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Top 7 Summer Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers (2021)

Jun 17, 2021 by Lynelle 6 Comments

Those blue skies and beautiful weather can only mean one thing: it’s time to look for summer activities for preschoolers!

I understand that it may be difficult to entertain your kids during the entire summer, but don’t worry that I got you covered. In this blog post, you will get a variety of activities to do with your toddler and even extra resources to help you out.

Here are the summer activities for preschoolers and toddlers:

summer activities for preschoolers and toddlers
Table Of Contents
  1. Summer activity #1 – Activities for preschoolers at home
  2. Summer Activity #2 – Register on summer reading programs
  3. Summer Activity #3 – Stop by your public library
  4. Summer Activity #4 – Watch some movies
  5. Summer Activity #5 – Visit a museum
  6. Summer Activity #6 – Attend the city activities
  7. Summer Activity #7 – Take a class
  8. Final thoughts on summer activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Summer activity #1 – Activities for preschoolers at home

The activities that your child can do at home are probably the best ones for them to learn. Take advantage of those times that you are at home with your kids.

These activities help them develop important skills. For example, many arts and crafts require kids to grasp, cut with scissors, write their names, identify colors and count.

RELATED: 25 Easy Summer Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers

Books are always a good option for kids. Yes, I love books and I might be a little biased. But, experts agree that reading books to your child has many benefits including school readiness and coping skills.

Create a collage together. That’s a great way for your toddler to improve the skills of using scissors. Plus, you can put your old magazines to good use. Work with your child to decide on a theme for the collage. Then, use magazines to identify and cut related pictures.

The last option at home is technology. Just remember to always monitor what they are watching and the amount of screen time.

But, if your child has access to your phone, tablet, or computer, there are websites out there where they can play too. 

Summer Activity #2 – Register on summer reading programs

Reading programs are one of my favorite summer activities. These programs encourage kids to read and provide them the opportunity to learn, have fun, and socialize.

Here are my favorite summer reading programs:

Your local libraries – Many libraries have summer reading programs for kids, and sometimes even for adults. Depending on the library, kids can earn different rewards throughout these programs. My kids have earned toys, books, free pool passes, tote bags, electronics, and even gift cards!

Half Price Books – Last year, we participated in this reading program for the first time and my daughters loved it. You just need to track the reading time every day. Then, when your child reaches a total of 300 minutes, take the official HPB form to your local store to claim the Bookworm Bucks. Those Bookworm Bucks work as a $5 store credit which is great.

This reading program is divided into two groups. One group is for kids that are 14 and under and the other group is for teens. This means that if you are like me, with kids that have a big age gap in between, they may still be able to participate!

Barnes and Noble – In this summer reading program, kids from grades 1 through 6 can score a free book. They need to record each book on the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Journal, write which part of the book was their favorite, and why. That journal is available on their website and in stores. After reading eight books, take the journal to the participating stores to claim the free book.

Chuck E. Cheese’s – With this program, kids can earn 10 free tokens by reading every day. Just use the official Chuck E. Cheese’s Reading Rewards Calendar to log the days that your kid reads. After two weeks, you are ready to redeem your tokens.

RELATED: 20 Great Summer Books for Preschoolers (free activities)

Summer Activity #3 – Stop by your public library

The local libraries have plenty of summer activities including the reading programs as mentioned in the previous activity.

Here are some examples of the activities offered by the libraries near me:

  • arts and crafts
  • story time
  • magic shows
  • zoo visits
  • family movie nights
  • science experiments
  • puppet shows

To find out those type of activities, visit your local libraries’ webpage, check out their newsletter, or contact the library staff.

In my case, I print the newsletter of three to four libraries nearby and circle the activities that my kids would like to participate in. I immediately add those summer activities to one of my planners and block the time using Google calendar. In that way, I can make sure that I don’t overlook any of their activities.

Summer Activity #4 – Watch some movies

Summer is the time to watch movies at a discount price. Get ready to watch the movies that you missed or to watch your favorite ones again.

By the way, you can click on any of the movie theater links below to obtain a complete list of the locations, movies, and showtimes.

As a reminder, always double-check the information before making any arrangements.

Here are the summer movies for 2021:

Regal Cinemas

Their Summer Movie Express runs for 16 weeks! Each week, they offer two movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This year, it starts on May 25 (until September 8) and the admission is only $1.00!

Keep in mind that every week, both movies will be shown on both days.

Week 1: May 25 and May 26

  •  Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
  •  Wonder Park

Week 2: June 1 and June 2

  •  Smurfs: The Lost Village
  •  A Dog’s Way Home

Week 3: June 8 and June 9

  • Smallfoot
  • Playing with Fire

Week 4: June 15 and 16

  • Lego Movie
  • Storks

Week 5: June 22 and 23

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
  • The Emoji Movie

Week 6: June 29 and 30

  • Pokemon Detective Pikachu
  • The Lego Batman Movie

Week 7: July 6 and 7

  •  The Croods: A New Age
  •  Muppet Movie

Week 8: July 13 and 14

  • The Lego Ninjago Movie
  • Trolls World Tour

Week 9: July 20 and 21

  • Sonic The Hedgehog
  • Sing

Week 10: July 27 and 28

  • Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
  • Angry Birds Movie 2

Week 11: August 3 and 4

  •  The Lego Movie 2
  •  Minions

Week 12: August 10 and 11

  • Kung Fu Panda
  • Despicable Me

Week 13: August 17 and 18

  •  How to Train our Dragon: The Hidden World
  •  Madagascar

Week 14: August 24 and 25

  • Goosebumps
  • Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Week 15: August 31 and September 1

  •  The Secret Life of Pets
  •  Dolittle

Week 16: September 7 and 8

  •  Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
  •  Wonder Park

Cinemark

Their Summer Movie Clubhouse runs for eight weeks, starting on June 16 (until August 4, 2021). In this case, your child can watch a different movie per week. The admission is $1.50 per ticket.

Here is the schedule for Cinemark:

June 16 – Trolls World Tour

June 23 – The Secret Life of Pets 2

June 30 – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

July 7 – The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

July 14 – The Angry Birds Movie 2

July 21 – Dora and the Lost City of Gold

July 28 – Minions

August 4 – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Harkins Theatres

They have the 10-week Summer Movie Fun. Each movie costs $3 for My Harkins Awards Members and $5 for Non-My Harkins Awards Members.

Also, My Harkins Awards members can get 50% off a Kids Combo by going on a weekday (Monday – Friday) before 6 p.m.

Their summer program starts as early as June 11 and lasts until July 22. However, the location near me closed permanently so make sure to check before going.

Here is the schedule:

  • June 11 to 17 – Despicable Me
  • June 18 to 24 – Trolls World Tour
  • June 25 to July 1 – Abominable
  • July 2 to 8 – The Croods: A New Age
  • July 9 to 15 – Kung Fu Panda
  • July 16 to 22 – Madagascar

AMC Theatres

No information has been posted for 2021

Their Summer Movie Camp is available every Wednesday from June 5 to July 31. For $4.00, you get an admission ticket and a KidsPack for your child. The KidsPack includes popcorn, drink, and a snack.

Note: Their schedules vary by location.

Goodrich Quality Theaters

They had the Morning Summer Movies Series before but it doesn’t seem to be available anymore.

Now, they have the Summer Flicks & Fun when ALL first shows on Wednesdays are $3.99 and include a FREE (46oz) mini popcorn! And, that for anybody regardless of age.

However, it excludes the Eastdale and Willow Knolls locations.

Marcus Theatres

Marcus Theatres has scheduled movies for their Kids Dream Family Film Series. This series of movies starts on June 4 and ends on July 8.

There’s a different movie every week for $5.00. In a previous year, their summer movies were only available on Sunday, Monday, or Wednesday but that’s not mentioned on the website anymore. Just double-check with your location before going.

Here are their dates for this summer:

  • June 4 – 10 / Monsters vs. Aliens
  • June 11 – 17 / Pokemon Detective Pikachu  
  • June 18 – 24 / The Boss Baby
  • June 25 – July 1 / Megamind
  • July 2 – 8 / Trolls 

There’s also a note on their site that more titles will be added soon.

Summer Activity #5 – Visit a museum

Visiting museums is a great summer activity for preschoolers and toddlers. It’s the perfect time to introduce your kids to museums if they haven’t visited one yet.

Museums don’t have to be boring or for adults only. Nowadays, there are many museums that focus on teaching and entertaining kids. Plus, museums usually have a new show or exhibit during summertime.

This great list of the Best Museums for Kids in Every State can help you find a children’s museum to visit.

Summer Activity #6 – Attend the city activities

The city where you live is an excellent place to look for summer activities.

Finding the information shouldn’t take you too long. Just go to your city’s website and look for words like “calendar” or “events”. There’s where they publish activities like concerts, festivals, special holiday activities, movies in the park, etc.

Sometimes the city calendar allows you to choose between different city’s departments. You may have the library, park, and recreations, community center, senior center, etc. I normally check most of the options to avoid missing something that my kids would like.

Even though some cities are active in social media, I prefer to check their online calendar for a complete list of events. There, I quickly check all the activities scheduled for the upcoming weeks and even months. And, as I do with the library activities, I check the calendar of several cities near me.

Don’t skip the small cities. Sometimes, those activities are less crowded allowing you to really enjoy the time (and take lots of pictures! 😊).

Summer Activity #7 – Take a class

I can already hear some “Come on, give them a break”. With a background in human resources, it’s kind of difficult to keep “training” out of my mind. 😊

On a more serious note, summertime is a good time to help your child develop skills, learn a new sport, or to explore other areas. Make a list of some classes and check for availability in your area.

Here are some ideas:

You kid’s school district – There are school districts out there offering great summer activities for kids. I have seen short camps or classes related to science, robotics, and cooking. Visit the district’s website to find that information. While there, look for posted flyers of sponsored companies or organizations. These flyers are normally approved by the district before being posted on the site.

YMCA is a very popular place for kids. A couple of years ago, I registered my oldest daughter for swimming classes and she loved them. She went from not knowing how to swim to feel super confident in the water, and even attending a pool party by herself where she applied all those skills learned.

Michaels Camp Creativity – For seven weeks, Camp Creativity is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays starting on June 10. Their craft groups are divided into kids age 3+ and 6+. Each 1-hr session requires a small fee for your child to participate.

Home Depot workshops – Click on the link and enter your location to get a list of upcoming workshops in your area. Depending on your location you may see some Kids Workshops too.

Final thoughts on summer activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

There you have plenty of summer activities for your preschooler.

For more ideas, don’t forget to consider popular places like the park, zoo, and aquarium. Also, check the offers at Groupon (affiliate link) where you can find additional activities or places to try.

I hope you have a wonderful summer with your family!

Which other summer activity would you like to add? Let me know in the comments section.

Liked it? Please share it with your family and friends! 

There are many activities for preschoolers to have fun during the summer.

Filed Under: Blog, Kids, Moms, New Moms, Parenting

7 Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Jun 17, 2021 by Lynelle 1 Comment

Yay, your loved one is having a baby! And right now, you have mixed feelings. While you are excited because the baby’s due date keeps getting closer and closer, you are worried about trying to figure out how to plan a baby shower.

That’s understandable!

Planning a baby shower on top of your regular responsibilities may be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. The 7 essential steps that I discuss below will help you know what needs to be done and when. Plus, these steps can be applied to any type of baby shower.

Sounds good? Let’s start then…

7 Essential Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Steps to Plan a Baby Shower

Normally, baby showers are planned for parents that are having their first baby while sprinkles {smaller baby showers} are used for parents that already have kids.

But nowadays, baby showers have been planned based on the situation, too. For example, a couple that already has a girl but is now having a boy, or vice versa. Or when there’s a big age gap between the kids {like it’s the case with my daughters}.

While working on these steps, keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The decisions should be based on the situation and the new parents’ tastes and personalities.

Table Of Contents
  1. Steps to Plan a Baby Shower
  2. Step 1 – Set a Budget
  3. Step 2 – Create a Guest List
  4. Step 3 – Choose Location, Date, and Time
  5. Step 4 – Theme for Baby Shower Decorations
  6. Step 5 – Invitations
  7. Step 6 – Food and Drinks
  8. Step 7 – Create Lasting Memories
  9. Bonus steps to plan a baby shower
  10. Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Baby Shower

Step 1 – Set a Budget

To plan a baby shower, you have to start with the most important step, setting a budget. This is because the rest of the steps will depend on the total dollar amount set up during this step.

When setting up the budget, you first need to think about the type of baby shower that you want to throw.  What will make the most sense? Formal or informal? Fancy or something simpler? It all depends on what you have in mind.

After picturing the perfect baby shower, come up with an estimated amount to spend on the baby shower.  Remember, each baby shower is different which means that each amount will vary. Things such as the type of baby shower and/or location may change your total costs dramatically. That being said, you need to come up with an amount that you feel comfortable with and that is reasonable.

Next, who will be responsible for the estimated amount you just calculated? If it’s you, then you are ready for step #2.

But, if you are working on a tight budget, you may want to look into other options like reaching out to other people for help. It is completely okay to do so. At one of my baby showers, the host paid for the main food while other guests paid for other expenses such as cake, drinks, plates, cups, napkins, and utensils. People love to help so don’t be afraid to ask.

Keep in mind that like any other budget, your total amount is an estimate of costs to help you reach your goal. In this case, your goal is to plan the perfect baby shower in your mind.

Step 2 – Create a Guest List

After setting up the budget, it will be easier for you to determine the number of guests to invite.

Who should you invite? Well, it all depends because there are two common approaches. The traditional baby shower where only women are invited or the co-ed baby shower where both women and men are equally invited. I have always preferred the co-ed option but that’s just me.

In recent years, other options have increased in popularity like the man shower, the grandma shower, and the girl’s night out. But in this post, I will only focus on the two most common baby showers mentioned.

Think, who would the new parents love to see at their baby shower? At this point, just write the names that are coming to your mind. Don’t worry so much about creating a final guest list because your guest list will most likely change throughout the process.

While working on the guest list, don’t forget to include those that are out of town or even out of state.

Unless you are planning a surprise baby shower, it is always a good idea to review your guest list with the parent(s) to be.

I remember a time when my baby shower host and I went over the guest list. I was glad we did it because we eliminated some of the names and added other people with whom I had stronger relationships.

Step 3 – Choose Location, Date, and Time

Choose the location

So far you have a perfect baby shower in mind, you have set a budget, and you have created a guest list. Now, it’s time to choose the location!

Start narrowing down your options by choosing between an indoor or outdoor location. Take into consideration the baby’s due date and the weather since baby showers are normally given a few weeks before the baby’s due date.

It’s also important to think of the options for that type of location. For example, if you choose an indoor location, then some of your options could be a favorite restaurant, fancy hotel, or a cozy home.

On the other hand, if you choose an outdoor location, then you may consider a big park, fun pool or a beautiful garden.

Set the Date

People tend to plan a baby shower four to six weeks before the baby’s due date. Four weeks and six weeks may sound about the same time. But, two weeks can make a difference, especially if you chose an outdoor location. Also remember, the baby’s due date is just an estimate which means that he/she can be born earlier! 😱

Be sure to choose three possible dates for the baby shower, in case that the parents to be are not available on your first or even second option.

Also, consider the day of the week. For my last baby shower, it made more sense to do it on a weekday since all the guests were from work. But if you are planning a baby shower with family and friends, then it may be better to do it on a weekend when the majority are off of work.

Choose the best time

Baby showers normally last between 2 to 4 hours but it all depends on the baby shower. In my case, we couldn’t be away from our work areas for too long {even when I was working in Human Resources} so it was done during our regular lunch hour.

Also, when you calculate the length of the baby shower, set some time to:

  • Chat – People want to talk to each other especially those coming from out of town
  • Eat – Set aside some time for people to eat, too. If you don’t have much time left, you can always combine activities like eating while the honoree is opening the gifts.
  • Open the baby shower gifts – An important part of the baby shower is the excitement when the new parents are opening the gifts. Therefore, setting a good amount of time for this is highly recommended.

What about holidays?

To me, planning a baby shower around a holiday can be good or bad. The disadvantage is that people normally go out of town especially for holidays like Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. 

But if that won’t be a problem for your guests, then you can get very creative while combining the holiday celebration with your baby shower theme.

Lastly, think about the season. For example, I can plan a beautiful baby shower at noon in the park here in Texas. However, the weather will be completely different if it is planned in July than if it is planned at the same time in November.

7 Essential Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Step 4 – Theme for Baby Shower Decorations

If you already know the baby’s nursery decoration, then you are way ahead of this step because that’s exactly what you can use to decorate the baby shower. That’s what the host did for my last baby shower and I absolutely loved it!

If you haven’t heard about the baby’s room decoration, bring up that topic in your next conversation. And, if nothing has been decided yet, don’t worry…just keep reading.

There are three quick ways to choose a baby shower theme:

  • The first one is to choose a theme based on the personalities of the parents-to-be. Think of something they like or collect. It could be Star Wars, zebras, or their favorite sports team.
  • Another way is to go with a popular theme such as nautical, princesses, cars, or baby animals.
  • The last option is to choose a general topic such as the tropical beach, garden, or sports.

Step 5 – Invitations

Sending invitations is up to you and the type of baby shower.  Using my last baby shower as an example, the host didn’t send out invitations. Instead, she used technology in her favor and sent out emails. It worked perfectly because it was an informal baby shower conducted at the company’s training room with co-workers as guests.

I suggest sending out invitations when you plan a baby shower with many guests or when the guests are coming from different places (e.g. different workplaces, cities, states)

The practice is to send out the invitations around 4 to 6 weeks in advance which gives the guests enough time to save the date and to make arrangements especially for those coming out of town or for those needing to hire a babysitter.

Before sending the invitations, revise your guest list one last time. Just to be sure that important guests were not left out. Then, find invitations that match the baby shower theme or are at least close enough.

Now, that you are ready to work on the invitations don’t forget to:

  • include the baby shower date, starting and ending time plus the location
  • add your contact information and ask people to RSVP
  • share the baby shower theme and baby registry information, if available

Additional tip: While shopping for the invitations, keep an eye open for any thank you notes that match the invitations. The mom-to-be will love them.

Step 6 – Food and Drinks

To determine the food and drinks, it’s important that you think of the information already gathered especially the budget, location, and time.

As I mentioned earlier about my last baby shower, it was done during lunchtime so the full meal was provided but it’s also common to see appetizers, finger food, and cake (or cupcakes for the new trend).

Keep in mind that having a potluck is an alternative too. Hosts coordinated a potluck for three of my baby showers and it worked great because we had a wider variety of food to choose from.

Step 7 – Create Lasting Memories

You can’t plan a baby shower without thinking of the lasting memories for the parents-to-be.

Even though for any new parent their baby showers are unforgettable, it’s important for them to have memories to share years to come with family members, friends, and even with the kids when they get older.

A professional photographer, videographer, or both can always be hired but don’t feel obligated in doing so. Because if you plan a baby shower on a budget, it’s okay to look for other options.

By asking around, you can probably find a friend or family member that can help you with it. I asked a couple of my coworkers to take pictures to make sure that I would have enough for my album.

Additional tip: After the baby shower, you can put a photo album together and give it to the new parents as a memory. I have created quick and cute photo albums with Shutterfly (affiliate link).

Bonus steps to plan a baby shower

I didn’t include the following as part of the essential steps since they are optional but they are still frequently included on the baby showers:

Baby Shower Games

If you want to entertain your guests with some games, consider the following factors:

  • Time – Calculate the time that you have left after all your scheduled activities. In this way, you won’t waste your time planning all these games when you are already out of time.
  • Location – Playing games inside a restaurant may be difficult due to lack of space but it can also be a challenge to play bingo in a windy park.
  • Guests – Look for games that everybody can play at the same time and/or together. And don’t forget to choose games that are appropriate for all your guests.

Baby Shower Party Favors

This is your opportunity to be creative. You can either buy party favors or make them yourself. Just keep in mind the baby shower theme and come up with something cute, funny, or unique.

Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Baby Shower

After going through the essential steps, you should have a better idea of how to plan a baby shower for your loved one.

Most importantly, having a plan in hand makes you feel less overwhelmed, focus on what needs to be done, and save money.

Keep in mind that in this post I am only focusing on the essential steps but, you can add more things including music.

The budget is the limit! 😊

Alright, it’s time for you to start planning. Don’t forget to download the free baby shower printables.

Liked this post?  Pin it for later and Share it with friends! 

7 Essential Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Filed Under: Blog, Moms, New Moms, Parenting, Productivity, Time Management

How to Make a Bucket List? (FREE Ideas)

Jun 16, 2021 by Lynelle 3 Comments

How many times have you sat down to think about what you really want to do in life? We are so busy that we rarely take the time to think about it. That’s why making a bucket list gives you a good reason to do so.

Keep reading because this post:

  • tells you what a bucket list is for
  • helps you make a list
  • gives you ideas for your list
  • guides you on what to do after you are done making your list

But, if you are still not too sure if creating a bucket list is right for you, let me start with why you should.

making a bucket list with free printables
Contents
  1. Why should I make a bucket list?
  2. How to Make a Bucket List in 5 Steps
  3. What are good ideas for a bucket list?
  4. Additional Bucket Lists Ideas to Consider
  5. Reverse Bucket List
  6. Final Thoughts on How to Make A Bucket List

Why should I make a bucket list?

Before you start thinking about what you want to do, it’s important to know if there is even any benefit for creating a bucket list. Because, after all, why spend time making another list if it doesn’t help you.

The good news is that making a bucket list have several benefits and here some of them.

5 Benefits of creating a bucket list

Benefit #1 – Gives you hope

As I said at the beginning, a bucket list gives you a reason to sit down and think of what you have thought to do in life but haven’t done yet. It helps you evaluate your current life and make plans for the future.

Benefit #2 – Helps you prioritize things in your life

You may want many things in life but in the process of making your list, you are able to determine which items mean enough to you to be added to the list.

Benefit #3 – Keeps you motivated about your future

If you made a list based on what you really want to do, it should keep you motivated and excited throughout the process of achieving it.

Benefit #4 – Reminds you of what would make you happier

It’s always easier to plan something and then forget all about it after a few days. For that reason, having the list in writing and visible keeps you focused to move in the right direction of achieving your dreams.

Benefit #5 – Increases satisfaction

Every time you check off an item means that you completed something that you wanted in life. Therefore, your satisfaction and happiness should increase too.

Just imagine checking off every single item on your bucket list. You would be more satisfied with your life, and as a result, more positive and happier. 

How to Make a Bucket List in 5 Steps

The term “bucket list” was normally used to describe a list of things to do in your lifetime. Fortunately, it has evolved over time and now they are widely used for other purposes and even for shorter periods of time.

Step 1 – Write all that you want

Here is where the fun begins. Sit down and write down all the things that you want to achieve. Don’t forget those things that you once thought about doing but had to push back for one reason or another.

Don’t judge your items, just write down everything that comes to your mind. This is the time to let your imagination go.

Step 2 – Prioritize your bucket list items

Once you are done making your list, review it, and put your items in order of importance. In that way, you know exactly which ones are the most important to you when you work on your final list.

Step 3 – Make your final list

Now, it’s time to add those final items to your official bucket list. I suggest keeping your list short and simple. After all, the purpose of a bucket list is to motivate you, not overwhelm you with more things to do.

Adding too many items to your list will probably make you want to quit.

Once you are done adding the items to your list, determine if every single item listed is meaningful to you. Otherwise, you won’t put enough effort to complete it.

Also, make sure to keep your list in a visible place (such as your planner, refrigerator, or mirror) that would keep reminding you of what you decided to add to your life.

Step 4 – Check off the items once you are done

As soon as you complete an item, take the time to check it off on your list. The satisfaction of doing so will motivate you to keep working on the rest of the items.

I know that the goal of the bucket list is to complete what’s on there, but sometimes things happen, and you are not able to complete every single item included on your list. That’s okay.

Just stay positive and focus on all the things that you were able to achieve. Remember, you can always add those unfinished items to a new list!

Step 5 – Schedule some time to review your list

Scheduling some time in your planner or calendar increases the probability of completing the items on your list. Because of that, make sure to review your list on a regular basis and adjust it, if needed.

What are good ideas for a bucket list?

As mentioned before, a bucket list was usually just a long list of things to do throughout your life. Now, more people have been creating lists that are focused on topics such as summer, fall, birthday, adventurous, and more.

The type of bucket list that you choose can also determine the length of your list. For example, a summer bucket list would probably be shorter than a 5-year bucket list.

Therefore, when thinking of good ideas for a bucket list take into consideration the following:

  • the topic or purpose of the list – is it for the summer, trip, year? 
  • period of time to complete the bucket list – based on the topic, determine if it is for the season, month, next 2 years, or even lifetime.
  • people involved – is the list for you, your and your partner, your family, team?

Let’s go over some ideas…

35 Simple Bucket List Ideas To Get You Started

Individual or Personal level

As a mom, you probably have many ideas and suggestions for your kids, marriage, and even friends. But, more likely, you haven’t taken the time to think about yourself, your needs, and your wants.

What things can you do now to fulfill your purpose in life, be a better person, and increase happiness? Here are some ideas for you:

  • Volunteer at a charity
  • Ride a horse
  • Start painting
  • Join a yoga club
  • Swim with dolphins – Based on the site called Bucket list, swimming with dolphins is in the top 5 of the most popular bucket list If you haven’t tried it yet, add it to the list…my daughter loved it!

FREE CHALLENGE: Helps you identify and plan your goals

Career or Professional level

The Mental Health Association conducted a survey that included more than 17,000 employees across 19 industries in the United States. (source)

The study covered topics such as workplace stress, employee engagement, recognition, and more. One of the results showed that 71% of the survey respondents were thinking about, or actively looking for new job opportunities.

If you are part of those statistics, it’s time to work on it.

Evaluate what’s currently missing in your professional life. Think of new skills, certifications, or even new ventures that you may want to take such as starting an online business.

  • Start your own business
  • Start a YouTube channel
  • Participate in podcasts
  • Learn computer programs
  • Book public speaking gigs

RESOURCE: Start an online business with this FREE 14-day trial

Group of people

In this case, the purpose is to make a bucket list as a group. So, the focus is on you and those around you such as your family, friends, and employees.

Get together with those involved and brainstorm ideas that you all want to achieve as a group. Things like:

  • Enjoy a bowling night
  • Visit Disney World or Disneyland
  • Watch a movie in a drive-in theater
  • Plan a retreat
  • Have an employee appreciation event

Seasons and Holidays

I feel that I speak for anyone when I say that it’s easier to make plans during summer when the weather is beautiful and warmer.  But you can still create a good season or holidays bucket list so let me give you a few ideas:

  • Go to the beach
  • Visit an amusement park
  • Watch a Nutcracker show
  • Attend a Christmas parade
  • Visit a pumpkin patch

Travel

Traveling is one of the most popular topics among different generations. When you are ready to make your list, think of local, national, and international places that you would like to go. And, to get you started, here are some travel bucket list ideas:

  • Go on a cruise – I love Disney Cruises!
  • Travel to Paris
  • See the Grand Canyon
  • Visit Costa Rica – it’s beautiful and the volcano is amazing!
  • Spend time at a National Park

Favorite Interests or Hobbies

There are so many things out there to learn and explore that coming up with ideas should be pretty easy. Start with things that you have always wanted to learn. Even if you are scared to try, go for it and see how it goes. Some suggestions are:

  • Go skydiving
  • Register for cake decorating classes
  • Learn how to play the viola (the instrument that my oldest daughter plays 😊)
  • Go roller skating
  • Take photography lessons

Special Dates

As you have heard, it’s always important to create long-lasting memories. Think of activities that you can do during special dates or events such as your birthday, retirement, or anniversary. Here are a few ideas:

  • Attend your favorite singer’s concert
  • Go to Hawaii
  • Live by the lake
  • Eat at your favorite restaurant
  • Visit a safari

Ok, we went over seven types of bucket lists. You can focus on only one topic first or multiple ones especially if they are related to each other. In that case, you can make one list that combines several topics.

Use the examples mentioned above to help you get started but, just in case, below are a few more ideas.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A FREE BUCKET LIST + A LIST OF IDEAS

Additional Bucket Lists Ideas to Consider

  • Funny things to add to your life
  • Fitness activities to keep yourself active
  • Adventures that you want to experiment
  • Books that you want to read
  • Financial actions that can be improved
  • Places to visit in your city, state, or country
  • Food that you want to try at home or restaurants
  • A period of time such as a month, quarter, new year, or the next five years

As you can see, you can make a bucket list for anything and adjust it to your specific situation. Consider those lists while making yours.

By the way, you can also motivate your kids to start their own lists too!

Reverse Bucket List

Ok, now that you have a better idea of how to make a bucket list, it’s time to do everything in the opposite way.

But, let me explain it to you before I get you all confused…

Here, I am talking about making a reverse bucket list. As the name implies, it is pretty much the opposite of a regular bucket list.

As you just saw, a bucket list is based on things that you would like to do in your future while a reverse bucket list includes your accomplishments or things that already happened.

It’s an opportunity for you to say great things about yourself by listing your accomplishments. As with a regular bucket list, you do what works best for you.

For example, I have seen people creating massive lists of what they have achieved in their lives. You can do that if you want to. But I feel that creating a reverse bucket list often helps you stay connected with your achievements than occasionally adding a few items to an already long list.

That being said, you can create it as often as you want. You can have a short list at the end of each day or week. Or a longer list at the end of every month, quarter, or year.

Another idea is to make a monthly reverse bucket list. Then, you can combine your achievements on a “Year in Review” list where you can choose your top 10, 12, or even 25 achievements of the year.

That would give you the opportunity to go back and see all your accomplishments including some that you probably had forgotten. You could also add that list as part of your end-of-the-year or Christmas tradition.

Final Thoughts on How to Make A Bucket List

Ok, you got all the information you need to make a bucket list. Now it’s your turn to start writing and creating a happier life.

Don’t forget to download the free bucket list!

In the meantime, let me know in the comments section what’s the first thing that you want to add to or achieve from your bucket list?

bucket list

Filed Under: Blog, Parenting, Self Improvement

How to Use Multiple Planners (as a Busy Mom)

Jun 4, 2021 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

At first, I didn’t understand the reason for using multiple planners. It sounds a little bit crazy and even overwhelming. However, do not let that stop you. After reading all that I am sharing, you will understand exactly how to use multiple planners.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure for more info.

Table Of Contents
  1. What to use multiple planners for?
  2. How should I start using two or more planners?
  3. How to organize multiple planners?
  4. 3 Additional tips to organize your multiple planners
  5. How do I use multiple Happy Planners?
  6. Conclusion

What to use multiple planners for?

Using multiple planners can be the solution when one planner is no longer helping you manage your life. 

The benefit of using more than one planner is that it gives you space to manage and focus on each topic in-depth. 

Some of the things that you can track are:

  • home 
  • reading
  • family
  • meal planning
  • work
  • health
  • school
  • fitness
  • goals
  • cleaning

Plus, anything else that is important to you.

For a while, this planning design helped me tremendously but I was still not happy. 

Some of the planner categories would fit perfectly while others such as kids and home management would take more space. Because of that, some details were illegible or completely left out. 

That wasn’t helpful. 

The idea of using multiple planners is to combine different planners to create the best planner for you. In other words, you are using two or more planners without carrying all the planners at once. This system is frequently achieved by using a discbound planner. 

Discbound planners are great because they allow you to add, remove, and/or rearrange pages at any time. This makes it easier to customize your planner, as well as write at the bottom or corner of the pages.

In addition to the discbounds, you can use binders, a few individual planners, or a combination of both. I mostly use discbounds because it is a lot easier to make changes to the planner without having to buy everything again. You can also make your planner bigger or smaller just by switching the discs.

Using a multiple-planner system allows you to create different sections within your planner. Then, each section can be used to track an area of your life. Something that I will show you shortly.

How should I start using two or more planners

How should I start using two or more planners?

The easiest way to start a multiple-planner system is by using an extra planner that you already have but have not used yet. At this point, it doesn’t matter if it is expired. You can still customize it to make it work for you.

Step #1 – Identify the sections to track

The purpose of a planner is to help you manage your life. Identify which areas of your life you want to track and monitor closely. 

Now, make a list of those areas to include in your planner. If you are not sure where to start, use your current planner as a reference. That’s the fastest way to see what you are currently focusing on. Make sure to add any other category that you would like to start tracking to your list too.

Then, look at each category and decide if it is big enough to track it by itself or if you need to combine it with others. 

For example, let’s say that you want to track the following categories: 

  • Family
  • Work
  • School
  • Cleaning
  • Cooking

After comparing the categories between each other, you may determine that “family” is a big category. Let’s say that under it, you want to track:

  • school events for each of your kids
  • extracurricular activities
  • family activities 
  • vacation plans
  • play dates
  • parties

In this case, you may want to keep the family category by itself. But then, you could combine the “cleaning” and “cooking” categories since they are both related to “Home”.

Look at your list and decide which categories can be combined and which ones need their own section. Try keeping your final categories broad enough to avoid changing them regularly. I would name them something like home, work, and school.

Step #2 – Determine how to track the information

In the previous step, you created a list of sections to add to your planner. Now, you need to visualize the best way to organize the information within each section. 

You have your sections and the categories to be included in each section. The next step is to decide what information or details you want to track under each category. 

Let’s say that you came up with the following list to track under your Family section:

  • Kid # 1’s school and extracurricular activities 
  • Kid # 2’s  school and extracurricular activities 
  • Kid # 3’s school and extracurricular activities 
  • Meal planning
  • Cleaning schedule
  • Appointments 

Think of what type of layout would make sense for your section. Do you need columns and rows, space to write notes, lists, or different mini sections within the page?

I like to grab a piece of paper and kind of sketch the best way to organize the information. 

Continuing with the example above, I would prefer to have columns and rows (table style) to keep the sub-categories separated.

Having a clear picture increases the chances for your planner to be functional. 

Step #3 – Get the extra planner

As I suggested earlier, if you have an extra planner around the house, use that one. 

The reason is that as soon as you start using the multiple-planners system, you will be able to see what works and doesn’t work. 

I purposely left buying a planner as the last step.

There are so many planners available out there that many people make the mistake of buying a 

planner based on how cute it looks first. You need to focus on your needs first (steps 1 and 2) and then, choose a pretty planner. 

Knowing your sections and the information needed within each section, help you choose the best layout to match your needs.

The most common planner layouts are:

  • weekly vertical
  • weekly horizontal
  • daily 1 or 2-page
  • monthly

In addition to that, you may have more options within each layout. For example, the weekly vertical layout may have additional options such as hourly, lined, boxes, and blocks.

Even if they are the same layout, a specific option may work better for you than the others. Most of my planners are weekly layouts but have the “blocks” design because they are perfect for my home and personal sections. 

I will let you know how I use and organize my planners to give you an idea of what you can do.

There's a way to organize your planner when you are using more than one.

How to organize multiple planners?

At this point, you should know how many sections you need inside your planner. Now, organize them in a way that makes sense for you including the order of the sections and their ease of access.

There are different ways to organize multiple planners. You can choose one method or a combination of them as I do:

One main planner

The purpose is to keep most, if not all, of your planners in one main planner. Of course, the fewer planners you have, the easier it will be to do so. 

As you can imagine, putting several planners together will make your planner way too big and even difficult to use. Instead, you can “build your main planner” by only adding the current month pages from each planner. 

In other words, your planners for the sections will feed your main planner. At the end of each month, you switch the pages for the new month.

For example, if today is April 30, you remove from your main planner all the pages for April and put them back to their original planner. Then, get the pages for May from all the planners and place them in your main planner. Now, you have your planner ready for May!

In my case, I like to keep two months for every section in my planner. Adding the following month allows me to start planning for that month without delay. You can do the same or just keep a notes page where you can write the information for upcoming months (e.g. future appointments) and add them later on.

Two different planners

Instead of having one main planner as mentioned above, you can separate your sections into two different groups. 

For example, you could have a personal planner that includes sections like family, school, gratitude, wellness, and appointments. Plus, a home management planner for things like groceries, meal planning, cleaning, bills, and projects. 

Then, consider either carrying both planners or keeping the home management planner at home.  

Use single planners

As I mentioned before, you have the option of using each planner individually (single) instead of combining them into one main planner.

It is easier to handle different planners when they are combined into one or two main planners.

However, there are several reasons for adding single planners to your multiple-planner system.

Reason #1: Preference

You may want to keep using a planner that has worked for you.

I have an hourly planner that I keep separate from my main planner. I use that planner to plan my days and stay on top of things. It is easier for me to create the “daily plan” there while reviewing each section. 

After all, it is better to continue using a planner that has already helped you than pushing yourself into a new one just because.

Reason #2: Not used often

It’s normal to access some sections more often than others. Because of that, you can use a single planner for a section that is still important but that you do not check frequently.

For example, I have a single planner to track the bills. I usually access it either once or twice per month. To me, it does not make sense to carry those extra pages around. Instead, it stays on my desk until I need it to pay the bills or as a reference. 

Reason #3: Easier to carry

You can use as many single planners as you prefer. However, I do not suggest having too many if you are carrying all of them around.

As I mentioned earlier, I use an hourly planner to plan my days. It is like a summary of all the planners and tells me when I have to be doing what. 

You can have that planner too without carrying the combined planners as I do. The plus side is that it is easier to carry around. On the other hand, this means not having the specific details from other planners handy.

3 Additional tips to organize your multiple planners

At first, it may seem challenging to organize the pages from multiple planners. I tried different things and here are my suggestions:

Put your sections in order

Organize the sections based on how often you would access them. Save yourself some time by putting the sections that you use most often in the front.

Use planner covers as dividers

Many planners come with cute covers that you can add at the beginning of each section. It makes it easier to see where each section starts and ends. You can also get extra covers if you prefer.

Add dashboards

Place a planner dashboard in each section. If placed correctly, a dashboard takes you straight to the correct page. It is like having a bookmark for each section. Also, dashboards usually have tabs at the top. You can create labels to find your sections faster.

Bonus Tip

A multiple-planner system adds more pages to your planner. That’s something to keep in mind when choosing the discs. Because there are many cute discs available, but the metal expander discs are the best to hold those extra pages.

Multiple planners can help moms with their bus life.

How do I use multiple Happy Planners?

Having different planners sounds crazy but it has helped me keep things a lot more organized. I decided to switch to a multiple-planner system after adjusting a daily lined planner many times. Having a plain planner gave me the flexibility of adjusting the layout based on my needs. It worked for a while until it just was not helpful anymore. 

That’s when I decided to add more planners! 

I am currently using four separate happy planners: 

School planner

The teacher’s edition planner is perfect for virtual learning or homeschooling. That is how I track my daughter’s lessons, daily work, and events.

I absolutely love it and it has been super helpful.

Its block design makes it easier to organize the planner by subject and there is still room to add additional information.

Bills planner

It is a great solution to avoid paying your bills late. I tried a regular notebook and a journal specifically for money management, but keeping a discbound planner is what has worked perfectly.

It has a monthly layout and pocket folders where I place the bills after receiving them. (Note: There are also these pages and this planner with extra space for income, expenses, and more).

The only thing that I would change is the size. It is not a big deal but I would prefer a big planner where I can add the bill right to the month (without folding them), instead of putting the envelopes inside the pocket folders. 

Since it is a discbound, I easily added trackers and customized lists with this paper punch.

Hourly planner

The hourly planner is perfect for time blocking. It works similar to an appointment book at the doctor’s office where they block time to see each patient.

The purpose is to do the same by blocking time to complete what is important. There are hourly pages that you can add too. But, it is easier for me to do it on a separate hourly planner.

Main planner

My main planner is a combination of multiple planners that includes the following sections:

  • Home management (blocks layout) – 

It is a mix of family and home. It includes my kids’ school activities, appointments and events, cleaning, decluttering tasks, and any other home-related task. 

  • Personal (blocks layout) –

This is like a wellness planner where I track my food intake, total steps, vitamins, and the number of water bottles I drank. I also have space for daily gratitude and health. 

  • Income (dashboard layout) – 

This is the same as the work category. It’s just that income sounds more motivating 🙂 Basically, it has the daily tasks related to the blog and shop. 

  • Social Media (vertical layout) –

This section is there to help me solve several problems. 

I want to plan out content better, keep the information more organized (so I can refer to it later), and be more consistent with my posts. 

After following the steps discussed earlier, I chose the vertical layout.

  • Reading (horizontal layout)

I love reading non-fiction books and taking notes. And, the horizontal layout gives you more space to keep your summaries. But, sometimes I use the vertical too. 

This is the only planner that I do not use to plan. Therefore, I cover the dates because I am only focused on personal growth and reading more books per year.

I like keeping it in my main planner because I can keep reading in the car while waiting to pick up my kids or for a store to open.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to use multiple planners to organize your life, it’s time to put everything into practice. 

The action steps below give you a quick summary of what was covered in this article. Use it as a reference or as a guideline to stay on track.

Action steps

  • Lists the categories that you want to track in your planner
  • Review your list and see if it makes sense to combine some of the categories
  • Make a final decision on the sections to include in your planner
  • Specify what to track under each section
  • Visualize how each section would be organized
  • Decide which planner layout is best for each of your sections
  • Put your planner together!
multiple planners for busy moms

Filed Under: Blog, Moms, Productivity, Time Management

A Complete Guide to Remote Learning (for Parents)

Nov 5, 2020 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

This remote learning guide for parents is here because I understand what you are going through. Just like you, I was thrown into the position of a teacher’s assistant to help with the education of my kids throughout this unique situation.

At the beginning, the idea of distance learning was not that bad. After all, it would only be until the end of the school year which was only a few months away.

But now, things are different because for many families (including mine) the remote learning is stretching much longer than before. Because of that, the needs and requirements for online learning have changed too.

This situation has left many moms frustrated, confused, and even lost.

Fortunately, this remote learning guide covers everything you need for a better school year at home.

Once I learned that students would start the new school year from home, I immediately put together a list of things that I needed for my kids. But don’t worry, I am sharing those little secrets with you.

Below is a list of effective tips to help your family succeed during distance learning. These tips include a combination of effective strategies from teachers in my family, my years in Human Resources, and our own e-learning experience.

Sections Included

Section 1
Section 1

Top 10 remote learning tips for parents

Section 2
Section 2

Setting up
distance learning at home

Section 3
Section 3

What should I buy for remote learning?

Section 4
Section 4

What’s the parents’ role
in online learning?

Table Of Contents
  1. Sections Included
  2. Top 10 Remote Learning Tips for Parents
  3. How to Set up Distance Learning at Home?
  4. Setting up a Remote Learning Area at Home (Real Examples)
  5. What Should I Buy for Remote Learning?
  6. What is the Parent’s Role in Online Learning?
  7. Final Thoughts on Remote Learning for Parents

Top 10 Remote Learning Tips for Parents

(Section 1)

1. Designate a place for your kids to study

This is one of the most important tips listed here. You should designate a specific place to study even when your kids are doing remote learning. That will help your kids separate school from home and it will encourage them to have a ready-to-learn mindset.

The study area should make them feel comfortable without affecting their focus in the class, especially with little kids. For example, a student who is laying down in bed with the TV on while the teacher is talking, may not be as focused as a student who is sitting down in their favorite chair with minimal distraction.

You may also want to consider keeping little kids closer to you so you can help them with a bad connection, an unresponsive link, or a misplaced finding a school supply.

I talked about designating one study area but sometimes you need multiple ones. This will be helpful when it comes to some electives. For example, your child may need a bigger, open space for the PE class (in order to move around without the risk of getting hurt).

For art, you may want a bigger table with plenty of space to accommodate the art supplies and one that is okay to get damaged with paint or scratches.

For music class, you may need an area where your child can sing and move freely without distracting other people in the house.

At home, my little one spends most of the school day at her desk. However, she uses the formal family room for PE and music classes. Since it is an open area, it does not interrupt her older sister.

PRO TIP Designate areas where you can keep a distance between your kids. Sitting them too close to each other may interfere with each other’s virtual class.

2. Keep the designated school area simple and organized

Keep the school area organized and the most important supplies close to your child to avoid distractions and the possibility of missing important instructions from the teacher. I love using a caddy to keep things like pencils, scissors, and crayons handy.

Keep the school area organized and the most important supplies close to your child. This will avoid distractions and the possibility of missing important instructions from the teacher. I love using a caddy to keep things like pencils, scissors, and crayons handy.

keep school supplies handy and organized

Unfortunately, I have heard kids saying that do not know where to find a pencil, the textbook, or even their journal.

Decorating the area is optional. However, it will make your kids more likely to want to use it.

Start by choosing a theme, in order to keep the area looking consistent. (You will find more decoration tips later on in this article under section 2).

PRO TIP Leave everything ready the night before, including charging the laptop, keeping several sharpened pencils with erasers, putting journals and textbooks nearby, and anything else that may help. Also, bookmark the most used links, such as zoom meetings, so they can access them easily.

3. Minimize distractions for your child 

Finding a quiet place away from distractions would be greatly beneficial for your child. This may be easier for older students because they can probably handle remote learning by themselves.

However, stay closer to your younger kids to make sure that they follow through completing their schoolwork.

Some students use headphones to keep noises away. This may help some students focus better on the teacher’s lesson. The problem is that if your little ones miss any information, you will not be able to assist them or follow up later on.

PRO TIP Every night, do a quick check on the study areas to make sure they are free of toys or any other distraction. Turn off or put away any electronics that may cause a distraction during school time.

4. Create routines for online learning

Many schools require remote learners to follow a specific schedule. However, if your child is not on a set schedule, create one that works for your family. Following schedules create routines that help kids know what to expect.

Because of that, try to follow the same schedule every day including wake-up times, school hours, class order, and break times.

If that does not work for you, you can have a schedule for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and another schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Whichever way works for you, make sure to be consistent.

PRO TIP Add the schedule to a visible place near the study area to use it as a reference. You can find an example of a schedule under Section 2.

5. Encourage your child to dress up appropriately

It is normal to feel more relaxed and comfortable at home. However, dressing up for remote learning is as important as the rest of the tips.

It is okay to be casual without being too casual, so as to wear pajamas (unless it is a dress-up day). Taking a little bit of time in the morning to dress up well, will have a positive effect on their attitude toward school.  

PRO TIP To avoid injuries, it is still important to wear appropriate clothes and shoes at home when taking PE or similar classes.

6. Track your child’s homework and activities

Older kids should have their own planner to keep track of their homework, plan their projects, and avoid missing deadlines.

On the other hand, little kids need more help from you. It is difficult for younger kids to remember what classwork is still pending or what needs to be done after school. Thanks to a planner, we have not overlooked any work.

Using a planner will make your life a lot easier. Use it to keep track of homework, incomplete assignments, upcoming activities, and anything else related to school.

PRO TIP Keep a separate planner for school even if you are currently using multiple planners. It is easier to manage and keep everything organized. Adding a school section to your current planner may seem like a great idea. However, you may need more space later on and will most likely end up with school information all over the place.

7. Stay informed

Since this is a very unusual situation, it is normal to have questions about the new process and requirements.

The best way to support your child is to get familiar with the remote program and to stay on top of what is happening at your school and district.

Here are the best ways to get information:

– District’s website: Many districts have created new pages dedicated to covid-19 and returning to school. Usually, those pages are full of information that may answer most of your questions.

– School’s website: This is another good place to check because you can find specific information about what the school is doing during this process, cancelled events, or adjusted activities.

– Emails: There is a lot of important information that is shared through emails. If you are not enrolled in the school’s and district’s emails, go to the two websites mentioned above and enroll as soon as possible.

– Social media: Nowadays it is normal for schools to share information on different platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Search for their accounts and follow them.

By using them, I have learned about things that have happened at different campuses. There are also parent groups on Facebook that are focused on a specific grade level (i.e. sophomores), elective (i.e. band), sport (i.e. cross country), or a specific group (remote learners).

– Contact them: If you have any doubt or unanswered questions, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, school, or even the district. It is better to ask those questions rather than getting frustrated or setting false expectations.

PRO TIP Keeping an open communication with your child’s teacher and school is more important now than ever before.

8. Maintain good time management  

Remote learning can be very time consuming. If you are not using a planner yet, this would be a great opportunity to get one.

Make sure to include breaks throughout the day. Many schools have set a schedule for remote students to follow. However, if your school is not one of them, make sure that your kids (and you!) are taking breaks.

Breaks are a perfect time to encourage elementary kids to move around. Especially, after being in front of the computer for a long period of time.  

Kids should use their break time to do something that they enjoy such as playing, jumping around, watching TV, etc. This is also the perfect time to go to the bathroom, eat a snack, and drink something before it is time to focus on school again.

PRO TIP Save time by keeping some quick snacks and handy. You can have a snack basket or drawer where you or kids can easily get them.

9. Protect your family’s privacy

Many schools are using zoom as the main tool for distance learning. In this way, students can have live interactions with their teachers and classmates.

Due to this new way of learning, kids and teachers can see what is in front of the camera during those live meetings but also while recording videos or taking pictures as part of their homework.

Keep in mind that other people can hear your conversations during these live meetings or while recording audios or videos.

PRO TIP My teenage daughter puts a sign outside her bedroom door. That lets us know when she is in a zoom meeting so we won’t accidentally enter her room.

Do not disturb sign for distance learning

10. Set alarms on your phone

Your mom life has already been busy enough before the virus.  Adding homeschooling and different schedules make it even harder to keep up with everything.

You can be working on something without realizing that it is time to be doing something else. Set alarms on your phone to remind you what needs to be done and when.

The number of alarms depends on your situation. If you have older kids, they can set their own set of alarms on their phones.

I personally prefer to have different alarms going off throughout the day. I have alarms set to:

  • wake up in the morning – I have always done this. It is my way to be proactive in case we lose power during the night and the alarm clock gets turned off.
  • wake up my daughter
  • eat breakfast – This is just to ensure that I am still on track to finish on time. In this way, we can speed up if we are falling behind schedule. For example, if my daughter has an hour to get ready for school, I set this alarm to go off 30 minutes before the deadline. This gives me time to catch up.
  • start school – This alarm goes off 16 minutes before the school start time and every five minutes after that. I can snooze it three times at most which is right before her school starts.
  • log back in from lunch
  • remind us that school is almost over – It is hard for kids to see time as we do. Fifteen minutes for them can feel like 30 minutes or more.  This last alarm is for my daughter to know that it is her last class of the day. Since her mascot is a mustang, I added a horse race sound so it can be very recognizable.  Once the alarm goes off, she immediately knows that school is almost over! That alarm also coincides with the end of her last break.

Do not be afraid to use the alarms.

The set-up process sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Plus, you only set the alarms once and they will keep helping you every single day.

We do not have alarms for breaks because sometimes they start a few minutes earlier or later. What I do, is to quickly set a timer at the beginning of the break. If they get a 15-minute break, I set the timer to go off after 13 or 14 minutes just to be sure that she goes back on time.

PRO TIP Use different sounds based on the alarms. For example, you can use a school bell sound whenever your child needs to log in (when school starts, after lunch). You can use a different sound for breaks or lunch.

Bonus Tip: Set and follow a bedtime schedule

Remote learners have the flexibility of waking up later than they used to because school is just a few steps away. However, that flexibility can make it easier for kids to stay up longer at night.  

To avoid that, set a bedtime schedule during remote learning as it was before when they were going to school. Having a good night’s sleep helps kids be ready for the next day. It is easier to learn when our brain and body have rested. Plus, as I mentioned before, keeping routines help kids thrive.

Here is the daily number of sleeping hours that experts recommend based on the kid’s age (source):

  • Kids ages 3 to 5 should sleep from 10 to 13 hours
  • Kids ages 6 to 12 should sleep from 9 to 12 hours
  • Kids ages 13 to 18 should sleep from 8 to 10 hours

Feel free to use this information as a guideline to adjust your kids’ bedtime, if necessary.

How to Set up Distance Learning at Home?

(Section 2)

To set up a remote learning area at home, determine your child’s needs, and identify the best area for your child to study in order to accommodate those needs.

Determine your child’s needs

You already know that it will be a study area.

Now, answer the following questions to determine their needs:

– What will your child be doing in that area?

– How often will your child use that area?

– For how many hours per day?

– For how long?

Answering these questions can help you think of your options.

For example, my daughter needed a study area with privacy but it also needed to be close to me, to participate in live zoom meetings with her teacher. The area also needed space for her journals and textbooks. She would use that area every day for at least 7 hours and so far, it would be for the entire school year.

Being specific gives me a pretty good idea of what I need.

guide to remote learning for parents

Identify the best area for your child to study

The best area for your child to study will be as quiet as possible and far away from distractions. This will create a better environment for your child to focus better and learn.

Also, take their grade level into consideration because elementary students usually need more help than secondary students.

As mentioned in the first section, do not forget to keep your family’s privacy in mind.

Setting up a Remote Learning Area at Home (Real Examples)

At home, my daughter already had a simple area with a desk and a computer. It was the perfect area to accommodate her new needs.

However, it still needed some rearrangements and updates to make it feel more like a classroom (which was my goal). As you can see, the theme is emojis and it is decorated using the colors red, yellow, black, and white.

A Big Display Board

The purpose of this board is to work as a command center for all her schoolwork. Most of the papers on the board were laminated to make it easier to customize it at any time with a dry-erase marker.

diy display board for remote learning

The top area has four main sections: urgent, reminders, upcoming, and focus. The focus section is great to track topics that you would like to review, emphasize, or practice later with your child.

The board also includes an area for today’s date, weather, and current season. The sign for the weather has a magnet on the back that makes it easier to update. My daughter loves checking the weather every day and updating it on the board.

help kids to track current weather

There is also a section for monthly celebrations to keep track of upcoming holidays and special dates. You can go over these celebrations that are not covered at school or covered lightly.

You may also consider adding a calendar to the display board. We have several calendars nearby and did not have the need to add another one, but it may be different for you. By the way, I created these free cute printable calendars that you can use too.

How to Make it:

A Big Display Board

Most of the items on the board were created on the computer or downloaded from the internet and then adjusted in Canva. You can do the same as long as it is not for commercial use. Here are the rest of the items:

Red border
Black border (or use a colorful border)
White paper in the background – a self-adhesive paper worked for us or you can also use a dry-erase paper (Note: be aware that it can remove some of the paint from the walls)
Weather sign (I also considered a funny one)
Laminating sheets – There are different options to choose from
Cardstock paper

Daily Schedule

Having a visible schedule is very helpful because anyone can refer to it throughout the day. You can use our schedule as a guide to customizing yours.

organized schedule to create routines

As you can see from the picture shown above, it has analog clocks showing the class starting time, the “digital” class starting time, as well as the class name.

I also created a pointer that can be moved up and down to indicate the class she is in. It is something simple that you can put together with some ribbons and a clothespin.

So, you can design it yourself or you can save time by using these ones instead.

Word Wall

ELA teachers usually have a word wall in their classrooms, which is why I felt that we should have one at home too. I created the banner and printed some emojis.

This is a great way to display the spelling words for the week, month, or grading period. The pocket cards are erasable, allowing kids to practice over and over again.

word wall for homeschoolers

If you do not have spelling words from the teacher, you can get words from books or the internet.

Related: Spelling words for Kindergarten

Whenever your child is reading a book, mark the difficult words or write them down, explain what they mean, and ask your child to practice by writing them on the word wall cards.

How to Make it:

Word Wall

Prepare a quick and easy word wall to help your child with the spelling words:

Daily schedule pocket chart (includes pocket cards)
Pocket chart cards only
Banner customized in Canva – (source)

Cursive alphabet display

Some states have decided to reinstate learning cursive as part of the elementary school curriculum.

Being at home makes it easier to teach kids additional skills

cursive display board to practice at home

Since there is still some debate about it, I decided to teach her cursive (and how to type) myself. So far, she loves it and is eager to write as a “big girl”.

How to Make it:

Cursive Alphabet Display

Create a cursive alphabet display for your child to use regularly:

Cursive alphabet – You can cut the borders, as I did, if it does not match with your decoration.
Red border

Flower Clock

Second graders spend a good amount of time learning about clocks. The flower clock is a great way to learn and practice at home. Plus, it is very simple to put together. Just print, cut, and stick the pieces to the clock.

If you already have a clock at home, make sure that it is easy for kids to understand. Some clocks have fancy numbers or don’t show the hours as numbers, don’t have marks for the minutes, or have a confusing design.

flower clock for remote learners

This clock is perfect because it has a simple design, regular font, lines for the minutes, darker lines for the hours, and it includes a second hand.

This flower clock has definitely helped my daughter learn to read a clock faster.

How to Make it:

Flower Clock

The flower clock is a cute and effective way for your child to learn how to read the clock:

Black clock
Cardstock paper used to print the stem and leaves (source)

Door decoration

Decorating the classrooms’ door is another tradition at schools, so we did at home too!

door-decoration-homeschooling

You could decorate it based on the season, a favorite theme, your kid’s school colors, or their mascot (like we did).

There are many tools that you can use to decorate the door.

However, you can decorate it quickly with some gift wrap and some graphics.

Additional resources added

In her study area, I added a brain basket and a morning basket that is full of books.

The brain basket (on the left) has games to help her with math, science, ELA, and logic skills; while the morning basket has books to use during her school reading time or while she waits for the teacher. She also uses this program which I really love!

brain basket and morning basket

What Should I Buy for Remote Learning?

(Section 3)

The supplies needed for remote learning depend on your child’s grade level, school, and the supplies that you already have at home.

Below is a generic list of supplies that would help your child.

Essential school supplies

Laptop – It seems like many districts provided laptops to students but if you are searching for one, my daughters received laptops similar to these and they are more affordable.

Journals – The number of journals needed will depend on your child’s school and grade level.

Pencils – Little kids may use the standard ones while the older kids may prefer mechanical pencils and modern pens.

Erasers – Kids normally use several erasers during the school year, so it is always good to have an extra set ready. I grew up using these erasers and now, my daughters are addicted to them! These erasers are great and last a long time. I also liked these ones if you have not tried them yet.

Crayons – A box of crayons is important for little kids because they always have something to color. Plus, there are a variety of crayons available such as glitter, pearl, neon, twistables, and even ones with scents.

Printer – Most of my little one’s schoolwork is online or on her textbooks, but my high schooler needs to print more papers to study or practice. Fortunately, our printer has been keeping up with the extra work.

School Organization

Planner – A planner is a tremendous help for students in middle school and high school. My teenage daughter still uses her student planner every day during remote learning. It has helped her stay organized and turn in her schoolwork on time.

A planner has also been very beneficial for my little one. I use it to keep track of her homework, lessons learned, activities, and anything else that I need to follow up with after school hours.

Using a block style planner can help you organize the school days based on your child’s schedule. Since the planner I use has seven columns, I use them for morning work, ELA / SS, Specials, Math, Science, Homeschooling, and Additional.

The homeschooling column is designated for things that I would focus on after school. It could be math problems, writing, reading comprehension, typing, and so on.

The additional column is to keep track of upcoming events or activities such as dress-up days, fundraising, or things to submit.

I am currently using the teacher’s edition, which is not available year-round. However, the following planners have a similar weekly design:

  • Disney theme – It’s new and gorgeous!
  • Colorful theme  
  • Pastel Rainbow

PRO TIP These pens help you keep your planner clean and free of mess or white-out tape.

Calendar – To keep track of what is due, coming up, or needs to be done. There are many options available such as the planners mentioned above, these free printable calendars, or a dry-erase calendar.

You can also make one yourself with a few supplies. For example, below is a weekly dry-erase calendar that I created. It is placed right before opening the garage door, as a last-minute reminder. It is simple, lightweight, and has plenty of space. You can create your own with dry-erase contact paper and washi tape.

diy-dry-erase-calendar

Bookshelf – A simple bookshelf is great to keep all the books, journals, and extra resources organized.

Expanding file folder – A file folder allows me to keep paperwork organized and in one place. Even when most of my daughter’s schoolwork is completed online, there is some paperwork that we need to print or do on paper. For that, I like to use an expanding file folder to divide it by subjects.

Binder (or separate folder) – Here you can keep the emails from your child’s school. I divided our binder into three sections: teacher, school, and district. That way, I can keep track of all the things happening and I can also use it as a reference if needed. In each section, I keep the latest emails on top for immediate access.

Clock – An analog clock can help your elementary student learn how to read the clock. A simple clock should work perfectly fine.

Caddy – A caddy is a quick way to keep the most important supplies handy and organized. It’s also very helpful for the Art class.

Additional helpful Supplies

These supplies have been very helpful to us and may help you too.

Dry-erase pocket sleeves – A pocket sleeve is extremely helpful! It is perfect for things that need continuous practice such as learning how to write your name or doing math.

Instead of printing the same papers over and over again, you can just print it once, and place it inside the pocket sleeve. Once your child is done practicing with a dry-erase marker, wipe off the paper pocket, and then use it again later.

Small dry-erase board – Having a dry-erase board is useful to practice writing and math. However, your kids can also use it to draw during break time.

Dry-erase markers – Don’t forget the markets for the pocket sleeves or the dry-erase board.

Educational workbooks – These educational workbooks are great to use as a follow-up or for extra practice after school hours. You can find books for a specific grade level or subject. I love them and have already used them many times!

Headphones – My daughter’s school suggested remote learners to use headphones. To protect my daughter’s hearing, I decided to buy volume-limiting headphones made for kids. They work well and truly limit the volume considerably. However, to be extra careful, she only uses them when it is absolutely necessary.

Word wall pocket – Since ELA teachers always have a word wall in their classrooms, I created one at home. I printed a banner, some emojis, and added a daily schedule pocket chart like this one.

The pocket chart is normally used in the classrooms to display the schedule for that day. However, it is also useful to keep the spelling words for the week or the month. Get some dry-erase pocket cards to keep reusing them.

PRO TIP Index cards are also an alternative to pocket chart cards. They are not dry erase, but they are very inexpensive and normally sold in packs of 100 or even 300 cards.

Foldable table – A foldable table makes it easier to set up a laptop in other areas of the house. Its stability is perfect for videos and pictures that need to be taken in other areas.

Post-it notes – Sometimes teachers ask students to add quick notes to their books and journals. They use sticky notes to take quick notes, mark pages in the book, or identify important information.

Highlighters – Older kids will use highlighters more than little ones. However, I use them every day to color-code our school planner. For example, the topics covered during the class are highlighted with pink while all the work submitted is highlighted in yellow. You can also use orange if something was canceled or rescheduled.

What is the Parent’s Role in Online Learning?

(Section 4)

Knowing what is happening is the best way for families to adjust to this new situation. As a parent, you can support your kids’ online learning by:

  • Providing a positive environment to study

Section 1 and 2 are full of information to help you create a better environment for your kids

  • Knowing what is happening at school

Even if you are at home, stay aware of the changes and situations happening at the campuses.

  • Helping them find other ways to solve their problems

The process of distance learning is completely different than what kids are used to, especially for older kids.

Sometimes, teens get frustrated and feel that there are no other ways to do their homework or fulfill the class’ requirements.

Help them find different resources from libraries or online groups that can help them succeed. There are also many different places offering tutoring services for kids of all ages.

  • Talking with your kids

Some kids may be happy studying from home while others may be struggling or even feeling isolated. Pay close attention to their behavior and make sure that you listen to them.

Do not hesitate to reach out to school counselors for help. It is not uncommon to feel more stress now, with everything going on.

You can also contact your doctor or another professional. Plus, here is this list of resources that can help you too.

  • Being an advocate

If you see that something is not right, fair, or working appropriately, do not be afraid to speak up. Contact the school or district and let them know what is going on.

  • Protecting your child while connected online

As always, keep an eye on what your child is doing online. Unfortunately, there have been different situations where kids have been exposed while attending school virtually.

This is not meant to scare you, but instead to help you keep your child safe.

Even when most schools’ laptops are restricted, make sure to set rules at home such as acceptable times to be online, the maximum time allowed, and sites that can be visited.  

Also, if available, review the apps or programs that your child is using and adjust the settings to increase its privacy. Remind your kids to notify you immediately if they witness something they feel is not right.

Final Thoughts on Remote Learning for Parents

As you can see, this guide covered lots of details to help you thrive as a parent during remote learning.

However, let me recap what we went over:

  • The top 10 remote learning tips for parents (+ a bonus tip)
  • Ideas to set up distance learning at home (examples included)
  • A list of what to buy for remote learning
  • Your role in online learning as a parent

Hope you found this guide helpful!

Right now, you may be going through changes and uncertainty, but take a deep breath and trust yourself.

You, more than anyone, knows what’s best for your family. I’m pretty sure that you will make the best decisions.

Everything will get better!

Filed Under: Blog, Kids, Moms, Parenting

Which school lunch box is good for kids?

Aug 23, 2020 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

Are you tired of buying a new school lunch box every year that does not meet your expectations or, are you a new mom trying to figure out the best lunch box for school among all the options?

Either way, I will share with you the only lunch box that has worked with my daughter for the entire year (and beyond)

best school lunch box for kids

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure for more info. 

Table Of Contents
  1. What is a good lunch box?
  2. What is the best lunch box?
  3. Bentgo lunch box: Pros and Cons
  4. What lunch box fits a Bentgo?
  5. Final thoughts on the best school lunch box for kids

What is a good lunch box?

What makes a lunch box “a good lunch box” depends on different factors such as your kids’ age, the purpose for it, and even the type of food they eat.

But in general, a good lunch box is one that is strong (so you don’t have to keep buying more lunch boxes throughout the school year) leak-proof, and most importantly, one that keeps the food fresh and in place!

If your child is at school for only a few hours a day, regular containers may work for you.

For example, when my daughter was in Pre-K, she was only at school for 4 hours a day. Then, we were eating lunch right after picking her up. In that case, we just needed a container that could hold a quick snack.

Those needs are different than when kids go to school all day. For kids who go to school all day, it is important to use a container that keeps the food fresh for several hours…especially if you have a picky eater at home.

What is the best lunch box?

Based on my experience, Bentgo is the best lunch box for kids. And, that’s why I have been recommending it to other moms!

I bought the Bentgo lunch box because while my daughter was in Kindergarten, I struggled all year to find a lunch box that could do the job right, but there was always an issue.

Here are some of the problems we had in Kindergarten before owing a Bentgo:

  • Containers not closing all the way –  Because of that, my daughter’s leftover lunch was spreading inside the lunch box, making it very stinky.
  • Too many containers –  In order to send a variety of food without mixing them, I had to use different containers. Sometimes my daughter would not even open the extra containers.
  • Food was not arriving in the same way –  For example, I would send different ingredients for her to make taco nachos, as she liked to do. The problem was that part of the cheese would arrive melted and would stick together, making my daughter not want to eat it.

Bentgo lunch box: Pros and Cons

The Bentgo has worked wonderfully in our family. I wish I would have bought it when my daughter started Kindergarten as it would have saved me (and her) many frustrations.

Here are some of the things I liked about it:

  • Convenient

The compartments make it easier to include different types of foods for your child’s lunch (even a treat!) There is no need to use extra containers.

  • Durable

The material is strong and sturdy which is great for little kids.

  • Closes tightly

The combination of latches and rubber keeps the lunch box completely closed, preventing the food from mixing or getting out. It also keeps it fresh a lot longer.

  • Easy for kids

It is easy for the kids to use because the food is all in one place.

  • Maintenance

It is easy to clean too. The tray is removable and can be placed in the top rack of the dishwasher.

  • Design

Before, the design was a con because it was plain, but not anymore. Now, they have beautiful designs for girls and boys that include unicorns, rockets, butterflies, safari, mermaid scales, sports, and more.

  • Price

The price of the Bentgo lunch box can be higher than the alternatives. But, you would probably end up spending the same amount of money or even more, in other containers that won’t work as well as this one. Plus, it lasts for a while too!

What lunch box fits a Bentgo?

The good thing is that the bentgo fits inside must common lunch boxes.

Last year, we bought a lunch bag tote similar to this one and it fit perfectly! Plus, I still had space to add a spoon, a napkin, and a capri sun with no problem.

And, don’t forget to add a lunch box note!

Final thoughts on the best school lunch box for kids

It is frustrating to know that your child spent the entire day at school and didn’t eat his/her lunch.

My daughter’s school lunch was SO MUCH better in first grade thanks to the help of the Bentgo lunch box. And, I’m pretty sure that it will save you some headaches and frustrations too.

best school lunch box for kids

Filed Under: Blog, Kids, Moms, Parenting

Simple ways to create beautiful Kindergarten memories

May 26, 2020 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

There are a lot of emotions involved when your kids start kindergarten. Transitioning into kindergarten is an exciting time, but it is also a period where you worry about the changes and hope for everything to go well.

The fact is that your child will be growing and doing many things for the first time which makes kindergarten memories extra special.

I will share different ways to help you keep those valuable memories. These ideas work no matter if your child is just starting, already attending, or about to complete kindergarten.

The 2019-20 school year was definitely unique with the arrival of COVID-19. And it seems like 2020-21 will be different  too.  But there are still ways to keep memories of this unique situation.

So, let’s get started…

kindergarten graduation gift ideas

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info. 

 

Memories of Kindergarten

personalized shirt

Personalized shirt

I loved this idea as soon as I heard about it! The purpose here is to buy a shirt now that will fit your child in their senior year.

In the meantime, every year, on the first day of school, you take a picture of your child with that shirt on to capture the growth throughout the years.

After looking around, I bought that shirt for my little one. I loved the quality of the shirt and the coral silk shirt. And, the shipping was fast too!

 

memory binder for Kindergarten

 

Memory binder

First, I like that it is colorful which is perfect for kids’ memories. In addition, it is a binder which makes it easier to keep adding schoolwork and moving it around if needed.

It has a pocket for smaller objects and first day/last day templates to keep those pictures side by side.

Plus, you can keep the binder in its own box for extra protection.

 

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Fortunately, my sister told me about this memory idea. After getting the book, all you need to do is to ask the teachers to write a message for your child every year.

Then, at the end of their senior year, you give the book to your child as a gift.

I am already excited for my little one and cannot imagine her face whenever she sees the messages from all her teachers. It will be priceless!

 

Kindergarten graduation gift ideas

kindergarten graduation stole

 

Graduation stole

This graduation stole is good for girls and boys and you have the option to choose the colors for the sash and letters.

 

Graduation cap

I also like the idea of keeping a kindergarten graduation cap.

In this case, you can get it exactly as shown or you can customize the colors and message.

 

last day of kindergarten shirt

 

Last day of Kindergarten memory

It’s a great way to keep all the information in one spot (or shirt 🙂 )

Your child can proudly wear this shirt on the last day of school or you can buy it just as a detailed memory to keep.

 

end of school chalkboard

 

Editable printable

If the last day of school shirt is not your thing, I found this editable printable that you can frame or add to an album.

 

 

1st graduation picture frame

 

Picture frame

This is one of several beautiful styles and sizes to choose from.

 

 

graduation bear

Graduation bear

It is another traditional gift for little ones.

My daughter got a similar one and we kept it as part of the decoration in her room.

This shop can also personalize it with your child’s name.

 

 

graduation pillow

Personalized graduation pillow

Another cute kindergarten gift for boys and girls is this graduation pillow.

You can customize the kid’s hair and skin tone. Plus, you can add the name and a special message.

 

Quarantine related Kindergarten graduation gifts

quarantine graduation shirt

Personalized Graduation Shirt

This personalized graduation shirt is super cute and perfect for a Kindergartner in 2020.

 

 

toilet paper graduation shirt

Quarantined graduation shirt

Of course, we can’t forget toilet paper, which was a big deal during the quarantine.

There are several colors to choose from and bigger sizes for older siblings too.

 

graduation candy bouquet

Candy bouquet 

Families tend to give flowers for graduations. But, what about giving candies instead? It is cute, unique, and I am pretty sure that kids would prefer that idea, too! 😉

quarantine graduation cap topper

 

Quarantine cap topper

If you already have a graduation cap, here is a quick way to decorate it and to add a quarantine memory to it.

 

 

Last thoughts on Kindergarten memories for your child

Now, you are ready to create and keep your child’s sweet memories of kindergarten. I still have my kindergarten memories and I am super excited about keeping these memories for my daughter too.

And, as you noticed, we went over ideas that are very easy to do or follow.

Just one quick tip before you go.

Make sure to add reminders in your phone, calendars, or even both! The first or last day of school is usually busier with extra things to take care of than usual.

As moms, we always have the best intentions to take care of everything but sometimes, we need a little help especially during those important dates.

In my case, I set up two reminders in my online calendar. The first reminder is for the picture with a personalized shirt on the first day of school.

Then, I get a second reminder close to the end of the year to ask the teacher to sign the “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” book.

I added those two reminders to my google calendar for the convenience of setting them up once and not having to do anything else again. Plus, I did not want to risk losing the reminders after changing planners or physical calendars.

Choose a system that works for you so you can stay on top of it!

Do you have another kindergarten memory idea for moms? Share it by leaving a comment below.

pinterest logo and reminder to not forget to pin it for later.

kindergarten memories

Filed Under: Blog, Gift Guides, Kids, Moms

7 Quick Tips to Save Money on Groceries (for Busy Moms)

Mar 21, 2020 by Lynelle 23 Comments

Are you ready to save money on groceries? Me too!

If you are here, you are probably tired of paying too much money at the grocery store on every visit.

We are a small family who never consumes that much food but somehow, I still ended up paying way too much at the grocery store. As a mom with two kids, my time is extremely limited. That’s why I stopped clipping coupons so heavily.

I used to cut and organize coupons every week. I had a very organized coupon binder which I later replaced with a more relaxed filing system. Unfortunately, I stopped because both methods required too much of my time.

Nowadays, I use digital coupons, cash back apps, and follow the tips discussed below to spend less money on groceries.

Quick note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for more info.A mom counting the money to pay for groceries.

Top 7 tips on how to save money on groceries

 

1. Plan before going to the store

The process of saving money on groceries starts before going to the store.

Flyers are an effective way for stores to promote what they have on sale and hopefully, motivate the customers enough to get into their car and stop by the store.

Check the front and back pages of the flyer because it’s there where they normally place the items with the deepest discounts. Therefore, to save money, focus on those pages.

 

Here are three ways to access the flyers:

  • Sunday newspaper

If you like to mark the flyers, the Sunday newspaper would be a good option for you. Every week, it has a variety of store flyers for the upcoming sales and most of the time includes coupon inserts too.

Because Sunday newspapers can get a little pricey, skip most of the stores and go straight to Dollar Tree where you can get it for only a $1.00! And since it’s available on Saturdays, you can plan your shopping trip in advance and be ready to save when Sunday arrives.

  • Grocery store website

If you prefer the digital version, the store’s website usually has a copy of the flyer and sometimes, you can find special coupons and offers too.

Keep in mind that coupon sites such as Coupons.com, SmartSource, and RedPlum are great places to look for extra coupons.

  • Grocery apps

If neither of the previous options works for you, use your phone! But, instead of going to the store’s website, download the mobile app called Flipp.

Flipp allows you to choose your favorite stores and it even notifies you when a flyer from one of your favorite stores has been uploaded so you don’t miss the sale. This app also has a section that allows you to upload coupons to your loyalty store card.

2. Use what you have available

This step is easy to do but frequently overlooked.

Before doing anything, make sure to take a closer look at your pantry and your refrigerator to see what’s left. There you can find potential items that you can use for your meals. That will reduce your shopping list and amount spent.

3. Put your meal plan together

At this point, you know what’s on sale and what you already have. Now, determine what food you will prepare throughout the following days.

Planning your meals in advance helps save money on groceries and be more productive.

This family is happy because they are saving money while shopping for groceries.

4. Prepare your shopping trip

Make sure you have a shopping list ready and organized so you know exactly what you need to buy. You can color-code your list or separate it by sections. In that way, you can take similar items at once without going back and forth between aisles.

Having an organized list and focusing on it helps me get out of the store faster and avoid the temptation of buying unplanned items.

Shopping alone and in the morning also helps me get out of the grocery store faster. Plus, I keep a snack in my purse in case I get hungry while I am at the store.

 

5. Find the hidden discount areas

Grocery stores normally have small areas in the back of the stores where they keep clearance items or manager’s specials.

Take a quick look at the items in this section to see if there’s something from your list. Even if the prices are low, make sure to only buy what you and your family will consume. Otherwise, you are not saving money.

 

6. Take advantage of the sales

The stores have sale cycles which means that once your favorite product is on sale, you have to wait until it is put on sale again. The sale cycles vary based on the store and products.

The purpose here is to take advantage when your favorite products are on sale. In that case, buy a few of them to have extra ones at home until they are put back on sale. Just make sure to only buy what you know you will use.

In the beginning, it’s normal to run out of the items because you are learning about the sale cycle and how many your family uses in between. But don’t worry because your estimates should improve over time.

 

7. Be a loyal customer

Many grocery stores offer discounts, rewards, and even free items to those who are part of their store program. For example, Kroger provides extra discounts on a variety of products around the store. It also offers extra discounts on gasoline and gives you a free item every month.

Thanks to that, I have gotten free candies, chips, pasta, healthy snack bars, and a lot more.

If you have a Kroger nearby, make sure that you enroll in their text messages to receive their notifications. Even though you don’t have to get the free item that same day, you do have to save the digital coupon on your Kroger card that day.

This busy mom is happy after seeing how much money she saved on groceries

BONUS: 3 Ways to save money on groceries

I know that you are busy, but I’m pretty sure you still want to save as much as you can. That’s why I want to share with you three ways to save money on groceries:

Ibotta

You can get some cash back just by submitting your receipts to this mobile app. It’s a really easy way to get money back based on the items you purchased at the store within a certain period of time. The cash back requests are processed quickly.

Right now, you can get $10.00 off when you sign up for Ibotta for the first time or download the app and enter the code: lgkgveb

 

Walmart Groceries

Have you used Walmart’s grocery pickup service yet? Before, I wasn’t too convinced about using the service. I kept thinking that the employee would not choose the items in the same way that I do. But, my mindset changed as soon as I used their service. The process is fast, convenient, and FREE!

Place your first order and SAVE $10.00 when you  sign up to Walmart Groceries for the first time.

 

Shopkick

Shopkick is one of my favorite cash back app and it’s similar to Ibotta.

The difference is that you can also accumulate kicks (rewards points) just by walking into your favorite stores. Those kicks can be redeemed for gift cards to popular stores such as Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Ulta, and even Amazon.

If you have a few extra minutes, scan some of the store’s given products for even more kicks.

I can help you get 250 kicks when you walk-in or scan for the first time! Just join Shopkick through my link or download the app and enter the code: BLUE921928

 

Now, you are ready to save money on groceries

There you have it! Ten tips that you can implement right away to help you save money on groceries.

Keep in mind that to save the most on groceries, you need to apply a combination of these strategies. In the beginning, you may feel like you are not saving a lot. Especially, if you only use one strategy. But, like in any other situation, the more tips you implement, the more you save.

Now, let me hear from you.

Which one of the ten tips discussed here would you implement first? Is there a tip that you currently use, and was not included in here?

 

Pin it for later and don’t forget to share it with friends!

This mom has her basket full after saving money on groceries.

Filed Under: Blog, Moms, Money, New Moms, Parenting, Save Money

Planner Decorating for Beginners: Do it the Right Way

Mar 14, 2020 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

If you are not intentionally decorating your planner, you are doing it wrong. Planner decorating has become very popular during the last years, and its popularity keeps increasing over time.

But with so many beautiful stickers, washi tapes, and printables available, you have to be intentional when decorating your planner. After all, you want your planner to be cute, organized, and functional.

Here are the topics that I will cover:

  • Choose the right planner for you
  • The best layout for planner decorating
  • Why would you decorate the planner?
  • Be intentional with the decoration
  • The materials needed to decorate your planner
  • Get $10 off your purchase of your new planner (discount for you!)
  • Where to get pretty printables for planners
  • Planner Ideas: How to decorate your planner
  • It’s time to decorate your planner (+5 ideas)
  • Pin it for later

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info. 

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

Choose the right planner for you: InkWell Press Planner

First, you need a good a planner that works for you.

I am a firm believer of planners because they are like your personal assistant that keeps everything from falling apart. I have tried many planners in the past with different sizes, layout, and styles. They were okay, but I have never been happier than with my current planner.

I chose the InkWell Press planner because it is more than a planner.  It not only keeps your to-do lists, but it also helps you create your monthly goal, plan, and focus, in addition of tracking your habits, planning your week, and having plenty of space for notes. On top of that, you have access to helpful videos, free downloads, and podcast episodes that I absolutely enjoy and learn a ton.

Now, let’s talk about the ideal layout. 

 

The best layout for planner decorating

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

No layer is better than another when it comes to planner decorating. You can create gorgeous pages with either one. What is important is to focus on a layout that works for you first. Then, decorate based on that layout.

Most of the planners that I used had a horizontal layout. But this time, I purposely chose the classic edition because of its vertical layout, since it matched better with my personality. And I am so glad I changed!

This vertical planner layout is:

  • easier to look at and picture your whole week at once
  • better to see repetitive tasks throughout the week
  • more organized, and as a result: better to plan and schedule additional tasks or activities

Another thing that I love about my planner, is the great amount of blank space on the weekly pages. All that space helps me to easily track different areas of my life on a regular basis. It also makes planner decorating easier since the planner can be customized in a way where I can be even more productive.

Quick Tip: if the vertical layout is sold out at the InkWell store, then try this store instead. I absolutely love this planner! Plus, I get to decorate it in a way that I can be more organized and productive. #planners #moms #momlife

Why would you decorate the planner?

In my case, the purpose of decorating the planner is to be more productive, take a break, and regain energy.

Planner decorating gives me the opportunity to customize the planner in a way that works even better for me. I can create specific areas for different types of tasks. Having a plan, knowing what to do, and being organized, increases the productivity level.

Not sure if it’s just me, but planner decorating relaxes me. It could be the creativity part involved or the fact that I rarely take a break, but that’s something I enjoy doing. When I see the end results.

Getting my weeks all decorated and customized helps me regain energy.  Because when I open the planner every Monday it is like tricking my brain to a fresh start with the new decoration.

One additional tip before moving on to the next section. It might get too overwhelming to decorate your planner every week. It’s better to set aside some time when you can decorate several weeks or even months at a time.

If you need to add an event to a week that has not been decorated yet, just add a post-it note to that week with all the information about the event. That way, you won’t forget to add it to your schedule later. 

 

Be intentional with the decoration

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

You probably bought your planner to stay on top of things, increase productivity, or be more organized.

But, why decorate your planner?

It’s okay to make your planner look pretty and to make it your own. But, don’t forget to keep your planner functional. There are so many beautiful stickers for planners out there, that it wouldn’t be hard to find yourself adding extra stickers to the pages.

The classic InkWell Press planner is already great in the way it comes. Each day gives enough space to create a long to-do list for all the tasks to complete. It also has three boxes at the bottom which are perfect for key information such as the daily top three goals, daily meal planning, and a bills reminder.

The problem is that I needed more than that and it had to be organized in a different way. That’s why you must be intentional when decorating your planner.

First, think of what you want to achieve with your planner. In my case, I decorate my planner not only to make it prettier but to make myself more productive too. Then, identify what you want to track on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Don’t worry, I will give you some ideas in a moment. 

Related post: How to Set Short Term Goals to Achieve More

 

The materials needed to decorate your planner

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

You don’t really need to spend a lot of money or use too many materials to make your planner look cute. I pretty much use the same type of materials every time I decorate the planner.

Here is the list of materials I used:

  • Plastic stencil or you can get over 1200 patterns here
  • Mint washi tapes and salmon washi tape {most of the time, I use thin washi tapes}
  • Glue sticks – I use the purple glue stick but there’s one for crafts
  • Black pen 
  • Colored Pencils
  • Glue runner

Those are also the most common materials used for planner decorating.

Check out the best productivity planner that I use. Plus, get $10 off through my link

Where to get pretty printables for planners

The beauty of planner decorating is that it gives you different options.

My top resources are:

  • Value pack stickers – Even though I am using an InkWell planner, I normally use the Happy planner value pack stickers, especially the mom life and the productivity stickers. There are different value packs to choose from including stickers for fitness, faith, menu, and even checklists. There are so many value packs available that I don’t blame you if you can’t decide which one to choose. But if it helps, there’s a value pack with basic stickers to get you started.
  • Free Printables – By conducting a quick search on Pinterest, you will be able to find a lot of planner stickers that are gorgeous and free, which is exactly what I did for this blog post. To get the same printable that I used, head over Free Pretty Things for You to download it. There, you have the choice to download the printable created for the Erin Condren (EC) planner or for the Happy Planner. This time, I used the one for the Happy Planner because their rectangles are bigger and this time, I wanted to cover most of the boxes at the bottom of my planner.

Related post: 130 Free Printable Stickers for Planners (Free PDF version)

 

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

How to print those printables for planners at home:

  • Sticker Paper – You can print your printables on a sticker paper. In this case, you just have to cut the shapes and tape them to the planner.
  • Cardstock paper – This is the method I use. After printing it on cardstock paper, cut the desired shapes, and glue them to your planner using a glue stick or glue runner. Some people also use the Xyron sticker maker even though, I haven’t used it myself.
  • Printer – You don’t need a specific printer. I use an inkjet printer and adjust its print quality settings to normal or best. 

 

Planner Ideas: How to decorate your planner

The InkWell Press planner is already pretty and neat but we can still make it prettier, and more functional.

So, let’s go over each planner section…

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

Planner decorating makes it easy to create sections that tackle different areas of your life:

  • Daily Appointments – That’s where the magic happens. Most of my activities occur between 7 am to 5 pm. But, whenever I have something outside those hours, I adjust the schedule for that day. I prefer to modify only a few days per year, rather than “permanently” adding those hours to the schedule and having them empty 80% of the time. Writing the schedule doesn’t take too long but if you still want a faster way, I am pretty sure there’s a sticker for that! 😊
  • To-do Lists – A space to write home-related tasks such as laundry, cleaning, buy groceries, make a doctor appointment, buy a birthday gift, or get something for the kids.
  • Business Tasks – Here is where all the business related tasks go. Tasks such as writing a new blog post, scheduling on social media, or even creating new products for the shop.
  • Weekly Goals – Those important goals that I need to complete that week. I normally use it as is.
  • Notes Column – It’s the space for any note that I need to keep handy.
  • Weekly Gratitude – A way to not forget the wonderful things that happened during that week.
  • Notes for next week – Any activity, event, or appointment that comes up and needs to be added for the following week.
  • Saturday and Sunday appointments – InkWell provides you with the same amount of space for each day of the week. Since that’s too much space for my weekend activities, I prefer to combine both days in one column and use the extra column as a Notes column.

Using planner decorating in the right way, let’s you be more organized and productive.

Use planner decorating the right way to be more organized and productive. It is more than just adding planner stickers. You need to be intentional. Learn how to decorate your planner to make it cute and functional. Create productivity sections, know what materials to use, and learn about the best planner I have used. #planner #moms #momlife

Daily top three goals section

The top three goals are those that must be completed each day without excuse.

This planner has already created several sections for you including the three boxes at the bottom. Even though I gave you the idea of using them for your top three goals, meal planning, and bill reminders, you can also use them for all kind of combinations such as home, meal, and fitness or home, kids, and church.

Other useful ideas are evening events, kid’s activities, after-school activities, family events, date nights, movie nights, or self-development. The best part is that you can add tiny stickers to each area to quickly identify them.

The planning ideas are endless!

 

It’s time to decorate your planner

You are now officially ready to jump into planner decorating with a better idea (or ideas) on how to decorate your planner, in an easy but functional way. Have more ideas? Share them with us in the comments section.

Before you go…

 

5 planner decoration printable ideas to help you get started:

  • Bundle #1 – includes a full year of weekly view stickers
  • Bundle #2 – an editable twelve-month bundle of half-box checklists
  • Bundle #3 – twelve colorful sheets of stickers
  • Bundle #4 – plan your days with these weather icon stickers
  • Bundle #5 – 70+ sheets full of stickers for many occasions

Have fun! 😀 

 

Pin these planner decorating tips for later!

I absolutely love this planner! Plus, I get to decorate it in a way that I can be more organized and productive. #planners #moms #momlife

 

Filed Under: Blog, Moms, Organization, Productivity, Time Management

450+ Lunch Box Notes for Kids (Free Printables)

Sep 23, 2019 by Lynelle 8 Comments

Here is a great list of lunch box notes for kids, perfect for when you run out of ideas, fall behind on your notes (like me), or just need some help during the morning rush.

This list includes all types of notes for your child’s lunch box such as jokes, popular characters, inspirational, special holidays, and more.

Lunch box notes are a great opportunity to make our kids laugh, motivate them and remind them how loved they are.

That’s why I sent notes to my oldest daughter until middle school when she started buying food from the cafeteria. Unfortunately, I have slowly stopped sending notes to my little one. Even though I was NOT happy with that, I thought that she didn’t care that much about them…but I was wrong!

The worst part was when I told her to expect the notes again. Her face turned sad and she said that she didn’t understand why I had stopped sending her notes. That made me feel even worse! (Mom Guilt Moment ☹)

As you can see, this is one of those little things that mean a lot to a kid and it is something that they will remember.

Hopefully, this list can help you too!notes in lunch box

[lwptoc]

Free Lunch Box Notes for Kids 

In this section, you can find general lunch box notes that have fruits, flowers, animals, etc.

Living Locurto – This site includes five colorful notes with messages on it, a blank one where you can add your special message, and one more for exam days. (7-count)

Highlights – In addition to providing a magazine for kids, Highlights has a printable with lunch notes for kids (8-count)

Simple Mom Project – Kaitlen has three adorable pages with animals, fruits, and sweet messages. (25-count)

Mandy’s Party Printables – If you are looking for cute, modern, and even humorous notes, you need to check these out. (8-count)

Child – Here you can find two pages of adorable notes with jokes and inspirational messages. (16-count)

 

Lunch Box Notes Jokes

Are you ready to add some humor to your child’s lunchbox? Make your child’s lunch more enjoyable with these jokes.

Let’s Lasso The Moon – There is a printable with ten jokes including Q&As and the traditional knock-knock jokes. Plus, there are additional blank lunch notes that you can use too. (20-count)

One Creative Mommy – This website has a printable with cute fruit jokes and if you scroll down, you will find another printable with more cute notes to print. (16-count)

Kristen Duke Photography – Kristen has two sets of printables to choose from: lunch jokes and brain teasers. They are cute, colorful, and easy to print. She has more lunch box notes available including Mickey Mouse, superhero, holidays, etc. (20-count)

Somewhat Simple – Want more cute fruit jokes? This site has eight more notes for you. (8-count)

The Gunny Sack – Tonia created two PDFs with jokes for your child. Plus, she made two different sets for boys and girls. (24-count)

 

free lunch box notes for kids

Kids’ Favorite Characters Notes in Lunch Box

⭐ Superheroes:

Time Out With Mom – This printable is super adorable! They include Spiderman, Captain America, Iron Man, Superman, etc. (6-count)

Diary of A Recipe Collector – Another cute printable with kids’ favorite superheroes. (8-count)

⭐ Popular Characters

The Delightful Life – Here you can get notes with characters like Toy Story, The Incredibles, PJ Masks, The Little Mermaid, Inside Out, and more. I already printed mine and can’t wait to put them in my daughter’s lunch box! (24-count)

Disney Clips – Do you have a Princess fan at home? This printable is perfect for you. (8-count)

DIY Candy – My daughter is not a huge Trolls fan but she loved these printables. (6-count)

Inspired by Family – Mari Eugenia has a printable for Dr. Seuss notes available in her site. (6-count)

⭐ Emojis

The Suburban Mom – Jen offers a printable of emoji lunch notes that are cute and full of color. (8-count)

Press Print Party – Nathalie has more emoji notes for you after joining her newsletter (10-count)

The Chirping Moms – These notes are simple and cute for an emoji fan (9-count)

 

Websites with Encouraging Lunch Box Notes

If you intend to send a little bit of encouragement in the middle of the day, these inspirational notes can help you out with that.

Whipper Berry – Heather’s printable is the perfect way to deliver special messages to your child. (6-count)

Learning Liftoff – Here you will find inspirational notes but there’s also lunch notes with jokes and some other blank lunch notes where you can add your message. (12-count)

This is Tisa – I like these because each note has a different background color and they are focused on the message.  (8-count)

 

Lunch Box Notes for Kindergarten (and Preschool)

These notes are not only great for Kindergarteners but also pre-readers or preschoolers in general.

Kristen Duke Photography – On this website, you can find cute silly notes that are perfect for pre-readers. (10-count)

Our Whimsical Days – There are twelve notes for pre and early readers. (12-count)

Todd Parr – If your child likes Todd Parr books, he/she would love these lunch box notes. The site also has unique notes like “coupons” for things like lunch with me and dinner together. (12-count)

Quick Tip: When my little one was in Kindergarten, I included her weekly sight words as part of the message on her notes to help her practice.

 

halloween notes

Special Dates (i.e. Halloween, Christmas)

Halloween Lunch Box Notes

Here you have enough Halloween lunch box notes for the entire month of October:

Wine and Glue – In this website, you can download a Halloween themed pdf with twelve notes ready to use. (12-count)

Freebie Finding Mom – Kelli has more notes available for you. (6-count)

Crystal & Co. – Make sure to check this printable because it is super cute. (8-count)

The Penny Wise Mama – Here is another great printable for October (8-count)

Easter

The Resourceful Mama (8-count)

Leah with Love (14-count)

St. Patrick’s Day

Frugal Fritzie (8-count)

One Creative Mommy  (5-count)

Thanksgiving Notes

Coupons are Great (8-count)

Christmas

Christmas Lunch Box Notes

Wine and Glue – This site has funny lunch notes for Christmas. One of my favorites is about Rudolph’s report card. I also added Lisa’s Halloween notes under the Halloween section. (12-count)

Lalymom – I like that these lunch notes are a little bit different because they are for Christmas countdown. I see myself using them here and there to keep my little one excited for Christmas! (6-count)

Mom Envy – These printables are great for little kids with simple messages and sweet characters. Laura has four printables available that include notes with messages as well as blank notes. (32-count)

Sunny Day Family – Here you can find adorable Christmas notes for your child. You just need to add the printable to the cart and complete the checkout process but don’t worry they are free. (9-count)

 

Lunch Box Notes for Tweens and High Schoolers

As I mentioned before, my oldest daughter got lunch box notes from me until she went to middle school. I would have continued but we started buying the food from the school cafeteria.

So, for those of you with big kids, here are some notes:

The Quiet Grove – These are Harry Potty lunch box jokes. The same printable is also available with blank notes. (24-count)

The Kim Six Fix – These are a great motivation for bigger kids (8-count)

 

Blank Lunch Box Notes Ideas

I like blank lunch notes because you can make them:

Related to your child’s day

  • For example, last year, my little one had to turn in a pigeon project, so the lunch note was related to it. I also did a special one for her field day, library days, special club days, etc.

Motivational

  • Even though quotes are very inspirational, I am pretty sure that your kids would prefer to read your sweet and special message.

Cute and funny

  • You don’t have to be a professional on this. Trust me! I don’t know how to draw at all, but I did it anyway. I still don’t know how but most of the time, they have been able to figure out what I drew (or tried to!)

 

Here are some websites where you can find blank lunch box notes:

Let’s Lasso The Moon (mentioned before)

Learning Liftoff – They have blank lunch box notes with different background and colors. (6-count)

The Quiet Grove  (mentioned before)

ideas for lunch box notes

Final Thoughts on the Lunch Box Notes for Kids

Before finishing, let me share some quick tips to help you with the process:

Print these lunch box notes in advanced

  • Print several of these notes before you get caught up on something else. Try printing notes for at least two weeks but print more if you want to be more prepared. After that, make sure to set a regular time to come back to this post and print more (i.e. at the end of each month).

Have them ready

  • After printing the notes, I cut all of them and put them in a little basket next to where I have all the lunch box stuff. In that way, I make sure that I won’t forget to grab one in the morning. But, in the beginning, I was taping the notes to her lunch box the night before until I created the habit again.

Add a little touch to it

  • Even if these notes are ready to use, I still like to add a few words to it, a quick reminder, hearts, smiley faces, or anything else that can make it more personal.

That’s it!

Hope these notes can help you make your child’s lunch even more special.

Make sure to come back to keep printing more notes. Plus, I will love to know how it went for you!

 

Additional Articles About Kids

  • Fun websites for kids to play and learn (+ FREE)
  • Quick Tooth Fairy Guide for Busy Moms
  • LOL Birthday Party Ideas on a Budget

printables lunch box notes for kids

Filed Under: Blog, Kids, Moms, Time Management

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