Children » Frugal and Fun Mom/ Mom Blog, Reviews, Giveaways, Family Fun

Kid Size Salad Bar Activity! Great Way To Get Them To Eat Vegetables and It Is FUN!

Apr 022013

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I had the kids home for Easter Break and on Monday I was trying to think of something fun to do. In addition, I needed to make lunch so I asked the kids if they would like me to set up a salad bar. I told them that they could put together their own lunch and could help me pick out the items we would eat.

We were in the car so we brainstormed ideas for our salad bar. I mentioned things like tomatoes, broccoli, garbanzo beans, and cutting up a leftover boiled egg from Easter. The kids offered up their own ideas as well like lettuce, chopped carrots, apples, and cheese.

When we got home, I told them to go play, and I would set everything out for them. I got some colorful bowls (mostly from IKEA), put in the various items, and placed them close enough so that the kids could grab the parts out. I also put out some crackers and gave them a choice of 2 dressings. When the kids saw the bowls they could not wait to get started.

My guys were so cute assembling their dishes, I could tell they felt pretty grown up. As a bonus, they almost ate it all. I’m really happy that they had fun, and ate their veggies. I asked them if they wanted to do it again, and they said “YES” and maybe even for dinner one night. This is definitely going to be an activity we do often in the summer time.

So how do you get your kids excited about eating healthy? I would love to hear your thoughts below.

Hope you enjoyed this activity, and can share it with your family as well!

FFM

PediaCare Helps Offer Relief During This Cold And Flu Season! I’m Giving Away An $80 Value PediaCare Cold and Flu Care Basket!

Feb 122013

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PediaCare_logo

Cold and Flu season is here, and the worst thing to see is our little ones suffering.

To help ease some of this discomfort, PediaCare offers a full line of products that relieve many of the symptoms associated with these illnesses. This includes medications for cold, cough, fever, and pain relievers. And now, PediaCare has come out with a NEW product called PediaCare Cold & Flu Hydration.

PediaCare Cold and Flu Hydration_small

Delivered in a tasty grape flavor, parents serve PediaCare Cold & Flu Hydration’s pre-measured packets in eight ounces of water.*

This over-the-counter medication, provides an easy solution for parents to help their children (ages 2-11) stay hydrated when they are sick. It replenishes fluids and electrolytes, and also provides immune boosting antioxidants.

To learn more about PediaCare Cold & Flu Hydration plus other Pediacare products visit pediacare.com or check them out on Facebook at facebook.com/PediaCare.

*All medications should be used as directed.

Giveaway Details:

And, thanks to PediaCare, one (1) lucky Frugal and Fun Mom Reader, will receive an $80 Value PediaCare Cold and Flu Care Basket!

Includes:

Fever/Pain Relievers
- PediaCare Fever Reducer / Pain Reliever with Acetaminophen – for infants
- PediaCare Fever Reducer / Pain Reliever with Acetaminophen – for children
Cold & Cough

PediaCare Fever Reducer Plus Multi-Symptom Cold with Acetaminophen
PediaCare Fever Reducer Plus Cough & Runny Nose with Acetaminophen
PediaCare Cold & Flu Hydration
PediaCare Fever Reducer Plus Flu with Acetaminophen
PediaCare Fever Reducer Plus Cough & Sore Throat with Acetaminophen
PediaCare Multi-Symptom Cold
PediaCare Nighttime Multi-Symptom Cold
PediaCare Cough & Congestion

To enter, please allow a moment for the Rafflecopter Form to load below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FFM

Information in this post was provided by the PR firm representing PediaCare, however opinions expressed are that of my own. In addition, FFM received PediaCare Samples.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments with Beads! A Quick and Simple Kid’s Craft!

Dec 202012

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This Holiday season, my kids and I have really gotten into making homemade ornaments. When I was in school, we made items like this all the time, and I in turn gave them to my parents and other family members. There is just something really special about a present that is original, created by little hands, and truly valued by the giver and receiver.

I remembered making beaded ornaments one year and recalled just how much pride I had in my creation. I decided to share this craft with my children as well.

All you need for this craft is:

scissors
fuzzy sticks AKA pipe cleaners
crafting Tri-Beads, clear or multicolored (Michaels carries these so make sure you print a coupon)
string or ribbon
some creativity

To get started, I looped and twisted the end of the pipe cleaner and set my kids up with beads. I let them decide what colors they wanted and gave them full creative rights. They simply slide the beads onto the pipe cleaner and once it was filled, I wrapped the access pipe cleaner around the loop.

We ended up with very colorful wreaths, but what was also nice is the fact that we could make shapes with the pipe cleaners like bells, diamonds, or hearts. I also cut the pipe cleaners to create stars and snowflakes.

When we were finished, I ran a piece of shiny ribbon I got from the dollar store through the loop so the ornaments could be hung up. My daughter has gotten a kick out of hanging her ornaments on presents for her grandparents.

The possibilities are endless with this craft, and you and your children can be as creative as you like. Hope you enjoy it this Holiday Season!

FFM

Reindeer Candy Cane Craft! A Childhood Favorite and Easy To Assemble!

Dec 182012

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My husband showed up with candy canes the other day, and I remembered how much fun it was to create reindeer candy canes when I was a little girl. I told my kids about it, and they were really interested in making them as decorations.

There are different ways to create these, but I am a firm believer in using what you have (frugal mind). Also, you can make them on the hook of the candy cane or on the back. We did both.

All you need for this craft is:

full size candy canes (unopened)
scissors
piece of white construction paper
glue (non-toxic)
hole punch
red and brown fuzzy sticks AKA pipe cleaners
black pen

You can also use pre-made wiggle eyes and red poms poms for the nose.

To make these, I cut a brown pipe cleaner in half, twisted the half around the top of the candy cane, and formed that into antlers. I then cut a small piece of the red pipe cleaner off, formed that into a small circle, and glued it on as the nose. Finally, I used the hole punch to make 2 eyes, I drew black circles in the middle of each, and glued those on the base of the antlers. I then hung it up to dry.

I left this up as an example for my 6-year-old, and he was able to assemble this on his own. This was so easy to make, and my son wants to keep doing it over and over. I am like “Have at it!”

This definitely brings back memories for me. I hope you and your family have fun creating it and make new special memories together.

FFM

4 Fun Crafts and Activities to Do with Froot Loops! Frugal and Fun Child Activities!

Jul 242012

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It is nearing the end of summer and my pregnancy, and I am getting the “I am bored” looks from my kids, so I decided to come up with a couple activities using Froot Loops to keep them entertained, at least for a little while.

FYI, depending upon your child’s age, you may need to monitor them with these activities to avoid choking and making a mess of the glue. Use your best judgement.

1. Rainbow Craft -

This is a great way to teach colors and hand-eye coordination.

They are ready!

All you need is paper, glue, and Froot Loops. Plus you need to either write out the order of the colors, or use crayons to show the younger kids what order they should go in.

Then let them go to it. I had to help my 3 year old with the glue, but my 6 year old knew exactly what to do.

2. Edible Froot Loop Bracelets or Necklaces -

Again, a great way to teach hand-eye coordination.

All you need is Froot Loops and fishing line or yarn.

Let the kids string on the Froot Loops. Helpful hint: Tie the bottom Fruit Loop to the string so the others don’t fall off.

The reward of course is eating the bracelet.

3. Counting the O s -

This is a great way to teach numbers and hand-eye coordination.

All you need is to print off these sheets at First- School.ws , crayons, and Froot Loops. I use First School as a resource for kids activities all the time.

Have them color the sheets first, trace the numbers or words, and then count out the number of Froot Loops they are learning.

Again, the reward is, they can eat them.

4. The Froot Loop Toss Game -

All you need is markers, some type of container or containers, and Froot Loops.

I used some packing material I received (FYI, a great way to up-cycle), but you can use cups or other containers and just color code them with either the markers or strips of paper.

The object of the game is to try to land as many of the Froot Loops into the correct color. Who ever gets the most, receives a reward. In our case, we used 10 Froot Loops for each child and the winner got the left over Froot Loops that I had poured into the cups.

The kids had a great time with all of these, and hopefully you will find them entertaining as well! Of course the best part of these activities for the kids was they got to eat as they played!

Looking for Froot Loops coupons? Check these 2 pages.

Printable Froot Loops Coupons (under foods) or Kelloggs.com.

Enjoy!

FFM

Our Trip To A National Park and My Son Joining the Junior Ranger Program!

Jul 202012

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That armor was heavy!

This summer I took my son out to one of our local National Parks called De Soto Memorial to have a picnic. This is located in what is considered the Tampa Bay Area or South Florida Region.

We have visited this park on multiple occasions, and at one point my son had picked up a FREE Junior Rangers Booklet to look at for the pictures and to read. Well on this occasion, we decided to work on some of the activities so he could earn his Junior Rangers Badge from this location. CLICK HERE–> De Soto’s Free Junior Rangers Program to check it out.

We watched a video, played with armor, read the parks info, and checked out a few of the other items on display. It happened to be hot and with me being pregnant, I tried to stay as close to the shaded areas and the air conditioned building if at all possible.

We completed 7 of the sheets which was required to get the badge and once we did that, he then took an oath, he was awarded his badge, and then one of the Park Rangers signed his booklet.

He was so proud.

If you are interested in your child participating in this program visit Be A Junior Ranger. It provides a list of parks participating, and these include the Grand Canyon, Wright Brothers National Monument, Gettysburg plus many more. Plus, it should tell you what age your child should be to participate at that particular location. (If I recall correctly our location was 5-12)

As far as I can tell it is free to join regardless of which park you visit, but there may be a charge to get into the park. I would call in advance to verify if it does not clearly state it on their page.

Staying inside today? You can also join the National Parks Web Rangers program online for FREE. This is for kids of all ages. Check out nps.gov/webrangers for fun activities, a customizable rangers station, and other interactive programs.

And, remember to check with your park’s calendar of events to see if they are offering any upcoming programs for the Junior Rangers. Once the weather gets cooler, we will be making another trip back to complete the rest of his booklet.

FFM

The Huggies MomInspired Grant Program is Now Accepting Grant Proposals! Submissions Are Due By July 31, 2012!

Jul 182012

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Have An Innovative Baby or Child Care Product and Want to Start a Business?

The Huggies MomInspired Grant Program is Now Accepting Grant Proposals! Submissions are due by July 31, 2012!

Past recipients have had innovative products including Nausea relief band to ease pregnancy symptoms, Magnetic baby clothing for easy diaper changes, and Sleep coaching. CLICK HERE–> Past Recipients of the Huggies MomInspired Grant Program for more details.

Grant recipients will receive $15,000 in seed capital as well as business resources to help turn innovative ideas into real-life inventions.

Applications for the 2012 Huggies MomInspired grant program are currently being accepted through July 31, 2012.
Moms can learn more and submit original, innovative and viable new business and product ideas now at HuggiesMomInspired.com.
Grants will be announced and awarded in fall 2012.

Visit HuggiesMomInspired.com for more information on the grant program and eligibility requirements. Source: MomSelect.

FFM

Information provided by MomSelect. By completing this post, I have been entered into a drawing for (5) gift cards valued at $250, along with products from past recipients.

FREE Kid’s Event at Michaels This Weekend 5/19/2012!

May 182012

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There is a FREE Event this weekend at Michaels for kids! They are making a Glitter Card.

Click Here–> Michaels Kid’s Events for complete event details.

Plus, print your Knack Kids Club Card. Take it with you to the store, and once you get enough hole punches, they will have a special gift for your child.

Enjoy!

FFM

MAM Smile Baby, Smile Party! We Had a Great Time Learning About Baby Oral Care! Check Out This $1.00 off Coupon For MAM Products!

Apr 272012

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Thanks to MAM and Child’s Play Party, I was given an opportunity to host a MAM Smile Baby, Smile Party! I invited Mommy friends with children ages 0-3 to my home to learn about Oral Care for their kiddos, and to distribute information and MAM Baby Oral Care products.

Goodies to give away.

ELF Prize Pack.

Smiling Moms with their Goodies!

Each attendee received $20 worth of product and 2 lucky attendees walked away with goody bags made especially for mom! Some the items I distributed were the Oral Care Rabbit, Massaging Brush, The First Brush, plus brochures and a $1.00 off Coupon.

The Oral Care Word Scramble Game.

We had an awesome time playing a Baby Oral Care Word Scramble, and an informative Brush Up On Oral Care Trivia Game. And while the moms learned, the kiddos played.

Moms having a great time!

The kiddos playing.

In addition, after the party I provided the moms with songs they could sing to their children to encourage them to brush their teeth. (I came up with 1 and 3)

Here I am with some of the Giveaway Items.

1) Brush Your Teeth (Set the tune of BINGO)

There is a baby (kid) who has a smile and brushing keeps it clean Oh!

Brush, Brush, Brush your teeth.

And you will keep it clean Oh!

2) This Is the Way We Brush Our Teeth. As part of Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush.

3) Brush Your Teeth (Set to the Tune of Hot Cross Buns)

Brush Your Teeth

Top to Bottom, All Around

Brush Your Teeth

My daughter using her new Toothbrush.

To learn more about MAM’s Products and Children’s Oral Care visit the MAM Website at mambaby.com and, make sure you print your $1.00 off coupon that is currently available at the site. You can also check MAM out on Twitter at @MAMBABY and Facebook at facebook.com/MAMbabyUSA.

At Home Moma

At Home Moma is a member of Child’s Play Party and received FREE merchandise for my family and to distribute as part of this program at my recent MAM Smile Baby, Smile Party. To learn more about Child’s Play Party, visit them at http://www.childsplayparty.com/ .

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