Krista, Author at While He Was Napping

July 12, 2017 by Krista

The Printable Toy Car Road Race Track Set your Kids will Love

Hey there! Welcome and I’m so glad you are here! Do you have a car-loving kiddo in your life? My three boys are all big into cars and have been since they could hold things in their hands. And, I’ll admit, I have a thing for fast cars too. I am an adrenaline junkie and fast cars are definitely good for that! And with my three boys, it seems faster is always better. We have been collecting diecast cars since my oldest was finally old enough to play with them! And a couple summers ago, my brother-in-law gifted us a HUGE collection of them. Which we gladly accepted. But what is a race car with no where to race? That’s why your little ones will LOVE this DIY Toy Car Road Set!

EVERY TOY CAR NEEDS A TOY CAR ROAD!

Now that we have all these super cool cars to play with, I was itching for some fun play road time. Giving kids the chance to free play is high on my list, but sometimes it’s fun to have a little guided play too. This DIY is the perfect way to combine the two. Make your car-loving kids this printable toy car road track set for their cars, because what’s a race car with nowhere to race?

The best part? It’s reusable and there is no right or wrong way to play. When my kids feel like they are in control of play time it tends to lead to longer and more engaged play, which means I can cook dinner without tripping over little boys in my kitchen. Between their imaginations and this DIY toy car road, they should be happy for quite a while.

MAKE YOUR TOY CAR ROAD IN 5 EASY STEPS

Life with kids is great, but play time can get rough and tough. A paper toy isn’t bound to last long in my house. Yours either? Well, I’ve got a few tips so you only have to print this toy car road once and to help it last as long as possible once you let the kids loose. Ready? Let’s do it!

Toy Car Road Materials:

Printable Track Pieces in Color | Track Pieces in Monochrome
Scissors
Laminating pouches or self-laminating sheets | I recommend these pouches. I haven’t used the self-laminating sheets, but these ones have been recommended to me
Laminator (if using thermal laminating pouches) | this is the new version of the one I use and love
5/8″ hook and loop fastener dots | get them here

Toy Car Road Assembly Instructions:

Print the track pieces. I suggest a card stock or other thick paper for durability. You may want to print more than one copy of the pieces, so there will be more to play with. This tutorial uses 2 sets of the color track set.
Cut the track pieces out with the scissors, getting as close to the edge of the road as you can unless you want a white border on the edges.

Laminate the pieces. I prefer a thermal laminator, but you can use self-laminating sheets too. Follow the directions on the packaging to get the best seal. A thicker sheet or pouch may help your track pieces last longer. I use these thicker 5mm ones and love them.

Cut around the track pieces with the scissors. Make sure to leave enough border so the seal stays intact.

Attach the hook and loop fastener dots to the ends of each piece. Put the hook pieces on the front side of the track pieces and the loop pieces on the underside. This makes it so you can rotate the track pieces. Repeat for each track piece, trying to get them as close to the center as you can so they will line up.

That’s it. You’re ready to play! Store pieces in a ziptop bag or other container with a couple of cars so you’re always ready for some race time play! Not much room to play? Only get out a few track pieces out for a compact track. Or go all out and try to use all the pieces!

NEED A TOY CAR ROAD THAT WILL LAST?

Let’s admit it, this version is pretty simple and not terribly expensive. A year later, ours is still in pretty good shape, all things considered. But, it definitely has some wear and tear on it. I’ve had to replace a couple of the hook and loop pieces and we’ve had things spilled on the pieces, like half a bottle of bubbles… So, if you’re looking for a toy car road set that will hold up just a bit better you should really check out this Felt Road Track. It takes slightly longer to create, but the pieces will hold up better – and just toss them in the washer if they need a quick cleaning.

RACE ON, MY FRIEND!

July 3, 2017 by Krista

DIY Rain Stick Noise Maker for kids

One of my favorite things about summer is summer rain storms. When I was in 4th grade, we studied the rain forest. As part of our study, we made rain sticks from 3-foot cardboard tubes. I kept that thing for a decade; I loved it.

TOILET PAPER TUBE OR BEST MOM EVER?

When I told my boys we were going to use toilet paper tubes to create noise makers, they were a bit skeptical. But, as we talked about it and Ii gave them more details you’d have thought I told them they had free reign in a candy store. They went crazy! It’s nice to score cool mom points on easy stuff like this. These noise maker rain sticks are great for parties, dress up boxes, celebrations, and they make a fun learning activity too! Ready to score some cool mom points of your own?

MATERIALS:

Empty toilet paper tubes
1 3/8″ finish nails
Pencil
Cardstock
Hot glue gun and glue stick
Scissors
Colored duct tape or cardstock
Push pin
Filler material (we used both rice and dried beans. But other ideas include small beads, dried peas, and small pebbles. We experimented with the different sounds different fillers would make.)

DIRECTIONS:

Use the pencil and trace around the end of the toilet paper tube to make 2 circles that will cap the ends of the tube.
Cut the circles out with the scissors.
Hot glue one circle to one end of the tube.
Use the push pin to poke holes in the side of the toilet paper tube in 3 or 4 layers.
Poke a finish nail into each push pin hole.
Put 1/8 – 1/4 cup of your chosen filler material in the tube. You can experiment with how much filler to use by placing your hand over the open end and turning the tube upside down to hear what it will sound like.
Hot glue the other cardstock circle over the open end of the tube.
Cover the tube with colored duct tape or cardstock. You can decorate with markers, stickers, or adhesive foam if desired.

CREATE A TON OF FUN WITH YOUR NOISE MAKER

Use your rain sticks to create your own rain storm. Or use your rain sticks as maracas. Add them to your dress up stash. Whatever you decide to do with your noise maker rain sticks, just have fun.

June 29, 2017 by Krista

5 Travel Apps You Need for the Greatest Road Trip in the World

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

Hello, I’m so glad you stopped by! So, you’re going on a road trip? I love to travel and have since I was young; but, things change when you travel with kids. The thought of driving anywhere with children in the backseat for any extended period of time can be overwhelming, even for experienced travelers. There’s lots of activity ideas for kids to do in the car all across the web (here’s my car activities for toddlers), but have you made the planning and getting there part easier too? I’ve got 5 travel apps for you to put on your phone to help you get the most out of your next family road trip.

Want to share your summer road trips? Check out this Summer Road Trip Giveaway for a chance to win prizes worth over $3,400 in gift card packs!

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN OF A ROAD TRIP

You might be wondering why you need these travel apps or how can some apps help you have a better trip. But, I speak from experience. We are road trip travelers. My boys have never been on a commercial flight in any of their short lives; but, they have countless thousands of miles logged on the highways and byways of the western U.S. Just last summer, we drove over 5000 miles and spent 6 weeks of our 8 week summer break traveling on the road. It was incredible and full of learning experiences.

Want to know the biggest thing I learned though? When getting there is part of the fun, the entire trip is more memorable. My boys were so busy having fun, talking about their many adventures, and reliving their favorite parts that they forgot to fight with each other!

DON’T FORGET THE ROAD TRIP SNACKS!

And snacks. In a car full of boys, you gotta have snacks. RITZ is a family favorite in our travel snacks and we love the RITZ Crisp&Thins. They are similar to potato chips, but are oven baked and have 50% less fat per serving than leading regular fried potato chips.

My boys favorites are Sour Patch Kids. They usually repeat “Sour. Sweet. Gone.” just about every time they eat some and we love sharing them. But, one of my favorite road trip snacks is Sunkist® Soda. That’s what my dad always drinks on road trips and it’s practically tradition. It’s just not a road trip without some Sunkist® Soda, so I was pretty excited to find the 12oz bottles in an 8 pack at Walmart. They are the perfect size for road trips!

TRAVEL APPS TO GET YOU WHERE YOU’RE GOING

There is nothing more frustrating than being somewhere you aren’t familiar with and having a backseat full of tired, whiny kids. The hustle and bustle of traffic buzzing around you while you try to navigate on foreign roadways doesn’t have to be stressful though. These travel apps will help you:

Find your way with reliable maps and turn-by-turn directions.
Make fuel stops quickly and efficiently without costing you extra money so your travel budget can go toward having fun!
Discover attractions, landmarks, and other areas of interest you might have otherwise driven right past without even a passing glance.

Are you ready for a great road trip? Make sure these travel apps are loaded on your phone so you can have the best trip possible.

THE 5 TRAVEL APPS YOU NEED FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE ROAD TRIP

I know how frustrating it is to be in an unfamiliar location and your information is incorrect; however, no app is ever 100% perfect. In all of my experience, these are the travel apps I keep coming back to using over and over. Some of these travel apps have mobile websites that occasionally work better than just the app itself; so, if you’re having problems with the app, try the mobile website before you completely write it off. Ready? Let’s go!

EVERY TRAVELER NEEDS A GOOD MAP

1. Google Maps. My go-to app when I’m in a new place or even just trying to get to unfamiliar places in my hometown. Of all the map apps I’ve tried, this one has been the most comprehensive and reliable for me.

The turn-by-turn directions are super helpful when there’s kids in the backseat, traffic is unfamiliar and you don’t know where you’re going. Being able to download the maps in case you’ll be going somewhere without cell service is really a nice bonus too.

QUICK AND EFFICIENT AND BACK ON THE ROAD

2. GasBuddy. This is so, so helpful when looking to refuel quickly and get back on the road. There are lots of amazing things to see on a road trip, but I don’t consider gas stations to be one of them. And, as hard as I wish, I don’t have an endless trip budget which makes this travel app an essential for me.

With GasBuddy, it’s easy to quickly find a place to refuel close to the freeway and know that you’re not paying more than necessary so your travel budget can be used for much more fun stops than gas stations. It’s easy to have a passenger look up fueling stations before you get there or use the option to find gas stations near your current location.

DON’T MISS ANY OF THE BEST STOPS

3. Roadtrippers. I stumbled across this travel app while I was planning our summer of road tripping last year and I’m so glad I did. Some of the reviews complain about glitches and problems, but I haven’t ever had any issues. However, I don’t use this app for mapping and navigating, only for planning so maybe that’s what makes the difference. This awesome travel app is like a map of the candy store – it shows you exactly where there are cool things to see, do, eat or even stay. We were able to see some really neat things that we would have driven right past otherwise.

Enter your route, choose your desired categories, the distance you’re willing to travel from your route and watch the magic happen. You’ll be presented with your specified points of interest all along your route. You can add them to your trip so you’ll have a list of all the cool places you are interested in seeing and can refer to it along your way.

GET OUT AND SEE WHERE YOU’RE AT

4. AllTrails. If you love hiking, you have got to install this app. Even if hiking isn’t your thing, download this one while you’re on the road. This is one I was introduced to recently and we have been loving it just for exploring around our area. While traveling this summer, we plan to use it to help the kids run off some energy without stopping at yet another fast food restaurant.

AllTrails will show you all the walking paths and hiking trails in your current local area or you can search any area and see what it has to offer. It’s easy to spot the difficulty rating of easy, moderate or hard. You’ll also find a star rating of how much other hikers have enjoyed that trail. You’ll find total distance, elevation increase and whether it’s a loop trail or one you hike in and back out and a brief trail description so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into before you go. The perfect way to let the kids run off a little energy!

KEEP THE GOOD FEELINGS GOING

5. Spotify. Or another audio app that will help keep both the driver and passengers engaged. After research, trial and error, and weighing our options we decided Spotify is right for our family. There are lots of great apps out there though. Find something that will engage your family – whether it’s music, audio books, car games or maybe something else. When the seat belts get tight and tempers get short, change the whole mood of the car with your secret weapon – entertainment!

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET FOR THE GREATEST ROAD TRIP IN THE WORLD?

Do you have travel secrets that make your road trips absolutely amazing? Are you headed out on the open road this summer? We want to hear about it! Don’t forget, you can enter this giveaway for a chance to win over $3,400 in gift card prize packs! What are you waiting for?! Get over there and get your entry in today! And grab all your road trip treats at Walmart this summer.

June 13, 2017 by Krista

How to Make Snack Time Exciting

Hey, I’m so glad you stopped by today! My house is full of boys – hungry boys. I feel like I never leave the kitchen some days; someone always needs something to eat. But, we get in a snacking rut and find ourselves eating the same things over and over. I know there’s a lot more options out there, but they just don’t come to me when I have little hungry piranhas, uhm, I mean boys, nibbling at my ankles. Have you ever fallen into a snack rut too? That’s where this printable list of snack time ideas comes in.

Next time you’re scrambling at snack time, just check out the list and choose something new. It can also help you make out your grocery list and keep your snacks from coming from the candy and chip aisles. Make snack time exciting with these yummy ideas!

A HEALTHIER SNACK TIME FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

It wasn’t just my children I had in mind when I made up this list. It was my snacking habits as well. I’m totally guilty of grabbing a handful of chocolate chips out of the fridge when the munchies hit. But, not anymore! Your whole family can eat healthier, more filling snacks and you’ll all be better, short and long-term. You’ll snack less, which means less time in the kitchen for you. You’ll stay fuller longer and you’ll have more energy. Who doesn’t want that?

MAKING SNACK TIME EASIER FOR MOM

Have you ever felt like you spent the entire day in the kitchen, feeding the kids? It can be frustrating! I’ve been there, I know. If you need to feed little mouths all day long, but don’t want to spend all day, every day preparing, serving and cleaning up those snacks only to start over again, then this list is for you! On it, you’ll find snack ideas that will help you add variety, nutrition and structure to your family’s snacking. Snacks are divided into:

high protein snacks for longer lasting energy
make-ahead snacks to help you save time
high fiber snacks to help keep tummies happy
high calcium snacks for strong bones
quick prep snacks for those snacking emergencies when you need something NOW

Not all of these snacks are “healthy snacks”. Some of them are treats, particularly some of the quick-prep snacks. In our family, we believe moderation is the key to healthy and happy tummies. It is up to you to make sure your family has balanced nutrition and moderation. These are ONLY ideas!

GET YOUR SNACK TIME IDEAS PRINTABLE FOR EASY, DELICIOUS SNACKING

This snack time ideas printable will help you keep your family’s tummies full and happy so you can focus on the important things of summer: playing! It’s super simple. All you have to do is enter your info in the box below to unlock the premium printable and get immediate access.

Materials You’ll Need:

Snack Time Ideas printable
A computer
A printer

DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE

Step #1: Just click on the image below. A PDF file will open in a new window and you can save or print it. No email addresses, no waiting, just click below and you’re good to go. Because you’ve got better things to do – like guard the pantry and the refrigerator.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PRINTABLE

Step #2: Leaving your snack list on the printer isn’t going to be terribly helpful, so hang that baby up where you can see it. Where the kids can see it. Where everyone who ever mutters “I’m huuunggreeeyyy” at you can see it.

If your house is anything like mine, it can be questionable whether a piece of paper is truly going to survive more than a few days. If you want to prolong the demise of your snack ideas, you can laminate the page or simply slide it inside a page protector.

That’s it. You’re ready for a summer of fun, healthy snacks! Go you!

EASIER, HEALTHIER SNACKING FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

Make snack time a breeze with this list of ideas. Some are simple and some a little more complex, but all are suggested with kids and busy schedules in mind. There’s healthy suggestions to keep your family strong and ready to play, along with sweet treats for the occasional sweet tooth. With a little planning, your family will eat healthier, eat less, stay fuller longer and have more energy for all the summer fun headed your way!

MORE FUN SUMMER IDEAS

If you need some ideas of things for the kids to do this summer, check out this awesome Boredom Bucket List with over 100 ideas. Ideas are divided into outdoor activities, indoor activities and activities that will get everyone out of the house.

June 9, 2017 by Krista

100+ Awesome Screen-Free Kid’s Activities that will Conquer Boredom

Hi there! I’m thrilled you stopped by today. So, it’s here. What’s that, you ask, what’s here? Summer vacation. I’m excited to have my kids home. We’re going to have lots of fun (I hope). But, I still have responsibilities and obligations I have to meet. I can’t spend all of my waking hours entertaining my kids or breaking up fights. And that’s where this awesome list of screen-free kid’s activities comes in.

When the boredom monster rears his ugly head and chaos ensues, my kids are directed to this list of activities. They can choose something together or mom gets to pick their next activity – usually a chore. If you ever need your kids to entertain themselves, here’s 100+ ideas you can give them without saying a word.

100+ KID’S ACTIVITIES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Most of the time, I find that the hardest part of helping my kids come up with an activity is that I’m short on ideas. They just don’t come to when I need them most. Having a list already made up saves my skin (and sanity). If you ever struggle to come up with kid’s activities, this list is for you.

I’ve been struggling to keep my kids off the screens lately. And they always counter with, “then what can I do?” Apparently, they are tired of hearing my 7-9 standard suggestions. So, now they have over 100. If they can’t find something that sounds fun in that many ideas, then they probably need a chore to remind them what really qualifies as fun.

WHY YOU SHOULD LET THE KIDS FIND THEIR OWN ACTIVITIES & HOW IT CAN HELP YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

If you’ve ever been inundated with “I’m bored”, “there’s nothing to do”, “everything is boring!” or any variation of those, you know it can be frustrating. I’m a big believer that kids need to learn to entertain themselves. They need to be bored in order to figure out what to do about it. But, also, they should help plan family activities. Planning is part of being in a family, and life in general.

Learning life skills like problem-solving, planning, thinking ahead, preparing for an activity or event, and figuring out what to do with their time are all good things! If you get to spend some quality family time together too, I’m calling it a win.

SCREEN-FREE KID’S ACTIVITIES TO CONQUER SUMMER BOREDOM

This screen-free kid’s activities printable will help you reign in the summer chaos while helping your kids learn some valuable skills. It’s super simple. All you have to do is enter your info in the box below to unlock the premium printable and get immediate access.

Materials You’ll Need:

Summer Boredom Bucket List printable (unlock this premium content below)
A computer
A printer

DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE

Step #1: Click on the image below and a new tab will open with the download page.

DOWNLOAD & PRINT YOUR PRINTABLE

Step #2: When the download page opens, save the image to your computer from the little arrow icon in the drop down menu at the top of the window, if you’d like to have a copy of it.

Step #3: If you just want to print it and not save a copy, you can do that too! Just print your copy of the Summer Boredom Bucket List printable with the little print icon in the top corner of the window.

That’s it. You’re ready for a summer of fun, screen-free activities! Go you!

EASY & FUN KID’S ACTIVITIES WHEN YOU NEED THEM

Make this summer one to remember with fun activities you’ll all enjoy. Let the kids help plan the activities and carry them out. Conquer boredom and manage the chaos with a little help from this Summer Boredom Bucket List and over 100 kid’s activities ideas. Ready for a great summer? Get to it!

You might also like my Printable Summer Bucket List so you can make a list of all the things you want to do this summer too!

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EVERY TOY CAR NEEDS A TOY CAR ROAD!

MAKE YOUR TOY CAR ROAD IN 5 EASY STEPS

NEED A TOY CAR ROAD THAT WILL LAST?

TOILET PAPER TUBE OR BEST MOM EVER?

MATERIALS:

DIRECTIONS:

CREATE A TON OF FUN WITH YOUR NOISE MAKER

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN OF A ROAD TRIP

DON’T FORGET THE ROAD TRIP SNACKS!

TRAVEL APPS TO GET YOU WHERE YOU’RE GOING

THE 5 TRAVEL APPS YOU NEED FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE ROAD TRIP

EVERY TRAVELER NEEDS A GOOD MAP

QUICK AND EFFICIENT AND BACK ON THE ROAD

DON’T MISS ANY OF THE BEST STOPS

GET OUT AND SEE WHERE YOU’RE AT

KEEP THE GOOD FEELINGS GOING

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET FOR THE GREATEST ROAD TRIP IN THE WORLD?

A HEALTHIER SNACK TIME FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

MAKING SNACK TIME EASIER FOR MOM

GET YOUR SNACK TIME IDEAS PRINTABLE FOR EASY, DELICIOUS SNACKING

DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PRINTABLE

EASIER, HEALTHIER SNACKING FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

MORE FUN SUMMER IDEAS

100+ KID’S ACTIVITIES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

WHY YOU SHOULD LET THE KIDS FIND THEIR OWN ACTIVITIES & HOW IT CAN HELP YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

SCREEN-FREE KID’S ACTIVITIES TO CONQUER SUMMER BOREDOM

DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE

DOWNLOAD & PRINT YOUR PRINTABLE

EASY & FUN KID’S ACTIVITIES WHEN YOU NEED THEM

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