Any time of the year is a good time to get kids' brains moving and growing. So when I find really awesome deals on learning resources, I must share. I want to shout these learning resource deals from a mountaintop! CHECK OUT THESE LEARNING RESOURCES DEALS! COME ONE, COME ALL! Friend, here are some rock-star deals on learning products that are worth your time. There are so many sites out there--so I get that many are overwhelmed when they see something like this. But I have really … [Read more...]
how every family can start the school year off right
Several years ago, I wrote about how to make the school year a smashing success, or. . . actually how to make the school year as successful as humanly possible. It included 10 easy steps that any family could follow in order to start the school year off on the right foot. I just looked back at it, and I decided it's totally worth sharing again, because, well, with a little prep and a little thought, every family can start the school year off on a positive note. Every one of us wants the … [Read more...]
YouTube dances for kids: fun indoor moving and grooving to get the wiggles out
We just got another boatload of snow, so on Sunday morning, when we were snowed in and couldn't even get out of our house to make it to mass, we got our dance on. Because why not? Turns out that Cora and Owen's awesome teachers for the past few years had often put on short little YouTube dances for them when they need to get the wiggles out. We found most of Cora and Owen's faves, and we found some more. Not only does moving mid-day help increase concentration and focus (for … [Read more...]
neighborhood i-spy
Let's play a neighborhood I-Spy game! We're all hanging out at home, so why not make a little game out of it? Let's get those kiddos out and moving, biking, walking, skipping, or scooting. Everyone else (who is up for it!) can display a few easy-to-find or easy-to-make items on their windows, door, driveway, whatever. Here's the skinny. . . Neighborhood I-Spy It's all about being together, but apart right now, right? Right. There are a ton of ways to do just that. And … [Read more...]
lent for christian families: pray, fast, serve cards
I've wanted to create these Lent Cards for Thoughtful Christian Families for a while now. SO here they are! I'm thrilled--and so are many of my Christian friends! Finally, I've modified our Lent Cards for Modern Catholic Families, and I've made them more Bible-based. Still keeping with the idea of Pray, Fast, and Serve, which are important tenants of Lent, these Lent for Christian Families Cards are exactly what my family needs. Here's the skinny. . . Lent for Christian Families: … [Read more...]
valentine’s day class party: 10 easy activities for that extra 10 minutes
Here are 10 easy activities for that extra 10 minutes at the end of the Valentine's Day class party. Keep these in your back pocket, and the party will be a breeze! Who even KNEW how hard running class parties could be? I wish that there was a guide somewhere--some easy-to-follow guide that gave you every kid-approved craft, game, activity, or snack that room parents and teachers needed to get through the chaos of class parties. If you want the whole Valentine Class party, you can … [Read more...]
holiday note gift idea for families: unique, thoughtful, and FREE
These holiday notes may turn out to be one of your family's most coveted and meaningful traditions! It's so easy for our little ones (and even adults sometimes!) to lose sight of what the holiday season is all about. So in 2008, when I saw this idea on a late-night, dvr'd Oprah, I knew I wanted to use it. With a little prompting, my family tried out Holiday Notes with both sides of the family. Even though some interpreted the exchange a little differently, it was a success overall. Most … [Read more...]
5 fun back-to-school rituals for busy families
Friends. There's no denying it. Back-to-school season is in full swing, so I thought I'd take a minute to share a few fun back-to-school rituals for busy families. I Here's the skinny. . . 5 Fun Back-to-School Rituals for Busy Families Family Camp-In No matter where in the world you live, the weather's always perfect for a Family Camp-In. A Camp-In is the opposite of a Camp-Out, of course! A Camp-In takes place in your house, in a room large enough for the whole family. And though you … [Read more...]
summer swim team: an absolute MUST for families
Summer swim has been a staple for our family for the last six years. Ever since Maddy joined the pre-team the summer before Kindergarten, we've spent the first seven weeks of summer camped out at the pool in the mornings and have spent our Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings at swim meets and Sunday afternoons at dive meets. We are grateful that our neighborhood pool is within walking distance from our home, and we definitely take advantage of it. But even if your family is not within … [Read more...]
st. patrick’s day BRAIN TEASER scavenger hunt
Even though our lives have changed quite a bit since I started this blog seven years ago, one thing has remained the same: we love to rock it out for holidays. Even big kids like to rock it out for the holidays. So this year, I decided to kick up our traditional St. Patty's Day Scavenger Hunt just a wee bit. My kids are quick, and they're smart. So our Scavenger Hunt needs to be tricky and engaging to keep them interested--or at least to stretch our hunt a bit past the … [Read more...]
lent for modern catholic kids | daily reflections and prayers
Cards have been updated to reflect dates for the 2021 Lenten season. Enjoy! We're one week into Lent this year, and I feel like we kind of struggled for the first week. Our parish priest stressed to us the importance of 'not giving up chocolate' again and instead challenged us to really make this Lent count. So we agreed. We wouldn't give up chocolate. But honestly, after so many years of doing just that--giving up sweets--for Lent, it felt strange not to. And we … [Read more...]
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