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Things I Do All Day

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Parenting

How to Make Money as a Stay At Home Mom

July 30, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

Ways to make money as a stay-at-home mom

Are you looking for ways to make money as stay at home mom? Are you looking to become a SAHM but need to make some extra money first?

I’m a Stay At Home Mom and always introduce myself as one whenever people ask for my occupation. However, I do try to make money as a stay at home mom, and feel like so many other SAHM do some kind of side hustle to make some extra money.

Raising kids are so expensive and finding different ways to make money as a stay at home mom can be so helpful to the family budget!

But, don’t feel guilty if you struggle making money or simply don’t want to. Raising small children is A LOT of work and already a full-time job!

However, if you want to make some money I have compiled a list of ideas that are perfect for moms who want to make some extra money and are flexible for the crazy mom life.

Here’s a few different ways to make money as a stay at home mom:

*Please note that some suggestions below may include an affiliate, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

Be a Caregiver

If you are home with your kid(s), watching other children is a great way to make some extra money. You can become a nanny and bring your kid(s) along, watch a child in your home or even open a daycare in your basement.

There’s a lot of different options for being a caregiver, nanny, or babysitter to another family with kids.

I know a lot of stay-at-home moms in my area that will watch another child while they watch their own, or they watch little ones while their older ones are at school.

This is such a great option, especially if you love kids and are use to watching children all day anyway!

Before or after school care is also a great option for someone who may want a shorter or easier option, especially if a child can take the bus home to your house and play with your child.

Looking to find a job as a nanny or caretaker? There’s a lot of different ways, but a simple way is building a profile through Care.com, SitterCity, or connecting with moms in your community.

Dog Walker or Dog Caretaker

Walk your baby to sleep a lot? See if a neighbor needs a dog walker and baby wear your little one or use the stroller instead.

Even if your little one takes naps like a champ in the crib, stroller walks are a great way to see everything along the way + making some extra money walking a furry friend.

Not for everyone, but a dog walker may be a good option to look into if you love dogs and walks.

If you’d rather, you can also take care of dogs (or any animal) while someone is out of town. Some people prefer someone watching their dogs in a comfy house with a backyard from a family.

If you are looking for more information on becoming a dog walker or pet sitter, check out Rover or even Care.com for all kinds of opportunities or ask a neighbor or community member.

Teach for VIPKid

I feel like I know so many moms that do VIPKid that I’m intrigued but not sure if teaching ESL is my forte.

If you have a Bachelors degree and any kind of teaching experience, you may want to look into teaching ESL from the comfort of your own home.

You do not need to know a second language to teach English, and you don’t need to create your own lessons as they are provided.

I believe the students are children from China so you would need to have availability early in the morning or late in the evening, but the hours may work well if you have small children so you can do teaching while they are sleeping and have a quiet house.

You can earn up to $22, but I would expect $14-17 to start, especially as you build up experience, clientele, and hours as I think bonuses and such are included in that $22 rate.

There’s also other options as well, but I always see VIPKid mentioned from other moms.

Sell Stuff

Need money quick? Selling your stuff that you are not using, is a great way to make some extra money and quickly too!

You can sell stuff on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Ebay, Yard Sales, and many more places!

You can also pick up stuff at yard sales, store clearance bins, flea markets, dumpsters, etc. and “flip” them for more money.

For example, on Prime Day, Amazon had a $700 camera for $97 due to a glitch. If I was on top of my game, I would have snatched them and then resold them on Ebay for a similar wholesale price. If I sold 2 for $500 after expenses, I would have made $1,000 for some quick work!

Although, the example above doesn’t always happen magically like that, you can still “flip” stuff that is undervalued for a higher value.

I had a friend that got a pottery barn hutch for $300 on craigslist, but it ended up being too big for her space, and she sold it on craigslist for $500 a month later. She quickly gained $200 because she knew the value of the item.

Selling stuff you already have is a great way to get started and then move on to purchasing some inventory as you get your feet wet and figure out your niche.

Drop Shipping and FBA

Drop Shipping and FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) is similiar to the reselling option above.

However, you don’t need to keep any inventory or stand in line at the post office to ship anything out.

With Drop Shipping, you need to create a store front and find items to sell. Once you get a sale, you would then purchase it through another source and they would ship it to your customer and everything. You would be the middle man.

Some people set up a store front with Shopify and then use a service like AliExpress to buy the product from and ship it out. I personally don’t have experience with dropshipping, but there’s many different ways to handle it.

FBA works a little different, as you typically buy inventory and then send it to Amazon as a bulk box. They would then sell the item for you, and it would be marked as a Prime item with 2-day shipping.

With FBA, you would need to do a little legwork in the beginning, but after it leaves your home, you just need to check your sales!

Virtual Assistant

Be an assistant from the comfort of your home! A Virtual Assistant assists clients in a variety of tasks, and every Virtual Assistant job is different.

If you have ever been an administrative assistant or office manager, a Virtual Assistant could be up your wheel house!

Some VA’s concentrate on one skill like mastering Pinterest Marketing as Pinterest VA and others do a little bit of everything. It really depends on your skill set and what you like to do and work on.

Virtual Assistant can sometimes set their schedules and do everything from home, which makes a great job for moms!

A lot of moms will find their own jobs and have their own VA business, but others will work directly with a company so they don’t have to search for clients.

Freelance Your Skills

Got skills? Be a freelancer! When I think of a freelancer, I think of a freelance writer, but you don’t nee to write to be a freelancer!

You can do freelance writing, freelance graphic design, freelance editing, freelance bookkeeping, freelance coding, freelance interpreter, freelance igloo designer, freelance whatever.

Use your skills to get specific jobs and work on the projects whenever you can!

You can find freelance clients through networking, referrals or online sites like freelancer, fiverr, upwork, flexjobs, or even craigslist. For more ways to find freelance jobs, check out this helpful freelance job roundup here.

Get Crafty

If you are a crafty mom, you may want to consider making and selling crafts for some extra money.

You can sell on Etsy, set up a store on Shopify, or even create your own Facebook page and sell directly from there, or a little bit of everything.

Keep in mind supply costs and the cost of time to determine how successful your venture will be, as craft items sometimes come with a lot of overhead. However, items like printables and designs have low costs but a lot of competition.

Create Something

If you are looking to create something other than crafts, there’s a lot of different options.

I love the idea of creating something once, and then selling it.

E-Book, book, script, song lyrics, etc. can all be created and then have little maintenance later and can pay long after a book has been written.

Writing a whole book or movie script does take a lot of talent and time, but there are other easier ways to make money from creating something.

If you are an expert in something, you can create an easy an how-to guide, manuel, e-book, etc. You could make printables, signs, or anything that makes anyone’s lives easier. You can even make a one-page of information for someone to download, as long as there’s value there.

Think of things that you like to do, what you are good at, and what there’s a need for.

I’ve bought party supplies like invitations, tent cards, and decorations because it was more cost effective to buy from an expert than me spending two hours making something half decent.

Think of things that are easy for you and time savers for other moms that might make them spend some money on your product.

You can also make and create courses as well, or even create an App.

There’s so many different things you can create to make something profitable– you just need to come up with an idea and make and market a product!

Social Media Manager, Marketer, Influencer

If you love social media, you may want to look at different opportunities at making money through Social Media.

You could be a Social Media Manager and manage social media accounts for businesses and brands. You would need to find clients and manage their account(s), add content, reply to customers, etc.

You could decide to be your own boss and find your own clients, or work directly with one company as a Social Media Manager.

A Social Media Marketer is also an option and you could do affiliate marketing and other marketing through social media channels.

I know some moms have Facebook groups and about shopping deals, for example. They will post all the hot deals from Amazon and more and then put Amazon links in the group.

If someone clicks on the link and makes a purchase, you’ll typically make around 5% of the sale. If someone buys this #CatButt Coloring Book for $6.99, you may get around .34 for the sale but if someone buys this Cat Condo for $700, you may get around $35 for the one sale.

If you have a large audience, those amounts can add up, especially with the bigger purchases!

I know Amazon does allow links in Facebook groups, but they do have a set of rules that you would need to follow, as well as other companies with affiliate programs.

The commission % also changes depending on categories, # of sales, and other factors.

You can also make money on social media by working with brands as an influencer. You would recommend a product to social media and you would be paid a set amount for it.

You would need to create a loyal following for brands to be interested and you could do it as yourself or your own brand.

It may take a little work before a brand is interested, but you don’t need a big celebrity to get brands interested in working with you.

Just keep in mind that you don’t want to work with any company that will pay because you could lose your credibility as an influencer. Only work with brands that you believe in and make sure it’s a fair price for services.

You can also do a mix of influencer, marketer, and manager and concentrate one one social media platform or a bunch!

I know YouTube and Instagram are two channels that people do very well in without being on every social media platform or having a website. You just have to do well at connecting with others and building an audience, and you can make money just through YouTube or Instagram!

It can definitely be hard to find a balance with social media and figuring on what to share and not share as a parent though!

However, there’s so many different ways to make money through Social Media. You don’t have to be a big celebrity, big business, or big blogger to do so!

Give your Opinion

You could give your opinion to make some extra money.

I hate survey sites, but you might not find it as mind-numbing boring as I do.

The only survey site that I remember liking was Pinecone Research and they paid around $3 a survey when I used to do it. It wasn’t big money, but it definitely helped when I had more time than money.

However, you can do things like Mystery Shopping to make some extra money instead of surveys, or both. Mystery Shopping can be a fun side gig, and you can read more about it!

I also heard about UserTesting.com, which I need to check out. I’m just adding it to remind myself to do so, then I’ll post an update about it. I haven’t done so yet, but heard it’s about $10 for about 20-30 minutes of work.

Sell Photography

If you love photography and take great photos, you can sell it. You can become an actual photographer and do head shots, family portraits, newborn photography, wedding photography, etc.

I know some moms that will just do family sessions around the holidays and do mini-sessions. They will do 15-minute sessions and schedule multiple families at a fun location for one-day.

In our area it’s normal to pay $100 (for experienced photographers) for a 15-minute family mini-session + the pictures, so if you did 6-hrs of mini-session with all full spots you could make around $2,400 for a day of sessions. You’ll have to figure in editing time, e-mailing clients, marketing, etc. in that amount though.

Of course, you have to be a good photographer and some interested people in your area, but could be a great opportunity for mom photographers.

Another way you could make money through photography is by selling photos you’ve already taken– even years ago when you were younger and had more time on your hands or create new images at home or during family adventures!

Businesses and bloggers are always looking for beautiful and unique images to use on websites, magazines, ads, and much more!

Some places to sell your photography:

  • Shutterstock
  • iStock
  • Etsy
  • Dreamstime
  • Getty Images
  • Stocksy
  • Your Own Website

Become a Publisher/Blogger

I can’t be a mom blogger without mentioning a blog. If you love doing a little bit of everything and your own piece of the web, you may love blogging.

However, if you want to make money as a blogger, you need to be in it for the end game. It will take a few months, or even longer, before you make any money.

Also, a lot of ad networks and affiliate programs cut checks 60-90 days out, so even after you make the money, it will take a little bit to get it. You also will have to earn at least $25-100 from a network before they will even cut a check.

Sometimes ad networks will require a blog up and running before acceptance as well as a minimum amount of views, depending on the network.

So it takes time to make money with a blog.

If you need money quick, I would go with a service option like freelance writing that will pay immediately after you perform the work. With blogging, it takes awhile to see the payout.

However, if you have the patience and the desire to learn new things, blogging may be a great option for you.

The beauty of blogging is that you can do it however you want.

You can do a free blog and spend zero money or you could invest money and go big from the start.

I recommend doing neither, and spend some money, but start slow.

You can get blog hosting for $3.95/month through SiteGround (what I currently use) or get a similar price with other hosting companies. You’ll need to buy the domain, and I recommend domain privacy, but you can keep everything under $100.

I recommend buying a domain, preferably a .com, and then using wordpress to support your content, and using SiteGround to host it.

I’m going to be honest, it can be a little overwhelming at first because you need to learn everything. You need to create content, do web design, figure out technical errors, monetize, market you site, social media, and much more. You are a one-man machine, at least at first. (Unless, you have money to hire out!)

However, it can be very rewarding and you will learn so many valuable skills. You may also learn that you may just want to focus on one area, so you switch gears and focus slowly on freelance writing, Pinterest marketing, web design, or whatever it may be.

Blogging is a great way to go out your comfort zone, learn new things, and connect with other bloggers and readers!

It can be a lot of work, especially in the beginning, but once you get going, you will hopefully reap some rewards.

The beauty of blogging is that you could be on vacation with your family and have done absolutely nothing that entire week, and find when you return you made $700 or whatever it may be! Your blog and previous content is always working for you!

There are so many different ways to make money with blogging through placing ads on the site, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, creating a product, event appearances, ebooks, and so many other ways.

I personally focus on advertising and affiliate marketing when blogging, because they are more passive and fit my personal style the best.

There’s actually SO many different ad and affiliate networks to choose from, but here are a few good options for beginners:

  • Google AdSense: Banner and display ads, get paid per click per click on ad. Good for beginners, easy to apply and get accepted but pay will be low and slow. (Media.net is another beginner option that I’ve never personally used)
  • Sovrn formerly VigLink: Add a plug-in and links that are not optimized will turn to an affiliate when possible. Easy to get accepted and good for beginners so you don’t have to apply to many different networks & worry about affiliate links in the beginning. There’s so many affiliates there if you’d rather do manual links instead of automatic ones too.
  • Amazon: Easy to get accepted but you do need 3 sales within 90? days or you’ll get kicked out. You can apply again, but you may want to wait until you have little readership before applying to Amazon, but there’s so many different products to choose from with Amazon!
  • Mediavine: Work on getting readership and pageviews, then apply to Mediavine once you get 25,000 pageviews for Ad Management.

However, that’s just a small sample of options, and once you grow bigger you’ll have a lot more affiliate networks to choose from.

Blogging can be a lot of work, especially in the beginning, but it is very fun and a great little side hustle for a stay-at-home mom or hopeful SAHM.

I hope you got a few ideas of how to make money as a stay at home mom and will inspire you to start your own mom business!

What are your favorite ways to make money as a Stay-At-Home Mom? Have you had any successes so far? Any ideas on the list that you are going to try?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Making Money

The Absolute Best Way to Travel with Young Kids

July 21, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

The Best Way to Travel with Babies, Toddlers and Kids to make traveling with kids easy!

What is the absolute best way to travel with young kids?

Time Machine. Teleportation. Private Jet.

RIGHT!? I mean, teleportation for travel with kids would be SO AMAZING.

Someone make it happen. PLEASE.

But if you are looking for a somewhat realistic option for a great way to travel with kids, I love renting a house for my family or getting a place with more than one little room.

Having more than one room when traveling with young kids is a game changer. You can put them to bed at a early bedtime and then have another room to hang out in and do things, instead of just laying quietly in bed.

So how do you get so much space without spending a fortune?

It can be done. I usually budget $100/night (give or take depending on location) for a place bigger than a boring hotel room.

Here’s how I book a place to stay for a family of four with plenty of space with a tight budget:

*Please note that some of the links below do contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

Book with AirBnB

AirBnB is a great way to get extra space for a family as well as saving money too!

AirBnB is a community marketplace where people list, discover, and book places to stay all over the world. You can list your place or can stay at someone’s place.

We’ve used AirBnB a lot over the past few years, more so now that we have young children. We luckily have had all very positive experiences, but use some caution as anyone can list a property there.

Make sure to book a property with plenty of reviews, and if you want to ensure a positive first experience, look for listings with a Superhost because they are the elite hosts who are really experienced and helpful!

If you haven’t used AirBnB before, new users can get a FREE $40 Credit and can be applied on your first booking of $75 or more! You have one year from sign up to use the free $40, excluding taxes and guest fees.

Getting $40 off a booking is obviously not a free stay somewhere with your family, but it definitely helps! Also, if you refer a friend, you can get free $40 credit once they return from their trip.

4 Friends x $40 = $160 + $40 for signing up with a referral link = $200 in free credit to use!

Also, when you are looking at AirBnB listings, make sure to look at that total number instead of the per night number:

AirBnB Free Credit, How to Book on AirBnB to save money

See the example above where the first place is $320 a night and the second is $343 a night, but when you look at the total cost for my four day trip, the second place comes out cheaper.

It’s because people can pick what they want to charge per night as well as other fees. I could charge $100 a night with a $50 cleaning fee or I may decide to charge $150 and clean the room myself with no fees attached.

However, when you are looking you may be more apt to book the $100 place, but they are the same exact price. You really need to look at the total number to see how fees will figure out to find the best place for the best price.

Overall, AirBnB is a great place to look for unique properties and extra space!

We stayed at a hotel for a very last minute trip and after one night of very bad sleep, I looked at AirBnB the next morning. I found a 3-bedroom house for that night for $10 more a night than our small hotel room. $10! It was definitely worth the upgrade!

For more information or to receive free credit for signing up for AirBnB, please head here.

VRBO and Homeaway

VRBO and Homeaway are other home rental options to check out. They are under the same management, so I find them generally the same. I usually just check one of them, especially if I’m short on time.

I will sometimes find the same places listed on AirBnB as well, but I’ll also find some new ones too!

Sometimes, I’ll even find some very different prices for the exact same house on VRBO and AirBnB between the two sites, so make sure to compare prices beforehand.

VRBO or Homeaway are both great home rental sites that may have other options than AirBnB, and is a great place to look for large house rentals for groups!

Find Discount Hotel Suites

If you can’t find a decent home rental for the right price or you’d rather the amenities at a hotel, booking a suite at a hotel is a great option for a family.

Look at the room type when booking to see what options are available. Not every hotel will have a one or two bedroom suite available for that extra space.

I hate when hotels say it’s a suite but it’s a studio or have a half wall for a one-bedroom suite, so look at pictures when you can to make sure you’re getting the extra space you need.

Hotel Suites are definitely more expensive than a regular room, but I like to use Priceline’s Express Deals to get the best deal on hotel rooms.

Keep in mind Priceline’s Express Deals are non-refundable so make sure you are indeed going and make sure you are okay with a “mystery” hotel. It’s really hard to get refunded with Priceline so make sure to do your research.

Head to the Express Deals tab on the right side after you enter your location and details in.

Hopefully there will be a lot of options and this can vary a lot depending on your destination and how busy the dates are.

I personally concentrate on express deals that say bed choice available, because if not, you get what you get, and you can’t pick what room you want aka a suite.

I’ll open every express deal within my budget and star requirement and see what the bed choice availability is. I look for 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom suites or anything that’s more than a small studio bedroom.

You’ll have to click “choose a room” then “book” to get the bed choice availability, if it’s offered.

If there’s a winner or two, I will then utilize hotel canary, a free chrome browser extension I downloaded a few months ago. The browser extension will tell me what hotel it is.

priceline hotel canary example

I pressed my hotel canary button on the checkout screen, and it was the Fairfield Inn & Suites. If I paid $3 more, I could also upgrade from 2 double beds to a 1 bedroom suite.

I hate surprises so it’s nice I have a pretty solid idea of what hotel it may be.

I’ll then go back and look at the hotel and look at all the details, pictures, and reviews and see if I would like to stay there or not.

If so, I will see if I can find the hotel elsewhere for cheaper than Priceline’s Hotel Express Deals or directly through the hotel for reward points. I usually end up booking through Priceline’s Express deals, but not always, especially if I want free cancellation.

Priceline’s Express Deals is a great way to get prices for cheap, and I love the bed choice availability option so I can pick what will work best for our family.

I’ll usually check other hotels for more options and pricing through Expedia, Hotels.com, and other sites.

I try to put in 3 kids and two adults to rule out those smaller rooms from the get go, and then weed through them, and then just change the exact guests later.

I always like to price compare hotel rooms, because pricing can vary depending on different sites, and sometimes promo codes or incentives might be available on a certain site and make it more lucrative to book there.

Personally, I do a lot of research before traveling to make sure I get the most bang for my buck, but the extra space with young kids is SO nice.

Booking a house or larger hotel room is the absolute best way to travel with kids in my opinion.

The Best Way to Travel with Kids with traveling tips and hacks

What is your favorite way to travel with young kids? Do you have any tips that you use to get the most space for the best price?

Don’t forget to check out What to Pack on Vacation with Babies and Toddlers!

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Travel

No Spend Weekend Activity Ideas With Kids

July 10, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

No Spend Weekends with Kids, Free Family Fun

Are you looking for some free things to do with kids for a no spend activity?

Kids can be so expensive and it can be so easy to spend money going out as a family, as it adds up quick, but there’s so much free fun to do without spending a fortune too.

We asked for family memberships and things to do as Christmas presents for our kids in lieu of toys. We got a membership to a local zoo and museum and we love it! It’s also a great way to do some high-quality family fun without paying anything!

Family memberships can often come with a lot of perks as well as reciprocal benefits, so we can get into a few different zoos and museums for free!

We go to zoos and museums a lot and it’s so nice not to pay anything thanks to our free annual passes! We also pack lunches and snacks, so we just need to pay for gas to get there!

There are so many different things you can do with your toddlers and kids that don’t require any money, and below are a few ideas for a no-spend day, weekend, or month:

*This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

  • Discover a new playground
  • Take a Hike
  • Visit a park
  • Pack a picnic
  • Family Bike Ride
  • Nature Walk
  • Go to a Pet Store or Animal Shelter and see animals
  • Visit the Library
  • Free Storytime at Barnes & Noble, Library, Local Farm, and other places!
  • Make something at Home Depot with their free workshops for kids
  • Free activities and events from Whole Foods
  • Stroll Ikea Childless while kids play at Smaland
  • Free Museum Days (Bank of America cardholders get free entry on certain dates!)
  • Check out a free concert
  • Free outdoor movies screening in the park
  • Enjoy a local festival or free community event
  • Head to the Beach or Lake
  • Swimming at a free watering hole
  • Enjoy a splash pad
  • Fly a Kite
  • Family Game Night
  • Make a meal together (pizza night!)
  • Make an obstacle course in the yard (or playground)
  • Have a Dance Party
  • Play with Sidewalk Chalk in the driveway
  • Make popsicles or ice cream
  • Make homemade playdough
  • Run through the sprinklers
  • Swim in a (kiddie) pool
  • Plant a garden
  • Build a fort
  • Paint rocks
  • Hide and seek
  • Play a sport outside
  • Play in a sandbox
  • Enjoy the water table and water play
  • Play in boxes
  • Make musical instruments and play them
  • Dance on bubble wrap
  • Watch Movies at home

What are your favorite things to do with your fkids without spending any money?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Saving Money

What to Pack for a Family Vacation with Free Printable Packing List

July 5, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

What to Pack on Vacation for Kids, Toddlers and Babies with a Free Printable Packing Checklist

Are you looking for a checklist of what to pack when traveling with a baby, toddler, or young child? Are you looking for a free printable packing list to make it extra easy to pack for a vacation?

I have young kids (almost 2 and 4) and I’m always making lists of what to pack when we go on a weekend trip, road trip, or flight for a long vacation.

And I always loose these packing lists.

So ta-da! A post dedicated to what to take on vacation with toddlers with all the things I usually pack for my family.

Some of the things on the list below won’t always apply depending on where we go, why we are going, how long we are going and the season.

If we are also going to visit family in another state and are flying for a week or more, I sometimes will order things like diapers & wipes from Amazon (or whatever is the cheapest) and ship to their house beforehand to save packing room.

You may want to use my guide as your guide when you are coming up with things to pack for your trip with young kids, and you may need to tweek it a little for your needs. Also, some things, you may not need on this trip, but may for the next trip! The list is a good starting point for packing!

I also have a handy “What to Bring on Vacation” printable checklist so you can print off the list and mark and cross items off if you’d rather have something directly in your hands!

Download a FREE printable packing checklist for vacation or weekend getaway with kids!

Below are some things to bring on vacation for babies and toddlers. Enjoy!

*Some links below contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

The Basics

  • Shirts & Jackets
  • Pants/Shorts
  • Pajamas
  • Underwear
  • Socks and Shoes

Top Toddler Travel Essentials

  • Sound Machine
  • Night Light
  • Bedtime Books
  • Toys/Games/Kid Activities/Markers & Paper
  • Small Distraction Toys and/or New Toys
  • Lovey (Stuffed Animal, Blanket, etc.)
  • Baby Gates, Baby Clips & Other Baby Proofing Help
  • Pack n’ Play
  • Pack n’ Play Sheets
  • Sleep Sacks/Blankets
  • Diaper Bag
  • Diapers & Wipes
  • GoodNites/Pull-Ups/Bed Mats for Bedwetting
  • Travel Diaper Changing Pad
  • Baby Bath Tub/Bath Toys
  • Travel Potty
  • Travel High Chair
  • Baby Carrier
  • Stroller/Folding Wagon

Food & Beverage

  • Cooler & Ice
  • PB&J and/or light meal for travel
  • Water and/or Soda
  • Juice Boxes/Milk Boxes
  • Lots of Snacks
  • Plates, Bowls, Kid Utensils
  • Milk Bottles, Water Bottles, & Sippy Cups
  • Dish Soap and Bottle Brush
  • Napkins/Paper Towels
  • Baby Bibs
  • Garbage Bag (for Messes, Throw Up, and even Dirty Laundry)
  • Anti-Bacterial Soap

Seasonal Items

  • Bathing Suit
  • Puddle Jumpers/Life Vests
  • Sunscreen/Sun Hats
  • Sunglasses
  • Flip Flops/Sandals/Water Shoes
  • Swimming Goggles/ear plugs
  • Beach Towels
  • Beach Toys/Outdoor Toys/Bubbles
  • Winter Jackets
  • Snow Boots/Snow Suits
  • Winter Gloves/Hats/Scarves
  • Extra Blankets
  • Umbrella/Poncho

Hygiene & Well Being Items

  • Toothbrush/Toothpaste
  • Body Wash/Shampoo
  • Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Brush/Comb
  • Deodorant
  • Washcloths/Kid Towels
  • Laundry Pods
  • Hair Dryer & Hair Straighter
  • Makeup
  • Vitamins
  • Thermometer & Medicine
  • First-Aid Kit

Miscellaneous Packing Items

  • Passport/Birth Certificate (especially for your almost 2-year old if flying anywhere)
  • Laptop & Charger
  • Smartphone & Charger
  • Kindle/iPad/Movie Watcher
  • Headphones
  • Pillows
  • Coupons/Entertainment Book/Discounts to Attractions
  • Eye Glasses/Contact Solution/Contacts
  • Camera/Tripod
  • E-ZPass for tolls

What did I miss when packing for little ones on a trip? What do you always forget when traveling with young kids?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Free Printables, Travel Tagged With: Free Printable

Summer Bucket List with Kids

June 24, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

Summer Bucket List Ideas 2019

Summer 2019 is underway and here is my Summer Bucket List with Kids that I’d like to do this summer with my toddlers.

Summer always goes by so fast (RIGHT?) so I figured I’d make a summer bucket list to keep track of all the fun things to do in the summer before my kids get too big.

Although my boys are still young (2&4), there’s a lot of ideas for kids of all ages on the list… not just for toddlers!

Even better, many of the ideas on my summer bucket list are cheap or free!

Here’s my summer bucket list ideas for Summer 2019 with my toddlers:

*This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

  • Discover a new playground every week
  • Picnic at a playground or park
  • Swimming
  • Beach Day
  • See Fireworks
  • Get fresh seafood by the ocean
  • Collect sea shells by the sea shore
  • Make a Sand Castle
  • Go on a ferry or boat
  • Kayak
  • Go on a road trip
  • Discover some place new
  • Go to an amusement park
  • Go to the Zoo
  • Watch a Parade
  • Attend a baseball game
  • Mini Golf
  • Go on a train ride
  • Try a new ice cream shoppe
  • Pick Berries
  • Go to a Farmer’s Market
  • Visit Barnyard Animals
  • Visit a Splash Pad
  • Go Bowling with Kids Bowl Free (on a rainy day)
  • Go to the library (on a rainy day)
  • Take a hike
  • Family Bike Ride
  • Dance to outdoor live music
  • Run through sprinklers/water play
  • Blow Bubbles/Huge Bubbles
  • Fly a kite
  • Have a movie night (under the stars)
  • Make s’mores
  • Enjoy a fire pit
  • Family game night
  • BBQ
  • Make popsicles at home
  • Lemonade stand
  • Make a backyard obstacle course
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Feed the ducks
  • Plant and maintain a garden
  • Sleepover at Nana and Papa’s
  • Go camping (in the backyard)
  • Paint rocks
  • Hopscotch
  • Croquet in the backyard
  • Learn a new skill
  • Enjoy the little things

What are some things you plan to do for Summer 2019? What”s on your summer bucket list?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities

13 Things I Do Every Day With My Kids

June 17, 2019 by KT 8 Comments

Things I Do Every Day as as Stay At Home Mom with two toddlers with fun activities to daily chores with kids!

“What Do You Do Every Day?!?!” is something I occasionally hear when someone is discovering I’m a stay-at-home mom with two little ones.

So, what are some things stay-at-home moms do?

What do Stay At Home Moms Do Every Day at Home with their babies, toddlers and young kids?

Well, sometimes I do SO much and sometimes it feels like I do SO much and accomplish nothing, and sometimes I actually do nothing when my kids play in perfect harmony. That last one has happened once or twice, and it’s usually a lovely 10 minutes.

For us, every day looks different but looks pretty much the same too. I try to keep some routine and balance, and other days are just… messy. However, there’s some things we try to do every single day regardless of order.

My youngest is currently a terrible sleeper so our days can change drastically depending on how he slept the night before, what time he woke, and how long if he naps.

Despite the variables, even in a regular day, there are some things I try do do every single day as a stay-at-home mom with my kids.

I found reading what other stay-at-home parents do in their daily routine helpful when creating my own schedule and activities.

Here is what I do with my young kids on a regular basis to give you an idea what I do all day as a stay-at-home mom if you are looking for ideas for creating your own daily thing:

Read Books

I love reading books with my kids and it is something I do everyday. I will read a book (or two) before naps and bedtime, but I do try to incorporate books during the day too when we have more time and I’m not anxious for bedtime.

I find that early in the day works best for reading stories but sometimes, they’ll pull books randomly throughout the day and we will read.

I’ll gladly read anytime I have an audience! Kids sitting peacefully next to me, and I get to sit too! It’s a dream activity!

Sometimes I just start reading with no audience and see if I get any interest, especially if they have much more energy than I do at the moment.

Some of our favorite books are:
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy if you have questions.

  • Little Blue Truck
  • Big Red Barn
  • Dear Zoo
  • Tubby
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Jamberry (my oldest loves the illustrations!)
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
  • Anything Elephant & Piggie
  • Anything Llama Llama
  • Anything Berenstain Bears
  • Anything Curious George

We Play Together

I have a modest house which (sadly) does not include a play room, but I make it a point to sit down on the floor and play with my kids in the living room.

We will build blocks, play ball, run cars down cardboard boxes, etc. when we aren’t playing and building with Magnetic Tiles. My oldest can play with those things for HOURS (with and without anyone) and loves when we build a huge castle together!

We have a bunch of magnetic tiles… Picasso, PlayMags, and a mystery brand purchased from Amazon by the grandparents. They all work together fine, and none are the true Magna-Tiles, but they all work great! I think as long as the magnetic tiles look like they will work together (similiar kinds/shapes), they probably will work well together.

Magna-Tiles are great for playing together and quiet time too! We probably have around 200 pieces and they all get played with daily!

We also do some self play too, especially because it’s important skill to have, but I always make a point to carve out some play too!

As my kids are getting older (4!), we are doing more self play, but I strive to do some 1-on-1 play time with each of my boys at some point in the day.

We Learn (through Play)

We do a lot of playing at our house and I find that a lot of learning happens just through play!

I don’t do too much of scheduled learning for my young kids, but will incorporate learning through play. I’ll recite the colors, shapes, animal type, etc. when they are playing with different toys and repeat things often.

My oldest will also ask tons of questions, and we will talk all day long so I think learning by conversation is a great way to learn without putting too much pressure on it.

The learning may change to more organized learning as they grow older but for now we do most of our learning through play and through fun activities.

We Make Things

I try to incorporate some kind of fun activity in the day and it is usually a craft or cooking something.

The activity will change depending on the season and what is going on in a given day. If my younger son is sleeping, my older son and I might do a fun activity in the window.

If he gets to pick, he usually picks baking something, but I recently got diagnosed with Celiac Disease so we tend to do more arts and crafts as of late.

I tend to stick to easy craft projects such as:

  • Paper and Markers
  • A Box with markers and/or sensible scissors (when is a box not a hit?!)
  • Large Canvas Paper (Sometimes I take the Amazon brown packaging paper so he can draw on that too)
  • Painting (I’ll use the brown packaging underneath for paint projects too!)
  • Playdough

However, sometimes I will do a special craft or activity, especially during different holidays, so check out my Toddler Craft board on Pinterest!

We Rest

After lunch typically, we rest. My little one will go down for a nap, and my oldest will rest. When my oldest outgrew his nap, I would still put him in his crib (sometimes with books or toys if he resisted) and he would stay up there for an hour so to have some quiet time.

I don’t do rest time as well as I use too, as I let my oldest stay with my downstairs now while my youngest is upstairs sleeping, but I still try with some quiet activities like books, quiet play, or sometimes watching a little TV on the couch.

Rest time is a great way to break up the day, and I highly recommend scheduling some rest time in your schedule, because your kids (and you) need it!

We Sing & Dance

I find that dancing with my kids is a great mood changer and a great way to get energy out. I find that late afternoon window a little hard with a lot of snack requests, a lot of fighting, and a lot of messes. I find that putting on music will usually change the vibe… for the better! Sometimes after dinner we will have dance parties to get the kids tired for bed too!

We sing silly songs, and I’ll turn on the music and we will sing along, or sometimes we will have a Dance Party.

Outdoor Play (when possible)

We live in a four season state so it’s not always possible to play outside, but when we can, we go outside and play in our modest backyard.

My parents got my son this sandbox for his third birthday and it is a hit. He can be in a sandbox for hours, which is great because we also bought a playset with swings and a slide, and it is not used nearly as much.

We love to get outside and play in our backyard, to the playground, or go for a walk in our neighborhood or a park!

Playing outside is a great way of getting energy out and exploring nature!

We Get that Energy Out

I mentioned getting energy out already through other activities, but whenever we can, we get that energy out!

We dance, we sing, we run around outside in the yard, we kick the soccer ball around, ride bikes, go for a walk, jump on a trampoline, or go to a local indoor play space if we need to get out of the house and the weather isn’t cooperating.

Getting energy out is a great way for a great nap or early bedtime too!

We Clean Together

How do you do the dishes, sweep the floor, and pick up toys when you have young children? You involve them! My kids LOVE to help!

Now, it takes about 1000% times longer with little helpers and you’ll probably need to re-do a lot of their work, but my little ones love to “help”. I’ll grab the broom to sweep, and my kids will grab theirs and go along with me or help pick up the dirt with their dust pan.

Our Melissa and Doug Cleaning Set gets a lot of pretend play and a lot of practical use too! It’s one of our most use toys, and they do all the initiating. I don’t ever force them help me sweep or do the dishes at age 2, but they do want to help Mom at that age.

(I’m probably going to miss the “help” when they are older!)

I do (try to) make them pick up their toys each day, and we do make a game out of it to make it fun or sing the clean up song.

Sometimes they love to help a little too much! And sometimes I with they would love to clean a little more!

13 Things I Do Every Day as a Stay-At-Home Mom to toddlers and kids

We Get Social

Since my kids are not enrolled in daycare, I need to make sure they get some interactions and exposure to other kids. Unfortunately, the only cousins we have live far and all my friends with kids similar ages live at least an hour away, so social activity doesn’t always happen organically.

Unfortunately, the social aspect doesn’t always happen every day in the winter, but I try to get them out of the house when we can and get a little social interaction and exposure to kids their age.

My oldest is now in preschool, so it’s a little easier to accomplish my social goals, but I do need to do a better job at scheduling play dates and impromptu playground visits.

I truthfully don’t do “social things” every day with my kids but I want to get so much better in this aspect that I put it on the list. If I write it down, it will come true, right?

We Eat Together

We eat all our meals together at the dining room table. I find that if I stand and eat, my kids will too. (I do need to get better at this!) I try to make it a point that we all eat together at the table, and have fun conversations about our day, what we are going to do, and favorite things.

I love eating together with my kids for our meals and feel blessed that it is something we can do together.

We do the Same Things Every Night

We have the same bedtime routine every night. The time changes slightly depending on when the youngest awoke from his nap and if my oldest fell asleep in the car, but it usually begins between 6:30-7PM and lasts around 30 minutes.

Bath, pajamas, brush our teeth, book, and bed. Me Time.

Some things are certainly easier said than done, but I try to incorporate the above in our daily routine with my toddlers.

We Are Kind

I think kindness is so important (especially these days!) and I try to lead by example with my kids.

But most important, I try to be kind to myself. I try not to beat myself up to much if we don’t make it outside to play, if we eat our lunch on the go, or don’t read as many books as I’d like that day.

Parenting is so hard and I try to be kind to myself and to other parents as well because you never know the struggles others are going through.

What are some things you do every day with your kids? I’d love to get some more ideas!

What Stay At Home Moms Do Every Day with their Babies and Toddlers

If you like this post, don’t forget to pin or share it! Thanks so much!

You May Also Like: 13 Ways to Make Money as a Stay At Home Mom

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities Tagged With: SAHM, Things to Do with Toddlers, Toddler Activities

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