The Best Pillow Fort Activities To Do This Winter

When the weather outside is frightful, it can be hard to keep the kids entertained as screen time and coloring books can only be fun for so long. However, the right indoor activities can make staying at home a blast — starting with building an epic pillow fort!

Building a pillow fort is a super fun activity that keeps your kids engaged while letting their imagination run wild. All you have to do is hunt down a few sheets, pillows and supportive furniture for you and your family to have fun four hours on end.

Check out these tips and ideas from Apartment Guide to build the ultimate pillow fort where you and your kids can spend quality time and make treasured memories!

1. Play pretend

A fort is whatever your child wants it to be, like a secret cave in the wilderness or a pirate ship setting sail to find the lost treasure. The point is to let your kids' imaginations run wild and have fun. To help them create the ambiance they’re looking for, check out these printable fort decorations to transform their fun new space.

2. Play a game

You can’t go wrong by breaking out the games like Monopoly, Battleship or Scrabble. Depending on where you assembled your fort, you could even set up a gaming console and play some video games or play some app games on a handheld device which will keep the kids occupied for hours.

3. Make crafts

Turn your pillow fort into the ultimate crafting station where you can let your children create pieces of art that can be displayed on the fridge. Try coloring, drawing or a crafting activity like these printable unicorn and puppy masks that can be cut out and worn using a string or wooden popsicle stick!

4. Watch a movie

Make some popcorn and break out the sweet treats and get ready for the ultimate movie night in your pillow fort! Make sure your fort is near a TV or set up a projector inside your fort to shine on a blank wall to make your very own movie theatre. Handheld tablets also work in smaller sized forts!

5. Host a tea party

Turn your fortress into a venue to host a lavish tea party. Dress up and make cookies and finger sandwiches to go with your fresh pot of tea. Have your kid send out these printable tea party invites to other members of your household along with matching tea and snack tags.

Whether you're cooped up indoors due to the winter weather or just looking for a fun weekend activity, pillow forts will help keep your kids entertained for hours. Keep the fun going by making their fort a personal fortress that engages them in different activities that encourage creativity, imagination and leisurely fun!

Science Camp Activity Days

This was a really fun activity we did for activity days but it also works for any type of science camp or fun family or class activity.  It covers the requirements on education.  I will admit this one did take a little bit of set up time but it was so much fun.  Here's my quick outline and on the bottom my two outdoor experiments we did.  

The coloring pages I used can be found here. The video clip can be found here.  The handout is included in the download at the end of this post.

I had all of the science centers set up in the kitchen.  We had 4 stations.  Each station had the supplies and a cute card like this with the instruction.  (Included in the download-print, cut the cards apart, and fold in half).  This worked really well so the girls could do the experiment more independently and not wait on me to explain each one.  Also they worked in groups of two or three and this was much better then trying to do all of them together.  We had three groups and they rotated to the next station as they finished.

We made applesauce slime

erupting lemons

skittles experiment

colorful baking soda

Outside as a group we made exploding bags

 and the famous diet coke and mentos experiment.  I did buy this to make it easier.

Download the schedule, experiment cards, and handout here

19 Fun and Quirky Holidays to Celebrate with your Kids in September

Back to school, after school activities, homework, etc!  Life gets crazy again once September hits.  These awesome holiday calendars are full of fun holidays to celebrate with your kids.  Some can be educational such as Patriot Day and other like "talk like a pirate day" will have you and your kids laughing.  Whatever you do its a great time to slow down and connect with your children.

We've been using these calendars all year and my kids still think they are so fun!  We pick a few and for the most part keep it pretty simple.  You do not need to celebrate all of them (we don't) just pick and choose what works for you and your family.

Download a copy of the calendar, print, display, and have fun.  

Download your copy here

I'll be posting ideas as I finalize my plans and also as we celebrate some of these holidays.  My hope is that this will be something fun for your family and a way to create some special memories.  I'd love to hear your ideas and see pictures of your celebrations!

Random Acts of Kindness day

Huge and amazing idea lists found here, here, here, and here

Scooby Doo Day

found here

Johnny Appleseed Day

Apple ideas here

and here

Amazing graphics by:   Prettygrafik, Melonheadz, Krista Wallden - Creative Clips, My cute Graphics, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs,Educlips, ChalkStar, P4 Clips Trioriginals,  Creating4 the Classroom, and fonts by Hello Literacy

"Be the nice kid" free printable

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you use my link, I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, thank you for your support.

I remember reading this quote a few months ago and it actually made me a little teary eyed.  I remember thing "YES!  This is what I want to teach my kids."   Be the nice kid, do the right thing, other peoples success doesn't take away from yours, be happy with being YOU!.  Fast forward to a few days ago, my kids were getting ready for there first day of school.  Every year I like to have a little motto for the school year.  The night before school starts we have a fun back to school dinner and I share the new motto for the year.  As I was trying to think of something this quote popped into my head. It's perfect.  

 I created this cute print to display in our home where we can see it every day.  You can download this free print below.  Print at home or send it to your favorite print shop.  Please note this is for personal use only.

Jpeg

pdf

To continue with this theme you can read the book Wonder or watch the movie.  I just finished this book and I can't stop thinking about it.  It is so well written with amazing characters you can't help but fall in love with.  One piece of advice...Grab a tissue :)  It's now on my kids "mom's required reading list" haha.  Now looking forward to watching the movie asap!

Or check out this post.  It was for a church activity (activity days) but there are some great ideas and my favorite you-tube video that you can use at home that promotes kindness and self esteem.

21 Fun Holidays to Celebrate with your Kids in June

Its just about summer break for us and I can't wait. I love the slower pace, free time, and of course my kids being home.  I recently posted our summer schedule (an activity a day like make it Monday, What's cooking Wednesday) and this holiday calendar will spark some really fun ideas for a summer full of fun. I've found if I can start them off with one activity they will often find fun ways to play all day instead of heading towards the tv or complaining about being bored.  It takes a little effort on my part but it is so worth it and its a really fun way for us to create some special memories.

Download your copy here

Download a copy of the calendar, print, and display.  You do not need to celebrate all of them (we probably won't) just pick and choose what works for you and your family.

I'll be posting ideas as I finalize my plans and also as we celebrate some of these holidays.  My hope is that this will be something fun for your family and a way to create some special memories.  I'd love to hear your ideas and see pictures of your celebrations!

Holiday's came from here and here. 

Amazing graphics from

 Creative Clips,  Prettygrafik, , my cute graphics,  revidevi, Chirp Graphics, Melonheadz,P4 Clips Trioriginals ,  Winchester Lambourne,  Creating4 the Classroom, Miss Pickle's Graphics and fonts from Hello Literacy

Summer Schedule

I can't believe summer break is just around the corner!  I think I'm just as excited as my kids this year (hurray to being less busy!). However if your kids are like mine the excitement wears off after a day or two (for one I swear its like 30 minutes) then the tv if turned on for countless hours, the fighting starts, and the "I'm bored" comments happen.  

I've noticed if I have a plan and some structure to our day we seem to avoid many of those problems and in the process we make some pretty great memories. A few years a go we started using a schedule to pick a fun activity daily.  It makes planning so much easier and my kids know what to expect and enjoy helping plan.  This year with a new baby I decided to change Tuesday to "try it" instead of "traveling."   You can find that schedule here if it fits your families needs better.

On Monday we will be choosing a craft from one of our many pinterest boards, free art, legos, etc. 

Tuesday we try something new...a game, a park, a book, a new skill, etc. 

Wednesday will be the day to try some new treats or have the kids help with a meal.

Thursday we will have fun learning! Some ideas are a read-a-thon, research projects, science experiments, and math games.  I'm really hoping to do an around the world theme.

Friday is basically a free day.  There will be lots of water play, card/board games, movie nights, play dates or whatever the kids want to do.

Download Here

I have mine laminated so we can write directly on it with white board or chalk markers.  Don't have a laminator...sheet protectors also work.

Other Posts to help plan your summer

alternate summer schedule

Reading Bingo

Reading Trackers

Monthly Holiday Calendars (new ones posted each month)

4 Fun Cinco de Mayo Activities (Free Printables!)

Last night I was trying to decide what I wanted to do for Cino de Mayo besides eating delicious food.  My kids both have fun parties at school today and I knew they would love it if we did something.  These ideas came to me as I was feeding my little one in the middle of the night so I apologize for the last minute post.

Here's what's included:

Cupcake toppers!  There's a sheet of 12.

Adorable coloring pages

Roll a maraca game.  Roll a dice and whatever number you land on you get to colo that spot.  The first person to color in each number wins.  (when you roll a 2 color in all of the circle)

A cute themed Go Fish game.  Print 4 copies of the card (or 2 if you have younger kids or want to use it as a match game.  I did include a sheet that you can print on the back of your cards to make them extra cute.  I decided to skip that step to save some ink.  Cardstock and laminating would be a good idea :)  There are a few different kids and objects so I aded numbers to make it easier to ask for a card.  You'd say something like "do you have sombrero number 2?"

 Download here

Amazing graphics from

Chirp Graphics,  Prettygrafik, revidevi, Instruct and Inspire, and fonts from Hello Literacy

Don't Eat Pete Halloween Edition

This is a holiday version of the classic Don't Eat Pete game.  If you've never played here's a quick how to:  Print off the board game...cardstock works best.  Place one piece of candy (candy corn, m&m's, Cheerios, or whatever you have) on each Halloween character.  Send one person to out of the room and quietly decided which one is going to be Pete for that round.  Lets say you pick the one in the center.  Have the person come back into the room and eat one of the pieces of candy off each character UNTIL they pick up the one chosen as Pete (in this case the one in the center).  When they pick up this candy everyone yells "Don't eat Pete!" and their turn ends.  Add candy to the ones taken on the last turn and play as many times as you want picking a new Pete each time. 

Just print and you are ready to play!

Download your copy here

Have fun!

Make your own babysitting kit

This is an activity I just did with my activity day girls.  There are 14 of them between the ages of 8-11.  Some are getting ready to start babysitting on their own but most are a little too young.  I'll go more into the activity below.

Most of you probably don't need an idea for activity days but many of you are mothers that use a babysitter.  This would be really fun to put together for you own kids next time you go out. Believe me this will stop the crying and complaining and you might be a little sad they want you to leave.  Just Kidding but your kids will love it because mine are so excited about this.

Also if you have a daughter that babysits it would be fun to create a kit for her to take to her babysitting jobs.  

I used a gallon sized Ziploc bag for cost (remember the 14 girls!)  but if you are doing this for your family or have fewer girls I would have loved to get a cute canvas bag or something a little bigger and sturdier. However, I didn't realize being able to see into the bag can help build up excitement.  So whatever you have works.

 Here's what we added to our bags and they were encouraged to add a few things from home as well.  Everything was very inexpensive.  Some ideas to add would be a board game, a favorite toy, coloring books, snacks, etc.

A fun game to add to your kit is Don't eat Pete.  You can find it here.  For our activity I gave each girl the black and white copy to color.

This is a worksheet we used for our activity but may be useful to you as well (there are 2 sides).  We talked about some of their favorite songs and added them as well as other ideas for games and activities.  On the back there is a spot to add some notes about safety and anything else you think they need to know.

Download here.   I printed this double sided

kit labels

You can download the labels for the bag here. We attached them with washi tape just for fun.

Download here

Activity Days: This covers one of the service requirements (learn and show you can take care of younger children.).  Most of my girls are young and not ready to babysit yet but I don't think this skill applies only to babysitting but I knew they would love making this kit.  We discussed how they can use their babysitting kits now with their younger siblings.  This requirement is under service so they brainstormed some times they could "babysit" at home such as when mom is making dinner or is sick.  We talked about keeping the younger kids safe (chocking hazards, watching them closely, following rules, and what to do if there is an accident).  Also bring up when babysitting its their job to "actively" watch and play with the child and cleaning up after they are done.  We used the worksheet above for them to take notes.  It would also be fun to play some of the games if you have time.

After this we assembled our kits and they had a few minutes to color their game.  We finished by making some easy dirt cup treats. (pudding cup, 2 smashed oreos, 1 gummy worm).

Fun Pinktastic Story Time Activities with Pinkalicious

Here's another post from our old preschool blog. I actually forgot about this one and I'm excited to use this again!  We read the book Pinkalicious and made a cute craft and yummy treat to go a long with the book.  Look for some more story time activities coming soon!

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We made some Pinkalicious cookies.  Also know in our house as Cake Mix Cookies.  Add some red food coloring to make them extra pink!!!

Cake mix cookies

1 box cake mix (we love the funfetti and the cherry chip)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 egg

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

We also make pink cupcake collages. I gave them pink crayons,markers, pom poms, buttons, and valentines stickers. I drew a cupcake on pink construction paper and let them decorate it however they wanted. They had a lot of fun.

go to A Mommy's Adventure for more great book ideas.

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