As busy moms, we need to make the most of our time. The struggle is real to find fun things to do together that us moms will enjoy just as much as our kids. Oftentimes, I find fun and exciting things to do, but there are too many catches. They either take so much energy to plan that I am drained by the time we get started, make such a huge mess the fun is sucked right out, cost a lot of money, or just aren’t life-giving.
I have found a few fun things to do with your kids that are:
Relaxing, and you can do them right at home
Budget-Friendly
Have a positive message
Kids Faith Krate
Kids Faith Krate is a subscription box service geared toward kids ages 4-10. What I love about Kids Faith Krate is that it comes with everything you need to have fun with your kids and teach them about the Bible at the same time.
I don’t know about you, but most of my at-home craft projects look more like the nailed-it photos we all love to laugh at on the internet. As much as I want to be a crafty mom, I just didn’t get that gene. I love that Kids Faith Krate gives me everything I need and is not only fun but filling my kids with a positive gospel-centered message.
I love to spend quality time with my kids, but lets be honest, doing crafts creates a mess. I always have this lovely image in my head of how our creative little craft is going to go. Half the time, we end up with an hour of prep time, then two minutes in, one is ready to quit, the other is crying because she spilled the glitter, and then I get to clean it all up when they quit on me. I mean, who doesn’t love cleaning up spilled glitter!
I absolutely love that Kids Faith Krate has taken the “work” of prep out for me. We can open the box and get right to crafting. The Bible-based content is the whipped cream and cherry on top. With four craft projects in each box, our weekly fun is all planned out for the month! Sign up is super easy with different options for how many kids and how long you would like to subscribe for.
The content is written by moms just like you and me who were searching for something fun to do with their kids while teaching them about the Bible. Who knows, you just might get as much or more out of the time spent together and the important messages you are teaching.
Check out Kids Faith Krate at
Minno Kids
Okay, now that we accomplished something fun and fulfilling with our kids, let’s be real. Sometimes we just need some downtime together, like a good old-fashioned snuggle up on the couch while eating popcorn and watching some TV kind of afternoon.
Us working mamas are busy, and let’s face it, so are our kids. It’s okay to just have a lazy afternoon together cuddled on the couch.
The problem we have run into is finding something we deem appropriate for our kids. Even kid's shows seem to have agendas attached. Can’t we just watch the cat chase the mouse without any ulterior motives thrown in?
We have to be so careful now with what our kids are watching. Even the seemingly innocent shows have messages embed that no kindergartener needs to hear about. We decided to search for something for our kids to watch that we didn’t have to worry about.
We found Minno Kids, and we love it! I was unsure if my kids would like it, considering it wasn’t their usual shows. Within the first five minutes, they had picked out a new favorite show.
Signing up for Minno Kids is easy and super affordable! You won't regret making the switch from other streaming platforms.
Minno Kids has other resources like kids Bibles and devotionals available too for families. Find out more at https://www.gominno.com/.
Build a Fort
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was build a fort. It turns out my kids are no different. Building forts seems to be a timeless tradition. What an easy way to let your youthful side out and have fun with your kids while you do.
When I was younger, we had this building set with connectable tubes. We would make some sort of structure and throw blankets over the top. It’s amazing how much more fun it is to read a book or play a game when you are tucked inside your own little fortress. Now my kids love to move all of the dining room chairs into the living room and strategically arrange blankets (every one in the house might I add) over the top to make our little hideaway.
We recently purchased some click-together mats for our workout area and had some leftover. Wow, do those work like a charm to make a fort! We have had a mini fort in our living room for the past week, and my five-year-old has insisted on sleeping in it most nights.
Do you know how sometimes the internet just seems to read your mind? Well, it must have known we were having fort-building adventures in our home. The coolest fort building kit popped up. As much as I love rearranging my house to make a fort, I had no idea there were actual kits you could purchase to do so.
Make-A-Fort has many fort-building kit options to make anything from tunnels, mazes, castles, and more. What a great way to unplug and get your kids to use their imaginations!
The website gives great instructions on how to build different fort structures, or the kids can get crazy and let their imaginations run wild. The materials are sturdy and reusable. The best part is clean-up is a breeze, and the kits come with a convenient case to carry and store easily under a bed.
Whether you want to get creative and use whatever blankets and structures you have laying around the house, or you want to keep the clean-up a little easier and order a fort kit, fun is guaranteed by all who participate.
At-home Spa Day
Who doesn’t love a little pampering, am I right! One of our go-to rainy day activities is making our own little spa experience and pampering each other right in the convenience of our own home. No appointments are necessary, and the cost is minimal unless you are a generous tipper to your little personal manicurist.
We love to gather whatever we have lying around the house. You don’t need anything special; most supplies you can grab right out of your shower or bathroom cabinet.
Supplies for your At-Home Spa Day
Manicure & Pedicure
Medium Bowl with warm water (add a little body wash for an elevated scent and bubbly spa feel)
Nail file and clippers
Lotion
Hand Towels
Polish
Massage
Warm towels (fresh out of the dryer works great)
Lotion or body oil
Facial
Bowl with warm water
Washcloth and hand towels
Cleanser
Face mask
Facial moisturizer
Cucumbers
We love to take turns and everyone fights over who gets to go first. Usually, the girls win, which I am secretly okay with since I would rather do the work first and then relax while they pamper me.
Steps for At-Home Spa Day
Typically, we start with the facial. Who really wants their face rubbed by someone who just touched your feet! We will arrange a little spa bed on our living room floor with a pillow and blankets to get all relaxed and cozy. Don’t forget the relaxing music to get the real spa feeling.
Facial
1. Start with a warm, wet washcloth and gently wipe all over the face and neck.
2. Apply a drop of cleanser and gently massage all over face and neck in circles (be careful to avoid the eye area). You could pre-measure a drop of cleanser in a small container so kids don’t go crazy with too much.
3. Wet washcloth in warm water and wipe cleanser off of face.
4. Apply mask all over face and neck and place cucumbers over eyes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Who am I kidding, let the mask sit for as long as your kiddos can lay still.
5. Wet washcloth again and wipe off mask. Remove cucumbers and wipe face dry with a towel to ensure all mask is removed.
6. Now, to the best part. Apply a small amount of moisturizer onto fingertips and gently massage in circles all over the face and neck. We like to set a timer to make sure everyone gets the same amount of massage time.
Manicure and Pedicure
Fill your bowl with warm water and add a little body wash for the bubbly spa experience
Soak feet for a few minutes
Trim and file nails (maybe mom will have to do this part)
Take one foot out, dry, and start massaging. After a few minutes, switch feet
Remove both feet from water and make sure nails are free of lotion, then polish away! (Btw, multicolored nails are our favorite)
Massage
Rub lotion in a circular motion on arms, legs and back. Massage trains are great when you want to include the whole family! Sit in a row and massage the person in front of you. After 10 minutes rotate so everyone gets a turn.
What I love about doing spa days at home is it teaches my kiddos it’s okay to slow down and take care of our bodies. It feels good to be pampered, but it doesn’t have to be a grand (and expensive) venture out of the house.
We can spoil each other and get some quality time in, usually with good giggles. Keeping up with your nails doesn’t have to be high maintenance. I love the half-painted squiggly nails with six different non-matching colors just as much as when I get a real manicure.
Reminisce with Old Photos
Who doesn’t love looking at baby pictures?! My most recent project has been organizing all of our photos.
At first, the task seemed overwhelming, trying to figure out how to manage everything digital and printed. Do I print everything and put them in an album like the good old days, or do I find a good digital storage space for everything and create some fancy photo books? With so many options available, I went with option two and love Forever.com for all of my photo storage and print needs.
Over the years, I have printed many photos, way more than I thought. I figured it would be a daunting task to go through everything, but I quickly realized how fun it is to reminisce the good ole days. The girls were getting a real kick out of my hairstyles when I was little. Thanks mom for the mullet.
What a great way to laugh together and talk about what life was like “way back when,” as my kids would say. We’ve compared baby pictures and relived memories. We have spoken of relatives and what it was like growing up without the internet. I think they have enjoyed looking through all of the pictures of squishy cheeks and toddler tantrums even more than I have.
Must do:
Find a photo of everyone in your family at the same age and compare. Do your pictures look alike? Who has changed the most? Did the photos bring back memories of some of your favorite activities?
Our next adventure is to recreate old photos in the same poses! We can’t wait to have some laughs and fun while we do!
Whatever you choose to do for your at-home adventure, I am sure fun will be had by you and your kiddos! The great thing about each of these is you can do them repeatedly and have a new fun experience every time! I hope you have lots of laughs and make some great memories, whatever you choose to do for your at-home family fun day!