Summer is Here- Boredom Busters from Primrose Schools

As a home school mom our summer started early and I have already heard those dreaded words, "I'm bored"!  Here are some great tips for keeping boredom at bay.


Primrose Schools, the leader in educational child care, recommends encouraging imaginative play and having a plan in place to keep children's minds engaged during the summer months. Studies show that without stimulation, children can lose up to 60 percent of what they learned during the school year.

That's why Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose, has come up with the list of ideas below as a starting point for summer activities that offer a balance between the freedom of child-initiated play time and more structured activities.
Here are 11 ideas parents can use to keep young minds active during the summer months:


1. Boredom Buster Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family "Boredom Buster Jar." They'll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a "neat" idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write every one's ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.



2. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer.Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. For example, in the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, children create a make-believe town in the desert out of rocks, boxes, and their imaginations. Read the book with your children and then challenge them to create their own town with materials they find in the backyard.



3. Art Start Box: You'll need to gather basic art supplies-child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there's always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it's fun for children to know that the Art Start Box is just for them. They'll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.



4. Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out. They are the directors, actors, and producers. They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family's favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay. You'll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.



5. Family Dance Party: Crank up the music and encourage your entire family to boogie down. Dancing gives children a great outlet for self-expression through their own motion and helps build self-esteem. It also enhances motor and coordination development by incorporating skills like jumping, landing and leaping. Dancing is a great activity that can involve the whole family and doesn't take very much preparation.



6. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house- some chairs, cushions, blankets, and of course adult supervision.



7. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh.



8. Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer. Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion. They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.



9. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.



10. Camping Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might even decide to spend the night!



11. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.
To find these and other great tips for parents, check out Dr. Zurn's blog at DrZandme.com. And don't forget to grab Dr. Z's Widget while you're there!

For more information on Primrose Schools, visit www.primroseschools.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter!

***Disclaimer***" I was entered for a chance to win a gift card in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place."

My Job Chart

Spring is officially upon us. And in addition to warmer weather, chocolate bunnies and blooming flowers, this season signifies far less fun for most Moms- spring cleaning! If you're having trouble rallying your troops to help you clear out the clutter and get your house in tip-top shape, we just might have the perfect solution for you. And unlike those pretty petals in your garden, this is one tool that will be brightening up your household throughout the seasons!

If you haven't had a chance to check out http://www.myjobchart.com/, now is the perfect opportunity. Can you imagine your kids actually looking forward to doing chores? My Job Chart makes it possible.

My Job Chart is a FREE online Chore Chart that teaches kids to work in a fun and productive way. Using an easy and fun online system, My Job Chart inspires kids to do their chores on time. An interactive point system tracks your child's progress, creating excitement and enthusiasm among kids. And the fully customizable chore chart allows you and your child to decide upon mutually determined rewards, fostering communication and developing responsibility. You even get an email or text message when your kids finish their chores or they earn a reward!

You can connect with My Job Chart by checking out their parenting blog, following them on Twitter and becoming a fan on Facebook!



Since I was posting about this I thought I should head over and check it out.  It was super easy to sign up.  You simply enter your email address and a password and you are all set.  Then you simply add your childs name, and select the chores that you want them to do.  You have the opportunity to customize the jobs, rewards, the time of day your child does the job etc.  If you are someone that loves to keep everything scheduled online this is the perfect tool for you.  I encourage you to check it out here and see how simple it is to use.  If you are looking for an online chore chart then you have come to the right place.

***Disclaimer*** By posting information about My Job Chart I am being entered into a drawing for a chance to win  1 of 3 $100 Target gift cards- ideal for rewarding the whole family from Momselect.



 

Blockbuster Express Kiosks Coupon

As a busy Mom, I know that there isn't always time to even rent a DVD. Taking the whole family down to your local movie rental store can end up being an hour long ordeal. By the time you get home you're too tired to even watch the movie and what seemed like a great idea ended up being quite a chore. Luckily, I've found the perfect solution!

Blockbuster Express Kiosk 

Moms, here is your newest secret weapon: BLOCKBUSTER Express™ kiosks. They make renting DVDs fast, easy, and affordable! You can rent DVDs online for only $1 per night at blockbusterexpress.com and you don't even need a membership to do it.

Through the rent online feature at blockbusterexpress.com, you can create a favorites list, browse available movies at your preferred kiosk, complete the rental of up to three movies at once online and then pick up the DVDs from the kiosk at your convenience. Now you can spend less time renting and more time enjoying your DVDs with your family.

Start planning your next movie night tonight! BLOCKBUSTER Express offered a special Rent One

Get One Free coupon code : The coupon code is 555G13B. When you rent a movie at the regular price using this code you'll receive the first night's rental on the second movie FREE. This offer expires on 3/31 so make sure to take advantage of it soon.


*** Disclosure*** I was not paid for this post.  By posting about this I will be entered into a drawing for a $250 Visa Gift Card to use towards creating a fun experience for my family.  Thanks to Mom Select for the opportunity.

The Real Food Project at Hellmanns

Here's a great opportunity to win some fun stuff and learn some great new things too.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and actress/mom Lori Loughlin have teamed up with Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise to unveil the Real Food Project on Hellmanns.com, a comprehensive online resource offering tips and ideas on how to create real meals made with Real Food.

Because videos are great for multi-tasking moms, The Real Food Project features a series of entertaining how-to tutorials, hosted by Bobby Flay, to give us tools and techniques to prepare great-tasting, at-home meals for our families. Just by visiting www.Hellmanns.com, you can access a wide range of recipes, including sandwiches, entrees and side dishes, all designed to please picky palates. There are even chances to win great prizes like a kitchen essentials bundle, Bobby Flay Grill It and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products by playing the "Wheel of Real" instant win game and entering the Real Food Sweepstakes.


***Disclosure***
 "I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place."  Thanks to Mom Select for the opportunity.

Ragu Recipe Contest

As Moms, we all have our own recipes for giving our kids the best possible childhood and a great start in life. Whether those ingredients include encouraging our kids to try their hardest or promoting their imagination and creativity, our hope is that our children will grow up to be happy and well-adjusted adults. Family time is an undoubtedly important part of that recipe, and making sure the family sits together at the dinner table at least once a week is a great, but challenging way to fit it in.

Ragú® offers moms hundreds of nutritious, convenient, delicious and affordable meal ideas- perfect for busy families on the go. From making sure the kids get their veggies (Ragú® red sauces contain more than a full serving of veggies in every half cup of sauce) to skip-a-step recipes like No Boiling Lasagna and No Frying Chicken Parmesan, Ragú® understands your hectic lifestyle and desire to feed your family quality meals at a great value.

Now, Ragú® is teaming up with actress and mom Molly Ringwald to promote the Recipe for a Good Start Contest asking moms to share their recipes for a good start for a chance to win a $5,000 college scholarship. By visiting www.recipeforagoodstart.com, you'll have a chance to submit your recipe for a good start in life and your original Ragú® recipe that has the family running to the dinner table! Three first prize winners will be awarded a family trip to New York City where they will compete in a nationally televised Ragú® Recipe Challenge for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a $5,000 college scholarship.

***Disclaimer*** I was entered for a chance to win a Ragú® family package in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place.  Thanks to Momselect for this opportunity.

100% Colombian Coffee Sweepstakes

If there is anyone deserving of a pick-me-up, it's certainly Moms! With our demanding schedules and sometimes sleepless nights, it's no wonder that some Moms set their coffee makers to automatic brew. If you're one of the many Moms who rely on a caffeine boost to jumpstart your day, you might be familiar with an organization that consistently delivers quality java- 100% Colombian Coffee.

100% Colombian Coffee is found in numerous brands of coffee because demanding consumers the world over are aware of the importance of its origin. So next time you are shopping for coffee, look for the 100% Colombian Coffee logo - your guarantee to the "richest coffee in the world."

Coffee drinker or not, you definitely don't want to miss out on the 100% Colombian Coffee "See What's Behind the Best" sweepstakes. By visiting http://www.whatsbehindthebest.com/, you'll have the opportunity to learn about the philosophy behind 100% Colombian Coffee and enter to win great prizes. The grand prize is $10,000!

***Disclaimer*** I was not paid for this post. I am being entered into a contest for a chance to win a  100% Colombian Coffee pack and a $100 American Express gift cards!  Thanks to Momselect for the opportunity.

Electrolux, Kelly Ripa & Ovarian Cancer Research team up

"When it comes to supporting ovarian cancer research, Electrolux and Kelly Ripa have proved to be an awesome combination! Whenever they get together, they bring us fantastic campaigns that are not only fun to participate in, but allow us to contribute to an extremely worthy cause. Their latest campaign,"Kelly's Cake Off For a Cause", is no exception. And since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, they've even added an element that all Moms can get on board with- Cake!

Kelly and accomplished master baker and cake decorator Buddy Valastro, from TLC's "Cake Boss," recently joined forces at a fun event to bake lavishly decorated cakes in support of The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). To add to the excitement, five teams of baking enthusiasts were invited to take part in Kelly's Cake Off, where they used what they learned from Kelly and the Cake Boss, to decorate their own cakes."

Here's how you can enter:

Visit Kelly-Confidential  and cast your vote for your favorite cake from Kelly's Cake Off. For every vote cast, Electrolux will donate $1[1] to OCRF as part of its $500,000 commitment to help fight ovarian cancer! And since love is on everyone's mind these days, you can even decorate and send a special virtual cake to a friend, family member or someone you love. For every cake sent, Electrolux will donate another $1[1] to OCRF. Plus, Buddy's top cake decorating tips are available -- sure to inspire baking enthusiasts and novices alike.

As a bonus everyone who logs on to the site and sends a virtual cake will be automatically entered for a chance to win every baker's dream: a stylish new Induction Range from Electrolux.
Once you have registered, you can cast your vote, it's really easy, just chose which cake you like the best.  You can also click on the links to get extra votes, by either tweeting or sharing with friends on facebook.

***Disclaimer*** I was not paid for advertising about this giveaway. I will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win an Electrolux Range through Mom Select.

Family Dance Off

 

Primrose Schools one of the leaders in children's childcare is hosting a Family Dance-off video competition.

Primrose Schools has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network to bring you the family dance off  video contest. Dancing is a fun and easy way for your family to increase physical activity while spending quality time together at home!

Here's how to enter:

1. Film a 30-second clip of your family dancing to your favorite songs. 
2. Visit Family Dance-off  and upload your video.  Get your friends and family to VOTE for your family’s video.  Contest runs from now until March 19, 2010.  
3. View and Vote daily for your favorite family dance video.


If your video makes the cut, your family can have a chance to WIN these great prizes:

• $5,000 grand prize
• Wii Fit Bundle
• FLIP Video camera
• $30,000 donation to your local Children’s Miracle Network hospital

You can get extra entries by doing the following:

• Chance for an EXTRA entry- upload a video of your family's best dance moves to your blog
• 
  
  Chance for an EXTRA entry- send out a Tweet about the Family Dance-off and be sure to use #familydance

If you enter, let me know in the comment section so I can check out your family dance!

***Disclaimer***  I was not paid for this post. I wrote about this contest so I could be entered to win a gift card from Momselect.

Frigidaire Spin & Win

Mom Select sent me this email and it looks like a great opportunity:

Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner are teaming up once again to support Save the Children, an organization dedicated to helping children living in poverty in the United States.

The Campaign

Frigidaire is committed to helping moms spend less time in the kitchen and laundry room, and more time with the ones they love. Their new Spin & Win game gives you the opportunity to win gift cards for spending quality time with your tykes – whether it’s curling up with some new books, starting a craft project or taking in a family flick.


They’re giving away a prize every day. Plus, you could also win a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer, with time-saving features that give you more time for the important things in life.

Best of all, once you've registered to play, every time you spin, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of their $250,000 commitment to support Save the Children’s CHANGE (Creating Healthy, Active & Nurturing Grown Up Environments) program, dedicated to providing nutritious snacks and promoting healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty in the United States.


Earn a bonus entry when you follow the directions to Tweet or Email a Friend. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to make time for CHANGE.

Go ahead – TAKE A SPIN!

Daily Prizes include:

$200 gift card to play dress up

$100 gift card to take in some family flicks

$100 gift card to build a birdhouse or go camping

$75 gift card to curl up with new books

$75 gift card to get out and play

$50 gift card to start a craft project

Drawing for prizes will be held every day between now and April 25, 2010. That's nearly 100 chances to win when you 'spin' each day! Limit (1) entry per person and per email address per day.
Grand Prize drawings for the Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer will be held at the end of each month during the promotion - 4 Grand Prize winners. Participants are automatically entered into the month's Grand Prize drawing when they Spin and Win.


Share the chance to win with your friends & family by passing on this link: http://bit.ly/FrgMTFC