family

Do Something Nice For Dad

by Stacy on June 18, 2009

pancake_buffet

This Father’s Day, KSW wants to help you make your Dad’s day a truly special one. A day without boring old ties and plaid boxer shorts… to help you break away from the norm this Father’s Day, we’ve compiled some thoughtful ways to make Dad feel REALLY special.

- Pancake Buffet: Start his special day off in a truly amazing way – with a leaning tower of pancakes and a choice of ALL his favorite toppings {strawberries, blueberries, bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, walnuts or pecans, powdered sugar, whip cream, etc}. Let the kids help as much as they can (age appropriate), get creative and experiment with some homemade syrups and/or flavored butters. Idea from Education.com

pancake_toppings

- Adventures of Super Dad: After breakfast, surprise Dad with his very own adventure comic. Kids will love this project and best of all it can be done the morning of or just a few days in advance. Let the kids come up with the story line and draw all of the pictures, or if they’re too young- lead them with questions to help develop a story about Dad and download some simple clipart for them to color. My son’s version has his Dad catching a blue fish in a red boat followed by some Father/Son horseback riding (too cute) Idea also from Education.com

- Fishing for Compliments: Here’s an adorable activity everyone in your family is sure to enjoy. Cut some fish shapes out of construction or scrapbook paper and write quotes your kids make on each one about “Things they love about Dad“. Attach a paperclip to each fish and place them in a bucket. Build a simple “fishing pole” using a dowel, some string, and a magnet. On Father’s day, send your Dad “fishing” for compliments in the bucket you created. Once again, idea fromEducation.com
{Love them }

- Spending time together: – You don’t have to spend a ton of money to make Dad happy. Take advantage of the weather (Father’s day is also the first day of Summer this year) and do something Dad and the kids will love. Depending on your family, this might mean camping, swimming (no pool? Try playing in the sprinkler or having a water balloon or water gun fight), fishing, a day at the park, a picnic (or even a picnic at the park), flying kites, a day at the zoo, a walk through the children’s museum, a family field trip to mini golf or a water park, see a family movie all together, followed by some ice cream, even taking the dog for a walk can be fun for the family. Basically, anything goes as long as you’re all together.

- Giving Dad Some Time to Recharge: Sometimes what Dad really needs on Father’s Day is a bit of solitude. A little time for him to recharge so he can be the Super Dad his children already believe he is. If your Dad is in need of a little alone time, grant it to him with no strings attached.
In fact, why not give a corresponding gift – something that grants him a bit of personal time throughout the year to use as needed? Homemade coupons are a great way to personalize Father’s Day. Best of all, you can make them anyway you want – handwritten, customized and printed, or even borrowed from a myriad of places online. Need some ideas for great coupons? Try one for a day of yard work, a FREE carwash (from you or the kids), his favorite dinner, let him pick what’s on TV, etc. Coupons for FREE hugs also go over really well. Make as many or as few as you want.

- A Few Cool Gifts: Finally, here’s a few affordable gifts dad is sure to love:

My Dad’s a Geek bodysuit ~ $22 from Flying Peas
Survival Kit in a Sardine Can ~ $13 from Gaiam
Crouching Father, Hidden Toddler Book ~ $10 from Flying Peas

Special Gaiam Discounts
$20 of any order over $100. Use code AFGRN6. Expires 6.30.09.
Free Shipping on any order over $49. Use code AFSHP6. Expires 6.30.09.

For more Father’s Day or Any Day Gift Ideas for the man in your life, check out my Tribute to Dad Shopping Guide on This Next.

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Announcing the Winners …

by Stacy on June 9, 2009

Bedtime Stories

Image via Telegraph.Co.UK

We had such a fun time running this year’s KSW Kohl’s Cares for Kids Summer Reading Giveaway. Your comments turned us on to so many great new books (summarized list coming soon) and even better, we heard some wonderful ways parents, soon-to-be parents, daycare workers, and grandparents are incorporating reading into their children’s lives. We were so inspired, we just had to choose those comments as the winners of the contest. Here’s a peek at what these mindful parents and soon-to-be moms had to say:

“I am 6 months pregnant with my first chid, but I have started to read outloud whenever I read a book. My husband does the same thing when he is reading next to me.” ~ Alexis Hernandez

“On hot days (like today) we spend quiet afternoons in the tent inside reading books. The kids love it! Especially when we make popcorn.” ~ Katie

“To encourage reading…I have my 8 year old read a book to my 2 year old, which then inspires my 2 year old to read a book to our yellow lab Sadie:)” ~ Tangie

“The Daycare Kiddos and I love to read. I have a huge front porch and have filled it with rocking chairs, benches, little chairs.. Everything so the kiddos and i are comfy out there. We watch the traffic, and then it is reading time. They love it.. We love to sit on the front porch and read.. Going on a Bear Hunt.. or The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
I also read to them right before naptime, as they are laying on their little beds, today’s book was the Napping House.. they loved it.” ~ Maureen

“Reading is great. It’s so great that once a week I take my son to the library for him to choose his own books. He loves it. We even got him his own library card so he feels special. This fits great for our family.” ~ Keonte

Congratulations Alexis, Katie, Tangie, Maureen and Keonte we’ll be contacting you soon

We enjoyed reading your comments so much and hearing your personal stories that we’ve decided to keep the summer reading ideas coming. Do you have your own personal way of sharing your love of reading with your child or incorporating storytime into your family life? If so, we’d love to hear about it. Just share your ideas in the comment section of this post. We’ll share the most creative entries with our readers and even link back to your site (if you have one). Leave as many comments as you like and comment often, you never know there just might be a prize or two involved for some of you.

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Something for the grown-ups

by Stacy on November 21, 2008

So it occurred to me today, a website that appeals to parents should occasionally discuss some well, you know grown-up things. Like ways to unwind and relax after a long hard day with the kids, or ways to get together with friends you just don’t see as often as you’d like to anymore, and maybe even perhaps a few stories about how to get involved in your community and regain that smalltown atmosphere we’ve all been missing.

When I saw the idea for this rustic, outdoor get together posted on The Little Things, I knew it had to be the first installment of our new section. So, what do you say, are you up for an old-fashioned Harvest Party?

Country Harvest Party

It looks amazing, right? The inspiration board for this party was put together by Jess of The Finer Things. She took me back to a time when I used to know everyone in my community and if we weren’t related by blood – we at least claimed to be and everyone called everyone Uncle So and So and Aunt Whatever because that’s just the way it was. If you’d like to experience something like this yourself, Jess suggests a cozy and casual get-together complete with a bonfire, smores, and maybe even a hayride. Conjure up enough folks for a game of tag football, or assign folks to bring hot cider, marshmallows, hot dogs, and buns and have yourself a weenie roast. This event is marketed towards the grown-ups but it would be a great time for kids of all ages too

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Here’s one for the whole family

by Stacy on October 12, 2008

Hot Dog Costume

I just love this idea for parents with a young child, this is a low stress – easy to recreate costume you can make for cheap. Guaranteed to attract lots of attention in the neighborhood. Get older siblings involved in the costume too, a walking advertisement for the hot dogs would be great or have a child carry real bags of popcorn to hand out along the way.

Idea courtesy of Parents.com

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Adopt an Olive Tree : Nudo

by Stacy on August 21, 2008

So another fantastic blogger, Laura from If it’s Hip It’s Here really caught our eye with this one. Nudo is an authentic Italian Oil Grove owned by Cathy, Jason, and Roise. I love how they made me feel like I know them already. The beautiful graphics (I’m betting Cathy designed them, don’t know for sure but she looks so darn creative) sucked me right in and before I knew what I was doing I had purchased four trees. Well, Ok not really but I was definitely researching my possibilities.

Cathy, Jason, and Rosie sure do appear to be an amazing little family. They also have one amazing marketing campaign that I see really going places. Just think what they can do with each tree sponsored and those cute little tin packages the products come in. Go on admit it, you want some already too

Nudo Products Nudo Packaging

Well, I’m off to do some more research on this one. They even offer you an opportunity to stop by and visit your little olive tree and provide a guarantee that if your tree doesn’t produce to its estimated quota they’ll throw in some of their own oil to make up the difference.

Homemade oil, made fresh from Italy, from my own personal olive tree…. SOLD!

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