School Lunch Bag Ideas

Fun Ideas for a Cool School Lunch Bag

Pack a lunch for school everyday? What to pack in the school lunch bag is tricky. Will they eat it? Do they need something for bartering? Is a fancy lunch box necessary? Sometimes, like field trip days or summer camp days, you need to pack a sack lunch rather than a lunch box. We're sharing fun ideas for the coolest sack lunch ever. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Fun School Lunch Bag Ideas with Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers.

We headed to Walmart for a great value on pack-able lunch items. All good school lunches deserve Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers! These are always are go to snack for after school snacks. Their back-to-school bins are full of things you'll need from school supplies to fun snacks to hand sanitizers. So, we grabbed some Wet Ones® Individual packs too. They make it easy for kids to clean their hands after messy food, and they kill 99.9% of germs.

Shopping at Walmart for our lunch items.

As a fun surprise, we like to draw games on the lunch bags. This week, we played Fish Tac Toe and Jumping Jellyfish with our Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers (Cheddar and Pretzel). You can also play with the multi-color crackers, you only need two different colors and a friend. To play Jumping Jellyfish download the free printable instructions, and pop them in your child's lunch bag with their favorite lunch item and Wet Ones® Individuals.

Lunch Bag Ideas: Draw Fish Tac Toe or Jumping Jellyfish on your child's lunch bag.

Print out these instructions for how to play Jumping Jellyfish, and place them in the lunch bag with a fun note.

Go here for the free printable instructions for the game.

We found this fun idea to print images or notes on your lunch bag at Cottage Hill. They even share a fun way to make an egg basket.

Print images or notes on school lunch bags.

You might also like these Peanut-free school lunch ideas or Creative Lunch Ideas for kids.

Quick Breakfast on the way to School:
If you are in need of Fast Food before school, but don't have the time or money to make a run to a restaurant- make your own! If you are running late or heading on a road trip, pack a fast breakfast.

We grabbed a lunch bag and filled it with individual Wet Ones, a banana, fruit snacks, juice pack, and a pancake on a stick (you can also use corn dogs). The corn dog or walking pancake microwaves in less than a minute. Wrap it it a paper towel, and toss it in the lunch bag. The kids can enjoy "breakfast" on the way to school.


Recommended:

Lunch Bag Crafts

Pinkalicious: School Lunch*

Paper Bag President Puppets

The Best Homemade Kids' Lunches on the Planet*



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wet Ones® + Pepperidge Farm® . The opinions and text are all mine.

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Circle Activities for Teens Middle School Age Youth

Circle Games and Activities for Youth: Camp Songs and More

Camp Songs always bring back the best memories! Circle Time isn't just for preschoolers! Circle Activities and Games are fun for teens too. If you're planning activities for an after school program, summer camp, scouts, or youth group, these school-aged circle camp activities make nice icebreakers. We've used these group circle games and songs to welcome kids to camp, introduce each other, and as a way to make attendance and head counts fun. 

After School Snack Ideas: Weekly Menu Planning

Menu Planning for After School: Try These Snack Ideas

After School Snack Ideas don't have to be just chips or apples. There are a variety of easy to prepare items intended for breakfast that are ideal for after school snacking. Check your local Walmart freezer isle to find snacks kids will like that are easy to prepare and affordable. We're sharing weekly menu ideas that we used in our day care. Scroll down for a Free Weekly Menu Planner Printable.  Enjoy!

After School Snack Ideas: Weekly Menu Planning Free Printable.

Walmart is your place for Back to School prep.

#fuelforschool

When prepping the menus each week, we made sure that the menu included a dairy item, a fruit or vegetable, and a good source of protein. Often times, we combined a craft activity with the snack making edible art. All of the items in our menus are available at Walmart where you get great value for your money.

Sample Weekly Menu Plan

Monday: 
Jimmy Dean Pancake and Sausage on a Stick, Apple Slices, Milk

Tuesday:
Yogurt Ice Cubes, Grapes, Cranberry Apple Juice


Wednesday:
State Fair Corn Dogs, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, White Grape Juice

The original corn dog of the Texas State Fair.

Thursday:
Rainbow Pudding Graham Sandwiches, Bananas, Milk


Friday:
Jimmy Dean Sausage Egg and Cheese Croissant Sandwiches with Apple Juice

Kids go all day with very little to eat. School lunches don't fill them up, and a lot of kids don't eat them anyway. When you can have a quick filling snack after school, your kids will be happier at homework time. Some kids may eat less at dinner, but you'll know they had a good source of protein after school- so you won't worry as much. A lot of kids are hungrier after a good quality snack, so they'll be ready for a healthy dinner.

Free Printable PDF Weekly Menu Planner

Recommended:


Easy Breakfast Solutions

The Night Before Kindergarten*

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jimmy Dean®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Easy Breakfast Ideas Kids Will Eat

Tips for a Quick and Easy Morning Breakfast Routine

Serve up a quick and easy breakfast that your kids will eat! Why force it? You want your kids to eat a breakfast that will stick with them until lunch. The important thing is fueling their morning with lots of protein, but that usually requires too much effort for our busy morning schedules.

Rethink what you serve for breakfast. Waffles and toast won't last. Bacon and eggs are a lot of work. We're sharing tips and easy breakfast ideas to make your mornings easier. Check your freezer aisle at Walmart for more fun choices. Don't forget to scroll down for our quick egg tips. Enjoy!

Easy breakfast ideas kids will eat: Mini Corn Dogs.

State Fair Mini Corn Dogs are easy to make. We toasted ours in the toaster oven in under 15 minutes, but they also taste great when microwaved. Add some fruit and glass of milk, and you've got a good start to your day. Make your morning easier with Walmart. They offer lots of great value on back to school needs.

Easy Breakfast Ideas.

Mayhem likes to skip breakfast or eat something sweet. She couldn't wait to start her day with mini corn dogs. The cornbread batter kept her sweet tooth at bay. She also loves Jimmy Dean Pancake and Sausage Sticks. They served them for breakfast when she attended kindergarten. Pair them with eggs for a fun breakfast!

Toasted Mini Corn Dogs.

We have several chickens and ducks, so whenever possible, we incorporate eggs into our diet. Scrambling eggs every day can get old plus it is messy and takes up valuable time. We often take a shortcut and scramble our eggs in the microwave!

How to Microwave Eggs

You will need a bowl (they make fancy microwave bowls for this purpose, but it isn't necessary).

Canola Oil Spray (or any spray on oil).

Eggs, Milk, Butter, Salt, and Pepper.

We've tried lots of bowls. Any ceramic bowl will do. Spray the entire inside of the bowl.

Crack your egg directly into the bowl, scramble with a fork, add a splash of milk, and stir to mix.

Use one egg per bowl. When you try to scramble more than one egg at a time, it doesn't work as well and takes more time.

Place the bowl in the microwave on a paper towel.

Microwave for about 40 seconds on high.

Remove from microwave, flip or stir egg and then microwave for additional 15-20 seconds.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and butter to taste.

To get in and out quickly, we always use the self-checkout at Walmart.

Recommended:


Bagel Breakfast Ideas

Welsh Toast Recipe

Gluten-Free Recipes for Kids: Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats*



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jimmy Dean® and State Fair® . The opinions and text are all mine.

Handwriting Ideas: Ways to get your Children to Practice Writing

Easy Ways to Get Kids to Practice Handwriting

Is handwriting a thing of the past? Handwriting has become a controversial issue. Should children learn cursive? Why is handwriting important at all? My kids cry when I ask them to write a draft for a research paper. Cry! Their Language Arts skills are fantastic when they use Google Docs, but ask them to write on paper and everything goes south! So, we're sharing Handwriting Practice Tips, handwriting ideas, and ways to get your children to practice writing without the fuss. Enjoy!   

Handwriting Ideas: Ways to get your Children to Practice Writing.

BIC is on a mission to save handwriting! Kids can enjoy handwriting practice. Before they know it, they'll have improved handwriting skills. We took the fight for your write pledge, and you can too! Pledge to save handwriting, and enter for a chance to win BIC prize pack worth $1200! Just visit www.BICFightForYourWrite.com.

Ideas to Get Children to Practice Handwriting

Shopping Lists
Be sneaky! Sneak in handwriting. Every time you head to the store, have your child help you with the shopping list. You dictate, they write.

Mayhem, loves to write shopping lists! She always adds little extras she hopes to get or puts something preposterous on the list! If you follow the blog, you may remember that she has Dyslexia. Her handwriting skills are not to par, but that doesn't keep her from writing. She hopes to be a novelist when she gets older.

Cool Bic Pens
Jake despises any form of drawing or writing. For Jake to write with a pen, it requires lots of incentives (okay, bribes). The cooler the writing utensil, the better. This is where our Bic Pens come into play. I remember writing paper notes and making every word a different color with this cool Bic Pen. Awesome. Jake thinks it is pretty cool too.

Word Games
Another way to sneak in some writing practice is to play word games. We especially like those fill in the blank stories- just add a noun, adjective, or verb.

Letters to Grandparents
Though the kids love to write email, penning letters to Grandma and Grandpa is fun too! Encourage handwritten letters by taking a trip to the post office to let your kids pick out their favorite stamps. This also encourages Grandma and Grandpa to write back. Everyone loves getting mail!



Goals and Wish Lists
Any time is a good time to make a wish! It doesn't have to be a birthday or Christmas want list. Sneak in some practice handwriting time, by asking your child to pen a wish list or a list of things they hope to achieve in the near future.

#BICFightForYourWrite

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bic. The opinions and text are all mine.



Recommended:

Practice Handwriting by Writing Poetry

Cursive Writing Practice: Jokes and Riddles: 40+ Reproducible Practice Pages That Motivate Kids to Improve Their Cursive Writing*

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Homemade Pudding Pops Recipe

Easy Recipe for Homemade Pudding Pops

Want to know the easy way on how to make pudding pops at home? These homemade pudding pops are so easy, you won't believe you never thought to make them. No pudding pop recipe required! Enjoy!

Homemade Pudding Pops Recipe.

Want to make Jell-O Pudding Pops? Most boxes have the recipe, but if you can't find one, click this link: How to Make Jell-O Pudding Pops at home. I was going to share one of the cute commercials from the 80's, but when I went to share one... Ouch! All of the controversy... no thanks. 

Super Easy Way to Make Homemade Pudding Pops.

To Make Homemade Pudding Pops, follow these easy steps:

1. Buy some snack pudding: Generic, Swiss Miss, Jell-O.

2. Buy some craft popsicle sticks.

3. Pop your stick into the middle of one of the pudding cups.

4. Freeze for at least an hour.

5. Enjoy!

Tip: You'll want to warm the cup up with your hands so the pudding will easily slide out. Yes, it really is that easy. It makes a refreshing snack on a hot, summer day. Yum!

Recommended:

Jell-O Pudding Pops Mold Kit*

How to Make Yogurt Pops Cubes Kabobs

Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?*

Easy Way to Make Kid Size Juice for Lunches

Ice Pop Maker*

Snack Pack Pudding, Chocolate, 4 Count $1.00*

Things to do with Yogurt: Patriotic Trifle Popsicle Dessert

Patriotic Summer Dessert: Things to do with Yogurt

Looking for a refreshing summer dessert for the Fourth of July? When brainstorming for this post, we found lots of things to do with yogurt and yogurt cups. Scroll down to see our favorites! To add to the mix, we created a patriotic trifle with yogurt, frozen fruit juices, and fruit. This is patriotic slushie with fruit and yogurt is a delicious recipe! Especially, with the new flavors of Yoplait® Yogurt.

For this yogurt slushie dessert recipe, we used the Limited edition Yoplait® Rainbow Sherbet Yogurt that we found at Walmart. It makes the perfect seasonal treat for summer snacking and Fourth of July get-togethers. Enjoy!

Refreshing Summer Snack with Yogurt.

Freeze your juice in a shallow baking dish.

Scoop into clear, glass cup.

Layer with berries and Yoplait® Rainbow Sherbet Yogurt.

How to Make a  Frozen Yogurt Trifle Dessert Recipe. Freeze for about an hour.

Things to do with Yogurt: Trifle Popsicle Dessert.

Things to do with Yogurt

Things to do with Yogurt Containers.
Visit Color My Bliss Blog for details on this bracelet.

Make a bracelet from a recycled yogurt container.

Make a Mini Drum with Recycled Containers.

25 Things to do with Yogurt.


Recommended:

How to Make Yogurt Ice Cubes

Use Popsicles to Make a Slushy

101 Things to Do with Yogurt


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yoplait®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Kabobs: Yogurt Ice Cube Snacks Recipe

Recipe for Yogurt Ice Cubes Kabob Snacks

Are you looking for a healthy, refreshing summer snack for children? We've combined Yogurt Popsicles and Yogurt Ice Cube Kabob Snacks in this fun, easy to eat, recipe for kids. After playing games outside, the kids will appreciate this cold treat. Enjoy!

How to Make Yoplait® Yogurt Ice Cube Snack Kabobs

First, head to your local Walmart and pick up your favorite flavors of Yoplait® Yogurt. We found some fun, new flavors for summer! The limited edition comes in an 8 pack with Watermelon and Harvest Peach. While you are there, be sure to purchase all of the supplies you need to make this tantalizing treat.

How to make Yoplait® Yogurt Ice Cube Snack Kabobs.

You will need: Bamboo Skewers, Ice Cube Trays, Yoplait® Yogurt, Plastic Wrap, White Grape Juice (or your favorite juice flavor), Berries, Bananas, Watermelon, Grapes, and/or Pineapple.

First, empty two six ounce containers of yogurt into a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of juice. Blend together with a spatula.

Next, spoon the mixture into the ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap. Place in freezer for at least two hours.

When frozen, remove yogurt from tray. Have the kids grab a skewer and build their kabobs, Yogurt cube, berry, yogurt cube, pineapple, and so on.

Finally, enjoy your healthy, homemade Yoplait® yogurt treat. Yum!

Be sure to eat them quickly, like all popsicles, they melt quickly.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yoplait®. The opinions and text are all mine.


Recommended:

Make Homemade Yogurt

Patriotic Fruit Kabobs

Make a Homemade Slush

Best Parks in Indiana for Kids and Families

What is the Best Park in Indianapolis Area?

If you're like us, you probably go park hopping and hop from park to park, trying to find the best park in Indiana for kids. We've been all around the state, but we stick mostly to the greater Indianapolis Area. So, what is the best park in the Indianapolis area to have the best summer ever? You decide, we've shared our favorite Indiana park experiences!

Best Park in Indiana for Kids.

Finding your way to the best park takes planning. Before we make the trek, we consult Google and add the address to maps. After a visit to Walmart, we pack a bag with sunscreen, bug spray, water, bread, peanut butter, jelly, and grapes! Notice, I don't mention sandwiches. We are always in a hurry to get started, so I just grab the basics and we make the sandwiches at the park!

The Indianapolis Zoo is always a fun option. For hot summer days, be sure to bring a towel,  plenty of sunscreen, and a change of clothes, so you can enjoy the splash pad. Also, check the zoo's website for daily deals. They offer lower ticket prices on slow days.

If you prefer free options, we've got 'em. Keep reading for the best parks in Indiana. 

Have the best summer ever at one of these great Indiana parks!

Plainfield, Indiana: Hummel Park

There are many little parks tucked away in Plainfield, but several of the city parks are all in one place! From Main Street (State Road 40) to Hadley Road, you'll find a skate park, an older park with a merry-go-round, baseball diamonds, an old-fashioned curly slide, and even a little gazebo for weddings. Coming from State Rd. 40, Hummel Park is on the right just before Hadley Road.

Plainfield, Indiana: Hummel Park.

Hummel Park in Plainfield is full of surprises. White Lick Creek runs through it, there are hiking and biking trails, a play area, a splash pad, and so many things to do. When you cross the bridge over the creek, you'll find an amazing wedding pavilion and additional play spaces.

Walk or bike the path around East Co. Rd. 600 S, and you'll discover a lake perfect for fishing.

Indianapolis, Indiana: Garfield Park

Garfield Park is one of the most beautiful city parks. There are many free things to do scheduled year around. They also offer activities that only cost a few dollars per person.

Indianapolis, Indiana: Garfield Park

They have an awesome pool at the Burrello Family Center. It also has gyms, food, and seasonal special events. The Garfield Park Arts Center offers many classes for children and adults. In the past we even taught a few drama classes here. Don't miss their Halloween and Christmas events.

Things to do at Garfield Park: Halloween.

Indianapolis, Indiana: Eagle Creek Park

Is as big as state park! Eagle Creek Park offers a beach, many playgrounds, shelters, wedding pavilions, an ornithology center, a yoga retreat, canoeing, a zip line, and an earth science center... all for the price to park your car. Read more about it: Things to do at Eagle Creek Park.

Indianapolis, Indiana: 100 Acre Woods

Indianapolis, Indiana: 100 Acre Woods.

Avon, Indiana: Washington Township Park

Offers a fishing lake, beautiful trails with bridges, a splash pad, wedding area, playground, sledding hill, and seasonal events.

Danville, Indiana: Ellis Park

Offers a nearby public pool, playground, baseball diamonds, wading creek, and seasonal events including a holiday light display.

Mooresville, Indiana: Pioneer Park

Offers a seated zip line, a pool, many playgrounds, camps, hiking and bike trails, baseball diamonds, and seasonal events. This is our pick for the best city park in Indiana.

Mooresville Park Pool.


Halloween Trail Activities at Pioneer Park in Mooresville.

Speedway Indiana: Park

Offers a nearby soccer field (at the school), a unique playground, a gazebo, and seasonal events.

Meadowood Park in Speedway. Photo from Speedway Daily Photo.

New Castle, Indiana: Memorial Park

This is a huge county park. It offers a sledding hill, fishing lakes, more adorable ducks and geese than you can imagine, many shelters for events, 4-H events, several playground areas, a beautiful golf course, an amphitheater, and so much more.

Memorial Park New Castle Indiana.

Noblesville, Indiana: Forest Park

Offers a pool, a train museum and train rides, camps, hiking and bike trails, sand volleyball fields, baseball diamonds, a carousel, mini golf, and seasonal events.

Noblesville Forest Park Carousel. Photo by Erinne Sikcih.

Spring Mill, Indiana: Spring Mill State Park

This historical park is 90 minutes from Indianapolis, but worth the drive. Beautiful historic buildings include the old mill and a blacksmith shop. The park also has picnic shelters, hiking trails, and playgrounds.

Spring Mill State Park.

Recommended:

Things to do in Indiana

Great Times Theme Park Indianapolis