Tips & Tricks

Holiday Travel Kits For Kids That Keep Parents Sane

September 26, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Holiday travel can get a little crazy, but holiday travel with kids can be insane if you aren’t prepared! Before you head out on your holiday travels this year, check out the holiday travel kits for kids that will help you stay sane. Put one of these together for your kids, because it’s the best travel investment you’ll ever make!

Holiday Travel Kits For Kids

Everyone knows how big of a pain it is to travel during the holidays, but traveling with kids during the holidays is hard! These holiday travel kits for kids will make you feel much more prepared.

Kids’ Holiday Travel Kits For The Plane

It can be really hard to travel with kids during the holidays. These holiday travel kits for kids will help you feel prepared for whatever comes your way.

The perfect organizer for a kids’ holiday travel kit is something like this hanging toiletries bag. It holds a lot of stuff in one convenient little package. Get one for each child in your family, and then stock it with the following items:

Coloring books
Colored pencils {they don’t melt like crayons do!}
Kindle Fire or other kid-friendly activity tablet with age-appropriate apps installed
Sticker activity book
Any other small toys or travel games you can fit inside your kit

Holiday Travel Kits For The Car

Traveling with kiddos can be tricky, especially during the holidays. These holiday travel kits for kids will make your holiday trips be as smooth as possible.

If you’re taking a holiday road trip, stock a kids’ holiday travel kit inside a backpack for the car before you go. Here are some ideas:

Create a craft binder. A large binder with 3″ rings holds several zip-close pouches you can fill with stickers, colored pencils, markers and paper. When the binder is closed, the top acts as the perfect sized “desk” for your child to work on.
Include a pack of Expo Window Markers. These are fun for drawing on the glass, and easily erase when your child is finished.
Window clings are fun on a road trip. Get a pack of holiday-themed window clings and let your child use the window glass to have hours of fun using her imagination.
A tablet or Kindle Fire works as well in the car as it does on a plane. Before you go, download some brand new apps and games to keep your child’s interest.

Stock a holiday travel kit for the kids, and save your sanity on the plane and in the car. And don’t forget to read up on 10 expert tips for traveling with kids!

12 Science Experiments You Can Eat

September 16, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Get ready to have fun and eat it too with edible science experiments for kids! Knock out learning time, fun time and snack time in one fell blow. Your kids will be amazed!

Challenging your children's mind doesn't have to be boring. Kids love to learn and it is even better when they can eat what they have created. Read on for more info about these edible science projects for kids. They are easy and can be done at home. #scienceexperiements #ediblescienceprojects #educationforkids #educationathome #halfpintpeepsblog

12 Edible Science Experiments for Kids

At Home

Peanut Butter Playdough

This edible playdough means you can play with your peanut butter and eat it too. Any time you mix ingredients to form a new texture, it’s an easy way to talk about chemistry. For this recipe you need:

Rock & Crystals

Learn about crystals and how they form before making your own rock candy.

Popcorn Experiments You Can Eat

How does popcorn come from corn on the cob? Discuss this and so much more about the wonders of popcorn all while you enjoy it straight from the bag.

Easy Edible Science Experiments for Kids

Metamorphic Starbursts

Teach your kids about metamorphic rocks and the rock cycle–with Starburst candies! Press warm Starbursts together to teach about rock layers. Use a different color Starburst for each layer to help the kids visualize it.

Moon Cycle Cookies

Learning the different phases of the moon cycle doesn’t get much tastier than this! Carve (orrr…lick) the frosting on black and white sandwich cookies to illustrate the 8 phases of the moon.

Gummy Bear Genetics

Understanding genetics just got unbearable fun! Use different colored gummy bears to show how genes are passed from one generation to the next.

Solar Oven S’mores

Pizza boxes, aluminum foil and cling wrap make this melty experiment about heat and energy. Solar oven s’mores are always a hot project in my classroom and I keep going back for s’more year after year!

Floating S-Kittles

Teach children about the Scientific Method. Make predictions by watching the S magically float off candy Skittles. I LOVE the reaction this experiment gets from kids (and me too)!

Gum Drop Engineering

Kids love to put their engineering hats on with this gum drop experiment. Build structures with toothpicks and gum drops. Spaghetti or cooking skewers work in place of toothpicks if you want to build taller structures.

Cookie Erosion

Using cookies and few “excavating” tools will have the process of weathering play out right before your eyes. No eroding brains around here!

DIY Edible Science Projects For Kids

Homemade Butter

One of my students’ favorite science lessons each year is making cream turn into butter. They love watching the transformation as they take turns shaking a jar full of cream. They especially love sampling the butter on fresh bread at the end! Michaels sells mason jars in any size and shape you need.

Jelly Bean Solubility

Dissolving jelly beans in various liquids is a fun way to put some extra spring into your scientific endeavors. Which liquids dissolve the jelly beans the fastest? Why?

Did you enjoy these edible science experiments for kids? Since you’re already here…check out these other fun science projects for kids:

20 Teacher-Tested Science Projects for Kids

Valentines Day Science Experiments for All Kids

FREE! Printable Chore Charts for Kids

August 27, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Reminding children to take care of their chores can be the worst! Take the nag out of asking by using an easy printable chore chart.

Teaching kids about the responsibilities of the household chores is a critical factor in them developing their own sense of duty and responsibility. Chore charts make that so much easier and fun, too. With these free printable chore charts, you are already there! #halfpintpeepsblog #chorecharts #kids

1. Tiffany Collins Designs shares these adorable calendar chore charts. There are two color choices. I love how easy the chart makes it to see which chores were done on each day.

2. The fun design on this chore chart makes it worthy for display. Laminate the paper before writing on it so you can change chore tasks as needed. Get your free printable here.

3. Help motivate your kids with this rainbow colored chore chart. Print and laminate the matching stars for an added fun incentive. You can also have children earn points based on chores completed. Who doesn’t like to earn stars?! Print it from Printable Crush.

4. Your Little Princess won’t give you the royal treatment anymore when you ask her to take care of her “princess duties” instead of her chores. And, really, it just makes sense to call on Cinderella to share some of her awesome cleaning skills. Print out the Printable here.

5. Get those bigger out-of-the-norm jobs done with a work for hire board. This job board isn’t quite a chore chart and it’ll require a framed corkboard, but The Chic Site provides all the free tags and printables here. What a great way for kids to earn some extra cash when they want to buy a toy or hang out with friends.

6. Motivate your Little Star Wars Jedis with some help from the Force. Getting through your Skywalker “Jedi duties” or Han Solo “flight plan” sounds a whole lot cooler than “doing your chores”! Find the printable here.

7. Attach your chore chart right to a cleaning kit. Fill baskets with all the necessary cleaning supplies for a job or group of jobs and then attach a chore chart to the basket with all the jobs that can be done with those supplies. Kids shouldn’t have any problem knowing exactly what to do with this chore chart idea! Find more details from Must Have Mom.

8. This chore chart is a great solution if you need something more visual for all age groups. Even younger children can know exactly what tasks are assigned to them. Children earn tickets for each completed job and can use tickets to “buy” rewards. To help display the cards and tickets you’ll need a pocket chart. Otherwise, get all the free printables and more information from Confessions of A Homeschooler.

9. Turn completed chores into a game with a Tic-Tac-To-Do Chart. Have children fill in a space for every completed job and try to get three in a row. Learn more and get your free game mats from Design Eat Repeat.

10. Use Chore Bucks as a reward system with any chore chart. They can be used to buy trips to the zoo or to a movie, or can be used to buy a new toy or special treat. Find your free Chore Bucks here.

How to Clean Play Dough Out of Kids Clothing

August 15, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Play dough is a great tool. It gives your kids a different way to use their imaginations since they’ll be using their hands to make amazing things. The problem with play dough is that it can get stuck in your kids’ clothes. In most cases, you can toss the clothes in the wash and the machine will eliminate the stains. This is what to do if laundering them doesn’t quite work.

Kids might love playdough, but clothes don't! And it's hard for kids to really get into a sweet playdough project without getting some on their clothes. Let them have fun knowing it's not hard to remove it. You just need the tricks.... #halfpintpeepsblog #removeplaydough #playdoughhacks

Let it Dry

Don’t try to remove stuck play dough while it’s still soft. It’s important to let it dry completely. Then, use a stiff-bristled brush to remove as much of it as you can. A grout brush will work best, and you should be able to find a quality one at Hardware World, but a toothbrush may do the trick.

Once you’ve scrubbed off as much of the dried play dough as you can, soak the stained section in a cool bowl of water with a few drops of dish soap for around 30 minutes. This step causes the dough to release its grip on the clothing fibers.

Use a Stain Remover

Most play dough manufacturers make the product from a basic combination of flour, salt and water, which means that it’s probably the coloring in it that’s staining your children’s clothes. With the homemade version, the food coloring is the likely offender. Because of this, it’s a good idea to tackle the stain by applying a stain-remover to the clothing piece. Once applied, let it sit on the stain for about 30 minutes. Effective stain removers are available from Amazon, or you can pick one up at your favorite grocery store.

Toss it in the Wash

Launder the garment in the washing machine as you normally would. It should come out of the dryer stain-free. If it doesn’t, try soaking the clothing item in undiluted vinegar for 30 minutes or so, and then, toss it in the wash again. If you can still see the stain, form a paste using baking soda and vinegar. Use the toothbrush to apply the paste, and wash the item once more.

Suggestion # 1 is from The Creek Side House

Suggestion # 2 and # 3 came from Our Everyday Life

Suggestion # 4 is from The Balance

10 Simply Scary Halloween Crafts for Kids

August 10, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

There’s more to Halloween than just costumes and candy. There are crafts, too. Specifically Halloween crafts for kids. Keep reading to discover all the fun options.

Halloween Crafts For Kids

We spent some time gathering up some fun Halloween crafts for kids from some talented crafters. Which one will you pick?

1. Haunted Graham House

Who said candy houses are for Christmas only? Bring the fun of decorating gingerbread houses at Christmas over into your Halloween celebrations as well by decorating spooky graham cracker houses. Image source.

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2. Spooky Spider Webs

Younger children will love getting creepy crawly with these webby creations. All you need are popsicle sticks, paint, and yarn. Learn more from Buggy and Buddy.

3. Spider Suckers

Move over ghost suckers, spider suckers have crept their way into Halloween this year! These are a fun way to make a simple treat with a bit of a bite. Just wrap some black pipe cleaners around a sucker and add googly craft eyes. Source.

4. Hanging Bats

This fangy friend is a bat-tastic idea for Halloween crafting! Have fun reading books like “Stellaluna” or any of the “Bats at the…” books by Brian Lies before or after you make your own hanging bats. Find the template and directions here.

5. Pumpkin Lanterns

One of our favorite family Halloween traditions is to watch “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. We like to carve pumpkins while we watch the movie. These fun pumpkin paper lanterns would be another great craft to work on while Charlie and Snoopy keep you entertained. Source.

6. Halloween Spirits

Get into the Halloween spirit with these spooky spirits. You’ll need cheesecloth, styrofoam balls, and fabric stiffener for the body. Attach a string to the top and add a pair of googly eyes and this project is under ~~wraps~~ sheets! For a full tutorial check out Crafts Unleashed.

7. Monster Puppets

Mike and Sully would agree that these paper bag monster puppets will make a real scare this Halloween with your kids! What kinds of stories do you think you can make up together with these funny fellows? Get more info from I Heart Crafty Things.

8. Petrifying Popsicles

Make all your favorite Halloween characters with this Fall popsicle craft. Frankenstein would be a fun one to make too! Life Beyond Laundry give more details here.

9. Happy Owl-A-Ween

Have a Happy Owl-A-Ween with an afternoon of owl pine cone crafting. Beside the pine cone you’ll need felt, brown pipe cleaners, and hot glue. So cute! Image source.

10. Purr-Fectly Frightful

Black cats are certainly a fright to see on Halloween night! But this adorable black cat tote is a purr-fect craft to make with your kids. It doesn’t require many materials and your kids don’t need to advanced in sewing to be successful with the project. Get the DIY from Crafts By Amanda.

Speaking of Halloween, learn how to manage all that candy your kids will get.

Cleaning Checklists For Kids Of All Ages

July 29, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Today I have some handy cleaning checklists for kids. These are so helpful for busy parents! If you’ve ever had trouble keeping your kids on track with their chores, these will help.

Cleaning Checklists For Kids

How many times do you ask your kids to complete a chore, only to have them report back less than ten minutes later with a half-done job? Sometimes it’s hard to tell them otherwise when they’re proud of finishing. The best way to ensure that their chores get done right is to make sure you explain what you want, and provide a check list to help them. Here are some great cleaning checklists for kids of all ages.

Kit Lists

Some cleaning checklists are great because they stay with cleaning kits for specific household chores. Laminate them and have kids mark off each task as they go along. Get free printables of these kit lists for every room of the house here from Must Have Mom.

Getting your kid to clean can be difficult sometimes. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

You’re A Star

These editable, weekly chore charts and activity lists help your kid feel like a star! If your child loves to get star stickers, they’ll love this. You can access this file at Etsy.

Chore charts are a great way to keep your kids on top of their chores. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Checklist Stickers

If you like to make your own cleaning checklist for your kids but need some cute stickers for it, try these Tidy Up hand-lettered stickers. They’re so cute!

Having a checklist and stickers can be a great way to help your kids stay on top of their chores. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Paint Chip Checklists

Add some fun color to chore time with paint chips. Simply write each task–or the steps for a task– on each color shade to make directions super easy to follow! Find this colorful idea on Decluttering Your Life.

Writing your kids chores on paint chips can be a way to keep doing chores fun! Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Chores By Picture

Make chores easier for littles with age appropriate chore cards. The pictures help your child decipher exactly what they need to do. This one helps your child clean up his bedroom. Get the printable here!

Having pictures as a checklist is a great way for kids to stay on top of their chores. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Pick A Card, Any Card

I love these awesome chore cleaning cards! Each card covers the things that need to be done in each room of your home. Have each family member pick one randomly, and the card tells them what needs to be done. Get your own at Etsy!

Cleaning cards are a great way to keep chores fun. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Magnet Chart

Like pushing buttons on the elevator, there’s something about moving magnets on a chart that kids find really exciting. This is one chore chart idea that’ll really stick with your kids.

Having a chore chart with magnets is a great way to keep kids excited. They'll love to watch the magnets move. Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Colorful Charts

Make jobs more fun with colorful charts you can edit and print right at home. Get the downloads here.

Colorful chore charts are the way to go for kiddos! Here are some cleaning checklists for kids of all ages. These are guaranteed to help busy parents keep kids on track with the chores you want them to do!

Which of these cleaning checklists for kids is your favorite? Now here are 8 ways to get your kids to clean–without bribing them!