Category Archives: Hints and Tips

Find parenting tips, craft ideas, and yummy recipes to cook with your family. Have family fun with the helpful ideas from our hints and tips.

King Me! DIY Checkboard Table

FriDIY Checkerboard Table

This month, we’re challenging little ones with a DIY gaming table! We’ve created a checkerboard table from a kid’s picnic table. This craft will keep little minds active as they hang out with their playmates. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Kid’s picnic table (we used the Sit & Play Picnic Table)
White wrapping paper or construction paper
Markers
Tape
Scissors
Ruler or measuring tape
Plastic or paper cups in two different colors

With these materials you can create a checkerboard table in three easy steps! Plus, this activity table can be used inside on a rainy day or outside to keep your children entertained during a barbeque.

DIY supplies

Measure the width and height of the tabletop, cut the wrapping paper to those dimensions and tape the wrapping paper to the table.
Use a marker and ruler to draw the squares of the checkerboard (we created a simpler version of checkers with 24 total squares).
Place three cups on the colored squares closest to the edge of the table on each side of the board. Use different colored cups for each side.

checkerboard tutorial

Now your little gamers are ready to play some checkers!

CheckerBoard Table

Will you be creating this craft with your family this weekend?Manufacturer’s Note: Please make sure children are the recommended age to play with the product featured in this blog post. Adult supervision is required.

4 Ways to Make Going Back to School Fun!

Can you believe that summer vacation is over? Neither can we! Although the summer has flown by, that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. It might be difficult to get your kiddos excited about school, but we have some tips that will make going back enjoyable for the whole family.

going back to school tips

Play school at home: To get little ones used to the idea of going to school, grab the art desk or easel and play school! Mom and dad can pretend to be the students while kids act like the teachers. You can even switch roles so everyone gets a turn being a teacher and student. This is a great way to teach your children what teachers do and why learning is important.
Reuniting with friends: Summer can be a time for family vacations, which means that sometimes kids don’t get to see their friends from school during those months. Get your kids enthused about school by reminding them they will get to spend time with their friends during the day.
Building new friendships: Explain to your children why making new friends is important and teach them friendship skills that will help them to bond with others, such as sharing, caring and listening.
Looking forward to the weekend: Reassure your little scholars that the weekends will be merry! Plan family time and schedule play dates with their friends early in the week so they can anticipate all the fun they will have on the weekend during the week.

little girl going back to school

We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe school year! Do you have any tips for making back to school fun?

8 Toys for Pretend Play Professions

8 toys for pretend play professions

“When I grow up, I want to be…” Do you remember saying this when you were a kid? It also might be a statement you hear from your children. Imaginative play is the gateway to learning about skills kids will need as they grow. These eight toys will help teach your kiddos about different professions:

shootin hoops basketball set

Get ready for the NBA/WNBA: Playing with a basketball set helps children to build their gross motor skills and learn about teamwork. Little athletes might enjoy playing so much that they end up playing bball as an extracurricular activity in school. Who knows, they may even become professionals players someday!

art desk and easel

The newest and best artist or writer of our time: Do your little ones love to draw or write? If so, an art desk or easel will help them to develop their drawing, coloring, painting and writing skills. Artistic play is a great way for children to develop their fine motor skills as they grasp their pens, pencils, markers and brushes.

best chef's play kitchen

Cook up delicious treats: Have you noticed your kids are eager to help make dinner or bake a cake? Before they can cook and bake up some delicacies, they can practice with their own play kitchen. Little chefs and bakers can learn what types of foods go in the oven, on the stove top or in the fridge.

love & care deluxe nursery

Take care of others: Maybe your kids enjoy taking care of others and love nurturing their baby dolls. Someday, they might want to become a nurse or doctor. A nursery set (coming soon) will help teach them how to take care of babies, whether they are role playing they are working at a hospital or pretending to be mom and dad!

water table

Deep sea adventures await: Mini marine biologists can go on an exploration and place water proof toys into their water tables. They can look for exotic creatures that live under water.

little dunes sandbox

Discover artifacts: If little explorers are looking for some digging fun, they can use their sandbox to pretend to be archaeologists, discovering old items that may turn out to be dinosaur bones!

fantasy vanity

It’s time to get glamorous: Sometimes girls just want to have fun and pretend to dress up like their mom. Little ladies can play with a vanity and pretend to be makeup artists as they imagine putting makeup on themselves or a playmate.

puppet theater

What a character: Do your kids enjoy putting on shows for you and the rest of the family? Maybe their calling is acting! They can practice their acting and storytelling skills with their very own puppet theater. They can use different voices to represent the puppets. Who needs a television when you have live entertainment.

What do your children want to be when they grow up? What toys do you encourage them to play with when they pretend to be this profession?