Fun Family Crafts! This time of year allows people to focus on what's really important: family.  Working together on fun family crafts creates memories that make us smile.  That's why I love the holidays.  In this family activity you'll create a unique piece of art that will bring those smiles back every time you see it.  I'm sure you'll want to find wall space for this one! WHAT YOU'LL NEED: Canvas(es), paints, wide width paint brushes, paper plates, pencil WHAT TO DO:  Choose your canvas (we used two 20×20 canvases).  Decide on a base color for the canvas and one paint color for each ... Read More about FUN FAMILY CRAFTS: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

I come from a big family and am lucky enough that I’ve known most of my friends for so long that they fall into the family category too.  The only drawback?  Many of my favorite people are scattered all over the U.S. and we don’t get to see them nearly as often as we’d like.  For my kids, this is super confusing.  Which name goes with which face?  Which kid belongs to which parents? And where the heck do they live?  This activity helps kids visualize the answers to all of these questions and provides the opportunity for a healthy dose of visual motor and fine motor work too!  You'll definitely ... Read More about PROJECTS FOR KIDS: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY?

The dinner table: the one place you can gather and appreciate your entire family for at least a few minutes every day. It's a fun dinner time family activity. Here’s a way to use that time a little more wisely.  There are so many different ways to say “I love you” to someone and, whether you’re 2 or 72 years old, taking the time to share kind words is a great way to make a connection. WHAT TO DO: Create a question jar ahead of time. See some ideas of how to fill your family jar below. Each evening at dinner, have a family member pull out a question card. Read the question aloud. Take turns ... Read More about TAKING TIME

I saw this fabulous idea on Secret Keeper Girl’s facebook page one day.  It's the perfect way to start off our next round of activities about family, so I had to share.  Sometimes the simplest things have the most meaning, especially to kids. WHAT TO DO: Pick out a large pumpkin for your family. Every night leading up to Thanksgiving, gather as a family and add a few items to your Thankful Pumpkin. Using a sharpie marker, start at the stem and write around the pumpkin in a continuous circle until you reach the bottom.  What an amazing display to share and read on Thanksgiving Day! HOW TO ... Read More about THANKFUL PUMPKINS