The Many Little Joys

Valentine’s Day Kindness Countdown: teach your family to love a little better

Get the whole family involved in spreading love this February with this simple and meaningful tradition…a Valentine’s Day Kindness Countdown for kids!

Get the whole family involved in spreading love this February with this simple and meaningful tradition...a Valentine's Day Kindness Countdown for kids!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to talk to our kids about kindness…and put those words into practice, too!

If your family is like mine (please tell me it is!), reminders to be kind are always welcome…and needed. Despite our best efforts, family life is not ALWAYS peaceful and harmonious. We absolutely love each other, but we’re also very human.

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Simple activities to beat cabin fever that every mom needs in her tool belt

Cabin fever is REAL. If your kids are bouncing off the walls this winter, try these low-prep activities that will get kids moving and playing creatively. They might just save your sanity.

Cabin fever is REAL. If your kids are bouncing off the walls this winter, try these low-prep activities that will get kids moving and playing creatively. They might just save your sanity.

Are your kids bored, cranky, or downright crazy right now? Blame it on cabin fever.

Winter can be tough on kids (and all of us, really). Cold weather and fewer daylight hours means that kids spend more hours confined indoors. This is a problem because being stuck indoors makes it harder to expend all the mental and physical energy building up inside their little bodies.

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“Make Ten” match (addition game for kids)

This simple addition game for kids is a fun way to practice basic math skills by adapting another game you probably already have at home.

This simple addition game for kids is a fun way to practice basic math skills by adapting another game you probably already have at home.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

I’m always looking for more ways to disguise learning time as play at our house (I’m a big fan of play-based learning in general). If your kids are like mine, they’re not thrilled by the idea of doing worksheets every day. The good news? They don’t have to!

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Winter outdoor play ideas for kids: Creative ways to enjoy the snow

Next time your kids are bouncing off the walls on a snowy day, try one of these winter outdoor play ideas to get everyone some fresh air. You CAN enjoy the outdoors, even in cold weather!

Small child on sled enjoying winter outdoor play time.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

When the snow begins to fall, it can be tempting to hunker down and stay inside until spring. And yet, getting outside even during cold weather has huge benefits for kids and adults. Here are just a few…

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8 last-minute, easy New Years Eve ideas for kids

You don’t have to put in a lot of work to make New Year’s fun and festive! Here are 7 New Years Eve ideas for kids to keep the celebration simple and memorable!

You don't have to put in a lot of work to make New Year's fun and festive! Here are # New Years Eve ideas for kids to keep the celebration simple and memorable!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Most people have plenty of Christmas traditions, but what about New Year’s Eve? How does your family celebrate?

Do you stay up till midnight? I’ll admit, we never do. Starting out the year with cranky, sleep-deprived kids just does NOT work for our family, so we celebrate early and tuck everyone into bed at a semi-reasonable time.

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Free printable Christmas thank you cards for kids

Help your kids show gratitude for their gifts with these Christmas printable thank you cards. The simple fill-in-the-blank style makes it easy and fun for kids to say, “Thanks!”

Help your kids show gratitude for their gifts with these Christmas printable thank you cards. The simple fill-in-the-blank style makes it easy and fun for kids to say, "Thanks!"

Christmas is over. Whew. We made it, mamas. I don’t know about you, but I was one tired elf by Christmas morning.

It was a good day though, and now the the new toys and gifts we received are scattered throughout my house like confetti.

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Easy recipe for cinnamon ornaments to make with your kids (only 3 ingredients!)

This simple recipe for cinnamon ornaments is a fun holiday project to do with kids in the kitchen, and it will make your house smell amazing!

Recipe for cinnamon ornaments to make with kids for Christmas decorations and gifts.

There is something wonderfully comforting about walking into a home swirling with the smells of Christmas: Gingerbread. Fresh pine boughs. Tangy oranges. And warm, cozy cinnamon!

Mmmm.

These cinnamon ornaments are a great way to add some delicious Christmas aromas to your home this month. Plus, they’re an easy project to make with kids that will get everyone feeling festive!

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4 practical tips to keep your toddler from destroying your Christmas tree

Are you worried your little ones are going to wreak havoc on your Christmas tree this year? Use these simple Christmas tree tips for toddlers to help keep everyone feeling merry and bright!

Christmas tree tips for toddlers: 4 practical tips to keep them from destroying your tree

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy something through a link on my site, I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.

Perhaps of ALL the symbols of Christmas, the tree is the most iconic. Whether you go adventuring in the woods to chop down your own tree (I’ve always wanted to do this) or simply unpack an artificial tree you’ve been storing in your basement(this is my reality currently), having a tree in the house really makes it start to feel like Christmas.

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Review of Tubelox: Our new favorite STEM toy for kids

If you’re looking for a seriously wow-worthy gift for kids that love to build, I’ve got the perfect recommendation for you…Tubelox. Use the code littlejoys for $100 off any set!

Disclosure: We received the Deluxe Building Set from Tubelox in order to share our opinion about their product. All opinions (and goofy smiles from my children) are 100% our own.

When I was a kid in the 80s, my friend had an amazing toy. It was a giant building set that made it possible to build large-scale creations like cars you can actually ride in, forts you can climb inside, and wagons to pull stuffed animals around.

It was pretty much the coolest toy ever, but I hadn’t seen anything like it in decades…until a few weeks ago.

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