BOREDOM BUSTERS - Frugal Fun for All Ages

Are your kids driving you crazy, because of the "I'm borrred" Syndrome? Try some of my favorite economical, creative and quick to do boredom busters!

Next rainy spring day, or middle of the summer bored whining starts - scroll through this list, and bust those bordeom blues without busting the bank!

Each activity has a my reccommended age category – and these are based just as much on enjoyment and ‘holding’ factor as abilities

• Little Hands: Ages 2-6 “LH”
• I’m a Big Kid: Ages 6-11 “BK”
• Pre-Teen & Tween: Ages 11-13 “Tween”
• Full out Teen: Ages 13 + “TEEN” *

*Until your teen is still willing to "play" with you.

SHAVING PAINT LH, BK

Materials: Non-gel shaving cream, Food Coloring Directions:

1. Combine non-gel shaving cream with a few drops of food coloring.

TIPS: Works on construction paper, a sliding glass door, a section of foil, cookie baking pans or plop them in the tub with bathing suites on. Promises to provide lots of finger-foam fun! Reccomend allowing "decorating” easy to clean household surfaces. Clean by rinsing with water.

SHAVING PAINT PART TWO “Puffy Paint” LH, BK

Materials: Non-gel shaving cream, Glue and Food Coloring

Directions:

1. Use equal parts glue and shaving cream.
2. Add a couple of drops of food coloring or tempera paint for color.
3. Paint with brush onto construction paper.

SIDEWALK PAINT LH, BK, TW

Materials: 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 cup water and food coloring.

Directions:

1. Combine cornstarch and water.
2. Using a small container, mix until smooth.
3. Add a few drops of food coloring.

TIPS: You can make a few batches of different colors. Kids can use paintbrushes, foam paint-rollers or sponges to paint the sidewalk.

WINDOW PAINT LH, BK, TW

Materials: Liquid dish soap, washable liquid paint or powdered tempera.

Directions:

1. Mix together equal parts dishwashing liquid and washable liquid paint or powdered tempera.
2. Mix until it's a creamy consistency.
3. se paintbrushes.

TIPS: Window paint is easy to clean from windows with a moist paper towel. Sliding Glass doors work great – bigger workspaces are easier for little hands.

FLUBBER LH, BK, TW This makes oozing, gooey, cold and wet play goop.

Materials: 2-1/3 cups warm waterfood coloring, optional2 cups Elmer's school glue3 tablespoons borax

Directions:

1. In one container, mix 2 cups warm water, food coloring and glue.
2. Stir until glue has dissolved.
3. In a separate container, combine 1/3 cup warm water and borax.
4. Stir until borax has dissolved.
5. Add borax solution to glue mixture, and mix with hands for about 5 minutes.
6. Pour out extra water.
7. Let sit for a few minutes on a tray before playing.

TIPS: Store in airtight container. Don’t play with flubber on upholstered furniture. If “bounced” off walls, can leave a mark (especially walls with “flat” paint).

Marble Painting LH

Materials: Marbles, Poster Paint or Tempera Paint, Box with low sides (a canned-soda case works well), Construction paper or printer paper, small disposable dish (or re-cycled lean cuisine type dish)

Directions:

1. Place paper in Box
2. Squeeze small amount of paint into disposable
3. Roll marble in paint
4. Put marble in box, hold box and tilt different directions
5. Change colors as desired – creates cool abstract designs!

SHAKE 'EM UP ICE CREAM! LH, BK, TW TEEN This recipe makes a yummy in your tummy fun!

Materials: 1 gallon-size zipper-type bagcrushed ice6 tablespoons rock salt1 cup liquid half-and-half1/2 teaspoon vanilla2 tablespoons sugar1 pint-size plastic zipper-type bag

Directions:

1. Fill the large bag halfway with crushed ice.
2. Add rock salt.
3. In the small bag, add half-and-half, vanilla and sugar. Seal bag.
4. Place the small bag in the large bag. Seal it.
5. Shake for up to 7 minutes until it is ice cream.

Play Dough LH, BK

Materials 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons food coloring, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup salt

Directions:

1. Cook on stovetop over medium heat for 4 minutes. Stirring periodically

TIP: Store in Airtight bag, Clean pot before it dries! Use cookie cutters and rolling pins to play with the playdough.

Finger Paint LH

Materials: 4 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 cups cold waterfood coloring, containers for finger paint Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch together
2. Add water
3. Heat over medium heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture thickens
4. Will thicken more as it cools
5. Divide into containers such as muffin pan, and add desired food coloring to each container

TIPS: Works on Construction Paper or Printer Paper, if you have paper with a gloss, the paint will slide easily. Muffin pans work well while creating projects, harder to “tip” and spill. Baby food jars or small re usable with air tight lids works well for storing left over paint. Shelf life of homemade paint is limited always check before you use again.

BUILD A FORT LK, TW

Let them take over your rec room with blankets, books to anchor them, pillows etc., If you have any recent appliance type boxes, all the better!

COSTUME BOX/DRESS UP LH, BK

Get that box of clothes you and your husband had set aside for Goodwill; kids love to dress up like their parents. Pull out your heels and some of your older, “good fakes” jewelry and some of dad’s ties and hats.

Make Capes out of the slightly stained tablecloths you keep forgetting to throw away.

Keep out the poster paint from earlier activities and face paint. Pull out the tried and true past Halloween costumes.

Makeovers TW, TEEN (girls)

Pull out your creams, facials, scrubs, manicure sets, hair products, and accessories. Don’t forget your hair-styling tools, make up, make up mirror with lights, everything you can think of. Treat your daughter to a day at the spa – ‘at home.’

TIPS: Say “yes” when she wants to “do” you. Don’t force your opinion on her, now isn’t the time to lecture, just to have fun and be spontaneous.

Battle of the Generations BK, TW, TEEN

Already own a Wii, Playstation, Nintendo – any of those type game systems? Challenge your kids to an all-out battle of the ages. Have a Wii Tennis Round robin, show them your previous athletic skill with Madden Football, or any of the other sports themed games.

Collages BK, TW, TEENS

Materials:

Scissors, Papercutters, Glue, double sided tape and/or monoadhesive, Magazines – all sorts, Poster Board, Markers or stickers Tips: Pull out your huge pile of magazines waiting to be re-cycled. With enough of the right magazines, you would be surprised how many boys get in to this too.

Don’t think they’ll completely get into it? Try suggesting just making a collage for their notebook cover.

Many of the notebooks today have a clear plastic cover with room to insert pictures or a collage, etc.,

Talk, cut, tape, talk, cut create – their finished product will tell you a lot about your kids!

Door Art TW, TEEN Be Brave Mom….it’s not as bad as you think.

Materials Poster paint, wall paints, drop cloth, pencil, painters tape, paint brushes all sizes.

Instructions:

1. Tell your kid to have at it! Create a mural of whatever they want (within boundries) on the back of their room door.
2. Draw it out in pencil first – get moms okay.
3. Help them (if needed) tape off the frame, or just outside the frame if the frame is being painted too.
4. Help make sure drop cloth is secure and covers all carpeting close to the project.
5. Make sure painting space is well lit.
6. Help with ladders if needed.
7. Let them have at it, and express who they are.

TIPS – let them go for it! They will enjoy their art when in their room yet no one else will have to look at it if they don’t want to. This removal of boundaries on “home décor” will really let them know you trust them, and that you can appreciate their style.

DRIVING SCHOOL: TEEN

Take the 15/16 pre-permit, new permit driver out for driving practice, parking lot maneuvers, etc.,

TIPS: Brooms with flags stuck into cones (if you have them from your soccer days) can be very helpful. Empty plastic garbage cans are great pretend “cars” when practicing parking – if they wobble, kid fails!

WIFFLE Ball (one of our family faves!) BK, TW,TEEN

All you need is the plastic bat and ball, no gloves necessary and heavy duty paperplates work for bases.

No backyard, go to the local park, or school field.

Soccer-Golf - made up by my oldest when he was about 12- BK, TW, TEEN

All you need is a ball and some outdoor space.

Each player takes turns creating the “hole,” for example: “From here to the mailbox, go around mailbox, then to the basketball hoop and back. Whoever can do it in the least amount of touches (kicks) wins that hole.

We’ve gone around our block playing this one, I usually don’t win.

You don’t need a pile of money for boredom busters, just think out of the box and be creative with what you have!

From my perspective, boredom is usually directly linked to too much "free" time. Some gently guided fun or creative play-time can be just the thing to busting boredom.

TIP: Mom and Dad, don't structure to the point of stifling good, imaginative, fun!

Obama's Inauguration January 20th, Bringing Kids? - Read This First!

January 20th's Inaugural Theme - "Renewing America’s Promise, Promises to be Tricky to Attend with Children Many local residents of the DC Metro area plan not only to attend the much anticipated inauguration day but to also bring their children with them. Some feel this is to great an event to miss out the opportunity to witness this historic event. While I applaud the idea of taking advantage of history in the making in your own back yard, I also need to caution those bringing younger children to be very aware this is not a baby or toddler friendly event, and it will even be a challenging event to navigate with kids. Teenagers will probably be able to hang well with the crowd, the security, the close quarters, the amount of walking and waiting at security points. But those of you with the younger half may do better joining in on some of the other celebrations, and watching the main event from the comforts of home and the ability to re-wind on your TV.

Security and event logistics that will affect those with young children significantly:

1. Baby bags, and any bags – will often need to be checked at different points.
2. Strollers will be next to impossible with these crowds and they are banned on the capitol grounds completely for the inauguration day.
3. Be prepared for a Porta Potty Day!
4. Changing centers, "parent rooms" for the most part will not be available on the mall. And there will not be any on the West side of the capitol for those attending the swearing in ceremony.
5. Umbrellas are not allowed – so if you do come, bring ponchos and other rain appropriate gear.
6. Bringing your own food for the day will also be tricky – organizers are only allowing "snack sized" food but, no coolers or thermoses are allowed. In addition no food will be provided inside the security perimeter.
7. Backpacks and baby carriers are also prohibited, your child will have to walk alongside or you will have to carry your child for the day.
8. For those families lucky enough to have secured a ticket remember: mom and dad’s tickets do not "cover" their children (even sitting in laps) your child must have a ticket also.
9. Children should be prepared for a lot of walking that day, as most of the roads surrounding the area will be closed. There will be no parking available on Capitol Hill.
10. As much as your children may want to make a sign or poster in celebration of the day; they will not be allowed, so perhaps put them on the fridge at home.
11. Weather is often in the low to mid 30’s and quite often drizzly.

Other events to consider attending with kids:

On Saturday, January 17 - Obama, Biden and their families will travel by train to Washington, DC and will host events along the way in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. More details will be announced regarding each stop and the event planned there.

1. On Monday the 19th: An Inaugural Eve Concert for America's Children - A free youth concert will be held at the Verizon Center. The concert will be free, but tickets will be required.
2. On Tuesday, January 20th at 2:30 the Inauguration Parade begins. No Tickets are not required. *Please note you won’t be allowed to lineup along the parade route to stake out your spot before 7a.m. Location: Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC Viewing stands and bleachers will extend from 3rd to 17th Streets

Actual swearing in Ceremony begins at 11:30 am on the West Front Lawn and Capitol steps. Large screens are also being provided for people attending who are on the Mall. Aretha Franklin will be singing and legendary musicians Itzhak Perlman (Violin), Yo-Yo Ma (Cello), Gabriela Montero (Piano), Anthony McGill (Clarinet) will also be performing! Wow, what a line up.

REMINDER
1. Be sure to check the METRO site for all updated schedules and changes, they are expected ginormous record breaking crowds!
2. Check weather forecast and dress appropriately.
3. Eat a good meal before you come down!

This is an incredible and wonderful, historic event. If your children are old enough to understand the significance, but perhaps not old enough to realize just how important a milestone this is in our history, pull out some books and pictures of the 60's during the race equality struggles and conflicts and share with them just how far we've come!

Let them know how it took police officers escorting the first black young girl to the first integrated school in the south and the drama surrounding the first black college students attending a previous all white college.

Tell your kids all about the struggle our country has gone through to evolve to the point of accepting all people regardless of race, creed or religion as equal members of our society.

Show them pictures and tell them the stories surrounding the amazing lives of Rosa Park, Martin Luther King and Harriet Tubman, and the stand they took against the grain of society in order to demand their rights as people in a democratic society.

Regardless of your political affiliation, overall as a culture and community, this is a cause for celebration; our society has risen to the occasion and has changed history by casting their votes!

Happy Inauguration Day!

Good Morning America and the Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Coat Drive- Gives You a Reason to Clean Out Your Closets!

While you are busy hiding gifts for your kids in the closet these next two weeks, look inside and grab a coat or two that you haven’t worn in years, or that the kids have outgrown and consider bringing it to the Good Morning America’s Times Square Studio or a Burlington Coat Factory near you. Good Morning America, together with their partner - retailer, Burlington Coat Factory are holding their Warm Coats, Warm Hearts Coats Drive in partnerhsip with the non-profit organization One Warm Coat. All coats collected are distributed to people in need at no cost! This 2nd Annual Event kicked off November 24th and runs through January 16th.

Think about where you live; think what the temperature will be tonight, then try to envision how it would feel without a coat, or sweater or at least a jacket. Thousands of people spend their evenings without these basic necessities every night! This link will help you find the closest Burlington Coat Factory to you! All types of outer wear are accepted: sweaters, hats, gloves, sweatshirts and jackets. With three teenagers in my house, I KNOW I have extra of all of the above that they have grown out of in recent growth spurts! Get your kids involved have them go through the mitten, hat and scarf drawers, let them pick out things to donate. If you have teenagers who can drive, encourage them to be a part of this, after scouring their closets, let them drive and drop off your donations. (They are always looking for reasons to borrow the keys anyway). Let them be a part of this and feel the warm fuzzy you get after dropping off at something like this! If you donated last year – hats off to you; but don’t feel too complacent, according to the Good Morning America, the need for these staples has only increased since their last drive.

From the GMA Website, “Since 2008 started we have seen the number of people coming in increase by 44 percent from 450 families per week to 650 families, and it is continuing to increase," said Paul J. Haagsman, of, In the Image, in Grand Rapids, Mich., which last year distributed more than 8,000 winter coats.”

With over 400 Burlington Coat Factories throughout the country, very few people will have an excuse that they didn’t have anywhere to drop off donations. IF you happen to NOT live very close to a drop off location, consider dropping off the same clothing at a Goodwill location, a just as worthy place to support.

From my perspective, with so much negative news lately regarding huge multi-million dollar corporations, it is heartwarming to see such large corporations have a heart and help this great organization, One Warm Coat while reaching out to their communities this way. Thanks for reading!

Hey, if Diane and Robin support the cause, it’s got be worthwhile! They are my two very favorite morning talk show personalities, so good in fact, they often cause me to be late for my job!

All pictures from GMA website.

Give Your Children the BEST Gift of the Season - The Gift They Shouldn't Live Without

Feeling the stress of pre-holiday gift giving? Always in the search of that "perfect gift." Problem solved! Give your children the gift of knowing the value in living a life being grateful. Make your child happy with this gift! The sooner our children, everyone for that matter, learn that the true secret to happiness is gratitude, the better off we all will be. Help your children find the Zone Being grateful for the many blessings in your life is the best way to keep yourself in the zone - that utopia of positive thinking, paying it forward, treating people with care, sharing your gifts and overall happiness. As parents, we all know our actions teach volumes more than our words. Children who grow up in an environment of grateful and positive people, tend to become another generation of gratefulness. Experience the benefits of living in the Zone People who are focused on and appreciate all they have been given do not have time for envy, jealousy, spitefulness and selfishness. It has been my experience that:

• Children growing up in this type of environment learn to celebrate their peer's victories and accomplishments versus envying them.
• Because they can appreciate their peers accomplishments, they allow themselves to be inspired by them, instead of being stifled or intimidated by them.
• Children grateful for what has been given to them, tend to take care of their gifts, because the appreciate them. This includes both their god given and material gifts.
• One could make the connection that children raised to appreciate their god-given talents are less likely to abuse their mind or body housing those talents.
• These children have a better sense of the value each individual offers the world and therefore they are better able to see the positive attributes of the people around them.

Don't stress over the holidays and perfect gifts, you are only instilling this sense of stress in your family at a time when should be for exhibiting gratefulness in all that you have, all that you have created, all that has been given to you, and all that is yet to come. In all things given there is a lesson to be learned. Those who learn it, tend to receive their gifts to the fullest extent. What am I #absolutely grateful for?

1. My family.
2. Our health.
3. Our gifts that enable us to provide for our family.
4. Our ability to give some of what has been given to us.
5. My husband, partner, friend and lover.
6. My daughter when she sings out loud with out knowing it and her passion and zest for life.
7. My one son's ability to acknowledge the team effort behind his many incredible athletic accomplishments and his determination to get what he wants during the difficult transition between high school and college.
8. My other son's confident sense in who he is which allows him to defend those his peers would ignore, his sense of justice, his willingness to go against the grain when he feels it is just, and to wear what he wants to wear, not what is expected to wear.
9. The incredible generous spirit in my new found world of Twitter and all that accompanies it.
10. My belief in a higher power which enables all of the above.

Happy Thanksgiving, tell someone how grateful you are they are a part of your life. Better yet, show them!

Kids Halloween Party Ideas - Have a "Howling" Good Time!

For kids between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, a good 'ole fashioned, fun back yard, costume party can be a howl!

Invite Ideas: Basic Black Invites: Black Construction Paper & Chalk Cut Paper into Tombstone, Bats, and witches hat shapes Use chalk to write party details. Haunted House Invites: Black Construction Paper Scissors Purple, Orange and Green Tissue Paper. Draw a simple outline of an old, rickety house. Use scissors (or with parental help) exacto knife with cutting board underneath; 3 sides of a door, and windows. Or cut out "shutters of windows" Tape different colors of tissue paper to back of house over the windows and doors - write invite info on the inside of the flaps of doors and windows. Games / Activity Suggestions: Mummy Wrapping: Materials - TP Split kids into teams of 3 or 4 people. 1 Person is the "Mummy" the others are the wrappers. All you need is cheap TP (toilet paper). First team to completely cover their mummy wins! Face Painting: Materials - Poster Paints or Water Colors. New, fine paint brushes. Spider Search: Materials - Kite String, dollar store plastic spiders and prizes of your choice. Cut long lengths of string - 1 for each guest. Paint the tips of the string, 1 color per guest. Paint matching color dot on each of the spiders. Create a tangled web among trees or bushes. Each kid is assigned a color. Have them start at the colored tip, have them try to follow the web until they reach their matching colored spider. Paint a Pumpkin: Materials - small or medium sized pumpkins, tempra paints, paint brushes. Just as fun as carving, but much safer. Do this in the beginning of the party, so they have time to dry! Witches Broom Limbo: to funny "scary" music mix String Candy Necklaces: Soft candy (jelly type work well too), colored marshmallows, cheerios, elastic, embroidery needles, masking tape. Tape one end of the elastic with the tape to prevent any candy from coming off, have kids carefully string candy, tie off when complete. Bubble Blowing Contest: Ghoulish green colored gum - two or three pieces per kid (if they can handle it). Biggest bubble wins! Mummy Bandage Race: Materials - Old Sheets, scissors, red paint. Cut longish "bandages," splatter some red paint prior to party. Traditional 3 legged race, use the "bloody bandages" to tie ankles. Scariest Movie Trivia Contest: For the parents that may hang out to help or enjoy.... (My examples will date me!) Who had a bucket of pigs blood poured on them? Carrie What movie made the steps by Georgetown University Famous? The Exorcist Name of boy behind the hockey mask? Jason in Halloween Have a howl, enjoy the season, make the "scary" so exaggerated, its funny not frightening! Know the kids you are having, and whether or not certain treats will work. Don't feel the need to overload on the candy - there will be more than enough opportunities throughout the week of the holiday in most schools and neighborhoods. Suggested Menu: Bowls of Guts (Macaroni and Cheese) Scary Sandwiches White Bread cut in shape of "ghosts" PBJ filling 2 Raisins for eyes Cut-off Fingers (Hot dogs cut in 1/2 with Ketchup) Eyeballs (Deviled Eggs - use blue food coloring for yolk filling) or Peeled Grapes Ghouls Grub (Your favorite Trail Mix with Gummy worms thrown in) Frankenmellows Marshmallows on popscicle sticks. Melted Choc Chips to dip one side of marshmallow for hair. Skinny Pretzle sticks broken smaller - "bolt ears" on each side of Marsmellow. Green food coloring paste (a little) goes a long way, for Frank's face. Small Candies for his eyes. Black edible decorating pen - dots for eyes and crooked mouth. Goblin's Teeth Green Apples, Peanut Butter and mini marshmallows Slice Apple into 8ths (keeping skin). Spread peanut butter on one side of each apple slice place small marsmallows between two pieces of apple and peanut butter - looks like a Goblin Smiling at you! Graveyard Cake Any Flavored Cake Green Icing with Green food colored Coconut mixed in (grass) Milano Cookies Chocolate or Black Fine Icing tubes "RIP" on Milano, push into cake to create tombstones. Gummie worms and other "buggy" candy to decorate around he cake. Apple Cider / Apple Juice