Category Archives: Fun

From arts and crafts to great games to play on Family Night, you’ll find it all here in the Families.com Family Fun Blog!

Summer Activities For Kids And Parents

Parents Magazine has put together a list of a variety of summer activities that parents and kids can do together. They highly recommend that everyone involved use sunscreen and bug spray. Nature Related Summer Activities for Kids: Go bird watching. Take photos and keep track of your sightings. Then, use an app or guidebook to identify feathered friends. Look for shapes in the clouds. Put a blanket in the grass and stare up at the sky. Then, take turns talking about what you see in the clouds. Make a bird feeder.  Watch birds visit your years and add to your … Continue reading →

Beware Of Peeps Made With Red Dye 3

Families that celebrate Easter tend to obtain pastel colored baskets and plenty of Easter candy for their children to find on Easter morning. One thing parents need to be aware of is the type of dye that is included some of the most iconic Easter candies. Consumer Reports posted a news release titled: “Popular Peeps Easter candy is made with cancer-causing Red Dye 3”. From the press release: Consumer Reports is alerting consumers that the purple and pink Peeps candies popular this time of the year for Easter are made with Red Dye No. 3, a known carcinogen. Earlier this … Continue reading →

Tips For Gathering And Supporting Family

The month of December includes several holidays, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Solstice. Many people enjoy gathering together to celebrate with members of their families during these holiday celebrations. For best results, follow these tips for gathering and supporting family members. Plan Gatherings Around The Most Vulnerable Family Members CNBC News reported advice from Dr. Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her number one piece of advice is to plan gatherings around the most vulnerable family members. Vulnerable communities include people who are immunocompromised, children, and elderly people. Dr. Wallace listed the following examples of how … Continue reading →

Summer Fun During COVID-19

Are your kids sad because they cannot go out and enjoy the summer activities they were looking forward to? They aren’t the only ones! The COVID-19 quarantine is hard for kids of all ages (and many adults) to adjust to. Here are some ideas to try that might improve your children’s moods. Parents can start by asking their child, tween, or teen how they are feeling. Get them talking about their emotions. Being able to share what they are thinking and feeling can make people (of all ages) feel heard and understood. Little kids will enjoy splashing around in a … Continue reading →

Ways to Keep Kids Busy While Stuck at Home

Your family might live in an area that is under “Stay at Home” orders. People are working from home, and schools are closed, in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. This leaves many parents struggling to keep their kids entertained. It’s time to think outside of the box! Here are some ideas that can help. Storytime from Space Real astronauts read kids a storybooks from space. Titles include: Ada Twist, Scientist, Moustronaut (written by astronaut Mark Kelly and read by his brother Scott Kelly), and more! The videos are free to view from the Storytime in Space website. … Continue reading →

The Slime Craze is Causing a Glue Shortage

Has your child taken a sudden interest in slime? It seems to be the newest, hottest, trend among children, tweens, and even some teenagers. The slime craze is so popular that it is causing craft stores to run out of glue. Slime is a homemade substance that can be made in any color. It starts out sticky and becomes a gelatinous substance that can be pulled, stretched and squished. There are plenty of recipes and photos of slime on Pinterest. A pastel rainbow colored version is called “unicorn poop.” Some kids are making slime that corresponds to a holiday (such … Continue reading →

Where to Find Free Valentine Printables

Want a fun, free, activity that your kids can do for Valentine’s Day? There are plenty of Valentine’s Day coloring sheets that you can print out for free. They make wonderful Valentine’s Day cards for grandparents and relatives that live far away. In addition, there are also some kid-friendly Valentine’s Day cards that parents can print out and their kids can sign and give to their classmates. Printable Valentine Coloring Pages Crayola.com has two Valentine’s day inspired coloring pages. Both of them are cute and have large spaces that little kids will find easy to color. Choose a Cupid or … Continue reading →

How to Make a Family Coloring Book

Are your kids old enough to color? Many kids find coloring to be a fun way to pass the time. It also helps children to develop their small motor skills. Adults can discover that the act of coloring is relaxing. A website called ReallyColor can help you make a family coloring book. ReallyColor can turn your family photos into coloring pages. You pick the photos you want to use. You can create individual coloring sheets – or have ReallyColor put your coloring pages into a unique coloring book for, and about, your family. ReallyColor uses a patented technology that allows … Continue reading →

Ways You Can Contribute to Scientific Research

Want to do something with your spare time that can help others? Get involved in a “citizen science project”. You don’t need a degree in science (or anything else) in order to participate. Consider contributing to any of the following projects. It has been said that volunteering is good for you. People who volunteer their time and energy to help others experience some benefits themselves. Volunteering is a great way to boost self confidence, to fight depression, and to stay physically healthy. It is also a great way to make new friends. The following science projects need people to help … Continue reading →

Wet and Wild Summer Fun

Splurging on a summer pass to the community pool may not be an affordable option for some families.  Fortunately, there are a number of ways to keep cool when the mercury soars without breaking the bank. The following simple projects prove that splashtastic fun can be had by kids of all ages with a simple garden hose and a few inexpensive household items: Water Balloon Piñata Materials: Package of water balloons String Garden hose Small plastic funnel Plastic baseball bat Directions: Fill up the water balloons using the funnel and hose.  Keep in mind that the more water you add … Continue reading →