Safety Tips for Trick or Treating

Trick or Treating is a popular activity that our kids love to do at the end of every October on October 31st. So here are some tips to make it fun and safe for the whole family. Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by an adult Young children should never go out alone and they should not go out with an older sibling unless that sibling is significantly older Older children who are out trick or treating should have a designated time to return home and their route should be planned and stuck to so adults … Continue reading →

The Home Depot: Kid’s Workshops

For more family fun, this could be a great family activity for dads and their kids, though I know lots of moms (myself included) who enjoy the opportunities provided by The Home Depot. The kids workshops at Home Depot are free and they offer a number of How-To Clinics for kids between the ages of 5 and 12. The workshops are usually offered on the first Saturday of every month. Different Types of Projects The workshops offer all kinds of opportunities to do projects like making a toolbox, a fire truck or building your own mailbox. You can make a … Continue reading →

Family Activity Opportunity: Sign Up for a Class at Michael’s

When was the last time you went to Michael’s: The Arts & Crafts Store? It’s a regular stop for this family as I’ve detailed many times about doing crafts with my daughter. There’s more to Michael’s than just buying the supplies – they offer classes and demos in just about everything. These classes can be family activities to help all of you learn something new and they are definitely worth it for fun with your kids. Some of the classes available for you and your family include: Kid’s Club Michael’s has a Kid’s Club program that this month includes activities … Continue reading →

School’s In. Vacations out?

When we send our kids back to school, we have a tacit understanding that it’s going to be months before we’ll be able to take off for a family vacation. Even the holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah and more are about family time so travel is often limited to visiting family destinations. But what if you get a great deal, what harm can it do to your kids to take them out of school for a week to take a family vacation? Is it sending them the wrong message? Are parents in danger of telling their kids that school … Continue reading →

Family Activities: Building Fun Baskets for Teachers

Make a family project to honor your child’s teacher or teachers. One of the best ways we can help to immerse ourselves in our child’s school experience is to help teach our children an appreciation and respect for their teachers. Creating baskets for teachers is one of the ways we as parents and our children as students can demonstrate that appreciation for the teachers who spend hours every day helping our kids to learn. Some of the fun basket ideas that you can put together include: School Supply Basket – Fill a gift basket with school supplies that the teacher … Continue reading →

Eating School Lunch With Your Child

For most families school has started. This means that children spend most of the day with no contact from their parents. So why not surprise your child and eat lunch with them. If the weather is nice you could call and find out how long your child’s lunch and recess time is then check them out and go to the park for a picnic. Most schools have an open lunchroom policy. You can even purchase a meal for the adult price. Just call and find out what time your child is going to lunch. In elementary school the time usually … Continue reading →

Going To A Movie

This summer my husband and I took our two daughters ages barely 3 and 4 ½ to a movie for the first time, along with their older brother. We hadn’t taken them to the theatre yet because one, my youngest has a hard time sitting still and two, my older daughter wears hearing aids and doesn’t like loud noises. But we decided it was time, especially when we got free tickets from a friend for the local summer movie program. The movie Ice Age 2 happened to be playing that week. Which incidentally was really funny. Our kids were really … Continue reading →

Have You Considered Becoming a Room Mom?

This may sound like an odd topic for Family Fun, but I think it’s fun to be involved in what your kids are doing and where they are going to school. Recently, I joined the PTA and I signed up to volunteer at her school library and I’m a room mom. What is a Room Mom? A room mom is someone who is not only a representative for the parents in that room at the PTA, but also a volunteer opportunity to get to know and assist the teacher of your child’s classroom. Your job is not to do all … Continue reading →

Do A Family Service Project

If you are tired of the same old activities try giving service. There are people in need all around you. Providing service to others helps your children recognize needs besides their own, makes them appreciate the things that they do have, and builds family unity as you work towards a common goal. As you decide what service you want to give keep these points in mind. 1. Think about the needs of people close to you. Maybe your neighbor just had a baby and you could make dinner as a family to take to them. Or you have an elderly … Continue reading →

A Trip To The Mountains

Saturday we were wondering what to do as a family. My two-year-old suggested swimming. Neither my husband nor I were very fond of the idea of spending another day at a local pool. We had gone swimming the week before. So I suggested we take a trip to the mountains. We were a little worried about West Nile Virus, since Idaho is currently the top state in the nation for reported cases. So we checked and found that the area we wanted to visit had only one reported case. A lot less than the county we live in. I went … Continue reading →