Kid Friendly Archives - Busy Moms Helper

DIY New Year’s Eve Shakers

December 27, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

I’ll admit, we use to do more of a ‘party’ as a family for New Year’s Eve when we lived in Utah. There’d be tons of food, some fireworks in the road in front of the house, and countdowns (one of the kids, one of the adults) – I loved it! The past few years we’ve been much more mellow, watching some movies together then going to bed before midnight. Blah! This year, we’re hoping to do more with our kids – letting them stay up, doing more activities, and really enjoying our time together (and hopefully sleep in). These DIY New Year’s Eve Shakers will be a fun addition to create AND celebrate with!

I know, they’re going to be NOISY – but letting the kids make some crazy noise after the ball drop is a rare treat that we can deal with. I can only imagine how excited they’ll be, and their smiled will be worth the few minutes of shakers 🙂

Supplies

8 Empty Keurig Cups
4 Dowel Rods or Popsicle Sticks
Popcorn Kernels
Washi Tape (Any Colors/Designs)
Scissors

Directions

Decorate the outside of each Keurig cup with the tape. Create your own designs and have fun with it!
Fill one cup about ½ full with popcorn kernels.
Place another cup on top and wrap washi tape around the middle, securing them together. Go around 2-3 times.
Take your dowel rod or popsicle stick and place it on the back. Secure it with 3-4 strips of washi tape.
Now, they are ready to shake and have fun!!

What’s your New Year’s Eve traditions?

20 Winter Handprint Crafts

December 22, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This weekend is Christmas (crazy, right?!) and some kids will soon be bored with the holiday vacation already. If you’re looking for a fun winter activity for kids, these 20 Winter Handprint Crafts are just the ticket! I’m partial to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle handprints myself, and I know my kiddos would love the salt dough ornaments, too!

DIY Handprint Ornament: Christmas Craft from blog.consumercrafts.com
Handprint Angel Craft For Kids You’ll Cherish Forever from alittlepinchofperfect.com
Handprint And Footprint Angel Craft from easypeasyandfun.com
Hand And Footprint Reindeer from freekidscrafts.com
Fingerprint Christmas Tree Salt Dough Ornament from easypeasyandfun.com
Handprint Reindeer Christmas Ornament Craft For Kids from buggyandbuddy.com
Handprint Christmas Wreath from icanteachmychild.com
Snowman Handprint Christmas Ornament from littleredwindow.com
Handprint Reindeer Puppets And Treat Bags from icanteachmychild.com
Family Handprint Christmas Tree from mamasmiles.com
Family Hand Print Christmas Tree Canvas from muminthemadhouse.com
Handprint Reindeer Ornaments from kidsstuffworld.com
Homemade Christmas Decorations from kidscraftroom.com
Handprint Christmas Tree from theimaginationtree.com
Make A Paper Plate Reindeer from education.com
Handprint Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Salt Dough Ornament from iheartartsncrafts.com
Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer Kid Craft from theresourcefulmama.com
Snowy Owl Handprint Craft from funhandprintartblog.com
Polar Bear Handprint Winter Craft from intheplayroom.co.uk
Handprint Polar Bear from funhandprintartblog.com

Which of these cute and creative Winter Handprint Crafts are your kids most excited to try?

Star Wars Printable Cupcake Toppers

November 21, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Star Wars was a huge part of my childhood, and marrying a fellow fan resulted in our kids being raised this way as well. Of course, instead of just the originals, our kids get to enjoy the newer films AND side stories like Star Wars Rebels, expanding that world even further. I love sharing this with my family, so it’s only natural we’d love having themed parties or cupcake decorations just for the heck of it! Now you can join in with these Free Star Wars Printable Cupcake Toppers – and they’re not just great for cupcakes, but also for dangly decor, stickers and so much more!

Don’t forget to see Get Away Today from great Disney vacation prices – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

If you’ve enjoyed our previous Star Wars printables – such as stick puppets or the soda bottle gift set – then these are probably right up your alley! I love how these ones are not only colorful and adorable, but have a little spunk to each of the characters.

There’s quite a variety of your favorite CLASSIC characters – Yoda, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Darth Vader, C3P0 and R2D2. There’s even one with my favorite couple in the galaxy, Han and Leia together!

To use as a cupcake topper, just cut out and tape to either lollipop sticks or toothpicks then stick into your cupcakes. Easy peasy!

They print nicely onto 8.5×11 size paper (I recommend printing onto cardstock for durability), making them roughly 1.5-2″ (ish) in diameter. You can print into a smaller size if you’re looking for tinier circles, of course.

Another idea is to tape them to streamers or gift wrap ribbon to hang around for decorations. Maybe as a backdrop for a ‘photo booth’ spot during a party?

Another unique idea is to print of two of the sheets, cut them out – then do a Star Wars themed memory game. It’s a great way to keep littles entertained for a bit, plus work on their memory AND fine motor (flipping over little circles) skills!

These Star Wars printables are free as part of our subscriber-exclusive printables, so if you’re not already on our weekly newsletter list then be sure to sign up below for access to this fun printable and many others!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars character?

20 DIY Halloween Mason Jars

October 15, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

I love doing crafts, especially around the holidays. They’re just extra special, plus you can do decor or gifts and consider it a check off your list of to-dos anyway! For some extra fun, here’s a list of 20 DIY Halloween Mason Jars – you can pick from spiders or monsters, bats or candy corn, even cute ‘BOO’ jars for some festive decor!

My personal favorites are the mummy jars because they’re so dang cute! My kids would have a fun time with several of these, including the ghost lanterns. There’s a little something for everyone, so pick your favorite and get your Halloween craft on with these fun Halloween Mason Jars!

Mason Jar Crafts Love – Zombie Mason Jars

Blue i Style – Mason Jar Jack O Lanterns

Mabey She Made It – DIY Halloween Treat Jar

A Pumpkin and a Princess – Halloween Etched Glass Mason Jar Luninaries

Crafts by Amanda – Frankenstein Luminaries

Kids Craft Room – Neon Mason Jar Mummies

Landeelou – Black and White Halloween Painted Mason Jars

Just a Girl and Her Blog – Halloween Mason Jar Luminaries

Two Sisters Crafting – Spooky Halloween Mason Jars

MomDot – Halloween Drip Painted Mason Jars

Oh So Savvy Mom – DIY Upcycled Halloween Village Luminaries

Anne’s Entitled Life – Sugar Skull Mason Jar

Mason Jar Crafts Love – Candy Corn Mason Jars

Yesterday on Tuesday – Lighted Halloween Mason Jar

Simply Kierste – Mason Jar Ghost Lantern

It All Started With Paint – Mummy Mason Jars

Miss Information – Halloween Luninaries

House of Hawthornes – Painted Halloween Mason Jar Craft

Bee of Good Cheer – Polka Dot Candy Corn Mason Jar

MomDot – Halloween Mason Jars

Disney Activity & Autograph Book

October 3, 2018 by Danielle 24 Comments

By popular demand, we’ve updated our Disney-themed autograph & activity books! Now there’s even more pages for extended fun while you’re at any Disney-themed park, cruise, event or just at home for some magical fun. Here’s the major changes we made with our ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity & Autograph Book:

Contains purchase/affiliate links. See our disclosure for more info.

Changes:

Now there is no park-specific option. Pages are all general Disney-themes, so will work at any of the parks, cruise line, etc.
54 Total pages of activities, memory sheets and autograph pages
Cover now says ‘My Magical Vacation’
Newer characters, such as Moana, now included in autograph sheets

Get the PDF HERE for just $2!

Get the new PRINTED version from Amazon HERE (coming soon)

Get the old PRINTED version from Amazon HERE

Check out our Facebook live showing of the OLD book HERE

Since our original book was released a couple of years ago, people are LOVING it! The favorites so far are the fun Star Wars autograph pages, jokes, and creating your own treehouse or superhero. With more than 54 pages in the new book, there’s plenty for everyone, whether young or old! Yes, us adults even enjoy them 🙂

Disney Activity Pages

To keep short attention spans happy, we included a large variety of things for them to do, such as:

Games
Mazes
Connect the Dots
Matching
Crosswords
Create your own map, super hero suit and treehouse
Coloring
Jokes
Trivia
and more!

Even THOR loved playing the games with my friend Lexi’s boy!

Disney Autograph Pages

Long gone are the days of boring, blank autograph pages – we’ve got more than 28 creatively designed ones to nab signatures from favorite characters! We’ve covered classics like Mickey & Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, princesses like Ariel, Belle and Rapunzel, and even Darth Vader and Avengers! Such a great Disney souvenir!

Donald Duck went CRAZY for his special page – it says #1 Duck, of course!

Even Minnie got in on the fun, along with Chip at Goofy’s Kitchen!

We’re excited to catch try and catch Kilo Ren next time – got the perfect page just for him!

Disney Memories

Creating memories together is a HUGE reason to do family vacations, right? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been very good at writing them down before we forget many! Now you can keep track with our several pages designed exactly for that purpose – keeping the most important moments safe. You can list funny moments or things people said on the trip, favorite foods and rides, how old people were and who was with you, and even trace your child’s hand print so you can remember how big – or little – they were! Updated – no longer with dates, so you can use them any year!

To make it super easy to put in your bags or carry around at the parks, we sized it at 6×9. Our kids had no problem keeping track of theirs – they refused to let us carry them since they were having so much fun!

We have two options for the book, so you can get it in whatever way works best for your family:

Disney Themed – any park, trip, cruise, etc.

PDF Download: print and bind it yourself, especially nice if you have lots of children (via Gumroad)
Old Version Professional Printed Book: already bound with shiny cover (via Amazon)
New Version Professional Printed Book: already bound with shiny cover (via Amazon) – coming soon

So turn the lines at Disney from boring to fantastic with our newly updated ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity & Autograph Book! More info available in our Store!

This is included in our Busy Mom Bundle, along with other fabulous printable packs!

Book your next Disney vacation with Get Away Today for the best deals – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Check out our other products HERE

Family Home Binder

2018 Planner & Calendar

Summer Camp Kits or Kid Activity Packs

A YEAR of Meal Plans plus Recipes – on a budget!

Other Disney fun you may like!

Free Printable Disneyland Height Requirements

August 15, 2018 by Danielle 1 Comment

Y’all know that we’re one of those crazy, Disney-loving families that have taken our kids during all sorts of ages and heights. I was so excited when my youngest finally reached 42″, because we could then go on ALMOST every single ride! Woot woot! For those travelling with younger ones that may require extra attention to what they can and can’t go on, here’s some super fun Free Printable Disneyland Height Requirements – plus a sheet for California Adventure, as well! And yes, they’ve been updated with the changes to Pixar Pier 🙂

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.

Disneyland Height Requirements

As we get ready for our Disney trips, we have fun with our DIY Disney Countdown, as well as prepare our kids for what rides they can or can’t go on due to any height restrictions. I think that by being prepared, we can help avoid more meltdowns at the parks, making it the best Disney vacation ever! On these printables, you’ll find some favorite characters from each of the parks – like Mike & Sulley for the California Adventure sheet! I couldn’t resist also including Dusty, since he’s one of my boys’ absolute FAVS!

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I tried to make this as convenient as possible, with the MANY rides that don’t have any height requirement at all listed right at the top. You can pair this with our amazing ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity Book, but even alone it’s still the perfect printable to fold into your pocket or fanny pack to use for quick reference at the parks.

You can download and print off your FREE printables here….

Download the Disneyland Height Requirements Here

Download the California Adventure Height Requirements Here

Check out Get Away Today to book your trip today! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper to save $10 off your package!

Don’t forget to save some money (every few dollars saved is another Dole Whip – woot woot!) and book your magical vacation -whether it’s Disneyland, Walt Disney World, or even Legoland or Universal Studios – through the awesome folks at Get Away Today! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper to save $10 on your package!

Check out the fun changes to Pixar Pier (formerly Paradise Pier) like the Incredicoaster!

And did you know – ur ‘Unofficial’ Disney Activity Book is available as a PDF download OR you can nab a printed one from Amazon! Woot woot!

Check out Get Away Today to book your trip today! Use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper to save $10 off your package!

Toy Story Alien Craft

August 1, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Y’all know how much our family loves Disney, right? Well, putting together a fun Disney craft for kids was a great way to celebrate the opening of the new Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World. In anticipation of our visit there later this year, we made this Toy Story Alien Craft – a great activity for a lazy afternoon!

Aren’t they cute? We’re all excited to check out the new Toy Story Land during our trip – the Alien ride looks really fun, but we’re especially eager to try out Slinky Dog Dash! I’m sure y’all know how patient kids are when leading up to a vacation (note the sarcasm there), so why not give them a little Disney creating while they wait with this awesome Alien craft?

Eager for your own Disney vacation? Check out Get Away Today for the best deals! Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

Supplies

Directions

Take your green paper plate and cut it in half with your scissors. You will instantly have an Alien shaped head. Grab that glue stick and glue three eyes onto each Alien.
Now take another green paper plate and draw/cut out an Alien antenna. When you have two Alien antennas, take your glue stick and glue an antenna onto each Alien.
While your eyes and antennas are drying, take your black sparkle foam paper and cut out four Alien ears. Glue those ears onto your Aliens
Now for the fun part! Take your black marker and draw a mouth on each Alien. I suggest practicing on a blank piece of paper to perfect your technique before drawing on your plate.
Enjoy your two fun new Alien friends!

Told you it was super easy – and it’s likely that you have at least some of the supplies on hand already. Maybe not BIG googly eyes or green paper plates, but you can easily buy or order those. Then you’re all set for some Toy Story Alien crafting.

Eager for your own Disney vacation? Check out Get Away Today for the best deals! Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

Homework Station for Teens & Tweens

July 30, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackToSchoolGoals18 #CollectiveBias

Supporting our kids at home can really help their success at school, especially as they get older and into higher, more challenging grades. One way we can provide that help to them is having things organized in a way that makes homework and study time less hassle – and maybe even more fun. We put together this organized and colorful Homework Station for Teens & Tweens as we’re getting nearer to the start of the school year, and stocking up on all of the essentials. We’re even showing you how to make this super simple DIY Pencil Caddy!

Back to school shopping can be stressful, which is why I make sure to plan ahead and go early before the rush. Walmart always has what I need in just one stop, which is a huge sanity saver! Not only that, but be sure to check out their specific Back-to-School section so you don’t have to wander all over the store to grab everything you need for your students.

From my experience, teacher supplies lists can be a bit generic – which is fantastic in finding what you need and covering all the basis – but be sure to stock up on the items you’ll certainly need plenty of for the school year, such as Scotch® tape or Post-it® Original Pop-up Notes. I go through a TON of them all year long, and love that I can keep a good stash of them to pull out whenever.

My tweens have started using Post-it® Notes Cubes and Post-it® Tabs a lot, using them to mark pages in their books (without the worry of leaving marks) or planners to help them stay on track and more organized. Of course they LOVE leaving little memos and friendly notes all over, too – but I’m all for it if it makes learning time more fun for them!

Supplies

Post-it® Notes Cubes and Post-it® Tabs
Box or Container
Paper of Choice
Scissors
Containers or Organizers
Tissue Paper, if desired
School Supplies

Note: If you’re using a box, make sure the top flaps are removed first.

Directions

Decorate the box/container. For ours, we just used some sturdy paper (like construction or card stock). Your teen/tween can even decorate it beforehand, if they want! Start with a strip on the four outside corners, just so they are covered neatly. Next, size pieces of paper to cover all the outside sides of the box. Fold over the top and bottom and smooth out, then use Scotch® Super Hold Tape to secure it into place.
If you want some depth to for your containers, use tissue paper to build up the bottom (we put the back row of containers higher than the front, just because we liked the look of it better).
Place your containers, then fill with all of your student’s school supplies!

See, I told you it was really simple – and it’s a great way for them to customize their supply box, making it a bit more enjoyable when it’s time for them to tackle homework or study. We filled our containers with pencils and other supplies to help them, then set up a nice area for them to store it until needed.

I’m pretty relieved that I thought ahead this year instead of waiting until the last minute – but at least I know I can always grab everything my kiddos will need for back to school during my regular Walmart trip – because I almost always forget something!

Be sure to go here more Back-to-School Inspiration & Help!

Printable Disney Aulani Activity & Autograph Pages

July 18, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Y’all know how much I love everything Disney – but I’ve never yet had the privilege of visiting Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii. It’s definitely on the wish list! I do have some friends that go frequently, though, so I thought it’d be fun to make some awesome printables. Whether it’s your first trip or tenth, these Printable Disney Aulani Activity & Autograph Pages are sure to make your trip even more magical and memorable!

Don’t forget to check out Get Away Today for the best vacation package deals! Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

Since Disney’s Aulani is more of a tropical resort – and not a theme park – this booklet doesn’t have quite as many pages as our regular Disney Activity & Autograph book, but it’s still full of colorful, themed fun! There’s a stylish cover (front and back), plus an inside page for your child to put their info from the trip.

There’s then 4 pages of activities and jokes for them to have a bit of Disney-themed fun. These can be great for giving them something to do for a few moments during the flight, waiting to travel, or just some down time at the resort.

Following the activities, there’s then 12 pages for autographs, with a wide variety to cover the types of characters that you’re more likely to see at Disney’s Aulani resort.

There’s some for the classics, like Mickey and Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and Chip and Dale.

Then we’ve created some brand new ones for characters such as Moana and Maui, Lilo and Stitch, Ariel (she’s definitely tropical/beach-themed, so might be there!) and even one for the ‘Cucamonga’ – the little coconut-like creatures from the film!

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A total of 20 pages, sized at 6×9 to be a better fit for littler hands – plus more easily to travel with! You can print them out onto normal paper (I recommend cardstock) and staple or bind together. Or take them to professional printing center to have them printed very good quality and bound to last for a long while. The choice is yours!

These amazing Disney Aulani Printables are one of our fun subscriber-exclusives, so be sure you sign up to join our newsletter to gain access to this free printable and more!

What’s YOUR favorite character that may be at Disney’s Aulani resort?

Nab our other Disney Activity & Autograph Books here!

Don’t forget to check out Get Away Today for the best vacation package deals! Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper

Decorating with Stencils

July 6, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Stencil Revolution. All opinions are mine alone. #StencilRevolution

It feels like we just moved into this house yesterday, while at the same time feeling like we’ve been here years. In all reality, it’s been about 2.5 months – and I haven’t done a single bit of decorating! In all fairness, I still have plenty of boxes to unpack and the more important items to check off the list first, but it really bothers me having nothing on my walls. I was thrilled to get a project to try out, especially because Decorating with Stencils and being able to paint makes me so happy! My kids know when I pull out my ‘painting clothes’, that I’m ready for some DIY fun.

I had so many ideas on what to do with the large 35″x35″ Texas State stencil I got – everything from a collage of photos cut to fit inside, to string art filling up the stencil – but ultimately I decided it’d be a fun addition to this huge BLANK spot on one of my upstairs walls. I mean, check out all this boring wall space….

Yup, it was definitely in need of something. For something a little more unique – and because I received both the outside AND inside pieces to this awesome stencil from Stencil Revolution – I decided to do the state shape itself in black chalkboard paint.

It took three or four coats to get it as smooth and dark as I wanted, but then was a beautiful Texas-shaped chalkboard spot on the wall!

Next, to add a bunch of fun color! I replaced the outside stencil with the inside, protecting my (fully dried, of course) Texas state shape. I chose four different colors (pink, blue, green and purple), then took some old rags and used THE RAGS to smudge each color all over randomly…

I’m sure you could make the smudging work with paint brushes, but I felt that the rags really gave it the random splotches, streaks and swipes that I was going for. At first, I was just going to do it a couple inches out from the black shape, but loved the look so much that I decided to fill that whole indented area on the wall – and I love how it turned out!

Soon, I want to add a red heart on top of the Texas shape right where DFW is, since that’s home for us!

Since I already had my ‘painting clothes’ and all my supplies out, I tackled another one of the fabulous stencils I got from Stencil Revolution – an awesome quote for the kitchen that reads ‘Today’s Menu: Eat it or Starve’ I know many of you moms are chuckling, just as I did as I browsed the site full of stencils! I feel like dinnertime is a constant battle, so may as well have a bit of humor with it – along with a pop of color in the kitchen, right?

There’s not a ton of wall space in my kitchen, which is fine with me because I love all the cabinet space and openness. This 18″x12″ vertical stencil fit perfectly on this column by my island area, and really helped that blank spot that was just begging to be decorated!

I’m thrilled to finally have some fun colors in my house, and had so much fun painting! I’m eager to add some more stencil decorations to my walls (I’ve got a beautiful saying to go in my bedroom, and a fun Iron Man face that the boys will enjoy in the game room or their bedroom), so stay tuned for more DIY projects and colorful fun!

What stencil would YOU want for your home?

Printable Disney Banner

June 6, 2018 by Danielle 12 Comments

With our family Disney World vacation happening in a few months, we’re getting our countdown out and ready. I’m excited that many of YOU can enjoy this Printable Disney Banner too!! Even if you’re not planning a Disney trip, it can be used for parties, or just for fun.

Book your next Disney vacation with Get Away Today for the best deals – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

(originally shared March 2016) See, isn’t it fun?! I did Mickey-eared numbers from 1-31, so you can count down the month leading up to your vacation. OR combine numbers for a birthday banner for the special persons age! There are TWENTY pages, with 4 triangle banner pieces per page. Just print them off (I recommend cardstock, but that’s entirely up to you), cut them out, then string or tape where you like.

My hubby had a super idea (when I agreed it was genius, our Thor said ‘wait…what?!’ Guess he needs to come up with great ideas in front of the kids more often, but it sure was funny!) – String up the numbers, then gently tape a character one on top. So each day you take off the character to display the number! Or you can do it in reverse, and life off the number each day to reveal a surprise character. Yup, totally fun!

My kids asked if we would use this the next time we have a Disney vacation – I said definitely, along with my favorite DIY Disney Countdown using a frame and straws! I’m leaving it up in our house just for fun this week 🙂

Book your next Disney vacation with Get Away Today for the best deals – use Promo Code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Other Disney fun…

Disney's New Paint the Night Parade is my favorite Disneyland parade yet! by BusyMomsHelper.com Our experience with Paint the Night Parade with kids was fantastic!

Disneyland's 60th Diamond Celebration / by BusyMomsHelper.com

Star Wars Half Marathon by Nikki Christiansen for Busy Mom's Helper

Free Printable Disneyland Height Requirements / by Busy Mom's Helper / Free Printable California Adventure Height Requirements

75+ MORE Summer Activities

May 22, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We’ve been out of school for a week. ONE WEEK. Already my kids have had moments when they pull the ‘I’m Bored’ card. Luckily there were so many great ideas in my original 75+ Summer Activities post for me to look to – but why stop there? Y’all loved that list so much, I decided to share 75+ MORE Summer Activities! Plenty of fun kid activities, crafts, family games and even delish summer snacks you can all enjoy.