The holidays are over.  The gifts have been upwrapped, assembled and played with.  Company has packed up and left. And now, you have several days left until the kids go back to school.  How can you make sure that these next few days aren’t spent playing video games and watching movies? Easy!  Here are a few ways to keep your children busy and avoid winter break boredom.

You might think that coming together as a family and socializing would be enough to keep your Thanksgiving guest entertained, but alas, that isn’t always the case.  Families are funny.  You don’t choose them – you are born into them and for better or worse, are usually stuck with them.  If you are fortunate enough to have a family where everybody truly gets along and can enjoy the holidays together without any drama then count yourself truly lucky!  If not, here are some ways to keep the drama at bay and the troops entertained while you slave away in the kitchen.

While laying some blankets and pillows on the couch may suffice for a sleep over in a pinch, throwing the perfect slumber party can be a cinch. An evening of good fun, food, and memories can be accomplished in a few easy tips. Getting the kids to fall asleep will be the only thing you’ll have to worry about.

Be prepared to battle summer boredom and get everyone up and moving with a summer sidewalk fun kit.

With a variety of supplies and ideas for sidewalk games, the kids and adults may find a creative outlet as well as exercise while enjoying a summer day on the sidewalk.

Where you’re hosting a party or just need a cure for one of those “there’s nothing to do” days, outdoor games can be a lot of fun. 

I grill out a lot, and it takes some time to get the food ready and cooked. Guests enjoy sitting around and chatting, but it’s nice to have some outdoor games available for more active fun.

Hooray for summer!  Your children can finally move out of the basement and start playing more outdoors.  The days are longer and soon, with school getting out, they will have much more time on their hands.  This summer, keep your children busy, happy and out of the house with any one of these backyard toys that are guaranteed to be a hit! Also, be sure to buy toys online so you can spend your free times outdoors with your family!

Puppets are easy to create, relatively costless and can make any playtime fun!  Not sure what to make your puppets out of?  Check out these fun suggestions!

Have you ever stood in a toy aisle wondering what to buy?  Whether it’s for your own child or a gift for someone else, you want a product that is fun and entertaining, but also provides some educational or developmental value.

Few toys have come into our house that seriously impressed me.  However, the ones that did really stood out.  Here are my favorite 10 toys for children between 1 and 5 years old.  Each of these toys has an educational value or is beneficial in the development of gross or fine motor skills.

There has been a lot of press lately surrounding healthy eating habits for families and children.  Fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains are the fuel they need to stay energized and alert.   But, in addition to healthy food, children also need at least one hour of exercise every day. 

In the winter it can be more challenging to achieve this goal.  Show your children that exercise can be fun with some of these indoor activities designed to get them off the couch and moving!

What could be more fun than a slumber party? It’s a blast to get together for some chick fun and to whisper and giggle until all hours of the night. Ah – the memories that are made. I know I still remember the slumber parties my Mom hosted.