While He Was Napping

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5 Spring Word Games for When You Need to Entertain the Kids

Welcome, friend! Thanks for stopping by today! Spring is finally here – according to the calendar anyway. Mother Nature seems to have missed the memo. But we’re not letting that stop us from having some spring fun! These 5 Spring Word Games are the perfect thing if you need a quiet activity to keep the kids entertained for a few minutes.

Mom hack: print extra copies – even scale them down if you want – and keep them in your purse for waiting rooms, restaurants, church meetings or other places you need the kids to sit for a few minutes!

Printable Spring Word Games

 

JUST PRINT AND PLAY THESE SPRING WORD GAMES!

Life is busy and crazy and fast and loud! At least, it is at my house. With 4 kids, and 3 of them boys, silence is a rarity. So rare, in fact, it’s usually cause for concern.

Finding activities my older boys can – and will! – do quietly is a tall order. But nap time is still a daily occurrence at our house and it isn’t going anywhere for a few more years. Finding quick and easy activities is even more difficult.

But these 5 Spring Word Games will be ready in 5 minutes. Seriously. #momwin

 

3 TYPES OF SPRING WORD GAMES IN VARYING SKILL LEVELS

Included in this word games packet are 3 types of games. There are 2 versions of the games: in color and in monochrome. All the games are different, it’s not a color version and a monochrome version. The puzzles are all different. This means you should be able to find an activity suitable for your elementary-aged child(ren), no matter their age or skill level. I do recommend these word games for 1st grade and up because they will need a basic knowledge of letters and words.

Activities include:

  • Word searches
  • Crossword puzzles
  • Mad libs

Kid's Spring Word Games

 

WILL THESE WORD GAMES CHALLENGE, ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE YOUR CHILD?

In order to successfully solve these word puzzles, your child needs a basic understanding of letters and words. These word games are perfect if your child:

  • Knows letter shapes and sounds
  • Can sound out and read basic words
  • Has enough vocabulary to figure out spring-related words
  • Understands different parts of speech (noun, verb, past tense, etc)

Second semester 1st graders (who work at grade level) should be able to do these games, but may need some help. Some of the games may be more difficult for younger kids. Take a look at them first and see if you think your child can complete them.

 

BUSY MOMS AND BORED KIDS WILL LOVE THESE SPRING WORD GAMES

Seriously. 5 minutes. That’s all you need to have these ready to go.

Just download and print.

With 6 activities, some in color and some in monochrome options, you can choose what works best for you and what equipment you have access to for printing.

Because busy moms with bored kids, this is for you!

These Spring Word Games are perfect for:

  • quiet time activities
  • waiting rooms, restaurants and other meetings
  • lazy afternoons during spring break
  • a quick distraction while mom makes dinner
  • a fun car game for your next road trip

Printable Spring Word Games for Kids

 

SPRING WORD GAME PRINTABLES

STEP #1: Download and save your Spring Word Games

Choose which you’d like to print – color or monochrome – and click the corresponding links below to access those files.

The color and monochrome puzzles are NOT the same. You can download both file sets and have 6 different games.

And, yes, you can print the color files in monochrome and they will still be usable.

COLOR GAMES | MONOCHROME GAMES

 

STEP #2: Print your Spring Word Games

Print the games. Each game is formatted to fit on a single 8.5″x11″ US letter page.

If you use Adobe Reader to print, you can format the pages as a booklet and it will print two activities on each 8.5″x11″ page. These are perfect for putting in your purse!

Kids Printable Spring Word Games

 

MAKE YOUR SPRING WORD GAMES REUSABLE!

If you’d like to make your activity pages reusable, you can laminate the pages or put them inside a clear page protector. Use dry erase markers or crayons on the pages. Then just erase and play again! Or switch games with a friend!

I started with – and still use and LOVE – the older version of THIS LAMINATOR STARTER KIT for making reusable pages. And I love that the thermal pouches aren’t super expensive to replenish. Because I laminate all. the. things.

THESE PAGE PROTECTORS work well too. I prefer the thicker page protectors to help with durability. And with 50 of them, you’ll have plenty to make lots of reusable pages!

We like THESE DRY ERASE MARKERS the best. There’s lots of colors and everyone can pick their favorite. My kids like that they are skinny and fit in their hands well.

And THESE DRY ERASE CRAYONS are nice for littler kids who don’t have as much hand coordination and have a hard time staying on the paper when they draw. Just don’t leave them in the hot car!

 

AND YOU’RE READY TO PLAY SOME FUN SPRING WORD GAMES!

Because when you’re busy and the kids are bored, you need something quick and entertaining to save the day. And it doesn’t get quicker than downloading and pressing print.

Keep these fun games on hand for those times when you need a quick distraction!

 

FOLLOW MY SPRING LEARNING ACTIVITIES BOARD ON PINTEREST FOR EVEN MORE PRINTABLE SPRING ACTIVITIES AND GAMES!

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Amazing Fall Simmer Pot Recipes – All Natural Ingredients!

Welcome and hello! I’m so glad you’re here! Autumn is creeping in on us here in the desert. Our days are still in the 70º’s, but there’s a definite chill that comes with the night and lingers just long enough for sweaters in the morning. There’s so many amazing things about Fall, but the smells are arguably some of the best. If you want to bring those amazing scents into your home, you need these Fall Simmer Pot Recipes! And they are made with all natural ingredients – nothing hard to find and definitely no chemical smells!

These 12 Fall Simmer Pot Recipes - made with all natural and easy to find ingredients - will bring the best autumnal aromas to your home all season long!

MAKE YOUR HOME COZY AND INVITING WITH FALL SIMMER POT RECIPES

I am the first to admit that, with three young boys in my home, it doesn’t always smell like roses. Let’s be honest, if I didn’t make my boys wipe down the toilet on an almost-daily basis (and sometimes two or three OR FIFTY times a day), my house would smell like pee.

#boymomproblems

Thankfully, simmer pot recipes have helped me control what my house smells like. Because that kind of stuff makes an impression and “lady with the pee house” isn’t exactly how I want people to remember me.

One of my criteria for simmer pot recipes is real ingredients that are easy and inexpensive to get my hands on. And that is exactly what you’ll find in these recipes.

These fall simmer pot recipes use 12 real ingredients – no weird things you can’t find at your local grocery or out in nature and definitely none of those chemically smelling wax melts! There are 12 different combinations to bring the best things of Fall into your cozy home, so you’re sure to find one that will suit you.

Because Fall smells like cinnamon, not cinnamon scented chemicals.

These 12 Fall Simmer Pot Recipes - made with all natural and easy to find ingredients - will bring the best autumnal aromas to your home all season long!

A SIMMER POT MIGHT WORK BEST FOR YOU IF:

Sure, there are lots of ways to make your home smell better. Deodorizers, cleansers, candles and other aroma diffusers are widely available. Because, who wants the gym stank to hang around or the funky game day laundry you haven’t had a chance to do yet?

I’ve tried a million ways – I swear it feels that way – to try to keep the stink and funk under control. Living with a bunch of boys can be a real stinker, especially in the winter when we keep the house closed up and heated. A simmer pot works best if you’re looking for:

  • a set and forget method to make your home smell amazing that is easy to turn off and on.
  • no open flames or melted wax to worry about – a huge perk with little ones wandering around!
  • inexpensive options that don’t bring a lot of chemicals into your home.
  • options that don’t clutter your electrical outlets.

 

HOW DO YOU SIMMER? WHICH METHOD IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

There is more than one way to simmer a pot. I’m going to present you with three ways and leave it to you to choose which method fits your life best.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of a small simmer pot or candle/wax melt warmer, a small slow cooker, or a pot on the stove.

SIMMER POT

A simmer pot is electric and you plug it into a wall outlet. It uses a light bulb to heat whatever you put in the small bowl.

If you want a simmer pot, I suggest this ceramic one that you can find on Amazon. The ceramic will make it easier to clean up and this one has pretty good reviews. It has a decent size bowl for a simmer pot, but you’ll need to keep an eye on the water and refill it more often since the bowl is small. (You can also search wax melt warmer or candle warmer and see some other options.)

I personally don’t own a simmer pot currently, but have in the past. My biggest complaints were having to change the light bulb when it dies, constantly refilling the water and inconsistent heating.

 

SMALL SLOW COOKER

Personally, I like to simmer in a small slow cooker like this one. I have this pot and it works great! Why do I recommend a small slow cooker over an actual simmer pot? Here’s why:

  • It can hold more water and ingredients, which means you can scent more square footage with just a single simmer pot. And there are fewer water refills to keep your pot simmering.
  • The adjustable temperature control. Almost every single simmer pot I’ve researched – and definitely every budget simmer pot – one of the biggest complaints is how hot or not hot they get. Adjustable temperature takes care of that.
  • It’s super easy to clean. Clean it out, rinse and put it in the dishwasher. If you forget to clean it out or don’t have time when you turn it off, just clean out the loose stuff, soak the removable crock and wash. Easy peasy.
  • Budget-friendly and multi-functional. Off brand small slow cookers usually cost less than a decorative simmer pot; sometimes, you can find them for less than half as much. I simmer in my kitchen, so a small slow cooker on the counter is no big deal. And, because I only simmer with natural ingredients, I don’t worry about putting food in my slow cooker after it’s been cleaned.

STOVE TOP IN A POT

This is great if you need a large batch that you can set up in the morning and then just leave it alone all day. If you have company coming that evening, but still have cleaning to do, a large batch on the stove top is a great option. Again, just make sure you don’t run out of water.

My biggest hang up with this method is that it heats the house (which is fine in November, but less desirable in September here in the hot desert) and it takes up a burner on my stove. But my biggest issue is that I have to leave the stove on and, with all my little kids around, I just cringe at all the things that could go wrong with that scenario.

SIMMERING IS SUPER EASY WITH THESE NATURAL INGREDIENT FALL SIMMER POT RECIPES

If you’ve never simmered anything before, let me tell you how easy it is. Pretty much if you can boil water, you can simmer. Actually, I think boiling water is harder. In just 3 simple steps, you’ll be ready to simmer your way into Fall aroma heaven.

  1. Gather natural ingredients in your pot
  2. Fill pot with water
  3. Place pot on warmer and turn the warmer on

Yep, for real, it is THAT easy.

The only thing you have to remember is to keep the water topped off. You can even reuse your pot for 7 consecutive days if you put it in the fridge overnight, which can help your pennies stretch even further without giving up those Fall scents we all love.

 

ALL NATURAL FALL SIMMER POT RECIPES PRINTABLE

Keep your home smelling amazing all season long with these 12 Fall simmer pot recipes. All 12 recipes use 3-5 all natural ingredients. Your home will be cozy and inviting with the best scents of Fall greeting guests and visitors. Kick the funk to the curb and instead fill your home with the cozy smells of Fall.

Click the image or link below to get your printable copy of my favorite 12 Fall Simmer Pot Recipes. The download page will open in a new tab. Just click the download button and then save the image to your computer. Print a copy to keep near your simmer pot. Be sure to follow those steps so you get the full resolution image and not a grainy web version.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE

Fall Simmer Pot Recipes that will bring a cozy Autumn inside your home!

BANISH THE FUNK AND ENJOY THE BEST FALL AROMAS ALL SEASON LONG

Whether it’s boy bathroom stink, Halloween costume sweat or ski trip laundry funk, banish the nose-scrunching smells and fill your home with the sweet and savory smells that we all love about Fall. Invite visitors in with warmth from the moment you open the door this Fall season. These Fall Simmer Pot recipes will make your home a place everyone wants to escape from the chilly air.

Happy Fall!

These 12 Fall Simmer Pot Recipes - made with all natural and easy to find ingredients - will bring the best autumnal aromas to your home all season long!

 

 

Ever wish you could focus better? Check out these Essential Oil recipes that will help improve your focus!

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The Easy Christmas Countdown You Need This Year

Hi there! Happy holiday wishes coming at ya! I’m so glad you stopped by to check out this easy Christmas countdown.

I’m a sucker for a good, and easy, Christmas countdown; but, December is a busy month! Can you relate? So, when the calendar gets around December 8th, I find myself struggling to keep up with the fun we started just a week before.

I need simple. Do you need simple too?

A countdown where, if you miss a day or two (or five), it doesn’t ruin the whole thing. I totally get that! I also wanted a visual representation, because my kids ask “how many days until Christmas?” every single day. For 25 days. This year I plan to just point my kids to this countdown.

EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHAIN

Super Simple, No-Stress Christmas Countdown Chain that'll only take 20 minutes to put together! 2 styles available and if you miss a day, it's okay!

 

 

WHY SHOULD YOU USE THE EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHAIN?

Of course, we have some Christmas traditions that I look forward to every year. But, not having an activity assigned to every single day means I can relax more. I can enjoy the traditions without worrying about tomorrow’s activity. This countdown was designed with busy families in mind. This easy Christmas Countdown Chain will help you because:

  • It’s super simple. 20 minutes and it’ll be ready to go. Or just print it and give it to the kids to put together.
  • If you miss a day or two, just remove the extra links to catch up. No stress or drama when life gets crazy.
  • And the kids can see just how close Christmas really is. You won’t feel like you’re stuck on a month long car ride with the kids asking, “are we there yet?” on repeat.

 

KEEPING TRADITIONS PART OF YOUR EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

But, what about the traditions you DO want to keep? Don’t worry, I thought of that. There are THREE ways to put together the Easy Christmas Countdown Chain so that it works for your family:

  1. One of them has nothing but numbers and is simply just a countdown.
  2. The other one, though, has some fun Christmas activities to do. There’s even blank chain links so you can add your family’s special traditions.
  3. A combination of the two, with activities interspersed through out the month on days you think you’ll be able to accommodate.

So, now you get to customize your chain in whatever way best fits YOUR family. Use whichever Easy Christmas Countdown fits into your schedule better – or – combine the two!

Want an example? My kids will be in school until 3 days before Christmas, so we will have to keep up our school routine during the week. We will also have a brand new baby (we’re talking less than a month old). We won’t have a lot of time this year to throw in extra activities. Weekends will be our best bet, so those days will get an activity link and we can make sure our favorite traditions make it into our schedule.

 

No-Stress Christmas Countdown Chain with Activities

MAKING YOUR EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHAIN

When I said this is simple, I really meant it will take you about 20 minutes to put together. Maybe 30 if you let the kids “help”. Simple, yeah?

There’s one more thing you need to know before we get started. You already know there are two versions of the chain (the one with the daily countdown and the other one with the activities), but each version of the Easy Christmas Countdown Chain is also available in color and in monochrome.

This is meant to help you save ink by printing on colored paper instead of on white paper. Or in case you only have a monochrome printer (I dream of upgrading to a color laser printer someday). So, just be aware of that when we download your chosen files.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR YOUR EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHAIN:

  • Easy Christmas Countdown Chain Printable Files (preview the different files below under step 1)
  • Printer and paper
  • Scissors or paper cutter
  • Tape, glue or stapler and staples

 

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR EASY CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CHAIN

1. Print the Easy Christmas Countdown Chain links. If you’re using the countdown only monochrome file to print on colored paper, make sure the pages alternate colors. For two colors, page 1 and page 3 should be the same.

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas!

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas! And it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!  Christmas Activities Countdown Chain

 

2. Cut the chain links apart with the scissors or paper cutter.

3. Take the first chain link and bend it until the ends overlap and the strip forms and circle.
Secure with glue, tape or a staple.

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas and you can choose to include fun activities! Best of all - it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!

 

4. Slip the next chain link through the first link and bend until the ends overlap. Secure.

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas and you can choose to include fun activities! Best of all - it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas and you can choose to include fun activities! Best of all - it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas and you can choose to include fun activities! Best of all - it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!

 

5. Repeat the process with each chain link, slipping the new link through the previous one and
creating a chain.

Simple Christmas Countdown Chain that will only take 20 minutes to make. A great visual of just how many more days until Christmas and you can choose to include fun activities! Best of all - it's okay if you miss a day (or five)!

 

6. Hang your Easy Christmas Countdown Chain where you can remove a link each day.

No-Stress Christmas Countdown Chain that'll only take 20 minutes to put together! And if you miss a day, it's okay!

 

 

That’s it, super easy, right?

I hope this makes counting down to Christmas with your family simpler. And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas with your family, making memories and having fun together.

Happy Holidays!

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Thanksgiving Activity Placemat Printable

Hey there, can you believe Thanksgiving is coming so fast?! I know things can get crazy, so let’s keep this short and sweet! If you think you’ll need the kids to be occupied for a few minutes while you finish up preparing for your big Thanksgiving feast then I’ve got just what you need. Keep the kids busy – and out of the kitchen! – with this Thanksgiving activity placemat. The activities range in skill level and are targeted at kids ages 5-12. Although, my 3 year old thinks he needs one too, just because his big brother have one. Older kids may have to help younger ones with reading and spelling.

THANKSGIVING ACTIVITY PLACEMAT

Thanksgiving Activity Placemat for Kids offers 4 fun activities the kids can do when they antsy waiting for the Big Feast! Just print and hand out the crayons!

 

I tried to include at least one activity that almost all ages could complete.  Hopefully, with a word search, maze, fill in the bubble and a word match game there will be something that everyone can enjoy. When the kids get wiggly again, turn the paper over and make turkeys by tracing their hands and making the fingers into feathers.  That’s one of my favorite memories of Thanksgiving with my grandma.

 

Thanksgiving Activity Page for Kid's Table

All you need to do to get your copy of this Thanksgiving Activity Placemat is to download the file to your computer and save it. Hit that big green button above to open the file on Google Drive. You can then save it to your computer. Then, print off as many copies as you need. This printable is free for personal use. Do not sell, share or reproduce any part of this image. Thanks.

Hand out the crayons and watch what happens. We often have more than just the kids try out these Thanksgiving activity placemats. Which means there are usually other adults around to help keep an eye on the kids while I finish kitchen preparations.

 

Happy Thanksgiving… I can almost taste the mashed potatoes now!

 

This While He Was Napping original printable first appeared on AskAnnaMoseley.com in a guest/contributor post. It has been updated and re-posted here for accuracy and relevancy. Enjoy!

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10 Activities that will encourage gratitude in your kids

I always have grand ideas for November. What about you? You know, things like getting Christmas planned, reminding my children to be thankful with our Gratitude Jar, and maybe even decorating our home a little.

Sometimes, I get some of it done and a lot of the time, I don’t. I hope what they say about good intentions isn’t true. I hope, in this case, it really is the thought that counts.

There are some traditions that I really try to make sure don’t get overlooked in the chaos that leads up to the holidays. One of those is our Thankful Tree and I try to have a toy purge before we’re invaded by gifts from relatives and that jolly old Santa Claus.

But, most of all, I try to find ways to encourage gratitude and get my kids to think about others. While we try to do those things all year long, it seems to be a little easier and more natural when November comes around.

The Gratitude Jar encourages service and gratitude in your family with 10 fun activities that focus on helping others and saying thank you

ENCOURAGE GRATITUDE IN YOUR KIDS BY MAKING IT A GAME

I want to help my kids focus on what we have, not what they want. With Christmas coming, the inevitable “I want, I want” is about to get stuck in high gear.

I want to encourage them to do things for others; but, when you’re little, it can be hard to think about others before yourself. I want to offer my kids the opportunity to learn to put others ahead of themselves. But, it always works out better when they think it’s their idea or that it’s a game. So, a few years ago, I introduced them to The Gratitude Jar.

Encourage Thankfulness with the Gratitude Jar and it's 10 fun activities

A big part of gratitude, to me, is being willing to help others. And to say thank you when others help you. That’s what The Gratitude Jar is all about.

 

HOW TO ENCOURAGE GRATITUDE WITH THE GRATITUDE JAR

The best part about The Gratitude Jar is that you can use it however it best fits into your home.

We have used it as a boredom jar in the past. This year, though, we are making it into a game.

When my kids have a free minute, they choose a slip from the jar and do the activity. What has made this successful so far is that The Gratitude Jar is constructive, it’s a privilege. And it’s individual. Sometimes, they do the same activities at the same time. But, if one of them doesn’t want to do the activity that was drawn, or has already done it, they can choose their a different one.

Encourage Thankfulness with the Gratitude Jar and it's 10 fun activities

We’re keeping track of how many good deeds each of them do. At the end of the month, they can choose a reward based on how many activities they complete. There’s 10 activities included that will encourage gratitude and serving others. My kids helped come up with rewards.

  • When they complete 1-3 activities, they get to choose a special treat or candy.
  • When 4-6 activities get completed, they can stay up an extra 30 minutes.
  • If they do 7-9 activities, they can get out of one chore.
  • If all 10 activities get done, we’ll have a family movie night and they get to choose the movie and the snacks.

The competition is against themselves, not each other. They are trying to do their best, not better than their brothers.

Gratitude Good Deeds Jar

 

READY TO ENCOURAGE GRATITUDE IN YOUR OWN FAMILY?

If you’re ready to encourage gratitude in your family this holiday season, download your own high-resolution copy so you can create your own Gratitude Jar.

All you need is

  • a printer
  • a pair of scissors or a paper cutter
  • and a clean container to store the slips in

A dozen snips to more grateful children…?  Can’t hurt to try, right?

 

DOWNLOAD YOURS HERE!

Get your gratitude growing!

 

 

WM-Always-be-Thankful

Like this chalkboard print? You’re in luck, it’s a free printable! Click here to get this print!

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