Recycled Robot Preschool Craft Using Cereal Boxes

It always amazes me how much paper and plastic waste there is in modern packaging. Our many recycle bins are always overflowing and I'm pleasantly surprised when I see companies that make an effort to downsize their packages and reduce waste.  It's also nice to see more and more crafts for kids made with recycled products.

One thing we always have in our recycle bin is thin cardboard boxes and they seem to accumulate. My son came home from preschool one day with this really cute recycled robot craft. I have always been impressed with some of the art projects my son does at preschool.  This one is really easy and I love the results.

Craft Materials:

Fight Childhood Summer Hunger With Odwalla and Champions For Kids #Odwalla4Kids #cbias

There are certain things that make my mouth happy and Odwalla fruit smoothies are one of them. With each of my pregnancies, I regularly treated myself to these delicious smoothies. I was nourishing my children before they were born and now they continue to thrive by eating a variety of healthy foods. However, some local children are not as fortunte and that's where the Hunger in the Summer Project with Odwalla comes into play.

When I was asked to promote the Hunger in the Summer Project, I felt like it was a win/win!  The Hunger in the Summer Project aims to raise awareness about childhood hunger and inspire people, like you and I, to help families in our local communities. This simple service project has 4 basic steps:

National Train Day: May 11, 2013

All Aboard!

Saturday, May 11, 2013 is the sixth annual National Train Day!

Come and celebrate the joy of trains and train travel! Train stations across the U.S. will be hosting events with fun, free activities, interactive exhibits and train displays that will bring the ‘rail way’ to life for attendees of all ages. Check out the events page of the NationalTrainDay.com to see if there is an event in your area.

This is all on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited, so be sure to arrive early!

For updated information, you can like National Train Day on Facebook or visit their site.

The Office Depot REAL Change Project #TeachersChangeLives

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Until adulthood, I took my teachers for granted.  I appreciated them, but I had no idea how many hours they spent working from home, how much time they spent thinking about their students, and how much of their own money some teachers use for classroom supplies. Now that I have kids of my own, I see teachers in a whole new light.

My son has flourished in his first year of elementary school. He has adored his teacher from day one. I love her too. Why? Because her positive energy is inspiring and the kids feel it. Her confidence and cheerful spirit makes the kids feel at home in her classroom. She understands the children's need to engage with their peers and encourages them to share their thoughts. She respects them and they respect her. Subsequently, my son has learned a tremendous amount throughout the year and, as a mom, I couldn't ask for anything more!

My sister was a kindergarten teacher, and that's when I first realized what a huge undertaking it is to educate our children. I remember my mom shipping her boxes of classroom supplies to help her out.  Did you know...

T.G.I.F. Kid's Co-op

This week is flying by so fast that I almost forgot to post the Kid's Co-op.  There are tons of fun & frugal kid's activities listed below.  These moms never cease to amaze me with their creative play ideas and passion for parenting! I hope these posts provide inspiration for the week ahead.

Relax & Enjoy!

Totally Terrific Tree Houses!

Yesterday, I was flipping through my new Family Fun magazine, and I had to smile when I got to this page.

This is a human-scale birdhouse that my kids and I know very well! It's part of an exhibit called "Totally Terrific Tree Houses" at one of our favorite local places, Tyler Arboretum. The kids love running up the steps and peeking their heads out the window. Moms have to be fast with their camera because it's a great photo spot, but you have to be quick!

If you've ever been to an arboretum, you know that these are great places for kids to run around, explore nature and play! Continue here to read my post: 5 Reasons Why We Love Our Local Arboretum and learn how to find arboretums across the United States.

Terrain: A Local Treasure & Feast for the Senses

It was a breezy spring morning, and I decided to check out Terrain with my little guy.  I have driven by this place more times than I can count, but after seeing a few photos of the store on Pinterest, I knew I had see see it for myself.  The only way I can describe it: a true feast for the senses.

What is Terrain? It's a little bit of everything... store, garden center, cafe, boutique, private event venue.  It's a little hard to explain, so I thought you might like to watch their video from Vimeo. 

Something about this place makes me feel happy. And, apparently, my son agrees. 

Upon arrival at Terrain, my son walked along an old log in the parking lot. Once inside, he made funny faces in an oversized mirror. His little hands felt the different types of cacti. He was completely captivated by the water fountains that were scattered throughout the store. He frolicked around the outdoor garden center and smelled the flowers.

There were so many cool things to buy at Terrain and many of their products were made in the USA, which is fantastic! If you don't live near their stores in PA or CT they have an online shop with such unique home, outdoor living, jewelry, accessories, and garden products. Plus, they currently have a promo code FORMOM so you can get free shipping on all orders over $100.

I hope you liked hearing about our first visit to Terrain. I know this won't be our last visit, and I'm looking forward to attending one of their many in-store events.

 

Have you discovered any local treasures lately?

 This is not a sponsored post.  

Video Credit: Terrain at Glen Mills, PA from Terrain on Vimeo. 

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Top 10 Cinco de Mayo Crafts and Activities for Kids

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 Do you ever find yourself looking for something on the internet and not find what you're looking for? That was how I felt while looking for easy kid's crafts and activities for Cinco de Mayo. I kept finding the same crafts over and over, but most of them were too difficult for kids or required too many materials. So, I did some research and searched for Cinco de Mayo crafts and activities for kids that were: fairly easy, good for a group, and didn't require too many materials.

Here are the Top 10 Cinco de Mayo Crafts and Activities for Kids:

 

1. Footprint Chili Pepper Cinco de Mayo Craft.

2. Easter Egg Maracas  made with plastic easter eggs and spoons.

3. Pinanta Garland made with recycled toilet paper rolls. I love these!!!

4. Mexican Flag Drinking Straw - You need red, green and write staws and a print out of the Mexican flag for this craft.

5. Printable Cinco de Mayo Activities for Kids - Lots of great Mexican themed printables here.

6. Saguaro Cacti Kid's Art  All you need is construction paper, rice, and some tissue paper.

7. Cinco de Mayo Mariachi Guitar Craft - These bright and colorful guitars would be ideal for 1st grade and up.

8. Chili Pepper Craft Just grab some red beads and a green pipe cleaner for this one!

9. Mexican Flag Cinco de Mayo Project - This simple craft will help teach kids about the Mexican Flag and would go great with a social studies lesson.

10. DIY Crepe Paper Flowers. You could modify this to make it easier for the age group you're working with.  For instance, let the kids color coffee filters and make your own DIY fiesta flowers. 

Do you have any Cinco de Mayo family traditions?

The Sweet Smell of Lemon Play Dough

Ahh...

There is something I love about lemon.

Everything about lemon is nice.  The color, the smell, the way it makes everything seem so awake and fresh!  

Since I am a lover of lemon, I had to share this new blog post by Train Up a Child. 

She shows you how to make Lemon Play Dough with your child and it looks perfect for spring!

Click here to read her full post:

Playdough Recipe {Lemon}

 

Make Extra Money & Get Your Voice Heard With Focus Pointe Global

 

If you've ever participated in a focus group, you know that they can be a lot of fun and a super easy way to earn some extra cash! Focus Pointe Global is a Marketing Research company which holds focus groups across the U.S. and they want to pay you for your opinion.  

How do focus groups work?

First, you sign up to join their database of local consumers. When Focus Pointe Global has a project that you might qualify for, they give you a call and/or contact you via email. Each group has very specific profile requirements to ensure they gather the very best information possible for their industry clients. If you qualify, you will be invited to the group. 

Once you get to the group, you will be asked about your perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. (source)

Focus groups typically last up to 2 hours and you can generally earn about $75 to $150 per group.

 

How can I join a focus group?

It's easy to sign up! Focus Pointe Global is currently looking for moms across the country who want to participate in focus groups. 

Go to www.focusgroup.com for more information on paid marketing research and other opportunities in the Philadelphia area and other cities across the U.S. It’s a great way to make a little extra money and get your voice heard to help impact products that you use and more!

If you live in the Bala Cynwyd, PA area, Focus Pointe Global in currently looking for Mothers with kids ages 6-17 to participate in research on the topic of Food Products. You can earn $75-$145. Go to http://bit.ly/50623CC to take the qualifying survey.

Have you ever participated in a local focus group before?  

 

Enter to Win a Loggerhead Apparel Bellwether360 Polo Shirt!

Just yesterday, I was chatting with a friend about how difficult it can be to buy gifts for family members. We both agreed that we want to buy meaningful and useful gifts, but they can be hard to find. Shortly after that conversation, I learned about Loggerhead Apparel from my friend Sarah at USA Love List.  Loggerhead Apparel goes above and beyond to solve my gift dilemma. Let me tell you why.

mean·ing·ful: Having a serious, important, or useful quality or purpose

By now, everyone knows how important it is to support local businesses.  When you shop from local U.S. businesses, more money is invested back into our commmunity. Loggerhead Apparel supports the local textile industry, because 100% of the production process takes place in the U.S. Even shifting a small percent of your spending to focus on local businesses can have a huge positive impact on the American economy.

Buying local also has less of an environmental impact. Locally made products typically use less packaging and leave less of a carbon footprint. But, Loggerhead Apparel takes it a step further. 10% of the revenue from the sale of all Loggerhead Apparel shirts will be donated directly to local causes supporting the conservation and protection of the Loggerhead turtle.  I think that's impressive!

use·ful: Able to be used for a practical purpose

Father's day is coming up, and some men are pretty hard to shop for, but, I don't know of any man who wouldn't like top-quality, American-grown, American-made clothing. Whether at work, or at a summer bbq, I think my husband would look great in a Loggerhead polo shirt.  And their t-shirts look really nice too. Plus, the company’s polo and tees support US cotton growers by using American-grown supima cotton that is grown in Arizona. 

Now for the giveaway!

Here’s your chance to win one Bellwether360 polo, in a men’s, women’s or children’s size, in a color of your choice.  It's easy to enter below through the rafflecopter widget. This event will end at midnight Eastern time on Thursday, May 2. There are a variety of entry options including opportunities for multiple daily entries. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

More Simple Crafts to Do With Preschoolers & Big Kids too!

It's Thursday!  You know what that means?  It's time for the weekly Kid's Co-op!

I encourage you to check out all the links. There are some great ideas in there!

If you're linking up, grab a button so every one can see where you like to party: 

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Land's End at the Mom Mixer

There's a little something I like to call "Mommy-me-time." It's a time when you can get away from your normal routine and escape with girl friends. Whether it be a quick coffee hour or a night out, every now and then, it's a must! Whitney, from Mommies with Style, and Colleen, from Classy Mommy, know that good company, good food, and and style are great assets for mommy-me-time.  So, they combined it all, and threw a fantastic Mom Mixer!

 In my next blog post, I'll give you the low down on all of the great brands I met there, but, now, I'd like to start with one of my favorites, Land's End. 

Make a Wish - World Wish Day

  

 

If you’re like me, you have heard about Make-A-Wish Foundation. You know that this organization grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. You may have even seen a child with a Make-a-Wish t-shirt while you were vacationing in Disney World, like I have. Have you ever considered getting involved to help make these dreams come true? It’s easier than you think!

April 29th, 2013 is World Wish Day which celebrates the day Chris Greicius received his wish to be a police officer for the day.  That day inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish® and the organization's global wish-granting movement.  

 

Here are 3 simple ways for you to get involved in World Wish Day:

 

  • Donate Air Miles - There are so many people who lose their unused air miles. Make-A-Wish Foundation® needs more than 2.5 billion miles to grant wishes each year. If you have Delta SkyMiles, United Continental Milage Plus, or U.S. Airways Dividend Miles that you can donate, please do it.  At one point, my husband and I lost thousands of air miles, which we could have donated if we knew this was an option. Once donated, your miles will never expire and are used to support wishes across the country.

  • Share the power of a wish® by donating – through the purchase of a virtual star at worldwish.org/shareyourwish or a cash donation. This only takes a minute and it really helps!

  • Spread the word. Tell your friends about donating cash or air miles.  Use the hash tags: #worldwishday #shareyourwish #jointheworld

This year, 10,000 wish kids and their families will travel for a Make-A-Wish® experience. That's 50,000 roundtrip tickets or 2.5 billion frequent flier miles. In honor of World Wish Day®, the day of the wish that inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish, visit wish.org/tickets and donate miles and dollars – and help wish kids take flight.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Make-A-Wish®. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

Take Your Child to Work Day: April 2013


April 25th, 2013 is Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work® Day.  You can learn more about this organization on the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day website. This year they have partnered with the National Association of State Foresters for the theme '"Work in Progress." They hope to inspire future generations of kids by bringing them into the workplace to explore the many life choices they have.

Also, my friend Jenae, wrote a great article with 5 helpful tips for taking your child to work.  Continue reading her article on her blog  I Can Teach My Child.

Have you ever taken your child to your workplace?  Do you have any tips to offer moms or dads?  If so, leave a comment below.


A Day at Longwood Gardens

I've probably said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, but one thing I love about parks, gardens and arboretums is that no matter how many times you go, each visit is unique.

A few weeks ago, my kids and I took a day trip to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA with some friends. We've been there before, but this was a really special visit.  We saw things we never saw before and took time to smell the flowers.

I could tell you about all of the beautiful things we saw, but my words don't do Longwood Gardens justice.  You have to see it for yourself.