Combining a book and a craft is a great way to nurture a lifelong love of reading.This open-ended invitation to create after reading The Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun Loose at School was a big hit!

One of my favorite ways to get my kids excited about reading is to keep the story going after we’ve closed up a book. Sometimes that means asking questions about what they think might happen next or what would have happened if one little piece of the story went differently. Other times, it means taking my daughter’s idea and helping her make it come to life.

When Ellie and I were reading The Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun Loose at School by Laura Murray, Ellie was convinced that she could do a much better job of catching the mischievous little leprechaun. In the story, a leprechaun visits the Gingerbread Man’s school and goes on a mess-making spree. The students and their teacher try to catch him and clean up his mess but with no luck. While everyone else is at lunch, the Gingerbread Man decides to go on a solo mission to track that little prankster down.

After stumbling upon a couple of big messes, the Gingerbread Man finally puts together the perfect idea for a trap. Once he catches the leprechaun, the Gingerbread Man makes him clean up all of his messes before he goes on his way.

Ellie enjoyed the suspense of wondering what mischief the leprechaun would get into next and she enjoyed giving detailed descriptions about how things could be improved (both the leprechaun’s mischief and trying to find that little bugger).

What better way to build off of that enthusiasm than letting her build her own leprechaun trap?

I’m hoping to take the pressure off of Valentine’s Day with this adorable free printable classroom valentine—no craftiness required! Your kids (and their friends!) will love them. Score one for mom.

Somewhere along the line, mothers of school-aged kids decided that cheapie paper valentines from the drugstore are not good enough for their babies. I’m not sure why or how, but it sort of ruined things for the rest of us.

Now I feel like I have to come up with something inventive and homemade or I’m a failure of a mother. Plus, I’ll have to listen to things like “Look what Emma’s mom made.” Can you hear the disappointment at my failures dripping from her little voice already?

So I took the bull by its stupid horns and came up with an idea of my own—and I turned it into something super easy for other moms to run with. All you need is a printer and maybe (maybe) some sort of bear-shaped treat. Take that, Emma’s mom.

I collected a bunch of super cute DIY kids valentines for school. These are fun and easy and can be personalized with a little creativity. There are also both candy and non-candy ideas—a little something for everyone!

Valentines have come a loooooong way since I was ripping perforated sheets and signing my name to them in the 90s. These days, it’s much more likely that glue guns and heavy parental input is involved. That’s ok, but I’m a firm believer in making sure the kids get their hands in there. It is, after all, their thing—even if momma has a vision.

I took to the interwebs and collected eighteen super cute DIY kids valentines that think outside the store-bought box and can be improved with a little bit of kiddie creativity. Whether it’s splattering the things in stickers, glitter glue, or drawing little pictures for their friends, kids can take these ideas and totally make them their own.

I also made sure to collect both candy and non-candy ideas (or valentines that can be customized to your needs) so that parents who don’t want all that sugar or who are making sure to keep kids with allergies safe are happy too.

Raise your hand if the thought of your kids cooped up in the house alternating between wreaking havoc and singing I’m bored songs makes you want to pack a bag and head somewhere tropical for a week or so.

So I’m not alone?

I could’ve used this list over our snow-extended winter break, but better late than never. Plus, there are bound to be more snow and ice days (not to mention rainy days once we defrost) when this great big list of indoor activities for kids will be the only thing that saves my oh-so fragile sliver of sanity.

Take a look at this list. Study it. Collect any supplies you might need. And then feel free to send me gifts of dark chocolate for buying you enough time to head to the bathroom alone the next time the kids are stuck inside.

An award-winning kids science book that will foster a love for science while having hands-on fun.

Step into my house and you’ll find surfaces littered with Ziplock bags open just enough to let the day’s latest slime creation ooze out, bottles filled with unidentifiable concoctions that contain some kind of plant matter, and everyday objects “scented” with copious layers of lotion. My girls love science. They love to experiment with different ingredients to see how they react and to proudly create their own “essential” recipes.

Sometimes, I’m all for this scientific exploration.

Other times, I wonder how long I’m expected to let something sit (bacteria multiplying by the second) while we “wait” for the reaction.

When DK offered to send us a complimentary copy of Smithsonian’s Maker Lab, an award-winning book that encourages kids to build, invent, create and discover through 28 DIY science experiments, I jumped at the chance. Crafty science projects that will work and teach the girls a little bit about the science behind them? What could be cooler?