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Crafts & Activities

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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MORE favorite board games for families you’ll want to add to your Christmas list

Level up your next family game night with one (or more) of these tried-and-true board games for families.

Level up your next family game night with one (or more) of these tried-and-true board games for families.

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.

Our family loves playing games. They’re a great way to spend time together, work on social skills (like taking turns and being a good sport), and practice academic skills in a sneaky way!

Every year for Christmas, we get at least one new game. Last year, I got a little carried away and bought SEVEN. What can I say? They all looked fun!

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Fun and (mostly) free indoor places to take kids on a rainy day

Cold winter weather and rainy spring days are a recipe for stir-crazy kids (and moms). Next time you need to get out of the house, try visiting one of these fun and (mostly) free indoor places to take kids when the weather is bad.

Cold winter weather and rainy spring days are a recipe for stir-crazy kids (and moms). Next time you need to get out of the house, try visiting one of these fun and (mostly) free indoor places to take kids when the weather is bad.

Winter is coming. It’s been raining and hailing here today, which means we’ll be going on fewer hikes and bike rides in the coming months. But my boys still have just as much energy as ever, and we all get a bit stir-crazy (and sometimes ornery) if we don’t get out of the house regularly.

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12 printable Halloween Activities for Kids

This activity bundle has everything you need for festive family fun and simple party planning! Includes 12 different Halloween activities for kids with more than 50 pages of fun!

This activity bundle has everything you need for festive family fun and simple party planning! Includes 12 different Halloween activities for kids with more than 50 pages of fun!

Around here, October is the time for pumpkin patch visits, making fun costumes (or sometimes just buying them online), and rocking out to Monster Mash during living room dance parties. 

I LOVE all the memory-making of the holiday season, but all the hubbub of doing all the Halloween things can also leave this momma a *bit* tired. 

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Apple towers: a fun (and delicious) STEM activity for snack time

If you’re looking for a SUPER easy way to jazz up afternoon snack time, try building apple towers! It’s a fun STEM building challenge that will get kids thinking creatively and learning through play.

Building apple towers is a fun STEM building challenge that will get kids thinking creatively and learning through play during snack time.

As my boys get older, I find myself looking for ways to draw everyone together for quality family time. We’re not home together all day long the way we were when they were toddlers, so lately I’ve been brainstorming ways to make the most of the time we DO have together.

This activity did just that!

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How to get kids to read this summer + Free printable summer reading charts

Need a simple way to keep track of your kids’ reading during the summer? Download these free printable summer reading charts to keep kids motivated all summer long!

printable summer reading charts to keep kids reading all summer long.

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.

Ahh summer. The season of ice-cold popsicles, crackling campfires, sunny days…and sopping wet beach towels left on the bathroom floor (#truth).

Whether you have a bucket list full of adventures or prefer to be more spontaneous and enjoy whatever comes your way, part of the joy of summer is kicking back, letting go of strict school schedules, and having fun!

Still, we want our kids to keep their minds sharp over the summer, and one of the best ways to do that is by encouraging our kids to READ!

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Our favorite summer workbooks for kids to stop the “summer slide”

If you’re looking for a simple, affordable solution to keep your kids excited about learning this summer, you’ll love our favorite summer workbooks for kids!

If you're looking for a simple, affordable solution to keep your kids excited about learning this summer, you'll love our favorite summer workbook 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.

Summer’s almost upon us, and I’m looking forward to lots of trips to the park, days at the pool, and long hours listening to the clatter of Legos being shuffled around as my kids let their imaginations go wild.

But as much as I want my kids to have a carefree and fun-filled summer, I also want to make sure they keep learning while they’re out of school.

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Preschool math activity: How many spots does the ladybug have?

Practice core math skills with your child like counting, one-to-one correspondence, simple addition, and more–all in a simple play-based preschool math activity.

Practice core math skills with your child like counting, one-to-one correspondence, simple addition, and more--all in a simple play-based preschool math activity.

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.

Did you know that one ladybug can eat up to 5,000 insects in its lifetime?! That’s a lot of food for one little critter!

When I’m creating activities for my preschooler, I love to use the things they are interested in at the time. For us right now that means…BUGS!

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Earth Day activities for kids: simple ways to celebrate the planet

Help your kids appreciate the beauty of our planet (and teach them to take care of it) with these simple earth day activities for families.

Child planting a red flower in a garden. Help your kids appreciate the beauty of our planet (and teach them to take care of it) with these simple earth day activities for families.

Fun fact: In its lifetime, one reusable bag can prevent the use of 600 plastic bags. (source)

April 22 is Earth Day! It’s a great time to teach kids about the wonders and beauty of our planet…and what we can do to take care of it.

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Free Printable Easter Activity Pack…4 games in 1!

This free printable Easter activity pack will give your kids hours of entertainment and learning as they wait for the Easter bunny to arrive. Print it once…and play four fun Easter-themed games!

This free printable Easter activity pack will give your kids hours of entertainment and learning. Print it once...and play four fun games!

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.

Easter is just a few weeks away! Around our house, that means it’s time to pull out the Easter egg activities!

Let’s be clear, though. I have no time (or patience) for elaborate activities. If you’ve been here long, you know I’m all about simple kids activities that can be ready to go in less than five minutes.

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