Board Games for Families

Quality Family Time Board Game

It's been proven that spending quality time with our kids is extremely important, not only for their emotional and psychological development, but also for the fun of making memories. There are times when our busy schedules can get in the way. It leaves us struggling to come up with ideas on how to fit in everything. Board Games for families are a fun way to plug in as a family. We may think we have no time for quality time, but family game night should be a regular part of our weekly schedules.

This post contains affiliate links.

Thanks to OnebyTwo games, you are covered. OnebyTwo offers Quality Time Kits with busy parents in mind. They kindy mailed us a game kit to test. Even with a full schedule, this cool family game concept creates a way for every parent to spend some one on one time with their children. The entire family can craft the game together, but the games are best for children ages 6 and up. Take turns playing one on one with each family member. Adults will enjoy the strategy and creativity of each game.

Games for Family Time

Game kits are designed for one adult and one child. They are meant to be opened, built, and played in less than an hour. The best part? They are delivered right to your door! That's right, they offer two different subscriptions or you can order a single game for around $20 (each game varies in price.) A six month subscription is $109.99 and a 12 month subscription is offered for $209.99. That's not a bad price to put on quality family time.

With the various game kits available, you are sure to find something that fits with your and your child's interests and needs.

Games are designed to help build the following:

-Fine Motor Skills

-Communication Skills

-Strategy & Planning

-Spatial Thinking

-Memory & Attentiveness

-Problem Solving

Current game themes include: Desert, Camp, The Great Valley, Robots, and Archipelago.

Of course with a subscription, you get something new each month! So you can save each kit to play again until your new subscription arrives.

For your convenience, some of the board games (quality time kits) are available on Amazon. A quality family time board game by OnebyTwo will entertain you and your child and help create lasting, memorable moments of cherished quality time.


Open it, Craft it, Play it!

Recommended:

Ger Moving Games

More Board Games for families

Group Games from Kids Creative Chaos

Limit Smartphone Use App: Are You Addicted?

Put Down Your Phone! It Can Save Your Child’s Self- Esteem

Do your kids have mobile phones? We recently purchased a smartphone to use as a house phone. Though, my kids have tablets and free access to computers, I worry about the cell phone, the texting, the access to the world in the palm of your hand. Smartphones have become addictive. I wondered, is their an app for that? Of course, there's an app for everything! Should we limit smartphone use? In this post, Hilary Smith, shares some insight on the overuse of technology combined with our kids, but it might not be the child who has the problem. That's right, Mom (or Dad), you might need an app to limit smartphone use. Enjoy!

Cat Food Reviews: Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend

The Cat Food You Pick is Important

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PawsToSavor #CollectiveBias

We claim that we have four cats. We have one original, one adopted stray, two inherited brothers, several neighbor cats, and a feral cat on the property. That's a lot of mouths to feed. So, when it comes to recognizing a hangry cat, we know the signs! A hangry cat will eat most anything, but a hungry cat has time for a more refined palette. If you are looking for cat food reviews, you've come to the right place. Today, we share how much our cats love Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend and how much we love our cats. Enjoy!

Our cats, all four of them, stick to us like glue. Wherever we go, they follow. When we walk laps around the pond, two of the cats walk with us no matter how many laps we  do. Our youngest kitty runs around the pond stopping for us to catch up with her.

Our Pete, the Cat.

When we play in the yard, they interrupt. When we try to do work, they try to stop us. When we sit in a chair, they sit on our laps. These cats are more like dogs. When we pull into the driveway, the run to greet us at the car. They show their love for us in so many ways. Our job is to protect them.

Pete and RePete at play.

How do you make sure your kitties don't fight over the food? First, you make sure no kitty is hangry. You know, he's so hungry that he is angry. A hangry cat will spit, slap, and attack anyone anyTHING that tries to take his food. Our two, inherited older brother cats, Pete, and his brother, RePete, (insert LOL) often find themselves locked up inside a barn, garage, or even our RV.

They are sneaky and determined. One winter, Pete was missing for 3 weeks! We later found him in our barn. Hopefully, he had lots of mice to eat. RePete was missing for a fews weeks the next winter. We found him in the RV. Boy oh boy, was he hangry (and happy to be found). When they are hangry they fight the feral cat, the raccoon family, and the opossums.

Lots of growling ensues.

If they come into the house, they fight the innocent indoor cats who are just guarding their food bowl from would be thieves.

This is RePete, he was at the food bowl enjoying Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend, when Tigger decided to come over and have a bite to eat. RePete says, "You may be bigger, but I'm older and that makes me the boss!" Tigger obliged, RePete was clearly hangry.

When your cats are hungry, they love you more than ever. They rub against your legs, purr, and request that you feed them. It is a special moment to cherish, but when cat's fight over the food it can be stressful.

Timid Tigger, testing out the Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

RePete hogging both sides of the Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

So, what can you do? Well, first, make sure you never have a hangry cat. Feed them well and often. Hungry cats will growl to protect their food. Hangry cats slap and hiss! If everyone is hungry at the same time, what can you do?

Every morning, we have hungry cats crying in the kitchen and hungrier cats crying at the front door. We've been testing cat foods to find a food that everyone likes. That's right, you know cats can be snooty and too good for the cheap stuff.

One of our cats is too good for people food. Which is good, because we don't advocate feeding your cat people food. It's just funny. If something drops on the floor he races the other cats to get to it. Then, he proceeds to bat it around as if it were a cat toy. It isn't fun to find rotten food under the stove or the couch. That's Tigger.

Another one of our cat has seizures. If we feed her cheap food with lots of gluten, her seizures get worse. It took a long time to realize that cat food played a role. We have to be extra careful with food and flea products. That's Buddi.

This is Pete. Listen to our happy, hungry kitty eating Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend.

How to Keep Cats from Fighting Over Food

Step One: Give everyone their own bowl.
This is the best solution. You can pour food in the bowl and let the cats fight it out, first come first serve. That's what most of us do, right? Your cats will have a better chance of getting their fair share if you give everyone their own bowl or at least their own side of the dish. Just don't invite RePete to the party!

Those darn cats won't sit still for a picture with the bag of cat food.

Step Two: Feed an awesome food.

Head to PetSmart and purchase some Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® Shredded Blend. If you hurry, for every $15 you spend, you'll get $15 off your next purchase. SPEND $15 on any Purina® Pro Plan® product between 5/31/16–7/5/16 and SAVE $15 on your next purchase of 10.5-lbs. or larger Purina® Pro Plan® Dry Cat or Dog Food or Litter by 7/31/16. They'll enjoy their dish of food so much that they'll forget everyone else has a dish of delicious food too.

Our indoor cats are good about sticking to their own side of the dish, as long as everyone has the same thing.

Step Three: Distract.

Who is the least hungry or the most intimidated by the others? Remove that kitty from the food. Entertain them with a toy or some scratching behind the ears. Kitty bonding time! For us, this is Tigger. He is the biggest, but not the baddest!

Step Four: Evict.

If someone doesn't want to play nicely, evict them. Grumpy Gus can eat last. So, this step is usually handled by the other cats. In fact, we tried to get a picture of all the cats happily eating out of their own dish, but someone always got evicted for being greedy. They even got evicted for just being near the food.

Step Five: Feed them separately.
They are cats not dogs. Cats do what they want. How do you make sure your cats don't fight over the food? You realize you don't have control. Move their food bowl to another place. In the end, we had to feed everyone separately. A little growl here, a hiss, a dirty look, and the younger cats walked away. I could almost hear them say, "I'm not that hangry!"

This is Buddi. She likes to play outside, she doesn't like to cooperate for pictures.

Aww... poor kitty, come get some love while you wait, let's savor this moment in time.   

Purina® Pro Plan® Savor Shredded Blend has its own aisle at PetSmart.

Pete helping with homework.

Pete helping play with toys. You can see, Pete is our resident dog. He loves to go for walks.

 Like Purina Pro Plan on Facebook.

This is a great choice for cats of all ages and body types. Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® has the advanced nutrition cats need to help live a healthy, active life, along with a sensory experience that will have them loving every minute of it. Shredded blend adult dry formulas has a combination of crunchy kibble and tender shredded pieces for a taste and texture that cats love.

No ingredients are unnecessary. For sensitive cats, be assured that real poultry or fish is the #1 ingredient in all of the dry formulas. There are over 20 different flavorful wet entrees that are protein-rich, with accents like pasta, rice, cheese or vegetables. All formulas provide omega fatty acids for a healthy skin and coat. Prebiotic fiber helps promote digestive health. 

Now is a great time to try it, spend $15 or more and get a coupon for $15 off of your next purchase. In the meantime, let us know how you keep your cats from fighting over their food. What do your cats do when they are hangry?



Recommended:

Make a Hat for a Cat

Cat Quotes

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! :)

Family Movie Night Ideas

School's Out! Celebrate with a Family Movie Nigh in the Backyard

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DataAndAMovie #CollectiveBias

Do you still have a landline? We don't. Teens have a phone, but what about tweens? I'm just not ready to let my tweens have their own phone. Since we homeschool, they aren't influenced by other kids with phones. Neither of them want one. They have tablets. I figure they can "call me" in an emergency via G+, but now that they are getting older, it would be plausible to leave at least one of them home while I run errands or go to the dreaded grocery. Remember those days? The days when your kids fit in the cart and you were embarrassed by their squeals and crying fits, but they were stored neatly in the cart? Ahh... perspective, but what does that have to do with family movie night? I'll tell you...

Family Movie Night Ideas.

Anyway, 911 doesn't have a Gmail account. So, I decided to get a "house phone." To celebrate the last day of school, and the purchase of our new Walmart Family Mobile PLUS plan, we decided to have a friends and family movie night. Check out our family movie night ideas below. Enjoy!

Your phone is capable of so many things, but did you know it can project movies onto a big screen? I don't mean with an app. Learn how to make your phone into a movie projector, so you can watch movies in the backyard... on a sheet! Now, that is fun! Get the details here: Turn your phone into a movie projector. This is a fun homeschool science project. Translation: have the kids build it for you!

So, I was lazy. Sure, I could have poked holes in the corners of my sheet, looped a rope through, and then strung it from two trees in the backyard. That would have been beautiful. But, all of my trees were too far apart, and I didn't have any rope. A backyard swing made the perfect "stand" for my outdoor movie screen. Think outside the box. You could even drape it over a privacy fence. Whatever works, right?

Family movie night ideas: make an outdoor movie theater with an old sheet and a mobile phone!

Before you invite your guests, you'll need to decide on a movie to stream. Whether you stream inside on a large screen television or outside, Walmart Family Mobile Plus is here for you. The plan features Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data which includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE data PLUS a free movie on VUDU (new release rental $7 value) every month per line for $49.88. Translation: Every month you can stream a movie on the television with your family! This makes family time a no-brainer. With VUDU movies, you can stream on your television with your Roku or even an old sheet in the backyard!

Watch a free, family movie on your tv every month with VUDU and Walmart Family Mobile.

Movie and snacks. Movie and outdoors on the big screen. Movie and indoors on the television. All for a less than $50 bucks a month. With the extra data from the PLUS plan, you can do more with your phone. Watch your free movie from VUDU and then stream as much of YOUTUBE as you want, play mindless games to de-stress, text your Mom. Text your Dad. Text Santa Claus. You can do it because you have plenty of data.

My favorite thing about VUDU? They also offer some movies prior or in conjunction with the theatrical release. That's right, you can watch a box office hit from the comfort of home.

Walmart Family Mobile Starter Kit is on rollback!

I've got more good news, the Starter Kit is on rollback! Get started for only $19.88 and since Family Mobile bills you later, you only have  to pay the $19.88 when you sign up. That's right, the $49.88 is build at the END of the month not the beginning. Woo hoo!

Walmart Family Mobile pricing options.

So, we researched all of the Family Mobile compatible phones. Based on the reviews, our top three choices were the LG G Stylo - $179.00 (Rollback from $199.00), Samsung Galaxy Core Prime - $79.92 (Rollback from $99.92), and the Cool Pad Rogue- $19.88 (Rollback from $39.83). Something for every price point. The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime -$129 (Rollback from $149.00) is good too. Based on the price points and the reviews, we decided to go with the middle range Samsung Galaxy Core Prime.

Walmart Family Mobile phones.

Walmart Family Mobile Samsung Galaxy Core Prime phone.

What will you choose? Since we are celebrating the last day of "school" with our homeschool friends, we decided to kick off the summer with a fun, educational movie. Well, sort of, we chose, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy from 2005. Based on the best-selling book of the same name. The book is on many high school's reading lists.


For out next indoor family movie nights, we have plans to watch, Norm of the North, Ninja Turtles, and all of the Kung Fu Panda movies on our big screen tv. What about you? What fun ideas do you have for family movie night?  Now that we have all of these movies at our fingertips, we need movie ideas! In the comments, tell us your family movie night picks.

Recommended:

Sleepover Games

Disclaimer: All prices for phones and Walmart Family Mobile plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/3edbv or your local Walmart for current pricing.


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! 

Sergeant's Calming Collars for Cats

The Calming Collars from Sergeant's Helped Calm a Crazy Cat and Soothe a Stressed One

The Sergeant's Calming Collars really worked for our little furball. She is constantly scratching and rolling off tables and generally acting crazy, so when Mom it Forward contacted me about doing a compensated post for them I was excited!  Sergeants Facebook page, Pet Health Central is also going to have a sweepstakes when they reach 500K followers. Hop over, because they are really close. Like Sergeant's on Facebook.

This is sponsored content.

Fluffy Bunny wearing Sergeant's Calming Collar.  That's right, Fluffy Bunny!

Stop what you are doing and take the time to...

Go hug your little one; even if you aren't demonstrative do it EVERYDAY. Protect them from becoming an empty shell trapped in a thick, cinder box too thick for ice picks, jackhammers, or bull dozers to break through the devastating loneliness. Don't wait until it's too late.

What's for Christmas? Teen Heartbreak-Part One

Teen Heartbreak and Advice for Girls: Beware of Holidays

Teen Holiday Heartbreak.

A big-fat break-up wrapped with a puke-colored bow and sprinkled with salty tear-sparkles, that's what.

Boys suck.  You know they do- even if you have one of your own. It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Try telling that to a heartbroken teenage-girl after her first boyfriend breaks up with her thru a text message three days before Christmas.

She thinks I have ESP. Perhaps I do, whatever you call it I have an Extraordinary Mother's Instinct. I saw it coming.  In fact, I've been there more than once. Although, I must confess, I am happy with the end result; I cannot bare the pain I see in her eyes.

At the beginning of the semester her Honor's English teacher called to say she is failing English (the fifth English Teacher in a row).  We discussed options and made the tough decision that extra-curricular Jazz Band would have to go. Said boy = Jazz Band.

One tiny paragraph stood in her way between passing class and extra-curricular activity bliss. Three weeks ago her Honor's English teacher called to say she is still failing English. One tiny paragraph stands in her way blocking her from passing with a D-!  The same paper.  Teacher loves her, "I cannot comprehend this."

"Me too", I lie.

I struggled with what to do -with what to take away.  The teacher says she is an excellent student. Teacher has no explanation for the outcome. She's tried everything. So have we. Band is all consuming...

Well, at least I thought it was band, but of course it was said boy.  Did I mention that boy's suck?

So, we grounded her until second semester and exiled her from band for the rest of the year.  You cannot go anywhere but 'Sucky Boy' can come to our house.  He can go to Thanksgiving, to the Family Office Party, he can come hang and watch movies, go to lunch, go sledding- you get the drill.

He couldn't find the time.  He didn't want to come over to our house.  He kept asking her to do things that he knew she couldn't do- frustrating her beyond words. Elevating her anger with her evil parents. "Why does he keep asking me to do stuff he knows I can't do?"  I knew the answer but I kept my mouth shut.

I wanted to say, "Because he knows you can't and this way he can keep stringing you along.  He gets to keep you on a rope and still have his fun."  Instead, I said, "What are we going to buy 'Sucky Boy' for Christmas?"  Wait remove the quotes I didn't say that exactly.  I politely used his name and smiled sweetly waiting for ideas to throw my hard-earned money away- on a boy who can't even use the telephone to speak words.

That's right- there aren't any late night 'I love yous' or 'Sweet Dreams' no 'I just needed to hear your voice'- Just some crappy text that say things like,  "What Up?" or "Okay Then".  Is this modern love and I'm just an old-fashioned old lady at forty-one?

My instincts were correct as usual.  Apparently, 'Sucky Boy' had his eye on someone else.  In my daughter's absence he's been spending time with 'the other woman'. I remember holidays with my boyfriend.  He went everywhere with me.  I didn't find out he was a 'Sucky boy' for years!

Her 'Sucky Boy' says, "I can't wait until January when you aren't grounded."

Excuse me? Wait for what?  Good riddance, fair weather friend.  
Merry Christmas 'Other Woman'.

And then technology hit the fan-  He changed his Facebook status and seconds later an influx of text messages filled her inbox. "OMG!" and "What's going on?" "Are you okay?"  Every time the phone vibrated she cried.

We did what any awesome parents would do; we took the phone away. But I'm a sucker and I let her use mine to text her best-friend.  Minutes later it zinged to remind me I had a unread message.  Sucky Boy was texting her back.  "Y wut?"

I'm angry at myself for giving her my phone.  Angry at her for texting him "Y?"  And angry at him for sucking so much. Really? "Y wut?"  He's such a lame.

So, I'm thinking, 'Thank you for ruining our holiday stupid boy and a true, heartfelt Thank you for ending it now rather than after the holidays which would make you look even more sucky in my eyes. And a GREAT BIG THANK YOU for saving me the money of purchasing an awesome gift for an unworthy recipient.'

What do you think? Is it better to break-up before the holidays or try to be 'polite' and do it after to save feelings? I had a boyfriend who would break up with me before my birthday or Christmas so he didn't have to buy me a gift. "For Reals."

I dedicate this post to all the texting teenagers out there.  Write a letter.  Use your voice. Even if your 'Sexting'   it is still a detachable relationship.  IT'S NOT REAL. It's too easy to type, "It's over."  Why not try saying that eye to eye?  Man up now before it is too late because many men never do.

Look for Part Two next week, "Why Sucky Boys Make Me Cry"