Despite living in rain city USA, I believe strongly in getting the kids outside as much as possible (also, the summers in Seattle are gorgeous). So today I've asked Lea to stop by with her top 5 tips for getting your kids away from a screen and outside to play. (And added a few photos of my family because I just couldn't resist.) Playtime is serious business. Just ask the American Council on Pediatrics. In their concerns about the effect of media on young minds, they encourage … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Creating an Outdoor Exploration Station Your Kids Will Love!
Now that summer break is just around the corner (or maybe even here for some of you!), It's time to start thinking about how to keep our kids active and engaged without resorting to video games and television. At the top of my list is (rather predictably) outside, unstructured play. Here's Julee with one of my all-time favorite set-ups for doing just that... Our yard was one of the top reasons we chose our new house. We have lots of space, a large deck and trees to keep us sheltered from … [Read more...]
20 No/Low Set-Up Ways to Play with Your Kids in the Back Yard
I don't know about you, but for us... Summer is all about fun without the fuss. Our family loves the new-found together time. And we love doing activities together, both in and out of the house. But the key to making things more enjoyable for everyone? Especially for Mom? Minimal planning and set up. I mean, it's KEY. We've been focusing on getting outside as much as possible this summer, even despite the Texas heat. So any backyard activity that we can set up quickly is just what we're … [Read more...]
Family Playtime: Great Ideas for Indoor and Outdoor Play this Summer!
If there are two things you know we love around here, it's open-ended, hours-long, glorious play and yummy food to help fuel it all. Turns out these are both things Quaker really cares about too. Which is why I am so happy to be able to finally tell you about signing on as one of four bloggers making up Quaker's new team known as The Oat Authority. First, a little background, and then some great resources and a truly amazing contest! What is The Oat Authority The idea came about … [Read more...]
Sun Print Art Project
There are two things I absolutely adore about this simple kid project - No, wait, make that three! First, it gets the kids outside from start to finish. Second, the results are so pretty you can easily frame them in any room for some easy and inexpensive artwork that will boost your kiddo's confidence (score!). I've been itching to try this send-away framing service and I think this might just be the project for doing it. And third, it's an opportunity for learning at home, which we … [Read more...]
Outdoor Play Idea: Colorful Car Wash!
The kids and I take the summer sun as a direct challenge to come up with new and innovative ways to play outside and today I'm sharing one of our absolute favorites. Try this colorful car wash idea once and you'll be hooked - I swear. My kids really do engage in this one for hours at a time and yours just might too! P.S. Did you know that facebook has recently drastically changed the way pages like MPMK can share with their followers? Even if you’re a fan of the MPMK facebook page, only a … [Read more...]
How to Make “Ah-Mazing” Bubbles with the Kids
S is turning 4 next month and I'm SO EXCITED to finally have a backyard big enough to host a cookout birthday party. I've got a few things planned already and one of the stars of the show is going to be a bubble station featuring some of these DIY bubble blowers. I'm also contemplating the super amazing, human-inside-of-them, extra large bubbles. Have you ever made these with the kids? They're surprisingly simple to pull off. Check out this quick video for the full how-to … [Read more...]
6 Scavenger Hunt Ideas to Beat Boredom & Restlessness
We've got another fabulous guest post for your guys today while I step away for maternity leave. This one hails from one of my very favorite kid activity bloggers, Jamie from Hands On: As We Grow. It's an activity that has come in very handy around here lately as I've become less and less mobile. Set your littles up for a scavenger hunt once and you'll be hooked - I guarantee it! Fortunately Jamie has kindly provided us with tons of ideas and variations to keep the fun going. I am a huge … [Read more...]
Outdoor Creativity: DIY Squirtable Sidewalk Chalk
Between the Kid's Rule Nutrition program and our sinfully delicious Banana Boats, we've been covering the full health spectrum of foods this week. So how about one last food-related post? Although this one does include a recipe, it's not actually for cooking - but for getting outside and playing. In fact, this one's helping to put the "messy kids" in Modern Parents Messy Kids. We tried this DIY squirtable sidewalk chalk last week and it instantly shot to the top of our list of go-to outdoor … [Read more...]