After a year of homeschooling, we’ve really been looking forward to the summer. Sleeping in, no schedule, lounging at the pool, and popsicles for days; honestly, I’ve been dreaming about it for weeks.

A few summers ago, I tried doing a weekly schedule so we could have activities and things to do and I wouldn’t have to listen to the kids say “I’m bored” every five minutes. It was fine, but it got to be too much after just a few weeks.

This summer, in an effort to plan a few activities while still being flexible, I thought it’d be fun to put together a giant printable summer bucket list for kids.

Instead of scheduling specific activities throughout the summer, I just put together a list of things I knew the kids wanted to do (like tie-dye), and that I knew we could do at some point during the summer (like going to the beach).

Now that two of my kids can read, I also knew I wanted to display the list and let my kids choose when they want to do different activities. I made a Christmas bucket list for toddlers a few years ago, and my kids loved it. The summer bucket list is the same style, black and white, very minimal!

Although I did decide to let them color it, which they had a blast doing!

Giant Printable Summer Bucket List for Kids

I printed my summer bucket list at Office Depot for $23. Just upload the file to their website and print it as a a 24×36″ poster. It was ready in a few hours.

I can’t wait to see my kids set up their own little lemonade stand! And my older kids both chose their top choices from the list, too! J chose tie-dye, and A chose a beach day!

A few days after coloring our giant printable summer bucket list, we knocked the first thing off our list and went to the zoo. It was a blast, and I think it may have made the kids even more excited for the rest of the things on the list!

I hope this big list of fun summer activities helps prevent your kids from saying “I’m bored,” and helps prevent you from losing your mind!

The post Giant Printable Summer Bucket List for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Getting the flu shot has been a struggle for our kids in the past. We’re talking running from the room screaming, having to be caught by nurses and brought back to the room level difficult.

But during these “learning experiences,” I’ve picked up a few tips to help make getting the flu shot easier for kids.

With flu season fast approaching, I wanted to start preparing myself, as well as any other mamas out there who may be thinking about getting their kids flu shots. Today I’m going to share how to make getting a flu shot easier for kids before the shot, during the shot, and after the shot!

How to Make Getting a Flu Shot Easier for Kids

Before the Shot

Don’t tell them very far in advance

If your child is prone to anxiety or worrying (like my oldest), don’t tell them days in advance that you’re taking him to get his flu shot. Be smart and don’t just spring it on them, but don’t give them a ton of time to dwell on what’s coming.

Talk about why we get flu shots

Some kids respond to logic better than others, so if explaining why we get flu shots will work for your kid, go for it! Even preschoolers can understand that when we get a flu shot, it helps prevent other people (like grandma and grandpa) from getting sick!

Get the flu shot somewhere they’re already comfortable with

It makes sense that kids would be more comfortable getting their flu shot done somewhere they’re familiar with, rather than some random pharmacy, right? Places like Target, Walmart, or even Costco offer flu shots, too!

Let them bring something, or someone, to help them be brave

That might be a picture of a family member, a favorite stuffed animal, or even Grandma and Grandpa!

Get your flu shot done first so they can see that it’s not scary

The expression “lead by example” definitely applies here. Getting your flu shot first shows your child that it’s not scary and isn’t something to cry about.

During the Shot

Have your child focus on you, not on the shot

When the shot is about to happen, make sure you talk to your child. Have them look in your eyes, not at the shot, and distract them by talking about something else, whether it’s what they want to do later in the day, their favorite movie, or what they are learning in school.

Depending on their age, let your child sit on your lap or hold your hand

My oldest is seven, and honestly, he’s probably going to be getting his flu shot on my lap again this year! Holding your child close, or even just holding their hand, reminds them you’re there with them and helps them feel more comfortable.

After the Shot

Bring a special bandage for when it’s over

Yup, it sounds kind of strange, but it’s helped my kids a lot to bring a bandage from home for after their shots. Pick one that is their favorite color or has their favorite character from a movie or TV show on it. They’ll be more excited to have a special bandage on than just a generic one they didn’t get to pick.

Get a treat

Hard things are always easier when you have a special treat or reward to look forward to when it’s done, right? So pick something, like an ice cream cone or a new book or toy, and let them have it when you’re done.

Getting a flu shot doesn’t have to be scary, and by using these tips, you can make getting a flu shot easier for kids. Help encourage them to be brave, be there by their side, and reward them when they’re done! And together, we can all contribute to a healthier community!

The post How to Make Getting a Flu Shot Easier for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This at-home color hunt printable is a great way to keep kids busy and having fun while you’re stuck inside! Great for younger and older kids, and it comes in color or black and white!

After the initial desire to make this crazy time of our lives special by planning crafts and games and making new recipes each week wore off, I, like many other moms, felt burned out.

And unfortunately, that was weeks ago.

With the thought in mind that we have no idea how long this is going to last, I decided it was time to whip myself back into shape and make life at home a little more exciting.In an attempt to keep my kids away from screens and other media, I thought it’d be fun to do a color hunt at home! My kids are 3, 5, and 7, so I knew they could all do it at different levels. It was the perfect family activity!

I wanted to make our activity extra special, so I hopped onto Target.com and ordered a box of brand new crayons! We’re kind of crayon snobs over here, so Crayola is the only brand we buy. I picked up a 24 count box of Ultra-Clean Crayola Washable Crayons, along with a bottle of Dial® Kids Peachy Clean Body & Hair Wash for after (because when you have a three-year-old, you always have to wash up after any type of coloring activity!). We used Drive-Up so we could stay in our car and the sales associate brought our bag right out to the car!

When we got home I put together a cute little printable at-home color hunt worksheet and printed out three copies. It turned out so cute, and my kids were super excited to get started!

I wanted to make it work when printed in color and black and white, and I also wanted it to be easy to identify what color each box was, so even my three-year-old could understand what he was supposed to do.

I put the basic colors on the front of the worksheet and then added some colors that might be a little bit more challenging on the back. I also added a bonus question for older kids!

We set off on our hunt through the house for things of each color, and after we found them all, we brought them back downstairs to draw them on the worksheets!

I loved seeing how each of my kids drew and colored each item. My oldest son loves to draw, my daughter loves to color, and my younger son has (mostly) stopped scribbling wildly all over his paper, so it was the perfect activity.

And of course, as I expected, my youngest son ended up coloring on himself. Luckily, we used washable crayons, but we also had our bottle of Dial® Kids Peachy Clean Body + Hair Wash to scrub him off after!

We love Dial® Kids Body + Hair Wash because it’s developed with the help of Pediatric Dermatologists, it’s tear-free, hypoallergenic, pH balanced specifically for kids’ skin, and doesn’t have any artificial dyes. It’s gentle enough for my little ones and I love it! And bonus, right now you can get $1 off one Dial® Body Wash or 10-Bar+ (excludes trial/travel sizes) while supplies last!

We did this two days ago, and my kids are already asking me to print out more copies of the color hunt so they can do it again!

I’ve included printable downloads of our at-home color hunt so you can keep your kids busy while you’re stuck inside, too!

Just click below to download and print your own color hunt. Remember, it’s double-sided, so don’t forget to adjust your settings when you print it!

Printable At-Home Color Hunt in Black & White
Printable At-Home Color Hunt in Color

I hope everyone is staying safe and staying busy while we’re all at home! And until we can get out again, I hope this fun at-home color hunt can keep you busy for a while!

The post Printable At-Home Color Hunt appeared first on Life With My Littles.

These DIY labels for school supplies are so simple to make and apply! You can easily personalize them for your child and they only take a few minutes to make. Such a great way to label supplies for school!

A few weeks ago, we made the big decision to homeschool our kids this year.

It was a very difficult, personal decision that we came to after our school district announced they were starting school with a combination of distance and in-person learning and were likely to switch to just distance learning or just in-person learning throughout the year.

There were a lot of factors that went into our decision to homeschool, but now that we’ve officially decided, I’ve started preparing for the school year. And if I’m being honest, I’m really excited for the upcoming year! My daughter is starting kindergarten and my oldest son is starting second grade, so I think it is going to be really fun!

One thing that we always love doing is buying school supplies, and it’s been even more fun buying supplies for homeschooling because I get to decide what to add to our list!

We’ve gotten new crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencils, paper, folders, and binders. But once I bought all of our homeschool goodies, I had to figure out how to organize them.

Thankfully, my Cricut Explore Air 2 was up to the challenge! It’s so easy to use, no matter what you’re making, and these labels were no exception!

I have two beautiful pen sets from Cricut, the Extra Fine Point Pen Set and the Ultimate Fine Point Pen Set. I love the colors in both, and they’re both compatible with my Explore Air 2.

The only issue I had is that the pens won’t write on regular vinyl.

Luckily, Cricut also makes writable vinyl that’s permanent, but unluckily, right now it’s only available for Cricut Joy. Yes, there are a few Cricut Joy pens that will work on the writable vinyl, but I wanted to use my wide array of colors I already had!

With a simple tweak, I was able to use the writable vinyl that’s made for Cricut Joy with my Cricut Explore Air 2. It was simple and even the most beginner Cricut users can easily replicate what I did.

These adorable labels are perfect for any child’s school supplies, whether they’re going to school or homeschooling. You can even customize them so they have your child’s name on them! And today, I’m sharing the whole process, and the Cricut Design Space file, with you!

First, you need to decide which of the DIY labels for school supplies you want to use, and how big you want them. My supply boxes are 8.8″ long, so I made my labels each 5″ long.

The Design Space file include labels for crayons, thin and thick markers, glue sticks, pencils, colored pencils, and dry erase markers. If you want to create or change your own labels, detach the pieces of a label in the file, change the text, and if you want, change or delete the picture. You can also change the pen colors. Easy peasy.

So let’s get started! Cut a piece of your writable vinyl so it’s 8.3″ long (one of the choices for material size is 5.8×8.3″ long, and since the writable vinyl is 5.5″ wide, it works).

Next, put it on your cutting mat. I like to use my scraper from my Cricut Joy tool set to make sure it’s stuck on there good and flat.

Make sure your Cricut Explore is set to “Vinyl” and the right pen is loaded into your machine. Load your mat and press go! The machine does all the work for you. Every time it finishes with a color, it will pause and wait for you to insert a new pen. When it’s done writing, then it uses the blade and cuts out your labels!

I loved watching my designs come to life on my writable vinyl. The machine worked perfectly and the designs came out flawless!

Once my Explore finished its job, I unloaded the vinyl, peeled the stickers off, and placed them onto my supply boxes. I got my supply boxes on Amazon, but you can really get them anywhere as long as they are flat on top.

Make sure you carefully apply the labels so they don’t bubble up or wrinkle. The scraper tool is an easy way to make sure you get the labels on without any bubbles.

Once all your labels are on, fill up your supply boxes with school supplies and you’re done! Yay!

Regardless of if you’re homeschooling, sending your child to school, or distance learning this year, labels for school supplies are a must! You can even go a step further and label your child’s lunch box, notebooks, or backpack. These DIY labels or school supplies are so easy to make, and you can personalize them pretty much however you want.

Now that our school supplies are all ready to go, I can hardly wait to get started with the school year. I hope that wherever you are, whatever your children’s school year looks like, you’re excited, too! Good luck!

The post DIY Labels for School Supplies: Personalize with Cricut for Back-to-School! appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Before construction even started on our home, I knew that I wanted a homework room for the kids. And the main piece in the room had to be a triple desk.

Over the course of the months it took to build our house, I scoured the internet for a triple desk that would work in their homework room. There were tons of double desks, and even rooms where someone had just put three of the same desk together, but no true triple desks.

In the end, I realized that if I wanted a triple desk for my kids that would last for years, I would have to make it myself.

I’m not particularly handy, so I knew if I was going to build this massive desk I was dreaming of, it was going to have to be simple. Simple and minimalist.

The main requirement of my desk (besides being big enough for three kids) was that I wanted the top to be (or at least look like) dark wood. This eliminated a lot of options. Ikea had a long laminate countertop that looked like wood, but with all Ikeas closed for months, I grew impatient and turned to other alternatives.

Enter, the butcher block countertop.

Sturdy, solid, wooden, and GORGEOUS. Not to mention they’re available at most home improvement stores.

In the end, all I had to do to make a beautiful triple desk for the kids’ homework room was sand, stain, and seal the wood, and then screw on legs! Easy peasy!

If you want to make your own triple desk, first you need to choose what length you’re going to do. Butcher block countertops come in a variety of lengths. I used an 8′ countertop, but a 10′ countertop would also work well for a triple desk.

Note: butcher block countertops are SUPER heavy. I recommend bringing someone to the store with you when you get it.

You also want to choose a stain and a sealer. I used Varathane Premium Wood Stain in Black Cherry for my stain and Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane in Clear Gloss for my sealer.

First, I set up my workstation. I highly recommend putting a big giant tarp under where you’re sanding, staining, and sealing, because duh, you don’t want to stain your floor. In our garage, I laid out a tarp and then propped up the butcher block on some storage bins. Make sure you have them far enough under the two ends that you can stain the sides.

Next, gently sand the top and sides of your butcher block. I used a random piece of sandpaper left over from a previous project. Since butcher block is pretty smooth to begin with, you won’t have to do much work.

Note: sand with the grain, not against!

After you sand, use some kind of towel or rag to wipe off any excess sawdust you sanded off.

Now comes the fun part! Stain your wood! I did two coats of my Varathane stain and sanded lightly after each coat.

Note: make sure you shake/stir the jar well before you stain. It’s also important to wipe off any excess stain that hasn’t soaked in after brushing it on. And again, stain with the grain!

After you get your desired color of stain, seal that baby! I did two thin coats and sanded lightly after each coat.

Note: let your stain and your sealant sit for 24-48 hours IN BETWEEN COATS. I know it’s hard to wait that long when you’re excited and just wanted to get it done, but I learned the hard way that the stain starts to lift if you don’t wait long enough before starting your sealant.

The hard part is now over! Once your butcher block-turned desktop is stained and sealed, bring it inside to where you plan on keeping it. It’s hard to maneuver such a long piece of wood once it has legs on it, so I recommend assembling it where it’s going to reside.

Flip your desktop upside down and measure where you want your desk legs. My desk legs are hairpin legs from DIY Hairpin Legs and I LOVE them. They were a little pricier than just doing some straight Ikea Adil legs like I had initially planned, but I’m so glad I went with the hairpin legs.

DIY Hairpin Legs had super fast shipping, hairpin legs in all colors, and you can even get different heights. The legs on my triple desk are white, 27″ tall, two rod legs. They also have triple rod, if that’s more your style. (And no this isn’t sponsored, I just genuinely love the hairpin legs I got).

First, screw your four corner legs on. Mine were just about a half inch away from the edge. Line them all up and screw them on!

Now you need to screw on your middle legs. I did two pairs of legs in the middle for stability, because the desktop is pretty heavy. You might be able to get away with only two in the middle and just center them, but that’s obviously not what I did.

If your triple desk is an 8′ one like mine, I’ve made it easy for you and already done the measurements for your middle legs. Eight feet is 96 inches, so each desk section should be 32 inches (96÷3=32). I centered each set of legs at 32″, about 1/4″ from the edge of the desk. Then I screwed them on, too!

Now you can grab a buddy and flip your desk over! This part absolutely has to be done with two people. You can’t just tip it up because you’ll bend your hairpin legs. Trust me.

Voila! You’re done! A beautiful, custom, DIY triple desk, made just by you!

I love our triple desk. My older two kids did some of their distance learning there, and they’ve all enjoyed doing arts and crafts at the table. It’s exactly what I wanted and I’m so glad I decided to go the DIY route!

The post DIY Triple Desk Tutorial appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SatisfyWithMinis

Daily snack bins are the perfect way to end the constant battle over snack time! Put your kids’ snacks in them in the morning, and they get to decide when to eat them! An easy, DIY solution that stops pestering and teaches self-control!

Click the below image to add Entenmann’s® Minis to your Walmart Grocery cart.

We’ve been spending a lot of time at home the last few months, and there’s one thing that has been driving me crazy–my kids’ constant requests for snacks.

You’d think that we could at least get through an hour after breakfast before they start asking for snacks (and they eat big breakfasts, let me assure you!), but without fail, I get asked for snacks before 10am every single day.

It got to the point where I decided something had to be done. I had seen someone on Instagram a few months ago share their daily snack bin system, and I knew that I could use the idea and make it work for my kids.

The idea is very simple: set out a bin in the morning with all your child’s snacks for the day. You can either let them choose what snacks they get, or you can pick. In our house we do two snacks a day, so I put two snacks in each of my kids’ bins. Instead of them constantly nagging me for snacks, they get to decide when to eat their snacks during the day. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, and they don’t get any more. It’s a great way to teach kids about self-control!

I hopped on the Walmart app and ordered a three-pack of mini storage trays from Walmart, along with a few yummy snacks to get them excited about our new system. Entenmann’s® Minis are perfectly sized treats that allow you to indulge in moderation, and I knew my kids would be thrilled to find them in their snack bins! There are a variety of products and flavors to satisfy your cravings, so I had no problem choosing two that sounded good!

Growing up I always loved Entenmann’s® treats, and Entenmann’s® Minis deliver the quality and deliciousness of Entenmann’s® iconic products in portioned individually wrapped snacking formats! They’re just as yummy as I remember from when I was a kid! We especially love the Entenmann’s® Minis Crumb Cakes and Cherry Snack Pies, but there are lots of different varieties of Entenmann’s® Minis.

Plus, you can feel good about buying them because the company, Bimbo Bakeries, proudly partners with Feeding America through food donations and volunteerism, supporting our neighbors and communities where they live, work and serve.

Our snack system has been working great. My kids quickly learned that if they eat all their snacks in the morning, they don’t get any more in the afternoon. I will say that it’s easier for my 7-year-old and 5-year-old to space out their snacks than it is for my 3-year-old, but he’s learning!

Making your own snack bins is super easy. All you need are some storage bins and a fun way to decorate them! You can even get your kids involved in the decorating if you’d like!

Some easy ideas for decorating your daily snack bins include:

• Spray paint
• Sharpies
• Stickers
• Vinyl

We obviously went the simple route and I just put the kids’ names on their bins in vinyl, but you can go as big and creative as you want!

Our simple daily snack bin system has been working great. I wish I would’ve tried it sooner, and you can bet we’ll be using it all through the summer! Daily snack bins are the perfect, easy way to end the constant battle about snacks, and it’s a great way to teach kids about self-control!

Have you ever tried making daily snack bins for your kids? Share your pictures with me on Instagram! And make sure you check out Entenmann’s® Mini’s high quality, moist, delicious treats, available nationwide!

The post Daily Snack Bins for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post contains affiliate links.

Growing up, I loved playing with chalk. Chalk can be fun for for everybody (why else would people have chalk art festivals?), whether you’re two or thirty-five.

And in case you’re not on board with sidewalk chalk, let me point out that chalk is incredibly easy to wash off hands, clothes, and driveways (so don’t let that prevent you from letting your kids play with chalk).

The best part about sidewalk chalk is that there are so many fun things to do with sidewalk chalk, and it’s a great way to encourage kids to play outside! Sure, you can draw pictures on the driveway or sidewalk, but there are so many other things you can do besides just draw pictures!

I’ve put together a list of 19 fun and creative things to do with sidewalk chalk (plus 1 bonus idea when you’re down to broken bits and pieces) to last you and your kiddos all summer long!

But before I get into that, I want to let you in on a little secret: the kind of chalk you buy makes a big difference.

Yes, you could buy the cheap sidewalk chalk from the dollar store or wherever, but the thick, bright Crayola chalk that comes in a wide variety of colors is BY FAR the best sidewalk chalk out there. You can get it pretty much anywhere (even on the Crayola website), in 12 count boxes, 24 count boxes, 36 count boxes, 48 count boxes, and even giant 64-count boxes. Yes, it’s a little more expensive, but it’s absolutely worth the price.

Things to Do With Sidewalk Chalk

Outline and Color Yourself In

This was something I LOVED doing as a child. My mom would outline us and we would draw our faces, hair, and clothes. I showed my kids how to do this last week and they thought it was the coolest thing ever!

Create a Scene to Take a Picture On

I love seeing these on Instagram. I’m not a great artist, but I know my kids would think it’s fun to see themselves in a scene as simple as swimming in the ocean or flying through space!

Hopscotch

A classic! You can write numbers in each box, play the original version by throwing a rock and hopping to the spot, or even write your child’s name in the boxes to help them learn the letters! When I was little, my sister and I just loved making super long designs to jump on. There are lots of potential chalk ideas with hopscotch!

Four Square

Another classic game from the elementary school playground. Obviously this might be a challenge with younger kids, but older kids will have a blast learning how to play!

Twister

Draw a Twister board on the ground and make your own spinner. You can even choose your own colors! This post from Delineate Your Dwelling has great tips on how to make your own Twister spinner.

Giant Board Game

How fun would it be to make your own life-size chalk board game? Or do a giant version of a classic that you have at home (so you could use the cards from the actual game). Maybe try creating Monopoly or Life, Candyland or Chutes and Ladders!

Play Pictionary

An easy thing to do with sidewalk chalk is play Pictionary! Just write down or print off a bunch of words, have your kids (or family) split into two teams, and get drawing!

Water Plants

Draw some flowers or plants and then have your kids “water” them. Give them little watering cans or spray bottles and have them water away your plants! Amazon has cheap ones, or you can try dollar stores, too!

Make a Zoo

Draw enclosures or little food stands on the ground and let your kids put toy animals inside! Or of course they can draw animals inside, too! Add pools and trees and visit your very own zoo!

Draw a Race Track for Bikes

Make a starting line, draw a track around your neighborhood or the park, and race! Bikes, scooters, ride-on toys, or even on foot! What kid doesn’t love racing!

Draw a City to Drive Cars Around

My kids love their little car rug we have, and this idea just plays on that! Draw a big city with a school, police station, supermarket, hospital, and street signs on your driveway. Kids can drive toy cars or remote control cars all over it!

Play a Follow the Line Game

Depending on how old your child is, you can do a straight line, a waved line, or even a twisty, intertwined line! Tell them they have to stay on the line and follow it from the beginning to end. If they step off, they have to start from the beginning again!

Long Jump

See how far you and your kiddos can jump by drawing a line for the starting point and marking how far you can jump past it.

Wet Your Driveway and Draw

Was I the only one who loved doing this as a child? When your driveway is wet, the colors are so much more vibrant!

Create a Mosaic with Painters’ Tape

Someone in our neighborhood did this and I thought it was awesome! Tape down a big square (or circle, or whatever shape you want) and then make a pattern or just random shapes with your painters’ tape. Color in each spot and then remove the tape for a beautiful mosaic! If you can’t quite picture it, check out this post with more details on how to make a sidewalk chalk mosaic.

Write Positive Messages

Write them on the sidewalk, on your friends’ driveways, on park trails, anywhere you can think of! At our old house there was a trail that backed up to a neighborhood and one of the houses always left out a bucket of chalk for people to write things on the sidewalk. I always loved reading the kind, uplifting messages!

Create a Shape Maze

I can’t take credit for this idea, but I think it’s so fun! Draw a driveway shape maze and challenge your kids to step on only one shape to get to the other side. I love that you can do simple shapes or complex shapes, so it can be adapted for any age!

Outline Shadows and Turn Them into Pictures

This requires two people, but one of you stands on the driveway or sidewalk and makes a funny pose and the other person outlines the pose on the ground. Then you have to turn that pose into a person doing something creative! They might be surfing, lifting a huge weight, or walking a dog. There are so many things you can draw!

Draw Life-Size Animals

This would probably require a little research and the use of the road, but how fun would it be to draw a life-size blue whale, elephant, or t-rex!? I know my kids would sure get a kick out of it!

There are so many fun things to do with sidewalk chalk beyond just dumping it on the driveway and letting your kids draw pictures.

And the fun doesn’t stop once you’ve used up your chalk! When you’re left with just bits and pieces, you can crush them up, mix the powder with water, and use it as sidewalk paint!

If you want more fun outdoor activities, check out this post of backyard activities for toddlers or my free printable nature scavenger hunt!

The post Things to Do With Sidewalk Chalk appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post contains affiliate links.

Happy Star Wars Day!

If you aren’t a Star Wars fan and have no idea what I’m talking about, May 4th is Star Wars Day because May the FOURTH (instead of force) be with you! Get it? Yeah, it’s clever!

Anyway, I’ve been planning this post for a long time, since all three of my kiddos are big Star Wars fans. My oldest son has tons of Star Wars LEGO sets, my daughter has a Princess Leia costume and a Star Wars blanket, and my youngest son has a bunch of Chewbacca stuffed animals and loves Yoda and stormtroopers. It’s adorable. And since my kids love choosing their own books, it only makes sense that we’ve read a lot of books based on the Star Wars world (or should I say galaxy?).

We’ve checked out a LOT of Star Wars books from the library, and there are several that we just love. So whether you’re headed to the library soon, or want to build your home library, I’ve got you covered! Today, to celebrate Star Wars Day, I wanted to share our favorite Star Wars books for kids!

Star Wars Books for Kids

Chewie and the Porgs

This book is so cute! We got it from the library and had to renew it several times before my youngest would let us return it!

Check it out

ABC-3PO

A Star Wars ABC book! Each page has little poems about the subject of each letter, and we love it!

Check it out

OBI-123

Star Wars counting book! It goes up to 20.

Check it out

Search Your Feelings

A book all about different feelings (shown with characters from the movies!)

Check it out

Creatures Big & Small

A Star Wars animals book!

Check it out

Star Wars Block

This cute little block has 100 Star Wars words to learn!

Check it out

BB-8 on the Run

This one was actually recently read by Daisy Ridley on the Disney IG page

Check it out

The Galaxy Needs You

A cute book that follows Rey and teaches kids about how unique and special they are!

Check it out

Goodnight Darth Vader

This is one in a series of books by Jeffrey Brown that envision what Darth Vader would've been like as a dad raising a young Luke and Leia. It's hilarious!

Check it out

Darth Vader and Son

Another in the Jeffrey Brown series

Check it out

Vader's Little Princess

Another in the Jeffrey Brown series

Check it out

Darth Vader and Friends

Another in the Jeffrey Brown series

Check it out

Rey and Pals

Another in the Jeffrey Brown series

Check it out

I Am a Sith

We love these "I Am A..." Star Wars books from Little Golden Books! They're so fun!

Check it out

I Am a Jedi

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

Check it out

I Am a Stormtrooper

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

Check it out

I Am a Wookiee

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

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I Am a Hero

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

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I Am a Pilot

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

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I Am a Padawan

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

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I Am a Princess

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books. We actually have this one and my daughter loves it! It shows Leia and all the ways she was a role model throughout her life!

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I Am a Droid

Another in the "I Am A..." Star Wars series from Little Golden Books

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Are You Scared, Darth Vader?

This one is so funny! We checked it out from the library and had a good laugh! It's also a fun one to read using different voices!

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5-Minute Star Wars Stories

These 5-Minute Stories make great bedtime stories!

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Obviously there are a lot more Star Wars books for kids out there, but these are just some of our favorites. I tried to include books that were geared towards kids of all ages, and it was honestly hard to narrow down our favorites because there are so many!

Whether you’re a fan looking to introduce your kids to the Star Wars world, or you just want some Star Wars books for yourself (no shame!), these 24 books are the books you’re looking for!

The post Star Wars Books for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This whole distance learning combined with social distancing and staying home thing has been kicking my butt.

I meant to get a bunch of posts up in this “Stuck at Home” series before we moved, but like I said, things have been complicated lately.

But today I’m finally posting another resource (better late than never!) full of fun things to watch at home with your kids while you’re stuck there. Sometimes it can get repetitive watching the same TV shows or movies over and over, and these videos are a great way to mix things up while we’re all confined to our houses!

Live Videos

The author of Pete the Cat, James Dean, does Instagram Live videos every weekday, and they are so fun! He teaches kids to draw characters from his books, talks about art, and reads one of his books. He’s affectionately nicknamed his following the “Pete the Cat Club” and we love it!

The Cincinnati Zoo hosts home safaris on their Facebook Lives every day at 3pm EDT. They highlight one of their animals in the videos, and then suggest a fun activity for you to do at home!

Ocean’s Initiative has been hosting a Virtual Marine Biology Camp on Facebook Live twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays at 2pm EDT. They’ve done episodes about seals, dolphins, whales, and even sounds in the ocean! If your child is interested in marine life, it’s a great educational resource!

YouTube Videos

National Geographic Kids has an awesome channel with a few different video series. They have series like “Weird, but True,” “Explorer Academy,” “Destination World,” “Best Job Ever,” and “Are We There Yet.” If you are in the mood to learn something new, check out NatGeo Kids!

Dude Perfect isn’t an educational channel, but my kids LOVE their videos! They’re a bunch of guys who started off doing crazy trick shots and now they have all kinds of fun videos, including funny stereotypes (that are always spot on), battles, and a show called “Overtime.”

DoleTube is one of my new favorites because we’ve been able to learn about some of our favorite fruits, how they grow, and how they make it to our stores! I wouldn’t recommend all the videos, but the ones about bananas are so cool!

Exercise Videos

You may be living under a rock if you’ve never heard of Cosmic Kids Yoga. The videos feature yoga, mindfulness, and guided relaxation, and are designed specially for kids aged 3 and up. My kids’ favorite is the Frozen yoga video. She goes through the story and they do yoga moves along with her! A lot better than sitting on the couch!

Disney Family has a series of exercise videos on YouTube called “Get Moving with Disney Family” where, similar to Cosmic Kids yoga videos, you do exercises that go along with different Disney movies. There’s Peter Pan, Moana, The Jungle Book, The Incredibles, The Lion King, and Mulan.

Little Sports is another channel that has a bunch of exercise videos for kids. They’re animated, and not all of them are great, but they have them for all body types and they can keep your kiddos active while at home!

Okay, so KidzBop isn’t necessarily “exercise” but their channel has tons of dance-along videos for kids to watch and dance along to! They also have “Daily Dance Breaks” every day at 3pm EDT.

Books Being Read by Authors and Celebrities

Storylineonline.net is a website with a bunch of videos of celebrities reading books out loud. There are TONS of books to listen to, and even one with the child actors from This Is Us! Adorable!

The Instagram account @savewithstories has more videos of celebrities reading books. The best part is that there’s a great mission behind the account, too! In partnership with Save the Children and No Kid Hungry, they offering stories to provide fun and education to kids and parents stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak. It’s free, but you can also donate to help make sure schools and community programs have the support they need to keep brains and bellies full. You’re also supporting our important work to meet the health, education and nutrition needs of kids in other countries impacted by coronavirus. How cool is that?!

The hashtag #operationstorytime also has lots of videos on Instagram of authors and other celebrities reading books. Maybe you can find your child’s favorite book!

Cooking Shows

There are lots of great shows about cooking, both that you can just watch and enjoy, and that you can cook along with at home. My kids love Kids’ Baking Championship, Cupcake Wars, and Girl Scout Cookie Championship. Taste Buds Kitchen started a free at-home cooking club you can sign up for that features videos of easy recipes with simple ingredients you probably already have, every Tuesday and Thursday at 2pm EST. And for every sign up, they donate $1 to No Kid Hungry!

GoNoodle

GoNoodle is an app, a website, and a YouTube channel, but I’m giving it its own category because it offers so many different things. Your child likely has had experience with GoNoodle in their classroom, so they can probably tell you about it! They have lots of different options for active screen time, from dance parties, yoga sessions, mindfulness activities, and game sessions. We have the app on our Roku and the kids love doing the videos!

Competition Shows

I know I already had two competition shows listed in my cooking show section, but I have more to tell you about! LEGO Masters is one my first-grader especially loves, and of course American Ninja Warrior is always fun to watch!

Your Favorite Movies and TV Shows From When You Were a Kid

Now I can’t promise they’ll all be as good as you remember, or that they’ll all be as innocent as you remember, and there’s a chance your kids won’t like every movie or TV show you show them, but now’s the time to watch those classics you’ve always wanted to show your kids! If you don’t have a subscription to a streaming service that features a lot of old movies and shows (like Disney+ or Amazon Prime), you can usually rent movies and TV shows online for a few dollars!

Drawing Videos

Mo Willems, author of the Elephant and Piggie series, is the Education Artist-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center, and for three weeks he hosted “Lunch Doodles” where he showed kids how to draw! There are 15 episodes and you can watch them all on the Kennedy Center website.

Joe Wos is a cartoonist who has a YouTube channel called “How To Toon” where he shares all kinds of video tutorials to teach kids how to draw cartoons! He’s been doing daily live streams that you can check out on his channel. If your kid likes to draw, they might enjoy his videos!

My kids also love Art for Kids Hub on YouTube. They have hundreds of drawing videos, from preschool-level to advanced.

Animal Shows

Disneynature has some great animal movies. We just watched Dolphin Reef, and are in the middle of Diving with Dolphins. There’s also Elephants, Penguins, Bears, Chimpanzee, African Cats, and several others. They are fun to watch because the footage is incredible and you get to learn about animals!

The series Planet Earth is great for learning about animals, too! If you don’t have a copy, you can watch it on Discovery!

Our Planet is a show similar to Planet Earth that’s available on Netflix and is narrated by the same person as Planet Earth. It’s like, the streamable version of Planet Earth!

If you’re burned out from watching too many episodes of My Little Pony or Mickey and the Roadster Racers, hopefully you can turn to one of these fun things to watch with kids while you’re stuck at home!

Remember, this social distancing madness won’t last forever, and things will go back to normal. If you’re spending a lot of time in front of the TV, don’t feel too guilty about it. We’re all just in survival mode right now, and doing what we have to to make it through the day! You’ve got this, mama!

Check out the other posts in my Stuck at Home series here:

• 36 Things to Do With Kids
• 35 Things to Cook With Kids
• Working From Home With Kids
• 7 Ways to Stay Connected With Friends and Family

The post Stuck at Home: 10 Things to Watch with Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Has anyone else been stress-baking recently? We have made so many different baked goods since being stuck at home that I’ve lost track of everything we’ve made! I can tell you that it’s all been delicious and every time we make something it’s eaten within 48 hours.

Hopefully I’m not the only one baking and cooking up a storm over here. Baking and cooking with kids can be a lot of work, but it can also be really fun if you pick the right recipes!

Since everyone is stuck at home right now with their kiddos home, I thought it’d be helpful to put together a list of easy recipes that your kids can help you bake or cook! Often times recipes are so complicated or have so many ingredients that you have to do most of the work, but with these, your kids can really take the lead!

I’ve split all these things to cook with kids into two sections. First, recipes with five ingredients or less. Most of them have three ingredients, but some of them have four or five. Second, recipes that are no-bake! Kids + the oven just doesn’t sound like a good idea to me, so I wanted to find some good recipes that didn’t require any time in the oven.

Things to Cook with Kids That Have 5 Ingredients or Less

Photo Credit: Joy Food Sunshine

Puppy Chow

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Photo Credit: www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

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Photo Credit: Frugal Fanatic

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

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Photo Credit: Momadvice

Watermelon Granita

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Photo Credit: The Space Between

Hummus

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Photo Credit: Tasty

Mac & Cheese

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Photo Credit: Tasty

Banana Oat Smoothie

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Photo Credit: Tasty

Teriyaki Chicken

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Photo Credit: Cafe Delites

Breakfast Cookies

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Photo Credit: Spend With Pennies

Pigs in a Blanket

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Photo Credit: Cafe Delites

Pancakes

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Photo Credit: Persnickety Plates

Pita Bread

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Photo Credit: Love Foodies

Mini Meringue Cookies

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Chocolate Banana Smoothie

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Photo Credit: Kleinworth & Co.

Chocolate Nut Clusters

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Photo Credit: Mama Loves Food

Shortbread Cookies

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Photo Credit: Mama Loves Food

Chocolate Mousse

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And now, on to the no-bake recipes!

No-Bake Recipes to Make With Kids

Photo Credit: Live Well Bake Often

Easy No-Bake Fudge

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Photo Credit: Like Mother Like Daughter

No-Bake Monster Cookie Granola Bites

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Photo Credit: Two Sisters Crafting

Best Ever Rice Krispie Treat Recipe

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Photo Credit: Live Well Bake Often

Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

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Photo Credit: Two Peas and Their Pod

Oreo Balls Recipe

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Photo Credit: Cookies and Cups

No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe

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Photo Credit: The Healthy Maven

Healthy Trail Mix

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Photo Credit: Shari Barnes

Oreo Dirt Cups

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Photo Credit: Delish

Banana Split Pops

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Photo Credit: Like Mother Like Daughter

Apple Nachos

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Photo Credit: Life Currents

No-Bake Chocolate Candy Cookies

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Photo Credit: Sugar and Soul

Golden Grahams S’mores Bars

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Photo Credit: Sugar and Soul

No-Bake Chocolate Tart

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Photo Credit: Persnickety Plates

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

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Photo Credit: The Typical Mom

No-Bake Scotcheroos

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No-Churn Graham Cracker Ice Cream

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Photo Credit: Kleinworth & Co.

Homemade Crunch Bars

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Photo Credit: Princess Pinky Girl

Funfetti Dip

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Have you found at least five or more recipes to make with your kids? I hope you have, because just putting this together has made me crave something sweet!

Cooking with kids can be really rewarding, and there’s no better time to teach them than now! Have fun!

Check out the other posts in my Stuck at Home series here:

• 36 Things to Do With Kids
• 10 Things to Watch With Kids
• Working From Home With Kids
• 7 Ways to Stay Connected With Friends and Family

The post Stuck at Home: 35 Things to Cook with Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.