A Crash Course in All-Flash and Mechanical Storage Solutions, and What They Mean for Your Company When it comes to IT solutions for your business, there are a lot of choices to sift through. From finding the right managed service provider to determining what exactly […]
Update: After a year and 1/2 after trying these products for the first time I still use and love them! They really do work for the long run and are absolutely worth the investment, so I wanted to re-post this 🙂 If you could be […]
Alright, first off can we all just promise to be honest with one another for a few minutes here?
School is about to be out. And if your kiddos are young enough to not be in school, you’re right about to hit the Dog Days of summer. In fact, if you live in the south and you walk outside your glasses are probably already fogging up from the humidity. (has happened to me several times when we lived in Texas, true story.)
While you are a totally awesome parent who does everything from creating an elaborate Summer Fun Pinterest Board to actually managing to DO some of those fun ideas, there is going to come a point and time this summer when you will NEED to put the kids in front of some screens so you can work or even just gain some sanity back! (And, well, I’m pretty sure you might be at that point).
Trust me, it happens to us all! If you’re concerned it might happen a little too often this summer I’d recommend doing a Ticket System and having your young kids do chores for TV time – it’s worked great for us for several years now! These days we do a much simpler, scaled back version I’ll be posting about soon–so watch for that!
Although I think screen time in moderation is completely OK for kids (especially when they earn it!) it helps when you know they’re watching great shows that aren’t annoying, dumb, objectionable, and that they might even learn from! Because I’ve made it something of a mission to track down these kinds of shows for my own kids I wanted to put together a list just for you of our favorites! It could probably be a lot longer, but I only wanted to share shows that we’ve personally watched and loved! Most of these are available on Netflix instant streaming, too, which makes them even better, and ALL of them are available through Amazon to purchase. Most are also found on PBS, Disney Jr., or Nick Jr. if you have cable/satellite/or access to a DVR.
All of these shows are great for the ages of 3 to 7-year-olds. I’m hoping to get an updated Screen Time Recommendation post up soon! These are from when my kiddos were this age–so be sure to leave the best and newest shows in the comments!
Educational Shows
Wild Kratts — this fun and educational show features the Kratt brothers and teaches kids all about different animals and their “creature powers”. One of our favorites I love how educational it is without being annoying and the kids love the fun features, suits, and “powers”.
Zaboomafoo — Hand in Hand with Wild Kratts is what I think of as the partner kind of show which is also by the Kratt brothers and also teaches all about animals, which we love! In my mind this show is probably 3-5 year old range and Wild Kratts is more targeted for 5-8, but kids in any of that range could enjoy both.
The Magic School Bus — I grew up on this fun and educational show and I have loved re-watching (and enjoying it just as much) with my kids! My little guy loves learning about our bodies and the episodes about the digestive and immune systems are some of his favorites!
Super Why — this was one of Amber’s all time favorite shows when she was little and I think it’s a big part of the reason she knew all her letters and the sounds they made when she was tiny!
Wordworld — Another Amber favorite and why she got a great start on reading young. This is also one of my favorites, I just adore the characters made up of the letters!
Wishbone — I grew up on this TV show and it is one of my all time favorites. The kids recently got some of the DVDs as presents and now they love it as much as I always did! This is an especially great one for kids in the upper 6-8ish level, and even older kids will enjoy it. I think my huge love of classic literature started with me falling in love with the storylines in this TV series!
Liberty Kids — Another one for the older age group, this is amazing for teaching kids about the American Revolution and all that time period in history. I love that George Washington and Benjamin Franklin are household names now.
The Octonauts — if you love cute, adorable characters combined with learning ALL about the different kind of ocean life your family will love this show! It’s a top favorite of both the kids–and they still play with their Octonaut toys *all* the time!
Little Einsteins — this is one of Tyler’s favorites! I love how they use the different kinds of (not annoying!!) music and also teach things!
SuperBook — I already did a whole post about this series, but now that we’ve had and watched them for almost 2 years I absolutely LOVE them!! They do such a great job of sharing Bible stories in a fun and accurate way, as well as weaving in valuable lessons that apply to kids “real life” in the shows!
Bo On The Go — this cute, funny little series is all focused on getting kids excited about moving (it’s perfect for those rainy days when you can’t play outside). Bo needs the kids to fuel up her energy and they do that by moving around.
Blue Clues — a classic that came just after my childhood, as a teenager I turned my nose up at Blue and Steve but as a mom I decided I LOVED them! The story lines are engaging for kids and teach all kinds of things.
Sesame Street — ok, ok. So as long as you’re not living under a rock you know about the classic learning program, but, just in case you ARE living under a rock, you should give it a whirl as well. It’s kind of hard to have an American childhood without at least a little bit of it.
Team OmiZoomi — another super cute one, Team OmiZoomi is unique in that its focus is to teach basic math skills through fun story lines.
Book of Virtues — these are great because they have a different focus for each DVD, but it’s broken into TV-length shows. They focus on everything from Fairy Tales to Greek Myths to Bible stories focused around a center theme like Courage, Honesty, or Faith, and all woven into kids daily problems and each with a lesson!
Sid The Science Kid — I’ll be honest, this one *can* get a little annoying and the songs will get stuck in your head (hubby can’t STAND it) but the learning value is good enough it’s at least worth checking out to see if it pushes your annoying buttons or not!
Jake & the Neverland Pirates — ok this one is a little light on the learning side, and might slide more into the next category, but the “gold doubloons” make for good counting learning–especially if you have a little pirate lover.
Just For Fun
While these shows do try to teach things like getting along with others, or life lessons, they are really (in my mind) more about fun. They’re all still very cute, age appropriate, exemplify good behaviors and kids love them!
Rescue Bots — this is the kids newest LOVE. They have watched all the seasons through more times than I care to think about!! It is super cute, however, and I love that it’s a Transformer Spin off that is age appropriate.
Busy Town Mysteries — an adorable show about solving mysteries with the classic Richard Scary characters.
Kipper The Dog — if you don’t like English accents this show isn’t for you, but if like me you love them then it’s a must check out. Sweet and mellow it’s perfect for even the littlest ones!
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood — SO sweet! If you grew up on Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood you need to check out this spin off of it that has sweet family oriented lessons.
Sophia The First — princess loving little girls will adore this fun show about a peasant turned Princess.
Ninjago — another kid favorite, this one is probably the silliest one I let the kids fall in love with, but overall it’s just funny and one that your kids will love!
Sherrif Callie’s Wild West — a little on the fluffy side but a lot of fun!
So there you go! 24 amazing, fun, non-annoying TV Shows you can happily sit your kids down in front of!
((And yes, yes, yes–no screen time for those under 2, and please limit your kiddos screen time–I find that if mine watch more than the recommend 2 hours or under each day they start to get cranky and have bad attitudes, regardless of how great of shows they’re watching, so just save the marathons for those days when you REALLY need them for sickness or sanity sake 😉 ))
I know I’m missing some–comment with your favorite kid TV shows that meet all these criteria–we’re also always looking to expand our list!
My personal video training series to help you know all the ins and outs of being an amazing, well-paid blogger right off the bat! As my long-time readers know, I’ve been at this blogging gig for over 8 years now (wow!!) If you want a […]
Today I wanted to share some of my very favorite “Must Use” blogging tools and resources. I’ve had to learn everything the hard way, which is why I love to share my knowledge with everyone else so they don’t have to battle through it all!
Are you looking to reduce your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals but don’t know where or how to start? Here is an incredibly simple guide to replacing toxic household cleaners with safe, natural alternatives, many of which you probably already have on hand. You’ll find out how to safely clean practically every surface in your house, from the windows to the toilet and everywhere in between. These cleaners are safe enough for kids to use, so the whole family can pitch in around the house without any concern about what they’re being exposed to. You will still want to keep these things away from young children who might accidentally ingest them. While perfectly safe to use for cleaning, some of these ingredients can be harmful if ingested, so make sure they will only be accessible to people who won’t try to drink them 😉
There are a few basic things you’ll need to make the switch to natural cleaning:
Using just these supplies, you can clean just about every surface in your house. Sounds easy, right? It really is! Here are some specific tips for tackling all of your chores with no harmful fumes or chemicals.
Dusting– This is one of those chores that’s perfect for little hands so I usually let my kids do the dusting, but I don’t want them exposed to commercial dusting sprays. There are two all-natural dust-busters we use in our house, so I’ll share them both.
Tubs,Tile and Grout– A paste made with baking soda and a little water can make scrubbing stains from grout and tile a cinch. Soap and water will also work on tile for everyday cleaning.
Toilets and Ceramic Sinks– Sprinkle baking soda in sinks and toilet bowls and let it sit for up to an hour, then pour vinegar over the baking soda and scrub with a toilet brush or cloth. The baking soda deodorizes while the vinegar sanitizes, leaving your bathroom naturally clean!
Floors (wood, vinyl, linoleum, and laminate)- A basic solution of 1/4 C. white vinegar and 1 C. water will clean most floors easily. For extra shine, you can also add 1 T. oil to the mix. Spray floors with the mixture and wipe with a soft cloth or mop. Alternatively, you can fill a bucket with 1 gallon of water and 4 cups of vinegar and mop the floor with this solution.
Marble and granite– While vinegar is an amazing natural cleaner, it should never be used on natural stone like marble and granite, which can be etched by acidic ingredients like vinegar or citrus. Mix 1 C. water, 1/4 C. rubbing alcohol, 3-4 drops of dish soap, and 5-10 drops of any non-citrus essential oil (such as lavender, peppermint, cedarwood, etc.) Spray on surface and wipe clean. This solution can also be used for most floors, and it dries quickly without leaving streaks because of the alcohol.
All-purpose cleaner– If you want to keep things really simple and just have one bottle of cleaner for most jobs, this is it. Mix 3 parts water with 1 part white vinegar in a glass spray bottle, add 15-20 drops of essential oils, and shake well. You can use this solution to clean countertops, sinks, tubs, showers, windows, floors, and even cutting boards and appliances. Just be sure to avoid using this one on granite or marble.
If the idea of making your own cleaners is too overwhelming, or you don’t really want your house to smell like vinegar every time you clean something, there are plenty of non-toxic, natural cleaners available to purchase. I’ve tried several companies over the years, but my absolute favorites are from Red’s Gone Green.
Her products smell so amazing that I genuinely want to clean my house just so I can enjoy the scent of clove-cinnamon-vanilla (which smells just like chai tea) or lavender-vanilla (incredibly calming.) Check out all of her products here. The all-purpose cleaners (except the grapefruit-orange-lavender) are even safe on granite and marble, so you can basically reduce your whole cleaning cabinet to just one incredibly fragrant bottle!
Hopefully this is a helpful crash course on how to start swapping some of your commercial cleaners for more natural alternatives. It really is simple and affordable to enjoy the benefits of non-toxic cleaning supplies. Have other natural cleaning hacks or tips to share? Leave us a comment below!
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen This post has always been one of my most popular on Pinterest, and it’s too perfect for the summer season not to share again. If you have a little one in PreK or Kindergarten, or if you’re a teacher […]
Companies that offer monthly subscriptions have become quite popular. You can find subscriptions for jewelry, makeup, clothing and fashion accessories. Say It With a Sock is a subscription service that sends its recipients one new pair of socks each month. Customers end up collecting socks […]
Pampering the interiors of your house can be a brilliant way of giving yourself some rejuvenating feel. A well-crafted interior can immediately give an upswing to a dull environ, both physically and mentally. Whilst having the idea to revamp your interior, there are some definite pre-requisites to it. There are a whole lot of ideas available commercially, which can both attract you as well as baffle you at the same time. So take some time to understand your want and personality and get yourself a blueprint ready in order to avoid any mishap!
Many Ways to Design Your Den
Stylish wall panels have made itself quite an attractive catch in the market for those undergoing interior designing. This has definitely become possible for the wide variety of fashion in which wall panels have become available. They also cater to a lot of purposes in any numbers of ways. Whether it’s your living area or where your bed-time couch sits, modern wall panels have become quite successful. These wall panels provide a wide canvas for your creative ideas to get well expressed. You can paint them or put fascinating pictures or even wall hangings which can further elevate the ambiance.
Brick Walls Are In
The chicest way to pull up any setting these days is to incorporate a well-finished brick wall. Once these stylish wall panels are introduced into the interior landscape, there is not much else to do but let them do their job. These beauties are amazingly stylish and modern looking which makes it ideal for bedrooms, kitchens and essentially for the living areas. If anyone of the walls existing in a room is given a brick wall finish, then very easily an elegant set up is created without putting much effort into it. To add to the crown, one can always opt for the ones with a glossy finish which can very well be the template everyone would want to replicate.
Brick walls are not only style-friendly but also something which modern-day beings are mostly looking for- low maintenance. Cleaning them with a simple washcloth is all one would require keeping these creative pieces as good as new. The brick walls are also suitable for bathrooms, in which case one needs to be careful regarding molds. The bricks should be well sealed in order to prevent such situations.
Modern wall panels in brick finish come in different colors to suit various settings; soft pastels for the kitchen, vibrant colors for the living area and so on. At times if the brick panels seem too much then it can be well balanced with some artistic artwork, mirror designs and so on. Wooden panels or cupboards can further accentuate the depth in brick walls illustrating more visual elegance.
They Are Worth It!
Planting good aesthetics with different types of interior decoration is one thing and to maintain them, in the long run, is absolutely a different swing altogether. These scientifically designed panels are of innovative styles with utmost longevity, durability as well as flexibility.
They are essentially crafted with such attachments which make them appropriate for wall fittings. Being available in different styles, crafts designs and finish, they each resemble uniqueness and can very well decipher the same effect on the ambiance it surrounds. Starting from wooden texture wall panels to brick ones, glossy to matte; you wish for it and you will be served with it.
Just pretty does not work and hence the panels are so structured that they can restrain fire, water, and any such damages. Besides, they are environmentally friendly as well as they are non-toxic and impact the environment in no harmful fashion.
Easy –Peasy!
Charting a plan to install an interior modeling with panels is just as easy as actually doing them in reality. Being easy to install and not requiring the humungous time which otherwise interior designing takes, make these panels inspiring and applause-worthy. Built with gypsum, brick, acrylic, steel, MDF, leather and such other varieties, the vast array of choices produced for the consumers are absolutely lucrative.
Since majorly these panels are crafted for educational, medical and industrial sectors, there are various ways in which they are put in the forefront. They can magically transform any ordinary space into a high definition scenario. Starting from hotel lobbies to the corridor, entrances to exits, these classy panels are all that one requires producing the perfect exquisite feel.
Things to Remember
Description
When the entire world has something new to offer always, interior decoration with panels have somewhat created quite a satisfactory position of its own. It can glorify any space in a mesmerizing manner which makes it a very popular one. With thousands of styles available, they can never go wrong or mishandled. Its easy installation and low maintenance have somewhat made it into quite a success. A little bit of care can go a long way and help these make an ideal setting. The very presence of these panels has the tendency to represent luxury which people these days are always hunting for.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreshCutSavings #CollectiveBias Summer is right around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited for warmer weather and all the flavors that accompany the season, especially all the […]