2024 is quickly coming to a close, and if you’re planning to do something special for the new year, now is the time to lock in those plans! Whether you’re looking to party in style or practice a little bit of quiet self-love, make this new year one to remember with our NYE celebration inspiration below.

Sparkle & Shine

Throwing the ultimate NYE party? Bring on the glamour with these party planning essentials.

Romantic Reset

Cozy night in for two? Make this night the romantic reset you and your partner need with a specially curated evening filled with intimacy.

Self-Care Sanctuary

Put your self-care at the forefront of your end-of-year celebrations with these wellness must-haves. Nothing like ringing in 2025 feeling like your best self!

Manifestation Station

And if you’re already looking ahead to everything you plan to accomplish in 2025, get a head start on your goal setting with these planning and organization necessities.

“I’m bored in the house i’m in the house bored”… Oh sorry, nothing to see here! For my house, I fortunately haven’t had to hear those dreaded two little words. Last summer was my first full summer with kids who weren’t doing some kind of summer camp and were literally on summer break from school. I ended up logging all of our daily activities on my Facebook page and it really was wild how busy I was able to keep them! It’s pretty much the same song and dance this summer break and I’ve got some great boredom busters for you to try!

This current summer isn’t much different than last year, other than one of my kids is attending a four week summer intervention program. This is a three hour long, three days a week, for four weeks program. She loves going to school so this is something that she looks forward too!

Pool – We have an above ground pool so a lot of time we don’t have to leave the house, my kids are fish and can literally swim around for most of the day. We have a ton of floats, diving toys, the watermelon ball and goggles, all you need to add is a friend or two sometimes and that’s a wrap!

Library Events – We have an amazing library in our town that offers a summer reading program for the kids, coordinated story times and crafts, demonstrations, classes and special events to attend. Our events are well known and loved so you often times have to be quick to sign up or you’ll be placed on a waiting list! Check your local library for summer hours and events, I was surprised at how often we go there during summer break. This summer they are also doing a scavenger hunt including other local businesses in town.

$2 Kid Movies at Regal Theaters – My kids love these, even if it’s a movie they’ve seen before, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen! Our theater has the nice reclining seats, so we bring blankets to get cozy, even my two year old son sits through a whole movie! On Tuesday showings, if your a rewards member the popcorn is half off so all five of us can see a movie and eat the oh so buttery popcorn for under $15! We sign up for all the movies we want from the end of June through August and if something comes up and we can make it, you have the option to release your seats and get a refund, I love the no pressure aspect of it.

Kids’ Bowl FREE! – This is a good activity on a rainy day! We have a few bowling alley’s around us that participate in the Kid’s Bowl FREE program where kids can bowl two FREE games of bowling each day during the Spring and Summer months. Sometimes we’ll go just us or we will make plans with friends to meet up and let the kids all bowl together and grab some lunch while we’re there! It is super easy to sign up too; you just find a participating center in your community by inputting your zip code, register your kids and go bowling! Two games is just enough time until they are ready to head back home!

Zoo/Aquarium Membership – We have a membership to our local zoo and when it’s not too hot, we’ll make a day of it getting our steps in and seeing all of the animals we can get to, along with some of the activities that they have, such as a train-ride, feeding the giraffes, and more. The more the merrier, with our guest passes we can bring some friends to join in on the fun too!

VBS – Vacation Bible School! VBS happens all throughout the end of June, July and beginning of August. We attended and I was a group leader for our home church VBS program. We also VBS – hop around to experience our friends church programs! They are usually 5 days long for 2-3 hours – either in the morning or at night. There’s a theme and so many activities, no two do it the same, and my kids thoroughly enjoy them, they just finished one where they got to see a live helicopter land, do a demonstration and take off!

County Programs – The county where I live has an events calendar every summer, they include family friendly shows located at different locations, the latest one we attended was a pirate magic show and movies in the park, so 1-2 times per week a movie will be projected onto an inflatable screen and the public can come out with their entire family and watch! We like to pack up our lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, lantern, lots of snacks and popcorn and head on our way to catch an outdoor movie with friends or just us! All of our county programs are FREE to the public! They even offer summer concerts, pickle ball, guided trail walks and other special events.

Let us know in the comments what type of boredom busters you do with the littles to keep them busy!

“I’m bored in the house i’m in the house bored”… Oh sorry, nothing to see here! For my house, I fortunately haven’t had to hear those dreaded two little words. Last summer was my first full summer with kids who weren’t doing some kind of summer camp and were literally on summer break from school. I ended up logging all of our daily activities on my Facebook page and it really was wild how busy I was able to keep them! It’s pretty much the same song and dance this summer break and I’ve got some great boredom busters for you to try!

This current summer isn’t much different than last year, other than one of my kids is attending a four week summer intervention program. This is a three hour long, three days a week, for four weeks program. She loves going to school so this is something that she looks forward too!

Pool – We have an above ground pool so a lot of time we don’t have to leave the house, my kids are fish and can literally swim around for most of the day. We have a ton of floats, diving toys, the watermelon ball and goggles, all you need to add is a friend or two sometimes and that’s a wrap!

Library Events – We have an amazing library in our town that offers a summer reading program for the kids, coordinated story times and crafts, demonstrations, classes and special events to attend. Our events are well known and loved so you often times have to be quick to sign up or you’ll be placed on a waiting list! Check your local library for summer hours and events, I was surprised at how often we go there during summer break. This summer they are also doing a scavenger hunt including other local businesses in town.

$2 Kid Movies at Regal Theaters – My kids love these, even if it’s a movie they’ve seen before, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen! Our theater has the nice reclining seats, so we bring blankets to get cozy, even my two year old son sits through a whole movie! On Tuesday showings, if your a rewards member the popcorn is half off so all five of us can see a movie and eat the oh so buttery popcorn for under $15! We sign up for all the movies we want from the end of June through August and if something comes up and we can make it, you have the option to release your seats and get a refund, I love the no pressure aspect of it.

Kids’ Bowl FREE! – This is a good activity on a rainy day! We have a few bowling alley’s around us that participate in the Kid’s Bowl FREE program where kids can bowl two FREE games of bowling each day during the Spring and Summer months. Sometimes we’ll go just us or we will make plans with friends to meet up and let the kids all bowl together and grab some lunch while we’re there! It is super easy to sign up too; you just find a participating center in your community by inputting your zip code, register your kids and go bowling! Two games is just enough time until they are ready to head back home!

Zoo/Aquarium Membership – We have a membership to our local zoo and when it’s not too hot, we’ll make a day of it getting our steps in and seeing all of the animals we can get to, along with some of the activities that they have, such as a train-ride, feeding the giraffes, and more. The more the merrier, with our guest passes we can bring some friends to join in on the fun too!

VBS – Vacation Bible School! VBS happens all throughout the end of June, July and beginning of August. We attended and I was a group leader for our home church VBS program. We also VBS – hop around to experience our friends church programs! They are usually 5 days long for 2-3 hours – either in the morning or at night. There’s a theme and so many activities, no two do it the same, and my kids thoroughly enjoy them, they just finished one where they got to see a live helicopter land, do a demonstration and take off!

County Programs – The county where I live has an events calendar every summer, they include family friendly shows located at different locations, the latest one we attended was a pirate magic show and movies in the park, so 1-2 times per week a movie will be projected onto an inflatable screen and the public can come out with their entire family and watch! We like to pack up our lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, lantern, lots of snacks and popcorn and head on our way to catch an outdoor movie with friends or just us! All of our county programs are FREE to the public! They even offer summer concerts, pickle ball, guided trail walks and other special events.

Let us know in the comments what type of boredom busters you do with the littles to keep them busy!

“I’m bored in the house i’m in the house bored”… Oh sorry, nothing to see here! For my house, I fortunately haven’t had to hear those dreaded two little words. Last summer was my first full summer with kids who weren’t doing some kind of summer camp and were literally on summer break from school. I ended up logging all of our daily activities on my Facebook page and it really was wild how busy I was able to keep them! It’s pretty much the same song and dance this summer break and I’ve got some great boredom busters for you to try!

This current summer isn’t much different than last year, other than one of my kids is attending a four week summer intervention program. This is a three hour long, three days a week, for four weeks program. She loves going to school so this is something that she looks forward too!

Pool – We have an above ground pool so a lot of time we don’t have to leave the house, my kids are fish and can literally swim around for most of the day. We have a ton of floats, diving toys, the watermelon ball and goggles, all you need to add is a friend or two sometimes and that’s a wrap!

Library Events – We have an amazing library in our town that offers a summer reading program for the kids, coordinated story times and crafts, demonstrations, classes and special events to attend. Our events are well known and loved so you often times have to be quick to sign up or you’ll be placed on a waiting list! Check your local library for summer hours and events, I was surprised at how often we go there during summer break. This summer they are also doing a scavenger hunt including other local businesses in town.

$2 Kid Movies at Regal Theaters – My kids love these, even if it’s a movie they’ve seen before, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen! Our theater has the nice reclining seats, so we bring blankets to get cozy, even my two year old son sits through a whole movie! On Tuesday showings, if your a rewards member the popcorn is half off so all five of us can see a movie and eat the oh so buttery popcorn for under $15! We sign up for all the movies we want from the end of June through August and if something comes up and we can make it, you have the option to release your seats and get a refund, I love the no pressure aspect of it.

Kids’ Bowl FREE! – This is a good activity on a rainy day! We have a few bowling alley’s around us that participate in the Kid’s Bowl FREE program where kids can bowl two FREE games of bowling each day during the Spring and Summer months. Sometimes we’ll go just us or we will make plans with friends to meet up and let the kids all bowl together and grab some lunch while we’re there! It is super easy to sign up too; you just find a participating center in your community by inputting your zip code, register your kids and go bowling! Two games is just enough time until they are ready to head back home!

Zoo/Aquarium Membership – We have a membership to our local zoo and when it’s not too hot, we’ll make a day of it getting our steps in and seeing all of the animals we can get to, along with some of the activities that they have, such as a train-ride, feeding the giraffes, and more. The more the merrier, with our guest passes we can bring some friends to join in on the fun too!

VBS – Vacation Bible School! VBS happens all throughout the end of June, July and beginning of August. We attended and I was a group leader for our home church VBS program. We also VBS – hop around to experience our friends church programs! They are usually 5 days long for 2-3 hours – either in the morning or at night. There’s a theme and so many activities, no two do it the same, and my kids thoroughly enjoy them, they just finished one where they got to see a live helicopter land, do a demonstration and take off!

County Programs – The county where I live has an events calendar every summer, they include family friendly shows located at different locations, the latest one we attended was a pirate magic show and movies in the park, so 1-2 times per week a movie will be projected onto an inflatable screen and the public can come out with their entire family and watch! We like to pack up our lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, lantern, lots of snacks and popcorn and head on our way to catch an outdoor movie with friends or just us! All of our county programs are FREE to the public! They even offer summer concerts, pickle ball, guided trail walks and other special events.

Let us know in the comments what type of boredom busters you do with the littles to keep them busy!

Summer break is here! If you’re in the thick of it and looking for some ideas to keep the kids busy, or for rainy day boredom busters, here’s a summer bucket list to help kids and parents survive the long dog days of summer! I’m covering every letter of the alphabet with a fun activity!

A – Amusement Park – Most states offer an amusement park of sorts, but if you happen to live in states like Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming or Utah, I’m sure visiting a fairground with amusement rides could suffice!

B – Build A Sandcastle – Beach sand or backyard play sand, grab your buckets, shovels and building kits and get to it! Use seashells or other nature finds to decorate with paints or markers!

C – Camp out – Whether in the backyard or at a campsite, camping can be quite an adventure, so grab your sleeping bag and tent and make memories!

D – Drive-In Movie – An oldie but still goodie, grab some snacks and drinks and catch a double feature flick!

E – Experiment – Science is cool! Scoop up an experiment kit or grab some ingredients for some fun!

F – Flash Lights in the Dark – There is a lot we miss out on after the sun goes down, so grab those flashlights and head out on a nighttime adventure!

G – Game Day/Night – Perfect for a rainy summer day/night…everyone grab their favorite game and play away!

H – Hike – Find a local spot, grab your comfy shoes, water bottle and snack, and check out some new terrain!

I – Ice-Cream – I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream! Check out a new ice cream parlor or create an ice cream sundae station at home!

J – Jigsaw Puzzle – I love a good puzzle! Pick out a new puzzle and get the whole family involved! Another rainy day fav!

K – Kite Flying – Whether in the backyard, local park or on the beach, send it soaring up to the highest height! Anyone else humming the Mary Poppins kite song?!

L – Lemonade Stand – Fresh squeezed or mix, there’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned summer lemonade stand! Have the kids choose a local charity to donate a portion of the proceeds to if they wish!

M – Museum – Kids, Art, History…there are a lot to choose from, and summer learning can be fun!

N – Night-time Activity – How about visiting an observatory at night?? Wish upon a shooting star if you’re lucky enough!

O – Obstacle Course – Create a course in your yard and have timed races!

P – Plant a garden – Flower, herb, veggie…don’t be afraid to get those hands a little dirty…and enjoy the rewards!

Q – Quick Trip (Day trip to somewhere new) – North to south, east to west…I’m sure there are adventures to be had at some hidden gem in your state!

R – Road Trip – It doesn’t have to be a cross-country trek, just a couple-day getaway driven in your family vehicle or RV!

S – S’mores – Stock up on those chocolate bars, graham crackers and marshmallows – there’s always room for s’more!

T – Tourist Attraction – Every state has tourist attractions, and I bet there’s one that you’ve never seen or explored before, so go check it out!

U – “U”-Pick Farm Day – Check out a local farm to pick some berries to either eat, freeze for later or bake a pie or muffins with!

V – Visit a new playground – Check out a new playground that you have never been to before, whether it’s outdoor or indoor.

W – Water Park – Visit a local water park for a whole day, or if there isn’t one in your driving range, then make it a water day!

X – “X” Marks the Spot Scavenger Hunt – Create a course and a map with clues. Get creative and they’ll have an amazing time searching for whatever you deem the prize to be!

Y – “YES Day” – Let the kids plan a whole day of activities, with rules and limitations – all you have to do is say “Yes!” I actually have been wanting to plan a yes day for my clan, and they’re still pretty young so I feel like how bad could it get?!

Z – Zoo trip – Plan a day trip to a local or new zoo that you’ve never been to before! Pack a lunch and explore the wild in a safe environment!

How many can you cross off before the end of the summer?!

Summer break is here! If you’re in the thick of it and looking for some ideas to keep the kids busy, or for rainy day boredom busters, here’s a summer bucket list to help kids and parents survive the long dog days of summer! I’m covering every letter of the alphabet with a fun activity!

A – Amusement Park – Most states offer an amusement park of sorts, but if you happen to live in states like Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming or Utah, I’m sure visiting a fairground with amusement rides could suffice!

B – Build A Sandcastle – Beach sand or backyard play sand, grab your buckets, shovels and building kits and get to it! Use seashells or other nature finds to decorate with paints or markers!

C – Camp out – Whether in the backyard or at a campsite, camping can be quite an adventure, so grab your sleeping bag and tent and make memories!

D – Drive-In Movie – An oldie but still goodie, grab some snacks and drinks and catch a double feature flick!

E – Experiment – Science is cool! Scoop up an experiment kit or grab some ingredients for some fun!

F – Flash Lights in the Dark – There is a lot we miss out on after the sun goes down, so grab those flashlights and head out on a nighttime adventure!

G – Game Day/Night – Perfect for a rainy summer day/night…everyone grab their favorite game and play away!

H – Hike – Find a local spot, grab your comfy shoes, water bottle and snack, and check out some new terrain!

I – Ice-Cream – I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream! Check out a new ice cream parlor or create an ice cream sundae station at home!

J – Jigsaw Puzzle – I love a good puzzle! Pick out a new puzzle and get the whole family involved! Another rainy day fav!

K – Kite Flying – Whether in the backyard, local park or on the beach, send it soaring up to the highest height! Anyone else humming the Mary Poppins kite song?!

L – Lemonade Stand – Fresh squeezed or mix, there’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned summer lemonade stand! Have the kids choose a local charity to donate a portion of the proceeds to if they wish!

M – Museum – Kids, Art, History…there are a lot to choose from, and summer learning can be fun!

N – Night-time Activity – How about visiting an observatory at night?? Wish upon a shooting star if you’re lucky enough!

O – Obstacle Course – Create a course in your yard and have timed races!

P – Plant a garden – Flower, herb, veggie…don’t be afraid to get those hands a little dirty…and enjoy the rewards!

Q – Quick Trip (Day trip to somewhere new) – North to south, east to west…I’m sure there are adventures to be had at some hidden gem in your state!

R – Road Trip – It doesn’t have to be a cross-country trek, just a couple-day getaway driven in your family vehicle or RV!

S – S’mores – Stock up on those chocolate bars, graham crackers and marshmallows – there’s always room for s’more!

T – Tourist Attraction – Every state has tourist attractions, and I bet there’s one that you’ve never seen or explored before, so go check it out!

U – “U”-Pick Farm Day – Check out a local farm to pick some berries to either eat, freeze for later or bake a pie or muffins with!

V – Visit a new playground – Check out a new playground that you have never been to before, whether it’s outdoor or indoor.

W – Water Park – Visit a local water park for a whole day, or if there isn’t one in your driving range, then make it a water day!

X – “X” Marks the Spot Scavenger Hunt – Create a course and a map with clues. Get creative and they’ll have an amazing time searching for whatever you deem the prize to be!

Y – “YES Day” – Let the kids plan a whole day of activities, with rules and limitations – all you have to do is say “Yes!” I actually have been wanting to plan a yes day for my clan, and they’re still pretty young so I feel like how bad could it get?!

Z – Zoo trip – Plan a day trip to a local or new zoo that you’ve never been to before! Pack a lunch and explore the wild in a safe environment!

How many can you cross off before the end of the summer?!

While kids love the summer holiday because they don’t have to get up early and go to school, a lot of parents find themselves having to constantly entertain their little ones for three long months. When the dog days of summer hit, and you don’t think you can hear one more “I’m booooreeeddd,” don’t panic. We’ve gathered a bunch of boredom busters for the kids so you can simply direct them to the craft closet and let them be amused for hours, hopefully giving you a little peace and quiet.

Experiment

For the curious-minded children who are always asking questions and trying to figure out how things work, a science experiment kit is the perfect afternoon activity.

Eggsperiments | Dino Island Terrarium | Earth Science Kit | Optical Science Kit | Crystal Growing Kit | Liquid Science Lab | Discovery Mind Blown Kit | Space Science Kit

Build

For the hands-on kiddos who like tactile toys, these building kits are the best boredom busters.

Magna-Qubix | Glow In the Dark Marble Run | Snap Circuit Skill Builder | Beach House LEGO | Harry Potter Chess Set LEGO | The Hungry Caterpillar Magna-Tiles| Robot Building Set | IQ Builder Set

Create

For the imaginative youngsters who like to create their own masterpieces, these art kits will allow them to express themselves for hours on end.

Painting Essentials | Create Your Own Scrapbook | Fairytale Craft Kit | Surprise Balls | Slime Lab Kit | Fleece Quilt Kit | Monster Craft Kit | Comic Book Studio

Solve

For the clever little ones who love to use logic, these games and puzzles will keep them sharp-minded and quick-witted.

Ryan’s World Mystery Spy Vault | Robots and Coding | Pegboard Games & Puzzles | Space Puzzle | Brainteasers | Magic Kit | Solve the Mystery Book

Thanks for reading! What are some activities you like to occupy your little ones with?

While kids love the summer holiday because they don’t have to get up early and go to school, a lot of parents find themselves having to constantly entertain their little ones for three long months. When the dog days of summer hit, and you don’t think you can hear one more “I’m booooreeeddd,” don’t panic. We’ve gathered a bunch of boredom busters for the kids so you can simply direct them to the craft closet and let them be amused for hours, hopefully giving you a little peace and quiet.

Experiment

For the curious-minded children who are always asking questions and trying to figure out how things work, a science experiment kit is the perfect afternoon activity.

Eggsperiments | Dino Island Terrarium | Earth Science Kit | Optical Science Kit | Crystal Growing Kit | Liquid Science Lab | Discovery Mind Blown Kit | Space Science Kit

Build

For the hands-on kiddos who like tactile toys, these building kits are the best boredom busters.

Magna-Qubix | Glow In the Dark Marble Run | Snap Circuit Skill Builder | Beach House LEGO | Harry Potter Chess Set LEGO | The Hungry Caterpillar Magna-Tiles| Robot Building Set | IQ Builder Set

Create

For the imaginative youngsters who like to create their own masterpieces, these art kits will allow them to express themselves for hours on end.

Painting Essentials | Create Your Own Scrapbook | Fairytale Craft Kit | Surprise Balls | Slime Lab Kit | Fleece Quilt Kit | Monster Craft Kit | Comic Book Studio

Solve

For the clever little ones who love to use logic, these games and puzzles will keep them sharp-minded and quick-witted.

Ryan’s World Mystery Spy Vault | Robots and Coding | Pegboard Games & Puzzles | Space Puzzle | Brainteasers | Magic Kit | Solve the Mystery Book

Thanks for reading! What are some activities you like to occupy your little ones with?