Uncategorized

How to Keep Toddlers Busy When You Have to Get Crap Done

April 4, 2023 by KT Leave a Comment

How to Keep Kids Busy When You are Busy and need to get things done

Are you looking to keep your toddlers and kids busy at home while you work from home– or just need a few minutes to yourself to just get crap done.

Here’s a big list of things you can do with your toddlers to keep them busy indoors without tv or screens that will keep their attention on toys, activities, and fun instead of you!

Here’s how to keep your toddlers busy at home while you get crap done with so many fun kid activities!

Big ‘Ol Box

A box is so many things and can keep toddlers and kids busy forever!

Yep. What toddler can resist a gigantic box?

Just grab markers, crayons, scissors, construction paper, glue, or nothing at all, and see what amazing things can come out of a box.

That’s it, easy right?

My kids love boxes of all shapes and sizes for creative play and self-play! I don’t have to get involved at all with box play!

If you have a young toddler, you can just throw them in the box too with crayons or whatever, so they won’t escape!

Just save those diaper boxes and random boxes for days you really need a break!

Big Paper Roll and Markers

There’s nothing like laying a huge roll of canvas paper on the floor with markers, crayons, etc. to invite creativity.

I got a big paper roll at IKEA for cheap, but you can score a long paper roll at Michael’s or even Amazon if you are looking for it at your doorstep.

I also sometimes will save the big brown paper from our packages and will have my kids’ color on that as well and it can always double as wrapping paper for gift wrap as well!

You can also just do big poster boards with crayons and/or markers as well, but the big paper rolls definitely last the longest and you can just roll it up for another day!

Craft Kits

Prepared craft kits are great when you need to get crap done.

Just lay the prepared craft down and let the kids get to work!

I love Alex Toys craft kits, especially the big busy box! There are a few different crafts, and a lot of them are individually packaged, so you can just pull one out for your kids! Some are super simple too, and perfect for toddlers!

You can also find prepared craft kits for kids at Michaels and other art stores! If you go a few days before a holiday or a couple of days after, you can usually find great deals on craft kits at Michaels as well! I usually try to scoop them up on clearance!

You can also make your own craft kits when you have time and then stash them away for a rainy day.

My kids usually do better with crafts when they have a kit and have some direction (and it’s less messy usually) than just free-flowing the art projects, but everyone is different.

Magnetic Tiles

Magnetic Tiles are hands down my (and my kids, of course) favorite toy!

If I could pick just one toy for my kids, this would be it!

They play with them every day, and usually for a while too! There’s so much to do with them– and engage both my 2.5 and 5-year-old!

Magna tiles can get a little pricey, we actually don’t have any of the original brands, but we do have a few knocks that work just as well!

We have Picasso tiles and PlayMags and another random brand. I like the PlayMags a tad better if they are the same price, but Picasso tiles and other brands are fine too! The different brands also work fine together, I think as long as they look like they will work together, they will.

Note: I did try to get another set to add to my collection and totally didn’t pay attention and got a “mini” tile. The picture made it look like the real size, but they were tiny, so just double-check to make sure you don’t make my mistake!

Magnetic tiles are definitely my favorite toy and perfect for days that I’m exhausted and need to get things done because they get hours of play with them!

Playdough

Playdough is one of those activities that I always pull out when I need an extra few minutes to cook dinner, wash dinner, or just need a minute of quietness.

I usually opt for the easy option of store-bought play dough with some tools to go with it, however, you can also make play dough too.

I’ve had a few Pinterest fails when it came to homemade playdough, but I know many people make it with no problems! Even better, you get an activity making it and then an activity with playing with it!

I just hope you have a little more luck with finding a great homemade playdough recipe– mine always comes out too sticky and messy! (I’ll link when I find a good one though!)

Playdough is such a fun and easy activity for indoor play. Make sure to tuck it away and use it on days you really need it to make playdough more fun.

Marshmallow Building

Depending on the age, you may want to consider marshmallow building! Throw some marshmallows down with toothpicks (if they can handle it) or spaghetti pieces, and have them get to work!

You may need to build a square or something to get their creative juices flowing, but my kids loved the freedom to build and play with food. They would also eat while they played, which kept them extra busy!

I love laying this activity out on the dining room table when I need to work on the computer next to them or while I’m cooking dinner!

You can find more about marshmallow building from my another post by me here.

Busy Boxes

Busy Boxes is the only thing on the list I don’t do super frequently. I’m just too lazy to prepare busy boxes and I’m just not that creative. Plus, my kids just don’t keep activities for too long, plus adding sand and rice can sometimes get messy in my house.

However, you can throw whatever in a box and hand it out and the idea is that they keep busy with whatever toys or activities are in the box.

I will sometimes take a clear tub and collect all the “crap” we get from birthday parties, kid events, Halloween, etc. and then give that to them instead of just tossing it all in the trash. Sometimes the small toys can keep them busy for a minute, and then when there’s a huge collection of them, it makes it a little bit more interesting.

There are so many things you can do with busy boxes to keep it interesting.

There are now more store-bought Busy Boxes too so you can always buy a busy box as well if you don’t feel like making anything.

Forts

Forts are a great way to keep kids busy because they may not want to leave their fort when it’s built. Word to the wise though, make that fort a steady thing or you will be constantly be rebuilding.

You can also place a tent indoors and let them play in it, or even just throw a few blankets over the crib and let them play.

I think sometimes it’s the novelty of the fort and tent, and the construction style. You can always change it up to make it somewhat new and fun too.

I *sometimes* removed the cushions from the couch to make it more fun and keep their attention longer. Gasp!

Silly Bath Tub Play

I am doing this currently as I write this post! My boys (2.5 and 5) are in a bath with LOTS of bubbles, their legos, and with their stuffed animals too! I’m just sitting here on the floor next to them as they have fun!

My kids love taking a daytime bath because it’s just so silly and I will add toys in there to keep their attention longer!

You can just do bubbles, legos, toys, or really whatever you want. You can even do a bath without even adding water– just toys!

I like to add toys because they clean they also get clean in the water and it’s nice to get all those germs off everything!

Also, you save yourself from doing bathtime later on in the day!

Spark Sink/Water Play

My son could stand in front of the sink forever and play with the water!

So just grab a tub and fill with water– it’s even better when it’s nice out so you can do this activity outside!

We also love the Spark Kitchen Sink because it has a REAL WORKING FAUCET.

Just be forewarned though, it doesn’t last terribly long. The pump actually lasted longer for us than others, but it won’t last forever. I think it lasted around a year for us, with on and off play. But I do know someone who’s pump broke within a few days of play.

The sink will also randomly start working again for a few minutes after not working for months, and then die again.

But for $20, you should get your money back pretty quickly in babysitting money.

My son played with this FOR HOURS.

Just make sure to put a big towel underneath it, as it gets a little wet and messy, but not terribly so. Or just bring it outside if it’s nice out.

The Spark Kitchen Sink is a Walmart exclusive I believe, but you can find it on sites like Amazon too, but you will be paying more than retail for it. There are also other brands that also have a real working faucet as well, I just didn’t buy those brands of sink in my house and I think Spark was the first to introduce it.

You can find a knock-off version at Burlington Coat Factory, T.J. Maxx, etc. call Just Like Home Kitchen Sink and it’s a similar price, if you can’t find the spark one or would rather shop in stores.

Water Play is always a hit in our house and I don’t really engage much, just watch!

Long Snacks

Those Apple Pouches are great. They are quick, healthy, and great in a pinch. They are great for on-the-go and in a rush as they don’t take too much at all!

I love the apple pouch but sometimes we need the exact opposite. The all-time-consuming snack.

The snack that takes forever. The snack that will entertain your kids for awhile. The kind of snack that keeps them busy so you have a break.

I like to do long snacks that can also be an activity.

For Example: Crackers + Peanut Butter + Do It Yourself.

I give my kids a (safe) butter knife, crackers, and peanut butter and they love making peanut butter sandwiches. They are also learning motor skills as they are buttering the crackers themselves.

It’s not terribly messy either– a little messy, but manageable.

They keep themselves busy + I’m getting work done.

There’s a lot of other long, time-consuming snacks too, so it doesn’t just have to be peanut butter crackers or crackers and cheese!

The Novelty Activity

All Hail The Novelty. You know that item that super random item that will keep your kid busy forever for that moment in time and then they will never see or play with it again.

The novelty item is just a great way to keep a kid busy when you are exhausted or really sick.

Some you would never even give your kids on a regular basis but you are exhausted for some peace in quiet. A novelty item is great for this.

Not all novelty items are not the same and may work again, and some will just never work for your children, because all kids are different.

Here are a few “novelty items” that worked for my kids:

Flashlights
Keys
Bubble Wrap
Balloons
Slinky
Spin Tops (Grampy usually brings one to restaurants & keeps them busy)
Light or Glow Sticks (be careful if you have a biter)
Contact Case (just be careful with this one since it’s so small)
Tupperware with lots of covers and lids
Ice Cream Scoop, Pans, Rolling Pin, etc.
Whisk (you can put pom poms in it for more curiosity)
Spray Bottle
Window Clings
The Big Toy Book (I grabbed a few a Target at Christmas time to bring out

Let me know what your favorite novelty items are and have worked well for you– I need more!

Scavenger Hunt

Make a scavenger hunt for your kids! It can be a formal one or a casual one! (I usually do causal ones and just hide stuff!)

I sometimes will just hide legos all over the living room for the kids to find all the parts. Super easy and it keeps them busy.

If you want to get fancy, you can make list (with words or pictures) for your kids to find certain items listed.

You can find a lot of scavenger hunt ideas here if you’re looking for something organized.

If you’re looking for something quick and easy, just hid pennies (depending on age) all over your house. That’ll keep your kids busy for a few if they are little!

Ice Cubes

Something about ice cubes make them really fun!

Sometimes all you need is ice cubes, a tray and a silly tool to pick them up with.

One time I tried to “paint ice cubes” that I found on Pinterest where you take paint, a paintbrush and ice cubes and my 4-year-old was not impressed. “Mom, THIS is the activity”.

So, make sure the ice cube activity is age appropriate and fun!

However, I find that just taking out ice cubes are fun and easy! I usually do it outside on the deck when I can!

I will also freeze their small toys like dinosaurs and have them dig them out of the ice! Depending on the tools you provide, it can keep them busy for a long time!

Play then Walk Away

“Engage, Play, then Walk Away!”

Start an activity, show them how it works and play with them for a few minutes. When they are totally engaged, walk away!

Chances are they are still going to play! I find this works well with my kids, because I have two and they continue to play with each other instead of me.

I do this a lot with magnetic tiles and other building toys, I’ll start the frame and they will just take it from there!

A great way to play with my kids, but also a chance to get some things done because they continue to self play!

“Quiet Time”

My kids no longer take naps, so I don’t get that blissful afternoon break. I use to do quiet times, but truthfully, we don’t do it anymore.

I used to put them down for a nap like they were actually going to sleep, and they would sit up in their cribs and play with their toys for an hour or so… once in a lucky moon they would fall asleep.

But quiet time can just be placing them in their beds, or putting them in a quiet place with books or quiet activities.

You both need a break, and quiet time is a great afternoon break for you both to recoup.

FaceTime with Grandparents or Friends

Can’t take advantage of in-person babysitting? When I feel completely done for the day or need to get stuff done, and my kids have SO much energy, I’ll call or FaceTime my parents or in-laws.

Have the kids talk to grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles, or whoever they love talking too, and have them “watch” them for awhile.

Obviously, you can’t run an errand or anything like a real babysitter, but it’s great just to sit next to them and have them keep busy and bonding with family at the same time.

Toy Rotation

I love not keeping every single toy out for instant play and instant messes and will rotate toys in my house.

Toy Rotation is just that… keep some toys and bins tucked away, and rotate toys for new ones. I keep big bins in the closet and will just take a bin for a day, and other times I’ll completely rotate the toys in our living room.

The nice thing about toy rotation is that “new” toys will appear. I feel like my kids will play with their toys longer when they haven’t seen them in awhile.

If they always see the same toys, and can access every single toy, they will play less. They get overwhelmed and bored. At least, I feel like that’s the case with my kids.

I like to keep totes in a closet and will take them out and rotate toys or even just pull out a toy or two when I feel like they need something else to keep them busy.

When I’m really tired, I’ll have “an ace” toy tucked away nearby and will bring it out when I need it. It’ll keep them busy, and the toy is “new”. It’s usually building related with my boys because they love to make and build things.

Screens

Sorry, but if you need to get things done, screens do the trick. If you want to feel less guilty, PBS has so many great educational shows and your kids will learn while you get a break and/or get your own crap done.

However, there so many different things you can do, so if you don’t have to pull out the screens either!

I find the more I switch things up, the more engaged my kids are! They tend to forget about activities, so rotating them works best for the most engagement and effectiveness!

What are you favorite things to do with the kids when you have to get crap done?

*This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission so thank you for supporting this mom and this small site!

Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?

February 9, 2023 by KT Leave a Comment

Is Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited Worth It for readers, bookworms, and the average reader?

The answer is: Maybe. It really depends on how much and what you read in a month and if you already have a Kindle or e-reader.

If you are unfamiliar with Kindle Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited is a service that allows you to read as much as you want on your e-reader, and you can choose from over 3 million titles. You can have up to 20 books “taken out” at a time to download on your device, but you can read and take as many books out as you want a month.

Kindle Unlimited is great if you DNF-Do Not Finish- books often. I love KU because if I’m not feeling a book, I can just stop and move on to the next one. I have zero guilt because I spent zero dollars on buying the book, and I can return it and pick another one.

Kindle Unlimited is a great way to discover so many different books as well as so many different authors!

If you read often, Kindle Unlimited is awesome. It is $10/month and you can very easily cancel your subscription whenever you want. They usually offer a free monthly trial to see if you like it first, and you can easily cancel. Amazon will often have deals so you may even pay less than $10 a month.

Kindle Unlimited is not included in a prime membership, however, if you do have a prime account you will get some free books with prime reading but the selection is much more limited.

I find that Kindle Unlimited is worth the $5-10/month, pay on membership because I read several books, and one book in itself could be $10 depending on what it is. I figure if I read two or three books a month through KU, it pays for itself.

However, if you don’t read as much, I’d start with the library books that you can easily download to your kindle. All you need is a library card, and you can start downloading books on Overdrive, Libby, Hoopla, or whatever your library uses. Also, you may be able to sign up for a card online instead of going to the actual library!

Certain Books Are Only Available On Kindle Unlimited

However, if there are certain books that you are looking to read and they are offered through KU to read for free, your best bet is to sign up for a Kindle Unlimited membership whether it’s a free trial or paid membership.

That is because if an author is using Kindle Unlimited for their books to read for free, they are exclusive to KU– at least at the moment. You won’t be able to borrow it from your library or another online source. You can only find some author books only through Kindle Unlimited.

Keep in mind, you may be able to find a printed book at the library, but KU will be the only place where you can read the book online for free. You could always buy the e-book, but the $5 you spend on the book, could be put towards a membership, especially if it’s a series with multiple books to read.

Kindle Unlimited members can also cancel their membership at any time, so it’s easy to pay for the month’s trial, read all the books, then cancel. (I do this often because it’s easy to cancel and then I get caught up with other books and then go back.)

Keep in mind that an author can always take a book off Kindle Unlimited at any time, so if there’s a book you want to read, you may want to claim it and read it soon but you’ll find that other books will be there for years! It kind of depends on the author and publisher. Some authors are known for only offering some of their selection on KU or just briefly and others really use KU as their main source of income.

I really enjoy having a Kindle Unlimited membership because I read a lot of books and some of my favorite authors are exclusively on KU.

I also mostly read the romance genre so I find that there are A LOT of romance books on Kindle Unlimited with a wide variety of options! I’m not sure about other genres though and can only speak for the romance genre!

However, if you do not read a lot of books in a month or if you find all the books you need through Libby and the library, Kindle Unlimited may not be for you! Also, if you love a physical book and don’t use or have an e-reader, KU is not for you!

Do you have a Kindle Unlimited membership? Do you find that it is worth it or not? What are your favorite books offered through Kindle Unlimited?

How Do I Read So Much as a Mom?

October 25, 2022 by KT Leave a Comment

How to read more, hacks to read more books

How do I read so much? I get asked this a lot.

I read anywhere from 20-30 books a month, which is definitely more than a lot of people but also a lot less than others.

Yes, my past self would also like to know how I now read so much because I didn’t read much at all in the past and felt like I never had the time. I think a big reason why I read so much now is that I make the time. It also helps and improves my mental health by escaping into books.

Below is how I read so much as a mom to two young kids. Also, this can apply to anyone– not just parents to young children! I know everyone can be busy and everyone can find times in their day if they really do want to read a book.

Here is how I read so much as a mom:

1. I Don’t Watch TV

This is a big one. I don’t watch TV. Yes, I have a TV in my house, and sometimes I’ll watch what the kids are watching, or I’ll watch football with my family in-season but for the most part, I don’t watch TV.

The average American watches 3 hours of TV a day, so I’m basically saving those three hours and using my entertainment in book form.

2. I Read After the Kids Go To Bed

I guess this ties into the first point of not watching tv, but after the kids go to bed, I read. My kids go to bed around 8 pm at night (sometimes a little later, unfortunately) but that usually gives me a solid two hours of reading time, sometimes longer before I fall asleep. I like to read once the kids go to bed, as it’s finally mom time!

Nighttime is my time to settle down into a book before I go to bed.

I Read Everywhere

Not only do I read after the kids go to bed, but I also read whenever I can. My kids are finally at the age (thank goodness!) where I can go to the playground and just sit on a bench and watch them play. I can chill and watch them play while reading at the same time without having to follow them around or watch them closely.

I also have the kindle app downloaded on my phone, so I’ll read on my phone when I’m waiting at the doctor’s for an appointment, in the car waiting for someone, or even in line at the grocery store. I’ll open up my kindle app and read in public a lot, and I find that it helps settle my anxiety in public a little too.

Whenever I can find a little pocket of time, I try to read whenever I can. Look for those extra moments in the day where you can open a book, you may be surprised.

I Listen When I Can’t Read

I like to read wherever I can, but I also listen to audiobooks when I can’t read. Everyone is different, but I do prefer reading to listening to audiobooks, but I’d rather listen to a book than not read a book at all, if that makes sense.

I like to choose books where I can actually easily switch back and forth from listening to reading so I can read when I have time, but can still listen to a book when I don’t have time to read.

The amazing thing about audiobooks is that you can read a book when you are folding laundry, washing dishes, sweeping the floor, etc. I find boring tasks more tolerable when I’m reading a book and tend to last a little longer on my feet doing them.

I know a mom who listens to her book in the shower, while she works out in the morning, and then on her drive to and from work. It definitely gives you a lot more reading time while you are doing something else as well!

It sometimes can be a little harder to find books that have the audiobook and reading option, and sometimes can get a little expensive to do both. I love when I can easily get the audiobook and book from the library, but it’s not always possible.

My favorite way (and I find the easiest way!) is through Kindle Unlimited.

If you read often, Kindle Unlimited is awesome. It is $10/month and you can very easily cancel your subscription whenever you want. They also have a lot of great deals for half-price or sometimes cheaper, and you can even get a free trial to see if you’d like it.

There are some books on Kindle Unlimited that say Read and Listen! and you can easily switch back and forth between the two so easily! I love that option so much, and I’m really hoping that more authors will do the read and audiobook option in the future.

To find books that you can both listen and read to and easily switch back and forth to on Kindle Unlimited, please head to the audiobook section on Kindle Unlimited. If you are searching through all Kindle Unlimited books there will be a picture of headphones next to the KU logo, or you can just click on the book and see if it’ll say Read and Listen for free.

If you are looking for some recommendations for some listen + read books, here are a few. They are all romance books because that’s all I read.

The Miles High Club Series by TL Swan (4-book series)
Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills
The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

The library is also a great option to get audiobooks and books for free. I do a mix of library books and Kindle Unlimited for my 20-30 reads for the month.

I find that Kindle Unlimited is worth the $5-10/month I pay on membership because I do read several books, and one book in itself could be $10 depending on what it is. However, if you don’t read as much, I’d start with the library books and audiobooks. All you need is a library card, and you can start downloading books on Overdrive, Libby, Hoopla, or whatever your library uses. Also, you may be able to sign up for a card online instead of going to the actual library!

There are also some authors that I can’t find through the library because they are exclusively on Kindle Unlimited so I like to do a mix of both.

Do you have any hacks or tips to read more books? How many books do you read in a year? What’s your favorite method in reading more?

*This post contains affiliate links to help the costs of this website, but we use all products we recommend.

Fantasy Football Team Names for Girls 2022

September 14, 2022 by KT Leave a Comment

Fantasy Football Team Name Ideas for Girls and Women

Fantasy Football Season 2022 is almost here and time for a fantasy team name!

I love looking at Fantasy Football Team name idea lists for unique, creative, and funny fantasy football team names!

I’ve updated this list from years past so some of the names may look familiar, but there are some new ones in there as some players obviously enter and leave the league.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite team names and included some of my own too! Some fantasy football names are just for girls and some team names can be for both men and women!

Personally, I like picking a team name after I draft and using a player or players to make a witty name.

I won’t judge you if you draft a player just for a fun fantasy team name!

Here are some popular and funny Fantasy Football team names for girls and boys for 2022:

Popular Fantasy Football Names for Girls

Fantasy Football names for girls, ladies, and moms that are popular and can be used any year, but are definitely female specific!

Victorious Secret
Sacks in the City
Gridiron and Wine
Cleats and Cleavage
Watergirl
Glitz and Blitz
Fantasy Goddess
Hail Mary (especially good if you’re Mary)
Friday Night Tights
Women Who Score
Show Me Your TD’s
Bloodbath and Beyond
Minivan Mavens
The Watergirl
Junk in the Trunk
The Brains of the Game
In her Endzone
X and O’s
Leading Lady
TD Master
Running Back To Me
Blondes Have More Run
End Zone Divas
Back That Pass Up
Field Goal Diggers
Better At This Too!
Trophy Wife
Get Ovary It
Here Comes the Run
Lady Luck
Wrecking Gals
She’s The Man

Player Inspired Fantasy Football Team Names

Fantasy Football team names inspired by a football player on your own team. Some are just for girls, but most of these could be used by male and female owners. Some of the guys in my league have inspired some of these too!

Brady Got Back (Tom Brady)
Call Me Brady (Tom Brady)
Luck Be A Brady (Tom Brady)
Nobody Puts Brady in a Corner (Tom Brady), May be too long though
Brady Gaga (Tom Brady)
Take Mahomes Tonight (Patrick Mahomes)
Baby Got Dak (Dak Prescott)
Dakstreet Boys (Dak Prescott)
Dak to the Future (Dak Prescott)
Dak and Yellow (Dak Prescott)
Hit Me With Your Prescott (Dak Prescott)
Baking Bad (Baker Mayfield)
Mayfield of Dreams (Baker Mayfield)
A Kiss from a Rosen (Josh Rosen)
Jimmy G-Strings (Jimmy Garoppolo)
Mariota Had A Little Lamb (Marcus Mariota)
A Carr is Born (Derek Carr)
Mercedes Wentz (Carson Wentz)
Just Say Wentz (Carson Wentz)
All I Do is Winston (Jameis Winston)
Shake it Goff (Jared Goff)
I Gotta Theilen/Can’t Stop the Theilen/More than a Theilen (Adam Theilen)
O-Dell No (Odell Beckham Jr)
The Farmer in the Dell (Odell Beckham Jr)
Lights, Kamara, Action (Alvin Kamara)
Instant Kamara (Instant Kamara)
Kelce Lately (Travis Kelce)
Diggs in a Blanket (Stefon Diggs)
Dalvin and the Chipmunks (Dalvin Cook)
Too Much Landry (Jarvis Landry)
Stairway to Tevin (Tevin Coleman)
Fuller House (Will Fuller)
Kittle One (George Kittle)
Kittle Caboodle (George Kittle)
The Baby-Sitters Chubb (Nick Chubb)
Golladay Inn Express (Kenny Golladay)
Zay It Ain’t So (Zay Jones)
Giorgio Amari (Amari Copper)
T.Y. Next (T.Y. Hilton)
One Crabtree Hill (Michael Crabtree)
DJ Chark DooDooDoo (D.J. Chark)
Hot for Watt (J.J Watt, defense player so any J.J fans can use)

Team Inspired Names

Fantasy Football team names inspired by your favorite Football teams!

Dallas Cowgirls
Chicago Mama Bears
Green Babe Packers
Mile High Heels
Save a Bronco, Ride a Cowboy

GOOD LUCK THIS YEAR!

What other Fantasy Football team names for girls and guys have I missed? What is your fantasy football name? Do you play?

Also, feel free to check out my older post of Fantasy Football Team Names for Girls for even more fantasy football team name ideas!

How to Survive a Long Car Ride with Kids

August 22, 2021 by KT Leave a Comment

Car Ride Travel Hacks for Long Car Rides with Toddlers and Kids

Are you looking to do a long car ride with babies, toddlers, and/or kids soon? Are you looking for some car ride travel tips? Well, I have some tips on how to survive long car rides with toddlers and kids.

We have done a lot of car ride travel lately thanks to the pandemic, and it’s honestly not as bad as I thought it would be. Our longest trip was a 24-hour trip to visit the in-laws and it was more enjoyable that I thought it may be.

So here are a few ways to survive long car rides with children because there’s definitely better ways to make the long hauls than others!

Drive Overnight

Driving overnight is the best when traveling with babies, toddlers, and kids.

I know it’s not always possible, but when it is, it is so much easier!

We drive from New England to Florida, and we leave at 6-7PM at night, and arrive in the later afternoon/early evening the next day. We go straight, and we find it preferable from driving two full days and a hotel stay in between. (But we are also crazy.)

It’s exhausting for the parents, but you get quiet kids for a big portion of your trip if you travel overnight! My husband and I have a system… 6 hours each back and forth until we arrive, when humanly possible.

We are EXHAUSTED, but it’s so much better! Especially when the kids are sleeping for half the drive!

We have also done half overnight where we will go to bed at home early and sleep for awhile and then wake our kids up in the middle of the night to get an early start. They will go back to bed (usually) and we get to sleep in our beds and get a few hours of shut eye before we begin our journey.

Whenever possible, try to do some or most of the drive during the overnights. The road and the car is more peaceful and you’ll make better time because you’ll have less rest and food stops and you’ll need less mental breaks too!

Be Boring Beforehand

I think one reason why my kids do so well with long car rides is that they are use to being bored. We don’t always entertain them– especially during car rides. We never had a DVD player or any screens in the car, and don’t really entertain them during short or medium car rides.

Keeping kids bored can be such a blessing because they can figure out how to entertain themselves and enjoy the little things.

Start training your kids now to be bored and entertain themselves so they will do better in the car for future car rides!

Take Breaks Wisely

We like to plan out our breaks and use them wisely. We usually start at the evening, and plan to go through until we need gas (and pee), which is usually six hours in our case. And then in another six hours we get gas again and then get out and grab breakfast.

We usually take our breaks only when needed. Sometimes we just do McDonald’s or other foods to go and eat while we are driving, because the kids keep busy eating their meal in the car for a half hour while we don’t waste any driving time, and sometimes they need that time to get out and run wild for a half hour out of the car.

You’ll kind of know when you can get away with more travel or when you need to just stop. And sometimes just bringing them into a gas station and picking out snacks will do the trick, and other times, you may need to find a playground or restaurant or something else to break it up.

We like to stop only when we all need it, because sometimes we’d rather just get to our destination and other times we need more time.

Plan for Anything

One thing I didn’t realize when we started our road trip adventures was how interesting it was driving in other parts of the country was.

I didn’t realize that the South didn’t have the convenient travel plazas that the northeast has with gas, bathrooms, and food right off the highway. Once we hit Virginia on i-95, I realized we would need to get off the highway everytime.

We would try to find big gas stations attached to restaurants to help us save time, but sometimes it was hard to read maps to make sure we would pick correctly.

I found that we made a lot of mistakes our first go around. When we first started our road trip adventures, we wasted more time on our breaks, just because we didn’t have it planned out as well as I thought.

We’d arrive at 24 hour gas stations, but the inside would be locked because the gas was credit card only, so we wouldn’t be able to use the bathroom, and would need another stop.

We also would hit more traffic or make better time and not be where we thought we may be on the road.

I would try to plan for everything or as much as possible and try to be flexible.

You may want to keep a travel app like Priceline on your phone so you can book a hotel on the road if you need it and other handy apps on our phone like gas apps and such.

I also made a list of playgrounds right off the highway and other short travel stops if we needed a break for my kids.

You never know what can happen when you travel, so I always find that planning for different scenarios can be helpful.

Dollar Store Finds

I love going to the Dollar Store beforehand and getting some new toys and new finds. I find it’s a great way to keep the kids busy with something new without spending a lot of money.

It’s amazing how something new can keep someone busy for a little while. I also like to bring in some of my kids favorite toys that I don’t let them play with as much for the sake of keeping them busy when I really need it.

Some other toys that I like for road trips besides dollar tree trinkets are:

The Best Snacks

Snacks. Snacks. Snacks.

Snacks can be a lifesaver when traveling. My kids get the best snacks when traveling. Usually new snacks to try or their favorite snacks they don’t get often.

I usually try to go with less messy snacks and snacks that take a long time to eat like fruit roll-ups.

You may also prefer to have them pick out their own snacks beforehand or at a truck stop so they have something to be excited about too.

Movie Time

It’s one of my last moves, but movies or tv shows can be great for long car rides with toddlers and kids. We usually do so to either reward very great behavior or to save our own sanity.

I especially put a movie on when I need to sleep and everyone is wide awake and making many requests to me while I’m riding shotgun.

Because I’m cheap, I never invested in a portable DVD system or anything. I usually just put my kindle fire on the arm rest and let the kids use that, but there’s so many different ways to use movies and screens as entertainment.

Bring a Potty with You

If you have new potty-trained children or children that need to go quickly, you may want to bring a potty with you.

I have a fond memory of my son always picking the worst times to need to go the bathroom, so the potty can come in handy for those emergency stops in unideal places.

Practice Makes Perfect

The more you travel, the easier it gets. At least, that’s been my experience. Our kids have gotten so much better with driving in the car. I remember feeling so defeated when it took us DOUBLE the time it would normally take, but now with my kids 4&6, we don’t take nearly as long when they were younger.

We’ve been better at picking places to stop, and we’ve learned when we really need to stop and when we can push it a bit. Also, the older they get, it’s gets better too because you can stop less and they will be more comfortable with longer trips!

Good Luck on your road trip travels with young kids!

Seashell Letter Art for Kids

July 23, 2021 by KT Leave a Comment

Seashell Letter Art, a great seashell craft with kids for some free home decor!

Collecting seashells with toddlers and kids is such a fun summer activity. My kids love bringing buckets to the beach and bringing home seashell treasures!

I also love when I can turn one fun activity with the kids into another!

There are so many fun seashell crafts and projects you can do with seashells after collecting!

We ended up turning our seashells into artwork– letter art to be precise!

It’s pretty easy to do….

First collect your supplies:

Seashells
Letter(s) (Cut yourself or buy pre-cut from an art store like Michaels)
Glue Gun and Glue
Hanger for the back

After you have your supplies, wash and dry your seashells. We used a hose to wash all of our seashells and then left them to dry overnight on a beach towel when the weather was really nice.

Seashells on a blanket from the beach getting ready for seashell art and crafts

After the seashells were ready to go, decide where you want your seashells on your letter of your choice. You can also use a canvas or something else if you don’t want to use a letter.

We used a letter for each of our children’s name, and then used their letter for their seashell artwork.

After you layout the shells how you want them, carefully glue each one with a hot glue gun.

Creating Seashell Letter Art, a great arts and crafts with seashells for kids

My kids put the shells how they wanted them, and then my husband did the hot glue gun part so our kids didn’t burn themselves.

Let the glue dry… and then hang it up and enjoy!

It’s pretty easy to do and it’s a great way to have pretty artwork from your kids and the beach!

Have you done any fun seashells arts and crafts with kids?!?