The Many Little Joys

Why every child needs an inventor box + how to create one

Forget buying kids expensive toys…instead, create a no-cost inventor box (AKA – tinker box) that will inspire endless hours of creative play and STEM exploration.

Forget buying kids expensive toys…instead, create a no-cost inventor box (AKA - tinker box) that will inspire endless hours of creative play and STEM exploration.

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

My six-year-old wants to be an inventor when he grows up. And, honestly, I won’t be a bit surprised if that’s exactly what he becomes. He is constantly creating, imagining, and experimenting with something.

Yes, sometimes it drives me crazy. His big ideas have no bounds (hooray!), but he has a habit of leaving behind a trail of debris (we’re working on that one).

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How to beat the heat: 9 ice play activities for kids

If you feel like you’re melting in the summer heat, these ice play activities will cool things off while you learn and play with your kids!

If you feel like you're melting in the summer heat, these ice play activities will cool things off while you learn and play with your kids!

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

I grew up in central California where summers literally got hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. August was downright brutal, with highs that hovered near 110 degrees!

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How to make a board game: fun learning activity for kids

Do your kids love playing games? Try letting them design one! This creative activity will help kids analyze the games they know and help them learn how to make a board game of their own.

How to make a board game brainstorming worksheets

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

Are you a game loving family? We have a whole closet full of board games, and my oldest son (8) is always trying to hunt down someone–ANYONE–to play a game with him.

Recently, we took our love of gaming to the next level—we created our OWN games. It was so fun!

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Easy lasagna skillet (one pot meal)

This one pot, 30-minute meal has all the fabulous tastes of a classic lasagna but a lasagna skillet is SO much less work. It’s comfort food at it’s best: simple, hearty, and delicious!

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

I love lasagna, but truth be told…I think I’ve made it twice in my whole married life. It’s just too much work. I mean, really! Who has two hours to spend making sauce, boiling noodles, and carefully layering everything into a masterpiece?

Not me. Do you know what messes a two-year-old could make it that amount of time? Come to think of it, you probably do. That’s why you’re reading this recipe and NOT one for traditional lasagna.

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How to make a human sundial + more fun shadow activities

This human sundial is a fun outdoor STEM activity that will help kids understand how shadows are made and encourage them to experiment with light and shadow.

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

Science was one of my least favorite subjects in school as a kid. Ironically, I actually love science itself, but much of the way science is traditionally taught (or at least how it was taught to me in school) sucks the life and wonder out of learning about how the world works.

But science isn’t boring!

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Chocolate hummus recipe (quick & easy snack for kids)

This chocolate hummus recipe is a triple-threat in the good snacks for kids competition: nutrient-dense, as delicious dessert, and so quick to make!

Raise your hand if you’re going through food like CRAZY right now with kids at home and running around outside so much! Man, oh man. My three little men sure can eat! And as much as they would be happy to eat Goldfish crackers and popsicles all day, I occasionally like to expand their culinary horizons.

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Summer Plan for Fun! (your simple guide to a fantastic summer at home)

Summer is for making memories…but sometimes being the one to come up with the ideas can be exhausting. This free printable weekly calendar will help you create a simple, flexible summer plan without the stress. Ready…set…play!

Summer plan for fun: printable weekly calendar of activities

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

It’s official, we’re on summer break! This year, summer feels a little weird, because “summer” won’t be all that different from what we’ve been doing the past several months. Still, I wanted to find a way to make summertime feel special and fun.

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Daily summer schedule for kids that will save your sanity

Summer break is the time for lazy days, big adventures, and making lots of memories. Still, kids thrive on structure (and so do I). Having a flexible summer schedule for kids will help you keep life balanced.

Kids playing outside in summer

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

I LOVE summer time! Give me a sunny day and a big slice of watermelon and I’m one happy girl. I dream of roasting s’mores, exploring mountain trails, and splashing at the pool together. Summer is magic.

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Healthy breakfast banana split: a fun way to start the day

Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? Kids will love waking up to this fun (and still nutritious) breakfast banana split. Perfect for special occasions, but simple enough for weekdays morning, too!

Healthy breakfast banana split with strawberries, blueberries and granola

One truth I’ve learned in my eight years of parenting is this:

Successful parenting is all about marketing.

Really! I mean, how much time you spend every day thinking of creative ways to “sell” your kids on doing whatever you need them to do?

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