Kid Stuff

How To Tell Your Kids About Santa Without Looking Like A Liar

December 12, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

As kids get older, it gets harder to keep the Santa secret. But how to tell your kids about Santa without looking like a liar? That’s a tough one, and a lot of parents are afraid of approaching the subject for fear of their kid’s reaction. Today we have some good advice for talking to your kids about Santa, so you can be prepared instead of scared.

How To Tell Your Kids About Santa

Look for the signs that your kids are ready to talk about it

Have you been getting questions from your kids about who Santa really is? Or have they just out-and-out asked you if you are Santa? These are telltale signs that it is time to talk to them about Santa. It’s definitely easier said than done, though! We all like to keep belief in Santa alive and strong, because it’s fun. But it’s also a good idea to let them in on it before they hear it at school, or get teased for still believing.

It’s helpful to know that the average age when a child starts to question whether or not Santa is real is somewhere in the years between 7 and 10, depending on the child. When your child does ask you if Santa is real, ask him what he thinks before you answer. Your child’s thoughts can help guide your discussion.

Santa is a big deal to kids, so it can be hard trying to figure out how to tell your kids about Santa. It will make the whole process so much easier.

Be ready for a range of possible emotions

When your child hears that Santa isn’t real, her reaction may vary from anger or sadness to excitement. She may feel anger that you lied, or she may feel sadness that Santa isn’t real. Some kids feel like being let in on the secret is a sign that they are growing up–you can help them feel some responsibility to help keep the secret from younger siblings!

Are you stressing over trying to tell your kid that Santa isn't real? Here are the best tips on how to tell your kids about Santa. They'll help so much!

Help your child transition from believing in Santa to becoming Santa

How to tell your kids about Santa is a question some parents love to take on, and actually look forward to it. Plan ahead for this important talk. Take your child somewhere special, just the two of you–such as out for lunch or a shopping trip. Explain that she is getting old enough to “help” with Santa, and this is a big responsibility! Little kids get to experience the magic of believing in Santa, but older kids and adults get to be Santa–and that’s the most fun of all!

Not only do your kids now get to help be Santa at home, but in the community. Challenge them to think about the spirit of Santa Claus and how they can help spread it around to those who really need it. Teach them to notice the people around them, and watch for opportunities to “be Santa” to people who need it.

Great news–if your older kids help with Santa, they can also help with your Elf on the Shelf!

12 DIY Christmas Gift Baskets for Kids

October 15, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Book Basket

Of course I start with a book basket! Get your children caught up in the magic of Christmas by sharing all your favorite holiday books in their very own basket. Idea source.

Movie Night

Make it a cozy movie night at home with this holiday gift box. Your kids will love opening their favorite holiday movie, complete with a new pair of pajamas and favorite treats. Perfect for a snowy night at home! Idea source.

Advent in A Basket

Advent calendars are a favorite tradition in my home. Make your own “advent in a basket” by stuffing these adorable bags with all sorts of holiday cheer. Your kids will love the little surprises throughout the month! Find the bags here.

Baker’s Basket

Baking is such a wonderful way to spend time together during the holidays. I love sharing my mom’s secret recipes and baking tips with my children. They love hearing stories from my childhood. Continue these traditions and support the little baker in your family with a baker’s Christmas gift basket. Via.

Coke & Cocoa

Bring all of Santa’s favorite drinks into one gift basket for the soda sipper in your family. Combine glass bottles of Coca Cola with little mixers of cocoa and marshmallows. Candy canes and evergreens pull the whole gift together. Get more details here.

Gingerbread House Kit

Another favorite tradition we have in our home is decorating gingerbread houses. My little Lego enthusiasts have so much fun using their engineering skills to come up with some pretty unique house designs. But decorating is always our favorite part! Rather than buying a generic store-bought gingerbread house kit this year, surprise your kids with a DIY basket instead. Via.

Snowman in A Basket

Help your kids be all set to bring Frosty to life again this year with a ready-to-go snowman building kit. Just add water for hours of wintertime fun! Source.

Winter Cold Survival Kit

Help your little one get the better of those pesky flu symptoms with a winter cold survival kit. Get all the details from The DIY Mommy.

Elf ~~On the Shelf~~ In A Basket

Haven’t started the Elf on the Shelf tradition yet? Or maybe it’s just time to add some new fun ways to share in this cute holiday tradition? Here’s your chance! Your kids will be absolutely delighted with an Elf on the Shelf gift basket this Christmas! Find this kit from The Dating Divas.

Lego Advent Basket

Lego advent calendars are an absolute MUST in our home! We’re even guilty of buying one of each version because we love them so much! Have even more more fun building some unique kits with this Lego advent calendar basket. Source.

Activity Gift Basket

Keep your kids happily occupied with an activity gift basket while Santa and Mrs. Claus are busy wrapping presents in the other room. Pile in holiday coloring books, art supplies, toys, and treats to bring it all together. See the idea here.

Ice Cream Sundae Gift Box

It might be cold outside but it’s never too cold for ice cream! Put in everything you’d need to make the perfect ice cream sundaes. My favorite part is the topping-filled ball ornaments! Get more info here.

Fun And Easy Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids

October 13, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

During November when you’re busy with Thanksgiving prep, you may need some fun and easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids to keep them busy and out of your hair. Or if you’re in charge of your kid’s Thanksgiving class party, just snag a few of these ideas to help you put together a class party they’ll love. Either way, check out these awesome Thanksgiving crafts for kids!

Fun & Easy Thanksgiving Crafts For Kids

Take advantage of those beautiful Fall leaves!

Before you do any Thanksgiving crafts with your kids, send them outside to collect their favorite Fall leaves. The reason is because a lot of these craft ideas feature those leaves–there are just so many fun things you can do with them!

If you're looking for something to do with the kiddos during Thanksgiving, check out these Thanksgiving crafts for kids. They will love them.

Fall Leaf Art

Use those Fall leaves as the main component in works of art. Fall leaves are easily glued to paper to make a myriad of fun designs. Just let the kids use their imaginations.

Want to keep the kids entertained during Thanksgiving? Check out these Thanksgiving crafts for kids. They will love them!

For long time preservation of those Fall leaves, let the kids brush their designs with Mod Podge. It dries clear and keeps their artwork pretty and fresh for a long time. The Mod Podge can also be used as the glue to firmly affix the leaves to paper.

Toilet Paper Tube Figures

How adorable are these toilet paper pilgrims? Have the kids make these for your Thanksgiving table. They’ll be thrilled to have their crafts included in the festivities!

There are so many fun crafts that kids can create during the fall. Check out these Thanksgiving crafts for kids and keep them entertained for hours.

Pine Cone Turkeys

We’ve all seen paper turkeys kids make from their own hand prints. Take that craft idea a little further by letting the kids collect pine cones to glue their hand print turkey feathers to.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on craft supplies with these Thanksgiving crafts for kids. Just go outside and grab some of what Mother Nature supplies you with.

It’s also fun for the kids to glue craft feathers to a pine cone turkey. Add a pom pom nose and googly eyes for a silly Thanksgiving craft for kids they’ll love to create.

Need more craft ideas for the kids? Check out these Fall popsicle stick crafts!

Popsicle Stick Crafts For Fall

October 5, 2020 by Jessica Moore Leave a Comment

Looking for fun crafts and activities to do with your kids this Fall? Popsicle stick crafts and engineering projects are the answer! Read on for some fantastic ideas to STICK it to boredom.

Gobbling Fun

Gobble up some fun with these friendly popsicle stick turkeys. Use sticks for the body and feet and construction paper for the face, head, and feathers. Source

Stuffed of Fun

This scarecrow project will stuff your afternoon full of creativity and fun. Use permanent marker, wiggly eyes, and craft paper for the hat and hair. Candy corn makes a cute nose and a perfect treat to snack on. Scare up some more details from Activated Nest.

Jack Be Nimble

Jack be nimble. Jack be quick. Jack jump over the ~~candlestick~~ crafting-stick. These cute Jack-O-Lantern popsicle stick crafts are great for more Halloween fun after you’ve already carved your real frightful gourds. See the original ideas and more here.

Caught Up In Fun

These popsicle stick spider webs will have your kids all caught up in fun. Simply paint popsicle sticks black, orange, and white before winding yarn of the same colors around the sticks to make spider webs worthy of the best eight-legged arachnids. Source.

Boo To You

Boo to you with this ghostly view. Buttons and wiggly eyes bring these haunted apparitions to life using eight black popsicle sticks to frame out a window. Orange paper is used as a background to make the white ghosts pop into sight. Take a peek at The Pinterested Parent for more information.

A House of Sticks

Even the Big Bad Wold will agree that this house of sticks will scare up some Halloween fun! Older children in particular will really enjoy putting their engineering skills to use with this one. Source.

H Is For Haunted House

If younger kids are too little to build a 3D popsicle house with their older siblings, this alphabet inspired haunted house is a boo-tastic solution. What other house designs will they be able to spook up? Source.

Picture Perfect

For a non-holiday Fall project, this popsicle stick schoolhouse frame is picture perfect! What an educated idea for sharing all your kids’ best back-to-school photos. Get schooled on the project here.

He’s Alive!

This Frankenstein popsicle craft is electrifyingly amusing. What a perfect way to shock some fun into this Halloween season! Source.

Something To Crow About

This happy scarecrow craft is something to crow about. The body is made almost entire of popsicle sticks while the head and hat are made of paper, straw, and wiggly eyes. Source.

R.I.P

Rest In Popsicle with this creative haunted graveyard project. Paint small popsicle sticks black and wrap them with thin wire to make the fence. Dig up some more info from Lil Blue Boo.

Up It With Puppets

Up the fun with these simple Halloween puppets. Use different colors of paint, wiggly eyes, sharpie, pipe cleaner, and more to create your spooky starring cast. Source.

Popsicle Pilgrims

Teach your kids about the Mayflower Voyage and First Thanksgiving before making these cute popsicle Pilgrims. Source.

Look No Feather

Here’s another turkey craft to help you count your blessings. After making a body and head from craft paper, use colorful popsicle sticks to make a full tail of feathers. Write one thing you’re grateful for on each feather to celebrate Thanksgiving in true holiday spirit. Cluck out the idea from Preschool Alphabet.

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