Showing posts with label summer time fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer time fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer time fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer time fun. Show all posts

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!


Yogurt Ice Cube Kabob Snack Recipe.

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 Yogurt Ice Cube Snacks Recipe
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!


How to make yogurt popsicles pops.
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



Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times

Have a Great Time this Summer in Indy


This summer has taken forever to get here, but we see the signs, and we're following them! If you are looking for things to do in Indianapolis this summer, we've got a fun activity for you. Don't forget to bring the BANANA BOAT® Sunscreen, you'll need it with all of the great, summer, outdoor activitiesIndiana weather changes minute by minute. You never know what kind of weather you're going to get! We decided to spend the day exploring all of the fun things to do at Great Times in Indy. The best activities are the outdoor ones. That's why we stopped at Walmart to get some BANANA BOAT® products.



BANANA BOAT®  Sunscreen has products for swimming, sporting, and lounging on the beach.
BANANA BOAT®  Sunscreen has products for swimming, sporting, and lounging on the beach.

BANANA BOAT® has a tons of products for kids. Whether you are sporty, swim in a pool, or on the beach, BANANA BOAT® has you covered. If your kids are like mine, they hate being covered in sunscreen, especially if they aren't swimming. The spray on sunscreen from BANANA BOAT® is perfect for kids in a hurry to get to the fun activities.

What is the best sunscreen for Summer Activities for kids?
What is the best sunscreen for Summer Activities for kids?

So, you need to make it as fun as possible. We made up a song to sing while applying sunscreen. You've heard you are supposed to sing your ABC's to brush your teeth, why not sing to apply sunscreen too! Each time you reapply, be sure to sing the sunscreen song! The lyrics to our song are shared below. Make it a part of your sunscreen routine.
  • Sunscreen, sunscreen, protect my skin while I play.
  • Sunscreen, sunscreen keep me safe all through the day.
Did you know that sun protection requires 1 oz.every 2 hours in the sun? I didn't. Be sure to apply about 2 tablespoons of sunscreen to yourself and your kids' entire bodies 30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
So, now that we're all prepared for a great time in the sun, let's talk about Great Times Family Fun Center. We went on a Thursday and to our delight, all activities were all inclusive from 11-6 with the purchase of an $11.50 per person, three hour wrist band. Yep, we spent 3 hours in the sun! And guess what... You guessed it! No sunburn.

First, the bumper boats!

Bumper Boats in Indianapolis at Great Times.
Bumper Boats in Indianapolis at Great Times.

Their favorite thing to do was ride the go-karts, the ride is nice and long. These are on an all concrete track in full sun, so don't forget to reapply your sunscreen.

Go karting at Great Times is a fun thing to do in Indy in the sun!
Go karting at Great Times is a fun thing to do in Indy in the sun!

There's also a very cool miniature golf course.


Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great TImes
Things to do in Indianapolis in Summer: Great Times.

After all of the fun in the sun, you can go inside for a bite to eat, play games, or climb through the maze room. We'll be spending a lot of time here this summer. Good thing we have our trusty BANANA BOAT® SPF 50.

Banana Boat Sunscreen SPF 50
Banana Boat® Sunscreen SPF 50 Kids Free.


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





Recommended:


Things to do in Indy with Kids


Summer Camp Games to Play Outdoors


Summer Games to Play Outdoors*






Plan a Ladybug Picnic Party & Learn about the Ladybug Life Cycle too!

A Ladybug Picnic Party is a Fun Way to learn about the Ladybug Life Cycle

Spring and Summer are the perfect time to throw a Ladybug picnic or Ladybug theme birthday party! We love to sneak in educational elements whenever possible, so we've come up with some fun Ladybug activities and added an educational one too. Learning about the Ladybug's life cycle is fun - Scroll down to find more Ladybug learning activities from Teaching Mama. Enjoy!


Plan a Ladybug Picnic Party & Learn about Life cycle too!
Plan a Ladybug Picnic Party and Learn about the ladybug Life cycle.
Online, you will find lots of different Ladybug tic tac toe games. Some are made of construction paper, others use painted rocks, blocks of wood, or even sticks.

Ladybug and Bumblebee tic tac toe and checkers game with walnuts
Collect walnut shells and paint them like ladybugs and bumble bees
for Tic Tac Toe and Checkers games.

We enjoy taking hikes around our property. It is like our very own nature park. So, on a recent hike, we collected broken Walnut shells to paint like Ladybugs and Bumble Bees in honor of the book, Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy!

These are so cute and perfect to leave sitting out for an impromptu game of Ladybug Tic Tac Toe or Checkers. 

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy Party
Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy Party.  Want your own? Let us know in the comments.
Just store your bugs in a woven basket, and leave them sitting on a table or bench as an invitation to play. We tossed in sidewalk chalk, so that kids can make a board anywhere they want! Sticks make a perfect natural Tic Tac Toe board.

Make and play Ladybug Tic Tac Toe and Checkers
Make and play Ladybug Tic Tac Toe and Checkers.
Playing games are a great way to build friendships and teach about compromise too! Read the book, LADYBUG GIRL AND THE BUMBLEBEE BOYthe theme is “friendship and compromise.” 

In the story, Lulu and her dog Bingo meet up with Sam on the playground and want to play together. Sam likes the sandbox but Lulu thinks the monkey bars are better. They just can’t agree…until Lulu asks, “Have you ever played Ladybug Girl?” Quickly, Sam becomes the brave Bumblebee Boy, and he and Lulu, a.k.a Ladybug Girl, are superheroes who save the playground from scary monsters and mean robots. New friends want to join their game too, and soon the Bug Squad is formed with Ladybug Girl, Bumblebee Boy, Dragonfly Girl, and Butterfly Girl using their imaginations to keep the playground safe.

make a Ladybug Tic Tac Toe game.
Gather walnut shells, paint, and brushes to make a Ladybug Tic Tac Toe game.

Paint walnut red to make a ladybug game.
Paint walnut red to make a ladybug.

Paint walnut yellow to make a bumblebee game.
Paint walnut yellow to make a bumblebee.


Hop over to Teaching Mama to print a ladybug life cycle printable activity the kids can make at the party!

Ladybug life cycle printable get details at TeachingMama.org
Ladybug life cycle printable available at TeachingMama.org

This is one of my all time favorite Sesame Street Videos: Ladybug Picnic.



Don't forget to leave a comment to enter to win Ladybug Girl items for your own party!


Recommended:

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy*

Things to do with Walnuts

Paper Ladybug Tic Tac Toe Valentine

Frog Birthday Party Ideas 



Kids Games that get You Moving: How to Play Disc Golf

Disc Golf is a Game that gets Kids Moving


Frisbee Golf or Flying Disc Golf isn't very complicated, but the professionals take it very seriously. Since we blog about kids' activities, we've adapted this fun, family game into an easy to play (and explain) game to get children moving. If you're lucky, you have a disc golf course at your local park, but you probably don't even realize it. Enjoy!



This post contains  Amazon and other affiliate links for your convenience.


Kids Games that get You Moving: How to Play Disc Golf


Explore Indiana_ Home of the Endangered Myotis Bat: Sodalis Nature Park in Plainfield, Indiana

Things to do in Indiana: Take a trip to Sodalis Nature Park to Spot a Myotis Bat

We love to explore new things, especially FREE things to do in Indiana. One day, while exploring in the countryside (of what I thought was Morgan County), we stumbled upon a large area of preserved lands and followed the signs to Sodalis Nature Park. This Hendrick's County park sits near Morgan and Marion Counties down Camby Road, just off 975 East. Since then, we've discovered the many family activities held on Saturdays in the new shelter, travelled many of the hiking trails, and even participated in the catch and release fishing. Yes... we made the bat houses and you should too!

Hiking Trails in Indiana
Hike the animal trails at Sodalis Park.
Sodalis Nature Park: Home of the Endangered Myotis Bat in Plainfield, Indiana
Sodalis Nature Park: Home of the Endangered Myotis Bat in Plainfield, Indiana. 
Nestled at the edge of three Indiana counties, the Sodalis Nature Park is Plainfield's best kept secret and one they'd love to share. The 5 1/2 acre catch and release pond has an ADA accessible fishing pier and picnic areas with charcoal grills. Relax at one of the pleasantly placed picnic tables and you might spot a Great Blue Herron fishing. Walk along the bank and marvel at the little tadpoles and frogs.
In cooperation with the Indianapolis Airport Authority and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Hendrick's County created the 210 acre park to protect the endangered Myotis Sodalis Bat which resides in the area. The park now preserves native wildlife, woods, open spaces, and grassy areas for all to enjoy through the well-marked nature trails named after various animals you might catch along the trails including, Bobcats, Beavers, and White-tail Deer.
The park is open from dusk to dawn and offers Saturday programming. Admission is free but some programs require registration. Park naturalists do outreach at area libraries, "Animal Tales".  Schedule of Events

Make a day of it and visit these Mooresville area attractions:
Mum FarmGravity Hill (This didn't work for us. It isn't a smart choice either)Treasure's Flea Market (This is awesome! You will find great deals here.), Anderson's Orchard (Try an Apple Slushy)Pioneer Park (Great playground for preschoolers and early elementary age kids)Zydeco's Cajun Restaurant (Known for their alligator)Academy of Hoosier Heritage MuseumGray Brother's Cafeteria (Try the giant, pork tenderloin), and Fairfield Friends Quaker Church.
National Geographic Readers: Bats

Bats by Gail Gibbons

July Calendar of Special Days and Holidays for Curriculum Planning

Plan lots of Fun Activities with this July Calendar of Special Days and Holidays 2016


Don't let summer break get boring. Change it up by celebrating each and every special day. Did you know July is the National month for Blueberries, Hot Dogs, and Ice Cream? It is also National Anti-Boredom Month. Who could get bored in July? Idk, it gets pretty hot here in Indiana. So, a lot of kids probably stay inside and play video games  Minecraft. Check back here each year for an updated version of our free printable July calendar of special days and holidays. Enjoy!

Plan lots of Fun Activities with this July Calendar of Special Days and Holidays.
Plan lots of Fun Activities with this July Calendar of Special Days and Holidays 2016.



July Calendar of Special Days and Holidays for Curriculum Planning
Free printable July Calendar for Classroom.

This 2016 July calendar of holidays is a Google Doc. Print it out as is or make changes as you see fit. Each year, we edit the calendar to make sure the dates are accurate. Some holiday dates change each year.


July Holidays

1 International Joke Day. Whether you say Ha-ha, lol, or lolz, tell a joke to get a belly laugh out of a friend today.

1 CANADA Day. Here are some activities for Canada Day. I also rounded up some posts from the Kid Blogger Network. Oh my, my favorite, is this post on Canadian Peg Dolls



Canadian Mounted Police Peg Dolls from Clothespins by East Coast Mommy.


2 World UFO Day. Roswell July 2, 1947. No aliens here, perhaps these futuristic activities for kids will help you celebrate.

3 Compliment your Mirror Day. I don't know about this day. Shouldn't this be everyday? Anyway, maybe let the kiddos choose what they want to wear today- no matter what it is? You can do it, Mom. Build self-esteem with self-expression.

4 Independence Day. Here are some Firework Safety Tips and Fourth of July Activities from Pinterest.

6 National Fried Chicken Day.  

10 Teddy Bear Picnic Day. Celebrate today with teddy bear activities. Maybe your teddy bear would like a purse or a hat or a cookie?

14 Bastille Day (French National Day).  What is Bastille Day? I got nothin' except this post on how to make French Toast. So, eat some while you read up on this French holiday.

15 Cow Appreciation Day! From our friends at Chick-Fil-A. How about celebrating with a cow coloring sheet?

20 National Ice Cream Day (Third Sunday) Ice cream is awesome on a hot July day, even better, Ice Cream Snowmen.

23 National Hot Dog Day. Only in America, right? Angie has a yummy recipe for Chicago-style Hot Dog Pizza Bites.

24 Ameila Earhart Day. So... I've got a groundhog flying an airplane coloring page. It can be your catalyst for a discussion on the history of Ameila Earhart.

24 Cousins Day. I've got some cousins, but not here on the blog. How can you celebrate? Tell them, "Happy Cousins Day" on Facebook. Wait. I am so virtual. Meet a cousin for lunch today! (That's better.)

30 National Cheesecake Day. Hooray for Cheesecake



Recommended Reading:

July and August Monthly Idea Book from Scholastic*

Happy Fourth of July Coloring Book: For Kid's Ages 4 to 9 Years Old*














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*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! :)


Don't let kids play with fireworks? Here are Safety Tips for a Happy Fourth of July Celebration

Kids can Play with Sparklers if you Follow these Safety Tips for the Fourth of July.

I don't like fireworks, especially sparklers. They are marketed toward young children, but can be more dangerous than other varieties of fireworks, and they look like mini magic wands. Children should never play with ANY fireworks without adult supervision... a real adult, a sober adult, a safe adult. Hope you know someone :) If you want to be safe try these edible firework kabobsEnjoy! 

When is Independence Day in America? 

Independence Day is always celebrated on July 4th, thus the more common name, "The Fourth of July"!


Your Kids can Play with Sparklers if you Follow these Safety Tips for the Fourth of July.
Never point a sparkler at anyone, even if you think it is a dud.
Are sparklers safe fireworks for kids?
Always hold your sparkler at arm's length and off to your side.
Party poppers, Snappers, and Snakes are good fireworks for children
(if there is such a thing). Beware the Party Popper pointed at your face.
Did you know there is gunpowder in there?
Shoot your popper straight in the air high above your head.
Don't pretend a sparkler is a magic wand (get a stick for that) and never hold your sparkler over your head. Do you want flaming hair? Yeah, no way! Holding your sparkler to your side is the safest, but if you hold it straight in front of you, always extend it at arm's length.

Firework Safety Tips for Kids

People all over the world love to celebrate special occasions with fireworks. Americans have been celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks since our country was set in motion. It is important to know and obey your city and state firework laws.
  • Always use common sense. Read the labels on the box and follow the usage directions. Make sure you know what to expect from your firework. Remember some fireworks take longer to ignite, so leave a "dud" set before running to reignite it. 
  • There are no "safe" fireworks! All fireworks should be lit by adults. If you must use fireworks that are marketed to children, such as, snakes, sparklers, and poppers, do so with close, responsible, adult supervision. Children should not handle or play with fireworks. Children should NEVER light fireworks.
  • A responsible adult is an adult not under the influence of alcoholic beverages or recreational drugs.
  • All fireworks should be lit on a flat, level, hard surface, preferably concrete. Lighting a firework in the grass can cause a the firework to tip over and shoot in an unexpected direction. It can also start a fire. If you must light fireworks in your yard, always use a flat wooden board as your launching platform.
  • Keep a good distance between you and the firework. Never use fireworks indoors (duh!). Use fireworks outdoors in an open area away from vehicles, animals, and buildings. Also, keep away from dry grass or anything that could catch fire. Children and other spectators should stay away at least 25-40' for fountains and even farther for flying, spinner-type fireworks. Remember, the wind can change the direction of the sparks and flying debris.
  • Never hold a lit firework in your hand! Never look in or stick anything inside a firework that doesn't go off. Don't stand over a firework... you know this - just use common sense. To be safe, you should light fireworks with a punk stick or a hand butane lighter stick (not a pocket lighter). NEVER try to ignite that dud! Wait several minutes and douse it in water. It is better to waste a good firework than to lose an eye!!! Keep a bucket of water nearby in case of emergencies.
  • Always handle fireworks with care. Never stick them in your pocket. Never, ever aim them at someone else (even if you think the firework is extinguished). Keep your animals safe. Remember animals may walk too near the firework, they may become frightened, and they may run away from home. It is best to keep animals inside during holiday fireworks displays.
Recommended Reading:

Firework Safety Tips

The Fourth of July Story

Corduroy's Fourth of July

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Goodbye Summer, C U Next year....

Goodbye Summer, we'll miss you. You've been mild, kind, and bountiful with beauty.  School starts next Monday. The blog has missed us. We'll be back Blog, sorry you couldn't join us outside. Now that we have a new tablet, we'll take you with us during school recess. We can go on hikes for p.e. or read with you under the Walnut grove. We'll have so much more to share with you once home-school takes over our lives again. We needed a much deserved break.  See you all next week :)

kids creative chaos summer fun
Scenes from our summer.


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Six Fun Things to do with Fla-Vor-Ice Pops: Recipes for a Cool Kids' Birthday Party

Fun Things to do with Frozen Pops and Shaved Ice for Kid's Party

Remember when you were a kid, and your mom sent you outside with a Fla-Vor-Ice Pop?  To cool down in the hot summer, we'd eat our pops and then run through the sprinkler. The best thing about Fla-Vor-Ice is they are "mom approved".  Did you know they are gluten free, low in calories, and sugar?  Each standard pop has just 5 grams of sugar.  Like Fla-Vor-Ice on Facebook for more information and tons of fun ideas. 


This post brought to you by Jel Sert.  All opinions are 100% mine.


Kids like Fla-Vor-Ice Pops, because they are a fun and refreshing treat with great tasting flavors.  They come in original fruit flavors, Tropical flavors, and even a sugar-free variety. There is a Fla-Vor-Ice Pop for everyone.  During summer camp, we always have a box of freezer pops in the ice chest.  Since  ice-pops are portable fun for everyone, you never know when one might come in handy for one of these fun things to do with Fla-Vor-Ice Pops.



1.  Make a homemade, rainbow slushy for your next summer party. 


Fun Things to do with Frozen Pops and Shaved Ice for Kid's Party
Summer Party Recipe Ice Pop  Rainbow Slushy.
2.  Keep frozen Fla-Vor-Ice pops in an ice chest during outdoor play dates or summer vacations, and use them as a quickie first-aid ice-pack for head bumps and boo-boos. They also help with hydration.

3.  For a fun, outdoor game use ice-pops and party cups.  Line the children up, so each one stands two feet in front of a party cup, cut-off the end of their ice-pop, and count to three.  On three, everyone tries to squeeze their frozen ice into the cup without missing.  The winner is the one who flings the most frozen Fla-Vor-Ice into their cup.    

4.  Squeeze your frozen Fla-Vor-Ice into plastic Easter Eggs and then refreeze them to make a fun Easter Egg shape ice-pop treat like these from Play Eat Grow blog.


Form Ice Pops Popsicles into plastic Easter Eggs for a fun holiday treat
Picture from Play Eat Grow blog.  Hop over for more great ideas.

5.  Use Fla-Vor-Ice freezer pops in a homeschool science lesson about the changing states of matter.  Time the ice-pop to see how fast it freezes.  Compare it's freezing time with that of other liquids like milk, water, or yogurt.  Let it melt in a bowl on the counter, leave it out, and then track how many days it takes to evaporate.  Does it completely evaporate?

6. Before your freeze your pops, pour the liquid into fun ice cube molds, and use them to flavor your favorite clear soda.  Yum!

It's your turn, what will you do with your Fla-Vor-Ice pop? Hop over and share your ideas on Fla-Vor-Ice on Facebook! 

Recommended Reading:

55 Recipes for Ice Pops and Shave Ice
     
Visit Sponsor's Site

Summer Fun In The Creek: With Indiana Crawfish

Looking for Things to do in Brownsburg, Indiana?



Summer break with the kiddos? Bored already? Looking for a fund summer activity? Visit an Indiana creek. Go hunt some mini Indiana lobsters. One sunny day, we met some friends at a local park in Brownsburg, Indiana. The kids love playing in the creek at Arbuckle Park. On this trip, the girls were out numbered, but Chick a Bitty, showed them a girl could catch crawfish or crawdads (depending on what you called them as you grew up, we were corrected more than once that  they weren't "crawdad's" but crawfish.) She surprised everyone with the biggest catch of the day. Scroll down to catch a glimpse!

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. 
If you click through and make a purchase, we get a small commission.


Looking for Things to do in Brownsburg, Indiana with kids? Recommendations


Brownsburg, Indiana is a quaint, quickly growing town in Hendrick's County on the west side of Indianapolis near Lucas Oil Raceway. It's a great place to raise a family with lots of countryside, good schools, and just a short drive to downtown Indianapolis.


Crawdads Crawfish Arbuckle Park Things to do in Brownbsurg Indiana
A bucket of Indiana crawfish.


Let your kids document all your fun trips and traveling adventures with a travel journal.


Giant CRAWLDAD Crawdad Crawfish Arbuckle Park Things to do in Brownbsurg Indiana
Chick a Bitty's crawfish, crayfish, crawdad, or "lobster" as we called it. 


Recommended Things to do in Brownsburg, Indiana:




Do you have a Brownsburg activity for kids that you'd like for us to add to the list? Mention it in the comments or send an email to info@theplayconnection.com and learn about our promo and media relations opportunities. In the meantime, get this travel journal for kids on Amazon to document your own adventures.