New Year’s Eve Fun For Kids

New Year’s Eve is known for its raucous parties filled with libations and debauchery. That’s great for grown-ups, but if you have young kids at home you might be looking for G-rated fun. The following games are ideal for a kid-friendly New Year’s Eve bash: RING TOSS Place a large plastic tablecloth on the floor and cover it with candy and small items you can get at the Dollar Store, such as erasers, pencils, plastic animals, crayons, etc. Have the children stand a couple feet away from the tablecloth (distance should depend on their age). Hand each child three rings … Continue reading →

All Aboard for Holiday Fun

For my train-loving 3-year-old nephew, Christmas is simply not complete without a ride on the “Polar Express.” Fortunately, “Polar Express” experiences are running in various cities throughout country right now, including one near my nephew’s home. At last count, no less than 30 different railroad locations were offering “Polar Express” rides for kids of all ages who are enchanted by the classic book and movie of the same name. If your family is looking for a memorable Christmas adventure, you should seriously consider hopping aboard a local “Polar Express.” The seasonal rides recreate the book’s magic of finding the spirit … Continue reading →

Holiday Fun with the Family

After surviving yet another snow day with a house full of kids (most not mine), I definitely see why some parents take advantage of all the outdoor holiday-related activities offered this time of year. Whether it’s a horse-drawn carriage ride down Main Street or a walking tour of Christmas lights at the zoo, tis the season to let your kids burn off steam while enjoying festive events. Here’s a look at some kid-friendly holiday activities going on around the country right now: MAINE In Portland, Maine, families can tour the inside and outside of the legendary Victoria Mansion, which has … Continue reading →

Homemade Valentine’s Decorations

Whether you are hosting a Valentine’s Day party, or you simply want to make your home more festive for your family, these easy Love Day decorations are sure to please. In fact, the paper crafts are so simple to make, your children could put them together themselves. When you are done display your handiwork in open spaces for everyone to enjoy. LOVE BUG Materials: Construction Paper Pipe Cleaners Googly Eyes Black Marker Paint Glitter Glue Doilies Directions: Trace and cut a large heart shape out of construction paper. Trace and cut a smaller heart shape out of a different color … Continue reading →

More Ideas for Holiday Family Fun—Christmas Light Displays

My preschooler squealed with delight as we drove through our city’s downtown area yesterday. Crews were busy stringing lights, trimming trees and hoisting the gigantic Christmas angel above Main Street. The countdown to Christmas is on and my daughter couldn’t be happier. While most of us are still eating Halloween candy, there are some communities that are moving full steam ahead with their holiday light displays. While the vast majority of Christmas displays don’t start until December, there are a few places where you can take in the festive sights right now. The Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling, … Continue reading →

No-Mess Pumpkin Decorating

Make that minimal mess. Either way you avoid the sloppy, goopy, labor-intensive task of gutting a pumpkin in an effort to create a bucktoothed jack-o’-lantern. This kid-friendly pumpkin decorating project doesn’t involve a single knife or razorblade. Rather, you and your children can go wild with a little paint (potentially messy, yes, but easier to wash out of hair than slimy pumpkin guts). This year say goodbye to the monstrous mess and hello to these adorable pumpkin characters made from inexpensive materials that can be found around your house. PUMPKIN LADY Materials: Pumpkin Fake eyelashes Straw hat Ribbon Silk flowers … Continue reading →

Not-So-Spooky Halloween Events for Families

My young daughter would rather have her favorite stuffed puppy torn in half than have to stroll by a haunted house on Halloween. Pumpkin patches, hay mazes, and candy paths are more her speed. And thanks to hundreds of zoos and aquariums around the nation parents like me can celebrate the season with their young children without damaging an eardrum in the process. If you are part of the stroller crowd consider contacting your local zoo to see if they are hosting Halloween events this month. In the meantime, check out this list of Halloween happenings taking place at zoos … Continue reading →

3 Quick Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July

June is almost over, which means the 4th of July is right around the corner. Here are some easy ideas for celebrating the holiday. Take an embroidery hoop and tie or tape on red, white, and blue ribbons or streamers. If you don’t have a hoop, you can cut out a circle from a cardboard box or even a paper plate. Once you’ve taped or tied your streamers on, the children can run and spin with the toy. The ribbons fly out and make fun designs in the air. I will say that ribbons last longer than streamers, but are … Continue reading →

Ideas for Father’s Day

Father’s Day never seems to get as much press as Mother’s Day. It’s sad, really. Dads are important, and we should make their day special. My own family is celebrating today instead of tomorrow since my husband has to drive our oldest to scout camp tomorrow. I have a pineapple upside cake in the oven. This is one of my husband’s favorite childhood desserts, but I’ve never made it before. I was never a big fan of it, I’m more of the every cake should be chocolate mindset. Our children are at the moment armed with rags and cleaners and … Continue reading →

Papel Picado – Cinco de Mayo Project

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May). You can read more about this historic holiday in our families.com forums and in this interview with Don Miles author of a book about history behind this day. And here are some recipe suggestions for celebrating further. One of the traditional decorations for the holiday is papel picado (Spanish for punched or pierced paper), paper with cut designs. Papel picado is a popular art form with roots that go all the way back to the Aztecs. The real papel picado banners are works of art. The artists cut through as many … Continue reading →