Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids

Oh, the weather outside is frightful... time for a hot cocoa break!  Is there anything better than a creamy, chocolaty, warm drink on a cold day?  Top it with whipped cream, marshmallows, candy canes or whatever you please for yummy treat.  What's your favorite way to sip this awesome confection? Oh, and if you have little kids, I recommend picking up a sleeve of these tiny latte cups  with lids (grab by custom "Cup of Cheer" labels too) for sharing cocoa with friends or these reusable spill-proof mugs for the whole family!  It's always nice when family movie night, campfire time, or special drinks with grandpa can be a bit less stressful.  An open cup sets me on edge waiting for that cup to spill (Anyone else?  I can't be the only mom like this). It's not good for anyone, and especially kids, to have this much sugar all the time, but that shouldn't mean that the fun of hot cocoa season needs to end.  Instead, I've rounded up all the...

Every Friday, my husband and I have a date night to watch "The Mandalorian" from Disney Plus.  My husband really enjoys the show; although, I don't appreciate it was much.  We both agree that Baby Yoda (known as "the child" in the show) is the cutest creature in the Star Wars universe.  If you like babies, or Baby Yoda, or have some Science Fiction nerds on your gift-giving list, you'll enjoy this gift guide of Star Wars products.  Click the colored text to learn more about the merchandise. Plush Baby Yoda Doll Funko Pop Baby Yoda Star Wars Baby Onesies The Child Tshirt Star Wars ABC-3PO Book Star Wars Block Book Baby Yoda Backpack Yoda Foot PJs for Baby PopSockets Phone Stand If you don't want to wait until May 2020 for the official Baby Yoda product, you can make your own with this fun pattern from My Froggy Stuff.  I've featured this creative and inspirational blogger/crafter/youtuber on my blog severa...

My kids love PJ Masks!  They have for several years, but with the arrival of Disney Plus in our home, the love has only grew.  When I asked them what gift guides I should put together this year for my "All Wrapped Up" series, they unanimously decided on PJ Masks.  They enjoyed helping me put this list together and added many more things to their own holiday wish list. PJ Masks Stuffed Figurines   <>   Catboy Speed Boosters Vehicle PJ Masks Capes and Masks   <>   Catboy Hoodie   <>  Snack Crackers Gekko Mystery Mountain Quad   <>   PJ Masks Socks Collection PJ Masks Child's Bike   <>   Catboy Pillow Buddy   <>   PJ Masks Rainboots Owlette and Owl-Glider   <>  Light Up Bowling Game 5 Minute Storybook   <>   Wipe Off Activity Book Super Moon Mission Movie Projector Book Wall Ca...

I meant to get this blog post up before Christmas, but I didn't get it done in time.  Instead, I started my own Etsy shop !  I've been very busy trying to get that store stocked and full of unique items.  I didn't realized how much I had to get done to start a new project like that- oops.  Anyway, I have a fun set of circle-based cookies to share with you.  Like all my felt food, it also includes free patterns! As I already stated, all six of these cookies are based on a simple circle shape.  It makes it so much easier to cut out and sew up if you're not dealing with a lot of extra pieces and shapes.  The pattern lists which circle sizes to use for each cookie, so you should be able to reproduce them very easily.  The main supplies you need are felt, thread, and needles, which I've listed below along with links to where you can purchase the products. SUPPLIES -  2mm thick felt  in cream, white, and brown -  1mm thick fel...

Winter always makes me want to dig out the felt and start hand sewing projects.  I love creating magic with sheets of felt and thread!  It's usually short projects that can be completed in an evening (compared to my knitting that takes many months) and they're just so adorable when I get done.  I've got a very wintery craft to share with you today- snowman cookies and cocoa! Supplies - 2mm thick felt in cream and red - 1mm thick felt in white and brown - scraps of 1mm thick felt in orange and black - sewing threads in black, orange, white, cream, and brown - hand sewing needles (or sewing machine ) - straight pins - packaging tape - sharp fabric scissors - polyfil stuffing (optional) - printed pattern (scroll to download) Cut the Pattern After printing the pattern pieces, cut each of them out individually and lay them on the table in front of you.  I like to use the  packaging tape  to adhere the pattern pieces to the felt ...

For day two of Mickey week, I thought I'd do some  Mickey play food !  I ended up with two felt food pattern ideas, although their shapes are very similar.  It's not an easy shape to sew, but the results are fun, and I'm sure your kids won't care too much how it looks.  I know my kids love these projects.  Scroll down for supply lists and directions! Mickey Ice Cream Bar SUPPLIES: - black felt - DMC floss - large popsicle stick - stuffing or extra felt Cut out the Mickey heads from the pattern (I used the medium ones for my ice cream) and cut out two heads from black felt .  I like to use packaging tape to hold down the paper pattern while I cut it out.  If you're using fabric (like extra felt) or quilt batting for stuffing, cut out extra heads out of that material, too. Decide which thickness you want to make your ice cream bar and cut two 12" x N pieces of black felt.  Also measure around the width of your popsicle stick and the length of you...

Mother's Day is just a few weeks away!  I was encouraged by some other moms to put together a gift guide specifically for moms who homeschool.  The truth is that educator moms are just like regular moms in a lot of ways- we just want to pee alone!   I recently polled a group of like-minded moms on what they wanted for Mother's Day (or any day).  Their answers were similar to what any mom would want.  If you're looking for a gift for your mom or a mom figure in your life, this is a great place to start. - flowers for the garden - breakfast in bed - labor from their families - maids or cooks - a day off, sleep - a massage - gift cards or money - vacations - chocolates - date nights - a clean house - van detailing - babysitter - go to the movies alone - organizational help - taxi service for the kids - time alone - novels and time to read - time with husband and kids Several moms also had requests specific to being homeschool teachers, either educational things for...

I love doing these round-up type of posts with books for every subject .  Although we still have snow on the ground, the warmer days have the kids anxiously waiting for springtime and the return/awakening of the insects.  If you're looking for some awesome, general knowledge books about insects for kids, this list is a great place to start.  I've even ordered a few for our own collection. Big Book of Bugs On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects 100 Bugs: A Counting Book The Icky Bug Alphabet Book Bugs Pop-Up Book Insects: A Look Inside Their World Backyard Bugs Bugs are Insects Pin It! Science Toys for Learning About Insects

Updated- March 16, 2019 with books that I've read.  Originally published on Feb. 9, 2017. This is perhaps a sort of shameful confession from a mother in her thirties, but I'm quite obsessed right now with Broadway's Newsies .  Last spring, I got to see the musical on tour with my siblings.  Ever since, I have been listening to the music .  It always makes me smile to hear the perky beats and defiant lyrics.  I'm very excited this month to see the show in the movie theater , and I'm really hoping that Disney will release it on DVD this summer. The Newsies have reawakened my interest in the Gilded Age.  The time period is fascinating because of how quickly the world was changing and what those changes meant for the next century.  Horses were being replaced by automobiles, factory workers were demanding their rights, and reformers were working for change.  This is the era of the telephone, the railway, and the lightbulb.  Immigrants were po...