Summer Activities For Kids of Work at Home Parents

Isn't summer fun? Sunshine, warmer weather, time with family and friends; not to mention holidays, fireworks and picnics! Kids live their greatest adventures, and parents have the opportunity to vicariously relive their childhood dreams. For work at home parents, however, summer represents a whole new set of challenges. Running a business from home can be tough enough without having to worry about keeping the kids entertained. Here are some ideas of summer activities for kids of work at home parents meant to help all of you have the best summer ever.

Let's Get Cooking!

When kids are home all day, they have a tendency to gravitate towards the kitchen anyway. So, why not take advantage of that. Plan different kid-friendly recipes like chocolate chip cookies, pancakes, rice cereal treats or pizza. Get everything set up at their level, or get a couple of stepping stools for the little ones. Then, get cooking! Kids love the "experiment-like" nature of cooking, plus getting a bit messy is always fun! An added bonus is that older kids will be able to duplicate the process, which can be a great help when you're a bit behind on work!

Go Green!

Recycle, reduce, reuse! Practice all three this summer. Schedule a trip to your local recycling plant. I know that sounds strange, but kids are so naturally curious they will love seeing this process. If you plan ahead, you can contact the recycling plant and schedule a structured tour of the facilities. Take full advantage of your efforts by partnering with other work at home parents who might want to join the adventure with their kids. The larger the number of people in the group, the better chance you have of securing a scheduled tour. After your trip to the recycling plant, why not teach your kids how to reuse some "trash." Set up a tiny lab and make some recycled paper. It's a lot easier to do than you might think, and you can find complete instructions by doing a simple Google search.

Another neat reusing project is making grocery totes out of old t-shirts. All you do is turn the shirt inside out. Then, cut off the sleeves, and make a straight cut across the chest area of the shirt. Sew or use sewing tape to seal the cut edge. Open the sleeve so they are a rectangular piece of fabric and sew it together long ways. Turn these inside out to make a straw-like piece that will become the handles. Saw each handle to either side of your tote and turn right side out. Now, your kids can go crazy decorating the totes.

Take It Outside!

Why not plant a garden? Take the bikes out to the local trail. It's always fun to go for a swim or to the park. You can also plan a family road trip. Take full advantage of the nice summer weather. If you have a beach nearby, an early trip during the week will help you avoid the crowds. Explore your town. Take the kids to historical or well-known places in your area. If you are creative and have a little extra time, you can plan a scavenger or treasure hunt. My all-time favorite outdoor activity, though, is having a cookout. Fire up that grill, invite a couple of neighbors, and you have an instant summer party!

Some Sanity Savers

Ok, now that you have a few ideas of summer activities for kids it's time to tackle the "working parents" part. Yes, it's fun and exciting to be home with the kids, but it can also be nerve wracking when you have a to-do list that's a mile long and can't get any work done. So here are some tips to help you on that department as well.

  • Make a schedule - be flexible, but if you schedule your day you will invariably get more done!
  • Create a network - having a support group of other work at home parents is always helpful. If they are relatively close by, you could even make arrangements to "exchange" kids during the week. One day your kids go to their house, the next day their kids come to yours. You get the idea!
  • Enlist Friends and Family - there's no shame in asking for help. Most of the time relatives who have planned trips or outings would love to take your kids along, provided you ship in for the costs! Grandparents are also a great tool. They are always happy to have some time to pamper the grandkids!
  • Lose the Super Hero Complex - you are not now, nor will you ever be, superhuman, so don't try to be. Recognize your limitations and don't overdo it. Delegate, prioritize, and don't be afraid to let some things go! If it is not absolutely essential, it can wait until tomorrow, or maybe even until fall!

There you have it. Take some time to plan and prioritize your summer activities. Incorporate some of the summer activities for kids listed above into your weekly schedule. Have fun and never forget that your kids are more than likely the reason you started working from home in the first place. Enjoy each other and the rest will fall into place.

Popular Christmas Gifts For Kids - Here Are Some Gifts That Kids Want For Christmas

Christmas is a time of joy and giving between friends and family all over the world. Children of all ages especially look forward to this time of year. The toys they receive from family and friends are so much fun to play with! If you need to do any Christmas shopping for kids, you need to be informed about the popular Christmas gifts for kids during the holidays.

Keep reading to hear about the latest toys that will make any child's face light up this Christmas.

1. The Mini Kick Scooter made by Kickboard USA is an excellent choice for the child who just can't sit still. It lets your child enjoy the thrill of speeding around outside and is available in several fun colors.

2. For something you and your child can play inside the house, try Mindflex. EEG waves are the secret to this interesting game that you can both enjoy. The object is to focus on several small balls and maneuver them through an obstacle course using the power of your mind via a headset. It really works and it is a blast to try!

3. Most kids love to play with balls of all kinds. The Busy Ball Popper is the perfect toy to make use of this fact by providing children with hours of entertainment! Balls are propelled around the room by a fan while energizing music is played. Children run around the room retrieving the balls as quickly as possible, and with the next "pop" the fun starts all over again!

Any of these toys are sure to bring a smile to your child's face this Christmas, and the best part is they will love playing with the toys even after Christmas is over!

Creating The Ultimate Easter For Kids - And You

Easter can be one of the most entertaining and meaningful holidays of the year, especially when it comes to celebrating with kids.

There are literally hundreds of ideas you can incorporate into your celebrations to make Easter for kids a very special and memorable occasion. Easter is perhaps second to Christmas when it comes to noteworthy holidays to make a big deal of. As a parent, you can add that special touch to the occasion that will keep your kids enthralled throughout the Easter season with these kids Easter ideas and adding Easter gifts for kids.

Easter Dessert Treats

Part of celebrating Easter is sharing good food with family and friends. The children in your family can participate in the fun by helping to prepare special snacks and treats for the occasion. You will have very willing participants when you ask for help baking one of their favorite Easter desserts.

Easter dessert recipes especially designed for the season such as pear shaped bunny rabbits, empty tomb cake, and resurrection cookies add Easter themes to their baking experience.

Easter Crafts Brighten the Season

Easter themed art projects bring a smile to faces young and old. Your children can bring joy to your family and your guests by making handcrafted:

• Easter cards, posters, baskets and wall hangings with meaningful quotes or verses on them

• A simple egg carton can carry decorative handcrafted flowers

• Blown out eggs can be decorated into bees, butterflies, doves or bluebirds and placed in baskets or hung as ornaments

• A beautiful butterfly collage on a prominent wall can symbolize new life and regeneration for the Easter season

Special art projects that portray the Easter spirit make memorable kids Easter ideas, gifts and decorations that will be appreciated by others.

Meaningful Traditions for a Heartfelt Easter Setting

Meaningful traditions experienced in childhood become meaningful traditions for your children when they are older. They also help them to better understand the true meaning of the Easter season and why you celebrate it.

• To symoblize Jesus' time of prayer in the garden, make a miniature garden basket

• Celebrate Passover with your family, in the same fashion as Jesus' last supper with His disciples

• A wonderful tradition your kids can pass on for generations is reading Easter books and stories together as a family

• On the week leading up to Easter Sunday, listen to Easter songs or make them an Easter gift in their basket

Easter for kids is an exciting day filled with everything needed to make lifelong memories they will recall and share with others in the years ahead.

Valentine's Day Gifts For Kids - Sharing the Love

Valentine's Day is not just a day for lovers. You can spend time with your kids or get them gifts on this special day. This is a holiday that is now celebrated to show others that you care about them. Some ideas on Valentine's Day gifts for kids include the following:

  • A Family Dinner Out. There are theme restaurants that cater to children as well as pizza places where there are games to play. Depending on the age, you could go to places like Chuck E. Cheese or Dave & Busters. Even taking the kids to the local hamburger joint can be a treat if it's not something you do normally. Kids love to eat out and if there's a game room or activities involved, that's even more special for them.
  • Hand-Made Coupons. Give your kids a bunch of coupons that you make yourself on the computer. Coupons for skipping a bath one night (which most little kids will love) or saying up a half hour later - all of these are easy to make on the computer and can make great Valentine's gifts for kids. Who knows? You might even be able to stretch this even further and make it a year-round option to reinforce good behavior!
  • A Basket of Goodies. You can get small baskets at craft or discount stores and fill them with all sorts of little inexpensive treats to show your children how much you love them. Most of the stores have little novelties for children that can be incorporated into their baskets.

Older children, such as teenagers and pre-teens may want to put away childish things and get something a little more grown up. Here are some good Valentine's Day gifts for kids who are a bit older:

  • Gifts for Girls. Young girls, especially in the tween set, love the magazines that show their favorite teen idols on the cover. These magazines can usually be picked up cheaply and will be guaranteed to thrill the tween on your list. Girls at this age are gravitating towards make-up and jewelry, so if you're game, a small starter set of good quality make-up or a nice piece of jewelry such as a bracelet would thrill any young lady.
  • Gifts for Boys. Young boys will enjoy comic books or action figures based on their favorite characters. Young boys still enjoy reading about superheroes and reading comic books. You can go to your local comic book store and get your young boy a bunch of comic books rather cheaply. To really juice up the gift, a matching action figure would make any boy's day.
  • A Shopping Spree at the Mall. This can be for both young men and women who are teenagers. If you try to buy them clothing, they may not like it and the same goes for music. You can also get them gift certificates for Best Buy and other electronics stores where they can get all of the latest music and DVDs. While some people balk at the idea of getting gift certificates for people as gifts, they can be the best answer when dealing with teenagers, who can be very difficult to please.
  • Gift Certificates. Gift certificates to the movies are a great way to surprise your teen this Valentine's Day. You can also get them a gift card for their favorite fast food place or even Starbucks. There are dozens of different ideas on how to please a teenager during this holiday. Cash is also a much coveted gift by most young people. Just be sure to put it in a nice card that tells them how much you love them.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on your Valentine's Day gifts for kids. This is a low key holiday when it comes to buying kids presents. However, it is nice to show your children that you are thinking of them on this day which is dedicated to love.

Fun Vacation Spots For Kids

Depending the way you plan your vacation with kids, it can either be a memorable fun-filled experience or a disaster. The time you and your kids decide to go on a family vacation, the most important thing to do is take into account what your kids like to do and what they do not. In addition, also consider how your kids will cope with crowds, heat and noise. All these factors play a big role in zeroing on the ideal vacation place for your family.

It is not necessary that fun vacation spots for kids have to be expensive places. Most children are pleased very easily and are content with simple things. It is amazing to see how excited kids can get when making sandcastles.

Anyway there are some fun vacation spots for kids that also have something to offer adults.

Walt Disney World Resort: It is the most visited recreation park in the world. All kids would love to spend a holiday here living the magical moments of Disneyland. There are two theme parks, two water parks, 23 themed hotels, and unimaginable dining, shopping and recreational places. This is one of the best places to visit with children who would feel excited about riding the giant roller coasters and meeting their favorite cartoon and fairytale characters.

Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Maine: Offers so many attractions that your kids will be busy right through the vacation. Besides the amazing sand and pristine clear water, there are amusement rides, plenty of eating joints and carnival games. You can also go downtown to shop at the candy stores and boutiques.

Hershey Park: This beautiful theme park spans 110 acres and has around 60 rides. There are exciting water rides, family rides, kids' rides, and live concerts and shows. And which will not want to spend a vacation in the Chocolate Town of US.

Snowbird Resort, Utah: Come winter, you can head to this resort to enjoy various winter activities like snowboarding, snowmobiling, snow tubing and ice skating. Right round the year, the resort holds live music concerts and organizes many competitive races. You can even enroll the kids into ski schools to hone their skiing abilities.

Piano Presents for a Musical New Year Pay Off for Kids

Make a decision in the New Year to choose gifts that invest in your child's future and you and your kids can look forward to an honest return for your money. Piano lessons are among the best educational investments you can make in your child's future because they improve overall educational progress as well as build a fun, life-long skill. Here's some ideas for the New Year so that when another holiday or birthday rolls around you'll be prepared to make a smart investment in your child's future.

1. A Piano or Keyboard - The first place to start investing in your child's musical education is with a piano. There are lots of options, just choose the best piano or keyboard you can afford and you can feel good about your decision.

2. Keyboard Stand and Bench - If you choose a keyboard be sure to get a stand and a bench to go along with it. Learning to sit at the piano with good posture and balance is important to success, so don't try to do without these.

3. Piano Bag to Keep Music Organized - Organization is important. You don't want your child going to their lessons without the music books they will need. Keeping everything in a piano bag ensures that your child will get the most from their lessons.

4. Piano Journal to Record Goals and Progress - Help your child in piano set goals and keep track of their progress by learning to keep a journal.

5. A Metronome to Aid Sight Reading and Counting - Metronomes are great for helping kids in piano improve their sight reading ability and learn to keep a steady beat.

6. Piano Books and Sheet Music - A New music book or special piece of sheet music will add energy and enthusiasm to your child's piano lessons and help them to set goals to learn new music. Don't force your children to play the music you like, however, but listen to what motivates your child.

7. Musical Inspirational Gifts - Musical jewelry, stickers, pencils, bookmarks, etc. great ways to reward and encourage your child's musical efforts with a little surprise they won't be expecting.

8. Musical Games & Activities You can Play with Your Kids - Why not use music to have more family time and fun with your children. Musical games make piano fun for the whole family while learning together.

9. Concert Tickets to Create Musical Memories with Your Children - Take your kids to a piano concert or symphony. This is a great way to make a musical memory with your children that will inspire them to reach their musical dreams.

10. Classical Piano CDs Your Whole Family will Enjoy - Having a nice collection of CDs is a great way to support your child's piano journey. Familiarity brings comfort to children. The more familiar they are with different styles of music, the easier it is for kids to learn the new music their teacher will assign.

Keep these gift ideas handy and and remember to invest in your child's future in a consistent way that will pay off over the New Year.

Unique Valentine Cards For Kids

Giving greeting cards to the special people who are close to you is the best way of expressing your love and care for them. A photo greeting card conveys the meaning much more clearly and vividly. On special occasions and festivals, a photo Christmas card will be cherished by your friends and relatives much more than an ordinary greeting card. Valentine's day is another occasion when cards are given and also received in plenty. Even at school, kid's valentine card is a very popular gift item as it is a way of having fun among school friends.

When it comes to unique valentines cards for kids, they should be bright, fresh and just plain cute. Bright colors and good artwork attract kids very easily because that is the age when their creative minds are developing. Kids and children fall in love with cartons and animations because of the freshness of color used in them. When you are making a kid's valentine card, take special care to keep it light and simple. Graphics should not be heavy and keep the words apt for kids.

Are you wondering how you can make your greeting cards special and unique? Are you trying to figure out how to impress your loved ones? This Valentine's day, you can gift your partner or friend a photo greeting card framed with a picture of the lovely moments you have spent together. They would treasure such items and the card would create lovely memories which they can share later with others throughout their lives. At Christmas, gift your children a photo Christmas card of the previous years gone by, when they played in the snow and pestered Santa for gifts.

But Valentine's day cards continue to outsell all other cards for every other holiday except for Christmas and New Year. Children love to receive candy and cards anytime. To get the perfect photo Christmas card, plan in advance and keep your camera ready. When you get a great "picture moment" start clicking. If you want to get a good family picture for Christmas, you can use a tripod and take a lovely family photo.

Photo greeting cards go easy on your pocket also as they are very cost effective. These photo cards can be printed and designed at very economical rates. The additional advantage is the variety of these cards which make it even popular. After you have clicked your photo, you can make necessary edits to it using software such as Photoshop. The best part is that you can also add personalized messages to your dear ones. Rekindle your lost romance this Valentine's day by sending your photo Valentine card to your partner along with a bouquet of flowers.

Dinosaur Train Games for Kids - 3 Awesome New Board Games Make The Perfect Gift

Dinosaur Train games for kids up until recently have only included online games on the PBSkids.org website, but not anymore! Now you can get your child some fun Dinosaur Train board games making their debut just in time for the holidays. Below you will find 3 awesome new games that make the perfect gift, I have already weeded out a few of the ones that didn't get the best reviews, but these three are a hit!

1. Make a Match Game: Everyone loves the classic game of memory, but now Dinosaur Train has made it even more fun. Your children will get to play along with Buddy and his friends with this new version of the game. It is great for 2-4 players and ages 3-6 years and up. It comes with a Buddy figure that children are really loving, the end game is who gets to win Buddy? Keep their attention for hours and have fun playing this game with your kids.

2. Pop N Race Game: Based slightly on the game trouble, this new game comes with the same fun dice dome that will help you make your way around the board. Parents are already saying that this game is a huge hit with their children. The popping of the dice never gets old and getting to race home and see who wins, it doesn't get any better than that to a child and many are saying that their children continue to learn dinosaur species while playing this game.

3. Big Roll Bingo Game: Everyone loves bingo and this Dinosaur Train is no exception. Kids love it and will play it over and over again, of course they'll need someone to play against so either a sibling or you will no doubt be drawn in. Up to 6 people can actually play this game and it is great for 4 years and up. For some reason the characters from this show have managed to make bingo even more fun!

Above you learned about new Dinosaur Train games for kids that don't have to be played online; bring back family game night with these new options. There is a Make a Match game, a Pop N Race game and even a Big Roll Bingo game, your child will love all three. There are bound to be other games that get released because this show has combined education with fun and the opportunities are endless. Start with one or all three of these games and see your child's face light up this holiday season.