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Over the last year, I’ve kind of lost myself. I’ve been on survival mode homeschooling the kids, having very little time to myself, running the house at a very basic level, and only doing the essentials to keep my blog up and running.

Unfortunately, I know I’m not alone. This last year has taken a toll on everyone, especially moms. We’ve had it dang hard, with navigating distance learning, staying home with kids all day, and even working from home.

DANG HARD.

Moms always have a lot on their plates, and it’s easy to put yourself last and forget to do things you enjoy. And if you’ve been mommin’ hard for a few years (or more), you may not even be sure what that is anymore.

If you’ve been wanting to pick up a hobby but aren’t sure what kind of hobby you want to try, this post is for you. I talked to some friends and have put together some ideas that make great hobbies for moms. Bonus: they’re all pretty easy to pick up!

25 Hobbies for Moms

Houseplants

Every heard of a plant mom? Well I have fully become one over the last year. And I’m planning on writing a post with some of the easiest houseplants for beginning mamas, too!

Brush Lettering/Calligraphy

I’m lumping these two together, but I know there are slight differences. Learning how to do brush lettering has always been on my to-do list, and I may have to actually take it up some time! You can do so much with it!

Crafting

This is a pretty general term, and it can include so many different things. You could even start selling your own little crafties!

Journaling

If you’re not a frequent journaler, you may not thing this can be considered a hobby, but I assure you, it can. Journaling doesn’t just mean writing “Dear Diary” and recording your latest crush. Promptly has great journals for beginning journals, and if you already know what kind of journaling you want to do, a blank one from Scribble & Jot is my favorite. You can even keep memory journals for your kids!

Yoga

This one’s not for me, but if fitness is your thing and you want a hobby that helps you stay healthy, yoga is perfect! There are tons of free videos on YouTube to get you started.

Baking

I do love this one. There are so many different things you can bake, and if you bake a lot, you can share your treats with neighbors and friends! Everyone loves the friend who brings them treats!

Cake Decorating

Cake decorating is a great hobby for moms. It’s a great artistic outlet that has a bonus of being delicious. You can do it from home and even make your kids’ birthday cakes if you want. I love Cake by Courtney for cake recipes, and I get lots of my decorating inspiration from Instagram accounts.

Gardening

If indoor houseplants aren’t your thing, maybe try gardening! Fresh vegetables from the garden are the best way to eat vegetables, and there are lots of things you can grow that are pretty foolproof and hard to kill. We used to have a huge garden at our old house, and now we have three garden boxes with cute little garden markers I made myself. Even if you just start small with one tomato plant, it’s so satisfying to harvest food and flowers you grew yourself!

Watercolor

Another one of my favorite hobbies is watercolor. If it sounds intimidating, it’s not. I’m mostly into abstract paintings, and I’ve got several things I’ve done hanging in our house. It’s a pretty forgiving art form, and it’s a lot of fun to try! I have a set of Prima tropical watercolors and I love them.

Embroidery

This is a great hobby for moms because you can just sit wherever you are and work on it! Plus, supplies are pretty cheap (embroidery hoop, fabric, embroidery floss). I embroidered one of my favorite quotes a few years ago and I still love it.

Quilting

Quilting isn’t just a grandma hobby! You can make quilts for your family and friends, or even donate them to shelters or hospitals.

Card Making

I know this also sounds like a hobby your grandma might do, but it can be so fun to make and send handmade cards in the mail! And who doesn’t love getting a handmade, handwritten card in the mail? (Side note, the Cricut Joy & card mat make card making SO EASY)

Pilates

Another healthy hobby, pilates is great for moms who want to work on strengthening their muscles and looking good! I was really into pilates after my first son was born, and it was great for me!

Running

Remember when I was really into running and then there was this pandemic and everything came crashing down? Me too. Anyway, running is a great hobby, even if you’re super slow and not in it for the competition. You can even listen to podcasts or audiobooks while you run!

Knitting

Another hobby that I’ve never learned, but I know some people love it! And since it has minimal materials you can do it on-the-go!

Crochet

Crocheting is pretty easy to pick up, and also different than knitting! But another great one to take on-the-go.

Sourdough Bread

If you haven’t tried to make your own sourdough starter yet, now’s the time! Since the pandemic, sourdough has risen in popularity, and the internet is flooded with delicious sourdough recipes!

Reading

One of my newly-renewed hobbies that I forgot I loved so much is reading. I love reading and being pulled into a story. And it can be a free hobby if you get a library card!

Paint by Sticker (or Number)

Paint by Sticker is one of our family’s newer favorite activities. It’s basically like painting by number, but instead of actual painting, it comes with stickers for each spot. The pictures turn out amazing, and it’s kind of soothing! Or you could always go with the classic paint by number, too.

Coloring Books

There’s a reason adult coloring books have risen in popularity, too. They’re an easy, calming hobby and something you can do while listening to a podcast, music, or an audiobook.

Procreate

I’m not very artistic, but I think Procreate is so cool. You can create all kinds of digital art, and when I asked my Facebook friends what their favorite hobbies were, several mentioned Procreate!

Diamond Painting

Another hobby that a few mama friends mentioned was diamond painting. It’s described as a mix between cross-stitch and paint-by-number. I saw someone doing it at the rec center last month and it really did look cool!

Stamp Collecting

One of my secret hobbies is stamp collecting. I don’t have very many, but I think it’s so fun to track down stamps that have a special meaning or tie to somewhere I’ve been or something I like. One of my favorites I have is an old Walt Disney stamp from the 1968.

Puzzles

Puzzles are another pandemic hobby that’s taken off the last few months. We’ve done a few, and my kids have even helped a few times. If you can make a space in your home to set up a puzzle spot, it’s worth it! Even a small little card table works.

Lego Sets

My kids love Legos, and it wasn’t until one of my best friends showed me the Lego set she had gotten for Christmas that I realized Legos can be a hobby for adults, too! I even got my own set (Harry Potter Legos, what else?) for Valentine’s Day, and it was a blast to put together. If you have somewhere you can keep them up, Legos make a great hobby!

Being a mom is a busy, full-time job, with no breaks, no holidays, and no weekends, and this last year has been ROUGH. But despite all that we have on our schedules, it’s important to find things to do for ourselves.

Hobbies allow us to do things we enjoy, just because we want to, which is something we don’t often get with all the little people in our lives.

Pick one or two of these hobbies for moms, try them out, and if they aren’t for you, try something else. You may even find something you’re passionate about and can enjoy for years to come!

The post 25 Hobbies For Moms appeared first on Life With My Littles.

You know those moments when you’re in the middle of it all, about to fall apart, and you realize that one day you’ll look back on these days and miss them? As my kids get bigger, I have those moments more and more.

Sometimes they happen when you’re wishing you could be done with a particular stage, and sometimes they happen when you’re enjoying a moment and suddenly realize you may not have many more like it.

They are moments you wish you could freeze forever. Moments that come and go quickly. Moments that as parents, we’ll all look back on and miss one day.

Having little kids is such a joyful, hilarious, exhausting, unique, and demanding time in our lives, and as much as I’m excited for my kids to grow up, it’s also really hard watching them get bigger.

I recently realized that our kids are out of the baby and toddler stages. Our youngest is three, and if I wasn’t homeschooling my other two kids, he’d be in preschool two days a week. I don’t change diapers anymore, I don’t breastfeed anymore, I don’t feel tiny kicks in my belly or have to wake up at night and rock my babies back to sleep. My kids are getting big, and there are a lot of things I’m really going to miss about having little kids.

I’m going to miss waking up early to a tiny face by the side of my bed whispering “I have to go potty.”

I’m going to miss sticky hands, faces, and tables.

I’m going to miss high pitched, squeaky voices talking non-stop and jabbering on about everything that pops into their little minds.

I’m going to miss being tired because I slept on the floor next to my baby’s crib.

I’m going to miss snuggling during naptime, when my littles would curl up and try to burrow deep into my arms.

I’m going to miss hot baby breath right in my face.

I’m going to miss playing Legos on the floor, digging through giant bins of Legos looking for exactly the right one for my kids.

I’m going to miss reading picture books and singing songs before bed.

I’m going to miss packing school lunches and sneaking in treats every once in a while to brighten my kids’ days.

I’m going to miss going through laundry, spraying stains from melting popsicles and rolling in the grass.

I’m going to miss brushing little teeth with tiny toothbrushes and bubble-gum flavored toothpaste.

I’m going to miss holding hands on walks, at the mall, at the store, and in parking lots.

I’m going to miss buckling little bodies into car seats, making sure they’re safe and secure before driving around town.

I’m going to miss the silliness, the laughs, the faces, and the goofy made-up jokes.

I’m going to miss that sweet, fresh, newborn smell.

I’m going to miss soft, fine hair and my kids letting me run my fingers through it when we sit together.

I’m going to miss getting endless gifts of flowers, leaves, and rocks.

I’m going to miss encouraging them to climb to the top of the slide and then catching them at the bottom after the slide down giggling.

I’m going to miss folding tiny clothes fresh out of the dryer.

I’m going to miss watching them run to me and excitedly exclaim “I did it!” when they do something new for the first time.

I’m going to miss making breakfast and lunch for them each day.

I’m going to miss snuggles after bath time.

I’m going to miss taking selfies together, using silly filters and making goofy faces.

I’m going to miss having dance parties to loud, annoying songs that consequently get stuck in my head for days.

I’m going to miss helping my kids with their clothes, putting socks and shoes on in the day and pulling shirts over heads at night.

I’m going to miss being gifted pictures constantly.

I’m going to miss gumless smiles, first teeth coming in, and wiggly teeth falling out.

I’m going to miss holding hands up and down the stairs and walking slow so their tiny legs can keep up.

I’m going to miss watching kids’ sports games and dance recitals.

I’m going to miss the pure, carefree sound of belly laughs.

I’m going to miss tiny voices singing the wrong notes and wrong words to their favorite songs.

I’m going to miss soft baby skin.

I’m going to miss putting bandaids on scratched knees and being the one they run to when they get owies.

I’m going to miss tiny, flat bums.

I’m going to miss onesies.

I’m going to miss they way they run when they’re little, arms flapping, feet stomping, giggling wildly.

I’m going to miss having little kids.

Having little kids isn’t always easy. There are plenty of moments where I’ve been scared, felt inadequate, and hid in the bathroom to get a moment’s peace.

But having little kids is such a magical part of parenting, and while it’s easy to say you can’t wait for your kids to get bigger, you’ll quickly realize that you miss those days once they are bigger.

So I’m holding on to all those little moments, little things, and little hands. It’s not all cuddles and belly laughs, but I don’t want to forget a moment of what it’s like to have little kids.

The post Things I’ll Miss About Having Little Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I’ve been working from home with kids around ever since I started my blog almost seven years ago. I started when I had a five-month-old baby, worked through having another baby (18-months apart from my first), and then worked through having a third baby two-and-a-half years later.

It’s hard finding time to sit down at my computer and work when I’ve got three young kids who need a lot of attention and care. But it’s something I’ve had to figure out in order to help support our family.

With schools closing for who knows how long, I know a lot of working moms are suddenly finding themselves having to manage working from home while taking care of their kids. No matter how old your kids are, this can be a struggle.

I wanted to share some of my tips for working from home with kids for all those mamas who are feeling overwhelmed with everything that’s going on right now. Hopefully some of what I’ve learned can help ease this weird, difficult situation we’re all in right now!

Tips for Working from Home with Kids

Accept that you’re going to be busy

The life of a work-at-home mom is a busy one. You have to be efficient about your time if you’re going to get everything done. Downtime you usually use for watching TV might need to be used for work, and that’s okay. This is a weird, new thing we’re trying to figure out, and routines are going to be interrupted for a while.

Sit at the table and work while your kids color or do school work

Depending on your workload and profession, you may have to fit in work whenever you can. Sometimes that means working with your kids around you while they do something quiet, and the dining table is a great place to gather and work together!

Schedule when you’re going to work

If you have a set time scheduled to work, it’s easier to follow through and enjoy the rest of your day. Schedule a few hours after lunch to get work in, or a few hours in the morning while kids play. Scheduling the time you’re going to work helps you feel more committed and makes it easier to actually work when the time comes.

Work when your kids are sleeping

If you’re a morning person, get some work done before the kids are up. If you’re more of a night owl, stay up after the kids are in bed and work. And if your kids still nap, work during nap time! I don’t wake up early or stay up late unless I have a lot of work to catch up on, and I usually only stay up at night because I am not a morning person, but if this will work for you, take advantage of it!

Set up a work space

If you don’t have a home office, set up a designated space for work. A space where you don’t have to clean up all you’re working on every time you take a break, where you can have some privacy and focus on your work instead of what the kids are watching on TV. We’ve used one of our bedrooms as an office for the last few years and it’s made a big difference in my productivity.

Remember this won’t be forever

This is just a temporary situation. No one can say how long it will last, but it’s going to get better one day. Kids will go back to school, parents will go back to work. Do what you have to to make it work.

Remember you aren’t alone

Nothing like this has ever happened in our lifetimes, so we’re all feeling the same way. We’re all just trying to do our best to make things as normal as possible for our kids while keeping them and us safe and still doing our jobs, whether that be full-time mommin’ or working from home for the first time. It sucks a little bit, but we’re all going through this together, and there are lots of other mamas you can reach out to who can relate.

Utilize quiet time

Quiet time is still a struggle for me with my oldest, but we’re working on it! Set a timer for quiet time when you work so kids can see how much time they have left, and then check in on them a few times. Quiet time doesn’t have to be super elaborate or full of pre-planned, themed activities. It can be as simple as doing some mazes, word searches, or color-by-numbers, playing a puzzle game, doing an actual puzzle, reading, or building a town with LEGOs. If you have younger ones, I’ve also put together some great ideas for quiet time with toddlers.

Give yourself grace

It’s okay if your kids watch a lot of TV so you can get your work done and support your family. It’s okay if everyone stays in their pajamas all day and you have cereal for dinner. You’re doing what you have to right now, and nobody can tell you the right way or the wrong way to get through this. Be patient with yourself, and if you have a rough day, the good news is that you can try again tomorrow! You’ve got this!

Set up a rewards system

When your kids are good at playing on their own (especially during quiet time), reward them. It can be something as simple as an extra snack or an extra episode of their favorite TV show. You can come up with a different rewards system for each kid, or stick with the same thing. I’m all about bribes and sometimes there’s no way I can have time to work without them.

Put on a movie and lock the door when you have calls to make

Remember that video that circulated a while ago of the guy on TV who was working from home and his kids burst in during an interview? Don’t be that guy! If you have conference calls or video calls or team calls, put a movie on for your kids and then make sure there’s a locked door in between you and your kids. That way you won’t have any interruptions.

This last week has been the weirdest week of my life. Regular things are so completely different, and it’s been hard for me to adjust. Fortunately, my kids are adjusting to being home just fine! They’re so resilient!

If you’re among the many moms who are now working from home instead of in an office, I hope these tips will be helpful. Working from home with kids can be a challenge, but it’s one that you can absolutely overcome. Figure out what works for you and cling to that. Stay positive, look for the good, and don’t falter. You’re awesome, amazing, and you’re going to get through this!

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

• 36 Things to Do With Kids
• 10 Things to Watch With Kids
• 35 Things to Cook With Kids
• 7 Ways to Stay Connected With Friends and Family

The post Working From Home with Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

One thing we love doing here in Minneapolis is visiting the Mall of America. Once you go, all other malls seem inferior.

In case you didn’t know, the Mall of America is the biggest mall in the United States. It has three floors all the way around (with a fourth floor in part of it), over 500 stores, over 50 dining options, a theme park, an aquarium, and tons of fun events. It’s easily one of our favorite things to do in the Twin Cities.

Since we go so often, I thought it would be fun to put together a post all about things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers. You might think that taking your toddler to the mall wouldn’t be super fun, but the Mall of America is no ordinary mall. There’s seriously TONS for toddlers to do (besides riding around in the stroller or shopping!), and it’s the perfect place to go on snowy, rainy, or super hot days when you just want to stay inside! 

Also, a quick tip, if you park on the fourth floor, there aren’t any stairs to go from the parking garage to the mall. On the second, third, and fifth floors you have to go up or down a small set of stairs to get into the mall, and with strollers, that’s no good. So park on the fourth floor of the parking garage and you’ll be golden!

Here are ten things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers:

1. Play at the LEGO tables outside the LEGO store. As if the LEGO store wasn’t fun enough, they also have a few tables set up outside the store (between the store and Nickelodeon Universe) with benches around them and a bunch of LEGO bricks to play with. And there’s even DUPLO tables! So whether your toddler is younger or older, this is a fun place to rest and let them play for a while.

2. Paw Patrol Playground. I’ll admit this is not my favorite thing at the mall, but I’m including it because it is something to do. A few months ago they opened up a big Paw Patrol playground inside Nickelodeon Universe. It costs 6 tickets to get in for 20 minutes (which is $7.20). Going on Toddler Tuesday (see #6) is the best way to do it. If you go when it’s busy keep an eye on your little one because it can get kind of rowdy. We have been twice and our toddler loves it!

3. Build-A-Bear Workshop. What little kid doesn’t love picking out their own stuffed animal!? We went last year when my son was about 18-months-old and he had so much fun. He picked out a Chewbacca bear (of course) and loved carrying it around and giving it hugs. This is a good place to go if you have grandparents in town and they want to get your toddler a gift!

4. The Crayola Experience. This is more fun for older kids, but they do have a few things that my toddler enjoyed. They have a playground for younger kids, a light show room where they can color on whiteboards and run around on an interactive floor, a little area where you can use chalk or dry-erase markers and color on everything, and several other places where toddlers can color. They can probably do almost everything with a little assistance. It’s a fun place to visit!

5. Sea Life Aquarium. We just did this for the first time yesterday. It’s not a huge aquarium, but it’s perfect for toddlers! Lots of fish, sharks, turtles, jellyfish, and seahorses to look at! 

6. Toddler Tuesdays. If you’re going to take your toddler to the Mall of America, try and go on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday, the mall hosts “Toddler Tuesday” where kids can meet their favorite characters, do arts and crafts, and get discounted wristbands for Nickelodeon Universe ($12.99 for 5 hours valid on certain rides). They can also eat free with the purchase of an adult meal at more than 10 restaurants around the mall. Seriously, Tuesdays are the day to go with your toddler. 

7. Disney Store events. The Disney Store often has events that are fun for toddlers to go to. In October they have Halloween parties where kids can participate in a parade and a sing-along. You can see what events they have coming up here. They’re a lot of fun! 

8. Nickelodeon Universe. Besides the Paw Patrol Playground, Nickelodeon Universe has a lot of rides that toddlers can do. They have several rides that you have to be 36 or 39″ to ride without an adult, and then a lot that toddlers can ride as long as they have a chaperone. Plus, if you’re a required chaperone (meaning your child has to have an adult) you don’t have to pay for yourself! 

9. Treat stores! The Mall of America has several candy stores, chocolate stores, ice cream stores, bakeries, and even an edible cookie dough store! If your toddler has been good (or you need something sweet to distract them with), go get them a treat! We love the candy store It’s Sugar, and the edible cookie dough at Dough Dough is delicious! 

10. Train table inside Barnes and Noble. If you just want a quick break or a way for your toddler to get out some energy, take them to Barnes and Noble and let them play with the train table in the children’s section. All of my kids have always loved playing there, and it gives you a chance to just sit and rest!

And even though this post is focused on toddlers, there are also a few other things that are fun at the Mall of America that bigger kids will like. There’s a mini golf course, a blacklight mini golf course, a mirror maze, Flyover America (a flying ride), 5D Extreme Attraction, the American Girl store, and they’re putting in a virtual reality attraction that’s going to feature Star Wars (my kids are excited for that one!). 

The Mall of America is tons of fun for any age, and that absolutely includes toddlers. Don’t skip over it because you think there won’t be anything for your littles to do there! There are lots of fun things to do at the Mall of America with toddlers, and if you plan a trip, I hope you have a great time! Maybe we’ll see you there!

The post Things to Do at the Mall of America with Toddlers appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by LEGO. I received free product in exchange for this post.

When our oldest son was one, he got his very first LEGO set. It was the DUPLO Number Train, and he loved it. It took him a while to figure out how to play with it other than just hitting the bricks together, but once he figured it out, I knew we were in the LEGO world for good.

A few more DUPLO sets and years later, LEGO came out with a Cars 3 LEGO Juniors line. My oldest son got a set with Miss Fritter, Lightning, and Cruz, and he absolutely loved putting it together. He was only 4 but he needed very little help from us to put it together. It was his first set of little LEGOs, and it would hardly be his last.

Now our son is 5, and together with his 4-year-old sister, we have amassed quite the collection of LEGO bricks. From Star Wars to Moana to Cars and now Harry Potter, these kids love their LEGOs.

And after watching how into building and creating they get, I think there are several reasons why every kid should have a LEGO set (or ten!). If you haven’t gotten sucked into the world of LEGO yet, here’s why it’s absolutely worth it:

1. LEGO sets feature characters they love (and characters you love!). Besides the awesomeness of the LEGO City and LEGO Ninjago sets, there are so many other sets with fun characters your kids already love. LEGO has collaborated with Disney and the collections that have come out in the last few years have been incredible! The princess sets, the Star Wars sets (my youngest carries around our Chewbacca minifigure all the time), the Marvel superhero sets, Disney Junior sets, Cars sets, and even The Incredibles sets. And it’s not just Disney, either! You can buy sets with characters from Jurassic World, DC Comics (like Batman!), Transformers, and Harry Potter! We were lucky enough to get Aragog’s Lair and the Quidditch Match sets, and they are incredible! As a long-time Harry Potter fan, I appreciate all the little details! Even Harry’s scar shows through his hair perfectly! And the Marcus Flint minifigure looks EXACTLY like the character in the movie! It’s so funny! If you’re not sure your child will enjoy a LEGO set, start them off with one featuring a character they love. They’ll be hooked!

2. LEGO sets encourage teamwork and independence. When your kids are younger and just learning how to follow the instructions to build their sets, you work together with them, side-by-side, helping them find the right pieces and put them together the way you’re supposed to. You work as a team, and they learn skills that will help them play well with others. As they get older, they’ll start building the sets independently. They’ll learn from their mistakes and correct them as they go. And yes, they may still come to you and ask for help sometimes! My son was able to set up most of the Harry Potter sets on his own, but he needed my help a few times. Any toy that encourages both teamwork and independence is one I’ll happily buy my kids!

3. LEGO sets encourage creativity. Do I even have to explain this one? Your kids can follow the directions or they can build anything they like! My kids are constantly bringing me new things they created to show me. And they’re impressive! They usually involve cars or spaceships or houses for those cars or spaceships, and it’s so fun to see what they create.

4. LEGO sets help improve fine motor skills. Since you obviously use your hands and fingers a lot when building with LEGO, they’re a great way to help your child’s dexterity! Putting tiny pieces together and taking them apart requires a lot of work with your fingers, and it can definitely help improve your child’s fine motor skills!

5. LEGO sets can teach kids how to follow directions. Since each set comes with a little set of step-by-step instructions, your child will learn how to carefully look at each step and follow the directions. Of course they’re always able to build whatever they want with the LEGO bricks, too, but if they need some practice following directions, LEGO sets are great for that (especially the first time they build a set!).

6. LEGO sets encourage imaginative play. With all the incredible sets that are available, your child will have no problem building something they love and will want to play with for hours. My son loved pretending that the Harry Potter minifigures were really playing quidditch and that Ron and Harry were really running away from giant spiders. Every set will encourage your child to play something new, and it’s so much fun to see what they’ll come up with! My son most often makes cars or spaceships to fly around, and my daughter likes to make little characters that she pretends are alive. It’s fun to watch, and it’s fun to play with them, too!

7. LEGO sets encourage problem solving. We run into this at least once every time my son builds a new set. He’ll accidentally miss a step or do a step wrong, and then a few steps later, realize it and have to go back and figure out what he did wrong and try to fix it. Or he’ll have an idea of what he wants to create in his head, and he has to figure out a way to build that with the bricks that he has on hand. It keeps his mind active and teaches him a skill that will help him throughout his life.

Mamas, if you’re not sold on buying your child a LEGO set by now, I don’t know what else I can say! Yes, I’ve stepped on a LEGO or two, and yes, it hurts as bad as you’ve heard, but I would step on 100 LEGO bricks to watch my kids build and create and play with their LEGO sets. Every kid should have a LEGO set because they really are such a unique, engaging toy for children that they’ll play with for hours and love for years. And make sure you check out the new LEGO Harry Potter sets, in stores and online now!

The post Why Every Kid Should Have a LEGO Set appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I received complimentary LEGOLAND California tickets in exchange for this post. This post also contains affiliate links.

Last month we had the chance to visit LEGOLAND California as a family for the very first time! Our four-year-old is LEGO obsessed, and he had so much fun the whole day we were there. He was so excited to see LEGOs everywhere he looked, to ride LEGO-themed rides, and to play with LEGOs while we were there. It was pretty much his best day ever!

Even as an adult, it’s an impressive place! We went to the LEGO Americana Roadshow in Texas, and LEGOLAND is like that but on a much bigger scale, plus rides! The people who build all of those LEGO models are amazing! Definitely fancier than the little things I build with Little J!

But as any parent knows, traveling with kids under five can be hard! Since we hadn’t been to LEGOLAND before, I did some research before to make sure we were prepared and were all set for a fun-filled day! Here are some helpful tips for going to LEGOLAND with a toddler:

1. Watch what your toddler puts in his mouth. Depending on the age of your toddler, this one is super important. Is it just me, or when toddlers walk around do they find all kinds of potential choking hazards on the ground? There are lots of little places where your kids can play with and build with LEGO bricks, but that also means that there could be random LEGO pieces on the ground all around the park. So just watch your toddler and be extra vigilant!

2. Bring sunscreen, and apply it a few times. California is sunny, and there are few things worse than a toddler with a sunburn. Make sure you apply sunscreen when you get there, and then again after lunch. If you’re going to be at the LEGOLAND Water Park, make sure you put it on after being in the water, too.

3. Wear bright colors. Dress your child in something bright so that if you happen to get separated, you’ll be able to spot them quickly.

4. Write your phone number on your toddler’s arm. I actually brought a permanent marker along on our trip specifically for this reason. I wrote my phone number on the inside of my kids’ upper arms so that if they got lost, I would be just a phone call away.

5. Get an identification bracelet for your toddler when you get to the park. So I didn’t know about this until after our trip, but you can stop at the Guest Services when you get to LEGOLAND and pick up an identification wristband for your toddler, so that if you get separated, it will be easy to be reunited!

6. Use the Baby Care Center. If your toddler is on the younger age, you might want to check out LEGOLAND’s Baby Care Center, located in the Fun Town area. It has a baby-changing area with rocking chairs for nursing mothers and highchairs, as well as a refrigerator and microwave for preparing meals. Your toddler might be too old for this, but even if you just go there to change their diaper, it’s a great resource!

7. Bring a stroller with shade and that can recline. Since your toddler will probably be taking a nap or two in the park, make sure you have a stroller that will accommodate them. We love our ZOE XL2 BEST v2 double stroller because it reclines almost all the way down, and the shade covers expand and almost completely cover your toddler (it’s also AMAZING for travel because it’s only 16 lbs and you can get a special travel bag for it). ZOE also makes a single stroller if you don’t need a double. And having a stroller that’s a bright color is a plus, too, because it helps your stroller stand out when you’re looking for it after going on rides!

8. Bring lots of snacks. There are a lot of fun rides at LEGOLAND, and if you want to do them, you’re going to have to wait in line. So bring some snacks to keep your toddler busy (and to prevent them from getting hungry and whiny!).

9. Bring Grandma. We were lucky enough to have my mom come along on our trip, and it was amazing because she was able to spend time with us and watch our baby and toddler who couldn’t go on the bigger rides. A lot of the rides at LEGOLAND have height requirements that aren’t toddler-friendly, and if you aren’t planning on doing the Parent Swap, having Grandma there will be a huge blessing.

10. Use Parent Swap. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a grandparent or friend come along, make sure you utilize the Parent Swap. Basically, everyone gets in line together (even the toddler who can’t ride), and when you reach the front, you tell the ride operator you want to do the Parent Swap. Then one parent rides the ride with the older child and when it’s done, the other parent can then ride with the older child. It’s an awesome feature that I don’t think many people know about!

11. Use the app. The LEGOLAND app is great because not only does it provide an interactive map, but it also has wait times, height requirements, a car finder (so cool!), and daily entertainment. It’s nice because sometimes when you have a toddler you don’t want to wait in a long line, and you can easily look at the app to see which rides have shorter wait times!

12. Go during the week and not on a holiday. Unfortunately, we went the day before Veteran’s Day and all the local schools were out, which meant the park was super busy and we didn’t get to do very many rides. So if you want to maximize your time and do as many things as possible, try to avoid holidays and weekends.

13. Bring refillable cups for water. We don’t give our kids juice or soda very often, and since you can bring your own water into the park, we made sure to bring their little refillable cups so they wouldn’t get dehydrated! California is a warm place, and it’s important to make sure your toddler gets enough to drink! We love these Munchkin Miracle 360 cups.

14. Bring sanitizer or sanitizing wipes. Any time we go somewhere where thousands of other people have been, I get a little worried about my kids picking something up. So after rides or after playing with LEGO bricks, or even just before meals, make sure you clean your toddler’s hands. Sanitizer or sanitizing wipes are an easy way to get them clean!

15. Bring a backpack diaper bag. I love my Fawn Design backpack diaper bag. I’ve had it for a year now and it’s still in great shape. It fits everything I need for three kids, and it lets me be hands-free! Super important when you’re going to be chasing a toddler around LEGOLAND!

16. Check height requirements before you go. One thing we made sure to do was to check what rides our daughter would be able to do before we went. That way she didn’t get excited about something and then have a meltdown when she wasn’t able to ride it.

Here are a few tips on things to do with your toddler in different areas of LEGOLAND:

Explorer’s Island: Check out Dig Those Dinos (where your toddler can dig for “dinosaur bones” in sand) and Fairytale Brook (a fun little boat ride)

Castle Hill: Walk through the Enchanted Walk (a walk-through display) and play on the dragon playground outside the line of The Dragon

Imagination Zone: Check out the DUPLO Play area (where kids can build with DUPLO bricks) or the 4D show (if your toddler is willing to sit still!)

Miniland: Ride the Coast Cruise (a boat ride where you can see animated LEGO models and international landmarks)

Fun Town: Ride the LEGOLAND Express (a cute train that goes around a LEGO farm!), run around DUPLO Play Town (a playground), and stop by the Baby Care Center

Heartlake City: Ride Mia’s Riding Camp (the merry-go-round!)

Pirate Shores: If you brought your swimsuit, Swabbies Deck is a fun splash pad!

Land of Adventure: If your toddler is at least 36″, they can ride the Cargo Ace (a cute plane ride)

LEGOLAND California is a lot of fun with little kids, and I’m glad we got to go! It’s definitely a great place to visit with toddlers and young kids, and if my four-year-old had his way, we’d be going back again ASAP! Hopefully these tips for going to LEGOLAND with a toddler will come in handy on your trip, and if you think of any others, let me know!

The post Tips for Going to LEGOLAND with a Toddler appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Disclaimer: This post is satirical in nature and is not meant to offend anyone. Dear family, I love you. Thanks for spending money on my kids.

Don’t you wish there was a way to veto certain Christmas gifts before they are given to your kids? A way to stop the madness before it even begins?

I am very grateful that my children have grandparents and aunts and uncles and friends who are willing to buy them gifts. I am.

I’m just saying it would be nice to be able to say no before the gift is given so we don’t end up getting rid of it two months after Christmas.

There are just some things moms don’t want you to buy their kids for Christmas. Here’s a helpful guide when you’re shopping for my kids this year:

Things Moms Don’t Want You To Buy Their Kids for Christmas

Toys that need batteries

First of all, this means that the toy either makes noises or moves. Most of the time that’s not something I’m down with because it means I’m going to be hearing annoying honks and beeps repeatedly for hours, or I’m going to be changing the batteries incredibly often because my kids are guaranteed to leave the toy on by accident. Second of all, that means once the batteries run out in a few months, I’m going to have to go to the store and buy new ones or listen to repeated requests to replace the batteries. Over and over and over. No thanks.

Toys that have more than ten small pieces

I’m fine if my child gets a fun toy with a few small little accessories or things you can change out. That’s easy to keep track of. But if you go out and buy him a set of tiny LEGOS or a racing track where every single piece pulls apart, you know that’s going to be spread all throughout my house. I’m fine with my child enjoying their present, but if it means I’ll be finding tiny pieces between couch cushions, under my bed, or even in my shoes, I’m going to have to say no. Plus, stepping on those things is the worst. Real life.

Toys taller or wider than 2 feet

Whether you are living in a house or an apartment, you probably don’t want to dedicate four bedrooms to housing your children’s toys. But that is what is going to happen if every year, each one of my kids gets a giant Christmas present. So let’s just stop this craziness before it begins.

Toys without an off button

I don’t know why companies would make toys without an off switch, but my kids have been gifted a few toys that you can’t turn off. This means that I either have to go find a screwdriver and take the batteries out while my child isn’t paying attention (which will almost surely result in a tantrum when they realize what has happened), or I have to listen to the same music over and over again for days and weeks and months on end. Which is basically torture, and could definitely be used to extract information out of criminals.

Toys without volume switches

I can most likely suck it up and deal with a toy that makes sounds if I can at least turn the volume down so I don’t have to hear it everywhere I go in the house. But if there’s no volume switch and it just plays at the same deafening volume every time my kids play with it, then I’m going to be ditching that thing on my next Goodwill trip.

Anything that will make a mess

Basically any art supplies, anything sticky, anything that I have to 100% supervise my children with, that’s a no. I love playing with my kids, but if I can’t step away for a minute while they’re playing, then we probably won’t ever get the toy out.

Candy

Just no. Either my kids will be hopped up on sugar for a full day because I don’t have the heart to say no when they ask me for some, or I will end up eating it all. I mean we still have some leftover Halloween candy, so we’re all set on candy.

Character clothing

Yes, my kids love Disney and have favorite characters, but if you get them a shirt with a princess or a superhero on it, they will ask to wear it EVERY SINGLE DAY. And then when I tell them it’s dirty, we get to experience a tantrum, which I generally prefer to avoid. Let’s just stick with patterns and plain clothes, okay?

Giant stuffed animals

Have you ever seen that giant teddy bear that Costco sells? Let’s get real here. If someone actually bought that for my kids, it would take up 1/2 of their bedroom. Yes, it’s fun for like 5 minutes, but if you have to deal with the reality of actually storing that thing somewhere, it becomes a nightmare. So please, no giant stuffed animals.

Anything with expensive accessories

The best example I can think of for this is an American Girl doll. My daughter got a catalog in the mail a few weeks ago and you don’t even want to know how much the accessories cost for those things. We could go on a family cruise with all the money we save not having a toy with expensive accessories. So let’s just agree to not even start with that.

Breakable, fragile figurines

While I may appreciate fancy, collectible figurines, my kids do not. Please don’t buy them things that will just sit on a shelf or things that will immediately break if something accidentally hits them. Do you even remember what it’s like to live with little kids?

If you’ve made it through this list and I’ve basically shot down every gift you were thinking of getting my kids, I apologize. But maybe you need to rethink your gifting strategy. Or just ask me what my kids want for Christmas.

The post Things Moms Don’t Want You to Buy Their Kids for Christmas appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of North Star Mall, your GGP shopping destination. All opinions are 100% mine.

On my son’s first birthday he got his first set of LEGOs®. He learned how to stack them, build them, and of course, knock them down. Ever since then, he has loved LEGOs®. And I love watching and helping him build new things. I think he asks to get them out at least once a day, and he’s almost 3 1/2 now.

So when I heard about the LEGO® Americana Roadshow that was coming to the North Star Mall in San Antonio, I knew I wanted to take him. And seriously guys, it’s amazing and I am so glad we went! We might actually go back before it’s done because it was so well done and great for any age!

The LEGO® Americana Roadshow is a free exhibit that is open to everyone. It’s spread throughout the North Star Mall, so it’s a great chance to go check out the mall if you haven’t been there before. The exhibit features 10 monuments based on iconic buildings and architectural structures that are built entirely of LEGO® bricks. And none of the bricks were custom-made either, which I thought was super impressive. All of the pieces used can be found in a set that already exists! The exhibit is a really fun way to learn about American history and get to check out some awesome LEGO® buildings at the same time! And I’m not going to share pictures of everything because I want you guys to be surprised, but I will share some of my favorites!!

Like I said, my son LOVED it. He’s 3 1/2, and every time we walked up to a new monument, he hopped off the stroller and ran over to get a closer look. My husband and I also loved it, and I was super impressed with the attention to detail and size of all the monuments. As we walked from each exhibit I saw school-age kids and teenagers stopping to look, as well as older people pulling out their phones and taking pictures! It really is a great, free activity in San Antonio that is perfect for everyone.

The LEGO® Americana Roadshow is currently at The North Star Mall (7400 US 281 Access Road, San Antonio, TX 78216) and will be there from August 20-September 5, but it has been traveling around the country since 2014, and will be heading to two more cities this year. So even if you aren’t in the San Antonio area, there are other places you can see it!

And seriously, I had such a great time at the event. My favorite monument was the U.S. Capitol Building. It’s the biggest one they have, and it ix 26×13 feet. They have a contest right next to the monument for people to guess how many LEGO® bricks it took to build. The winner gets  $200 mall gift card, and the runner up gets a $100 LEGO® gift card. I honestly have no idea how many bricks it took, but I know it took 17,000 hours to build and that is enough for me!

Another cool thing about the exhibit is that all the monuments were developed in Connecticut at the LEGO®  headquarters by master builders. They used a special program called Bricklayer that lays out the models one layer at a time so that they get instructions once they are designed on how to build it. Crazy, right?

And the detail that goes into these monuments is incredible! A lot of the monuments have little statues or tiny words or really small details that are so cool to look at. And since they don’t use any custom bricks, it is fun seeing what they come up with! I’m pretty sure the U.S. Supreme Court Building had croissants on it!

There are little signs next to each monument that give you real facts about the actual monuments, so you can learn a little history while you’re exploring the event. They also have maps with questions about each model (the answers can be found on each sign) and if you fill out all the questions you can take it back to the LEGO®  store and get a free LEGO® Americana Roadshow poster!

Inside the Lincoln Memorial building is a little statue of Abraham Lincoln (like the real one of course), and it has become a tradition at each mall the exhibit travels to for people to throw pennies inside the monument. LEGO® gathers up all the money and donates it to the Children’s Hospital at the end of every year! How cool is that?

One of the coolest monuments is the Liberty Bell. It’s the only one without a rope around it, so you can get up close at take pictures and even feel it. Something cool about this monument is that it is built on a 1:1 scale, so it’s the same size as the real Liberty Bell! I’ve never seen the Liberty Bell in person so it was cool to see how big it really is.

Like I said, the exhibit is perfect for adults and little kids alike, and one thing that both of my kids loved was the little special LEGO® Brickscapes throughout the mall. They aren’t on the map so you get to find them on your own, and each one features different characters from different LEGO® sets. There was one based on The LEGO® Movie, one with Mt. Rushmore, one based on a mall (with tiny LEGO® Americana exhibits and Star Wars characters in it), one with a snowman being built by tiny LEGO® figures, and one that was based off of the LEGO® Duplo sets. Little A loved seeing Cinderella inside the Duplo one, and Little J loved all of them!

The last thing we did at the exhibit was the LEGO® Play Area. Upstairs in front of the food court there is an area for kids to build with traditional LEGO® bricks and Duplo bricks. It’s fully staffed and open any hours that the mall is open, and it’s the perfect way to end your trip throughout the exhibit. Little J had fun trying to build a car to race down the tracks, and Little A just had fun building random things.

We had a great time walking around The North Star Mall and we also went into the LEGO® store when we were done. Little A found a Sofia the First Duplo set that she didn’t want to let go of, and my husband found some sweet motorized LEGO® sets that he told me he wanted. We also explored a few other stores while we were there. It’s a huge mall and there are so many different kinds of stores and lots of great food options available, both fast food and sit-down. Even though The North Star Mall isn’t the closest mall to us, we will definitely be back soon!

And in case you weren’t already packing up the kids to go check it out, I have two more exciting things to tell you about the exhibit. LEGO® is also hosting a sweepstakes for a $25o LEGO® gift card while the exhibit is here. You can enter by taking a photo of the exhibit at the mall and uploading it to Instagram using the hashtag #LEGOAmericana, you can use the online entry form and RSVP before you go, or you can enter by mail (see official rules for details). It’s a simple and fun way to enter to win an awesome prize!

The last thing I want to tell you is that next weekend is the special Make-and-Take weekend where a limited number of mini monuments are given away to attendees! On August 27-28 from 12-4pm each day, you can get your very own tiny version of The Liberty Bell! Little J and I built ours together, and it was so fun! I am seriously amazed at the things you can build with LEGOs®. It’s almost crazy! Anyway, if you want to go check out the exhibit, try and go next Saturday or Sunday between 12 and 4 because you could get one of the mini monuments!

Our family loved visiting the LEGO® Americana Roadshow, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with kids or without kids! Go check it out before it moves on to another city! And don’t forget to RSVP for the LEGO® Roadshow at the North Star Mall for a chance to win a $250 LEGO® Gift Card!

The post The Lego Americana Roadshow at the North Star Mall appeared first on Life With My Littles.