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How to Display Your Child’s Artwork—Creatively!

October 10, 2014 by

If your budding artist creates so many priceless paintings that your refrigerator is looking a bit cluttered, it may be time for a new way to display his or her art. There is a wide variety of ways to hang kids’ art in your home, and they’ll still even help you to stick to your current design scheme. Here are some of the top things to do with kids’ artwork.

  1. Hang a clothesline of art. Using a thin, clothesline-style rope, you can easily hang your little one’s paintings on the wall and transition them as often as you please. Simply fasten the rope at either end, attach a few clothespins and hang the artwork freely throughout.
  2. Turn a painting into a postage stamp. If your home is already filled with your child’s artwork, why not show his or her paintings off in other creative places? There are a number of different sites that enable you to scan and upload any photo you choose to a fully functional, U.S. Postal Service-approved postage stamp.
  3. Create a matching series. Give your child some watercolor paints in a few complementary colors and let him or her go wild. Afterward, frame the paintings in elegant white frames to create a gallery-worthy series that’s perfect for display.
  4. Turn it into a large canvas. Through the magic of the Internet, you can now scan your children’s artwork and have it printed on a large, high quality canvas in any shape you choose.

3 Ideas for Displaying Kids’ Artwork [Real Simple]
Kids + Art! [Babble]
What to Do with Kid Art [Parents.com]

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How to Take the Stress Out of Back-to-School

September 19, 2014 by

From the school supply shopping to the transportation planning, going back to school can be stressful on both you and your little one. Luckily, these helpful tips will take the stress out of the beginning of a new school year.

  1. Instill a positive attitude. First and foremost, it’s important to help your child to think positively about the beginning of school. Ask a lot of questions about how he or she feels, and be sure to speak encouragingly whenever discussing school. Even the most confident child likely has a few butterflies about starting a new grade level, so be positive enough for the both of you.
  2. Create a back-to-school routine. After staying up late and sleeping in all summer, it can be difficult for children to get back into the swing of things once fall rolls around. A week or so before the first day, start instating a reasonable bedtime and serving a wholesome breakfast a bit earlier than usual to create good habits once school starts.
  3. Get organized. Purchase only the essentials when school shopping and pack them into a backpack a few days ahead of time. Obtain a bus assignment or other transportation information, and spend some time going over your child’s new schedule. Finally, be sure to set out a reliable camera to snap that priceless first day of school photo.

Ease Back-to-School Stress [School Family]
What Not to Take Back-to-School? Stress. It’s Toxic! [Healthy Child]
Ease back to school stress with these six tips [Good to Know]

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School’s Out! How to Keep Your Kids Entertained This Summer

July 25, 2014 by

Now that school’s out for summer and the kids have nowhere to be all day, it can feel overwhelming to keep your little ones entertained. You want them to have fun and make the most of their summer off, and these four activities are sure to help.

  1. Make outdoor art. Take their usual arts and crafts outside into the sun with this creative idea. Spread an old, light colored bed sheet on the ground and let the kids go wild with colorful paints. There’s virtually no cleanup involved, except on the kids themselves!
  2. Bake gingerbread cookies. If you think that gingerbread men are just for the holidays, think again. When you let the kids decorate gingerbread cookies with summer-themed outfits, these bathing beauties become a fun summertime treat as well.
  3. Create your own obstacle course. When you want the kids to have fun while also getting in some physical activity, try creating your own obstacle course in the backyard. Lay down a wooden ladder for them to run through, tie a rope swing to a tree, and even make your own balance beam using a simple two-by-four beam.
  4. Visit the farmers market. Teach your children about the value of good nutrition by taking them with you to pick up fresh produce at the farmers market.

50 Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids [Six Sisters’ Stuff]
Summer Activities for Kids [Martha Stewart Crafts]
101 Things to Do with Kids This Summer [Care.com]
100 Summer Fun Ideas for Kids and Parents [Work-at-Home Moms]
Free (or Almost Free) Summer Fun Ideas [Camp PBS Parents]

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Check Your Baby Name’s Popularity on the U.S. Social Security Website

April 11, 2014 by

If you're an expecting parent, you probably already know that the process of choosing the perfect name for your baby is quite a feat, from getting your partner on the same page to ensuring your little one won't share her name with countless classmates at school.

We can't help sway your partner's vote, but did you know that you can screen a name's popularity on the U.S. Social Security website? There are a few ways to go about your research: 1) You can see the top ten boys and girls names from the previous year, 2) search the most popular names by year (all the way back to 1879!), or 3) input a name to view its popularity over time. You can even view the most popular names by state or decade.

How does your baby's name (or your own name!) rank on the lists?

Popular Baby Names [Social Security]

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Fun Party Ideas for Kids

January 31, 2013 by

When it comes to kids’ parties, it’s essential to keep it fun and organized. So, if you’re tasked with planning a party for little ones at BLVD l Loudoun Station, check out these party ideas for some creative inspiration.

Pizza Party
Before you dismiss this idea, there is a way to make the tried-and-true pizza party fresh again. If your kids love to cook, purchase some pizza dough and set out a variety of toppings. Let kids craft their perfect pizza and then pop them in the over for baking. Kids will love munching on their handiwork. To continue with the foodie theme, instead of cake, have all the children frost and decorate their very own cupcakes.

Scavenger Hunt
Kids love a good competition and an old-fashioned scavenger hunt is fun no matter the time of year. In warmer months, send kids outside to collect things from nature, or in the colder weather have them scour the indoors for items like a “small fork," “something red," or a “business card."

Movie Night
For older children who can sit through a film, you can turn your home into a movie theater. Make popcorn and end the movie with a fun trivia game based on the movie – winner gets “movie theater” treats like a box of Sour Patch Kids or a gift card to the local theater.

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