Recycle old crayons that are too short to draw with to make new crayons in fun shapes.

Heat makes a crayon a little loopy; it may melt into a swirl or pool into a whirl. With this in mind, we chopped up crayons and baked them in shaped mini cake tins, making large blocks that are easy for toddlers to hold and will surely inspire older artists.

Encourage kids to come up with their own combinations—a blue-and-white blend for drawing the sky, or a mix of reds and oranges for sunsets.

Tools and Materials : old crayons, kitchen knife, mini cake tins

Crayon How-To Parents can use the knife to chop crayons into pea-size pieces, taking care to keep colors separate so kids can combine them as they like. Preheat the oven to 150°F while children fill the tin with crayon pieces, arranging them in interesting designs. Bake just until the waxes have melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the shapes after they have cooled. If they stick, place the tray in the freezer for an hour, and the crayons will pop right out.

— courtesy of Martha Stewart Kids

Last Thursday, Amanda wore one of my favorite outfits to school—her embroidered dark denim shorty-shorts and ruffled fuschia t-shirt. Such a cutie!

Well, Friday morning’s routine began much the same way as it had the day before… As I started getting breakfast ready, I asked Amanda to choose her outfit for the day.

Amazingly, she did not resist! She voiced a cheerful "ok!" and disappeared into her closet. Moments later, she raced back out to the living room.

"Look, Mommy!" she squealed, proudly wielding the items that she had selected. She was going to wear her striped knit turtleneck sweater and her fleece pants! Of course! [ sarcasm very much intended ]

… not like it’s still summer here in Kentucky or anything; it was only 85 degrees Fahrenheit at the time…!

In an instant, the image of a cute little window cling resurfaced in my mind. And, as expected, I had absolutely no recollection of what it was ‘officially’ called or where I had originally seen it.

So, guess what I did on Friday afternoon while Amanda was at school…

Think you might be interested in virtually eliminating all your morning tantrums [ and those of your child(ren) ] !?! If so, check out My Little Weatherbuddy, the super-smart pictorial thermometer that clings to your window!

Just imagine… motivation, independence, responsibility, time, energy… and no more power struggles! Can’t put a price on that, I tell ya!

Have you ever sounded like a broken record?

Back up [ from the TV ]. You’re too close.
[ in a sing-song voice ] No, no, no… Drinks stay in the kitchen.
[ gasp ] Watch out!… awwww, crap [ or alternate expletive ]… too late.

Well, I’m not afraid to admit that I have experienced this phenomenon since becoming a mom… However, I recently picked up this really great tip from Keely, one of my “mom friends” from MOPS and owner of BookJingle.com :

Use a small (but not too small) colorful area rug to designate a spot on the floor for your child(ren) to sit while watching TV. The rug is also a great spot for doing artwork or eating a snack.

I have personally used a blanket or towel to serve this purpose in the past, but the area rug’s backing and overall density virtually eliminates any tripping hazard—and, let’s not forget, saves the carpet (or hardwood or tile or whatever kind of flooring you have) from utter disaster!

Plus, when your little area rug gets too grungy (’cause you know it will), it’ll be a cinch to replace!

Homework, class trips, extracurricular activities—staying on top of all the things your children participate in at school is a big job. School.files™ from Buttoned Up^® is the perfect container for keeping all the information about their scholastic life at your fingertips.

Key Functional Features:

• Durable file folder with compartments for three children.
• Each compartment contains five folders: stuff to do, stuff to keep, stuff to return, fun stuff, and calendars.
• Lightweight construction and notebook size make it ultra-portable.

With the start of the new school year just around the corner, now is the time to shop for school supplies. Hit the sales and save!

(And, don’t forget… Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot offer free delivery on any orders over $50! Huge time saver!)

BTW, If you’ve not yet received a school supply list from your child’s teacher, refer to the Back To School Checklist (1145 downloads) to get you started.

Now is also the time to gather your child’s emergency medical information into one place. Check out the In Case Of Emergency (2238 downloads) form.

Back To School Checklist (1145 downloads)   In Case Of Emergency (2238 downloads)