When one of my kids feels grumpy or sad and can’t seem to shake it even after hugs and talking through what happened, I bust out one simple but powerful parenting move that helps them get back to happy: music.

Research shows that music can quickly boost your mood, even more so if you want to improve your mood. Plus, listening to music with your child creates healthy bonds and builds positive memories.

But Here’s the Problem

When you search for “funny songs for kids” or “silly songs for kids,” you’ll find either saccharine-sweet kids’ music or the same ol’ boring nursery songs—or a mix of both. And while I don’t mind hearing “On Top of Spaghetti” or “Ripped Pants” by Spongebob once in a while, those aren’t exactly songs I want in my ears every single day, and certainly not multiple times a day.

The truth is if you want a go-to playlist of funny songs for kids, you don’t need to resort to the kind of children’s music that sets your teeth on edge.

In fact, if you pick music you actually enjoy too, you’ll get a mood boost as well. And goodness knows in between the daily parenting slog of tantrums and sibling scuffles and power struggles, we could all use a pick-me-up of our own.

30 Funny Songs for Kids That Make Parents Giggle, Too

As a mom of four, over the years I’ve curated a handful of go-to playlists to meet the needs of different situations, from love songs for kids to kids’ dance music. But my favorite playlist for cheering up one of my kids is a collection of the best funny songs for kids.

Here’s why: If you can get your child to giggle, that stimulates endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals that reduce stress and put you in a better mood. In other words, funny music can help your child feel better lickety-split.

Below, you’ll find a list of the absolute best songs that will get your child laughing and smiling in no time. Not only that, when you listen to these funny kids’ songs together, you’ll strengthen your bond with your child. And a stronger connection pays off in the form of greater cooperation, fewer power struggles, and the kind of loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond.

To be clear, I’ve double- and triple-checked the lyrics to make sure they are 100 percent kid-friendly. Feel free to use this list to create your own playlist now so that the next time your child needs a mood boost (or you do!), you’re ready to go with some great funny songs for kids.

Related: 20 Best Kids’ Dance Songs That Parents Actually Love, Too

1. Family by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors

This upbeat song is a sweet but funny ode to family:

You don’t choose em, you can’t lose em
We all have a song to sing
Some are crazy, some are amazing
All got a little bit of everything

2. All Ways by Elliott Park

This is probably my favorite of all the funny songs for kids in this list! Starting when my youngest was two years old, he loved the “stinky feet” line. Giggles guaranteed, every time!

Quick heads up: If you live in an area where this word might be an issue, beware that this song mentions a “fanny pack” near the end. This is the American name for what’s referred to as a “bum bag” in some other countries.

3. Everybody Gets a Kitten by Jeremy Messersmith

This song comes from an album titled “11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs for Ukelele,” and it’s an absolute delight.

Gotta say the future’s awesome
Everything is a-okay
All the work is done by robots
Everyday is Saturday
Future people all have jet-packs
Fly around in flying cars
There’s so much I could tell you
But the coolest part by far…

4. So Long by Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward

This is one of the few songs in this playlist that comes from a kids’ movie, but you won’t care because it’s so easy to listen to. If you enjoy this song, be sure to check out the rest of the music from the 2011 Winnie the Pooh movie.

You test my nerves it makes me stronger,
So can you bother me a little bit longer?

5. Alphabutt by Kimya Dawson

What playlist of funny kids’ songs would be complete without a little potty humor?

A is for apple
B is for butt
C is for cat butt
D is for doo doo
E is for elephant doo doo

6. The Song of LIFE by Scribblemonster

Kids who’ve played The Game of LIFE will giggle at these lyrics:

Every time that I play LIFE
I choose you to be my wife
Ride around in a plastic car
Tiny pegs are all we are

7. Little Bitta You by Andrew and Polly

This is a children’s song, but it’s adorable and not grating. And when you and your child try singing along to “Lottle lottle little lottle, lottle lottle loo,” you’ll both crack up.

8. The Puppy Song by Harry Nilsson

You might recognize this song from the soundtrack of You’ve Got Mail, and it just so happens to be a crowd-pleaser with kids.

If only I could have a puppy
I’d call myself so very lucky
Just to have some company
To share a cup of tea with me

9. Busy Doing Nothing by Richard M. Sherman

This song from the movie Christopher Robin is adorably silly:

I’m busy, busy, busy doin’ nothin’
Doin’ nothin’, that’s the life for me
For when I’m doin’ nothin’, I’m busy doin’ somethin’
Somethin’ that suits me to a tee

10. Simple Song by Elliott Park

The funny mental pictures in these lyrics are sure to make your child smile:

It begins as just a flutter deep in you
As it grows, you feel some yellow in your blue
You can run but you can’t hide
When a smile begins to rise
Like the Terminator wearing big red shoes

11. Brothers and Sisters by Vered

Kids who have siblings love this song because it makes them feel known, heard, and understood—while also making them laugh.

Brothers and sisters can make you laugh
And sometimes make you cry
Sometimes they tickle you til it hurts
And sometimes they even lie
And sometimes they kick you and hit you and bite you and squeeze you with all of their might

12. Bathtime in Clerkenwell by The Real Tuesday Weld

This one’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Pure nonsensical silliness! Skip this for tweens and teens, but younger kids love it:

Wale-den-de-bobo-den-di-bili-dan-lo-no
Wale-den-de-bobo-den-di-bili-dan-lo-no
Wale-den-de-bobo-den-di-bili-dan-lo-no
Wale-den-de-bobo-den-di-bili-dan-lo-no

13. Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants

You could argue that several TMBG songs belong on a playlist of funny songs for kids, but this one’s our absolute favorite. Kids especially love the riddle of trying to figure out the main character of this song. (A nightlight!)

I have a secret to tell
From my electrical well
It’s a simple message
And I’m leaving out the whistles and bells
So the room must listen to me
Filibuster vigilantly
My name is blue canary, one note spelled l-i-t-e

14. Your Personal Penguin by Davy Jones

These lyrics come from the silly children’s book Your Personal Penguin, and kids love the idea of having their own personal penguin.

I want to be your personal penguin
I want to walk right by your side
I want to be your personal penguin
I want to travel with you far and wide

15. Little Potato by Metamora

Because of this goofy song comparing your child to a potato (yes, you read that right), I can walk up to any one of my kids, say, “You’re my little potato,” and get an immediate giggle.

They must have grown you wild,
You make a grown man a child,
I’ll go and play in the mud
To be with you, my spud.
When you came out looking red as a beet,
You had wrinkles on the bottoms of your feet.

16. Oh My Goodness, Look at This Mess by Sweet Honey in the Rock

This is our family’s official clean-up song:

Oh my goodness, look at this mess!
I’m the one who made it, I do confess.
Oh my goodness, look at this mess!
I think I’ve got to clean it up.
…
Why are these crumbs all over the floor?
My mama asks when she comes in the door.
Is it from the cookies I gave you to eat
When you asked me for a treat?

17. Jungle Gym by Jack Johnson, G. Love, and Special Sauce

The soundtrack of Curious George is chock full of gems, including this one. Kids love this song for the mental image it gives them of being a monkey swinging through the city like it’s a jungle gym.

Trolley cars and buses too
All the big kids going to school
I’m going to get a treat from the ice cream man
Catch me catch me if you can

18. I Want It Now by Julie Dawn Cole

If you’ve seen the original Willy Wonka movie, you’ll recognize this over-the-top tune from Veruca Salt. This song gives kids a playful way to reflect on less charitable impulses, plus it’s great fun to blast at top volume!

I want the world
I want the whole world
I want to lock it
All up in my pocket
It’s my bar of chocolate
Give it to me now

19. Piggy by Jenna Nicholls

This is a simple silly song about a piggy bank:

No one’s gonna take my piggy away
It’s just you and me, honey
Someday I’m gonna spend all that money
On me, just me

20. Anyone Else But You by The Moldy Peaches

The potty humor at the end gets kids every time!

Squinched up your face and did a dance
Shook a little turd out of the bottom of your pants
I don’t see what anyone can see, in anyone else
But you

21. Sleepy Tigers by Her Space Holiday

This isn’t a laugh-out-loud kind of song, but the mental images will put a smile on your face. Because of this sweet little song, whenever one of our kids wakes up before my husband and me and comes to rouse us, they always say: “I just wanted to see you looking at me.”

Oh, I like you so very much
So much in fact, I gotta wake you up
It’s not that I have words to speak
I just wanna see you looking at me

22. Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles

This classic will tap into your child’s imagination, and the idea of an octopus’s garden will delight them:

I’d like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus’s garden
In the shade

23. Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color for Your Eyes by Kristin Andreassen

This is a sweet but silly song that kids can relate to—not being able to find the perfect color crayon for what you want to do.

I went to see the doctor, I’d come down with the blues
She said that “I can’t cure you, but here’s something you could do
Take out a piece of paper and go sit down for a while
And draw a pretty picture of something that makes you smile”
Well, I know what makes me happy, I didn’t have to think for long
But when I tried to draw it, it always came out wrong
I had a box of 12, 48, and 64
But nowhere could I find that one shade I was looking for

24. Love You by The Free Design

Listen to this catchy song for a dose of pure silliness:

Roll like a circus clown, put away your circus frown
Ride on a roller coaster upside down
Waltzing Matilda, Carey loves a kinkatchoo
Joey catch a kangaroo, hug you

25. Gaston by Josh Gad and Luke Evans

I dare you not to giggle at this rendition from the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie.

No one hits like Gaston
Matches wits like Gaston
In a spitting match nobody spits like Gaston
I’m especially good at expectorating
(Ten points for Gaston!)

26. Grilled Cheese by Peach Face

My kids can’t get enough of this song, and they giggle every time.

One heads up: If you live in an area where this word might be an issue, you should know that this song mentions a “fanny pack.” This is the American name for what’s referred to as a “bum bag” in some other countries.

Monday
I fell in love with a grilled cheese
Oh, would you bring it to me pretty please
It’s not the same at home

27. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke

This classic song from Mary Poppins delights kids and adults.

Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it
Is something quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough
You’ll always sound precocious

28. Everything is Awesome by Tegan and Sara & the Lonely Island

This song from The Lego Movie is ridiculously over-the-top and a fun way to get your sillies out. If your playlist of funny songs for kids doubles as a dance party playlist, this song is a must!

I feel more awesome than an awesome possum
Dip my body in chocolate frosting
Three years later, wash off the frosting
Smelling like a blossom, everything is awesome

29. The Muffin Song by Sean Bertram and Amanda MacDonald

This song is sweet, simple, and silly:

I’m your muffin man
You’re my muffin girl
Let’s get together we can see the muffin world
In a car, in a plane, we can muffin every day
Always forever in our little muffin tray

30. I Forgot That You Existed by Taylor Swift

When someone has been mean to your child, the idea of the ultimate revenge will get them smiling again:

How many days did I spend
Thinkin’ ’bout how you did me wrong, wrong, wrong?
Lived in the shade you were throwin’
‘Til all of my sunshine was gone, gone, gone…
But then something happened one magical night

I forgot that you existed

Get the Spotify Playlist: Funny Songs for Kids

If you use Spotify, head over to this Spotify playlist and click the heart button to add these silly kids’ songs to your own Spotify library. Bonus: As I discover new funny songs for kids, you’ll get extra songs not yet featured in this post!

Want More?

For more fun songs to share with your child, check out 20 Best Kids’ Dance Songs That Parents Actually Love, Too.

Your Turn

What are your favorite funny songs for kids? Share in a comment below!

The post 30 Funny Songs for Kids That Make Parents Giggle, Too appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

I have zero qualms about sticking my kids in front of an iPad or a movie when I need to.

Screen time can be a lifesaver when I’m working from home, need to make an important phone call, or just want to take a shower without kids barging in to complain about the latest sibling infraction every two minutes.

But when I first started relying on screen time with my oldest several years ago, I noticed a disturbing phenomenon.

After she was done with the screens and rejoined real life, she’d turned into a zombie. A cranky zombie.

With everything from whining to full-on meltdowns, the “screen time zombie effect” was no joke. Later on, I discovered that I wasn’t alone. Depending on the child, screen time can make kids quick to anger, highly irritable, or moody and unmotivated.

But That Wasn’t the Worst Part

Even after playing “educational” apps for kids, my daughter couldn’t answer the most basic of math problems. It’s like her brain had stopped working.

As it turns out, this isn’t uncommon. Research shows that screen time can decrease a child’s score on language and cognitive tests.

Given these effects, no wonder both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend limiting daily screen time for kids.

Here’s the Good News

All screen time is not created equal. Certain types of screen time activities can cause all those negative effects, but other types of screen time can inoculate your child against a zombie outbreak.

“The quality of what children watch on screens is more important than how much they watch.”

Susan Friedman, National Association for the Education of Young Children

For example, research shows that fast-moving animation or video leads to attention issues in children. On the other hand, educational and slower-paced screen time doesn’t have the same negative effects.

In other words, a child who plays Fortnite for an hour straight will come off screens a lot crankier than a child who watches a one-hour nature documentary.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get a free cheat sheet of how much and what kind of screen time is recommended for your child’s age and developmental stage, according to health experts.

40 Screen Time Activities That Are Actually Good for Your Child

Screen time has become a necessity for many parents in today’s world, myself included. When we have work to do or households to run (or both), we can’t always oversee our kids’ every waking moment 12+ hours a day. And yet, sticking the kids on screen time several hours a day isn’t the best option either because it can interfere with our kids getting enough sleep, a healthy amount of physical activity, and the kinds of experiences they need in order to thrive.

But we can use screen time in moderation when it’s the right kind of screen time. The kind that won’t turn our kids into zombies. The kind we don’t have to feel guilty about because not only does it avoid the negative effects of screen time, our kids will actually learn something too.

Below, you’ll find a list of the best screen time activities for kids so that you can get what you need to done – no matter if that means working from home with kids or just sneaking away to raid your secret chocolate stash so that you feel recharged and ready to deal with whatever parenting life throws at you next.

But First, a Bonus Tip for You!

One of the dangers of screen time for kids is that when kids spend time on screens, that leaves less time for activities that will improve their wellbeing and increase happiness, like daily physical activity or time spent outdoors.

In our family, we came up with a simple way to make sure our kids get the essential ingredients they need everyday to protect their wellbeing: 4 quick questions to ask your child every day. It takes just a few minutes, you can do it at the dinner table, and it helps removes the burden from you when it comes to policing screen time activities.

After you take a swing through the list of screen time activities below, check out those special questions here.

Educational Screen Time

To be clear, kids learn more from face-to-face interaction than they do from screens. But when you can’t engage with your child face-to-face every waking hour of the day, the right kind of screen time can be educational. Research shows that starting at age three, kids can learn from slower-paced, thoughtful screen time activities, boosting everything from their academic performance to their social-emotional skills.

1. Watch a kid-friendly documentary. Here are a few excellent documentaries my kids have enjoyed, and they all come highly recommended by the experts at Common Sense Media:
   • The Biggest Little Farm – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Chasing Coral – available on Netflix here
   • The Elephant Queen – available on Apple TV+
   • March of the Penguins – available to rent on Amazon here
   • My Octopus Teacher – available on Netflix here
   • A Reindeer’s Journey – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Spellbound – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Walking with Dinosaurs – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Several documentaries from Disneynature have activity packets you can download as a supplement to the documentary

2. Go on a virtual safari. If your child loves animals, set them up with a few different live webcams from zoos and aquariums so they can try to find the animals and see what they’re up to. Here are a few of our favorites:
   • Beluga whales, penguins, puffins, otters, sea lions, piranhas, and alligators at the Georgia Aquarium
   • Lions, elephants, pandas, and naked mole rats at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
   • Giraffes, gorillas, elephants, rhinos, and chimps at the Houston Zoo (you can even control the camera to zoom in and pan around)
   • Polar bears, koalas, tigers, baboons, penguins, giraffes, elephants, and more at the San Diego Zoo
   • Goats and sheep at the Folly Farm in the United Kingdom (the kids love when they have new babies on the live feed!)
   • African animals in the wild in Kenya
   • Puppies training to be service dogs
3. Try Mister Rogers. If your child hasn’t seen the show before, I recommend watching a Mister Rogers episode together the first time, or you can play LEGOs or make art together while the episode plays in the background. Then pay attention to your child. This slow-paced children’s show tends to put many kids in a sort of calm trance, and when the episode is over, they aren’t moody like they tend to be after other kinds of television. Guilt-free screen time? Check!
4. Let them pick a class. At Outschool, your child can browse the online classes available and pick what they want to learn about, from ASL to raising chickens to video game design – pretty much everything you can think of! Classes are small groups of students who meet via video chat regularly, and teachers are experts on the topic they’re teaching about. For older kids and teens, you can also check MasterClass to see if they have a class with an expert that might be a good fit. For example, they can get tennis lessons from Serena Williams or learn about songwriting from John Legend. If you don’t find a class there, another great option for older kids and teens is Skillshare.
5. Queue up a playlist. What is your kid obsessed with? Some kids are obsessed with dinosaurs, others might be obsessed with construction vehicles. One of my kids is all-in on Harry Potter, while another is obsessed with dolphins. Scientists call this an “intense interest,” and research shows that encouraging your child’s intense interest makes them better learners and makes them smarter. To support your child’s intense interest, spend a few minutes searching for educational videos on Youtube on that topic and make them a playlist of videos to watch. Kids who have an intense interest will enjoy a video playlist like this many times over, soaking up more knowledge every time through!
6. Do a science experiment. Bookmark a couple Youtube channels with kids’ science experiments so your child can browse around and find an experiment to try at home. Our favorite Youtube channels for this are The Spangler Effect and LAB 360. (By the way, we also have this book of 10-minute science experiments for kids, and my kids love it!)
7. Nurture a habitat. Set a family goal to turn your yard into a backyard wildlife habitat and get it certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Set your child loose on the NWF site to learn everything you’ll need to do, then ask them to draft a plan for how to make it happen. This is such a fun project for kids because it also gets them outside, making bird feeders and squirrel feeders, planting native plants, observing wildlife, and learning about the thriving ecosystem right in their own backyard. To keep the fun going even more, get your child a pair of kid-friendly binoculars and a bird watching guide so they can figure out which birds are showing up.
8. Watch videos with a purpose. The next time your child begs to watch videos on YouTube, forget the creepy knockoff Peppa Pig videos and load up one of these powerful videos for kids instead. I’ve been curating this special list of short, high-quality videos for kids for several years. Watching the videos on that list will teach your child how to be a kind and thoughtful friend. Your child will get proven tricks for how to handle their big, scary emotions. They’ll learn important life lessons like why we should accept others even if they’re different – and more. As just one example, here’s a short video from that list that helps kids learn how to cope with emotions:

9. Learn a second language. Research shows that learning a second language boosts your child’s memory skills, improves their ability to focus, and enhances their reading comprehension and vocabulary in their first language as well. The easiest way to get your child started learning another language is to set them up with a language learning app for kids. Our favorite apps are Drops for younger kids and Duolingo for older kids around 10 and up.
10. Find out why. Pay attention to when your child is curious about something and asks “why.” Then encourage them to come up with a hypothesis, research the answer, and make a fun slide show to share their discoveries with the whole family. You can add more structure to this educational screen time activity by setting a certain day of the week for these slide shows, like “Why Wednesdays,” with each person in the family taking turns every week sharing their own discoveries. Another fun way to make this a habit is to start a “curiosity journal” where anyone in the family can jot down anything they’re curious about, then keep it in a central, visible location like your kitchen counter or coffee table. Then when your child is bored, they can flip through the curiosity journal and find something to research.
11. Say goodbye to hunt-and-peck. Touch typing is a life skill that will serve your child well throughout their school years and beyond. Set your child up with a touch typing program like the award-winning Keyboarding Without Tears. Three of my kids have learned touch typing through this program, and I highly recommend it.
12. Go explore. Exploring the world via Google Earth is fun in its own right, but for a little more structure, you can set your child up with an educational app that’s built with Google Earth, like the Where on Google Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? game or their Flight Simulator. For more ideas, check out these projects on the Google Earth educational hub.
13. Do today’s crossword. Older kids can get a new (free!) crossword to solve every day at The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times mini crossword, The Washington Post, and Merriam-Webster. For younger kids, the puzzle and crossword maker Lovatts regularly posts news crosswords for kids, and USA Today also has a daily easy crossword. And while this doesn’t count as educational screen time, it’s still awesome: The New York Times has a huge archive of themed crosswords for students that you can print.
14. Play a brain food app or game. When it comes to apps and games, some are better than others for staving off the screen time zombie effect. Here’s a list of the best educational apps for kids that won’t make them moody and unruly afterwards.

Creative Screen Time

Creative activities are important for your child’s development, plus engaging in creative activities has also been shown to impact health by reducing stress and anxiety, increasing positive emotions, and reducing the likelihood of depression. Below, you’ll find the best screen time activities to foster your child’s creativity.

For more creative activity ideas, check out The Best Activities for Kids At Home: Creative Fun.

1. Compose. At the Chrome Music Lab, kids can make and share their own music. Start them out with the Song Maker experiment and let them explore from there. If your child enjoys that, they can graduate to an app like GarageBand for more features.

2. Draw something. If you’re short on art supplies or you’re out and about running errands, your child can use an app like Drawing Pad to get creative. For tweens and teens, Procreate is a high-quality app that will inspire a budding digital artist.
3. Design a comic. With the Strip Designer app, kids can design their own comic strip using their own photos. This is a fun and creative way to get kids journaling about their memories and experiences like a favorite family vacation or their first day of school, which is awesome because journaling helps kids cope with emotions, especially negative emotions.
4. Make a craft. Queue up a Youtube playlist of a few fun craft projects, then share it with your child so they can decide which one they want to make and then follow the instructions in the video. For example, they could make something like friendship bracelets, a latch hook project, a cross-stitch design, and so on. Anytime they’re bored, they can revisit the playlist and pick a new project to make.
5. Design a family yearbook. Kids love flipping through photo books to relive their favorite experiences, but creating a scrapbook can be time-consuming. So hand it off to your kid! My favorite tool for creating photo books is Shutterfly. You just upload your favorite photos, use one of their templates, and you’re good to go.
6. Make a movie. Your child can play filmmaker by writing a script, designing a set, pulling together the costumes, and recording the video. For only children, they can create a one-person show, but for multiple kids the whole crew can get in on the project. If your child needs a little more structure to get started, the GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine app teaches kids how to make a stop-motion movie.
7. Write a story. At My Storybook, kids can write their own story and illustrate it using pre-drawn characters and pictures or their own drawings. When your child is done creating their story, you can even turn it into a printable book.
8. Follow a recipe. Bookmark a few foodie Youtube channels and encourage your child to browse through them and find a recipe that looks good, then follow along in the video to make it. They can try a new recipe for dinner or make a baked good as a family treat. Our favorite channel is Eats Amazing.

Bookish Screen Time

When it comes to boosting your child’s literacy skills, reading aloud is a must for every family. But if you’re already reading aloud at least 15 minutes a day, go ahead and sprinkle in a few slower-paced, thoughtful screen time activities to enrich your child’s literacy.

For more bookish activity ideas, check out The Best Activities for Kids At Home: Bookish Fun.

1. Catch up on what’s new. Some news outlets have special editions just for kids and teens to help them understand what’s going on in the world in a kid-friendly way. Our favorites are The Washington Post’s KidsPost, Time for Kids, and the PBS NewsHour Extra edition.
2. Watch video adaptations of children’s books. You can purchase these story time videos on Apple TV, or some libraries participate in Kanopy Kids so you can get free access to a whole bucketload of them. After you log into Kanopy and go to the Kanopy Kids section, look for the “Story Time” category. (Side note: You’ll also get access to lots of kid-friendly documentaries through Kanopy!)
3. Let a famous actor read aloud to your child. Through Storyline Online, you can access free videos of actors reading children’s books aloud.
4. Listen to a children’s book author. Children’s book author Kate Messner put together an amazing resource of videos with authors reading aloud, leading kids through art activities, and more. She’s done the hard work of finding all the awesomeness, so you just need to queue up a few of the videos for your child to watch.
5. Create a family newsletter or newspaper. To keep your friends and family updated on what’s new with your family, encourage your child to act like a reporter and design a newspaper-style update of everything that’s going on. They can use a word processing app or a free design tool like Canva and export as a PDF to share. Your loved ones will appreciate the adorable update, and your child will stay busy for a while pulling the whole thing together.
6. Be a critic. At Common Sense Media, you can set up an account so that your child can write reviews of their favorite TV shows, movies, books, games, and apps to help other kids decide whether to try them out.
7. Start a journal. Journaling is a powerful tool for helping kids cope with emotions because it puts you into a state of mindfulness, where your negative experiences don’t seem quite so earth-shattering. Also, the emotional release you get from journaling can lower anxiety and stress, plus help you sleep better. Our favorite journaling app is Day One because you can set your device to give you a reminder once a day, and it will give you a prompt if you’re not sure what to write about. (If you prefer a paper journal, check out our list of the best journals for kids and pick up one for your child: 10 Best Journals for Kids That Will Boost Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence.)

Social Screen Time

Social screen time activities can be a fun way for your child to stay connected to the people they care about, and that connectedness is a protective factor for a child’s health and wellbeing. Plus, some research shows young kids learn important social skills from the back-and-forth of social interaction on screen time.

1. FaceTime or Skype a relative or friend. For example, if your child’s grandparents are retired, set your child up so they can make a video call and chat. The grandparents will be happy, and your child will be entertained. Face-to-face video calls can have positive effects on kids, so the AAP says they’re appropriate even for toddlers!
2. Play a game. Use a virtual meeting tool like Zoom to set up a get-together with your friends or family, then play a game like Charades or Pictionary (using the whiteboard feature in Zoom). You don’t even need the physical game to play because the person who’s acting out or drawing just has to come up with an idea of what to act out or draw. As another option, you can visit PlayingCards.io to play a card game with your friends in your browser and use Zoom to chat while you play.
3. Make a date. Set up a regular weekly date for your child to meet up with their group of friends (or all their cousins!) in a virtual meeting tool like Zoom. They can play games (see the previous bullet) or just get together to chat. If they struggle to think of things to talk about, you can get this set of the Best Conversation Starters for Kids and have them pick a random question to keep the conversation going. Not only do these conversation starters teach your child the art of a good conversation, but they’ll deepen their connection with their friends by chatting about meaningful (and fun!) topics.

4. Take texting to the next level. Use the Marco Polo app to set up a private group chat for your child and their friends or for family members. This app is like if you combined a group text thread, video chat, and a private social media network just for you and your real-life family and friends. It’s safe for kids and an awesome way to stay connected!
5. Host a movie night. If you have a Netflix, Disney, Hulu, or HBO subscription, install the Chrome extension Teleparty so your child and their friends can watch a movie together. Teleparty synchronizes the video playback and adds a group chat so kids can talk during the movie. Only people who have an invitation from you can join the party, so you don’t have to worry about strangers getting in. If you don’t have one of those streaming services, Airtime is similar. Don’t forget to pop some popcorn to make your movie night official!
6. Sit together. Research shows that when you join your child in their screen time activities and chat about what you’re watching together – known as “co-viewing” – you increase your child’s literacy skills, boost empathy, and even mitigate the negative effects of certain kinds of screen time like violent scenes in movies and TV. You don’t have to co-view every bit of screen time, but if you can pick something once every couple days or so, your child will reap the benefits. To help your child get the most out of the experience, try pointing out interesting details, commenting on similarities between what you’re watching and something in your child’s own life, and pausing the show after a complicated or potentially confusing scene to talk about what just happened.

Active Screen Time

Physical activity is important not just for a child’s physical health but also for their mental health. Screen time activities can be a useful way to keep your child physically active, especially when the weather isn’t the greatest like on rainy days or when you hit triple-digit temperatures.

For more physical activity ideas, check out The Best Activities for Kids At Home: Outdoor Fun.

1. Do yoga. For kids ages 3 to 6, we enjoyed this yoga video for kids. For kids ages 7 to 12, this yoga video is a great fit. Then for older kids, we love Jillian Michaels’s Yoga Meltdown. As another option, you can try the Cosmic Kids Yoga Youtube channel.
2. Make it a game. Consider getting a video game console that supports exercise games, like the Playstation Move or Nintendo Wii Fit. Depending on the console you choose, your child can play single- and multi-player games like table tennis, dancing, skateboarding, basketball, kickboxing, and more.
3. Go on a scavenger hunt. The Pokemon Go app combines screen time with a scavenger hunt in a fun game for kids. Playing Pokemon Go will get your child walking around the neighborhood, chasing and catching their favorite Pokemon. Just be sure to review the safety guidelines from the game maker with your child on a regular basis.
4. Make a dance playlist. Look for music videos on Youtube of your child’s favorite upbeat songs, then make them a dance party playlist. You’ll want to screen the videos first just to make sure they’re kid-friendly, but after you make the playlist your child can go straight to that. To make it extra fun, play the playlist on your TV using Chromecast or mirroring your screen with Apple TV. If you need a starting point for songs, check out this playlist of kids’ dance songs that you’ll actually enjoy too. As just one example from that playlist, here’s one great song that will get your kiddo moving:

5. Try geocaching. With geocaching, you use a smartphone to find “treasures” hidden in the real world by other geocachers. At the geocaching site or using the app, you look up the coordinates of the hidden caches near you, then set out to find them. When you find a cache, you update the log book (bring a pen!) of everyone who’s visited that cache so far, then if you want you can swap a trinket in the cache for a trinket you brought. For example, you might find coins, toy cards, art supplies like markers or pens, key chains, small books, and so on. The possibilities are endless! Kids get excited when they find a cache, then the next excitement is to discover what’s inside the cache, and the fun keeps going when they get to decide whether they want to swap out a trinket for one they brought instead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Screen Time Activities

Below, you’ll find answers to the most common questions when it comes to minimizing the negative effects of screen time for your child:

• What’s the right amount of screen time for my child’s age?
• What are the negative effects of too much screen time?
• What if my child wants to play a fast-moving app or game that does cause all those negative effects?
• What healthy screen time rules do the experts recommend for families?

What’s the right amount of screen time for my child’s age?

For the most up-to-date guidance from health experts on how much screen time is appropriate for your child’s developmental stage, check out the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization.

Here’s a quick chart to show the latest recommendations for each age group, as of 2021. As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get a free printable version of this chart, which includes extra space at the bottom for jotting down any extra agreements your family makes about healthy media use.

What are the negative effects of too much screen time?

Depending on the child, screen time can make kids quick to anger, highly irritable, or moody and unmotivated.

With that said, all screen time activities are not created equal. Certain types of screen time can cause all those negative effects, but other types can be neutral. For example, research shows that fast-moving animation or video can lead to attention issues in children. On the other hand, educational and slower-paced screen time typically doesn’t have the same negative effects.

In other words, a child who plays Fortnite for an hour will likely come off screen time crankier than a child who watches a one-hour documentary.

What if my child wants to play a fast-moving app or game that does cause all those negative effects?

One strategy that can work well is to talk to your child first and work together to come up with a reasonable amount of time to play so that you minimize the negative effects. Then set a timer or an app time limit. For example, on iOS devices, you can use the Screen Time settings to configure a time limit for specific apps.

What healthy screen time rules do the experts recommend for families?

It seems like every time I turn around, a new article comes out with more screen time rules families should be following. To give myself grace as a parent, I prefer to think of this instead as screen time “guardrails” for my family. In other words, what are the basic guidelines that will keep us from getting off track?

Below, you’ll find a few research-backed recommendations from experts that have worked for my family. (Note: For the source where you can find out more about each of these healthy screen time guidelines, click the »» character after the list item.)

• Talk to your child about pros and cons of screen time, and work together to come up with boundaries around their screen time activities (and yours!). According to psychologist and author Jon Lasser, PhD, “It’s important for kids to develop the capacity to self­-regulate, and parents who try to micromanage screen time may inadvertently interfere with that self-­regulatory development.” If you’d like ideas for this, check out the Media Use Plan wizard from the American Academy of Pediatrics. »»
• Make time in your schedule to co-view media with your child. Research shows that when you join your child in screen time activities and chat about what you’re watching together – known as “co-viewing” – you increase your child’s literacy skills, boost empathy, and mitigate the negative effects of certain kinds of screen time like violent scenes in movies and TV. You certainly don’t have to watch every bit of screen time with your child, but if you can pick something once every couple days or so, your child will reap the benefits. While you watch together, try pointing out interesting details, mentioning similarities between what you’re watching and something in your child’s own life, and pausing the show after a complicated or potentially confusing scene so you can talk about what just happened. »»
• Balance screen time activities with other activities. When kids spend time on screens, that leaves less time for activities that actually improve their wellbeing and increase happiness, like daily physical activity or time spent outdoors. In our family, we came up with a simple way to make sure our kids get the essential ingredients they need everyday to protect their wellbeing: 4 questions to ask your child every day. It takes just a few minutes, you can do it at the dinner table, and it helps removes the burden from you when it comes to policing screen time. »»
• Make a pledge to put your devices down at certain times. Research shows that when kids and parents are engaged in conversation, half of all kids and three-quarters of parents feel the other is distracted by a device. For example, you might come up with a family pledge to put devices away during mealtimes. You can also come up with a code word that you and your child can use when you feel like the other person isn’t paying attention to you, and you’d like them to put down their device. That may sound silly, but having a goofy code word like “bananarama” for shorthand removes the awkwardness of calling someone out for not giving you their full attention! »»
• Set a screen time cutoff before bedtime and put devices to “sleep” in a neutral location. Screen time can be particularly disruptive to a child’s bedtime and lead to them not getting a healthy amount of sleep to support their development. To avoid this, come up with a cutoff time for all screen use, such as an hour before bedtime. To avoid the temptation for your child to stay up late texting friends or playing games, establish a spot in your home outside your child’s bedroom (and yours!) where everyone’s devices charge overnight. »»

Get Your Free Cheat Sheet

Grab the cheat sheet shown above as a reminder of the latest guidance from health experts on how much screen time is appropriate for your child’s age, as of 2021.

1. Get the free cheat sheet. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
3. Brainstorm a media use plan for your family. Talk to your child about the pros and cons of screen time, and work together to brainstorm healthy boundaries around screen time activities for everyone in the family. If you come up with any additional guidelines for your family, jot them down in the extra space at the bottom of the printable.
4. Hang your cheat sheet somewhere handy like the fridge where everyone can see it.

Your Turn

What are your favorite screen time activities for kids? Share in a comment below!

The post When You Can’t Avoid Screen Time: 40 Activities That Are Actually Good for Kids appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

In my family, we show love for each other in the typical ways you might expect—hugs, I love you‘s, and playing our favorite games together.

But one of our go-to ways to communicate love might be a little non-standard: song lyrics.

When one of my kids feels sad or we need to repair our connection after a tough moment, I’ll play one of our favorite love songs for kids. Then depending on whether it’s a mellow or an upbeat song, we’ll cuddle up on the couch or have an impromptu dance party. Or sometimes while they’re busy making art or building with LEGOs, I queue up a special song and say, “Hey, listen to this. It makes me think of you.”

And it works, every time. Because research shows that listening to music together creates healthy bonds and builds positive memories.

But Here’s the Problem With Love Songs for Kids

Most love songs aren’t all that kid-friendly. Often, love song lyrics are clearly about the romantic love of a couple. And I’m guessing playing “When a Man Loves a Woman” for your kid probably isn’t the effect you’re going for.

Plus, many love songs’ lyrics are flat-out not appropriate for kids.

Obviously, you would never want to play an overtly risqué love song for your child, but a lot of love songs have at least a line or two that could create an uncomfortable moment when you play them for your child and you’re both paying close attention to the lyrics.

But here’s the real kicker when it comes to love songs for kids: The songs that are specifically made for kids tend to be so saccharine you can’t help but cringe, and they often sound like they could be the theme song to an obnoxious kids’ TV show. Swinging wildly to the other end of the spectrum, the songs written about a parent’s love for a child are typically so slow they could put you right to sleep.

The best love songs for kids are the ones you and your child will actually want to listen to together.

Related: 17 Best Kids’ Dance Songs That Parents Actually Love, Too

The Best Love Songs for Kids That Will Make Your Child Smile

Because love songs are one of my family’s favorite ways to connect and show our love for each other, I’ve been curating a huge playlist of love songs for kids over the years.

Below, I’m sharing the absolute best love songs for kids so that you can share them with your own child. I’ve double- and triple-checked the lyrics to make sure they are 100 percent kid-friendly. Not only that, many of these are specifically parent-to-child songs about unconditional love for a child.

Go ahead and create a playlist now so that the next time you experience a moment of disconnection with your child or you feel overwhelmed with your love for them, you’re ready to go with the perfect love songs for kids.

Whether you listen to these kid-friendly love songs together while you cuddle or you break out into an impromptu dance party, your child will feel secure in your love for them. And that stronger connection will pay off in the form of greater cooperation, fewer power struggles, and the kind of loving parent-child relationship that will last into the teenage years and beyond.

1. All Ways by Elliott Park

This is probably my favorite of all the love songs for children in this list. Starting when my youngest was two years old, he loved the “stinky feet” line. Giggles guaranteed, every time!

If you like this song, be sure to give the rest of the Just Be album a listen because it’s kid-friendly and fun for parents, too.

Quick heads up: If you live in an area where this word might be an issue, beware that this song mentions a “fanny pack” near the end. This is the American name for what’s referred to as a “bum bag” in some other countries.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

2. Mama’s Sunshine, Daddy’s Rain by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors

These lyrics are perfection. Here’s a taste for you:

All day long, right or wrong, you question everything.
Why the grass is green, can I stay up late, and why do the bluebirds sing?

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

3. I Care by Tom T. Hall

This song never gets old. Every time it comes on, I can’t help but smile! And because it’s full of warmth, we love using this one as a “goodnight” song before sending our kids off to bed.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

4. The Lotto by Ingrid Michaelson with AJR

The lyrics of this song aren’t specifically about a parent’s unconditional love for a child, but the message translates 100 percent: all we need is each other.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

5. The Best Day by Taylor Swift

This song is told from the perspective of a child to their mother, and it has all the feels.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

6. Brand New Day by Lindsey Ray with Tim Myers

Queue up this one when you need a reset button or when you want to start the day off right.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

7. All Smiles by Jess Penner

Full of childlike imagery, this happy song is sure to make you smile.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

8. For My Daughter by Kane Brown

Kane Brown wrote this song for his little girl, and the lyrics about that special bond between a parent and child are powerful. But even though it’s from a dad to a daughter, just one line at the end mentions “baby girl,” so I still dance to this one with my son!

Someone to play catch with, out in the backyard
To pick up the pieces of your first broken heart
Someone to say slow down when you turn sixteen

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

9. You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman

You might recognize this one from the Toy Story soundtrack, but the lyrics are perfect for a parent to a child, too:

You got troubles, I’ve got ’em too
There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you
We stick together and see it through
‘Cause you’ve got a friend in me

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

10. Count on Me by Bruno Mars

How sweet are these lyrics?

If you tossin’ and you’re turnin’ and you just can’t fall asleep
I’ll sing a song beside you
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me
Every day I will remind you

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

11. Wild + Free by Andrew Simple

This song perfectly captures the adventurous spirit of childhood.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

12. You’re a Part of Me by Jillian Edwards with Zach Berkman

When one of my kids is struggling with separation anxiety or nighttime fears, I often repeat these lyrics to help calm them and remind them that we’re always connected, even when we’re apart: You’re a part of me.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

13. Let’s Go by Handsome and Gretyl

The imagery of this song always gets my kids “flying” around the room:

Let’s fly
Go and get your wings on, run until we lift off
Oh we’ll fly
Everyone needs a little adventure in their lives

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

14. Anywhere I Go by Rebecca Roubion

Like “You’re a Part of Me” above, this song will remind your child of the powerful connection you have, even when you’re apart.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

15. A Friend Like You by Andy Grammer

This song is about two friends, but the lyrics are fun for a parent to a child, too:

Mac and cheese, PB and jelly
Some things are better together, and that’s you and me

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

16. My Little Love by The Weepies with Deb Talan and Steve Tannen

This one’s a little mellower than some others on this list, but it still has enough of a beat that it won’t put you to sleep!

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

17. Life’s What You Make It by Graham Colton

This is one of those love songs for kids that also shares a powerful life lesson.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

18. Couldn’t Ask for a Better Friend by Michael Logen

This is something I often tell my kids, and I love having a song to reinforce it, too:

Any time you call
Anything you need
You know you can always count on me

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

19. Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift

This song perfectly captures the bittersweet emotions of parenthood and watching your child grow up. I dare you not to cry as you listen to this one!

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

20. Family by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors

When this song comes on, my whole family starts bopping along. So much fun!

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

Bonus: How to Reconnect After a Tough Moment With Your Child

Research shows that in happy relationships, you need a ratio of five positive interactions to every one negative interaction. This is called the Magic 5:1 Ratio.

In other words, after a negative interaction with your child, you need to reconnect through a positive moment or two so you can close the distance between you and your child. Because if you don’t close that gap and your child feels a lack of connection, that will lead to more unnecessary power struggles and less cooperation from your child when you ask them to do something.

But unfortunately, when your brain is flooded with stress hormones in the moment, it’s incredibly difficult to think of something fun and sweet to do with your child so you can reconnect.

Which is why I created these Family Connection Cards, based on the science of what actually works when you need to reconnect. These cards remove the mental burden of figuring out how to reconnect with your child so you can just focus on nurturing your bond with your child. At any point during your day, you can pick a card to get a quick and simple idea for connecting.

And in just 10 minutes a day, these powerful cards will make your child feel absolutely loved and stop the power struggles caused by disconnection.

Get the Spotify Playlist

If you use Spotify, head over to this Spotify playlist and click the heart button to add the list of songs to your own Spotify library. Bonus: As I discover new love songs for kids, you’ll get extra songs not yet featured in this post!

Want More?

For love songs to share with your partner, check out 75+ of the Best Unknown Love Songs.

Your Turn

What are your favorite love songs for kids? Share in a comment below!

The post The Best 20 Love Songs for Kids: Adored by Parents and Kids appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

One hour into a full day at home with your kids, and they’re bouncing around the house like Tigger, scattering toys across the floor of every room in the house, and interrupting you every 7.2 minutes to ask for a snack.

If you work from home, need to catch up on household chores, or just need a break from being “on” for your kids all the time, 12 hours a day can feel like a lot of hours to figure out how to keep kids busy and entertained.

And so understandably, you find yourself always on the lookout for activities for kids at home. Fun activities that might even be a little educational to boot. And maybe, just maybe, one day you’ll find the perfect list of activities that will keep your child from wasting the day away on video games – or on watching videos of other kids playing video games.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get this free printable of the best 50 activities for kids at home that will actually keep your child busy and happy.

3 Essential Ingredients You Need to Keep Your Child Busy + Engaged

This list of activities for kids is different than some others you might find. Because this isn’t about having 20 gabazillion activities listed in one place. This isn’t about buying a bunch of special supplies or materials your child will use once and never touch again. And this isn’t about the activities that make the prettiest pictures so they earn likes on Instagram.

This list of activities for kids at home is about what works.

In other words, the activities listed later in this post will actually keep kids engaged so that your child doesn’t lose interest after a few minutes and announce, “I’m borrrrrred.”

First, here’s a quick run-down of three essential ingredients when it comes to activities that keep your child busy and engaged. The activities in this post take care of the first two factors for you, and you’ll find a bonus section at the end of this post to help you with the last factor.

1. Independent – Can a child engage in this activity independently, or does it require a parent to supervise or participate? Sometimes it’s fine for an activity to require parental involvement, but other times you might need activities your kids can do independently so you can get something important done yourself. And so this post focuses on activities your child can do independently.
2. Engaging – Will this activity captivate a child’s attention, or will they get bored and lose interest quickly? Many child development experts divide toys and activities into two categories: open-ended and single-action (or closed). An open-ended activity might be to set up a basket of various art supplies and materials for your child to explore, whereas a single-action activity would be to print one coloring page for your child. Your child can explore the art basket and be creative in how they choose to engage with the materials, but with the coloring page, your child has only one way to engage with it: color the picture already drawn for them. The toys and activities that deliver the highest quality play for kids – meaning they show sustained interest and are active and absorbed in the play – tend to be open-ended. There’s nothing wrong with single-action toys and activities, but on the whole, they’re nowhere near as effective at keeping kids engaged. On the other hand, open-ended activities are more likely to spark your child’s creativity, captivate their attention, and actually nurture your child’s skills like problem-solving. Which is why this post focuses on open-ended activities.
3. Hidden causes of boredom – If your child gets bored easily and can’t seem to stay engaged in any activity for very long, a handful of underlying factors might be interfering with your child’s ability to get “lost” in an activity and stay engaged. But the good news is you can do a quick check of these factors and eliminate any roadblocks to your child’s ability to play independently. If your child struggles with this, check out the 4 Hidden Reasons Why Your Kid Gets Bored Easily section later in this post for how to address the most common underlying issues.

The Best 50 Activities for Kids At Home

Whether you find yourself at home with your kids during a bad weather day, a teacher in-service training day, or an extended school break where you’re also trying to work from home, this list of fun activities for kids at home is for you. This list will help you keep your child busy and happily engaged – and likely even learning something too.

But first, you need to know a couple important differences when it comes to this list of activities for kids:

• For the times when you need activities your kids can do independently so you can get something important done yourself, you’ll find those activities marked with a star like this . A star like this indicates the activities that could be independent, depending on your child’s age and temperament or if you have more than one child.
• The activities in this list skew more heavily towards open-ended because those types of activities are more likely to keep your child actively engaged, learning, and thinking deeply.

Pro tip: Some families like to set up clear plastic bins to keep each activity separate so they’re easy to pull out and have ready to go. The benefit of setting up these “Choose Your Own Adventure” bins is that if your child gets bored with whatever activity they selected, they can easily put that one away and see what’s in the other bins to pick what they want to get out next. (By the way, we’ve tried several brands, and these clear bins have stood up best over time.)

Related: Working From Home With Kids? Here’s the Best Advice for Parents {Printable}

Before You Forget…

At the end of the post, don’t forget to get the handy free printable list of all these activities for kids at home.

Here’s a sneak peek of your free printable:

Note: In the list below, indicates activities that kids can typically do independently without needing parental involvement beyond a quick initial setup and explanation. indicates the activities that could be independent, depending on your child’s age and temperament or if you have more than one child.

Creative Fun

The process of open-ended creating helps kids relax, focus, feel successful, and learn to express their emotions.

If you need activities for kids at home that will keep them engaged for longer, try these creative options:

1. Bust out the play dough or slime. Don’t have any? Make some, then let your kiddo loose with some fun play dough tools like this. (If my zero-craftiness self can make homemade dough, you totally can!)
2. Solve a jigsaw puzzle. About once a week, my kids will go on a puzzle binge, putting together puzzle after puzzle. Our favorite puzzles for younger kids are the Melissa & Doug floor puzzles. For older kids, the Ravensburger puzzles are high-quality and have lots of fun options to choose from.
3. Play a board game or card game. If you have more than one child, they can play together. If you have an only child, you can teach them solitaire games they can play independently. If the games you have aren’t keeping your child engaged, check out this list of the best board games for all ages.
4. Listen to a podcast for kids. Some of our favorites are Brains On, But Why, Stories Podcast, Tumble, and Wow in the World. For tweens and teens, we also enjoy Book Club for Kids, Stuff You Should Know, and This American Life.
5. Build an epic fort. Set your child up with the supplies they need, such as sheets, tablecloths, or curtains; command hooks and string to attach blankets to the wall; and pillows, blankets, or rugs to make it cozy. Then when it’s done, they can show it off to you!
6. Make a craft. Get your child everything they need to make something fun like friendship bracelets, a latch hook project, a cross-stitch design, and so on.
7. Play pretend with paper dolls. This isn’t just for girls! My son loves playing pretend with paper dolls just as much as his sisters do. We got these adorable handmade color-in paper dolls you can print at home, which kept my kids busy while they colored them in, cut them, and then dressed up the dolls. For younger kids, the magnetic dress-up sets from Melissa & Doug are a great fit. Or if your child likes to draw, encourage them to design their own paper dolls and dress-up clothes.
8. Do a science experiment. We have this book of 10-minute science experiments for kids, and my kids love it!
9. Make something yummy. Encourage your child to flip through your cookbooks or look for a recipe at a couple of your favorite blogs, then make it. They can try a new recipe for dinner or make a baked good as a family treat.
10. Give them boxes. Round up a few empty cardboard boxes and let your child loose. They can make a cardboard city like this, a toy castle, a fort, or whatever their imagination comes up with. We recently got this book of cardboard engineering projects for our preschooler, and she ATE IT UP.
11. Invent a board game. This one can keep your child busy for ages! You can even get them a blank DIY board game kit, so all they have to do is design the board and come up with the rules.
12. Play hide-and-seek. If you have more than one child, they can play this independently. One variation my kids love is called Sardines, where one person hides and anyone who finds them has to squeeze into the same hiding spot like sardines until the last person discovers them.
13. Take photos. Give your child a camera or a mobile device with a camera and encourage them to take some fun or interesting photos of the world around. For a little structure, you can print a photo scavenger hunt printable for them.
14. Make art. Not only is creating art important for your child’s development, but it’s also been shown to impact health by reducing stress and anxiety, increasing positive emotions, and reducing the likelihood of depression. To make this a special activity, consider putting together an art basket with fun new supplies for your child, like this book of drawing prompts or this book of drawing games and tangle art, gel crayons (my kids love these!), a mixed media sketchbook (so markers and paints won’t bleed through), and so on. We keep all these special art supplies in a cute craft tote like this so it’s easy to pull everything out when our kids want to get creative.
15. Build with LEGOs. To take this everyday activity to the next level, we got our kids this book: Awesome LEGO Creations with Bricks You Already Have. They can’t get enough! We flip through the book together, they pick something they want to make, then they get to work while I run off to raid my secret chocolate stash in peace.
16. Play dress-up. Kids love playing pretend, and dressing up in special clothes can inspire pretend scenarios that will keep them busy for a long while. We keep a special trunk of dress-up clothes just for this, and it includes some of the Melissa and Doug role play costumes like the firefighter and the doctor, these gorgeous play silks (I was skeptical, but they really do inspire the best pretend play!), reversible crowns and foam play swords, and this superhero cape and mask set.
17. Do something nice. Helping others has one of the biggest impacts to your happiness, and kids get a boost from giving to others, too. Challenge your child to brainstorm five nice things they can do for someone they love and then do them. A few ideas:
    • Bake fresh cookies and share them with your neighbors.
    • Write a thank-you note.
    • If your house has a never-ending mountain of laundry like ours does, fold it all and put it away.
    • Go through toys and pick some to donate to charity.
    • Make someone’s bed for them.
    • Read a book to a younger sibling.
18. Design a postcard. You can get a whole pack of blank postcards and let your child decorate them, then write a quick note to a family member or friend on the other side. If your child wants to use paint, get these mixed media postcards or these watercolor postcards. Otherwise if they want to stick to crayon and pencil, plain blank postcards will do the trick.
19. Paint rocks. Later, you and your child can take a walk around the neighborhood to leave them somewhere for a stranger to find so you can brighten their day.
20. Plan a treasure hunt. Your child can hide a few things and come up with clues to lead you through the house to find what they’ve hidden. Kids especially love this when you give them permission to hide something important like your keys, your phone, or money! We’ve also done treasure hunts where they hide pieces of chocolate or marshmallows in each hiding spot, so when I find each hiding spot, we all enjoy a treat together to celebrate before moving onto the next clue. Coming up with the hiding spots and clues will keep them busy for a while, and when you’re done with what you need to do, you can have fun with the treasure hunt together.

“The very best kinds of playthings are open-ended…Children can make of them whatever they’re working on at that moment, and their play is then determined by their own needs. If most of their playthings are ‘single-action’ toys, their play tends to be limited, as if they’re following the ‘formula’ of what the manufacturer determined.”

Fred Rogers

Outdoor Fun

Research shows that kids who play outside are happier, are less anxious, and have better focus than kids who spend more of their time indoors.

Here are a few activities for kids at home that your child can do outside:

1. Go for a walk. To spice it up a little, turn it into a nature scavenger hunt with this printable.
2. Play catch. Throw a ball or a frisbee back and forth. Challenge yourself to see how long you can keep it going back and forth before someone drops it, Chandler and Joey style.
3. Have a picnic. Pack a lunch or a snack, grab an outdoor blanket (this one’s our favorite but we also got this adorable picnic basket and blanket as a gift one year), and have a picnic. For a special treat, pack something fun your child doesn’t usually get, like a piece of candy, a juice box, or sparkling juice like Izze.
4. Make sidewalk art. Bust out the sidewalk chalk or an extra special set like this glitter chalk and see what your child comes up with. If they need some inspiration, check out Chalk on the Wild Side, which has 25+ chalk art projects, recipes (glow-in-the-dark chalk!), and chalk game ideas for you.
5. Design an obstacle course. If you have more than one child, they can turn it into a competition. Or for only children, they can show it off when they’re done, and you can run through the course together.
6. Make a bird feeder. Keep your kids busy and help sustain bird species that are in danger by getting your child set up to make a DIY bird feeder. Here are a few options from the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab K-12 Education team, and National Geographic Kids. To keep the fun going longer, get your child a pair of kid-friendly binoculars and a bird watching guide so they can figure out which birds are showing up!
7. Go backyard camping. Set up a tent in your backyard and help your child fill a backpack with everything they’ll need for their camping adventure, from a camp light to a portable game like Spot It! to fun snacks. If you don’t have a tent yet, here’s the 4-person tent we got for our backyard camping adventures – it’s affordable and has great reviews. For more ideas, check out this super useful post from one family about how to make the most of a backyard camping adventure.

“Child development specialists say young children learn best when they are fully engaged and imbued with a feeling of control. They encourage parents to seek out more open-ended games and toys in which children could explore and create at their own pace.”

Slate magazine

Bookish Fun

This section assumes your child can read independently. If not, these activities for kids at home are still awesome, but you’ll need to help your child with all of them except the first one in the list.

1. Listen to an audiobook. Get a membership to Audible or Libro.fm so they can listen to the best audiobooks. (By the way, Libro.fm is the same price as Audible, and you’ll support a locally owned bookstore with every audiobook you choose!) Some of our favorite audiobooks for kids are:
   • Because of Winn-Dixie: Audible or Libro.fm (the authentic Southern accent is a fun touch but still easy for kids to understand!)
   • The Land of Stories series: Audible or Libro.fm
   • The One and Only Ivan: Audible or Libro.fm
2. Solve a word puzzle. We love this series of crossword puzzle books because they have perforated pages you can tear out so you can solve a puzzle on the go. As another option, the word searches from the Highlights PuzzleMania series kept my kids busy for a long while.
3. Read a book. If your child isn’t a bookworm yet, get them a wide variety of options, including graphic novels, picture books, magazines, funny poetry, and chapter books. You never know what they’ll end up loving! For book recommendations, check out our list of the best picture books, according to kids and parents. For older kids, here’s our list of the best chapter books for turning kids into bookworms.
4. Write a story and illustrate it. My kids love these blank storybooks, which you can get in packs of six.
5. Send a letter or thank-you note. Gratitude is important to wellbeing, so this is an easy way to nurture gratitude in your child. Research shows that when you encourage your child to participate in gratitude-rich activities, you increase their capacity for gratitude. For this activity, ask your child to think of someone they’re grateful to or for, then encourage them to write a letter or thank-you note to mail to that person. In our family, we started “Letter Wednesdays” to remember to do this once a week and get in the habit of expressing our gratitude.
6. Write a play. Your child can write the script, design the set, pull together the costumes, and when it’s all done put the whole show on. For only children, they can create a one-person show, but for multiple kids the whole crew can get in on the project.
7. Create a family newsletter or newspaper. To keep your friends and family updated on what’s new with your family, encourage your child to act like a reporter and create a newspaper-style update of everything that’s going on. Your loved ones will appreciate the adorable update, and your child will stay busy for a while pulling the whole thing together.
8. Start a journal. Journaling is a powerful tool for helping kids cope with emotions because it puts you into a state of mindfulness, where your negative experiences don’t seem quite so earth-shattering. Also, the emotional release you get from journaling can lower anxiety and stress, plus help you sleep better. If your child doesn’t already keep a journal, check out our list of the best journals for kids and pick up one for your child: 10 Best Journals for Kids That Will Boost Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence.

Water Fun

Most kids love playing in the water. So when you need ideas for activities for kids at home, below are some fun ways to add water play into the mix.

Note: Whether your child can do these water activities independently will depend on your child’s age and temperament, so you’ll need to make that decision. If you have things you need to get done, you can always set up a lawn chair nearby your child and catch up on email, read a book, or just take a break!

1. Turn on the sprinklers. Tell your child to put on their swimsuit and start the sprinkler in your yard. They can play games like Freeze Tag or London Bridge, design an obstacle course around the sprinkler, or set up a bike wash station to wash their bike with a sponge and soap. Or as another option, get a fun splash mat for your yard.
2. Have a water balloon fight. This works best when you have more than one child. Set them up with a bunch of water balloons (get the quick-fill kind here!), and let them loose. They can throw them at each other, or they can play water balloon toss to see how many they can toss to each other before one breaks. If you don’t have water balloons, bust out your squirt guns and fill those up instead.
3. Wash the car. Get the kids set up with a bucket, a sponge, soap, and the hose, and let them have at it.
4. Set up a water table. This activity is perfect for keeping toddlers and preschoolers busy. You can either get a ready-made water table like this one or make your own using PVC pipe. Here’s the tutorial we used to make ours. When my kids were toddlers and preschoolers, they would happily spend 30 to 45 minutes at the water table!
5. Stick them in the bathtub. Bath time can be at any time of day! For younger kids, you definitely will need to supervise, but you can make it special by giving them pool toys, squirt toys, or bubbles to blow while in the bath. For older kids, you can make it a relaxing activity for them by lighting a candle or two, using kid-friendly bubble bath, and turning on some music or their favorite podcast.

Guilt-Free Screen Time

Sticking your child in front of a screen all day typically backfires because then you have to deal with the “screen time zombie effect” later on when they’re finally off screens – which depending on the kid means they’ll be quick to anger, highly irritable, or moody and unmotivated.

So it’s no surprise that both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend limiting daily screen time for kids.

But with that said, all screen time is not created equal.

Research shows that fast-moving animation or video leads to attention issues in children, and those kids get bored by real-life activities more easily. On the other hand, educational and slower-paced screen time doesn’t have the same negative effects.

In other words, a child who played Fortnite for an hour straight will come off screen time a lot crankier than a child who watched a one-hour nature documentary.

“The quality of what children watch on screens is more important than how much they watch.”

Susan Friedman, National Association for the Education of Young Children

In light of the impact different kinds of screen time will have on your child, these screen time activities for kids at home are relatively guilt-free:

1. Try Mister Rogers. If your child hasn’t seen the show before, sit down with your child and watch an old Mister Rogers episode, or play LEGOs or make art while the episode plays in the background. Then pay attention to your child. This slow-paced children’s show tends to put many kids in a sort of calm trance, and when the episode is over, they aren’t moody like they tend to be after other kinds of television. Guilt-free screen time? Check!
2. Watch a kid-friendly documentary. Here are a few excellent documentaries my kids have enjoyed:
   • The Biggest Little Farm – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Chasing Coral – available on Netflix here
   • The Elephant Queen – available on Apple TV+
   • March of the Penguins – available to rent on Amazon here
   • A Reindeer’s Journey – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Spellbound – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Walking with Dinosaurs – available to rent on Amazon here
   • Several documentaries from Disneynature have activity packets you can get as a supplement to the documentary
3. Watch video adaptations of children’s books. You can purchase these story time videos on Apple TV, or some libraries participate in Kanopy Kids so you can get free access to a whole bucketload of them. After you log into Kanopy and go to the Kanopy Kids section, look for the “Story Time” category. (Side note: You’ll also get access to lots of kid-friendly documentaries through Kanopy!)
4. Let a famous actor read aloud to your child. Through Storyline Online, you can access free videos of actors reading children’s books aloud.
5. Listen to a children’s book author. Children’s book author Kate Messner put together an amazing resource of videos with authors reading aloud, leading kids through art activities, and more. She’s done the hard work of finding all the awesomeness, so you just need to queue up a few of the videos for your child to watch.
6. Go on a virtual safari. If your child loves animals, set them up with a few different live webcams from zoos and aquariums so they can try to find the animals and see what they’re up to. Here are a few of our favorites:
   • Beluga whales, penguins, puffins, otters, sea lions, piranhas, and alligators at the Georgia Aquarium
   • Lions, elephants, pandas, and naked mole rats at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
   • Giraffes, gorillas, elephants, rhinos, and chimps at the Houston Zoo (you can even control the camera to zoom in and pan around)
   • Polar bears, koalas, tigers, baboons, penguins, giraffes, elephants, and more at the San Diego Zoo
   • Goats and sheep at the Folly Farm in the United Kingdom (the kids love when they have new babies on the live feed!)
   • African animals in the wild in Kenya
   • Puppies training to be service dogs
7. Let them pick a class. At Outschool, your child can browse the online classes available and pick what they want to learn about, from ASL to raising chickens to video game design – pretty much everything you can think of! Classes are small groups of students who meet via video chat regularly, and teachers are experts on the topic they’re teaching about. For older kids and teens, you can also check MasterClass to see if they have a class with an expert that might be a good fit. For example, they can get tennis lessons from Serena Williams or learn about songwriting from John Legend. If you don’t find a class there, another great option for older kids and teens is Skillshare.
8. FaceTime or Skype a relative or friend. For example, if your child’s grandparents are retired, set your child up so they can make a video call and chat. The grandparents will be happy, and your child will be entertained. Face-to-face video calls can have positive effects on kids, so the WHO and AAP say they’re appropriate even for toddlers!
9. Do yoga. Screen time can be a useful way to keep your child active, especially on rainy days. For kids ages 3 to 6, we enjoyed this yoga video for kids. For kids ages 7 to 12, this yoga video is a great fit. For older kids, we love Jillian Michaels’s Yoga Meltdown.
10. Play a brain food app or game. When it comes to apps and games, some are better than others for staving off the screen time zombie effect. Here’s a list of the best educational apps for kids that won’t make them moody and unruly afterwards.

Tip: If your child wants to play a fast-moving app or game, set a timer or an app time limit to keep the amount of time reasonable and minimize the negative effects. For example, on iOS devices, you can use the Screen Time settings to configure a time limit for specific apps.

4 Hidden Reasons Why Your Kid Gets Bored Easily

If your child tends to get bored easily and can’t seem to stick to any activities you line up for them, you might need to address one or more underlying factors. Because if you don’t address those underlying factors first, a list of activities for kids at home won’t ultimately help you keep your child busy and entertained. They’ll lose interest fast and boomerang right back to you.

Below, you’ll find the most common reasons why your child might be quick to boredom, plus suggested simple fixes you can start right away.

1. Share the Power

If you’re the one who decides which activity your child will do next, your child might be experiencing what child development experts call a lack of “agency” when it comes to playtime.

“[A] critical requirement for learning through play is that children must experience agency and be supported rather than directed…Agency in learning through play means seeing the child as capable rather than a blank slate to be filled…Agency is about the balance of initiative in the child-adult relationship: are children’s interests listened to? Are they consulted on decisions that concern them? Do they initiate an activity and invite adults to join them in play and decision-making? In other words, what opportunities do children have for exerting their thinking and actions in a social context where others hold the same rights?

Researchers find that this kind of scenario, where caregivers ensure that children play an active role in solving a problem-solving task, promotes children’s executive functions – that crucial suite of skills used in goal- setting and flexible thinking.”

Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence

Translation? Your child needs to have a say in how they’ll be spending their playtime. Not only will they be more likely to stick with an activity they had a hand in choosing, you’ll strengthen their brain in a way that will increase their ability to focus and stick to something:

“[Kids] who plan their own time, set weekly goals, and evaluate their own work build up their prefrontal cortex and other parts of the brain that help them exert greater cognitive control over their lives. These so-called executive skills aid children with self-discipline, avoiding distractions, and weighing the pros and cons of their choices.”

The Secrets of Happy Families

If you tend to pick the activity and then tell your child what they’re going to do, that can lead to your child losing interest in the activity quickly.

How to Fix It: The next time you want to set your child up with an activity, first ask them what they want to do. If they draw a blank, at the end of this post, you can get the free printable list of activities for kids at home and share it with your child. If they still aren’t sure, you can play what we call the Third Time’s a Charm Game, where you keep giving different options until your child has picked the same activity three times. Here’s a quick example:

• Parent: Which sounds better, playing inside or outside? (This first question just helps direct you towards which activities to start with when giving options to your child.)
• Child: Inside
• Parent: Which sounds better, playing a game or making art?
• Child: Hmm…I think making art
• Parent: Which sounds better, making art or reading?
• Child: Making art
• Parent: Which sounds better, making art or listening to a podcast?
• Child: Making art!

Or as an alternative, you can play the Pick 3 Game, where you give your child a list of activities to choose from, then have them rank their top three choices #1 through 3. That has the added benefit of giving them a backup option to move to next if the first option doesn’t work out for some reason.

2. Fill That Tank

Connection breeds cooperation. In other words, when your kids feel a strong connection with you, they’ll be more likely to cooperate.

On the other hand, when your child feels a lack of connection, that leads to more unnecessary power struggles and less cooperation from your child when you ask them to do something, like when you need them to entertain themselves so you can focus on work or household chores.

One of the best ways to make sure your child will stay engaged in an activity is to make sure their connection “tank” is full first. That way, they won’t interrupt their own play to seek you out for a dose of meaningful connection.

How to Fix It: Before you set your child up with an activity to do independently (see strategy #3 below), spend 5 or 10 minutes connecting with them.

Here’s a quick list of a few of the best (and quickest!) ways to connect with your child every day. Tip: For a handy way to remember to do this every day, you can get my Family Connection Cards here. In just 10 minutes a day, these powerful cards will make your child feel absolutely loved and stop the power struggles and interruptions caused by disconnection.

• Give your child a hug. But make sure it’s a good quality hug of six seconds or more. Here’s why. If your child isn’t used to you dishing out impromptu hugs, try a high-five instead and work up to hugs.
• Read a book. Your child is never too old to be read to. For older kids, you may find it fun to take turns reading aloud from the same book. If you don’t currently read aloud to your child regularly, be sure to check out the super helpful tips in this post: Want to Raise Smart, Kind Kids? Science Says Do This Every Day.
• Sit down and just play for a few minutes. No smartphones, no multitasking – follow your child’s lead.
• Go outside together. Take a walk, play catch, or hop on your bikes for a quick ride around the block.
• Get quiet. Start the day with a kid-friendly meditation using an app like Headspace. Meditation helps calm anxious feelings and increases your attention span and ability to focus. And that’s something both you and your child can benefit from!
• Play a board game or card game. We’ve found that Sleeping Queens is the perfect quick game for a wide range of ages, but for more ideas check out our full list of the absolute best family games for all ages. We’ve spent countless hours testing different family games with all different ages to find the cream of the crop!

Black Friday’s back: Get 30% off all games with the code HAPPY30. Plus, free shipping for orders $49+.

4,687 families purchased this game after reading this post…

$18 from Amazon* $18 from our family shop * Price at time of publishing

Sleeping Queens

    
“My daughter and I love Sleeping Queens! It teaches them math without them even realizing it – or me, for that matter. I remember my daughter laid down a sequence that was like 1 + 3 + 5 = 9, and I thought ‘How did you know that…?’ Then I realized she just figured it out from doing math in the game. So cool to watch her learn right before my eyes.” – Ann

3. Set the Bar Higher

On a typical school day and even on many weekend days, nearly every hour of our kids’ days is spoken for, filled with scheduled and structured activities. Between school, extracurricular activities, sports events, play dates, birthday parties, family get-togethers, and more, that doesn’t leave much downtime for kids to engage in what child development experts call “unstructured free play.”

And yet, unstructured play is essential to childhood development:

“Unstructured play is a set of activities that children dream up on their own without adult intervention. This type of play rarely has predetermined goals or objectives but instead allows children to create their own rules and establish their own limits. Recent research suggests that children should experience twice as much unstructured time as structured play experiences and touts the benefits of unstructured play on whole child development…

It develops self-determination, self-esteem, and the ability to self-regulate – all vital elements of emotional development. It fosters social competence, respect for rules, self-discipline, aggression control, problem solving skills, leadership development, conflict resolution, and playing by the rules…It provides fertile ground to cultivate creativity and imagination…[And] it sees boredom as a vehicle for children to create their own happiness, enhance inventiveness, and develop self-reliance.”

The Decline of Unstructured Play

But in today’s world, kids have gotten used to the adults in their lives directing their play and telling them how to spend their time. When it comes to figuring out how to spend unstructured free time, kids haven’t had much practice. So when we suddenly expect them to go play independently so that we can focus on something we need to get done, kids aren’t sure what to do with themselves.

For example, suppose that between you and your spouse, you were the one who always did the grocery shopping, but suddenly one day you asked your spouse to do it because you were busy. They might head to the grocery store and get there, only to realize they didn’t know what to do. So they might end up texting you every couple minutes to ask questions. But if instead, you asked your spouse to take over the weekly grocery shopping from here forward, that would change their approach. That first time, they might need a lot of guidance from you. But with clearer expectations, people tend to shift their mindset and approach it as a learning opportunity so that they can be more independent the next time.

How to Fix It: Clearly set the expectation for your child by establishing a routine of free play every day, to start either at a specific time of day or after another activity like after lunchtime. It can help to come up with a special name for this time of day, like “Quiet Time” or “Free Play Hour.” In my family, we call this time “Choose Your Own Adventure.”

Here’s one way you can make this routine work for your family:

1. Brainstorm. Before you’re scheduled to start, at the end of this post, get the free printable list of activities for kids at home and look through the list with your child.
2. Pick something. Ask your child to articulate what they’ll be doing during “Choose Your Own Adventure” time. If they have trouble deciding, try the Third Time’s a Charm Game or Pick 3 Game from strategy #1 above. (Side note: They’ll be much more likely to stick with it if they set their intention ahead of time for what they plan to do!)
3. Set it up. Help your child get everything they need set up so that they can do what they’ve picked without needing to come to you.
4. Start a timer. Set a timer to communicate to your child that you expect them to entertain themselves and to show when you’ll be joining them again. Even young kids can understand the concept of a timer counting down. You can use a kitchen timer, set a timer on your oven or microwave, or set up a tablet or other mobile device in a visible spot with the screen locked on a timer.
   • For younger kids, you might start with a short period of time like 10 or 15 minutes.
   • For older kids, you might start with 30 minutes and work up to a longer chunk of time.
5. Skedaddle. Let your child know you’ll be looking forward to hearing how it goes, then go do whatever you need to do, whether that’s working from home, catching up on housework, or just relaxing in the bath with a good book.

Related: Working From Home With Kids? Here’s the Best Advice for Parents {Printable}

4. Wipe the Slate Clean

Research shows that when kids are surrounded by toys, they typically find it harder to concentrate on any one thing.

They end up jumping around from toy to toy without ever getting fully engrossed in playing with one specific thing. But it’s the experience of being engrossed in one toy that leads to real growth and development for your child.

It’s kind of like if you started 10 different books all at once and took turns reading a couple pages from each one. You’d never get fully immersed in any of the books, and you’d struggle to pull any significant life lessons or new knowledge from the reading.

And the clincher that brought this home for me? I discovered that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 on a daily basis. Whoa.

If your child struggles to stay engaged in any one activity, it might be that their surrounding toys are distracting them and keeping them from being able to focus.

How to Fix It: Consider setting up a simple toy rotation system so that your child can engage in deep, focused play. That will prevent them from bouncing between several things without ever fully engaging and also prevent the “boomerang” effect of them losing interest quickly and coming right back to you.

For a detailed guide on how to set up a super simple toy rotation system for your family, check out Toy Rotation: How to Make Your Kids Love It + Free Printables.

Get Your Free Printable: The Best Activities for Kids at Home

Use these free printable cards to get ideas of activities for kids at home.

1. Get the free printable. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be nice and sturdy.
3. Cut. Or if you’re like me and you can’t cut a straight line to save your life, fold and tear to get a charmingly casual look.
4. Pop the cards into an empty bowl or mason jar and put it on your dining room table or kitchen counter. Then when your kid says “I’m bored,” they can pick a random card and do it. Easy peasy!

For more ideas on how to best share this list with your child, check out the 4 Hidden Reasons Why Your Kid Gets Bored Easily section above.

Here’s a sneak peek of your free printable list of activities for kids at home:

Your Turn

What are the best activities for kids at home you’ve tried? Share in a comment below!

The post Bored Kid? The Best 50 Activities That Will Keep Kids Busy + Happy appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

It was fifth grade. The school bus had just dropped me off, along with all the other kids who lived in the cluster of apartment complexes near mine.

As a painfully shy kid, I hadn’t made any friends who lived nearby. No one to sit next to on the bus. No one to walk home with, chattering about the day. But I didn’t mind because I could get lost in my thoughts. And if I hurried, I might catch The Addams Family.

This day was like every other day, mostly. Stepped off the bus. Kept my head down. Started towards the apartment in silence.

Except that a group of sixth-grade boys got off the bus right behind me. Usually they sat at the back of the bus and took their time getting off, so I was long gone by the time they hit the pavement.

That day, they must have been in a hurry to get home. And loud. So loud.

“Ow!” one yelled while another laughed, but I didn’t turn back to see what happened.

I sped up, my shins burning.

They all cracked up at the same time.

Then got quiet.

I willed my legs to move faster.

I wasn’t sure why I was hurrying. Still, adrenaline surged through my heart.

And Then?

They barked.

One at first. He barked like a dog. At me.

The others laughed, then they barked too.

Can you see it?

A 10-year-old girl hurrying down the sidewalk, her ponytail swinging side to side, and a group of four or five boys following behind her, barking.

I ran.

What was I afraid of? Who knows.

But for some reason, I got a bad vibe off those boys on that day. As a latchkey kid, I knew there was no adult at home waiting for me. Nobody who would come looking for me if I wasn’t home at the right time.

I’m still not 100 percent sure what they meant by barking. That I was ugly as a dog? That’s my best guess.

Just kids being mean, and not really a big deal.

Except for One Thing

As an adult, I’ve relived that afternoon more than it deserves.

Why didn’t I turn around and tell them to shut up? Why did I run? Why didn’t I at least laugh it off?

The truth is: I never stood up for myself as a kid.

I just let other kids say mean things to me.

Like in fifth grade when I was supposed to write a story that was two pages long but instead I wrote 20, and I was so proud of myself. When it was my turn to read the story out loud in class, my voice squeaked and the paper shook in my hands. After I read “The End,” a boy laughed and said “She just stole that from The Goonies.” (Which was true, but still.)

Or my crush in sixth grade who told me I was “flat.”

Or the boy in ninth grade who told me: “Your nose is too big for your face.”

I want to go back in time to that shy girl, grab myself by the shoulders, and shake her until her hibernating confidence wakes like a cranky bear.

What Changes When You Have a Daughter

In college, I finally learned how to stand up for myself.

But now I’m in charge of raising three girls.

The thought of other kids saying mean things to my daughters? Spreading gossip, snubbing them, barking at them? Talk about waking a cranky bear.

I’m not silly enough to think I’ll be there to protect them.

We have this thing we say at our house when any of the kids get scared or are about to do something dangerous.

My husband or I will say: “What’s my number one job?”

And the kid will answer: “To keep me safe.” Unless they’re dead-set on doing that dangerous thing. Then they’ll just glare, and we’ll say that part for them.

But part of keeping my daughters safe is teaching them how to keep themselves safe. How to speak up. How to honor her boundaries.

Related: How to Raise a Girl to Know That Her Body Is Her Body

12 Best Girl Power Songs for Raising Strong Girls

We’re a big fan of family dance parties at our house. When the mood is tense or tones get snippy, you can throw on some dance music and boogie away the bad juju.

Lately, I’ve found myself craving a playlist of songs to inspire my girls to be confident, strong, and brave. Recent, fresh songs. Not stuff my grandma listened to. But also nothing that mentions twerking or milkshakes or “that boom boom that all the boys chase.”

Are my expectations too high for a Saturday afternoon playlist of songs for girls? Maybe.

But I know from experience that songs can inspire you to take a stand for yourself.

I Will Survive^† infused me with confidence that I could leave a toxic relationship. Once Was Love on the precipice of divorce. Help Yourself when I wasn’t sure I could get through it.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

And so I put together a playlist for my daughters. A playlist for strong girls, even if they don’t know how strong they are quite yet.

If you’re raising a girl, play these songs for her.

Let the lyrics of these girl empowerment songs percolate in her growing, learning, blossoming spirit.

And when the day comes that someone is mean to her, your daughter will be ready to stand toe-to-toe with the meanness and tell him to shove that bark where the sun don’t shine.

Related: 20 Best Kids’ Dance Songs With Kid-Friendly Lyrics (And Loved by Parents, Too)

1. Fight Song by Rachel Platten

“This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
(Starting right now) I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”

See full lyrics

2. Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

“Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You’re gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.”

See full lyrics

3. Brave by Sara Bareilles

“Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave”

See full lyrics

4. Race You by Elizabeth & The Catapult

“‘Cause there’s a shortcut down the beaten path
One step to the right, three to the left
The moon’s so high
The wind’s so fast
Makes us feel like goddesses”

See full lyrics

5. Mean by Taylor Swift

“You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like a nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I’m wounded
You, picking on the weaker man

Well you can take me down with just one single blow
But you don’t know, what you don’t know…

Someday I’ll be living in a big ole city
And all you’re ever gonna be is mean”

See full lyrics

6. Nobody Ever Told You by Carrie Underwood

“Take off all the makeup girl
Shine your light, show the world
Don’t be shy, don’t be scared
You don’t have to hide under there
Let’s throw away all the magazines
Turn off the static on the TV
Wish you could see yourself the way I do”

See full lyrics

7. Roar by Katy Perry

“I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agree politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now”

See full lyrics

8. Make a Noise by Katie Herzig

“Look up
You see the sky on fire
Look out
The water’s getting higher, now
Believe that you can change the world
Your dreams, have been living in a code of silence
So let them out
Find your voice, find your voice
Make a noise”

See full lyrics

9. Afterlife by Ingrid Michaelson

“You and me
We got this
You and me
We’re beautiful
Beautiful

We are
We are going to be alright
We got
We got we always got the fight in us”

See full lyrics

10. Whole Wide World by Mindy Gledhill

“I’m gonna walk a hundred miles
I’m gonna whistle all the while
If that’s what it takes to make me smile
I’m gonna walk a hundred miles

I’m gonna run right up this hill
Summer sky or winter chill
If I gotta take a break I will
But I’m gonna run right up this hill”

See full lyrics

11. Now Is the Start by A Fine Frenzy

“Now, oh, now is the start
Oh, and it goes with where you go
Don’t lose faith for the friends
You don’t need a thing, you already know
You are right as you are”

See full lyrics

12. Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys

“Looks like a girl, but she’s a flame
So bright, she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try, but you’ll never forget her name
She’s on top of the world”

See full lyrics

Get the Spotify Playlist

If you use Spotify, head over to this Girl Power playlist and click the heart button to add it to your own Spotify library. Bonus: As I discover new girl power songs, you’ll get extra songs not yet featured in this post!

Want More?

For more tips on raising strong girls, check out How to Teach Young Girls to Demand Respect.

Your Turn

What’s your favorite girl power song? Share in a comment below!

The post 12 Best Girl Power Songs to Inspire Your Daughter (And You) appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

You want your child to grow up to be a kind, compassionate person.

At least I don’t think anyone sets out to raise a meanie.

You have this mental picture of your child as an adult – thoughtful, generous, and loved by their friends and family.

But then you look at the child in front of you.

Maybe you have a toddler throwing the tantrum to end all temper tantrums over the fact that you won’t let them stick a phone charger in the light socket. Or a grade-schooler who loses at Monopoly and flips the board over then storms off. Or a tween who rolls their eyes at 97.3 percent of what you say.

It’s not exactly clear how you’re supposed to help your child get from point A to point B.

You’re lucky if you can get them to eat broccoli, let alone grow into a mature adult who writes prompt thank-you notes and volunteers regularly just because and remembers to call their mother more than once a year.

That’s why when I came across advice from Harvard researchers on how to raise kind and caring kids, I got a little excited.

Practical, straightforward, research-backed tips on how to teach your child to be kind? YES, PLEASE.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get these free kindness questions that will inspire your child to be kind to others.

A Fateful Night in College

One nugget of advice in particular stood out to me: “Give your child an ethical dilemma at dinner or ask your child about dilemmas they’ve faced.”

When I first read that, a memory from my college years flashed through my mind. A bunch of my friends and I sat around one night playing a board game called Scruples.^†

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here’s how it works: On your turn, you are presented with a moral dilemma, then you explain how you would handle it.

If your friends disagree and think your answer doesn’t align with your personality, they can give their argument. If the general consensus is that you’re wrong and they’re right, you lose.

Example:

Kelly, suppose you are walking along the street and a person in front of you drops a $100 bill. Do you catch up to them and return it? Or do you keep it?

Me: Well, obviously I’d catch up and return it!

Friend #1: That’s a crock. You’re a greedy little sneak.

Friend #2: You still owe me $10 that you “borrowed” last year.

Friend #3: I trust you about as far as I can throw you.

Friend #1: Let’s take a vote. Who agrees that Kelly is a lying cheat? Everyone? Okay, Kelly, you lose!

What Would You Do?

At first, I was hesitant to recreate that night in present-day with my kids.

But after I let go of my past trauma, I had to admit it’s a pretty good idea.

You can buy this cute little box of family conversation starters. Or Melissa & Doug makes one that’s a little cheaper.

But I’d rather save my $25 for a gallon-sized Pumpkin Spice Latte. Plus, the questions in those sets tend to be things like “What’s your favorite thing to do at recess?” – which is cute and all but doesn’t exactly fulfill the advice from the experts to give your child an ethical dilemma to puzzle over.

So I made a free printable set of 40 kindness conversation starters for you to use with your family.

Related: 100 Non-Boring Questions for Kids to Get Them Talking {Printable}

40 Kindness Questions to Teach Your Child to Be Kind

Print these “What Would You Do?” cards and then at dinner or on road trips, pick a card and ask your child one of these kindness questions. These kindness conversation starters encourage your child to think about how they’d handle tricky situations, which is important for raising kind kids. (Scroll to the end of this post for the link to get the printable questions about kindness.)

A few recommendations to keep the experience from devolving into a bad Scruples game so the conversations stay fun and meaningful:

• First, just listen. Resist the urge to give the “right” answer. Your kid will learn better if you foster a good conversation and help them work through the issue on their own. Literally bite your tongue if you have to!
• If your kid is stumped, reiterate that there’s no right or wrong answer. You just want to hear their ideas. If they still have nothing, try throwing out silly answers to get a reaction out of them.
• If your kid’s answer shocks you, say “Hmm” or “Interesting” – something noncommittal to give you time to collect yourself. If you freak out on your kid, they’ll clam up. These conversations should be fun and stimulating, not stressful.
• Feel free to embellish the questions to paint a clearer picture for your child. For example, instead of just saying “A new kid joins your class at school.” you could say “A new kid joins your class at school. They speak a different language and wear different-looking clothes than what the rest of your friends wear.”
• Ask clarifying questions to get your child talking. For example: “What made you think of that?” Or “Have you ever noticed this happen?”
• If your child’s first answer isn’t as kind as you would hope, gently guide them toward considering another answer. Try: “What’s another way you could respond?” Or “How would you feel if you were the other person?”

Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Picture Books About Friendship

But Did the Kindness Questions Work?

The first time we tried a few of these kindness conversation starters at the dinner table?

Best conversations ever.

If our 6-year-old struggled to come up with a response to one of the sticky situations, we’d throw out silly answers – and that got her thinking and talking.

For example, we asked this one:

“You’re at a friend’s house for a sleepover. Your friend’s parents made dinner, so you all sit down to eat. But after the first bite, you realize you don’t like the food at all. What would you do?”

My daughter tilted her head to one side. “I’m not sure.”

My husband Ty raised his hand. “Ooh! I know, I know!”

“Okay, what would you say?” I asked Ty.

“I’d say, ‘YUCK!’ And then I’d turn the plate upside down and pout and run away from the table.”

She giggled. “You can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because,” she said. “The people who made it would feel bad. They worked hard on it.”

But my favorite conversation so far was after I asked this question:

“What does it mean to be kind?”

She rattled off examples:

“Say ‘good morning.’ Ask before you take something. Give massages. When your baby sister tears apart the puzzle you’re working on, don’t get angry. Clean the cats’ litter boxes. Have dance parties. Sleep.”

Now, if only her baby sister could learn that last one.

Related: 3 Simple Steps for Teaching Empathy in the Most Authentic Way

Get Your Free Printable: 40 Kindness Conversation Starters

1. Get the cards. You’ll get the printable kindness conversation starters, plus join my weekly newsletter! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. I designed them to print on Avery business cards for inkjet or laser printers. Or you can just print them on regular paper or card stock^†. (If you go the business card route and the lines don’t PERFECTLY line up, please don’t sue me. That would be unkind.)
3. Cut. Or if you’re like me and you can’t cut a straight line to save your life, fold and tear to get a charmingly casual look.
4. Pop the cards into an empty bowl or mason jar, put it on your dining room table, and you’re DONE.

Want More Awesome Questions?

For an everyday peek inside our children’s hearts, we keep our favorite set of family conversation starters in a mason jar on the kitchen counter. That way, it’s ready to go for the times we need an extra dose of connection.

We use these questions every night with our kids, and they’ve been a game-changer, helping us end every day feeling connected, loved, and happy. Click here to get your own set.

Your Turn

Have you tried asking your child questions about kindness? Share in a comment below!

Social media feature photo by Caitlin Regan.

The post 40 Kindness Questions to Inspire Your Child to Be Kind appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

My big girl starts first grade in just over one week. So that delicious feeling at the start of the summer where you have nothing to do and all the time in the world to do it in?

Gone.

In its place, we have 7:00 am departures breathing down our necks. Early bedtime, which means an early dinner, which means next to zero fun free time as a family on weeknights.

And…HOMEWORK.

To prolong the magic of summer, I took a day off work during our last week with our oldest.

I wanted to do something special with the girls, but I didn’t want to swing too far in the other direction of overscheduling us, turning me into That Mom.

“Kids, hurry up! We need to have fun NOW!”

How can you have a wonderfully happy day with your kids, instead of wasting the day in your jammies watching The LEGO Movie and belting out Everything Is Awesome…OR scheduling so much fun that you forget to enjoy yourselves?

7 Musts for a Happy Day With Your Kids

I turned to science.

Early in the week, I started my research on the science of raising happy kids and the habits of happy people in general.

These seven steps are scientifically proven to give your kids (and by extension you) an awesome, happy day.

The night before our day together, after the 1-year-old was in bed, my big girl and I sat down with the list.

I read out every ingredient in our awesome day recipe, and we brainstormed how to make each one happen.

When we finished, I read through our plan for the day.

She grinned. “We should do this every day!”

Which confirmed that the first step is essential.

1. Talk It Up

One surefire way to make your kids happy is to let them have a say in how they’ll be spending their time.

“[Kids] who plan their own time, set weekly goals, and evaluate their own work build up their prefrontal cortex and other parts of the brain that help them exert greater cognitive control over their lives. These so-called executive skills aid children with self-discipline, avoiding distractions, and weighing the pros and cons of their choices.”

But it’s not just the control that will make your kid’s day. The simple act of anticipating something fun will boost their happiness.

“[Social] scientists have been saying for years that we get an extra happiness boost if we consciously delay any type of pleasure—be it booking a trip to Bali months in advance or eating that sliver of chocolate cake tomorrow instead of today. Doing this allows us to build up positive expectations, to relish how enjoyable the experience might be.”

In one study, people who thought about watching their favorite movie—they didn’t actually watch it—raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent.

Try This: Before a special day or just a weekend day—talk through your plan with your child. Give them a chance to pick what they want to do, even if it’s just choosing the order of the errands you have to run. And if you have anything fun on the agenda, talk it up! Point out the specifics you’re looking forward to, and ask your kid what they’re excited about.

2. Hug It Out

In one article, I came across a study where people assigned to give or receive hugs five times a day ended up happier than the non-hugging grumps in the control group.

This tip seemed almost TOO simple. Who needs a reminder to hug their family?

We added “give five hugs” to the plan for our day—easy peasy. First thing in the morning when we read through our plan, we gave each other a great big bear hug.

Good stuff.

But by dinnertime, we realized that was the only hug we shared all day. Oops.

So then we had a rapid-fire hugging session that devolved into giggles.

Try This: Make it a goal to give five hugs. And make them good hugs! They should last at least six seconds for all the best hugging benefits.

3. Get It Over With in 7 Minutes

My whole adult life, I’ve never been able to motivate myself to do this particular thing on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, it’s incredibly important for happiness. And I need to break the cycle so my girls don’t have such an aversion to it:

Exercise.

Bugger.

But here’s the good news. All you really need is 7 minutes a day with this scientific workout.

Or if you’d rather do something else, you just need 20 minutes of activity to get the happiness boost.

Here’s what we did on our awesome day: we cranked up some summer tunes and had a family dance party.

Try This: Find a fun way to move your bodies, from taking a family walk to throwing in a yoga DVD. (My oldest loves Yoga Kids.)

4. Pick 5 Small Acts

Helping others has one of the biggest impacts to your happiness.

Even kids get a boost from giving to others:

“Studies show that even toddlers are happier when giving treats to others than receiving treats. (And they’re happier giving away treats that belong to them than identical treats that don’t!)”

But you don’t have to volunteer 40 hours a week to get a boost from giving. In fact, it may be better to save up all your generous acts for one day a week. In one study, people who performed five giving acts all in a single day increased happiness. People who performed one giving act every day saw no increase in happiness—the giving became routine and meaningless.

Try This: Brainstorm small things you and your child can do for others, and execute on five of them. A few ideas:

• Bake fresh cookies and hand them out to your neighbors.
• Write a thank-you note.
• If your house has a never-ending mountain of laundry like ours does, fold it all and put it away.
• Go through toys and pick some to donate to charity.
• Read a book to a younger sibling.

You can find lots more ideas here: Random Acts of Kindness Summer List for Kids.

My oldest’s idea? Buy a bunch of flowers and leave a flower on random car windshields at the grocery store.

5. Try Something New

Learning a new skill or trying something you’ve never done before can be a little stressful in the moment, but it pays off with increased happiness in the long term.

One reason is that a huge variety of positive experiences and memories will crowd out negative emotions.

Try This: Go ahead and try something new with your kids. You can find a ton of ideas on my Playful Parenting board on Pinterest.

We decided to make playdough—which we’d never done before. It didn’t quite come together as a full-on playdough (more like damp baking soda), and I hyperventilated as the baby left cute little footprints of pink dough all across the living room rug. Still, we had fun!

6. Chow Down

We’ve all heard it’s a good idea to have dinner as a family, but here’s why it’s important:

“Kids who have dinner with their families do better across pretty much every conceivable metric…[Children] who enjoy family meals have larger vocabularies, better manners, healthier diets, and higher self-esteem. The most comprehensive survey done on this topic…discovered that the amount of time children spent eating meals at home was the single biggest predictor of better academic achievement and fewer behavioral problems. Mealtime was more influential than time spent in school, studying, attending religious services, or playing sports.”

Don’t forget to turn off the television and put away the phones—talk about your day, tell family stories, and listen to your kids.

Try This: Eat dinner as a family. Dinnertime too chaotic at your house? You can turn any mealtime or another part of your day into family time—the important part is to set aside a few minutes every day where you do nothing but focus on each other.

7. Think Back

In my research on happy days for kids, one thing kept popping up over and over and over again.

A gratitude journal.

“In one celebrated example, …college students [were asked] to keep a gratitude journal—over ten weeks, the undergrads listed five things that had happened in the last week which they were thankful for. The results were surprisingly powerful—the students who kept the gratitude journal were 25% happier, were more optimistic about the future, and got sick less often during the controlled trial. They even got more exercise.”

Try This: Every night before bed, have your child write down three good things that happened that day. Or they can dictate while you write for them. You can even get a special gratitude journal, if you’re feeling fancy.

Don’t forget to share three good things from your day, too. Making time in your day to count your blessings is a good habit for adults AND kids.

(If you’re an overachiever type, check out how this dad sends his kids off to school every morning. I might just steal his line.)

How to Find Happiness in the Chaos of Parenting

After my family welcomed our third little one into the mix, we became a family of five with a second-grader, a toddler, and a newborn. Even though I could have used more sleep and way more coffee, we were happy. Then my husband’s paternity leave ended, and I was at home with the kids all day. As time wore on, my patience became razor thin. And one day, I just broke.

The shame burns my cheeks just thinking of that day, even now. But thanks to that experience, I realized I had to make a change. I threw myself into researching how to find happiness in the chaos of parenting. Something beyond “make time for you” and “exercise more.” Because when you’re overwhelmed and at your breaking point, you don’t need the “experts” telling you more stuff to do on top of everything else.

That’s how I discovered the secrets: 10 secrets every parent should know about being happy. After hearing from hundreds of parents in the same boat as me, I knew I needed to share what I discovered. And so I wrote a book: Happy You, Happy Family.

Click here to get a free excerpt and start your journey towards finding more happiness as a parent.

Because the truth is that happiness won’t come from a big promotion at work, or from winning the lottery, or from your kids all learning to put their toys away when they’re done playing. Because eventually, you just get used to all that stuff.

True, lasting happiness comes from a conscious effort by you to put the right habits in place.

Your Turn

What makes a happy day for you? Share your thoughts in a comment below!

Social media photo by Camdiluv.

The post 7 Musts for Having a Good Day With Your Child, Backed by Science appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

We’ve done our fair share of road trips. In the last year alone, we had six – racking up 109 hours of drive time.

In fact, right now I’m typing from the passenger seat, rain splattering the windshield and the bumpy roads of North Texas giving me a nice roller coaster effect. Our one-year-old is snoring in the backseat, and her big sister is zoning out on The Pirate Fairy…again.

Last year, our very first road trip as a family of four was horrible. Our then 5-week-old screamed approximately 40 of the 42 hours we were on the road. And those two blissful hours of silence were only thanks to these songs. I wish I were exaggerating, but it really was that miserable.

So thankfully, we’ve come a long way just one year later.

A big part of that is our toddler finally learning how to relax in the car and snooze the day away.

The other part? The iPad.

The glorious, glorious iPad.

What did parents do on road trips before?

Did you have to TALK to your kids the whole time?

Sends shivers up my spine.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get a free printable road trip activity that will keep your child busy and give their brain a workout.

The Road Trip to End All Road Trips

During a road trip, our limiting screen time rules go out the window. We let our daughter watch movies, play games, draw pictures – whatever floats her 6-year-old boat – as long as she wants.

She grows tired of it eventually, so then we have to be parents again.

To stave that off as long as possible, before a trip I print off a dictionary-sized stack of coloring pages, worksheets, and other fun printables for kids.

On that fateful 42-hour road trip last year, we were about halfway through the trip back home, enjoying a rare break from the screaming.

The only thing that would keep the baby calm was me, sandwiched between the two car seats in the back with my hips at an awkward 30 degree angle so I could fit, and my head bent down toward her face and my hair over my shoulder so she could run her tiny little fingers through it.

(I think my chiropractor gets excited every time he hears we’re planning another road trip. I’m sure I’ve single-handedly financed a boat by now.)

Related: 7 Brain Food Games: The Best Educational Apps for Kids

A Pothole in the Road

There I was, trying to stay as still and as quiet as a human pretzel can be. Our toddler was asleep, and our ears were happy.

Our big kid was silently working on her pile of worksheets.

I closed my eyes. Maybe I could fall asleep too?

“I’m done,” she said.

I startled. The toddler whimpered.

“What?” I whispered.

She held up her stack of worksheets. “I finished.”

“All of them?”

She grinned. Proud of herself. But I was panicking.

“Why don’t you watch a movie?” I asked.

“I don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“It makes my neck hurt.”

This was BAD.

Think, Kelly, THINK.

I looked out the window at the cars all around us. Red, blue, black, white.

I had an idea. “Hey, let’s do an experiment.”

“What’s a spearmint?”

“Experiment. It’s what scientists do.”

Her face lit up. The kid digs science.

“What color car do you think is most popular?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Pink?”

I laughed. “Maybe. Do you want to do an experiment to find out?”

“How do we do it?”

We divided a sheet of paper into different sections for each color (yes, even pink).

“And now we form our hypothesis,” I said.

She stared at me.

“A hypothesis is your best guess for what the answer will be. You said pink is the most popular color for a car, so that’s your hypothesis. Our experiment will find out whether that’s right or if it’s another color instead.”

Then she started counting.

For each car we saw, she added a tick mark in the corresponding color’s section.

And it was magical.

Something she could do independently to keep her brain engaged, with no talking to wake up her baby sister.

Every little while, I would ask how her experiment was going.

She would have to count up each section’s tick marks and figure out which number was highest.

Counting, comparing numbers, color recognition, AND the scientific method.

It was pretty much the most educational travel activity ever invented.

The Result of Our Experiment?

When we stopped for dinner that night, our daughter presented her findings.

The look on her face while she read out the totals for each color?

Glowing.

She did something on her own, from start to finish, and she couldn’t have been happier.

We all loved it so much I decided to make a printable version of it for this week’s trip.

I’m sharing it with you here so on your next road trip, your kids can have a fun project and you get a little peace and quiet without having to resort to zombie-ifying screen time.

On this week’s trip, our big kid took the printable on a test drive.

“Ty and I will be your research assistants, Doctor,” I said. “We’ll tell you what color cars we see, and you can mark them off.”

“I’m the boss, but I won’t boss you around,” she said.

I smiled. “That sounds good to me.”

“I’m going to be the best boss ever. I’ll even let you leave work early.”

Related: A Simple Trick to Limit Screen Time – And Get a Happier Kid, Too

Bonus Travel Tip!

If you don’t have this desk-to-go^†, it’s a MUST-HAVE for kids on road trips. Our child keeps her pens and pencils in the zippered side pockets, and the desk part has elastic straps to hold paper in place.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Get Your Free Printable

1. Get the experiment. You’ll get the printable, plus join my weekly newsletter! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be a little sturdier for the kiddos.
3. Pack the experiment, give it to the kids when you get desperate, and enjoy the peace and quiet!

Here’s the second page…

Want More?

For more ways to entertain your kid on a road trip without turning her into a zombie, check out 7 Brain Food Games: The Best Educational Apps for Kids.

Your Turn

How do you pass the time on a road trip? Share your tip in a comment below!

Feature photo in Pinterest image by William Warby.

The post Keep Your Kids Happy With This Road Trip Experiment appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

Three weeks into summer, our summer idea board is a hit. At dinnertime, our 6-year-old loves thinking back to the fun parts of our day so we can add to the “done” section of the board.

(And our 1-year-old loves to play possum, grab the completed sticky note from her sister’s hand, and run around the house while we chase her.)

One sticky note in particular made it to the done section on the first day of summer and has had almost daily repeat requests: have a family dance party.

In the spring, we made a family dance party playlist. But I wanted something fresh to fit our carefree summer fun.

12 Songs for Your Summer Playlist

If you’re sick of playing Happy^† on repeat for the kids, listen to these songs and add what you like to your summer playlist.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Play it on your road trips, at the kids’ lemonade stand, and at your July 4th barbecue party.

Roll down your windows, crank up the volume, and have a happy summer!

1. The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti and Spearhead

And we say that’s the sound of the sun going down
And the people of the world start to paint the town
The day that’s long is a day complete
So kick off your shoes and relax your feet

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

2. Where the Boat Leaves From by Zac Brown Band

There’s a place where the boat leaves from
It takes away all your big problems
You got worries you can drop them in the blue ocean
But you gotta get away to where the boat leaves from

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

3. Race You by Elizabeth & The Catapult

1 2 3 set, ready set go
May heaven help you if you’re slow
We’re gonna run like bandits
While the flames are chasin’
Racin’ racin’ racin’ racin’ back home

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

4. Every Day Is a Holiday by Alex Mercier

I think it’s time for us to get away
Where life is beautiful in every way

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

5. The Heart by Needtobreathe

Ain’t no gift like the present tense
Ain’t no love like an old romance
Got’sta make hay when the sun is shinin’
Can’t waste time when it comes time to dance

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

6. Brighter Than the Sun by Colbie Caillat

Oh, we could be the stars, falling from the sky
Shining how we want, brighter than the sun

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

7. On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons

I’ve been waiting to smile,
Been holding it in for a while,
Take you with me if I can
Been dreaming of this since a child
I’m on top of the world.

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

8. Constellations by Jack Johnson

This one is a little slower than the others—perfect for naps on long car rides or for sweet daddy-daughter dances.

It was just another night
With a sunset
And a moonrise not so far behind
To give us just enough light
To lay down underneath the stars
Listen to papa’s translations
Of the stories across the sky
We drew our own constellations

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

9. One of Those Days by Joy Williams

It’s all mine this kind of life of hurry up and wait
So many bills, too little frills, and not enough flowers

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

10. Life Is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

There’s a world outside ev’ry darkened door
Where blues won’t haunt you anymore
Where brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

11. Rhythm of Love by Plain White T’s

I told her, “I love the view from up here
Warm sun and wind in my ear
We’ll watch the world from above
As it turns to the rhythm of love”

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

12. We’re Going to Be Friends by The White Stripes

Walk with me, Suzy Lee
through the park and by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we found

Listen: Apple Music | Amazon Music

Want More?

Check out 12 Songs for a Rockin’ Family Dance Party.

Your Turn

What’s your favorite summer song? Share your pick in a comment below!

Social media photo by Nicki Varkevisser.

The post 12 Songs for a Carefree Summer appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

Bucket lists stress me out. They’re just another to-do list, and I’ve got plenty of those hanging around not getting done.

But I want to love them. Especially the summer bucket lists.

I daydream about giving my kids a magical childhood summer, from the ooey gooey goodness of s’mores, to chasing elusive fireflies, to no longer having dirty hobbit feet thanks to the endless pool time.

Summer bucket lists promise all this, and more.

And yet, as soon as you put it in list form, I get the heebie jeebies:

Look at all those checkboxes!

How will we fit it all in?!

Kids, hurry up! We need to have fun NOW!

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get this free printable set of summer bucket list cards so you can make this summer with your child the best one yet.

The Problem With a Summer Bucket List for Kids

Still, the idea of curating a treasure trove of joyful summer experiences? I can’t shake it.

So I did a little research on to-do lists with summer fun in mind, and I stumbled across the real reason why summer bucket lists can be stressful, especially for parents.

Because summer bucket lists are lists.

Let me explain:

• Suppose you get one of those adorable printables you found on Pinterest of 101 summer bucket list ideas.
• You hang the cute list on your wall, and you and the kids start by checking off a couple easy ideas you’ve already done. Fun!
• But then you stand back and see that you still have 99 checkboxes left. Hmm.

As it turns out, when you have a list with a bunch of unchecked boxes, it adds to your stress. Not exactly the effect we’re going for when we make a summer bucket list for kids.

What’s more, even if you were to check off 50 fun summer activities – which would be a lot of summer fun and make plenty of memories for your kids – you’d still have 51 unchecked boxes staring you down.

The psychological impact of that is that you end up feeling like you haven’t done “enough” when you actually have done a whole lot.

The Secret to a Stress-Free Summer Bucket List for Kids

When you’re making a summer bucket list for kids, don’t make a list.

Think of your summer bucket list as an idea board instead. Because with an idea board, you won’t necessarily get everything done, and that’s 100 percent a-okay.

For more on why that is and how to make a summer idea board, scroll down to the How to Make a Summer Bucket List That’s All Fun And No Stress section near the end of this post. Follow those tips, and you’ll keep your summertime endeavors happy and carefree.

But first, over the years my family has been compiling one huge smorgasbord of ideas for the ultimate summer bucket list for kids. I’m going to share that list with you today, along with a free printable set of idea cards you can use for your own summer bucket list.

120 Awesome Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids

Use this list to get ideas for your own summer bucket list for kids – and don’t forget to get the free printable set of idea cards at the end of the post!

This card format for your summer bucket list has a big benefit for your kids, too. Because when they tell you they’re bored, pointing them to a huge list can be overwhelming and give them decision overload. Instead, put your summer bucket list cards in a bowl. Then if your kiddo is bored, tell them to pick a random card and do whatever it says. Easy and fun!

Note: If you’re sticking close to home this summer, look for the ideas with a next to them in this list. You can do all those even if you’re at home!

Yummy Fun

1. Make s’mores
2. Have a picnic
3. Make homemade ice cream
4. Eat watermelon
5. Roast marshmallows
6. Eat a snow cone
7. Make root beer floats
8. Eat breakfast for dinner
9. Eat popsicles
10. Make fresh lemonade
11. Make homemade pizza
12. Drink a milkshake
13. Get a treat from the ice cream truck
14. Set up an ice cream bar
15. Have fondue for dinner

Indoor Fun

1. Make suncatchers
2. Write a story and illustrate it
3. Make friendship bracelets
4. Read ___ books (set individual goals or a family goal)
5. Do a science experiment
6. Learn origami
7. Have a family game night
8. Have a pillow fight
9. Stay in your pajamas all day
10. Have a movie marathon
11. Build a fort
12. Start a journal
13. Bake cookies
14. Bake treats and give them away
15. Start a book club
16. Solve a crossword puzzle
17. Mail a postcard to someone you know
18. Finish a jigsaw puzzle
19. Play a new board game or card game
20. Put on a puppet show
21. Make paper airplanes and race
22. Host a talent show

Outdoor Fun

1. Make a bird feeder
2. Have a bonfire
3. Go rock hunting
4. Go on a nature walk
5. Fly a kite
6. Catch fireflies
7. Blow bubbles
8. Play in the rain
9. Play frisbee
10. Watch a thunderstorm
11. Make wishes on dandelions
12. Climb a tree
13. Plant seeds
14. Jump in puddles
15. Find shapes in the clouds
16. Jump on a trampoline
17. Make and bury a time capsule
18. Go on a bike ride
19. Play hide and seek
20. Play hopscotch
21. Play dodgeball
22. Play tag
23. Play capture the flag
24. Go on a scavenger hunt
25. Make an obstacle course
26. Feed the ducks (Just make sure to bring defrosted frozen peas or corn, never bread!)
27. Run a lemonade stand
28. Go bird watching
29. Play catch
30. Have a hula hoop contest

Nighttime Fun

1. Watch fireworks
2. Find constellations
3. Play flashlight tag
4. Have a family slumber party
5. Camp in the backyard

Messy Fun

1. Make homemade slime or play dough
2. Paint rocks
3. Color with sidewalk chalk
4. Finger paint
5. Make story stones
6. Make tie-dye shirts

Water Fun

1. Play Marco Polo in the pool
2. Run through the sprinkler
3. Have a water balloon fight
4. Make sponge water bombs
5. Go swimming
6. Wash the family car
7. Make paper boats and race them
8. Play on a Slip ‘n Slide
9. Have a water gun fight
10. Go to a splash pad

Kind Fun

1. Volunteer as a family
2. Go geocaching
3. Do a random act of kindness for kids

Places to Go

1. Go to the beach
2. Build a sandcastle
3. Go fishing
4. Go to the park
5. Watch the sunset over the water
6. Watch the sunrise over the water
7. Collect seashells
8. Visit a drive-in movie theater
9. Go to an aquarium
10. Go to a children’s museum
11. Go to a water park
12. Go to an amusement park
13. Go to the zoo
14. Visit the library
15. Visit a national monument
16. Visit a national or state park
17. Visit a farmer’s market
18. Visit Mom or Dad at work
19. Go camping
20. Play miniature golf
21. Go bowling
22. Try a new restaurant
23. Ride a ferris wheel
24. Visit the local fair
25. Go to an art class
26. Go to an outdoor play or concert
27. Go see a movie in the theater
28. Go to a baseball game
29. Go on a road trip

How to Make a Summer Bucket List That’s All Fun And No Stress

To keep your summer bucket list 100 percent stress-free but still fun for the whole family, just make these quick and easy tweaks.

1. Skip the Boxes

Checklists have checkboxes. And checkboxes begged to be checked.

Remember: When you have a list with a bunch of unchecked boxes, it stresses you out.

You don’t need that pressure when it comes to having fun this summer.

This is why it’s helpful to think of your summer bucket list as an idea board instead.

Here’s how we transformed our summer bucket list into an idea board:

1. Find some butcher paper or poster board in a fun color^† or pattern. I lucked out at our local crafts store and found a summery bulletin board background with sky and grass for $8.99, which I cut down to a smaller size so it’ll last us three years. The sky area is for stuff we want to do, and the grass is for stuff we’ve already done. (More on that in my last tip.)

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

2. Hang the paper somewhere in your home. Use a strip of washi tape or a marker to divide the paper into two sections, or you can hang two separate pieces of paper.
3. Print the summer bucket list ideas included at the bottom of this post, and grab some fun pens. (Alternatively, you can use some colorful sticky notes like these tropical color sticky notes.)
4. Sit down with your kids and ask them what they want to do this summer.
5. Let them pick from the summer bucket list ideas you printed. If they have their own ideas, you write those on the blank cards while they throw out ideas – one idea per card or sticky note. Or if they want to write stuff down, that works too. The most important part of this process is to write down every idea. If you start to pick apart ideas, your kids will clam up and not share their deepest wishes for a fabulous summer. Make sure to explain this so the kids don’t poo-poo each other’s ideas. (We first did this with my oldest when she was six then continued it every year, and all the kids love the brainstorming part!)
6. Use tacks or pushpins to put all the ideas in one section of the paper. (Don’t worry, I’ll explain what you do with the other section in the last tip of this post.)

Now your summertime cornucopia runneth over! If you think of more ideas later, add ’em.

You won’t get everything on your idea board done, and that’s okay. These are just ideas. Inspiration.

By creating an idea board, you’ve set your intention to have a fun, happy summer:

“[You’ll] be more likely not to miss those uplifting moments and even begin to have your radar out for them. Psychiatrist Dan Siegel argues that by setting your intention, you ‘prime’ your brain to be ready for positive experiences. And this can spur a positive cycle of happiness: Research by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson shows that when we allow ourselves to feel positive emotions, we become more open and sensitive to future positive experiences, bringing us even more of those good feelings down the line.”

2. Pick One Thing

Go easy on yourself. Pick one thing a day from your idea board. Or one a week.

Better yet, have the kids pick and give them one of those yes moments they crave.

Make it a game of Pin the Tail on the Summer Donkey.

In the course of research for her book Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time, Brigid Schulte learned that the best way to approach your day is to pick just one thing you want to do.

“[She] gives herself one thing that she has to do that day, whether it’s something scheduled like dropping the kids of at an appointment or finishing a draft of an article, or something more personal like taking a real lunch break. It’s a reasonable goal Schulte often meets, changing her entire outlook on success. ‘You’ve done your one thing that you’ve set out to do and the rest of the day feels like a win.'”

Brigid Schulte

3. Cut Your Board in Half

Why did I have you divide your summer idea board in half?

Because you’ll use the second half to keep track of what you’ve done. Two reasons for keeping a done list:

• This is a productivity hack to keep you motivated and stress-free about your summer plans. (See tip #7 in my post The Secret Formula to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed.)
• It’s like a gratitude journal for your whole family.

This is particularly powerful with a summer bucket list because research shows spending time thinking about the things that make you happy actually makes you even happier.

It works on kids too. Children who regularly look back on positive experiences are happier, more optimistic, and get sick less often.

For our idea board, we put things we want to do in the sky. Then when we do them, we move the card or sticky note to the grass – our done list. At dinner every night, we reflect back on the day and the fun stuff we did. If we didn’t already have something we did on our idea board, we’ll make a new card or sticky note and put it directly in the grass.

Here’s Why This Summer Bucket List Hack Is So Magical

As the summer marches on, I know I’ll start to get anxious that we’re not doing enough. That I’m not giving our kids the most perfect summer possible.

But our reinvented summer bucket list will save me. I’ll be able to glance up and quickly see how many awesome things we’ve already done. Each card will conjure an image or a taste – a shockingly high number of our cards involve food. (Pancakes for dinner, making s’mores, going out for ice cream, baking cupcakes….)

I’ll remember. I’ll smile. And I’ll be ready for our next summer adventure.

Get Your Free Printable

Use these free printable cards to get ideas for your own summer bucket list for kids.

1. Get the free printable. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be nice and sturdy.
3. Cut. Or if you’re like me and you can’t cut a straight line to save your life, fold and tear to get a charmingly casual look.
4. Choose your own adventure…
   • Spread the cards out on the table and ask your kids which summer bucket list ideas they want to do this summer. Use pushpins or tacks to post the cards they pick on your summer bucket list.
   • Pop the cards into an empty bowl or mason jar, put it on your dining room table, and tell the kids to pick a card when they’re bored.

Here’s a sneak peek of your free printable summer bucket list for kids:

Your Turn

What’s a must-do on your summer bucket list for kids every year? Share in a comment below!

The post The Best Summer Bucket List for Kids: 120 Awesome Ideas + 1 Miracle Hack appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

Every year, my family has a favorite go-to tradition on the last day of school.

We don’t post first-and-last-day-of-school photos of our kids on Facebook. We don’t fill our car with balloons for that last school pickup. And we don’t have ice cream for dinner. (Or at least we don’t have ice cream for dinner every year.)

Our one tried-and-true, never-miss-it last day of school tradition is something completely different.

Every year, we ask our kids 20 questions.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get this free printable last-day-of-school questionnaire and fill it out with your child to capture a heartwarming snapshot of them as they are right now.

The BEST Last Day of School Interview

This isn’t a random game of “Twenty Questions.” During our last day of school interview, we ask our kids the same questions every year. Questions that are perfect for finding out what’s really on their minds at the start of the summer.

Questions like:

• What’s one thing you learned this year?
• What do you want to make this summer?
• By the end of this summer, how will you be different?

Our kids’ answers give us a powerful peek inside their minds at each age. Like the year my oldest said her favorite color was “rainbow,” or when my second oldest said the worst part of summer is “hotness,” or this year when one of my kids said the one place she wants to go this summer is “the place where I can eat all the candy I want.” (Girl, SAME.)

A while back, I made a free printable last day of school interview for our own family, and today I’m sharing it with you so you can get in on the fun too.

Related: 100 Non-Boring Questions for Kids to Get Them Talking

A Free Printable to Remember Your Kid’s Dreams for Summer

What little project is bouncing around in your child’s mind as he starts his summer vacation? What is your daughter most looking forward to over the break? How do your kids see themselves changing over the summer?

Use this free printable last day of school interview to capture the wild schemes your kids are brewing at the start of the summer – from building an epic sandcastle to finishing a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle to seeing how many days in a row they can get away with skipping a bath.

Use these pages to record what they remember learning in school this year. To find out what you can do to make their little hearts sing this summer.

After you’re done, file the last day of school interview or stick it in a binder. It’s the perfect complement to this printable with 20 first day of school questions.

Then in a year or 5 years or when your kid is heading to college – or all of the above – you and your child can flip through their answers together. You’ll smile, you’ll laugh, you might even cry.

This snapshot of your child’s hopes and dreams at the start of every summer will be a gift to both of you for years to come.

Here’s the first page. Scroll below the photo for a link where you can get the full printable, including all the fun summer questions on the second page.

Related: 16 Powerful, Creative Ways to Preserve Memories With Your Kids And Make Time Slow Down

Get Your Free Printable Last Day of School Interview

Don’t worry if it’s a week or even a month into the summer break, and you haven’t done this yet. It’s never too late to start.

1. Get the last day of school interview. You’ll get the printable, plus join my weekly newsletter! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock^† would be ideal. (Note: The first two pages are for elementary-school-aged kids, the next two are for middle-school kids, and the last two pages are for high-school kids. The main difference is the wording on a couple questions and that the formatting for the bigger kids’ versions is a teensy bit more grown-up compared to the other versions.)
3. Interview your child, write down their adorable answers, and you’re DONE.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Want More Awesome Questions?

For an everyday peek inside our children’s hearts, we keep our favorite set of family conversation starters in a mason jar on the kitchen counter. That way, it’s ready to go for the times we need an extra dose of connection.

We use these questions every night with our kids, and they’ve been a game-changer, helping us end every day feeling connected, loved, and happy. Click here to get your own set.

Your Turn

What’s your favorite question for a last day of school interview? Share in a comment below!

Feature photo in Pinterest image by D Sharon Pruitt.

The post 20 Powerful Questions to Ask Your Kid on the Last Day of School appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

In our family, the person who makes it home first from work or school on a Friday afternoon has an important responsibility: Set everything up for our official Friday night family dance party.

Here’s how it works:

1. Clear the living room floor of LEGOs and baby teethers,
2. Queue up our playlist of the best kids’ dance songs, and
3. Crank the volume.

And if you’re the last person home?

Nothing beats that feeling of walking in the door, hearing the notes of happiness reverberate through the house, and stepping into the living room to see your whole family dancing and giggling.

A family dance party is one of the best ways to spend quality time with your kids after a day apart – or if you’re just feeling cooped up indoors because of cold/rainy/sweltering weather. Plus, dancing is good for your health in lots of ways, from heart health to stress levels and more.

But Here’s the Problem

When you search for kids’ dance music, you’ll find grating kids’ music that sets your teeth on edge or classic dance songs you’ve heard so many times you can no longer stand them.

For example, I don’t mind listening to a 90’s hit like “Macarena” or “Dancing Queen” by ABBA once in a while, but I certainly don’t need it in my regular playlist rotation once a day (or more). Because just like with children’s books your kid loves and wants you to read over and over, you can expect them to ask for your family dance party playlist again and again.

So you might as well pick kids’ dance music you can both enjoy.

20 Happy Kids’ Dance Songs That Parents Love, Too

Here’s a clean playlist of dance music for kids that’s fun for the whole family to shake their booties to. These contemporary, upbeat tunes have clean lyrics with no swear words, but unlike most dance music for kids, they’re not so kiddish that you’ll lock yourself in the bathroom til they’re over. Yo Gabba GAG ME.

Next time you and/or the kids have a bad case of the crankies, fire up a few of these songs and dance away the bad mojo. Research shows that babies and toddlers especially get a big dose of happy when moving their bodies to a rhythmic beat, and that mood boost goes for adults too.

You’ll tire the kids out before bedtime, plus you’ll burn a few calories yourself. Which means you can skip working out, or at least skip feeling guilty for not working out. (You’re welcome!)

And if you’re a teacher, this collection of the best dance songs for kids also works great for freeze dance, holiday celebrations, or brain breaks. For even more kid-friendly songs that adults love too, check out the Want More? section at the end of this article.

1. When Can I See You Again? by Owl City

You might recognize this one from the soundtrack of the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph^†, but it’s not sickeningly sweet like some kids’ dance music. Just good clean fun!

Switch on the sky and the stars glow for you
Go see the world ’cause it’s all so brand new
Don’t close your eyes ’cause your future’s ready to shine
It’s just a matter of time, before we learn how to fly

See full lyrics

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

2. Let’s Be Young by Evan McHugh

This upbeat song perfectly captures the essence of childhood:

We could count the shooting stars
We could radio to Mars
Secrets in the dark
Whisper la, la, la, la
We could find a place to hide
Catching fireflies
Staying up all night
Waiting for the sunrise
Just you and I

See full lyrics

3. Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson

This song is a great fit for those days your child is coping with big emotions, plus it’s a fun song to dance to as you sing along to the catchy chorus:

I just want to know today, know today, know today
Know that maybe I will be okay

See full lyrics

4. More of This by Vetiver

I randomly stumbled on this little gem of a song, and my kids loved it so much it became a staple on our family dance party playlist.

I wish I had…
More of this, Less to miss
Now is the right time
Our love is more than enough to calm my troubled mind

See full lyrics

5. Girl by Jukebox the Ghost

My family has listened to this song at least three times a day since we first discovered it, and we never get sick of it. I’m convinced it’s impossible not to move your body along with this song. When you want to jam out with your fam, this song’s a must for your dance party playlist. My teen even said this is one of her all-time favorite songs.

And as time goes on and on I can feel my heart growing colder and colder
But then I see your face in the crowd, I think
How could I be starting over?
Cause when you meet someone new
It all just takes over you
And you think that you never really tried

See full lyrics

6. Brand New Day by Lindsey Ray with Tim Myers

Queue up this song when you or your child need a reset button or when you want to start the day off right.

Wake up, open your sleepy eyes
Stretch out, make up the bed nice
Sunlight, kissing your face again
Breakfast, coffee is waiting

See full lyrics

7. Sleepy Tigers by Her Space Holiday

This song always makes me smile and bop my head. And how perfectly does this capture the mindset of a child waking you up early on a weekend morning?!

Oh I like you so very much so much in fact I gotta wake you up
It’s not that I have words to speak
I just wanna see you looking at me

See full lyrics

8. A-Punk by Vampire Weekend

Nobody seems to know what this song is actually about, but the absurdity of the lyrics is kind of perfect a kids’ dance playlist.

Look outside at the raincoats coming, say oh
Look outside at the raincoats coming, say oh

See full lyrics

9. Riptide by Vance Joy

This one part always hits me squarely in the chest because it reminds me of my kids when they sing along at full volume:

I love you when you’re singing that song
And I got a lump in my throat
‘Cause you’re gonna sing the words wrong

See full lyrics

10. The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti and Spearhead

Michael Franti has a few tracks that work well as clean songs for kids, and this is my family’s current favorite:

Here I am,
Just waiting for this storm to pass me by
And that’s the sound of sunshine
Coming down

See full lyrics

11. Kids by MGMT

This one has a great beat and also gets props for this surprising rhyme:

You pick the insects off plants
No time to think of consequences

See full lyrics

12. Black Horse and The Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall

The talking horse in this song is what won my kids over.

Well, my heart knows me better than I know myself
So I’m gonna let it do all the talking

See full lyrics

13. Happy by Pharrell Williams

No playlist of kids’ dance songs would be complete without this song, featured on the Despicable Me 2 movie soundtrack. Preschoolers especially love this one!

Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

See full lyrics

14. Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake

This song’s featured on the soundtrack of Trolls, and for good reason. I dare you not to groove along with this one!

I got this feeling inside my bones
It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on
All through my city, all through my home
We’re flying up, no ceiling, when we’re in our zone

See full lyrics

15. Try Everything by Shakira

Not only is this a fun dance song for kids, it also packs a powerful message about perseverance:

Birds don’t just fly
They fall down and get up
Nobody learns without getting it wrong

See full lyrics

16. Safe and Sound by Capital Cities

Even though this isn’t a kids’ song, it always makes me think of my kiddos:

I could lift you up
I could show you what you want to see
And take you where you want to beYou could be my luck
Even if the sky is falling down
I know that we’ll be safe and sound
We’re safe and sound

See full lyrics

17. On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons

I love this one because of the reminder to us to stay connected, even when we’re feeling upset:

If you love somebody
Better tell them while they’re here ’cause
They just may run away from you

See full lyrics

18. I Like to Move It by will.i.am

You might remember this song from the Madagascar 2 soundtrack. Kids love busting out their best dance moves to this one!

Do my little, do my little, do my little dance
Ants in my pants, got ants in my pants

See full lyrics

19. Roar by Katy Perry

This is a fun song to dance to, plus the lyrics deliver a great message for kids about standing up for yourself. If your kid loves this Katy Perry song, be sure to check out Firework as well.

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar

See full lyrics

20. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

Kids love dancing to this song, and they’ll probably recognize it from the movie Sing.

Fair warning that this song does mention dating briefly a couple times, but the lines go right over most kids’ heads, and they’re pretty tame to boot. One line is “I go on too many dates,” and the other is “My ex-man brought his new girlfriend.”

I never miss a beat
I’m lightnin’ on my feet
And that’s what they don’t see, mmm-mmm
That’s what they don’t see, mmm-mmm

I’m dancin’ on my own (Dancin’ on my own)
I make the moves up as I go (Moves up as I go)
And that’s what they don’t know, mmm-mmm
That’s what they don’t know, mmm-mmm

See full lyrics

Get the Spotify Playlist: Clean Songs for Kids

If you use Spotify, head over to this Family Dance Party playlist and click the heart button to add it to your own Spotify library. As an added bonus, you’ll get extra clean dance songs not yet featured in this post!

Want More?

For more family-friendly playlists of clean songs for kids, check out:

• Funny Songs: 30 Funny Songs for Kids That Make Parents Giggle, Too
• Love Songs: The Best 20 Love Songs for Kids
• Girl Power Songs: 11 Best Girl Power Songs to Inspire Your Daughter (And You)
• Summer Playlist: 12 Songs for a Carefree Summer

Your Turn

What are your favorite kids’ dance songs for getting the sillies out? Share in a comment below!

The post 20 Best Kids’ Dance Songs With Clean Lyrics (And Loved by Parents, Too) appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

My oldest started kindergarten this week. And since she was already going to preschool every day, I thought kindergarten wouldn’t be a big deal.

At her preschool, the kids are free to play pretty much what they want all day. Every feeling is validated by the teachers. The kids are empowered and encouraged to resolve conflicts on their own. Not a whole lot of structure and arbitrary rules.

But kindergarten?

It’s ALL structure and arbitrary rules.

How else could one adult possibly keep a roomful of 20 five-year-olds from going rogue and kicking off their very own Occupy Monkey Bars movement?

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get this free printable first-day-of-school questionnaire and fill it out with your child to capture a heartwarming snapshot of them as they are right now.

How the First Day Went

When we got home after the first day of kindergarten, my daughter and I settled into the couch next to each other. I looked over at her – my thoughtful, logical, helpful, whipsmart 5-year-old girl. She looked so TIRED.

“C’mere,” I said, and I pulled her onto my lap. I realized I haven’t had that girl on my lap since well before the baby was born, when I had no lap to speak of. My throat felt a little tight.

“Was it hard today?” I asked.

She looked up at me with those big blue eyes. I had a flash of her as a baby, those eyes taking everything in, always.

She nodded.

“A lot to learn?” I asked.

She nodded and sat up straight. “Yeah, like you have to sit down in the swing. You just have to sit down. You can’t even do anything else. Like you can’t swing on your stomach. It doesn’t make sense!”

She couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that a rule like this would exist in the world.

So we talked about how some kids just act wild and the teachers need to make rules to keep the wild in check. And everyone has to follow the same rules.

She got it, I think.

Related: The Best 10-Minute Fix to Spending Quality Time With Kids (Printable)

What I Didn’t Expect

Later that night, while my big kid was in the bath, I sat on the floor with our 3-month-old waiting for her to roll over – her latest new trick.

She wasn’t in the mood. She stared up at me.

Big blue eyes, just like her sister.

I scooped up the baby and ran to the bathtub.

My big kid looked up. “What?”

“I just wanted to see you,” I said. “Make sure you were okay.”

She stared at me for a second then went back to her bathtub toys. From what I gathered, the purple octopus had just invited the orange crab to a princess tea party.

I stood there, holding the baby. Was my oldest really that little once? I mean, I know she was.

But how is it possible that a tiny thing who couldn’t even ROLL OVER went and grew up into a 5-year-old who has her own feelings and thoughts and opinions? Like A LOT of opinions.

How does that happen?

I Bet You’ve Heard This Before

Everyone says “Enjoy it now, they grow up so fast!”

And you just smile and nod and think to yourself “Shut your face.” Because THEY are getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and THEY don’t have to wipe anyone’s butt 10 times a day, and THEY didn’t just reach up to tuck their hair behind their ear and find a gob of dried, crusty mashed sweet potato.

But the contrast of having a newborn at the same time that another child is starting kindergarten finally brought that stupid cliche home for me.

I have this newfound urgency to capture every moment of the girls’ childhood. How the baby sucks her toes, that my oldest grew a full inch this August, how when her baby sister is fussing she sings these made-up songs to calm her down that make absolutely zero sense and they’re totally off-key but 100% beautiful.

So when I saw this cute Q&A for the first day of school, I was sold.

The idea is you interview your kids every year on the first day of school. Then after a few years, you have a collection of these amazing snapshots to look back on.

The only problem? I realized I should be asking different questions.

Not the typical questions like “What’s your favorite subject?” But powerful questions like “When do you feel the most loved?” and “What are you afraid of?” and “What is the meaning of life?”

Related: 100 Non-Boring Questions for Kids to Get Them Talking

The Best First Day of School Questions to Ask Your Child

I made a new first day of school questionnaire – a hodgepodge of the cute Q&A sheets and the juicy questions. (Thanks to Amy at Positively Splendid and Amber at Illustrated With Crappy Pictures for the inspiration.)

To get a free printable of these first day of school questions, scroll to the instructions below the photo. Don’t worry if your kid is in seventh grade and you haven’t done this ever before. It’s never too late to start. (Note: Starting with seventh grade, I changed the colors and formatting to make the sheets look a teensy bit more grown-up compared to the other sheets.)

Here are the questions from the second page:

1. What’s one thing you want to do this year?
2. What brings you the most happiness?
3. What are you afraid of?
4. What makes you mad?
5. When do you feel the most loved?
6. If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
7. What is the funniest word?
8. What is the hardest thing to do?
9. What is the easiest thing to do?
10. If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it?
11. What is the meaning of life?

Get Your Free Printable: 20 First Day of School Questions

1. Get the first day of school questionnaire. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock^† would be ideal.
3. Interview your child, write down their adorable answers, and you’re DONE.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related: Last Day of School Interview: 20 Best Questions to Ask Your Kid {Printable}

Back to the Juicy Stuff

Here are my favorite answers from my oldest on the first day of kindergarten.

Even if you don’t fill out the sheets, try asking your kids one or two of the questions and come back to share the best answers!

• My favorite color: Pink and red and rainbow
• My favorite book: Pippi Longstocking
• My favorite thing about myself: My whole body
• When do you feel the most loved? When my family says sweet things about me, like when Mommy says to my little sister, “You have an awesome big sister”
• What are you afraid of? The darkness
• What makes you mad? When someone says I broke something
• If you had one wish, what would you wish for? Being a princess
• What is the meaning of life? To eat. Because you have to eat.

Want More Awesome Questions?

For an everyday peek inside our children’s hearts, we keep our favorite set of family conversation starters in a mason jar on the kitchen counter. That way, it’s ready to go for the times we need an extra dose of connection.

We use these questions every night with our kids, and they’ve been a game-changer, helping us end every day feeling connected, loved, and happy. Click here to get your own set.

Your Turn

Fill out this first day of school questionnaire with your kid, then come share their answers in a comment below!

The post 20 Must-Ask Questions for Your Kid’s First Day of School appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.

When our oldest first entered the phase of proclaiming “I’m bored” on a regular basis, I’d cheerily rattle off a couple ideas for something fun she could do. She’d pick one and disappear for 30 minutes, and I gave myself a pat on the back for a job well done.

But then she’d boomerang right back to me with another “I’m bored,” and the cycle would repeat.

So when I came across the idea of a “bored jar,” I knew I had to make one.

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get a free printable of the best 50 bored jar ideas.

How to Make a Bored Jar: Non-Crafty Edition

Here’s the basic idea:

1. Get a jar^† and some jumbo popsicle sticks.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

2. (Optional) Decorate one side of the popsicle sticks with washi tape. (Note: I am not a crafty person, but I figured even I could handle sticking washi tape on popsicle sticks. It’s not necessary for your Bored Jar—some people even use slips of paper instead of popsicle sticks.)
3. Write ideas for fun stuff to do on the popsicle sticks, and put them in the jar (hereafter referred to as the Bored Jar).
4. When your kid says they’re bored, point to the Bored Jar.
5. Your kid picks a stick and does what it says. PROBLEM SOLVED.

What I spent:

• Jar: $4.18
• Popsicle sticks: $3.74
• Washi tape: $6.03
• Total: $13.95

Here’s how my Bored Jar turned out. Not quite as adorable as my inspiration, but it’ll do.

But Will It Work on a Bored Kid?

Short answer: Yep! What’s surprised us is how seriously our daughter has taken the Bored Jar.

This weekend, she pulled out a stick that said “Do something nice for someone you love.”

Her: “What does that mean?”

“Just something you think would make someone smile, like drawing them a picture or doing them a favor,” I explained.

She disappeared for a while.

Then she came strutting out of my bedroom with a big grin on her face.

I was a little nervous. So I hurried into the bedroom, and this is what I discovered:

• She had pushed the cat beds under the dresser to get them out of the way.
• She moved a stray empty box from some recently ordered baby must haves into a corner.
• She’d taken the clean duvet cover from the laundry basket off the floor and spread it over the bed. The king-sized bed on a platform frame. With only her two little 5-year-old hands.

Related: Keep Your Kids Happy With This Road Trip Experiment

Our Own Special Twist

Sometimes I’m perfectly happy to play a game of Qwirkle per the Bored Jar, but other times I just need my child to entertain herself while I get something else done.

So for the activities that she can’t do on her own, we added a star on the popsicle stick. Before she draws a stick, she asks whether we can do something with her. And if not, she knows to keep pulling sticks until she finds one without a star.

Or Just Forget the Popsicle Sticks

To save you time, I made a handy printable of 50 activities for your bored kid—the 30 activities listed in the next section plus 20 more bonus activity ideas. Scroll to the end of this post to get the printable, cut it into cards, pop them into a jar, and you’re done.

Here’s a sneak peek of your printable:

30 Fun Activities for Bored Kids

1. Have a picnic for lunch or after school
2. Write or make up a story
3. Listen to a podcast
4. Play hide-and-seek
5. Solve a puzzle
6. Read a book or magazine
7. Make art
8. Play a card game or board game—Here are the best board games for all ages.
9. Go for a walk
10. Play catch
11. Take photos

12. Do yoga (our daughter loves this YogaKids DVD)
13. Write a letter or thank-you note
14. Design an obstacle course
15. Listen to an audiobook—Get a membership to Audible or Libro.fm so they can listen to the best audiobooks. (By the way, Libro.fm is the same price as Audible, and you’ll support a locally owned bookstore with every audiobook you choose!)
16. Build something with LEGOs
17. Design a postcard, then mail it to someone
18. Play dress-up
19. Make food
20. Do five nice things for someone you love
21. Paint rocks
22. Plan a treasure hunt
23. Build something with boxes
24. Take a bath
25. Watch a documentary
26. Turn on the sprinklers
27. Write in a journal—Here are the best journals for kids.
28. Chat by video with a friend or relative
29. Build an epic fort
30. Wash the car

Get Your Free Printable: 50 Bored Jar Ideas

1. Get the free printable of 50 bored jar ideas for kids. Join my weekly-ish newsletter and as a bonus, you’ll get the printable! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.
3. Cut into cards. Don’t worry if you don’t cut them perfectly straight. Your bored kid won’t care!
4. Pop the cards into an empty mason jar or bowl, put it on your dining room table, and you’re DONE.

Your Turn

What do you do when you have a bored kid on your hands? Share your tips in a comment below!

The post Bored Kid? The Best 30 Ideas for Your Bored Jar appeared first on Happy You, Happy Family.