Are you heading out soon on a road trip or family vacation and taking the kids along? If so, you will want to plan ahead and pack up several things that will keep the kids busy and keep them comfortable while you are traveling. How much you take along with you will depend on the number of children traveling with you and how long you will be traveling by car as children will need a nice variety of things to do so that they don’t get too bored.

Here are a few suggestions on things you could purchase and pack to help keep the kids busy and comfortable while traveling this summer.

* Hangman Game (Paper and Pencils)
* Tic, Tac, Toe Game (Paper and Pencils)
* I Spy Something (Color) Game (Paper and Pencils)
* License Plate Collector Game(Paper and Pencils)
* Crossword Puzzles & Activity Books
* Coloring Books and Crayons
* Sticker Books
* Classic Travel-Sized Board Games (Checkers, Chess, Sorry)
* Electronic Hand-Held Games
* Dice Games (Yahtzee)
* Classic Card Games (Uno, Go Fish, etc.)
* DVD’s and a DVD Player

In addition to packing games and activities to keep the kids busy while on a road trip you want to pack some cold beverages, various snacks, a few paper bag lunches, extra set of clothing for each person, a first aid kit, travel pillows and a few throw blankets.

Being prepared ahead of time while taking a road trip with the kids will save you a lot of stress and aggravation while out on the road.

Shelly Hill is the owner of the popular travel blog called Pennsylvania and Beyond located at http://pennsylvaniaandbeyond.blogspot.com where you can find valuable travel related articles, travel tips and lists of things to see and do across the United States.

How to keep your little ones busy while working at home by Jennifer May

Many Moms have been trying to solve the issue to finding a great way to still work but keep their children busy so they do not feel overwhelmed or not able to get work done. This has become the case for many Moms who choose to work at home. What most do not realize is that it is more than possible to keep a sane, organized schedule while having your children around. In many cases your children might have to adjust to the new circumstances but as with anything, over time they will adapt. It will allow you to get the much needed work you are doing for them and their future, to get done without feeling overwhelmed.

Here are a few ideas to keep your little ones busy while working at home during the day or evening:

1. Nap Time… (Yes, it is not busy for them but it is busy for you) Most of us with children under 5 years old who are not in kindergarten or preschool have a nap time schedule daily for them and some do not. This is a great way to get work done (especially phone calls) without feeling interrupted. Some children do grow out of it by 3 or 4 years old, but if we keep them on routine daily with their nap time, they will still do it until they reach preschool or kindergarten which allows you that ‘phone call time’ or important work time that needs to get done. I would utilize this time to do your most important things that can not be disrupted.

2. Play office by Mommy… This has been a savior for not only myself but many other WAHM’s (Work at Home Moms) who need something to occupy their little ones so they can get a little work done. Place a play phone, play desk, paper, crayons, etc. right next to your desk or laptop area and let your children ‘Pretend to be Mommy’. Children look up to us as Parents, so not only does this give them something to do but also teaches them a good work ethic at a very young age.

3. Movies/Books… There are many educational movies, shows and books out now a days. Children can learn so much from Dora the Explorer, Sesame Street, etc. Now, I would not take this as your only tool to getting some work done. But, do not feel guilty to let your child watch their favorite movie or show while you get a little work done. Placing a TV in near your work area can help, they feel near you while you can still get your tasks done for the day. Books are also great for the children who can sit still and entertain themselves. Get books with lots of colors, pictures and maybe some added interaction to them.

4. Coloring/Painting/Crafts… Being artistic is something almost any little one likes to do. I suggest the Color Wonders by Crayola. Which allow you not to worry about the floor, walls or furniture. With the little office space you set up for them by you, you can set them up on a project or coloring while you get some work done.

5. Online Children Interactive Sites… There are many sites out there like Nick Jr. that allow children to utilize the mouse to interact and learn. If you have an extra laptop or desktop that you are not using to do your work, get them set up and going with one of these sites through many of their educational, interactive programs, coloring or fun games

Jennifer May is a proud work-at-home Mom with Ameriplan® and also is the Founder/Owner of The WAHM Guide. She has experienced years of searching for work-at-home and is now successful from this experience. She has made it her goal and purpose to help as many as she can find and grow work-at-home opportunities successfully. She also shares true work-at-home jobs, home based businesses, research, tips, advice, personal experience and more on her work-at-home Mom website http://www.TheWAHMGuide.com. She has a passion for helping others and changing lives! You can find out more about what Jennifer does from home at http://www.HomeCareerAndFreedom.com.

Article Source: WAHM Articles

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and most of us celebrate Valentine’s Day in some way or another. When it comes to Valentine’s Day I enjoy doing something special with my spouse but we always plan a few special things to do with our family. Afterall…This day is all about love!

What kind of “family” things do you like to do with your family to celebrate? Here is some of the things we like to do.

1. We make handmade cards for one another & then mail them to each other. It is always fun to see them & who doesn’t love getting a card in the mail.

2. If you have older children let them help you bake up some Valentine’s Day goodies such as heart shaped cakes, decorated cupcakes or some Valentine’s Day shaped sugar cookies decorated in red & white sprinkles.

3. Throw a Valentine’s Day mini party! Play some games, watch some movies, pop some popcorn & call out for a pizza.

4. Put up some Valentine’s Day decorations & let the kids help!

5. Make or Buy extra little Valentine’s Day cards and have the kids fill them out. Drop them off at senior centers, hospitals or send them to our troops. It’s also nice to remember others during this very special day.

What kind of “family” Valentine’s Day activities do you enjoy doing with your family?

Shelly

During the Winter Season we are often hit with bad winter weather here on the North East Coast. That bad weather can consist of blizzards, snow storms, ice storms, sleet, freezing rain, you name it, we pretty much get it all here.

When the bad weather strikes, businesses, schools and daycare’s close down by the thousands, leaving many children stuck at home with not much to do. When our daughter was little, we decided to make “bad weather days” our family’s arts and crafts day. As I look back over the years, we made some pretty awesome things…many of which I still have today.

The first thing I recommend that you do is to make up an arts and crafts bin by purchasing a plastic bin at your local discount store. Then, you will head to the dollar store and your local craft store and pick up some supplies. You should really fill up that bin! Here is a list of general supplies that every craft bin should have.

Straight Edge Scissors, Designer Edge Scissors
All Purpose Liquid Craft Glue and Glue Sticks
Construction Paper, Watercolor Paper and 8″ x 11″ sized scrapbooking paper
Stickers, Rubber Stamps, Ink Pads, Magnet Backs, Wiggle Eyes
Scraps of Ribbon, Lace, String, Yarn, Feathers, Popsicle Sticks, Craft Sticks
Buttons, Charms, Beads, Faux Gems, Rhinestones, Small Silk Flowers, Jewelry Findings, Blanket Keychain Rings, Blank Hair Barrettes and Pony Tail Holders
Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons, Water Paints, Finger Paints, Acrylic Paints and Paint Brushes
Modeling Clay and Optional Clay Molds
Paper Mache ~ Trinket Boxes, Ornaments, Photo Frames, Etc.
Coloring Books, Water Paint Books, Activity Pads
Foam Craft Sheets and Sheets of Craft Felt

A Few Project Ideas: Make refrigerator magnets, jewelry items, holiday ornaments, paintings, molded clay figures, homemade greeting cards, refrigerator art, picture frames, holiday decorations, decorate paper mache trinket boxes, hair items for girls, gifts for various holidays, keychains holders, shoe charms, etc.

Once you purchase the basic supplies which are suited for both boys and girls, you will want to keep your bin in a handy place. Once all of those “bad winter weather” days hit, you will be prepared for some Arts and Crafts fun with your children! You can visit various online web sites to get some great craft project ideas to use up all of those supplies. Keeping children busy during bad weather days doesn’t have to be a stressful task so view it as a great way to have some family bonding time.

This article was written by me (Shelly Hill) and is copyrighted 2011, All Rights Reserved. This article can not be reprinted without my permission or without my official author’s box attached to it. Contact me for it if you wish to reprint this article on your site.

Snazzy Ideas for Keeping Your Kindergartner Entertained at Home by O Quinn

Forget the plastic doo-dads on the store shelves, the store bought package lunches. All your child needs for a happy, productive, fun filled learning day is probably already contained within within your home. Let them help you look.

Children love to be creative. My five year old proves this to me every day. Sometimes she needs a little nudge in the right direction but then she can take off with an idea and play, while learning, to her hearts content. That’s what little children are doing while they’re playing, learning. They learn by mimicking mommy or daddy. They learn while going through their daily routine and watching the world around them.

For play some children’s days will be spent pretending to be a teacher with a class full of stuffed animals, driving a car down their the busy neighborhood of the family living room, or diaper their baby doll alongside mommy and their new sibling.

But that’s not all they can play with.

For practicing words or letters try a fishing pole fashioned from a stick found in the garage. Add some spare ribbon, and a magnet ripped from the back of a spent notepad. Cut out paper fish to catch with words, letters, or numbers your child is learning to read written on them. Paperclips or staples attached to each mouth to “aid in the catching of the fish”.

Help you child learn numbers and writing by playing “office”, “grocery store”, and “bank”. Make desks from discarded cardboard boxes. Add recycled paper cut into little squares and some (washable) pens and pencils. Give them jobs such as writing up the grocery list, counting how many cans of such and such you have in the pantry. Or counting the change found around the house as they make a deposit into their “bank”.

Children love water play too. Find something in the home that needs a bit of detailed cleaning. Something such as soap dishes or some of their plastic toys. Set them up with a little bowl of soapy water in a small bowl, a sponge and a cloth to dry. Lee them work along side you in the kitchen or at the dining table.

Children are resourceful. Most anything can become a favorite toy. Be on the lookout for learning adventures.

For more information on organizing your life and home visit Homemaking Organized. For organizing life with baby visit

Article Source: WAHM Articles

The fall cooler months are a great time to get outdoors for some important bonding time with your family. The weather is cooler, school is in full swing and we settle into our fall routines. When the weekends roll around our family likes to get outdoors before the cold winter sets in.

Here are some of the fall outdoor activities we look forward to doing every year.

Local fall festivals & street fairs
Apple picking at our local orchard
Raking leaves & piling them up for some childish play with the kids
Hiking and Walking at our local parks & recs centers
Cookouts & Family BBQ’s (fall is great for outdoor family get-togethers)
Decorating our yard for Halloween (family event)
Attending Halloween & Fall Parties
Weekend Trip (we like to take a weekend trip to take in the fall foliage & activities in our state)
Community Volunteering (a lot of organizations need volunteers in the fall so seek those out & volunteer as a family)

What kind of fall activities do you enjoy doing with your family?

Shelly

Are you planning a Birthday Party for your small child? Looking for some creative places on where to hold the party that young children will love? If so, I got some great ideas to share with you! Some of these ideas are low cost places and other’s are more expensive. Most of these places are great unisex places but a few are more geared towards boys or girls.

Before you try to find a place to hold the Birthday Party, you will want to come up with the guest list first, as the places you contact will ask you how many will be attending and that will include your adult chaperons too. They will also ask you about the food, will you be providing it or will you need it catered by them?

Once you find the perfect location to hold the party, you can then work on picking out a theme and purchasing all of the food and supplies that you will need. A piece of advice, always plan for a few extra guests when making your reservations and purchasing your supplies!

My Top Places On Where To Hold A Party List

1. Your Home (always works well if you have space and a backyard)
2. Bowling Alley
3. Salon or Day Spa
4. Pottery, Arts and Crafts Studios
5. Horse and Pony Stables (for horseback riding)
6. Snack Food Factory (a lot of them have children’s parties with factory tours available)
7. Zoo, Aquarium or Local Farm
8. Circus or Hire A Clown To Attend Home Party
9. Ice Skating, Roller Skating Rink or Ski Lodge
10. Movie Theater for Private Showing
11. Sporting Event or Athletic Arena (football, baseball, hockey, basketball, etc.)
12. Music Concert (geared towards children of course)
13. Puppet Theater (for a Puppet Show)
14. Local Outdoor Park, Picnic Area or Beach
15. Cooking & Baking at local Culinary School or Bakery (kids love to cook and bake)
16. Tea Party (at a local tea house)
17. Restaurants (if you child has a favorite place that they like to eat, contact them to arrange a party)
18. Outdoor Camping (with plenty of adult supervision)
19. Miniature Golf
20. Arcade and Game Center, Amusement Parks
21. Nature Science Center or Museums
22. Airports (usually your smaller community airports allow parties)
23. Music Recording Studios
24. Ballet and Gymnastic Studios
25. Local Fishery (for boy’s fishing party)
26. Local Speedway or Racing Facility
27. Train Stations or Train Museums (boys love trains!)
28. Boating Facilities (near big lakes, rivers and oceans)
29. Rock Climbing Facility
30. Pet Shop, Pet Rescue Group Facility or Shelter

This article was written by Shelly Hill, copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Now that summer is in full swing, do you and your family enjoy outdoor picnics? I am not talking about big family reunions & gatherings, what I am specifically talking about is some family time with just your spouse and kids?

One of the things we enjoy doing as a family is going out to remote areas, public parks, etc. and planing an afternoon picnic.

Now if you have never done this for your family, here is a list of things you will need:

Picnic Blanket or Picnic Table
Picnic Table Cloth (if using a table)
Plates, Napkins, Plastic Utensils and Cups
Picnic Basket and/or a Cooler with ice
Trash Bags (for clean up)

You don’t need to get all elaborate with your food choices…you can plan simple sandwiches/subs, macaroni or potato salad, some chopped up fresh fruit, potato chips & pretzels and perhaps a few pickled eggs.

While out on your picnic, you will want to bring along a few things to keep the kids busy or activities that the entire family can enjoy such as: a ball, kites, fishing poles (if near water), bubble blowing machines, bocci ball, frisbee or any other small & portable outdoor activity that you can think of.

The most important thing is to keep it simple so that you don’t stress yourself out. Remember, this is family time so you will want to plan ahead for a stress-free afternoon outdoors!

Shelly

Now that it’s the middle of the summertime season, what kind of family activities do you enjoy doing outdoors? One of the things we have always enjoyed doing as a family in the summertime has been kite flying.

Kite flying is an inexpensive family activity because all you really need is a kite! You can buy inexpensive ones at your local dollar type of store or you can go for more expensive ones at a kite shop.

If you have small children, I recommend getting the cheap and easy kites. If you have older children, you can purchase the more expensive kites…but either way, kite flying is a lot of fun!

When we plan kite flying family days, we also pack a picnic style lunch. All you need are some sandwiches, fruit, a snack and a few drinks. While you are at it, don’t forget to pack a blanket!

So this summer when you are thinking about a good family activity to do outdoors…consider going out and flying a few kites!

Shelly

If you are looking to keep older kids busy this summer, how about letting them tie-dye their own T-shirts? You can go out to your local craft store and buy kids T-shirts for about $3.00 a piece or better yet, dig some out of your child’s closet and use those!

I recently did a product review for a company called Simply Spray which has these awesome spray fabric paints. Sort of like traditional spray paint but made for fabrics! These were really easy to use and it only took me 90 minutes to make a tie-dye tshirt for my nephew (allowing for drying time).

Here is what you will need to make one:

100% cotton T-shirt
Simply Spray Fabric Paints (3-5 colors)
Newspaper

You will want to do this project outdoors during a nice weather day. Lay down several sheets of newspaper. Take your cotton short and scrunch it up. Stand back about a foot or two and lightly spray your T-shirt. I left mine dry for 10-15 minutes, rearranged the shirt by scrunching it again and then sprayed on another color. Repeat that process until your shirt is done.

Note: You do not need to heat set the paint! I left mine dry for 72 hours before washing it.

Pretty easy and fast! A great little summer craft project for the kids to keep them busy.

Shelly