5 Easy Costumes You can Make At Home

Halloween is just around the corner and just a little over month away. Can you believe it?!

Have your kiddos already started telling you what they want to be or do they need a little help deciding?

It has been a long tradition in some families to make their costumes rather than buy and in this post, I wanted to share some fun costumes you can make, with no sewing involved!

1. Got two kids? Do a washing machine and laundry basket. For the washing machine, get a body sized square box and paint it to look like a washing machine. Cut arm-holes and a hole in the top for the head. Glue a, empty detergent bottle on top. Have you child dress in a solid color. For the laundry basket, get and old laundry basket and cut the bottom out. make sandwich board-like straps on the top. Have your child dress in all one color. Prior to getting dressed up, hit glue some old clothes and socks on the inside of the "basket" and if your child is wearing a cap, put some socks on it as well.

2. Bunch of Grapes: I was this one Halloween. I wore a purple sweatsuit and a green beanie. My mom put purple balloons all over my sweats, held on with safety pins. It was super easy!

3. Lego: Get a Box large enough for your child's body that is rectangular and color it all one color. Attach Solo plastic cups to it..three in a row, vertically and evenly spaced.  Make sure they match the color you chose for the "Lego". Cut arm holes and the bottom off your box as well as a hole for the head. Have your child wear a beanie the same color as the chosen Lego.

4. Sheep: Dress you child in black leggings. On a solid white t-shirt, hot glue fluffy stuffing onto it to cover. have your child wear a skin tight long sleeve black shirt under. Make sure to paint a "nose" on your little sheep. For ears, just cut out from felt and attach to a headband. This would be super cute if you have a bunch of kids dressed this way!

5. Bag of Cotton Candy: Get a clear, child sized clean (obviously!) trash bag. Cut leg and arm holes. Have your child dress in all pink.Fill the bag with pink fluff (stuffing can be found at craft stores). Cinch the top.

Top Your Pancakes With These!

Pancakes are a kid's favorite! Drowned in syrup or topped with just butter, you can't go wrong with this breakfast favorite.

If you or your kids are getting bored with the variety of syrups out there and want to try something new, feel free to give these a spin!

1. Bacon and candied pecans. To get the crispiest bacon around, bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes on a cookie sheet. Make sure it is the kind with a lip on it to catch the grease. When it comes out, cool and crumble. To make candied pecans, just make a simple syrup with equal parts water and sugar simmered in a pan. Add your pecans and coat well. Allow to dry.

2. Peanut Butter and Bananas. Elvis is said to love this combination on his sandwiches. Why not on a pancake?

3. Honey and Cinnamon. It's still sweet like kids like, but a little more natural that the sugar laden maple syrup you find in the stores.

4. Yogurt and fresh fruit. What could be better that this favorite on the go combo on top of a pancake? To make less runny, make sure to drain your fruit well or use a less runny fruit such as fresh peaches.

5. Fried apples. To make fried apples, cut 3 tart apples such as Granny Smiths into 8ths, removing the seeds and peels. Place in a skillet on medium heat with a dash of lemon juice, 3/4 cup Brown sugar, a dash of ground cloves and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer until soft. Put on pancakes warm and top with whipped cream.

6. Caramel and whipped cream. Dulce de YUMMY!

7. Turn an ordinary pancake into a celebration with a scoop of ice cream! This would be perfect for a birthday boy or girl.

8. Shredded coconut and pineapple. Bring a little tropical flavor to your pancakes and if you like, toast the coconut in the oven for a few moments.

5 Ways To Teach Your Child To Be Generous

We all want kids that share and are conscious of other's needs. Kind children who have a giving heart. The truth is, kids have a world that very much revolves around their little self and their own needs and need to be taught to remember others.

How do you teach this skill to a child?

In this post, I will share 5 ways you can teach your child to be a generous giver. It is never too late to start these lessons!

1. Model generosity in your own life. Kids of all ages learn from their parents. Have a giving spirit and show your children how to have one in their own lives. Take situations and turn them into lessons.

2. Sign your child up to volunteer with you. It is not only fun to do volunteer work, but kids will see real-life impact. Visit seniors in a nursing home facility, play with the dogs and kitties at the animal shelter and serve meals in a soup kitchen.

3. Help you child be aware of other people's wants and needs. Teach them to wait their turn, share something of theirs and invite others to join them in fun. Don't just say things like, "Don't be selfish!". Turn it around and say, "I bet Michael would love it if you shared your toy."

4. When your child does something kind for another person without being asked, make sure to give them a lot of praise. This kind of positive reinforcement sets them up for that "warm fuzzy feeling" we all love when we do things for others.

5. Help your child understand helping others who do not have what they have. Ask them to go through their toys a couple times a year and give the ones they no long want to a battered women's shelter or children's shelter. When they get an allowance, ask them to pick a charity and donate part of it periodically. Give them a sense of pride in doing so.

What other ways do you show generosity?

Fun ways to celebrate Autumn with your Kids

One of my favorite seasons is Autumn. Crisp leaves crunching under my feet..warm scents in the air of apples and spice...bright orange pumpkins...ahhh!

Kids love Autumn, too. What are some fun ways you can welcome the crisp season of fall for very little?

Take a look at the list and feel free to comment with your own!

• Go for a fall hike. Feel the leaves crunch under your boots. For extra fun, do a scavenger hunt for things like acorns, different colored leaves and even mushrooms.
• Go to an apple orchard and pick apples. Have your kids help you decide what to make and get them involved. 
• Do leaf prints. Take leaves that are just fallen and not crunchy yet and place a sheet of paper over them on a hard surface. Rub a crayon over the top of them.
• Have your kids help you make bird feeders with pine cones. Just coat a pine cone with peanut butter (or soy butter if you have allergies) and roll in bird seed. Tie a string on the end and hang near a window to watch the birds.
• Go to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin. Get a small one. Use markers and glitter and decorate it. No cutting involved!
• Don't forget the classic leaf pile jump! Great for taking priceless pictures!
• If you have a mini-football fan, host a fun football theme party for kids!

Whatever you do, have a blast! 

How to Save Money on School Lunches

School lunches can get expensive. But never fear money smart mom or dad, Kidzies has some tips to lighten the expense and give your kids some variety as well!

9 Tips to lowering school lunch costs:

1. Never buy pre-packaged snacks and lunch box fillers. These can cost 50-75% more than just portioning out from a larger package.

2. Use leftovers from dinner. Cold pizza, ham made into sandwiches and chicken salad can be great for lunch boxes.

3. Don't buy disposable drink pouches. Instead, opt for a reusable water bottle. If your child doesn't like plain water, try adding a packet of sugar free drink mix. To make sure their drink doesn't get lost, make sure you also invest in a Huggerz at a great price of $6!

4. Don't brown bag it. A reusable lunch bag is much more economical.

5. For sweet treats, spend a day on the weekend and make cookies or something similar for lunches rather than buying some.

6. Buy fruit that is in season to send with your kiddo. This is always a more economical choice.

7. Does your child like fruit snacks? Either buy dried fruit in bulk or make your own in a dehydrator. Much healthier and much more budget friendly.

8. Skip sandwich baggies and go for re-usable containers.

9. Don't forget to make sure your child likes what you are sending. It is a total waste of time and money if what you send with them doesn't get eaten.

Have a happy school year!

Ways to Help Kids Wind Down For BedTime

If bedtime is a crazy time in your house, you are looking for any and all suggestions to make the madness stop. Here are some ways to help bring opn the calm at bedtime in your home.

Depending on your child's age, a journal may help. Kids may enjoy writing down their thoughts about the day in a special book you both pick out at the store. Not only will this help bring the excitement level down, it will sharpen writing and thinking skills. Double score!

What do you want to wind down? Does a back rub sound nice? Your kids may like one, too. Not only is this a great bonding activity, but the soothing and calming wind down can be a great time to quietly discuss school issues.

Give your child an evening snack. Something warm such as oatmeal, or even something cool such as applesauce make great bedtime snacks.

The classic story time is usually pretty good at getting kids to wind down. If you have an older child, try reading a chapter book. Read a chapter nightly and your child may even look forward to this nighttime regimen.

Make sure to make winding down easier by cutting out TV or other electronics right before bed. Instead, allow your child to play imaginatively and quietly with non-electronic toys 1-2 hours before bed.

Get in a routine. When kids know when to expect bedtime, they will naturally start to get tired and calmer when the time draws near. Make sure you always stick to the schedule.

Tips for Getting a Picky Eater to Try New Things

Most kids go through it, some stay in it longer than others. Moms and Dads..you know what I am talking about: Picky eaters.

It can be extremely frustrating to deal with a picky eater. Meal times turn into stressful events spent begging, pleading and getting angry, even. You feel like throwing in the towel and making separate meals for everyone.

Don't give up yet! Here are some tips for getting picky eaters to eat.

1. Don't force your child to eat any foods. Many times, the lack of desire to try new foods is just a way of power struggling with you. Instead, just keep patiently offering.

2. Make sure to introduce only a few new foods every month or so. Don't expect your child to try something new every meal or week, even.

3. Don't bribe with dessert for eating a new food. Make sure to encourage by using phrases such as " I am very proud of you for trying that food you were unsure about" rather than "You are a good girl for eating that asparagus".

4. If you are unsure if your child will try something, offer it in a fun way. Give veggies a fun dip to go with or cut something into fun shapes.

5. Try having your child help make dinner. Many times, children are more interested in something if they have a part in preparing it.

6. Try, try and try again. Don't harp on your child to try something, but don't give up after the first try either. Keep offering the new food periodically and they may get curious about it. Also, Children's taste buds change over time. One year they may not like something, but the next year, it might be a favorite.

7. Most importantly, model a healthy relationship with all kinds of foods. It's OK not to like everything, but just as you want your child to try new things, be willing to do so in front of them as well.

Great Ways to Reveal The Gender of Your Baby

A while ago, Kidzies had a post on Fun Ways To Announce Your Pregnancy. Now, what are some fun ways to announce the gender of your baby when you find out? Everyone has already been driving you bonkers asking if the baby is a boy or a girl and your yourself are also on the edge of your seat wondering. Now, the big gender reveal is there and you want to tell the world! Here are some fun and unique ways to share the news!

1. Invite friends over for coffee and cake. Bake a cake in either pink or blue and cover it well with frosting. When everyone is gathered, cut into the cake to reveal!

2. Do it with balloons. Get a bunch (think; as many can fit!) of balloons and put them into a big box. Pink for girl, blue for boy. Go to an open field and have a photographer snap pictures of you before the reveal, during and after. Then, you can use this as a social media announcement.

3. A fun way to get younger siblings involved is to do a fiesta party. Invite friends with kids over, and have Latino inspired foods and mock margaritas. To reveal the gender, have the kids break open a pinata with either blue or pink candy and prizes in it.

4. Throw a "Guessing Party". Have people wear the color of the gender they guess the baby is. Pink worn for girls, blue for boys. Make it a casual get-together like a BBQ and at the end announce the winning gender. The "team" who guessed right get a small prize each.

5. Have an older sibling announce it with a T shirt that reads, "I am getting a baby _______ (brother, sister)"

6. Have it put on a Onezie from Kidzies! This would be the perfect way to let grandma or your spouse know if they don't already. Just put the gender (or better yet! name you had picked out if the baby was that gender!) and wrap it up as a present for them to reveal. This will also make a great keepsake!

7. If it is YOU that need to know the gender of the baby, have your doctor write the gender on a piece of paper and place it in a sealed envelope. Go shopping for an outfit together for the baby. Pick out an outfit for both genders (one girl and one boy one). Hand them to a sales clerk and ask him or her to ONLY bag, gift wrap and ring up the one that matches the gender in the envelope. Hand the clerk the envelope and say you will be back in a little bit.


How did you announce your pregnancy?

10 Fun Ways To Make Your Child's Birthday Extra Special

Every kid loves to feel special on their birthday. Aside from the normal birthday party and cupcakes to take to school, how can you fill your child's love tank on their birthday?

Here are 10 fun ways to make your birthday boy or girl feel like the day is all about them!

1. Make pancakes with sprinkles and frosting for breakfast. Put a candle in it, even!

2. Before you wake your child for the day, draw on the bathroom mirror a birthday message. Either use dry erase markers or lipstick!

3. Make sure you write a happy birthday note in their lunch if it is a school day. You may even consider packing a really special lunch and including a small gift, wrapped in it.

4. This is probably a given, but make your child feel like the dinner VIP and allow him or her to have the prime seat at the table and pick what you make or where you eat.

5. Make sure you tell them you love them all day. Teaching siblings that it's important to make the person feel loved on their birthday is also very important.

6. Fill the birthday child's room with balloons on the floor so when they get up, they pop them! What a fun way to wake up.

7. Decorate your car with erasable paint for windows with a special message.

8. Measure them every year. Kids like to see how much they have grown.

9. Let them decorate their own birthday cake.

10. Ask you child's siblings to do something special for the birthday kid such as do their chores for the day. If you have an only child, let them off the hook for chores, for example.

Bonus tip!

Get them a personalized Huggerz for their birthday! Personalized products make every kid feel special!

Top Kidzies Tools You Need For Back To School

Kidzies is your one stop shop for personalized goodies, but did you know that many of our more popular items are back-to-school must-haves? Check out the list below for special Kidzies products that can really make your school year and look at the bottom of the post for a 20% off your purchase code exclusively for Kidzies blog readers!

Huggerz-

Huggerz are the perfect back-to-school companion because they keep your child's drink separate and easy to spot. Perfect for lunchboxes, soccer practice and more. Help your child stand out with a Huggerz!

Protector Palz-

Protector Palz help little ones arrive in style and keep the seat belt from rubbing on the way to school. What kid wouldn't want that? Plus, for expecting moms, Protector Palz keep your little bun in the oven safer by placing on your belly in the car.

Treasure Bagz-

No one wants a boring pencil case! Treasure Bagz are the perfect solution as they keep your pencils, crayons and markers all in one place and since they are personalized, your child will know it is theirs! Treasure Bagz are perfect because they are made of durable wetsuit material and they hold a lot! Treasure Bagz also come with a clip so they can easily be attached to a backpack for holding lunch money as well!

Bigger Bagz-

For the kid who had a ton to carry, Bigger Bagz are the solution. Carry your scissors, glue sticks, pencils, markers and crayons all in the same tote. Made of the same durable material as our Treasure Bagz and they can be personalized, just like all our other products! Bigger Bagz are perfect for teens and tweens as well since they come in some pretty nifty styles and can hold cell phones, calculators and more!

To help you get the must needed items listed above for back to school, make sure you plug in code KIDZIESBLOG at checkout and enjoy 20% off your entire order!*

Have a safe and fun back-to-school season!


*20% off any sized order, but subject to shipping. FREE shipping on orders $50 or more!

Simple Ways to Make Your Child's Lunch Special

For many parents, sending their child to school with a lunch is a practical way they can send their love with their child. Many moms and dads leave notes in their child's lunch box with a simple, "I love you!", but there are some amazingly creative ways to send that love in fun and interesting avenues.

Four Ways to Save on Back to School Clothes

School shopping can be an enormous expense, but if you know how to get great deals, it can really add up to great savings.

Here at Kidzies, we want to help you by giving you a few tips on shopping for back-to-school clothes that will help you stretch every dollar.

1. Don't be afraid to shop for second hand. Many times, you can find gently used and even new clothing items at thrift stores. Some even have tags and many are expensive brand names.

2. Make a list and stick to it. Don't buy more than you need and don't feel the need to buy all new items for things your children already have. Plan to do a second shop in the Spring as kids often grow out of clothes that quickly.

3. Use clothing from the summer and give it new life. Polos can be worn year round as can skirts and dresses. Just add a set of leggings under skirts and you have them ready for winter. For tank tops, add a t-shirt of long sleeve tee under.

4. Consider doing a clothing shop with other parents. This would be a great way to get rid of hand me downs and get to know new parents in your child's school.

Tips for First Year "School Parents"

It can be quite scary that first year your child enters school in kindergarten. You can't imagine having all that "free time" and your little buddy not hanging out with you all day or taking them to daycare.

Just as your child is probably excited to enter school, you, as a mom or dad are just as nervous. How will YOU survive going into this new phase of childhood with them?

Here are some tips to help you both ease into the school routine and put your mind at ease:

1. Know that you have done an amazing job with your child to begin with. You have raised a little super-hero so far and this phase is just as scary, but also exciting as that first step or first day of daycare. You and your child will be OK.

2. Try not to show how nervous you are as that can run off onto your child and make first day jitters hard on them as well.

3. It will probably help if you and your child tour the school before that first day. It will help calm you to meet administration and teachers and begin to visualize your child in this environment.

4. See if the school has a kindergarten get together for parents of new children entering school. If not, maybe try to plan one? It will help you, as mom and dad, not feel so scared if you know that you are probably not alone.

5. Hold a party for both you and your child. Do something special together as you both enter this phase. Have a "big boy" or "Big Girl" party to prepare yourself and your child for the new adventure.

6. In the weeks leading up to school, get a routine down for bedtime and wake-up time. This will help you ease into it better for both of you.

7. The night before school starts, do a low-key and easy meal..maybe even pizza or takeout. Spend that day and evening with your child and do something fun.

I promise, you will get through this, brave Mom or Dad. All of life and parenthood is so full of exciting changes and you will be so happy to see your child gaining more independence and almost leap for joy when they tell you all about it!

"Boy, You have Your Hands Full!"

I begin my blog today with a simple question…why must random strangers tell me daily I have my hands full?

 I begin my day with dressing my two kids (Jayden-5 and Jude-almost 3) and rushing out the door for work at our Pizza business. Jude goes to “school” for his morning socialization, while Jayden comes to work with mommy. Why not start them as early as possible developing a strong work ethic?

Anyway, finish up my work and pick #2 back up from school and we all head to the grocery. Sister has a cart, which is always an adventure, and the brother must have a giant car. I was maneuvering down the aisles at the speed of lightening, might I add it is 1 hour until naptime. Enough said. I pass by one woman whom you could tell her children were grown and she says, "You have your hands full."

This always leaves me speechless.

 Does it look like I’m out numbered? I guess so. Does this seem like a motivational comment? I would think not. I guess it would not seem to boggle me as much if it wasn’t said mostly daily everywhere I go.

 I discuss with my husband that night how often it is said and vow I will not be that grandma someday. I will send words of encouragement like…”Good job mom!” Mom’s need encouragement and feeling that they have control. Even when, some days it seems you are out numbered. What is said of those that have more than two kiddos?

 I am the first to admit we have ground rule discussions (threats) prior to entering public establishments to be sure everyone remembers how to behave. My 3 year old even recites his own now. I just have to say, remember no..and he finishes with no fighting, no pinching, stay in the cart and no yelling. Yes sir, good boy.

  Imagine if I didn’t lay this ground rules down what the comments would be All those mothers out there.

 Keep your head up, your doing a great job. Take those comments that your hands are full with smiles and fist pumps.



Julie Boyd is an ordinary Pizza Making Mother of two.

Chores by the Ages

As parents, we want to teach our child how to live in the world around them and how to be responsible. These are life skills that they will need into adulthood.

Many parents want to start as soon as possible in teaching how to do chores, but often wonder what is the age appropriate chores they should be teaching and expect good results from?

In the following post, I am going to go over some age appropriate chores as well as some tips on what to expect.


Toddlers: (ages 2-3)
~Picking up toys
~Putting dirty laundry in baskets
~ Dusting low, unbreakable items


Pre-school (ages 4-5)
~Helping wipe counters and spills
~Making their bed
~Watering plants (low)
~Matching socks

Elementary school aged (6-10)
~Feeding pets
~Doing dishes
~Taking garbage out 
~Sorting Laundry

Tweens (11-12)
~Straightening up common areas with little to no help
~Helping with dinner or meals
~Weeding out gardens
~Sweeping well

Teens (13-17)
~Doing laundry
~Getting groceries (with list)
~ Mowing the lawn/weed-eating

Tips: 

Expect chores to take longer. Remember, your child is learning not only how to do the chore, but they may not have as fine tuned abilities as you do. Let go of perfection and timeliness for these lessons.

If you have a child that is too young to reasonably be expected to do a chore alone, offer to have them help you do it. Cleaning the walls? Give a small child a rag and you do it as well. This not only helps them feel accomplished, but also builds a sense of teamwork.

If your child does a less than perfect job and it makes you feel like you must "fix it", try to do it out of their site. They may begin to feel defeated if you make them feel inadequate.

If you must further instruct due to carelessness, try to do it in the kindest way possible. Always cheer them on when they do a good job!

Time Out Tips

Anyone who has had a toddler or a young child knows what time outs are all about. Sometimes, though, they can seem so drawn out and hard to manage that they are easy to cave on if they are not effective.

You know what I mean. The screaming, protesting and eventual calm down only to be asked, "Can I get out of time out yet?"

While time out is not supposed to be fun, it also is not supposed to be traumatic, either, for parent or child.

Here are some ideas on how to make time out more effective and easier to administer for parents:

1. Have a specific place in your home for time out. I suggest a corner, or another quiet place in your home that is not a bedroom. A bedroom has too many distracting things in it and the child can begin to associate their room with bad behavior. You want their bedroom to be a place of peace.

2. The general rule is 1 minute for every year of age for the child. So, a 5 year old would get 5 minutes.

3. In my home, time does not start until the child is calm. If you have a child who is very upset, this can take a while. To help calm them quickly, try making a "time out bottle". Simply get a plastic water bottle, add food coloring and glitter and when the child is upset, shake it up and have them watch the glitter settle. It may take a minute or two, but the calming water will help calm them down.

4. Don't ever make threats of time out and not follow through. One of the hardest parts of parenting is being consistent, even when you ware tired. If you tell your child the behavior will get them a time out, follow through in every instance.

5. Time outs do not have to be viewed as punishment. Let you child know that sometimes, even adults need time outs to calm down. Show by example that you do on occasion.

20 Finger Foods For Toddlers

When starting to feed your baby and toddler, it can be scary to not know what to feed them as there are foods you should stay away from (Honey and nuts for example due to potential allergies) and some they could actually choke on easily. You want to feed them the best, most natural foods.

I have created a Top 20 list for foods most toddlers enjoy and are super easy to make and prepare for meals, snacks and in between. What you feed will depend on how far advanced you are in your child eating table foods. Always providing a drink such as milk or water and some 100% juice is a good idea as well with meals and snacks. Attach a Huggerz to the sippy cup and you have one stylish drink :)

Super Fun Ways To Announce a Pregnancy

One of the hardest parts of being pregnant early on is not spilling the beans about it and waiting to tell family and friends your big announcement.

There are so many creative ways to tell the world about your little bundle on it's way! With social media, its so easy to do one announcement and send it to tons of people instantly.

How do you make it one to remember? Check out this nifty idea list!

Hold Your Own BackYard Water Park!

"Mooommmm..I'm Boreddd!" "Moooommmm..I'm Hoooottt".

How many times have you heard this so far, this summer? I know I have heard it too many times already. The funny thing about summer is kids think it is gonna be great being out of school, but within a couple days, they see how boring life really is when you don't have a schedule or anything you have to do.

Top 5 Reasons to Get Huggerz

We love to have fun at Kidzies. Good thing it is summer!

With fun often comes so many activities they can make your head spin. Every parent needs as much in the way of little helpers as they can! That is why Huggerz are the perfect little helper for summer fun!

Here are the top five reasons to get a Huggerz for each of your kids!

1. Summer camps: Whether it is day camp or overnight camp, hydration is important and with all the running around done, it is easy to lose which water bottle is your child's. Huggerz will help your child be able to identify theirs easily in group activities.

2. Sleep-overs. If you have another child over and they are doing a movie night or you are letting them take a drink to bed with them, the best way to keep them separate is to use a Huggerz on each one. No more mixed up drinks and the guest at your home will feel so special to have a cup of their own!

3. Baseball/Softball games. With so many other players walking around the dugout, it is easy to loose which generic bottle of water is your child's. Mark one with a Huggerz and the problem is solved!

4. Apart from keeping drinks cold and hands dry, Huggerz have some unconventional uses as well. Try using it to store sunglasses for the little ones in your beach bag. Then, when you get to your destination, they are scratch free and you have a Huggerz to use to keep their drink cold.

5. If you are a daycare worker or a church summer camp worker, you will love this: Get several Huggerz for all the kids in the class and you will no longer have to label drinks all day.

Did you know Huggerz fit virtually any drink from juice boxes to tall water bottles? You gotta get  Huggerz today!

Tip: Huggerz are not just for kids! They are great for coffee on the go and keeping Mom & Dad's Drinks cool as well ;)