the idea of using scissors, mine will literally leap for them. If you're a nervous parent like me, you'll probably keep all scissors out of reach to avoid wild haircuts and chopped blankets throughout the house. But it's important for toddlers to develop scissor skills by the time they begin elementary school. And there are many fun ways to introduce fun and supervised activities for your toddler. Let's start with some basics, like when to introduce scissors, what scissors to start with, and how to hold scissors. * This post includes Affiliate Links. What Age Should Toddlers…
If you haven't heard of dot markers by now, you should definitely check them out. There are countless uses and activities for making dot marker art and playful learning with toddlers and that's what makes them so exciting. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Chalkola Dot Markers Dot markers are basically markers but they print big dots. It might sound silly to skeptic but it's actually a great way for younger learners to grasp and tune their fine motor skills. Plus, there are so many things you can do with them that make them exciting for all ages. We also…
It’s crazy how quickly we overthink the simple materials that can actually be so entertaining and used for educational purposes. Dot sticker activities are exciting for toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids too! This dot sticker activity was very simple for me to set up for my 4 year old and it made her so happy. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Homeschooling with Multiple Kids is Exhausting Like a lot of moms these days, we've been doing virtual schooling and homeschooling, and let me tell you, it's exhausting! My son has classes on Zoom in the mornings and then I sit…
Schools and many businesses are closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day. This year, we decided to be proactive and discuss the importance of diversity and the history behind Martin Luther King Jr and finished our conversations with a cute diversity craft for kids. We started our discussion and activity in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day but it is also perfect for introducing black history month in February. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Deciding to Teach About Diversity to Toddlers It's 2021 and there is still a lot of hate in this world. We live in a…
My kids and I have been super into doing crafts lately. But simple is always the best way to go to make things easier for me to set up, clean up, and for them to feel like they can do it all by themselves. This winter-themed penguin craft for kids is the perfect activity to do together. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Back to School Penguins Lesson With school back in session this winter, my son was learning about penguins in school. We've been doing virtual classes at home so my daughter and I can participate too and we…
When you're stuck indoors for so long you start to get a little creative with what you have. This fun and simple diy bowling game uses toilet paper rolls, a ball, and tape. With two semi-uncoordinated toddlers bowling could go either way but we gave it a shot anyway and it was a lot of fun for all of us. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Playing Games to Improve Motor Skills and Coordination Playing games and introducing sports are always a good way to work your mind and your body as well as to improve motor skills and hand-eye…
Best gift ideas for kids under 5 years old, broken down by age and developmental milestones. Including: babies, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds.
These past few months have gotten a little bit brighter with our Bookroo subscription. Bookroo is a subscription service for families to grow their little one's libraries from the comfort of their own home. And I absolutely love that it's run by three moms! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Bookroo Book Club Ages Bookroo has options for board books, picture books, and chapter books, ranging from ages 0-10. Board Books for ages 0-3. This subscription comes with three sturdy board books ranging from 8-14 pages. Picture Books for ages 3-6. This subscription comes with two hardcover picture books ranging…
This article was originally written in the depths of the pandemic but several of these Halloween ideas and activities apply any year! This pandemic really has had everyone on their toes and parents have been trying to be extra creative when planning special events. We'd hoped social distancing measures wouldn't be necessary so many months later but here we are, planning to celebrate Halloween at home. Even though none of us really wanted so many things canceled, it doesn't mean everything has to be eliminated. Sure, most of us won't be trick or treating from door to door like we…
There's something about so satisfying about seeing an organized space. Having kids comes with a lot of... 'stuff,' and no one wants to see stuff all over the place. It's definitely a challenge to keep all the kids' 'stuff' in order but it is possible. I've always been an organization method addict so I'm sharing some of my favorite kids' room organization tips and ideas. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Before You Start Organizing There are a few things to consider before beginning the organization process. Assessing the problems is part of the first step. Where are the problem…
We all want our children to learn to swim – it keeps them safe, and it’s an activity they’ll enjoy for a lifetime. If possible, it’s best to enroll kids in a formal swimming lesson program because swim instructors are experts at introducing water skills safely. Since that’s not always possible, here are a few tips and tricks from seasoned swim instructors you can use at home. * This post includes Affiliate Links. When to start getting kids used to water Some babies are born with an affinity for water, but others take their time adjusting. Learning to swim is…
It's hard for anyone to understand their feelings and emotions, especially a young child with limited communicative skills. Reading is an excellent way to help our children understand things from a different perspective, including their own feelings and emotions. Learning to understand them will help children learn how to deal with them and reduce poor behavior. So I've compiled several children's books that express various common feelings and emotions as well as examples of how to or how not to react. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Toddler Tantrums Children aged between 1-3 years old tend to have temper tantrums.…
My kids love exploring with their hands so I set up a fun sensory activity for them, tear-free bubble foam. Who doesn't love a great sensory play activity? * This post includes Affiliate Links.This activity is so simple and fun that there really are no limits to how you can play. We mostly just felt the textures, played with mixing colors, and did a little splashing. You can also add toy figures and a toothbrush and pretend to clean them off. For more ideas on fun activities to do this summer, check out How To Survive Social Distancing With Kids…
Are you tired of chalk dust? You draw one little thing and you leave behind so much dust and when you try to clean it off it leaves the whole surface area full of chalk powder. This perfectionist mamma just won't have it. But I've recently discovered the power of chalk markers with Chalkola. They don't leave a huge mess and are easy to wipe clean, lifesaver! Chalkola sent me their Chalkboard Easel and set of 30 Chalk Markers in exchange for this honest and unbiased review. If you're considering their products, scroll down for a great discount. This post…
If you're here, it's because you're looking for some great Father's Day gift ideas.Well, you're in the right place, because I've got several ideas for every type of dad in your life, and we know there are many! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Father Appreciation Like moms, fathers need appreciation.They're there for us our entire lives, guiding us through all our stages of life and all the wild emotions. They're teaching us countless life lessons and being our support system throughout our entire lives.On Father's Day, we like to shower the fathers in our lives with love.Have your child…
Father's Day is just around the corner and I have the perfect gift idea, personalized socks!! Okay, some people think gifting socks is totally lame and others love receiving socks. But with Printsfield, you can personalize them and give Dad, or really anyone, a really great gift. Check it out, I made one with my husband's face all over it. Everyone is asking me where I got them, asking for their own pairs, or planning Christmas their gifts in advance.* This post includes Affiliate Links. Men's Electric Shaver Fossil Watch Portable Speaker Personalized Socks and Other Gifts On…
