How do you Keep Kids Happy on Rainy Days?

A Guide to Keeping Your Kids Happy on Rainy Days

For adults and teens rainy days are great: you have the perfect excuse to stay inside, curl up on the couch and catch up with your favorite TV show or video game. Yet for little ones, rainy days force them to face the prospect of one more dreaded day stuck inside the house. When you use this guide to keeping your kids happy on rainy days for tips and tricks, rainy days don’t have to equal boredom for the kiddos!

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Howdy Partner! Mayhem in a Cowboy Costume.

Boredom Busters for Rainy Days

Click through the links below for fun activities on how to keep kids happy on rainy days.

Get Creative with Painting

Painting doesn’t have to be just painting anymore; try some fun ideas, like painting with spaghetti, or paint rocks to look like ladybugs (on a drier day before the rain started, of course) or try finger painting in a fun new way. If you're up for it, let the kids try face painting with you as their model!

Maybe you have a designated kids' playroom and you want to get creative with a spare bit of white wall that's just begging for a splash of bright color. You can always paint your wall like a chalkboard and let the kids go wild!

If you're organized, you can prep for rainy day activities during the summer by collecting interesting seashells at the beach or walnuts in the yard, and saving them for a rainy day when you and the kids can paint the shells all kinds of creative ways!

Entertain All of Their Senses

As you know, younger kids are receptive to nearly anything entertaining, so don’t underestimate the power of visual and aural stimulation. Whether it’s a colorful cartoon on the TV or sound waves making the floor vibrate with their favorite childhood tunes, you can use this stimulation as a spin off for a drawing activity like this cartoon anime lesson.

Oh, how times have changed!

Also, you may want to consider investing a little more in home tech equipment for a true all-round experience; for example, thewireszone.com has a great range of audio and video equipment, including amplifiers to really fill up the house on those gloomy weather days. With all those beats pumping though the house, you'll be up dancing on the ceiling! Seriously though, dancing with your kids is the best rainy day boredom buster ever!!

Use the Furniture to Your Advantage

If you have a large living space with plenty of couches and chairs, consider building a lion's den or a makeshift maze for the kids. You can move the furniture around and even drape the furniture in towels and bed sheets to create a cozy tent or tepee area for the kids to crawl into and stay quiet for a while. Ask Alexa to read a story while you catch up on some chores.

Decorate with Fairy Lights. Photo Credit: Amazon

Add a sensory element by placing toys and books inside the blankets and light it up with funky fairy lights to make it a space the kiddos will never want to leave (until the sun comes out, of course.)

Catch up with Chores

It doesn't sound like the most fun thing to do, but if you have a whole bunch of household tasks you need to catch up with – and a rainy day just so happens to present an opportunity to do just that – then make the kids pitch in and get all those chores done together.

Need some motivation? Here are some printable chore charts for kids to help you keep track of their progress and work toward rewards!

Turn ‘matching up odd socks’ into a fun game with a prize, or maybe get creative in the kitchen if you have food that needs prepped, and let the kids help whisk up dinner!

You can also turn chores into competitions! Promise a special treat for the winner of ‘who can tidy the front room the fastest!’

How cool is that? Using chores as rainy day boredom busters is a great way to teach kids that helping around the house can be fun!

Play Dress Up in Costumes

You don't need a trunk full of costumes to play dress up with kids and keep them happy on a rainy day. No Ma'am, just raid your closets for old clothes, ties, and bandannas. In the picture above, we raided Grandma and Grandpa's closets for an old vest from the 70's, a gun holster, and an Australian Outback hat. Voila! Instant cowgirl costume.

Making costumes can keep kids busy for at least an hour on a rainy day. Once the costumes are complete, it's time for some good old fashioned pretend play!

• Use Cotton Balls to Make a Sheep Costume
• No sew Nativity Costumes
• Ideas for Easy Halloween Costumes
• Pretend Play as a Doctor or Nurse
• Make Costumes from Cardboard Boxes
• Dress up like a Chef
• Pretend Play at a Bakery with a Cool Cardboard Stove

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How to Get Babies to Sleep Through The Night Tips

The True Secret to Getting Babies to Sleep Through the Night

There's no denying that every parent wants their child to have peaceful sleep throughout the night – an uninterrupted night of great sleep. However, the reality is most kids don’t function that way and will keep waking up time after time, night after night. That’s really frustrating, especially for a parent, you can't sleep if your baby is awake. So what's the secret on how to get babies to sleep through the night?

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Even though it’s common for babies and toddlers to wake up frequently and “refuse” to take quality naps during the day, there are some things you can do to help your baby sleep better through the night. If you were wondering what you can do to make bedtime sleep better for your infant or toddler, consider the following tips:

Baby Sleep Tips

1. Avoid Over Tiredness

Overtired babies find it hard to sleep, which means you might think your child can’t sleep, while it’s actually an effect of over tiredness. It's in your best interest to know your baby’s sleep patterns and to avoid keeping them awake for longer than necessary. Doing so can help you catch the earliest signs of tiredness in your baby, hence address them effectively.

2. Swaddle your Baby

Most babies love being swaddled, and it makes sense! Newborns have just come from a safe environment in their mother’s womb, and they're used to being held tightly, which is why swaddling a baby makes perfect sense. Besides, a swaddled baby won’t be able to hit themselves in the face, which in most cases, wakes them up. Ensure that your baby is comfortable, wearing overnight diapers, and you'll be surprised by how peaceful their sleep will be through the night (and yours too.)

3. Calm your Baby Before Sleep

Babies need some settling time before bedtime, it helps their body to begin a “shut-down” process which enhances better sleep. This is the time when you turn off the TV or music, take your baby to their bedroom which is a quieter environment, and let them have their settling time (10 – 15 minutes.) There are different ways to calm down a baby, dimming the lights and ensuring that the room temperature is perfect are both helpful options. Also, playing nature sounds such as chirping sounds of crickets and other calming nature sounds can help soothe baby. With these calming techniques, your baby’s mind will easily adjust, allowing them to fall asleep faster and easier.

4. Have a Routine

According to Sleep Reports, a sleep routine for baby’s nap times and bedtimes can help. As far as sleeping is concerned, our bodies “learn” and adjust so that they're always ready for the same process. A bedtime routine can involve activities such as bathing your baby, changing their clothes, feeding them, and then observing some “quiet time.” After the bath, it’s always a good idea to avoid playing, and preserve such moments for cuddling and giving your baby the comfort they need to help them fall asleep faster.

5. Avoid Over-stimulation

If your baby can't sleep, the best thing you can do is avoid overstimulating them. Look around your baby’s room, and you’ll notice it’s probably very stimulating. Lots of shapes, colors, sounds, objects, and even other people.

Of course that was the plan, you designed it to stimulate your baby’s senses. One of the ways babies get overstimulated is when you play with them at bedtime or giving them toys to keep them company. This causes them additional stimulation and makes it hard for them to sleep throughout the night. It’s the same as when an older child plays video games at bedtime.

6. Embrace the Sun

When a baby’s “body clock” is off schedule, it can be “reset” by exposing it to the sun, whether it means opening the blinds once your baby is awake or taking them for a morning walk in their stroller. Wondering how that makes them sleep better? If your baby’s sleep patterns aren't set, they’ll have some trouble sleeping through the night. However, correcting that by exposing them to sunlight once they wake up, helps your baby sleep better at night.

7. Avoid Sleeping Props

Another thing you'll want to keep in mind is that babies learn by association. Once you understand that, you should discourage using sleep props to lure your baby to rest. Sleep props are things that you regularly use, such as, feeding or cuddling, to encourage your baby to sleep. If you use sleeping props as solutions to get your baby to fall asleep, your baby will get used to them, which means you have to use such “solutions” every time the baby needs to sleep. As long as your baby is relaxed and not over-stimulated or over-tired, you don’t have to stimulate them to fall asleep – they’ll do so automatically.

8. Handle Night Wakings 

It’s normal for your baby to wake up at night for diaper changes and nighttime feeding during the first few months. When such situations arise, they should be handled correctly so that your baby won’t find it hard to go back to sleep again.

The most important thing you can do is to ensure you remain in their bedroom if it’s time to feed or change their diapers. Don’t take them to another room or they'll learn this routine. Also keep the room as dark as you can, but ensure that you can see around the room comfortably. You also have to avoid making any unnecessary interactions with your baby – stick to simple feeding and changing.
Once you’ve done everything your baby needs, it’s time to get your baby back to sleep. This is something you need to do quickly to ensure your baby doesn’t get confused thinking it’s time to rise and shine. Make it less complicated, as you want your baby to start learning that they need to sleep through the night.

In some cases, your baby might wake up only for you to find out that they're not hungry nor do they need a diaper change. During such times, you should only give them gentle pats or strokes to encourage them to go back to sleep.

As a result, getting your baby to sleep through the night shouldn't be impossible. One thing you need to remember is that some babies are just better at sleeping than other babies, which is why the above tips might not always work effectively for every kid out there. If you have repeated issues with bouts of crying, you’ll want to check your baby for colic or other health concerns.



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5 Unusual Behaviors of Your Teens

If there’s a teenager in your family, life can be very tumultuous, for the teenager and for everyone around them. When your child reaches the age of 12 or 13, a sudden change comes about, and they find themselves going through a series of emotional and physical changes. All of a sudden they start behaving in very unusual ways, some of which can be very worrying. It can be difficult for the inexperienced parent to know whether the behaviors of their teen are normal, or if it’s an indication there might be something seriously wrong. So, what are some unusual behaviors of your teens that may be of concern?

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Here are 5 Unusual TEEN Behaviors that should Concern Parents

1. Shunning Social Interaction

There are times when your teen wants nothing to do with you. It’s only natural for them to want some independence. It’s also perfectly normal for them to feel you and older generations don’t understand them. This type of behavior becomes abnormal when they start to shun all forms of social activity, even with their peers. If they won’t come out of their room, even when their friends come calling, this could be an indication of an underlying problem.  

2. Extreme Sadness or Anxiety

It’s perfectly normal to feel sad or depressed from time to time. Even if these feelings last for a couple of days, you shouldn’t worry. If your teen's sadness lasts for more than a few weeks, it could be a sign of mental illness. Similarly, if their sadness seems to be getting progressively worse, they could be developing depression or social anxiety disorder. In which case they’ll need to be treated by a professional who knows what is the treatment for anxiety.   

3. Risky Behavior

Teens are curious; they just can’t help it. It’s an age when they want to experiment with certain things, such as alcohol, drugs, and sex. If their experimentation becomes extreme, this is a time to worry. Professional help is available if your teen is struggling with an addiction. Research how to help your teenager who may have become depressed and developed and addiction.

4. Physical Changes

A teenagers body goes through a number of different changes as it grows and develops. There are also some very powerful hormone surges taking place. One thing that happens is that teens need a lot of sleep. There is, however, a fine line between normal and excessive sleeping. If they seem to be doing nothing but sleeping, there might be a problem. Changes in eating habits are also a common result of all the changes that teens are going through, but you should seek professional advice if your teen's appetite is reduced, they’re not eating at all, or they're experiencing extreme fluctuations in weight.

5. Harming Themselves

If your teen is feeling particularly angry or depressed, they could start self-harming. It might not just be themselves that they’re harming either. If your teen is suffering from a mental illness, it might lead to them harming others. This could be their pets, parents, or peers. Be aware of any usual anger or new cuts on their arms.

Nobody has ever said raising kids is easy. There are times, particularly during kids' teenage years, that you’ll think they’re from another planet and you can’t believe they’re the same adorable toddler you once knew. Your child’s teen years can be very traumatic for everyone concerned, but don't worry, they don’t last very long, and you can all come out happy together on the other side if you are mindful of these five unusual teen behaviors.

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Refreshing Your Interior Decor: A Guide

Tips to Refresh Interior Decor

Interior Decor got you singing the blues? As a busy homeschool mom, life can become monotonous. Give your life a little boost just by refreshing your home's interior. There’s a difference between a house and a home, and one of the major differences is the personal touch that you’re able to add to it. This personal touch could be anything from a heart-warming family photo to a stuffed animal that you’ve had since you were a teenager that you put in your bedroom. From time to time, however, it can be a good idea to change up your interior and give it a new look. If you don’t have a decorating bone in your body, the thought alone might give you slight anxiety.

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On the other hand, perhaps you’re a pro at it and want a few ideas to give you the inspiration you need. Find ideas on refreshing your interior decor in this guide.

Decide What You Want to Change

Before you refresh your interior décor, you first need to think about what you want to chance. Refreshing means different things to different people, so for some, it may mean a complete transformation while for others, it could be a slight tweak. Take a look at your interior and make a note of the things that you don’t like, are tired of seeing, or need to be disposed of. A hint is to add color, texture, and pattern to give it a different feel. You can then think about where to start when you want to figure that out.

Deep Clean Your Home

Once you’ve decided exactly how you’re going to refresh your home, you can then start by giving it a deep clean. Whether you’re sticking with the same interior or decide to go for something slightly different, if your home is sparkling clean, it can make the changes you make look a lot better. There are a few specific areas to focus your cleaning on mentioned below.

Flooring

No matter what flooring you happen to have, it could do with a deep clean. Whether wood or tile, using the right cleaning products could help it look shiny and glossy. If you have carpet, on the other hand, consider a company like My Technicare as carpet is something that can be tougher to clean.

Windows

Often, when cleaning it’s easy to neglect the windows. However, cleaning it the right way could make the exterior of your house look significantly better. To clean your windows, try getting a good glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Before you spray the window, make sure you sweep away any dirt. When you spray the window, wipe one side of the glass horizontally and another vertically.

Furniture

Most people have at least a few pieces of furniture in their home. If you don’t want to end up replacing it in the near future, include this in your deep cleaning too. You can get sofas cleaned by a professional and dust other items with the right products.

Change the Paint

You’d be shocked at how much of a difference simply giving your home a touch up by painting it will make. You could decide to paint on your own or contract the job out to someone else. If you opt to paint yourself, try to avoid uneven painting, not prepping and using the wrong kind of paint.

Replace Worn Items

If you have a breathtaking sofa and it’s littered with throw pillows that are falling apart, it could dampen the entire look. For this reason, replace any items that no longer fit into your overall interior and replace them with new ones. You can usually get discounted items if you look in sales or clearances, so you don’t have to overspend to do this.

The interior of your home should be done up to your taste. If you use some of the above tips, you should find your house becomes your favorite place to be.

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5 Household Items Party Games for Birthdays

5 Birthday Party Games for Kids Using Household Items

Kids want to be entertained, especially on their birthdays. Give your kids a fun, memorable birthday celebration with games for birthdays that use household items. These kid party games are easy to do with little prep, and you probably already have the items in your house. No need to plan ahead when you do these household items party games for Birthdays!

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Playing interactive games that get your kids moving at birthday parties is a great way to introduce them to kid activities that are active and engaging. Perhaps the next time they have a playtime choice, they’ll choose one of these games rather than a video game. After scouring the internet for games to play at birthday parties, we found several games for kids that are simple to set up with common household items. As always, we've updated old games with fun new twists! If you don't want to plan the party activities and implement them yourself, Yabadoo Kids Parties are another fun way to make birthday parties fun and memorable.

Keep your kids in the loop. Give them choices and let them help plan their own birthday party by scrolling through this list of kids party games and letting them choose their favorite activity to play with friends and family.

Common Household Items Party Games

• Life Size Board Game

This great game for kids is suitable for kids of all ages. Life Size Board Game is a  fun party game activity that has players jumping forward two spaces, singing a song, turning in circles, telling jokes, reciting  nursery rhymes, jumping up and down periodically, and moving back three spaces.

During game play, the players begin by rolling oversized  dice to see where to move. The first person to reach the finish line is declared winner.  You can simply use white paper or the inside of recycled cereal boxes to create the game board. To make a permanent yard decoration, use stepping stones.

• Clothespin Snatch Game

Every player is given a clothespin. Wrapped candy and trinkets (you can even use coins) are sprinkled on the floor. During this game, players will try to pick up as much candy or trinkets as they can using only their clothespins. Set a timer for one minute and let the fun begin!

• Marshmallow Catch

Marshmallow Catch is super easy to set up. Grab a bag of mini marshmallows a timer, and some plastic party cups. Standing on opposite ends of the room, players try to catch marshmallows that are thrown by other party-goers. After one minute, the team with the most marshmallows in their cup wins.

• Spoon Relay Race Game

The Spoon Relay is an old party favorite, you can make this party game more complicated by adding fun elements like playing while turning in circles, skipping, walking backward, or any fun way that will make the birthday party game more challenging or difficult for the players.

Any small household object will do, but mini marshmallows and cotton balls are the most common items used with plastic or wooden spoons. In the course of this game, players race against each other to be the first team finish. Divide party guests into two or more teams. Each team is given a marshmallows and a spoon.

Lining up single file, the first person on each  team takes a marshmallow and begins passing it down the line using only their spoon.  The first team to get their marshmallow to the end of the line wins.

• Balloon Bust Game

Before the party, fill balloons with candy or small prizes. Rub the balloons on your head to give them static cling and then place them on a wall or table. Play begins with birthday party guests choosing a balloon. Tell the kids to hold the balloons with two hands, careful not to pop it. Then, tell them to sit down in a circle using their balloons as chairs. On the count of three, have everyone tries to pop their balloon chair to discover the prizes. First one to pop a balloon, gets a special grand prize in addition to the trinkets inside.

Have you played these games with different variations? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear about more fun birthday party games and ideas for kids that use household items.

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Black and White Dessert Recipe Indy 500 Race

Easy Dessert Recipe for Indy 500 Race Day Parties

When May arrives in Indiana, we start thinking about the Indy 500 Race. Similar to the Kentucky Derby, people have race theme parties. The checkered flag is center stage. This Black and White Delight Cheesecake Dessert Recipe is perfect for those black and white race day theme parties. It's the Next Best Thing to any Andretti. Enjoy!!

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Easy Black and White Dessert Recipe Indy 500 Race

Easy Black and White Dessert Recipe Indy 500 Race

To Make the Crust:

12 oz. Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough, 3 T Cocoa, 1 T Butter

Mix together above ingredients. Then, grease an 8 in. square baking pan. Pat the dough into the pan. Bake for approx. 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Let the crust cool completely.

To Make the Cheesecake Layer:

8 oz. Cream Cheese, 1/2 C. Milk

Let 8 oz. cream cheese come to room temperature. Beat in 1/2 C. powdered sugar. Layer the cheesecake mixture on top of the cooled crust.

To Make the Chocolate Pudding Layer:

1 Package Dark Chocolate Pudding, 1/2 C. Milk

Whisk above ingredients together until thickened. Spread on top of the cheesecake layer.

To Make the White Pudding Layer:

1 Package White Chocolate or Vanilla Pudding, 1/2 C. Milk

Whisk together above ingredients until thickened. Spread on top of chocolate pudding layer.

Top with whipped cream and a strawberry. 

Tip: Chill for 1 hr.

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9 New Year's Eve Sleepover Ideas

Sleepover Ideas for New Year's Eve Party

Are you planning a slumber party for your New Year's Eve celebration? The winter months are a great time to stay indoors and plan a teen sleepover. We've found 9 new ideas for a sleepover that will make you the coolest party host ever! If you're planning a slumber party for 13, 14, 15, or 16 yr. olds, you'll find fun activities and themes to keep everyone happy and having a good time. Whether your 13 or 31, these New Year's Eve Sleepover Ideas will make your sleepover party the best one ever!

This post contains affiliate links.

New Year's Sleepover Ideas

Spend the Night in a Theme Hotel

All you need is you and some cash. No prep needed. Want something super special to do to celebrate the New Year? Pack your bags and gather the gang to spend the night at an Indoor Water Park like Big Splash in French Lick, Indiana pictured above. They offer rooms for up to 9 guests. In addition to the water activities, there's also a game room with a Gyroball ride and a cafe.

Wear cool pajamas and pack your bags for a night full of fun activities!

Blindfold Makeup Challenge
No matter your age, the blindfold makeup challenge is a lot of fun. There are tons of videos out there. Join the fun and post yours to Instagram, #blindfoldmakeupchallenge. All you need are some blindfolds, a makeup kit, and willing participants. Snap a selfie of the gang after everyone's makeup is done. How fun is that?





Shaving Cream Twister
Got a basement or a big kitchen? A game of shaving cream Twister is a hoot. Roll out your official Twister Board or Make your own with a tarp. Just spray circles of shaving cream in the Twister pattern and add a drop of food coloring (mix it up to get the color) and then use the official spinner. No game, no spinner? That's okay, put all of the colors on cards and draw one on each turn to see what color to go to next.


Game of Phones
This is a cool game to play with cell phones. It can work with tablets too. Get the official version on Amazon, but you could easily make your own with some index cards and a Sharpie.

Game of Phones: Image found on Pinterest, but original post is no longer valid.

Make your own Photo Props for Selfies
While we're on the subject of mobile phones, CMCraftStudios sells these adorable photo props for selfies. You can purchase a set for $60 or you can hop over to a hobby store or Walmart and get some cardstock and make your own. Grab you phones and take fun selfies of each other to memorialize the New Year, New You!

Get your photo props for selfies at CMCraftStudios on Etsy.

Poop! Theme Sleepover Party Ideas
Make it a poop theme! Before the party, bake some chocolate cupcakes and then give everyone a baggie of poop (plastic bag with chocolate icing) so they can poop on their cupcakes. Gross, but fun! Click here to make your own icing tubes.

Get crafty and make a game of Pin the Poop as seen below.

Poop Cupcakes from Kara's Party Ideas.

Pin the Poop, uploaded to Pinterest by Heather Buller.

Glow Stick Pool Party
Live in a warm climate? Try a Glow Stick Pool Party! If not, grab an inflatable pool or use your indoor hot tub to create a glowing experience perfect to highlight the New Year. Just fill your pool with activated glow sticks!

Glow Stick Party uploaded to Pinterest by Brittney Bartlett.

Sleepover Tents
Tents are a fun addition to any party. Add some twinkle lights to make it magical. Better yet, prep the tent forms and get Butcher paper or white sheets and have your guests decorate their own tents before pitching them for the night!


Make Cheese Stick Crescent Pizzas
Pillsbury has the best ideas for sleepover snacks. Everyone can make their own crescent pizzas with mozzarella cheese sticks!

Crescent pizzas from Pillsbury.

Have you tried any of these ideas for a New Year's Sleepover? Tell us about it in the comments. Keep up with all of our ideas, join thousands of others and follow Kids Creative Chaos on Instagram.



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