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5 Ways to Bring out Your Inner Kid!
- Patria Lincoln Posted On May 18, 2018
Let’s face it – many of us sometimes forget about our playful sides. With so many pressures and responsibilities facing moms and dads these days, sometimes it’s difficult to set your serious grown-up self aside keep in touch with your inner kid. But a playful parent is usually a happier parent, and a happier parent is a better parent, caregiver, and teacher. We set our kids up to be as successful as they can be, and that is a full time job leaving little time for fun! So how do we get playful again?
Below are a few simple things we can all do to help get in touch with our inner kid – and just in time for Take Your Parents to the Playground Day (Sunday, May 20)! So, take off your tie (heck, take off your shoes and socks, too!), step away from the computer/phone/tablet, and learn to let go like a child again. Your mental health will thank you!
1. Go to the playground!
Sure, we take our kids to the park. But how often do we really play? You won’t believe how exhilarating swinging can be or how fun the slide really is. Try a game of tag or set up an obstacle course. When you get tired, park it and challenge your children to a staring contest. You might be surprised at how much fun you have and you’ll get a chance to see your kids at “work”, doing their business of learning, growing, navigating, compromising, strategizing, communicating, and imagining.
2. Get messy!
Grab the kids, a bunch of paint and get to creating! Finger painting is a fun stress reliever that gets you in touch with your artistic side! Don't worry about the mess for now, just have fun and get those hands dirty!
3. Sing!
In the car. In the shower. In the kitchen! Stumble across a long-lost-but-not-forgotten-favorite jam and belt it out, as loud as you can! You'll find that you can't stop smiling!
4. Dance like no one is watching!
Have chores to do? Turn on some tunes and dance while you do them. Invite your kids to join you. Impromptu dance parties make for seriously great family memories and showing your kids your silly side is a great way to get closer.
5. Get Silly!
Try replacing one lecture a day (toilet not flushed, socks not in hamper, dishes not in sink) with a funny face. Seriously. Stop yourself from saying whatever it is you say every time something goes undone, make eye contact with your kiddo (or your hubby), and make a silly face instead. Yes, it’s tempting to load the dishwasher and put the laundry away, and those chores do have to get done, sometime, but what would you RATHER be doing? Our kids are busy learning and growing but they're also busy having fun. So, learn from example! Let’s get playful!
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Posted on Nov 5, 2018
Ultimate STEM Day Activity Bundle! National STEM Day is November 8 – a day designated to the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and math. To help you celebrate STEM in style, we’ve put together three of our very favorite, holiday-themed STEM smarts & crafts activities perfect for your Thanksgiving Day festivities and winter break fun.
Here’s what you’ll do:Blow up one balloon per racer but don’t tie off the ends. Instead, twist the end, then attach a kitchen “chip clip” or binder clip to keep the air from escaping.
Cut your construction paper into feathers, waddles, and googly eyes and tape the pieces to your “turkeys”.
Set up your race course by placing two chairs about 8 feet apart (you’ll need one set of these chairs for each racer). Cut a 9-foot section of string for each racer and tie the loose end of a length to one chair.
Thread a straw through the untied end of the string, then pull the string taught and tie to the opposite chair.
Using tape, attach the top, center of the balloon to the straw. Make sure to line the straw up with the release point of the balloon, for straighter, faster flying.Pull the balloons back so the ends are touching the chairs, pinch the balloons above the chip clips, and remove the clips.
Call “On your marks, get set, GO”, let go of the balloons, and watch as your turkeys race to the finish line!
Let’s talk turkey about physics! Remember that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (thanks, Newton!). When you blow up the balloon, you are filling it with air. When you release the chip clip, you are releasing the air, creating pressure out of the back of the balloon. This release creates an equal and opposite pressure on the front of the balloon, propelling it forward. 
What You’ll Do:Cut your pipe cleaners in half, then cut some of them in half again.
Twist the pieces together to form one-of-a-kind snowflake patterns, making sure that your snowflakes will fit into your container without touching the sides or bottom. (Trim the ends with scissors if need be.)
Tie one end of the string to the center of your snowflake and the other to your pencil or craft stick and check to make sure your snowflake will fit without touching the sides or bottom of your container.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. For every cup of water you pour into your container, add 3 tablespoons of Borax and stir (this is a job for a parent as the water is boiling hot!). Add more Borax and stir to dissolve, continuing until the water won’t accept any more Borax (it’s okay if there’s some left in the bottom of the jar). Then add a few drops of food coloring and stir.
Hang your snowflake in the water by balancing your pencil or craft stick across the top of the jar. If your string is too long, twist it around your pencil until it keeps the snowflake from touching the bottom.
Leave your snowflake overnight. Carefully pull your snowflake out of the jar and shake off the excess crystals to reveal your crystalized snowflake!
Borax can be beautiful! Hot water molecules are moving really quickly, which leaves room for the Borax to dissolve between them. As the water cools, the molecules move closer together, “squeezing” the Borax out. 
Set out the marshmallows and toothpicks and challenge your busy builders to construct their drawings.
Once they’re done, see if someone can build a snow den, an igloo, or a walled fort. The possibilities are endless (and delicious!).
With snow covering the ground, fewer plants are growing, which means less food for hungry animals like bears, bats, and squirrels. Hibernating slows down these animals’ metabolisms and reduces their body temperatures, which means they need less energy to survive and can go without eating for several months at a time. Hibernating animals need a safe, hidden spot to snuggle down for the winter months, similar to the caves and burrows you just built! 
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Ultimate STEM Day Activity Bundle! National STEM Day is November 8 – a day designated to the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and math. To help you celebrate STEM in style, we’ve put together three of our very favorite, holiday-themed STEM smarts & crafts activities perfect for your Thanksgiving Day festivities and winter break fun.
Simple Physics Turkey Races
Add some get up and go to your gobble gobble with these crazy-fun turkey races perfect for perking up the party on turkey day!Here’s what you’ll need:BalloonsConstruction paperTapeStringPlastic strawsChip clips or binder clipsHere’s what you’ll do:Blow up one balloon per racer but don’t tie off the ends. Instead, twist the end, then attach a kitchen “chip clip” or binder clip to keep the air from escaping.Cut your construction paper into feathers, waddles, and googly eyes and tape the pieces to your “turkeys”.Set up your race course by placing two chairs about 8 feet apart (you’ll need one set of these chairs for each racer). Cut a 9-foot section of string for each racer and tie the loose end of a length to one chair.Thread a straw through the untied end of the string, then pull the string taught and tie to the opposite chair.Using tape, attach the top, center of the balloon to the straw. Make sure to line the straw up with the release point of the balloon, for straighter, faster flying.Pull the balloons back so the ends are touching the chairs, pinch the balloons above the chip clips, and remove the clips.Call “On your marks, get set, GO”, let go of the balloons, and watch as your turkeys race to the finish line!Let’s talk turkey about physics! Remember that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (thanks, Newton!). When you blow up the balloon, you are filling it with air. When you release the chip clip, you are releasing the air, creating pressure out of the back of the balloon. This release creates an equal and opposite pressure on the front of the balloon, propelling it forward. Crystal Snowflake Christmas Ornaments
Celebrate the coming winter with crystal snowflakes you make yourself!What You’ll Need:Pipe cleanersBoraxFood coloringWide mouth glass container like a measuring cupPencil, craft stick, or spatulaString or an extra pipe cleanerWhat You’ll Do:Cut your pipe cleaners in half, then cut some of them in half again.Twist the pieces together to form one-of-a-kind snowflake patterns, making sure that your snowflakes will fit into your container without touching the sides or bottom. (Trim the ends with scissors if need be.)Tie one end of the string to the center of your snowflake and the other to your pencil or craft stick and check to make sure your snowflake will fit without touching the sides or bottom of your container.Bring a pot of water to a boil. For every cup of water you pour into your container, add 3 tablespoons of Borax and stir (this is a job for a parent as the water is boiling hot!). Add more Borax and stir to dissolve, continuing until the water won’t accept any more Borax (it’s okay if there’s some left in the bottom of the jar). Then add a few drops of food coloring and stir.Hang your snowflake in the water by balancing your pencil or craft stick across the top of the jar. If your string is too long, twist it around your pencil until it keeps the snowflake from touching the bottom.Leave your snowflake overnight. Carefully pull your snowflake out of the jar and shake off the excess crystals to reveal your crystalized snowflake!Borax can be beautiful! Hot water molecules are moving really quickly, which leaves room for the Borax to dissolve between them. As the water cools, the molecules move closer together, “squeezing” the Borax out. Winter Marshmallow Dens
Turn those cocoa fixin’s into a science lesson about the winter habits of some of your kids’ favorite animals with this tasty activity!What you’ll need:ToothpicksMarshmallowsPaperCrayons or markerSnowy Animal ToysWhat you’ll do:Ask your kids to imagine where they might go to hibernate if they lived out in the wild. Have you kids draw their ideas on paper.Set out the marshmallows and toothpicks and challenge your busy builders to construct their drawings.Once they’re done, see if someone can build a snow den, an igloo, or a walled fort. The possibilities are endless (and delicious!).With snow covering the ground, fewer plants are growing, which means less food for hungry animals like bears, bats, and squirrels. Hibernating slows down these animals’ metabolisms and reduces their body temperatures, which means they need less energy to survive and can go without eating for several months at a time. Hibernating animals need a safe, hidden spot to snuggle down for the winter months, similar to the caves and burrows you just built! HAPPY STEM DAY!
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