Friendship Bracelets and the Friendship Dance.

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to teach our children how to engage and make friends. However, for some children, making friends may not come naturally . They may feel anxiety or seem indifferent about being around... [Read more]

Gimme some LOVE!

I love the Brady Bunch. That cute blended family nearly always gets along and they rally behind one another in times of need. Sadly, we are not the Brady family. This may come as a shock but, unlike your perfect families, there... [Read more]

“You and Me” Moments with your Child

We all know how important having a one-on-one date night with our significant other can be. Yay for Valentines Date Night coming up! But we often forget to make the time to spend that crucial one-on-one date time with our children. As... [Read more]

Great Goal Setting Ideas!

Okay, please don’t pass by this post. I know that the idea of “resolutions” can cause the “UGH” reaction, am I right? Okay, then let’s not call them resolutions. Let’s call them goals.... [Read more]

How to Play Human Foosball!

My husband’s family has a family reunion every year on Boxing Day (that’s December 26th for those of you in the USA )  At this reunion I was introduced to Human Foosball.  I had never heard of it before, and if... [Read more]

Ink Stains Stink. Tricks To Get Them Out!

How many of you have experienced the horror of finding out your children have just used your furniture for their latest art project? Are you raising your hand? I am. There’s nothing like the joy of discovering ink marks... [Read more]

10 Cold-Day Ideas to Keep the Kids Busy

Christmas is over, but school is still out! Ack! That means loud choruses of “Mooooomm…I’m BOOOOOORED!”. Ooooh boy. What to do? I Share is a wonderful resource for finding ideas to keep those little fingers... [Read more]

Hours of excitement! Almost time for the count down.

Are you getting ready?  Another holiday after yesterday’s holiday is coming up!  Hummm…how about a fast, CHEAP, last-minute idea for the New Year’s Eve celebration?  Not a lot of thought is required…... [Read more]

Fun Family tradition for New Year’s Eve!

I know, I know… Christmas hasn’t even come yet. …but we’re already less than 2 weeks away from 2012, so I wanted to share with you my favorite New Year tradition! I love this tradition because it’s... [Read more]

Give it some Personality!

 Print This Post I have kitchen help…sous chefs…cuisine connoisseurs. I know, I’m one spoiled girl. Two extra sets of hands…they are amazing! So, as a token of my appreciation I want to give them... [Read more]

Swiss Days…again! Top 3 Finds.

Remember the Swiss Post ‘post’ from last year?  SO stinkin’ fun! This is the largest craft show in Utah.  80,000 people come from all over to see what is the latest and greatest in the crafting world. So…I... [Read more]

Dance the Turkey Dance

School is out and the family is gathered for the holidays. So, what better moment than now to crank up some music and let loose on the dance floor (AKA-my kitchen) with the kiddos? It is such a great way to encourage self-expression,... [Read more]

Last minute costume ideas for the grownups!

I know that Halloween is mostly for the kids, but my kids and husband don’t. Every year just before it’s time to start knocking on some doors for candy, my husband looks at me and says “what are we going... [Read more]

Easy DIY Nail Art Templates!

I’ve got 2 little girls who love having their nails painted.  What’s more fun than having painted nails?  Fancy painted nails! My mom has a really neat set of tools for making shapes on your nails and my girls love... [Read more]

“Dear Daughter” Diary

Do you have children? Grandchildren? Nieces and nephews? Do you ever wish you could take a peek into the inner workings of their young minds? I do. A lot. A bit of personal history (bear with me). I am a girl. Shocking, I know.... [Read more]

Pizza on the Grill

Once upon a time there was a young man who traveled to Brazil. He ate the most yummy wood-fired pizza there. After returning to the States he craved the pizza. He dragged his sweet-and-wonderful-in-every-way  wife to all the... [Read more]

Kids Travel Pack

I have got something SUPER fun to share with you today! Let me introduce the KIDS TRAVEL PACK!!! Why do I ‘sound’ (use your imagination) so excited? Because this WORKS! Yep. Child-tested, child-approved! Well, at... [Read more]

Summer of Service: Clean a Neighbor’s Yard

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” -Albert Schweitzer ———- Service... [Read more]

Step Into Some Summer Reading! 6 Free Printables!

We recently had a family night where we talked about the importance of reading good books. My kids are all avid readers, but it seems as though it slows down a tad during the dog days of summer. I wanted a way to stimulate their... [Read more]

Video Performance Treasure Hunt

Your kids are adorable. They say the most hilarious things, they make you laugh, they’re ridiculously cute, and it’s so fun to hear them put things into their own words or watch them perform something they’re... [Read more]

Anti-Boredom Kits…8 of them!

  In honor of National Anti-Boredom Month we decided to make ‘anti boredom’ kits Put each ‘kit’ in a brown paper bag and then label them 1-8.  Each time a kid is bored they can go grab a bag.  Oh,... [Read more]

6 Rainy Day Crafts and Activities

“Moooooooom…I’m BOOOOOORRRRED!” Does this sound familiar? How about when it’s a RAINY summer day? Even worse, right? Oh, WHAT do you do in the summertime when your children are bored to tears? You... [Read more]

7 Quality Ways to Spend Quality Time!

A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours. ~John B. Priestly Summer break is ALL about time, isn’t it? And who’s notion of time is vaguer than our child’s? To them,... [Read more]

10 Summer Snacking Solutions!

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”~Luciano Pavarotti We all  HAVE to eat, so why not make it fun? Especially... [Read more]

How to Make Confetti Fire Crackers With Your Kids

Yesterday Bobbi-Jo shared some awesome Craft & Project ideas we can all use to celebrate the 4th of July or adapt to fit a celebration for our own countries.  Like Bobbi, I’m Canadian, so we’ll be celebrating... [Read more]

Water Fight!

Have a wonderful weekend! Host a water fight if you need a little cooling down. Here are some fun water ideas from last year… Nothing says SUMMER like a water fight! You definitely need the right tools, however so what... [Read more]

Repurpose your broken umbrella…your kids will LOVE this!

We are the luckiest gals around! Heather has kindly agreed to continue sharing her FUN ideas with us here on HowDoesShe!  She has the most clever ideas about how to make memories with your kids.  We are absolutely thrilled that... [Read more]

So…don’t do this. Bug Bingo

SO I was thinking I was pretty smart and planned a way to help entertain the family on a road trip over April Fool’s Day.   Keep in mind that I did pass driver’s education with flying colors .  I did read the laws... [Read more]

SIMPLE Easter Countdown

I LOVE countdowns! Especially when I get to teach my kids something in the process – double bonus! I also LOVE holidays, but sometimes all the fun, traditions and decorations outshine the real meaning behind the celebration. ... [Read more]

We play with knives…5 ideas to keep kids entertained at a restaurant!

B.O.R.E.D and hungry. Restaurant waiting with 4 kids! The manager comes out to say they are backed up and will be out shortly …what he means is it will be another 30 minutes. Entertaining them with ketchup…works... [Read more]

Japan: Teach your kids charity

I started this post thinking I was a brilliant mother that was going to teach my kids all about one of the values I treasure most…charity.  Guess what?  My kids taught me. We have all seen the news and watched all the... [Read more]

Alphabet Letters in Objects! Scavenger Hunt Turned into Letter Photo Art

Speaking of spring {because it’s coming soon…hopefully…} Last spring I was able to visit my uncle’s farm with my family. We lived there when I was younger and a lot of things have changed since I’d... [Read more]

unusual baby gift…

unusual baby gift Kids play with them way more than real toys. They are a lot more sturdy than real toys. They are a lot cheaper than real toys. They will make you the coolest Aunt ever! Add a bit of vinyl to a batch of these... [Read more]

National Family Week. Free flowers are included.

So…this post. Hummm. Watch the video first and then I will explain. It’s national family week  BTW. Keep reading and you’ll  find out about the free flowers! A couple of weeks ago I was talking to my brother.... [Read more]

Just a post about love.

First off, I have to apologize to all my crafting peeps out there because this post is a bit more on the personal side, and is a tad bit lacking in the creative department.  I promise you if you make it through my bjillion pictures,... [Read more]

Watch out! It may get a bit messy…Easy Craft Idea

Designer paper with the kidos! Is it fun? Yup! Is it ‘magic’?  Yup! Is it messy?  Yup! Easy Craft Idea?  Yup! Perfect for kids and a mothers entertainment. Easy Craft Idea Items needed: Paper Shaving Cream Paper... [Read more]

We need a BREAK!

I hope I didn’t scare you… We are not breaking from HowDoesShe?   Oh my…I need my daily dose of it! A break from laundry, cooking, chores, dishes, dusting… (I am sure you can fill in the rest of the dots!). Our... [Read more]

Great Magic Trick #2

Great Magic Trick #2. If you missed #1 Great magic trick you are in luck.  I posted it a bit ago so you can be a cool magical mom! I love doing these magic tricks because it lets me watch my squirts think and learn. Other reasons… cheap easy fun. and... [Read more]

Jack Frost’s NOT Lost…easy Christmas Neighbor Gift!

Have you ever played ‘Don’t Eat Pete?’ It’s a fast candy eating, deep down gut laughing toddler game that brings the entire family together. We posted a different version of this Jack Frost’s NOT... [Read more]

Perfect stocking stuffer!

What is the perfect stocking stuffer? Homemade Playdough! It is SO easy to make and SO much better than the stuff you buy at the store. This recipe makes the softest, sqUISHiest, longest lasting play dough…EVER! You can... [Read more]

Tips to Stay on Track

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year! I love all the traditions, lights, colors, decorations, parties, etc. But as of late, I’ve been getting nervous about this year… You see, one of my New Year’s... [Read more]

Toy Story 3 Movie Night

Are you sitting down? Have a snack? Ready to be wowed? I hope so, because I have been giddy waiting to introduce you to a personal friend of mine. Her name is Amy Workman and she is one CRAFTALICIOUS  babe. She is a wife, mother,... [Read more]

Fun & Frugal Family Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions are one of the many things that make the holiday seasons special. We’ve been making a Family Christmas Traditions list {and checking it twice!} of some of our favorites! 1. Christmas Treats for sure!... [Read more]

Art Notebooks

Hi HowDoesShe Gals! I am so excited about this week’s guest poster AND her awesome project. Meet Erin from Sutton Grace. Her blog is BURSTING with creative inspiration. I could spend hours browsing there. We were THRILLED... [Read more]

I Got a little carried away…Flags and Shirts

Does the picture below tell you I need help? I enlisted my mother-in-law and 3 of my neighbor’s irons to complete this project.  Most sane people don’t need to bring in a ‘production’ line to help complete... [Read more]

Sticks to Stars!

Need a Great Magic Trick? In my previous life:) I taught science and I had to convince Jr. High kids that science was cool.  I tried to use magic tricks to teach concepts.  One of the osmosis and diffusion lessons (blah blah... [Read more]

Fun with Money — 4 Ideas!

How about a little Fun with Money! My daughters thought I was pretty magical when I broke out my money tricks.   After I showed them, they must have played for a couple hours trying to do it on their own and preparing to show... [Read more]

What Does Your Family Stand For?

This post will be addressing two very important topics.  HUGE…Really Ginormous.  One might not be so huge, the decorating of a boring spot,  but the other one  I think can help to shape the future of a family and to... [Read more]

No more summer mush mind!

Do you hate that your kids’ minds seem to go to mush over the summer? I thought my friend Julie was a little crazy when she first told me about an idea she got from her sister-in-law to have a little summer school with... [Read more]

A Bit of Magic Potion!

As a gift for my daughters I gave them: Plaster of Paris Wax paper Cups and some food coloring I found the Plaster of Paris from Lowe’s after searching all of the craft stores.  It was around $7 Kind of a weird present... [Read more]

‘It’s Not Mine’

Look Familiar? “It’s not mine?”  Sound familiar? Well, someone had to put it there… I am on a quest to control the towel ‘dropper’ of the family.  You think I could figure it out from the... [Read more]

Family Dinner Questions #5 with a bonus!

Family Dinner Questions #5 6 additional bonus questions {{all for a discounted price of FREE}} Here is your FREE PDF for Family Dinner Questions #5! If you missed the first 4 here they are! Have fun with your family and learning…who... [Read more]

Long Distance ‘Date’ with Grandma

My little family dreams of the day when we will live close to at least one, if not both sets of Grandparents!  Sadly, we currently do not have this luxury.  I came across a wonderful idea in ‘Family Fun’ and tweaked... [Read more]

Monkey What?

Look closely… a little closer… Okay, maybe that’s too close. Lets go back to this picture… Gooey glazed cinnamon and sugar Piping hot rolls that melt in your mouth The smell of sweet delicious that knocks... [Read more]

Family Game Night Board{{tutorial}}

Family Fun Game Night! We need some fun!  How about initiating a family fun game night?  No phone, ipod, computer {gasp}, TV,  and pull out the ol’ game boards.  Make a little popcorn and pour some root beer.  On with... [Read more]

30 Family Dinner Questions #4

30 Family Dinner Question #4 in a  free pdf format. They are in a simple form to represent how simple getting to know your family can bring you closer together. My family and I have been doing this for a year and I have learned... [Read more]

S P R I N G B R E A K !

Spell out S P R I N G  B R E A K! All you have to do is say SPRING BREAK and I float off to sunny St. George where I spent every Spring Break I can remember.  Catching sun out by the pool was always a little chilly, but it never... [Read more]

Bubble Blowers – Making Bubbles

Making Bubbles — *First things first, this fun activity is not for small children. Please supervise your little ones and make sure they are blowing OUT, not sucking in.* — Here’s an idea that will keep kids busy!!!!  ... [Read more]

Art Show

I had to pull this idea from the 80′s.  So it’s either really cool or so past cool…either way I thought I’d give it a shot and let my kids decide. For a fun activity I thought it would be fun to hold a... [Read more]

Can you see it?

Can you see it?  This is my modified Irish Decoration for St. Patrick’s day.   I needed to get it posted so that you can have time to do it too.   It’s a super easy idea for kids, but like I said…it’s... [Read more]

Family Dinner Questions #3

Here are your 30 Family Dinner Questions #3 Last week my 5 year old daughter made us laugh when she started making up her own questions and answers.  The answer to one of her questions was, ‘cazillion.’  I don’t... [Read more]

5-8 things to do with your Presidents

Saturday we started out with 4 President’s day activities. It’s President’s Day so here are the other 4! President’s day activities 5-8.   These were just and easy and simple to do as 1-4. Simple, easy,... [Read more]

1-4 easy things to do with your Presidents…

I was trying to think of something fun to do with my kids for Presidents’ day. I found some activities where you race each other and name all the presidents, but really… I have a hard time remembering the names of... [Read more]

Happy ‘Kid’ Hog Day

Happy ‘Kid’ hog Day The ground hog hopes to get a shadow…how about your kids getting one too?  This was super fun to do with the kids.  We pulled out some old wrapping paper (you could use butcher paper or... [Read more]

Take one sturdy kid, add the following ingredients…

Rustle up a Recipe for Rearing a Kid! ‘A recipe book on child guidance would make parenting a lot easier…’ You know when you have those ‘parenting’ questions…am I doing this right?  Am I... [Read more]

Family Dinner Questions #2

30 Family Dinner Questions #2 Here are questions that encourage family talk!  We believe in families and we know the power of getting to know each other better.  We’ve created another 30 questions that you put in a jar. ... [Read more]

Family Dinner Questions #1

30 Family Dinner Questions #1 Here are questions that encourage family talk!  We believe in families and we know the power of getting to know each other better.  So what we’ve created for you are 30 questions that... [Read more]

Fun Family Frugal Tradition #2 Story Toes!

Fun Frugal Family Christmas Tradition #2  Puppet Show Toes! Need a couple hours to get ready for the holidays?  Have the kids get ready for a puppet show!  All you need are markers and toes.  This is Santa and his reindeer. You’ll... [Read more]

Fun Frugal Family Christmas Tradition #8 – Talent Show

Warning:  I am starting with a personal memory, so if you just want the ideas, skip now to the bottom of the post.  This picture brings back a hilarious memory that completely depicts my kids at that particular time in our... [Read more]

Can you spot the difference?

Dinner Time Fun Idea Items needed: Just your family and Dinner! Play the ‘What’s Different Game’ Kids are very observant and are even nice enough to point out when they find a grey hair, but test their skills... [Read more]