Let’s get started with the items that you will need to make these:

Terra Cotta Pot (any size), foam paint brushes, small paint brush and then some acrylic craft paint in pink, light green, kelly green and black.  Red paint would also be a great choice if you like that look better instead of pink.

Start by taking a foam brush and painting the bottom part of the pot with the pink paint.  Let completely dry.  Paint another coat if needed.

Paint the rim of your pot with the Kelly green paint and let dry again.

Add some light green paint on the rim to make it look like a watermelon rind. 

Last but not least, it’s time to make the watermelon seeds.  Use your small paintbrush and black paint and dot away!

Let all paint completely dry and then you are ready to plant.  You can plant flowers but we love the look that the succulents make in these Watermelon Flower Pots.

These are fun to  put in kids bedrooms because succulents are so easy to take care of but they also make great gifts!

More fun crafts:

Clothes Pin Bird Craft

Coffee Filter Butterflies

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My kids never go in our backyard. Some days, I have to force them out the door. While I’d like to blame the hot weather out here (we are in AZ after all), I can’t help but think it might be because there isn’t much going on back there. Well, we are about to move to a new house, and I am determined to make good use of it. My goal is to create a backyard that my children can’t resist playing in! Is your backyard in desperate need of an upgrade too? We’re in this together then! Here are 21 irresistible backyard play areas I can’t wait to try out!

1. Tire climbing tower– For the brave and daring, they’ll love climbing all over this tower from Blessings Overflowing.

2. Construction Play area– Is your child obsessed with tractors and bulldozers? They this is the perfect backyard play area for your family! Find instructions at Simply Laura Leigh!

3. Splash Pad– Who says you need to go to the park to play at the splash pad? Build this simple design from SHTF Preparedness !

4. Pirate Boat– Let your child’s imagination run wild with this tutorial from The Resourceful Mama.

5. Backyard Art Oasis– With Tinker Lab‘s artistic play area, your kids can have fun making a beautiful mess that stays outside!

6. Platform Tree House– Every kid needs a tree house, am I right? Try Repurpose and Upcycle‘s simple design!

7. Sand and Water Table– This play table from Frugal Fun 4 Boys is the perfect place to experiment and make a mess!

8. Giant Chalkboard– Take coloring outside with Love and Renovations‘s giant chalkboard.

9. Platform Swing– Fit multiple people on this giant swing from The Naughty Mommy!

10. Kiddie Car Wash– This idea from Mom Endeavors is sure to be the new favorite activity at your house!

11. Hill Side Slide– We love this dreamy slide from The Empowered Educator! It’s perfect for little legs to climb up to!

12. DIY Play House– The perfect place to have imaginary adventures! Find this easy design at Houseful of Handmade.

13. Outdoor Tinker Space– Keep your kids busy and exploring with Work Space for Children‘s tinkerspace!

14. One Rope Tree Swing– Let your child’s dreams take flight with Tee Diddly Dee‘s rope swing.

15. Outdoor Reading Nook– Vintage Revival’s reading nook is the perfect escape for your little bookworm! We have links to both parts: Part1 & Part 2.

16. Seesaw– Seesaws are an excellent practice in teamwork, don’t you think? Find this fun DIY at A Turtle’s Life for Me.

17. Airplane Play Structure– Your children will have so many adventures with Rogue Engineer DIY airplane!

18. A-Frame Play House– We love this unique design from At Home with Ashley.

19. Mud Kitchen– What kid doesn’t love playing in the mud? Create your own mud kitchen at Tippy Tupps.

20. Climbing Wall and Net– Have you ever wondered if your children are actually little monkeys that won’t stop climbing? If your answer is yes, someone please save my sanity, then you’ll love this idea from Mincing Thoughts.

21. Tire Climber– This climbing structure from My Small Potatoes is sure to get out all the wiggles from your kids!

Which of these 21 irresistible backyard play areas is your family going to try first? 

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I love this state in the Spring because it has the most beautiful flowering trees.  There is even somewhat of a state song that is called “Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Trees” and it truly does looks like popcorn all over our trees in the spring. What better time to make a Tissue Paper Flower Bracelet for the little girls in your life.  My granddaughters loved them!

To get started you will need tissue paper in a bunch of different colors, pipe cleaners, a single hole punch, some beads and baubles with a big enough hole that a pipe cleaner can be pushed through and some scissors.

Instructions:

1.  Stack a bunch of small tissue paper sheets together. The order of your colors will determine how your flower will look.  We recommend stacking 15-20 layers.  More layers make for a fuller flower.

2. Cut out a circle about 3″ in diameter.  You can make them smaller or bigger depending on the size of your child’s wrist.

3.  Punch two holes in the middle of the circles and line up the punches as close as possible.

4.  Take the pipe cleaner and thread it through the two holes. Have the same length of pipe cleaner on each side.

5.  Twist the pipe cleaner in the back.

6.  Now it is time to make your flower bloom!  Take the top layer of tissue paper and give it a little crumple.  Follow this process with every layer.

7.  Thread your beads onto each side of the pipe cleaner. Put on enough for the size that you need but leave some room at the end so you can twist the pipe cleaner to close your bracelet. Snip the ends off and your kids are ready to have a fashion show to show off their creation!

Happy Spring Everyone!

Flowers and butterflies just go together don’t they?  Here is a super fun and easy Butterfly Craft.

Coffee Filter Butterflies

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One of my worst fears as a parent is that some day, when my child finally goes off into the world as a young adult, he won’t know a thing about taking care of himself! What if he doesn’t know how to budget?! What if he doesn’t know how to clean up his apartment?! How will he get a job?! What will he eat?! Well, it’s never too early to start teaching your kids independence, and at our house, we’re starting with cooking (…. and cleaning. But that’s for a different post…). And, no surprises, our kids are having a blast! Get your oven mitts ready with these 29 recipes your kids will love to make! 

1. Breakfast Balls– Start your family off right with Kids Activities breakfast balls!

2. Hash Brown Egg Cups– There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of hash browns wafting through the house. Find this recipe at The Taylor House.

3. Pancake Muffins– Forget the griddle! Your kids will love customizing these pancake muffins from Twin Mom Refreshed!

4. Breakfast Sushi– Don’t worry! There’s no raw fish in this healthy banana treat from Raising Whasians!

5. Omelet Breakfast Bites– Forget the stove top! These omelets from A Worthey Life are baked right in your oven!

6. Raspberry Coconut Breakfast Balls– Add some flavor to the morning routine with Healthy Little Foodies breakfast balls.

7. Bread in a Bag– This recipe from Busy Toddler is sure to keep little hands occupied!

8. Fruit and Cracker Pizza– Sunshine and Hurricanes‘s recipe is quick and easy!

9. Frozen Yogurt Bites– We love making frozen yogurt bites at Grammy’s house with our recipe here at This Grandma is Fun!

10. Apple Nachos– Forget the cheese! The Simple Parent‘s nachos are a fun fruity spin on the classic appetizer!

11. Fruit Tacos– Speaking of fruity spins, have you tried Organized 31‘s fruit tacos? Yum!!!

12. Easy Soft Pretzel– Who knew soft pretzels were easy to make?! Find this recipe at Miss Information.

13. Pepperoni Cheese Bombs– It’s a well known fact that all kids love pizza, so it only makes sense that they should learn to make it in all its forms and variations, like these pepperoni cheese bombs from Sizzling Eats.

14. Meatloaf Cupcakes– With First Look Then Cook‘s recipe, cake becomes meat and frosting becomes mashed potatoes. So easy. So classic. So good.

15. Veggie Rice– An easy way to get your daily serving of vegetables in! Check out the recipe at The OT Toolbox .

16. Empanadas with Ham and Cheese– The picture is making my mouth water! Go to The Anthony Kitchen for the recipe!

17. Taco Pizza– Two delicious foods combined into one! Try it out at Life in the Lofthouse.

18. Mac and Cheese Bites– The Best Ideas for Kids‘s mac and cheese bites are easy, delicious, and totally kid-approved!

19. 4 Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pie– Hearty and filling, your kids will love making these cute pies from Charisse Yu!

20. Stir-fry– This recipe from My Life and Kids is a great introduction to using the stove (with plenty of adult supervision of course!)

21. Doritos Chicken Tenders– What is it about Doritos and kids? If there was one food my kids would eat every day for the rest of their lives, it would definitely be Doritos. So, of course, we’re going to try Dancing through the Rain‘s recipe here soon!

22. Mini Biscuit Pizza– Pizza comes in so many shapes and sizes, like these mini biscuits from Mommy Hood Life.

23. Cheesy Taco Sticks– Cheese? Tacos? Count me in! Find this recipe at I Wash, You Dry!

24. Easy Monte Cristo Sandwich– Favorite Family Recipes has found the secret to making this delicious sandwich a cinch to whip up!

25. Easy Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla– Little hands will love helping you make this tasty dish from Faith Filled Food for Moms!

26. Circus Animal Cookie Truffles– When I was a kid, I had an obsession with circus animal cookies. So, naturally, I need to pass on my love for them with The Three Snackateers yummy treat!

27. Cake Mix Donuts– These donuts from It’s Always Autumn are almost too pretty to eat! Almost….

28. Rainbow Popsicles– One Little Project‘s popsicles are the perfect treat to make for a hot summer’s day.

29. Yogurt Unicorn Bark– My girls would go crazy for this! Try it at Baby Foodie!

We hope you got some ideas from our list of recipes your kids will love to make! Which is the first one you’ll try with your family? Happy cooking!

The post 29 Recipes Your Kids Will Love To Make! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Items needed for this craft:

Coffee filter papers

Washable markers

Pipe cleaners

Spray bottle

You will need four coffee filters for each butterfly. 

Put two filters together so that you have two piles of two filters.

Color the top coffee filter with the washable markers.  Let your kids creativity flow!  Make a design, make a pattern or just let them scribble.   It will all turn out beautiful. Bright colors usually work out best.

Now here’s the part that all kids love! Using water and getting a little wet! With your spray bottle, spray water all over the top filter. Make sure every inch of the coffee filter gets wet enough to soak through to the layer underneath.

You should now have four Tie-dyed filters. 

Peel the layered filters apart and lay them out to dry. 

When they are fully dry, accordion fold each filter.  Fold one way and then turn and fold the other way.

Overlap the two filters together as shown below.

Fold your pipe cleaner in half and then wrap it around the center of the coffee filters.  Make sure you twist the pipe cleaner real good so that all four pieces are tightly secured.  Curl the ends of your pipe cleaners to make them look like the butterfly’s antenna.

And there you have it!  Darling Coffee Filter Butterflies to adorn your house while you wait for Spring!

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Items needed for this craft:

Socks – You can either purchase or use mismatched socks from home.

Satin Ribbon   – Or use any kind of ribbon that you have at home.

Scunci Polybands – Plain rubber bands will also work.

Long Grain Rice – About 1 cup per bunny

Needle and black thread or Black Sharpie Marker

Let’s get started!  First stretch your sock over a sturdy glass, then fill the sock with 1 cup of rice.

Take a polyband or rubber band and tie the top closed.

Then take another band and wrap it around near the top to create the body and the head.

Use another band to make the tail for the bunny

Cut any excess sock off at the top.  If you leave a lot of sock at the top, your ears will be floppy.  If you cut it closer to the head, they will stand up.  It’s all up to you!

Cut down the center of the top of the sock. Then cut each ear at an angle to make the curve for the ears.

This next part you can either use some black thread to make two eyes and “x” for the nose or you can use a sharpie marker.

Give your bunny a little bow around the neck and he is ready to go!  Kids love playing with these because the rice inside makes it soft to hold and easy for them to stand this bunny up. 

A big thank you to Feeling Nifty for this great Sock Bunnies Craft.  It was a big success!

The post Sock Bunnies Craft appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started.  Rolling pin, egg shape cookie cutter, straw, parchment paper, acrylic paint, clear coat sealer (not pictured), paint brushes or foam brushes, paint pens (optional) and some twine.

Mix together the items (see below for the salt dough recipe). Then roll with the rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness.  Little hands love to do this part!

With your egg shape cookie cutter, cut out your shapes from the dough

Take the straw and poke holes at the top of the oval.

Bake the ornaments per the recipe below.  Now comes the creative part!  After these have baked and are completely cooled, let the creative juices flow and paint your ornaments!

The foam brush is better to paint the whole egg with while the smaller brushes are better for details. I love to watch the creativity of my grandkids.

Let paint completely dry then spray with a clear top coat and let dry.  Attach some twine and you are ready to hang!  They are darling on a tree outside, on a branch inside your house or hanging from a shelf. 

Print

Salt Dough Easter Egg Ornaments

Course Craft

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water
• Rolling pin
• Egg shape cookie cutter
• Straw
• Parchment paper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Mix first three ingredients together and knead until a dough forms.
• With rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Some flour sprinkled on the counter might be needed to avoid sticking.
• Take your egg shape cookie cutter and cut out your shapes from the dough.
• Next, use the straw to make holes at the top of the oval.
• Place eggs on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Bake at 250 for 2 hours. Watch to make sure they don't overcook and crack.
• Items needed for painting:
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Foam brushes
• Clear coat sealer (not pictured)
• Twine
• Paint pens (optional)
• After the eggs are completely cooled, now is the creative part! Take your acrylic paint and paint away! The foam brushes are better to paint the whole egg with and the smaller brushes will be better for the details.
• When the paint has completely dried, spray with a coat of clear sealer. After drying completely, attach some twine and you are ready to go!

Our grandkids had a great time making these Easter Egg Ornaments and a big thank you to Design Mom for the great idea!

Happy Easter!

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Confession: I am a last-minute mom. I am the mom who gets the birthday gift on the way to the party and wraps it in the car. I am the mom who rushes to drop my kids off at school in my sweats. And for Valentine’s, I am the mom who runs to the store the day before and grabs whatever box of valentines is left over. But, this year, I decided to try something different. I am preparing early and getting some cute, original DIY valentines ready. If you’re looking for something different too, check out these 25 show-stopping DIY valentines!

1. S’mores Valentine– S’mores are no longer just for the summer with these cute Valentines from Overstuffed .

2. I Dig You, Valentine– Real Housemoms‘s Valentines are the perfect hand out for any kids that love playing in the dirt!

3. Paper Airplane Valentines– I have a 5 year old who would go crazy over these valentines from Lia Griffith!

4. Awesome Sauce– The Search for Imperfection‘s printable makes this valentine simple and easy.

5. Gummy Bear Valentine– The gummy bears make this valentine from Six Time Mommy colorful and yummy!

6. Olaf Valentine– Anyone else’s kids crazy for Frozen? My daughter would be obsessed with One Creative Mommy‘s Olaf valentines.

7. Conversation Heart Soap– I used to not like conversation hearts, but these soaps from A Pumpkin and a Princess definitely changed my mind!

8. Valentines Chocolate Box– Our simple valentines chocolate box is perfect for hiding surprises inside, like candy or even a ring? (wink, wink) Find it at This Grandma is Fun!

9. Valentine Donuts– I don’t know about your family, but in ours, there is no greater gift of love than donuts. Share the love with Eighteen25‘s amazing design.

10. Heart Shaped Crayons– Make Valentines colorful with Princess Pinky Girl‘s heart crayons.

11. I “Chews” You– This valentine from Crazy Little Projects is sure to be the hit at any Valentine’s Day party!

12. Pirate Valentine– Short Stop Designs‘s valentines AAAARRR fun treasures for young pirates!

13. You the “Bomb”– Make Life Lovely‘s bath bomb valentines are the perfect way to pamper friends and family.

14. Valentine Pompom Monster–
We love these cute, fuzzy monsters from Practically Functional!

15. You Make My Heart Race– These valentines from Hello, Wonderful are too cute!

16. Fortune Cookie Valentine– We love this original idea from Evermine!

17. You’re One in a “Minion”– I feel like this valentine from The Benson Street was made for me haha. I can’t get enough of the minions!

18. Unicorn Valentine Foam Hearts– This valentine from The DIY Mommy is absolutely magical!

19. Soda Valentine– If you’d like to buy the world a coke, you’ll love this valentine from Bullock’s Buzz.

20. You A-maze Me– We love this fun take on valentines from Lil Luna!

21. Lip Balm Valentine– I don’t know about your family, but my kids looooove lip balm. They would be thrilled to receive Landeelu‘s valentine!

22. Rubber Duck Valentine– Kids will go quackers over Positively Splendid‘s valentines!

23. Valen-slime– Nothing says love like heart-shaped slime! Find this valentine at Kids Activities.

24. Ring Pop Valentine– Question: why has no one ever come up with socially acceptable, edible jewelry for grown-ups? I would love to have a delicious ring that I can slowly eat throughout the day, but that also looks amazing with my outfit. Is that so wrong? Check out this valentine at The Gracious Wife.

25. You Color My World– Add a little color to Valantine’s Day with this valentine from 5 Minutes for Mom!

The post 25 Show-Stopping DIY Valentines appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

The beginning of a new school year is an emotional time of year at our house. There’s lots of tears, grumbling, mess, and frustration. I mean, who wants to get out of bed to drive around all day and sit in your car? Packing food, stuffing angry kids in their clothes, throwing out breakfast….  And then there’s homework. Yes, it’s your child’s homework, but it is essentially your homework too.  It’s a lot to take in. So, to help make the beginning of the school year a little bit easier on you and thus your children, we’ve come up with a list of 101 easy school lunches!

It can be hard to find lunches that are both delicious and satisfy dietary needs. We’re making things easier for you with our list of gluten free lunch ideas!

1. Ham and Cheese Apple Wraps– Your kids will love this sweet and savory lunch from Momables!

2. Apple Peanut Butter Sandwich– We love this tasty idea from Boulder Locavore!

3. Egg cups– This recipe from Just What We Eat works nicely for a quick breakfast as well.

4. Lettuce Wraps– This lettuce wrap from The Real Food Dieticians looks so good, I’m making it for my lunch too!

5. Tuna Salad– We love this take on tuna mac salad from MI Gluten Free Gal.

6. Gluten Free Meat Balls– Meatballs are always a kid favorite! Thanks for the great recipe, Food for Fought!

7. Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins– A tasty twist on a classic from A Mind “Full” Mom.

8. Gluten Free Kid Friendly Pasta Salad– This pasta salad from Vegetarian Mamma makes a perfect lunch for school!

9. Pancake Bites– If your kids love breakfast, then they are sure to love these pancake bites from Hip 2 Save to school!

10. Bunless Cheeseburger Bites– Sugar Free Mom has such a creative take on cheeseburgers that your child will love!

There’s nothing better than a nice, hot lunch from home on a rainy day! What we love about many of these hot lunch recipes is that they make great dinners too and the leftovers are perfect for a school thermos!

1. Bagel Bites– If the Bagel Bites jingle was your anthem as a 90s kid, you (and your child of course!) are sure to love this fun recipe from The Anthony Kitchen!

2. Easy Baked Cheeseburger Sliders– The title contains both the words “easy” and “cheeseburger”. If that’s not enough to convince you to try this recipe from This Delicious House, I don’t know what will!

3. Ramen Vegetable Stir Fry– It could be my own personal bias towards Ramen noodles, but this stir fry from A Cultivated Nest looks delicious!

4. Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie– This easy chicken pot pie from Cook Me Quick screams comfort food! Perfect for students away from home all day!

5. Easy Chicken Fajitas– Check out this tasty recipe from Healthy Recipes Blogs. You can roll up some tortillas to pack along with the thermos! 

6. Mac and Cheese– In all seriousness, if my child could eat mac and cheese every day, he would. The Diary of a Real Housewife’s recipe is perfect for any like-minded student.

7. Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs on Rice– “Most Beautiful Presentation” award goes to the meatballs from Todays Parent. Do those not look amazing? My kids would gobble that up in a minute!

8. Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup– It doesn’t get much easier (or tastier) than this crockpot soup from The Chunky Chef.

9. Broccoli Pesto Pasta– Does your child avoid vegetables like the plague? Try this delicious pasta from My Fussy Eater and they’ll be begging for broccoli!

10. Quick & Easy Taco Soup– This taco soup from Must Have Mom is both quick and delicious!

11. Spaghetti Carbonera– If your child is obsessed with pasta, you’ll both love Momables’s spaghetti carbonara!

12. Easy Chicken Chow Mein– Just the thought of chow mein makes me drool. I can’t wait to try Life Made Sweeter’s recipe!

13. Shepherd’s Pie Cups– How cute are these shepherd’s pie cups from Eazy Peazy Mealz?! A meal that’s happy to see you!

14. 4-Ingredient Easy Potstickers– I never thought that potstickers could be easy, but I was wrong. Check out this recipe from Little Broken!

15. Ham and Cheese Empanada– These empanadas from The Anthony Kitchen look about a thousand times more appetizing than any microwave Hot Pocket!

16. Pulled Pork Sandwiches– These sandwiches from Baby Food look so delicious, I can already taste them!

A salad-eater is a rare breed in children, but these recipes might just change any kid to being a salad lover!

1. No-Cook Burrito Bowls– Did somebody say “no-cook?” This recipe from Lovely Culinary just made salad/lunch easy!

2. Kid Friendly Pasta Salad– This recipe from Baby-Led Feeding is sure to be a hit!

3. No-Cook Taco Salad Bento Box– This recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron is like a fiesta in a bento box!

4. Mango Pasta Salad– If you make this pasta salad, make a lot. You and your family will become addicted, so make sure you have lots to satiate your palate. You have been warned….

5. Mason Jar Salad– How were mason jar salads not a thing when I was growing up? Wait…. were they a thing??? Don’t let your child miss the mason jar salad boat and check out this recipe from Pass the Plants!

6. Avocado Chicken Salad– Find this mouthwatering recipe at Gimme Delicious!

7. Southwest Quinoa Salad– Kristine’s Kitchen’s salad is both healthy, delicious, and filling. In other words, a parent’s dream-come-true!

8. Salad Kabob– Make salad fun with this awesome idea from Jett’s Kitchen!

9. Strawberry Spinach Salad– I can’t explain it, but strawberries and spinach are a match made in heaven. Try this recipe from The Hidden Veggies for school lunch!

I know, I know. Sandwiches are the most unoriginal and boring lunch ever. Or are they? Check out this list of sandwiches, and you may feel differently!

1. Grilled Cheese Roll-ups– We love this fun twist to a classic from Raining Hot Coupons!

2. Chicken Salad Sandwich– If you have chicken salad fans in your family, we have just the recipe for you! It’s delicious with or without the cashews!

3. Monte Cristo Roll-ups– When I saw this recipe from Fast Forward Fun, the word that immediately came to my mind was “Ingenious!”

4. Bagels– Eats Amazing has a few tasty bagel ideas you could make for lunch!

5. Kid-Friendly Sushi Sandwiches– We are big sushi eaters in our family and I know my kids would love these sushi sandwiches from Everything Gerica!

6. Healthy Rainbow Sandwich– How pretty are these sandwiches from In the Playroom? I never thought sandwiches could be pretty before…

7. Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas– These pitas from Taste of Home are not only delicious, but healthy too!

8. Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders– I can’t get over how easy these sandwiches from Through Her Looking Glass are to make, and yet they taste like something from a restaurant!

9. Woodland Creature Sandwiches– Your kids are sure to smile when they find these cute, little critters from Positively Splendid in their lunch boxes!

10. Peanut Butter and Jelly Tacos– I’m pretty sure tacos are the best thing to ever happen to this planet. They’re even coming in PB & J now! Check it out at Homemade Interest!

11. Sandwich Skewers– Food is just better when it’s eaten off a stick. Get this recipe at Hello Wonderful!

Here are some easy, 100% delicious food ideas that are neither sandwiches nor salads!

1. Mac and Cheese Cups – Experience the miracle of muffin tin food with these mac and cheese cups from Super Healthy Kids!

2. PB & Banana Burrito – I am convinced that tortillas are the most versatile food on earth. You can even put bananas in them, like this easy recipe from Jif.

3. Shredded Zucchini Tots– These zucchini tots from Brooklyn Farm Girl remind me of french fries, but healthier.

4. Pepperoni Pizza Rolls – We know rolls are good, and we know pizza is good. Combine them together and you get amazing! Try this easy recipe from Yummiest Food!

5. Easy Lunch Kabobs– These kabobs from Mom on Timeout are such an easy way to make lunch exciting for kids!

6. Hardboiled Eggs We’ve even got this super easy way to peel them with a spoon! Perfect hack if you need to peel a lot eggs for a lot of lunches!

7. Mini Quiche– This recipe from Top and Exclusive Foods sounds so fancy, but it’s really easy!

8. Easy Cucumber Sushi– This sushi from Raising Whasians is a fun way to help your kids eat their vegetables!

9. Mini Taco Bowls– Your child never has to be without tacos again with this simple but tasty recipe from Iriemade.

10. Loaded Tot Kabobs– These tots from The Country Chic Cottage look so yummy, I’m probably going to make them for myself.

11. Spring Rolls– An easy and fresh recipe from Dinner Then Dessert your kid is sure to love!

12. Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla– When it comes to feeding children, the more things you can make into pizza, the better. Take this quesadilla from Snixy Kitchen, for example!

13. Taco Poptarts– My dreams have come true. A taco I can make in the toaster! What child (or mom) wouldn’t love that?! Check it out at Awe Filled Veteran’s Wife!

14. Mini Pumpkin Pancakes– These pancakes from Momables are perfect with fall around the corner!

15. Hotdog Cornbread Muffins– I have to admit that we have these corndog muffins from The Anthony Kitchen a little too much at our house. What can I say? They were a hit!

For the artist inside of you, try out these fun ideas your kids are sure to love!

1. Birdie Kix Snack– I love how easy this food art from Kix Cereal is!

2. Hotdog Octopus– When I was a kid, this was the only way I’d eat hotdogs. Find out how to make them at Exploring Domesticity!

3. Owl Rice Cakes– How cute are these Owl Rice Cakes from Super Healthy Kids?

4. Peanut Butter Snail Snack– Finally, a snail my girls won’t run away from screaming (yes, they are that terrified of all bugs). Yummy Mummy Club makes these snacks look easy! 

5. Chocolate Pudding Bears– Hungry Happenings’s chocolate pudding bears are almost too cute to eat…. almost….

6. Oreo Frogs– No need to worry about from slime from these oreos from Made to Be a Momma.

7. Shark Sand Cups– I can’t believe how easy these shark sand cups from Cook, Eat, Go are to make!

8. Kiwi Turtle– I love how simple and cute these turtles from Eating Richly are!

9. Mini Winnie the Pooh Pizza– I know quite a few kids who would be ecstatic over these pizzas from Disney!

10. Banana Bears– I don’t know about your kids, but this recipe from Weelicious is the only way I can get my daughter to eat bananas.

What lunch is complete without a treat?

1. Rainbow Fruit Banana Sushi– A healthy treat from Hello Yummy.

2. Under the Sea Graham Crackers– A cute, and easy treat from The First Year.

3. Homemade Fruitsnacks– Did you know you can make your own fruit snacks? This recipe from Dessert for Two shows you how easy it really is!

4. Marshmallow Popcorn Ball– Sticky, sweet, and salty- all rolled into one big ball! What’s not to love about this popcorn treat from Tornadough Alli!

5. No-Bake Jello Candy Melts– If it says “no-bake,” that’s my kind of recipe. These candy melts from Smart Schoolhouse are too easy and delicious to pass up!

6. Quick and Easy Face Cookies– Your kids will love how cute and silly these cookies from Picklebums are!

7. Teddy Graham S’more Pops– These s’more pops from Tastes of Lizzy T are liking bringing campfire goodness to school.

8. Apple Pie Cups– Two ingredients? Did they say two ingredients?! Pillsbury, we give you our sincerest thanks! 

9. Confetti Dipped Strawberries– These cute strawberries from Step Stool Chef will make your kid feel like they’re having a party at lunch!

10. No Bake Apple Donuts– This easy apple treat from Fork and Beans is sure to be your child’s newest favorite!

To keep lunch well balanced, it helps to have snacks!

1. Easy No-Bake Energy Balls– Make these energy balls from I Heart Naptime for your kids, sure- but save some for yourself too. You’re a mom. You could use a tasty bite of energy too!

2. Vanilla Yogurt Parfait– A parfait for lunch? C’est parfait! Find this recipe at That Fit Fam.

3. Homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather– If you’re highly suspicious of over processed snack food that surely met their peak in the 90s, try this fruit leather from Mommy Musings!

4. Mini-Zucchini Muffins– If your child is not a fan of vegetables, have them try these muffins from Create Kids Club. I bet they’ll change their mind.

5. Butterfly Snack Bags– Butterflies are the only acceptable bug to my kids and I know they would love these snack bags from The Cents’Able Shoppin.

6. No-Bake Granola Bars– Forget buying granola bars from the grocery store. This recipe is far too easy and much too tasty to ever need grocery store granola bars again!

7. Oatmeal Breakfast Bites– These oatmeal bites from A Night Owl are good for breakfast or snacks!

8. Rainbow Fruit Kabobs– We love these kabobs from The Chic Site!

9. Apple Cheese Bites– I might be sneaking some of these apple bites for myself… Find them at The Adventure Bite!

10. Baked Sweet Potato Chips– A nutritious potato chip? Just what moms everywhere are looking for! Thank you Clean Eats, Fast Feets!

11. Instant Pot Popcorn– Seriously, the Instant Pot can do anything! Check out this popcorn at Tidbits!

A little something extra to bring a small to your child!

1. Printable Lunchbox Jokes– Give your kid a laugh with these funny jokes from Gag Dad.

2. Inspirational Lunchbox Notes– Sometimes, all we need is some words of encouragement. Find these notes at Laura’s Crafty Life!

3. Dr. Seuss Lunchbox Notes– I love how whimsical these notes from Trip Beauty are!

4. Super Hero Lunchbox Notes– Save the day with Bearhugs and Blanket Forts’s superhero notes!

5. Princess Lunchbox Jokes– If you have a little princess, she is sure to love these princess jokes from Kristen Duke Photography!

6. Pokemon Lunchbox Notes– These pokemon notes from Merry About Town are perfect for your pokemon trainer!

7. Unicorn Lunchbox Notes– Make lunchtime magical with Pretty Simple Mom’s unicorn notes!

8. Dinosaur Lunchbox Notes– We think Alice and Lois’s dinosaur notes are perfect for little paleontologists!

9. Animal Lunchbox Jokes– These animal jokes from Simple Every Day Mom are sure to make your child smile!

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I’ve met several kids on the spectrum lately and one left in me quite an impression. He’s very high functioning and a sweetheart. I know there are a lot of families with kids on the spectrum who need ideas on how to help their kids improve their abilities. Grandmas should be a part of this process, too.

So this child inspired me. I tried to find activities I imagined that he would like. I’ve combined this list of 21 activities for kids with autism and I hope that you find some your grandchild will like.

Lots of these activities are sensory bottles, which makes them easy to take on the road, or wherever you may find yourself with your kids!

21 Sensory Activities For Kids That Your Grandkids Are Going To Love

1. This Minion Sensory Bottle Will Excite Any “Despicable Me” Fan

I’m sure it’s not just my grandchildren that are totally obsessed with minions – or is it? Either way, this minion sensory bottle is totally cute and sure to entertain your grandkids! Sensory bottles are meant to stimulate the sense of sight and what better way to do this than with your grandkid’s favorite movie?! It’s creative and deceptively simple! You can even get creative and make a themed sensory bottle personalized to your grandchild’s favorite movie. 

2. Find It Game To Calm Your Young One’s Nerves

I can imagine any of my grandkids, who range in age from 2-8, getting excited about finding the hidden objects in these neat bottles! The best thing is that they are a snap to make!

This calming find-it game would be perfect for long car rides, doctor’s visits, or any other scenario when your little ones get fidgety and restless. 

3. Glittery Calm Down Bottles

Almost everyone, kids and adults alike, loves glitter. However, be careful when you work with glitter as it can create quite a mess. Aren’t these glittery calm-down bottles so fun and pretty though?? What’s better, they’re easy to make. You can even enlist the help of the kids! You might even consider making one for yourself – it is a great way to calm down!

4. This Rainbow Button Sensory Bottle Is Educative and Fun!

When I was a kid, my mom had this old cookie tin that was just full of buttons. I used to love sifting through the buttons with my fingers and looking at all of the different kinds. This rainbow button sensory bottle is a great way to do just that, and would be fun with any kind of buttons! It’s also a great way to help kids learn their colors. 

This rainbow button sensory bottle, made from easily available supplies, could be the ultimate play toy for you and your young one. From learning colors to counting how many buttons there are, there are so many things to do with this sensory bottle. 

5. “Inside Out” Emotions Discovery Bottles 

We actually featured these emotions discovery bottles on our Disney craft post last week, but I had to use them for this post as well! One common struggle with autism is an inability to communicate. These bottles could be a great help to any child who isn’t sure how to describe what they are feeling!

6. Weather Sensory Bottles 

Any child learning about different kinds of weather would have a blast with these weather sensory bottles! Here is some beautiful, simple imagery to aid with your grandchild’s learning!

7. Color Mixing Sensory Bottle 

I just HAD to share these last bottles, because they’re awesome!! Color mixing is so cool, and your grandkids will be endlessly entertained watching the colors mix, and then separate! What a great opportunity to learn, as well!

8. Bubble Wrap Stomp Painting 

Bubble wrap is so fun to play with, and this ups the fun level! If your grandchild doesn’t like the feel or sound of bubble wrap, consider alternatives, like paper towels! This bubble wrap stomp painting activity is definitely something most kids and adults will love. 

9. Moon Sand/Cloud Dough 

You could spend a lot of money on moon sand, or you could just make it yourself! Who knew it was so easy? Your grandkids are sure to enjoy the feel of this soft, smooth sand, and they’ll love using it to create whatever shapes their little hearts desire!

10. Rainbow Noodles Sensory Play

This activity has just enough of an icky factor to make it fun! The colors make it even more enjoyable, and it’s totally safe for kids! You can add toys or small items into the rainbow noodle bin to make it even more of an adventure for the kids. 

What You Need:

• Spaghetti noodles
• Ziploc bags
• Food dye or washable watercolors
• Vegetable oil

How To Make Rainbow Noodles:

1. Cook as much pasta as you need as per the cooking instructions on the package
2. Rinse the spaghetti under cold water to cool completely
3. Divide the spaghetti into bags, one for each color of noodles you want to make
4. Add several drops of food dye or watercolor to each Ziploc bag followed by some oil
5. Seal the bags and get the kids to squish and shake the bags until the noodles are completely colored
6. Once the noodles are colored, open the bags and let them dry for 30 mins. 
7. Pour the noodles into a play bin and let the fun begin!

11. Fizzy Cloud Dough 

Here’s another cloud dough recipe… but, this one FIZZES! That’s right, it fizzes. How cool is that?? Keep the fizzing a secret from your grandkids, and then amaze them when you add water! What’s even better? This fizzy cloud dough is super easy to make and with few and readily available ingredients. 

12. Foam Fireworks

For those kids who don’t like loud noises, bring the fireworks to them! This fun activity uses shaving cream and food coloring, two totally fun things that children will love to mix and get messy with!

13. Melting Elsa’s Frozen Hands 

News flash: Frozen is not just for girls! One day while I was babysitting my grandchildren, we went on a drive and sang along to my Frozen soundtrack. It was awesome. Plus, this activity would be great for staying cool during the summer! Who wants to melt Elsa’s frozen hands?!

14. Edible Slime – Oooooh, gooey!

Here’s another icky, sticky activity that kids are sure to love! Not only is it stretchy, slimy, and fun–it’s safe to eat, so if your grandchild has a tendency to put things in his or her mouth, not to fear! If your grandkids love aliens, this edible slime is sure to keep them engaged.

15. Homemade Herb & Spice Play Dough 

A lot of sensory activities just have to do with touch. Here’s a super neat one that uses your sense of smell – homemade herb and spice play dough. My grandkids love playdough and if yours are like mine, this might just turn out to be their favorite sensory activity! I really want to try the cocoa one!

16. Edible Water Beads

There is so much that can be done with water beads! They feel so nice in your little one’s hands. These ones are all-natural, made from tapioca pearls, so there’s no need to worry about them ending up in your child’s mouth!

17. Calming Epsom Salt Sensory Play

Who says Epsom salts are only for adults to enjoy? Your grandkids will have fun playing with their hands, and feeling the relaxing power of Epsom salts! This calming Epsom salt sensory play is amazing.

18. Cornstarch Painting Play 

This is a fun and simple activity to put together which kids can enjoy! Do this cornstarch painting activity outside for easy cleanup and let your grandkids get messy and creative!

19. Alphabet Car Wash Sensory Play

I will never understand what it is about boys and cars, but seriously–ALL of my grandkids are obsessed! Which makes this a perfect activity for each of them! Toss a bunch of cars and all the letters of the alphabet you can find in a bin filled with shaving cream and let the kids have fun with this ABC car wash sensory play.

20. Carpet Square Painting and Sensory Board

Do you have any old carpet squares lying around? Put them to good use with this fun and unique sensory activity! Carpet square painting is fun and will help the kids master a few shapes. It’s also a fun and creative way to create art. 

21. Bouncy Ball Art

This bouncy ball art activity has MESS written all over it, but it also has FUN written all over it! Be sure to do this one outside–your grandkids will have a blast!

 A Few Final Words…

There you have it, folks! 21 activities for sensory play with easy-to-make toys, huge benefits for kids, both autistic and not, and which are sure to give your young ones hours and hours of fun! 

What are some activities you’ve done with your autistic grandchild? We would love to hear your stories. And if you are struggling to parent a child on the autism spectrum, don’t give up hope! You are not alone.

Loved This Collection Of Sensory Activities For Kids? Check Out More Helpful Tips:

• 19 Best 1st Year Baby Books
• 25 Children’s Books That Help Teach Your Grandchildren About Courage And Bravery
• Watermelon Cupcake Recipe
• St. Patrick’s Day Mason Jars
• 23 Mouth-watering Muffin Recipes
  

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Calling all Cookie Monster lovers! (me waving my hand high in the air) Along with Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster is one of my favorite Sesame Street characters.

So single mindedly obsessed with cookies, Cookie Monster is a man…er…puppet after my own heart.  A girl has got to have her cookies.

I happened upon some Cookie Monster Bark on Pinterest the other day and decided that this would be a fun project for my grandkids to make when they will be here in a few days. It is hot outside and this project requires no cooking, although now that I think about it, it is summer and this IS made with chocolate.  (can you say MELT?)

We’ll just have to eat the whole thing inside.  I don’t think my grandsons will mind.

Anyway, I wanted to put my own twist on the Cookie Monster Bark and one night while I was JUST going to sleep (you know how that is, don’t you?…) this idea came to me.

It was a breeze to make and I loved how it turned out with all of the little Cookie Monster faces and mini cookies.  My grandsons are going to have a blast making this.

And then eating it.  It might have to be on a day when their mom is gone and it’s just me and them. 

Here is a quick video showing you how it’s done and then the recipe will follow.

Print

Cookie Monster Bark

Author This Grandma Is Fun

Ingredients

• 2 - 12 oz bags of white candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of blue candy melts
• 1 12 oz bag of black candy melts
• Edible Googly Eyes
• Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Toothpicks.

Instructions

• Melt the white candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• Pour the melted chocolate onto a silpat mat or some waxed paper. I poured mine onto a jelly roll sized pan
• Melt the blue candy melts per the instructions on the bag. I think I used half of the bag.
• Drop melted blue chocolate by the spoonful all over the white chocolate. Leave some room between drops.
• Take a toothpick and pull the blue chocolate into the white chocolate by making lines all the way around the circle of blue chocolate to resemble Cookie Monsters fur.
• Let set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Melt about a cup of the black candy melts per the instructions on the bag.
• After the bark has set, take a toothpick and dip into the black melted chocolate and draw mouths on the Cookie Monster faces.
• With some blue melted chocolate, place the googly eyes on Cookie Monster. We tried to make them cock-eyed just like his!
• Again with some blue melted chocolate, dip a mini chocolate chip cookie into the blue chocolate and place the cookie near Cookie Monster's mouth.
• Chill in the refrigerator until completely set.
• After it has hardened, cut or break the bark around the Cookie Monster faces.

So I will just end with a quote from Cookie Monster…

Me Want Cooookkkkiiiieeee!!!!!

Enjoy!

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Direct their curiosity the right way and encourage learning. Thereafter, it will help them develop valuable skills and knowledge.

Don’t know what to do now that the first month of summer is gone? We’ve got you covered with these 23 science projects for grandkids! Not only these projects aren’t just a great way to learn, but also they’re super fun! What are you waiting for??

Benefits of science projects for grandkids

• develop children’s creativity and logic
• learn more about the real-life
• gain experience
• solve problems
• understand how things work
• spark interest in science
• off-screen time
• have fun without toys and electronics
• encourage asking questions
• improve observing and testing skills
• create meaningful conversations
• quality family time

To begin with, our role as grandparents is to help develop our grandchildren’s skills. Create a healthy environment for creativity, logic, and knowledge. Moreover, we want our grandchildren to be curious about the world, make explorations and search for new and exciting things around them. Surely, it helps them gain experience and seek answers, solve problems and understand how things work.

Curiosity is the key to learning, indeed. However, it can be challenging to spark that interest in science. With science experiments, your grandchildren will find another way to enjoy having fun without toys and computer games.

Besides, show your grandkids that science is not for teachers and scientists only. Spark interest in learning about real life. In addition, this way you can direct their curiosity in the right way and encourage asking science questions.

Also, grandchildren will develop skills such as observing, testing and predicting. Ask your grandchildren questions in return. It allows you to understand them better and see what they need to learn.

Want to increase your grandchild’s IQ? Start introducing them to science activities and experiments. In fact, many types of research show that there is a link between them.

Don’t be afraid of science

First, it is fun and doable.

Grandchildren tend to copy their parents’ habits and behavior. It means that you should show interest in science yourself to help your grandchildren get involved. What is more, these home-based projects will help you feed your grandchildren’s creativity and logic.

Second, look for answers together, no need for you to know everything in advance.

Actually, most science activities for grandkids don’t require special skills, materials, and lots of time. Have fun and enjoy learning with them.

How to pick the right activities?

Actually, grandchildren tend to be attracted to bright colors. Make sure there are lots of colors involved. Make it messy, too! The faster the experiment, the better. For example, use some exploding or edible products. It will grab their attention a lot easier.

23 ideas for science projects for grandkids you can do together

1. Elsa’s Frozen Powers

First, this is probably the coolest project on this list, both literally and figuratively! Whether your grandkids love the movie Frozen, they will for sure love this project.

Also, perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day! It is like magic!

2. Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls

In particular, this may not be a true science project. However, it’s a great way to practice measuring and mixing with your grandkids.

Plus, how could you NOT love bouncy balls that glow in the dark? Come on, look at them!

3. Elephant Toothpaste

It is a well-known fact that everybody loves an experiment that involves some type of explosive reaction. While this project doesn’t explode – that would get messy real quick – it does ooze in a fantastic way your grandkids are sure to love!

4. Glowing Exploding Bag

Even MORE, exploding, AND this one is glowing in the dark, too. In fact, scientific and artistic, for your little scientist and your little artist alike!

For example, frame the fun by letting the bags explode on a piece of paper that your grandchild can keep!

5. Egg Drop

Surely, this classic science project will entertain your grandchildren for hours. What is more, it will stretch their minds to their creative engineering limits! How high can you go?

Encourage creative thinking with this entertaining project!

6. Dry Ice Bubbles

Another science project that promises to help you keep cool during these summer months! I have never seen these before, but it looks so neat!

Certainly, this project is at the top of my list to try!

7. Magnetic Slime

Let’s be honest. Slime is fun to play with. And what better way to magnify the fun, than by magnetizing the slime?? Endless entertainment!

8. Rain Cloud in a Jar

Have your grandkids ever asked you how rain works? Using a visual representation is the best way to learn!

Moreover, it is a beautiful and interesting project that grandkids of all ages will love!

9. Reusable Bubbles

STOP THE PRESSES. Childhood dreams – your grandchild’s and yours – are about to be fulfilled here. Reusable bubbles. Gorgeous, humongous bubbles that DON’T POP. Grab a tissue to catch your tears of gratitude, then get cracking!

10. 3 Insanely Cool Egg Experiments

Can we address the fact that not simply titling this experiment (or three) “3 Insanely Cool EGGSperiments” was a missed opportunity? Thanks. These eggs-periments are, in fact, insanely cool! Magically transform eggs and have fun!

11. Hovercraft

A homemade toy made with things you probably have lying around the house.

In fact, this is such a great idea! I wish I had been the one to come up with it!

12. Anemometer

For those that aren’t just about seeing things explode, there are more down-to-earth experiments like this anemometer. Don’t know what an anemometer is? Don’t worry, we didn’t either.

13. Make Lightning

Did anybody do this in elementary school? This would be a great experiment to do as a follow-up to the rain cloud in a jar! And so, so awesome.

14. Lemon Suds Eruptions

Let’s hear another cheer for exploding stuff! This experiment is colorful, fun, and lemon-scented, too! You and your grandkids are going to LOVE this.

15. Rainbow Bubble Snakes

Here’s another uniquely amazing take on bubbles. Rainbow bubble snakes? What? Your grandkids will have a blast trying to see how long they can make their snakes!

16. Heat Sensitive Color-Changing Slime

I know there is already a slime recipe on here. As a matter of fact, this one CHANGES COLOR and that deserves its spot. Your grandkids will have tons of fun turning this slime from one color to another!

Edible Science Projects – because who doesn’t love science that you can eat?

17. Walking on Eggshells

This will thrill grandchildren of all ages! They have to walk on whole, uncooked eggs. As a result, if they’re successful, they can eat their reward! Ready for a challenge? It is worth trying!

18. Fizzing Lemonade

Lemonade is the best kind of summer treat, indeed. Fizzing lemonade is even better! Wow your grandkids with this fizzy, fun experiment, and then let them drink the sweet reward!

19. Glow in the Dark Jello

Who says the fun has to stop after dark? What is more, it is a wiggly and entertaining way to learn what makes things glow! In fact, I prefer experiments with observing a substance in a jar. It is a lot tidier this way. No cleaning is necessary!

20. Rock Candy

Another classic for science and your sweet tooth! Help grandchildren to learn about how do crystals form. Then reap the delicious rewards of patience with them!

21. Solar Power S’mores

Another awesome summer science project! It’s all about harnessing the power of the sun!

No time to go camping? No problem! These s’mores from science will fulfill all of your cravings!

22. Pop Rocks Expander

Who knew that pop rocks and soda had a function other than to give your grandkids a sugar rush? Try this fun experiment on for size and learn about gas particles!

23. Popcorn on a Cob

Summer is the season of corn. In fact, few things are as good as fresh corn, but popcorn is on the same list! Grab your grandkids’ attention and see how does popcorn pops from the cob. To sum up, it is one tasty experiment!

More tips for you:

• First of all, don’t ignore your grandchildren’s questions. Try to answer in a more detailed way. Therefore, encourage asking questions and value their interest.
• Learn new ideas and projects to hold their interest.
• Support further learning and creativity.

Learn and have fun with science projects for your grandkids

There are lots of fun games you can do after making the project. Extend the activity by trying these games, too. Moreover, this is how to promote conversation, analytic skills, and team working.

• Your grandkids can play superheroes and show their superpowers. Also, it will spark your grandchildren’s creativity.
• Make a science class for the family and encourage role-play.
• Your grandchildren can make a fun drawing of the experiment and color it.

In science, safety is always first

Some experiments include ingredients that little grandkids may swallow. Most importantly, make sure they’re safe! Supervise them all the time during the experiment. For example, explain in advance that grandkids should play but not eat it. On the other hand, when you use edible ingredients, let them know that they can eat it afterward.

The bottom line

In short, these science projects are cool for adults, too! Everyone enjoys quality family time. Use them to bond with your grandkids. Teach them another side of science that is fun and interesting. This will make them proud of solving problems and managing difficult tasks.

Last but not least, no need to think of a way to entertain your grandkids anymore. You have 23 ideas to try. Make fun and exciting memories while showing the world to your grandkids.

Looking for more science experiments or crafts for grandkids? Check THIS out!

• 25 Amazing Kid-Approved Science Projects
• Salt Art Spider Web Craft
• 101 Ideas to Rock Your Helloween Party
• 101 Ideas for the Ultimate Harry Potter Party
• 10 Educational Board Games for Kids

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Our family is a blended family.  Not blended in the way where the father has children from a previous marriage and so does the mother and now they are trying to blend both sides of the family together.  Ours is blended through adoption.

While we were raising our three children, we often felt inadequate about being parents and if we were doing the right thing.  We would always be interested in talking to other parents about how they were getting their kids to sleep through the night,  how to get them to eat their green beans or how they were navigating through the teenage years.

During this time of child-rearing there was another family that we knew that also had adopted children and we loved “sharing notes” about what each one of us was doing within our family life. Our greatest desire was that we would raise our children in such a way that they would want to stay close to us as they got older and evolved into adults.

With this end in mind, I will never forget an experience that this family shared with me.  My friend, Ben, was at a wedding reception for a friend of theirs and noticed that all of the adult kids in this family made an effort to come and chat with their mother.  Ben said that he could see the respect for this mother in all of her children’s faces and he wondered what in the heck she did  to have this great relationship with her adult children.

When a quieter moment came, Ben went to her table and told her that he had been observing her with her children and that he noticed the respect and admiration they had for her.  He asked her that if she could give him one piece of advice about what she did to develop that relationship, what would it be?

Her answer?

“I stand in the corner, wear beige and keep my mouth shut.”

What did she mean by that?

It has been about 15  years since hearing this advice and it is something that I have pondered over greatly.  Now that my own children are 28, 28 and 30, I have some thoughts about this.

Here is my opinion of what she meant.

Stand in the corner

Unfortunately your 15 minutes (or more like 20 years) of fame is over.    You’ve had your time to be the all-knowing resource to which your children turn to. In a way, that time is over.  I am not proposing that we stop being an example to our children but now is the time to blend into the background.  It is time to let our children fly and make decisions on their own which is how it should be.  I would be concerned if every adult child still had to consult with their parent before making a decision.  Our goal as a parent should be to raise responsible, independent and confident members of our society.  Our hope is to have our children be self-sufficient and self-reliant adults.  Let your children make their own decisions, make their own mistakes and learn their own lessons without interfering.

Instead of stepping out of your corner and telling your kids what they should do, let your children come to you.   The more you offer unsolicited advice, the more your adult children don’t want to hear it.  However, if you withhold your advice, chances are your kids might even come to you and actually ask for your advice. Although don’t be upset if they don’t take your most excellent advice. At least they asked.

Wear beige

What does “wear beige” mean?  Similar to standing in the corner, it means not to bring attention to yourself.  One area I believe where parents need to exercise restraint is on social media.  If your adult kids are on Facebook, Instagram, etc., be VERY selective about how much you like, share or post, if any at all.   I do send my kids things on social media that I think they might enjoy but I always send it privately instead of publicly so it doesn’t look like “mommy” is sending them things for all to see.

Keep your mouth shut

Rather self-explanatory, but oh so hard to do.

When your adult children are discussing an aspect of their life with you, don’t automatically jump in and tell them what you know about the subject or tell them what you think they should do.

Listen.

Listen more than you talk.  

Express confidence in your adult child as they make an effort to take on more responsibilities. And here’s a big tip….don’t ask too many questions. Once you start doing that, your kids will tune out and you will be immediately cut-off. Your child will be off to grab a burger and your moment to have them talk to you will be over.

My relationship with my adult children is very gratifying and adds so much value to my life. They are an absolute joy to be around and I respect each and every one of them. Although I am not perfect in these three areas by any means and I make many mistakes, I feel like my kids are forgiving and accepting because they know that I really do try hard to stand in the corner, wear beige and keep my mouth shut. Most of the time.

Disclaimer:  These ideas are for a general basis only.  If you are a parent that is dealing with an adult child who has alcoholism, drug addictions, pornography addictions or is doing something illegal or dangerous, then other measures need to be taken.

The post Three Tips to a Good Relationship with your Adult Children appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Moon sand has made a huge come back. Or at least that is what my mom says. She remembers it from the first time around. But it’s not exactly cheap. I would have a hard time letting Thor play with it, knowing that he still gets things like that everywhere. Luckily there are a ton of DIY recipes on Pinterest so that your littles can get their play on.

This was something great to have in the house over the holiday break. While the baby was napping this kept the toddler quiet and entertained without the use of TV. Win!

I looked at Pinterest and found a pin from Happy Mothering. I then went to Target and bought a big 32 quart bin to make a double batch in. I chose that one because the lid clips on. I wanted it to be good and secure when it was being stored. I wanted it to be big enough for there to be room to play in without making too much of a mess. Turns out I probably should have bought a bigger bin. As it was moon sand was everywhere. Luckily it is very easy to sweep up.

When we came home I put ingredients in. For a single of moon sand batch you will need:

8 cups of flour
1 cup of baby oil
A couple drops of lavender essential oil (optional)

I just filled the bin with flour, added the essential oil to the baby oil and poured the oil over top. Then we mixed it all together with our hands. It didn’t take too long to get it all mixed. Maybe five minutes.  Now it was time to play. I was hoping the lavender would entice Thor to nap after playing. It didn’t, but it did make the whole thing smell lovely.

I gave him a scoop, measuring cup, silicone baking cup, a lollipop stick, and a plastic kids cup. He had a lot of fun for a few minutes. Then he stared grabbing toys to add when I wasn’t looking. The dinosaur wasn’t bad, but the car, not a good idea. Haha. So definitely keep an eye on that. I had to wash a whole sink full of toys that weren’t supposed to be used in the moon sand.

Over all it was a win. I even enjoyed playing with it. I couldn’t believe how soft it was. It will probably get everywhere, so just keep the play on a surface that is easy to sweep. And probably keep the dogs away. Mine was trying to eat it as it fell out of the bin.

Want more kids activity ideas? Check out these posts.

Lego Minifigure Matching Game

Rainbow Rice

Velcro Sticks

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It is super easy and fun  to make and a perfect way to use the kid’s imagination and creativity!

Isn’t it so beautiful outside this time of the year!?! Everywhere you look, Fall is showing off its golden colors.

Your kiddos will love this Fall activity! So what are you waiting for?!?

To make Leaf Art you will need:

-leaves from outside

-googly eyes

-glue

-black marker

-paper

Let your munchkin make anything they can imagine, for example, my daughter wanted to make leaf monsters and a little baby hedgehog.

Here is a little puppy made of red and yellow leaves and, of course, huge googly eyes!

I hope you enjoyed these leaf art ideas!

Share it with your friends and family on Munchkin Time, Munchkin Time, Facebook and other social media!

If you make Super Cute Leaf Art for Kids PLEASE tag @munchkintimeblog and use a hashtag #munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation

Thank you for stopping by!

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As an adult, we’ve had some experiences with fire and the 4th of July (can you tell there’s a story there?) so we’ve slowed down a little with our patriotic festivities, but the 4th of July was a holiday that I always looked forward to when I was growing up. My family had a boat and if you want to hear a funny story about our family boat, check out my sister’s Sherri’s post here!

Anyway, our family would always take our boat out to Catalina Island off the Southern California coast for the 4th of July weekend. But before we left, our Dad would buy the boxes of Black Cat or Red Devil fireworks. After we got there and the sun went down, we could hardly wait for it to be dark enough for fireworks! Dad had a long plank of wood that he would nail the fireworks onto one end, then he would light it and then quickly push the plank out so that the fireworks would go off over the water but far enough away from our boat. He then would pull the plank back in, get another firework ready, light it and then push it out again. It was the best fun ever.

My love of holidays has not faded through the years and it has been so much fun to celebrate holidays now that I have grandchildren! A couple of weeks ago I got to visit my two grandsons and was excited to make these 4th of July Kids Tee Shirts with them. This would be a darling idea for the whole family to make and wear on the 4th of July!

The paint that we used for these tee shirts were Americana Acrylic Paints in Primary Red and True Blue.

Pouring the True Blue paint out on a paper plate, place your child’s hand in the paint. Make sure each and every finger gets paint on it!

Then try to spread their fingers out as much as you can and place their hand on the tee shirt, pressing down each finger firmly. Little brother is a little over one year old and it was a challenge to get him to spread his fingers out!

And now it’s Big Brothers turn!

Then with the Primary Red color, paint the flag stripes around the blue hand print. I love the the roughness of the lines that Big Brother painted!

Now they are both ready for the 4th of July!

Oh, and do you see the little star on Little Brother’s shirt?

Yeah, Big Brother decided that Little Brother needed a little help and helped him out in the form of a blue fingerprint on his tee shirt! So we just made a star out of it and think it looks just fine! Besides what’s more American than a star?

No matter where or how you do your fireworks, your family will be ready in these super easy and fun 4th of July Tee Shirts!

I did pin this from Pinterest but it didn’t have a link to follow through to the original post.

***UPDATE 6/30/14***

A dear friend of mine made these tee shirts with all of her grandkids. Look how cute these turned out! I love how different each one is and the bright colors just really stand out!

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Hey guys! March sure is coming in like a lion at our house! We got struck by a white-out blizzard that totally messed up my entire week! Good thing I have tons of sewing projects to keep me busy, like how to make a bow tie in 5 minutes as a scrap buster project. I make these all during March for my friends’ kids for Easter. It’s a good time to stock up for the rest of the year. {You can see all these other fun bowtie inspiration: Littles Fashion on Pinterest.}

I attempted my first video tutorial for you guys here and although it’s very poorly done I think you’ll get the gist of how easy these bowties are.

How to make a bow tie in 5 minutes or less:

12. Thread elastic through the front of the small piece and move to the top part of the back piece as shown in 13.

 

Put on that smooshy of your choosing and enjoy. Here are some other stash busting projects I love:

SLOUCHY BEANIE 

CROCHET INFINITY SCARF

 

This amazing post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less and Tatertots and Jello.

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Notes of appreciation are a simple and effective way to teach children how to do this.  And who doesn’t love a thank-you note written by a child?

We’ve created a super-handy printable that you can use to get kids excited about writing thank-you notes.  We designed it so that kids can color one side and write on the other.  Aaaaand, it’s not holiday specific, so you can use this template year round for any occasion!

Click the button below to print your FREE Thank-You Postcard Template:

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Hey there Made From Pinterest Readers! I’m Ginger from Gingerly Made where you can find tons of creative tutorials for “Crafts, Food, and Family.” My girls are huge inspirations for me as I am often crafting either with them or for them and I am so excited to be here today sharing this fun Frozen inspired Silly Slime recipe with you.

In true Made From Pinterest style, I was browsing Pinterest when I came across this pin. It was a round up of Frozen themed crafts and I followed that link to the actual blog post. Anyway, this Homemade Frozen Slime looked like so much fun and I needed some new kid craft projects, so, I decided to try it myself.

The best part is it only requires two ingredients; blue glitter glue and liquid starch.

You’ll need at least 1 bottle of glue per kid and 1/2 cup of starch. I say at least 1 bottle because you may need to adjust the measurements as you go. Using 1 bottle of glue, I ended up with one kid with more watery slime and needed more glue and another with stickier slime and needed more starch.

Store both ingredients in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) to chill.

Once your ingredients have chilled, start by adding glue into a bowl.

Pour in the starch.

Squish and mix.

Remember the ingredients are cold, some kids will like that feeling, others won’t. It took my younger daughter a minute to get used to it and willing to put her hands in. My older daughter loved the cold feeling.

Watch as your slime changes! Add a little extra glue or starch as needed.

 

They had so much fun with this project! And the best part is the fun doesn’t have to end with clean up time. Store your slime in a zip lock baggy and put it back in the fridge for later.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me. I hope you’ll stop by Gingerly Made soon. Here are some other Christmas posts you might
like.

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Setting up a good after school routine can make a world of difference in keeping kids organized and on task at home.  Making sure that homework and a few chores are done before playtime can be a terrific incentive for getting the hard stuff done quickly, right?  With that in mind, we wanted to share a handy after school job chart with you, this week.

We designed this with younger kids in mind.  It’s got a list of a few things that kids typically need to get done in the afternoons:  putting away a backpack, eating a healthy snack, getting homework done, etc.

We printed out this job chart and laminated it for a couple of our young friends to use this school year.  Laminating the chart means that it can be used over and over again–our friends are using dry erase markers to cross off their tasks as they finished them.

You could hang the after school job chart near the spot where your kids stow their backpacks.

Or, you could hang it from a bulletin board, or someplace really visible, like on the refrigerator.

Whatever works for you!

And we hope you take a chance to see if it does work for you.  You can click on the link below to download the PDF file for this after school job chart.

After School Job Chart Free Printable File

The cute illustrations in this chart are from Susan Fitch Illustration and Design.  Susan is a talented artist who shares many of her lovely illustrations for free on her blog.  Go over to Susan Fitch Illustration and Design and check out all her fantastic artwork!

If you’d like to customize this chart for your family, you can download the file below:

after school chart customizable

We’d love it if you’d share any handy tips you have for establishing routines or keeping kids (and parents!) organized during the school year.  Tell us in a comment, and definitely leave a link to your blog if you’ve written about them in more detail, there.  Best wishes to all of you who are just beginning the adventures of another school year!

This post is being shared with: Skip to my Lou and Making the World Cuter

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Laurie’s picture is full of pink, ruffles and pearls. Thank you Laurie from Tip Junkie for this great pin. My picture is all boy, grey, blue, red and bold stripes. This was a trip we took to Utah for our daughter’s graduation from college and my nephew’s wedding.

It did take longer to get all of Landon’s clothing packed and put into the ziploc bags. I wondered at the time if it would really be worth it.  Of course I had to “burp” each bag to get out the extra air. This helped to save some extra space in his suitcase. Some of his clothes were a tight fit for the bags. Next time I’m at the grocery store I’m going to purchase some of the larger bags for future travel.

 

Both Landon and I agree,

This Pin ROCKS!

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