Atlanta's Frugal Mom

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:23:02 +0000

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

11/01/2016 by Barbara

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Recently I shared with you reasons WHY you should read to your children, now let me offer a selection of great books you should read with your kids. Remember, whether you’re reading aloud, reading together, or reading the same book separately and discussing, the important thing is to simply READ.

Do you agree with this list? Do you see any books you’d add? Do you see any books you would not have included here? Any surprises? How many of these books have you read as a child, or TO your child? Would love to know your thoughts. 🙂

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – My kids LOVE hearing this one at bedtime – they’ve got it memorized, and my two-year-old son will “read” it to himself frequently. There’s a little bit of Max in all of us, I’d say.
Charlie and the Charlie Factory by Roald Dahl – I’m frequently floored when folks seem surprised that there’s a book to go along with the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I am a collector of Roald Dahl, and have enjoyed just about anything he’s written – including the charming tale of Charlie and his adventures that begin with the Golden Ticket. This was the first book I read aloud to my 4th graders, many years ago – daily, they sat, perched at their desks listening, anticipating what would happen next. <3 it!
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin – (Confession: I added this book, replacing another book I wasn’t familiar with.) When a book ends with “no matter what you step in, keep moving along and singing your song because it’s all good”, I’m sold. The accompanying catchy tune you can find on YouTube is but mere icing on the literary cake here. Should you skip over Pete the Cat? GOODNESS NO!
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss – This was the first book my daughter read to us, from beginning to end. (Yes, at age four, she is a reader!) It’s a great “gateway” book for beginning readers to gain confidence in their budding skills. And if they learn a thing or two about trying new things along the way, well, consider it a bonus.
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – Sometimes a classic is a classic for a reason. Goodnight Moon is certainly no exception here. You’ll scarcely find a parent who doesn’t fondly think about how they read it to their babies, likely long after they were babies.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – Yes, your kid will likely want to read this series when he’s older, but this is a fantastic read aloud book to introduce your kids to the magical world of Harry Potter at an early age. And then take them out back and play a li’l Quidditch together, followed by a few rounds of butter beers.
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney – Perhaps this story holds more meaning to parents than their children, but every child should hear the tale of just how very much a parent loves his child. And that’s all I’ll say. Go read it for yourself.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst – The ultimate “bad hair day” book remains a classic, as Alexander shares his (obviously) bad day – and even moving to Australia won’t make things better. Or will it?
No David! by David Shannon – If you’ve ever spent any amount of time living with a two year old, you will catch a glimpse of him or her in this sure-to-be classic story, based loosely on the author’s childhood days. It’s adorable illustrations complement the simple text, together painting a rich, sometimes devious picture to which both parents and children will relate. And you may just find yourself calling your child “David” when they start to resemble a holy terror. Also don’t forget David Goes to School and David Gets in Trouble, to round out the lovably mischeivious collection.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey – Again, it’s a classic for a reason. The adorable tale of Sal picking blueberries with her mother will delight readers -both young and old- as they watch the paralleled story of the mother bear and baby bear collecting blueberries for hibernation.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff – I still remember sitting in the library in Kindergarten, hearing the librarian read this to us. I love the cause and effect, and how it all ties back together at the end. I’ve collected all the other “If you Give a…” books by Numeroff.
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne – What child (or adult) doesn’t have some degree of affection for the willy, nilly, silly ol’ bear? The classic tales take kids back to a simpler style of children’s literature, which require a little more imagination, and less illustrations. Nonetheless, they are absolutely worthwhile.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter – Not unlike David Shannon’s main character (see #9), Peter Rabbit finds himself frequently in sticky situations, particularly with the ornery Mr. McGregor. Watch how Peter Rabbit’s leanings towards naughtiness make for great adventures.
My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie and Rosemary Wells – No child’s library is complete without a little Mother Goose. Period.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White – This was the first chapter book my daughter and I read together. She was four at the time, and was so fully-engaged throughout – which honestly surprised me. She loved hearing about Charlotte, Fern, and even rascally Templeton. Her eyes welled up with tears when Charlotte passed away, but a smile crept up over her face when her babies were born, and then floated away. As a treat, we enjoyed watching the movie, and comparing it to the book.

There. That’s it: 15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids. What do you think? What would you add? Which have you read with your children? Share your thoughts below please. 🙂

Gift Guide for Toys to Keep Kids Moving

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 22:11:00 +0000

Before I dive in to great toys and activities to keep kids moving, a disclosure: portions of this post are sponsored. I’ve received a form of compensation in exchange for featuring some of the items in this post; however all opinions, experiences, and bad puns are 100% my own.

With kids’ birthdays sneaking up on you, and Christmas being a close -um- nine months away, it’s time to start pondering gift ideas for the kiddos in your life. If you’re like me, you may be looking for toys and activities that promote getting active, rather than passively sitting in front of a screen. While I’ve already mentioned games and activities for preschoolers, these toys are geared more for an older crowd, say ages 6 – 106. 😉

Here are some great gifts to keep kids moving, both indoors and outdoors:

(Laser) Tag! You’re It!

My kids, particularly my son, enjoy a good game of Laser Tag, and have really dug the Laser X we got for Christmas last year. We have recently added a few more Laser X systems to our -ahem- arsenal, and my son finds it super cool that the different systems can work together! Each Laser X set is ages 6+ and requires 6 “AAA” batteries (not included but you can grab some here ). Here are a few of their great systems:

Laser X Evolution, sold exclusively at Walmart, is a new addition to the Laser X family and works with all previous Laser X products! Laser X Evolution is like having a laser tag arena in your own backyard! Blast opponents up to 300′ away – inside or out, in darkness or bright sunlight. Choose from more than 20 team colors to light up your blaster! Blaster beams go through windows and strategically bounce off walls and mirrors to hit opponents, while quick-slide reload keeps the action going. Advanced sensors on the blaster allow an interactive voice “coach” to offer tips and tricks throughout the game. All Laser X gear works together. Games can include unlimited players.
Laser X Revolution can be found at Target and getlaserx.com. Laser X Revolution is like having a laser tag arena in your own backyard! Blast opponents up to 300’ away – inside or out, in darkness or bright sunlight. Choose from more than 20 team colors to light up your blaster! Blaster beams go through windows and strategically bounce off walls and mirrors to hit opponents, while quick-slide reload keeps the action going. Advanced sensors allow an interactive voice “coach” to offer tips and tricks throughout the game. All Laser X gear works together. Games can include unlimited players.
Laser X Micro B2 Blasters are the most portable, easy-to-use Laser X Blasters! At 5-inch, these blasters feature state-of-the-art lighting and sound effects that bring the excitement of a laser tag arena right to your own backyard. My son liked that no receiver vests are needed, because a receiver is built right into each blaster! With a blasting range of 100, Micro B2 Blasters work with all other Laser X gear. Games can include an unlimited number of players. Play one-on-one, in teams or set your blaster to “rogue, and every player’s on their own!
Laser X Long Range Blaster My son was excited to add this to his Laser X collection. Having a few other sets already, he likes to be able to interchange them at his own whim. The Long Range Blaster’s range of up to 500’ feet allows for further extended battles, which is fabulous when you need your kids to get some fresh air and exercise outside!

Tossing the Ol’ Pigskin

My kids play baseball and softball. The All Pro Passer product allowed them to add variety and novelty to their outdoor workout and play. While catching a football-shaped toy isn’t *quite* the same as catching a baseball or softball, this provided a good opportunity to stay agile and improve catching skills, especially over-the-shoulder catches while in motion.

Become a Spy! (….or a prankster)

My kids enjoyed playing around with the Spybots Room Guardian …but perhaps probably not the way it was intended. They would sneak it in to a room of choice, and then call a family member in and giggle uncontrollably when the “alarm” was set off! My 13 year old daughter added it could be a good tool for keeping nosy little brothers out of her room. 😉

Wubble Rumblers

Wubble Rumblers are a versatile set of inflatables that can entertain your kiddos (and -um- maybe also parents) for hours! Styles include a Wrestler, Ninja, Fist , or Karate Hand. The Wubble Rumblers are made for good old rough and tumble fun! Battle it out with friends with this ultimate accessory for play fighting. The Rumblers inflate a gigantic three feet tall! Rumblers are squishy, squashy, super soft and 400 times more elastic than a typical inflatable – from the makers of the Super Wubble Bubble Ball! Because the material is strongly made, can be played with inside or outdoors. Enjoy hours of big bopping fun as you get your rumble on! The Wubble Rumblers are recommended for ages six and up, and each inflates in minutes with the enclosed nozzle – and for some that may be part of the fun experience!

Climb Away

As a teacher and a parent, I cannot stress enough the value in climbing and risk-taking. If you have the space to do so, creating a climbing wall would prove to be a great addition to your kiddo’s home! Check out this rock climbing wall set – it comes with a rope, two handles, 25 rock holds, and all the hardware to create your very own rock climbing wall, either inside or outside!

En-Door-Fun

Yes, I made a very bad pun there. 😉 During rainy or ridiculously days, you’re still likely going to have kids who need to move. Accessing their vestibular input can make a world of difference for some kids. Invest in a doorway bar that can change out multiple apparatus. This indoor gym set includes indoor swing, plastic rings, trapeze bar, climbing ladder, and swinging rope. It assembles in minutes, without any drilling holes in any doorway 25” – 36”, and holds up to 300 lbs. This is certain to keep kids moving no matter the weather!

Don’t Be a Couch Potato When You Can Have a Couch Nugget

Ok. I reached out to my friends to get some more ideas, and I must admit, I found the Couch Nugget to be the coolest suggestion, by far! I mean, it’s a couch that was made for fort building, and so much more! It promotes imagitinive play, as well as gross motor play. It’s machine washable, and uses Low-VOC CertiPUR^TM Certified Foam. Psst, you can utilize your Couch Nugget with your climbing wall, and your doorway swings, too! 😉 (Yes, I realize this is more of an “indoor” item for most families, but it’s such a cool product, I simply had to include it!)

Stepping Stones and Balance Beams

Finally, get a good set of versatile stepping stones and balance beams for your kids to incorporate in to their play. These durable, soft stepping stones can work alone, or alongside a good set of balance beams which stack, and/or these fun curvy ones. I mean, imagine how these stepping stones and balance beams could crank up a game of “The Floor is Lava”!

What other activities do your kiddos enjoy, that are fun for both indoor and outdoor play to keep kids moving?

Make sure to “pin” this post for future reference, too, so you can come back and find toys to keep kids moving!

Chicken Orzo Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 17:25:00 +0000

Although we still have some warm days ahead, the cold autumn weather is peeking around the corner. The other day, I simply couldn’t get my fingers to warm up, so I knew it was the perfect night for soup! So, to the pantry I headed for inspiration, where I found a box of orzo. Lo and behold, the box had a simple recipe for chicken orzo soup. Naturally, I had to take the recipe and tweak it to make it my own. ….and because it forgot to mention garlic in the ingredients. The best part of this chicken orzo soup? Not only did everyone eat it, but they all said they LIKED it! That’s an extremely rare occurrence these days, so I’m claiming this as a victory, which means I’m sharing it with all y’all!

Getting Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 15:49:00 +0000

Starting kindergarten is something I’ve gone through twice already with my own kiddos, and there’s definitely some things you can do to help prepare your kiddo for kindergarten, aside from simply ensuring they’re ready for kindergarten. Getting your child ready for the first day of kindergarten can help make the day, and your morning, go smoothly. Here are my best practical tips for making the first day of kindergarten a success!

Getting Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

Summer Activities for Young Preschoolers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 13:56:00 +0000

As a preschool teacher, I’m frequently asked about ways to help facilitate learning and growth at home, particularly what activities for young preschoolers can parents work on at home. During spring conferences with my two-year-old class’s parents, this question is second only to questions regarding potty training. Trust me, I get how long these summer days can be, and being able to fill your child’s days with meaningful, age-appropriate activities can make or break your summer. (or winter break. Or spring break. Or ….Tuesday!) So what are some activities for your young preschooler, or any time of the year, to do at home?

100+ Sensory Table Ideas for Your Preschooler

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 20:28:00 +0000

As a preschool teacher, I’m always looking for ways to spice things up in my classroom, including new and fun sensory table ideas. Thankfully, an amazing coworker created a master list many moons ago, and shared it with me as I was starting out.

Whether you’re a preschool teacher, or a parent of a preschooler, you’ll appreciate the diversity of a good sensory table. Sensory tables provide an opportunity for preschoolers to experience a wide array of fine motor skills, as well as some gross motor skills, all a sensory-rich environment. Don’t have a full-blown sensory table for your home or your classroom? Remember, water/sand tables make great sensory tables, too!

Also, the sensory table ideas listed below can be mixed and matched for whole new levels of experience. Toss in tools to assist in manipulating the items in the table, such as cups and measuring spoons for pouring, tongs/kid-friendly tweezers, and scissors for snipping and cutting. Also, you’ll notice, most of these items can be found for free or cheap. There are some items worth making an intentional purchase, but most of this can be found around your home, or collected over the course of a few weeks or months, or as a collective effort by classroom parents.

Car Games for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 16:13:00 +0000

Morning car rides can be daunting if you’re not a morning person, and sometimes even if you ARE a morning person. Although I believe it’s perfectly ok to let your kids be bored, I also believe it’s important to use moments together wisely. So we tend to spend our morning car ride having conversations, and playing kids car games that help wake them up and keep them on their toes, AND it’s all done sans technology! Here I delve beyond “Punch-Buggy Charlie” and the license plate game for some good no-tech car games for kids.

Car Games for Kids

20 Questions – We each take a turn coming up with a person, place, or thing. Then the other participants take turns asking yes or no questions to figure out what it is. If we figure it out before the 20th question, we win; if not, then the person answering the questions wins. This is a good exercise in making deductions and also figuring out good “category” questions.

The End of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 21:27:00 +0000

This was supposed to be the summer of many things. Just like every other previous summer, I started concocting some pretty grand plans for summer 2017 with my kids.

I’d planned to work a little bit each day teaching my rising 3rd grader her times tables, using a fun program I used when I was a public school teacher. Instead, I randomly quizzed her verbally.

I’d planned to work with my rising kindergartner on learning to tie his shoes, since shoes with laces are mandatory for him. That didn’t happen at all.

I’d planned to try out all the cool awesome places around Atlanta I keep hearing about (and -um- some of which I’ve featured here), but we didn’t.

Tonight I Let Her Struggle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 12:05:00 +0000

Tonight I was the very mean mom who wouldn’t help her daughter. Tonight I let my little girl struggle and get a little frustrated, and I refused to help her or to do for her the task she set out to do. And we both lived through it.

You see, she decided she wanted to change out her shoelaces for these funky Atlanta Hawks laces she got when we visited the Ronald McDonald House a few weeks back. She pulled out a pair of sneakers, plopped herself down on the den rug, and sat there, staring at her shoes.

She looked up at me for …approval? Guidance? Or both.

I told her this was a task she needed to try to do on her own. I told her upfront I would NOT put those laces in myself, that -at 8 years old- she could do it. I further told her she may need to keep trying until she figured it out.

She looked at me like a helpless puppy, but I stayed over on the couch, folding clothes, and simply offering a watchful eye, and an ear for conversation.

She pulled the laces out of one shoe, picked up the new pair, and started to study the laces in the other shoe. She started to thread the laces in to the middle, and -carefully observing the already-laced-shoe- set forth to lace it up. She did so, and rather quickly. I told her something like “hey, you did that quickly! Did you know you could lace so quickly?!”

She then tried her shoe on and realized the laces were way too tight.

That’s when things started to unravel. She asked if I could help her. I told her she could figure out what to do. She got a little teary-eyed and frustrated. I glanced at the clock and realized after a long day, it was bedtime, and she was getting tired.

So I offered her a suggestion on how to loosen the laces, but I didn’t do it for her. She had to go through the process three times before she got the first shoe properly laced. There was screaming. There were tears. There was foot stomping. There was frustration.

But there was also success. There was therefore also pride afterwards in knowing SHE did it herself.

….and then she realized she needed to do the same thing all over again with the other shoe. And the tears and frustration and anxiety started all over again.

But this time, I simply reminded her, she’s already done this. She’s already laced up a shoe, so she can do this one too.

Yes, I’m the mean mom who let her cry. I let her throw the shoe down in frustration. I’m the mean mom who gently made her retrieve the shoe and finish the job. I’m the mean mom who gave her the gift of doing it for herself, of pride in and confidence in knowing she could do the job.

I firmly believe in letting kids struggle. I firmly believe in letting kids problem solve. I firmly believe in letting kids learn through their mistakes, so they can gain a stronger sense of what they need to do in order to be successful. I also firmly in letting kids see mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.

How much are you willing to let your kids struggle? I’m not suggesting you never intervene and help your kids. I’m simply suggesting you sit back and allow your kids the opportunity to practice learning new skills on their own. By allowing her to struggle through learning to lace her shoes, she gained the experience, as well as the confidence in knowing she can do this task. The more tasks she knows she can tackle on her own, the more independent she can be. Also, it’s an exercise in problem-solving skills – just like any skill, you’ve got to practice problem-solving skills.

As a preschool teacher, I’ve many times had the opportunity to observe kids overcome their frustration and conquer a task. Particularly as a mother, it is within our nature to want to step in and help a child we see struggling. Yet, sometimes, it’s our very nature we need to restrain in order to help our kids long-term.

So, after an evening of tears, grunts of frustration, loudly spoken words, and eventually conquering a task she didn’t know she could handle, I gave my daughter the gift of experience, confidence, and helped her build upon her foundation of problem-solving. Hopefully she will squirm some more in the learning process as she gets older, and continue to gain confidence in knowing she can handle the world around her.

And for now, she has newly-laced purple sneakers as a token of her struggle, and newly-found skills.

You may also like:

A Message from My Daughter:

My Wish List for My Daughter

Advice for My Daughter

Tangled Hair, Starting Kindergarten, and Doing-It-All

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 20:51:00 +0000

I originally wrote this almost two years ago, but as I get closer to sending my now SECOND GRADER off to school, and cope with also having a boy in pre-K, there’s still so much of this that rings true. ….and I still don’t know how to do-it-all. 😉

Last week proved to be quite a week, to say the least. My family and I spent the first week in August on vacation in Florida, first hitting the beach, then spending some quality time with the grandparents, and a day at Disney.

We came back on Saturday, and my oldest was starting Kindergarten on Monday. Seriously, the summer seemed to have just flown by. I’m proud to say I held it together quite well, and masked my nervousness and sadness at sending my baby off to Kindergarten, in a school with kids all the way up to 8th grade. It was the second day, when carpool began, where I nearly lost it – watching her walk away with her cute Ariel backpack. Such a big shot. What happened to my little baby??

With starting kindergarten, came many many many adjustments, including earlier wake-ups in the morning, adjusting 2-year-old boy’s nap schedules, packing lunch every. single. day AND a snack. We’re still working on it all. But so far, neither of my children have starved. At least not from lack of meals, but perhaps on occasion because I’m mother of the world’s pickiest eaters. I digress. I’m figuring out how to get breakfast prepped the evening before, and get lunch prepped on Sunday (freezing PBJ wraps = GENIUS!), and streamline as much as possible…

And now I start (back) to teaching preschool. We had CPR refresher last week, which was a nice chance to re-connect with friends, co-workers, and teachers alike. And to watch my son literally skip down the hall as he returned to “school” was priceless. So in addition to juggling this ah-mazing blog (which I love dearly), two mornings a week of teaching, and trying to maintain a regular gym workout, life has become …hectic.

In the midst of all this, I got a Facebook message from a friend, whom I haven’t actually seen in a very, very long time. You can read it for yourself:

That got me thinking, how many moms appear to “pull it off” even if they feel like they’re merely in survival mode? My friend Maria over at Mamalicous Maria offers a candid look at how moms appear -particularly on social media- verses how we actually ARE. After all, we’ll post 20 pictures of our kids reaching those coveted milestones, those clever jokes/sayings/quips our kids say, and all the cute things in between. But would we dare post that we just lost our temper and yelled at our kids, overreacted about something small -likely the proverbial straw breaking our mommy camel’s back- and took it out on the kids, or when we knowingly fed our kids junk for dinner because …well, it was just easier, and quite frankly because you “didn’t want to hear it.”

Sound familiar? Yep. Thought so. We put our best (social media) face out there, thus creating this false ideal of what motherhood should look like. The truth is, we don’t “do it all.” We do the best we can with what we have – and sometimes our best is simply “survival mode”, or something not too distant from there. And that’s ok! I, for example, FINALLY tackled the piles and piles of papers and …junk that had accumulated on the kitchen table. (You know how every house has that one “catch all” area for junk? I have such an area in every. single. room of my house, y’all!) While I finally got the table quite presentable, clean even, I discovered the kids had scattered toys ALL over the den; the boy dumping out every single kids’ book in his possession. Oi.

I digress. (surprise!) It’s been quite a week. (The fact that it’s taken me WELL over a week to get this typed up and posted should give you some indication of just how hectic life has been.) But we are all here, and we have all survived. More or less.

Oh, and Monday night, I indulged, letting my daughter brush my hair. When she’s fully in the mood, it. feels. fantastic. So she started going to town, as I laid on my belly on the bed, reading stories to her and her brother – part of our nightly ritual. All of a sudden, I felt a familiar tug as she started rolling the comb up my hair – before I could say anything, I found myself with a brush firmly tangled in my hair. We finished stories with a comb in my hair. We said prayers with a comb in my hair. I rocked my son with a comb tangled in my hair, and tucked my daughter in with a comb in my hair.

Then, I enlisted my husband’s help in de-tangling that confounded comb out of my hair. The struggle was real, y’all. Things weren’t looking hopeful, and I was trying to figure out how on earth I could possibly CUT the comb out and still do ….something…. with my hair. (And still be able to donate my hair in the process.) And then I told him he could snap the comb in half, if he thought it would free my hair. *light bulb* In the end, my hair came out, the pieces of the comb were recycled, and my hair was de-tangled. Eventually. Soo, alls well that (split) ends well, right? 😉

I conclude simply with this. I put the question back to you all, mothers of the world – or mothers reading my blog: How do YOU do it? How DO you do it?

You may also like to read about A Message from My Daughter:

Turning Seven, Painting Pots, and Surprise Parties

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 21:50:00 +0000

I am now the mother of a seven year old girl. While she will forever be my littlest Peanut, she is certainly growing up. Like many modern mamas, I posted on my personal FB page, gushing over how amazing she is, and how proud of her I am, and yet, how I wish to hold on to every last piece of her seemingly fleeting childhood.

But the truth is, I’m darn proud of the young lady she is becoming. With each transition to the next stage, I mourn the small and little pieces of her that slip away, while also welcoming the new she brings to our world. It’s bittersweet, at best, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So, in all her squirrely-ness surrounding her birthday, she started telling us a few months beforehand that she’d “never” had a surprise party. You know, in all of her (almost) seven years of living.

Around the same time, I got an invitation from the good folks at All Fired Up to try out one of their locations. Opportunity knocks, y’all. So, after asking my daughter in a very casual off-hand way if she would be interested in going to a place like this one day, she eagerly concurred. …and the plan just fell in to place from there.

I knew I didn’t want to do another indoor playground party, as we had done that every year since she turned 3. My son’s fourth birthday, which is days before Christmas, was celebrated with friends with a very small (on-the-cheap) party (basically, a glorified playdate with three school friends), which was perfect for him. So the opportunity to mix-it-up for her 7th birthday sounded refreshing.

Our experience with the Alpharetta location of All Fired Up, from start to finish, was absolutely fantastic! Since it was a surprise party, we planned for my daughter and my husband to “run errands” in the morning, and then meet up at All Fired Up at 10 minutes after the hour. So, my mother- and father-in-law came with me and my son about ten minutes early to get things set up, and welcome our party guests as they arrived. Samantha kindly let us in early and helped brief us on the party, and helped us get set up. The staff remained friendly, helpful, and patient throughout the entire party.

As the party guests began to arrive, they were greeted warmly and shown which pieces they could pick from for painting during the party. They took the time to help them make their selections, and then wrote their names on the bottom of their pieces for them. There was a wide variety of choices, which was great, since my 4 year old son wanted something “boy-ish” to paint (his words, not mine, I swear!). Most of the other guests were girls ranging from age 6-8, as well as my 3 year old niece.

Once the guest of honor arrived, and the stun of the surprise faded for her, she also picked out what she wanted to paint, and the party hosts got things under way. The staff walked the girls over to the paints, showed them the large paint selection, and explained how to use the tiles available to put little dabs of paint on so they could paint their pieces.

While the guests worked on their pottery, the staff came around to have them sign a special “happy birthday” plate for my daughter. We were able to take it home that day, and bake it in the oven. She now has a great token to remember this occasion for years to come, and it’s a practical piece we can use each year on her birthday!

As the girls completed their pottery, the staff happily took their pieces so they could be fired, and made a note on their sheet for our party list, so it would be easy to quickly match the piece with the child upon pickup. When most of the party guests had completed their pieces, the tables were tidied up so we could sing and serve cake.

P.S. If you’ve never experienced a double-layer cookie cake from Sam’s Club, your life is incomplete. That’s all I’ll say on the matter. 😉

The entire party lasted about 90 minutes, but it was the perfect time for the kids to gather, celebrate, and have fun. I’ve found in the past, there was an awkward time period during parties where folks linger and shuffle around, not really sure what to do. This did not occur here.

All in all, I was super-pleased with the service we got from the staff at All Fired Up, and we will certainly return for another party, or simply another outing. Everyone came away raving about the experience, and it was such a relief to have a relatively easy party for my daughter.

If you’re looking for a new place for birthday parties, casual get-togethers, and even summer camps, give All Fired Up a try – you won’t be disappointed. They’ve got three locations in the Atlanta area, including Marietta and Emory, along with the Alpharetta location I attended. You can even sign up your kids for art camp over spring break or during the summer. Furthermore, they have creative art classes for both adults and for kids.

And, of course, I wouldn’t be Atlanta’s FRUGAL Mom if I didn’t tell you about their frequent painter program, which rewards you for -you guessed it!- frequent visits. Ask your location for further details. Oh! And All Fired Up also offers fundraiser opportunities for local schools, churches, and organizations – what a great way to think outside the box for a good cause.

Thanks again to the wonderful people at All Fired Up for a fantastic birthday part for my daughter! Check them out on Facebook, Pinterest, and join their mailing list to stay abreast of upcoming events and specials!

Chipotle-Flavored Tofu Burritos Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 13:45:00 +0000

You may recall, my family and I gave up meat for Lent this year, so I’ve been on the hunt for creative ways to keep dinner lively. I can’t really say how I came up with the idea for chipotle tofu burritos, other than just to throw together some common ingredients and enjoy. ….and that’s basically what I did, y’all.

Ok, so it really started out when I bought chipotle-flavored tofu because it was BOGO at Publix and because there was a Berry Cart deal for $1 rebate on it. …and I built a mealtess dinner around that one sale item, based entirely on what I already had in my pantry and fridge.

To my delight, every one of my family members ate their dinner, even my picky kiddos. Ok, so the boy choked his down, but he *did* eat it. It may or may not have required a little come-to-Jesus convincing, but once he tried it, he decided they “weren’t bad.” sigh

Chipotle-Flavored Tofu Burritos

(1) package Nasoya baked tofu, chipotle flavor – sliced in to small cubes

(1) package frozen corn, prepare as directed on package

(1) can black beans

(1) package Mexican rice, prepare as directed

shredded cheese, to taste

tortillas (we used Flatout tortillas)

salsa
There are no concrete directions, beyond preparing each ingredient as directed. Scoop on as much of each to your liking, roll up, and enjoy. The best part about these chipotle-flavored tofu burritos is you can customize to your taste, and you can add or replace ingredients. My husband and I added spinach to our burritos. Lettuce is also good. Like hot sauce? Go for it. The second time I made these, I added a dollop of sour cream, as pictured above. So, go. Prepare. Eat. And most importantly, enjoy!

To the Mom Whose Kid Hit Me with a Coloring Book at Church Today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 17:40:00 +0000

Part of our family routine includes attending Saturday evening Mass, and this weekend was no exception. We drove separately, since my husband was going to take our daughter to a dance performance, while I took our son back home. I came in about 15 minutes late with our son, as he was in the midst of a Prednisone-induced fit when it was time to go. Sigh.

We were all sitting in the back pew, doing our usual Mass thing, and I observed the family in the pew ahead of me – namely because there was a little girl with redhair sitting with them. I noticed their mom, and likely her parents, with three school-age-ish kids. The mom and the grandfather sat between the son, while the girls were sitting betwixt the grandparents.

I quickly, quietly noticed the son likely had mild special needs. I also noticed quickly how stressed the mother seemed. It broke my heart to watch her out of the corner of my eye: I could sense the anxiety she felt. She was nervous her son may act out, or simply act outside the norms of what’s expected during Mass, and perhaps “bother” parishioners around them.

Advice for My 6-year-old Daughter, For the Teen Years and Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 05:08:00 +0000

For some reason, today I felt just a little extra whimsical while watching my daughter. Like many mothers, I’m sure, I catch glimpses of her older self throughout the course of the day, and today -for a fleeting split second- I saw my little girl all grown up. I’ve already shared my wishlist for her, but here is my collective little nuggets of advice for my daughter.

Advice for My 6-year-old Daughter,
for the Teen Years and Beyond

Don’t be a mean girl. Ever. But don’t be mean back to the mean girls – how else will they learn kindness if it’s not extended to them?

Love yourself, on the inside and the outside. Treat your body with respect now, and it will thank you in kind as you get older. Learn now how to take care of your whole self.

Be kind but firm.

My Wish List for My Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 17:52:00 +0000

I came across this post, from an old blog I created about and for my daughter. Unlike my actual daughter, this blog’s been neglected for about three years, but I wanted to breathe new life in to this post, as I still feel it’s relevant to her -and to daughters and children everywhere. What’s on YOUR wish list for your children?

My Wish List for My Daughter

October 2, 2010

My Dear Carol,

As your mother, I wish for you many things in this life. Above all, I pray daily that you live an exceptionally long, happy, healthy, meaningful, and purposeful life. I wish this for you, and any siblings you may have. I hope to help make those things attainable for you, with these things I wish for you:

Saying Goodbye to Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 May 2015 07:20:00 +0000

It seems like it was just last week I walked my little girl in to Kindergarten. And yet now, in a blink of an eye, she was saying goodbye to Kindergarten. While I knew she was more than ready to start Kindergarten, I still knew this year would be filled with many “new”s: she started a new school, venturing away from the preschool where she was already well-known; which also means she made new friends, whom she embraced with her big heart and they she; new teachers, all of whom she seems to like, her classroom teacher the most!

In the last nine months, she’s become an even stronger reader, mastering even more sight words, gained more confidence as a reader, began to experiment with spelling, finished writing her own book, began formerly learning Spanish, learned how to skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, learned how to add numbers in her head, almost mastered shoe tying (gonna keep that on our summer checklist!), and grew by leaps and bounds in ways I never imagined!

I’m not sure what it is about Kindergarten in our present culture that invokes such sentimentality, but I will gladly testify to its strength. We weep when our babies start Kindergarten, whether they do so as the king of the hill in a preschool setting, or as the littlest guys in an elementary school setting. We weep because Kindergarten signifies that our little babies are no longer our little babies, and that, with each step they take towards their school, they take a further step away from our safe and comfortable arms, away from our safe world where we can control and protect them. They take a step further towards leaving the proverbial nest.

My little girl can now be considered what she calls a “grader”. Wow. How on earth do I have a first grader on my hands?! That I’m not sure, but I do know that, as I watch my little girl grow up -a girl with a heart bigger than any ocean- I’ll mourn the loss of each previous stage, watching small slivers of her childhood slip away, while also celebrating the little person she is becoming. And she is quite a cool little person.

So, here’s to a wonderful year in Kindergarten, to all the excitement this summer may hold, and to the wonders that await us next year in first grade.

You may also like:

A Message from My Daughter

Kindergarten Readiness

Starting Kindergarten

Painting with a Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:12:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Painting with a Twist in Buckhead. I’ve received a form of compensation in exchange for promotion; however, all opinions and bad puns are completely my own.

As a mother, I think it’s important to find ways to do “grown-up” things with other grown-ups, without a hint of kids around. Ok, fine, sometimes I consider a trip to the grocery store good escape… But now Buckhead has another great place for you to escape: Painting with a Twist. Here, you can paint on a canvas, enjoy good music, wine or beer, and create unique, personal masterpieces they can take to their homes or gift to others. The artwork ranges from landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, to creative renderings of animals, iconic buildings and florals.

Hey! Your Disney Side Is Showing!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 03:28:00 +0000

Recently, I was blessed with a great opportunity to host my very first Disney Side Party, courtesy of Mom Select. For a variety of reasons, we kept it small. Actually, with the threat of “winter weather” heading towards Atlanta, the party almost didn’t happen – but thankfully, the “winter weather” held out until we were done showing our Disney Side. 😉 The party girls consisted of girls ages 4-6, as well as my 3-year-old son.

We started off by decorating our princess party bags as our guests arrived. The bags would later be filled with party goodies. The girls (and my son) enjoyed using our Disney stamps, stickers, crayons and markers to make their bags uniquely their own.

Then, we headed in to the den and played a few Disney-themed games. Although there were “winners” with some games, no one seemed to be keeping track, and they all just had fun. Here’s what we did:

My Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 16:01:00 +0000

So I created this bucket list back in 2010. I’ve been able to check off a few things on the list, which feels nice. Some items are goofy, and literally involve time travel – so until the good ol’ Doc brings me my own DeLorean, I’ll have to just consider those things wishful thinking. But the realistic items, I’d love to accomplish in some capacity.

My Bucket List

Surviving Snow Mountain, Southern Style

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 03:09:00 +0000

So I completely get that there are quite a few “transplants” in the Atlanta area who have plenty of experience with snow. Heaven help us, we all learned last year just how poorly Atlanta as a whole deals with snow, so how on earth can Atlantans enjoy the local phenomenon known as Snow Mountain? It’s simple, we slap on our rain boots, and enjoy the cold snow, Southern Style. 😉

I was recently invited out to Stone Mountain’s Snow Mountain with my family to enjoy the tubes, the snow, and the atmosphere. If you’ve never been, make sure you go NOW, as it’s only here through Sunday March 1! Littles can enjoy The SnowZone (perhaps a child’s first expereince with -ahem- building a snow man), and enjoy the adventures of the Little Angels, complete with SnoBoggans – bigger kids will LOVE Avalanche Alley and Tube Runners. The whole family can indulge in snacks and treats at the SnoDeck, and then enjoy S’mores at Snow Fire Point while watching the sun go down.

Make sure to book your times in advance, as you get two hours to do the tubing. Also, check for discount tickets if you’re a Gas South customer. Check with ticket information for further details.

It was a wonderful experience, but honest-to-goodness, I just wasn’t sure how this Southern girl was going to get her two littles ready for the snow. Thankfully, my mom got the kids snow suits for Christmas, so they had a basic outfit, at least. I will share a few tips:

Surviving Snow Mountain: Southern Style

Signs of Kindergarten Readiness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 21:06:00 +0000

My daughter starts Kindergarten in less than a month. While I am not ready to let my baby enter the big world of Kindergarten, I am confident I have paved the way for this milestone, and am certain she is ready. …but what exactly does “kindergarten readiness” look like, really??

Whether you’re sending your first or fifth child into kindergarten, it’s never an easy time. You have a lot of pressure on your shoulders to make sure your child knows certain concepts before you send them off. There are some things you can start doing now to prep your child for Kindergarten in the fall.

Signs of Kindergarten Readiness

Letter Sounds – Every child entering kindergarten should have practice with their letter sounds. You’ll want to start teaching them their letter sounds by making sure they know the alphabet first. Knowing the alphabet plus their letter sounds is one way a kindergartner starts the reading process. You can help your child learn their letter sounds by repeating them on a daily basis, using flash cards, hands on activities, and even playing educational computer games. I started each of my kids with a simple ABC puzzle, and as they placed the letters in the puzzle, I would help them identify the letter, and it’s sound. “Oh, ‘t’ says /t/ like ‘turtle’.”
Reading & Writing – Kindergarten is all about learning to read and write. There are so many activities your child will do in kindergarten to help them learn these skills. However, there are also several things you can do as a parent to help prep your child for learning these skills. The number one thing you can do is always read to your child at every chance you get. Secondly, let them explore with writing. Their words might not always make sense, but they will increase their knowledge of writing as well as get their writing form down. My daughter loves writing messages right now, and I interfere as little as possible with spelling. We go through each sound and she writes out her words sound-by-sound.
Independence – If there’s one thing your child needs to learn for kindergarten it is about independence and self sufficiency. While it may be common for you to help them with things now, it’s important that you let them learn how to do things on their own. To help make your child a little more independent, let him or her do small things on their own. You get to decide what the independence factor is as it’s your child, but it is time to loosen the reigns just a little bit.
Relationship Building – For one of the first times in your life, you will be sending your child off to make his or her own relationships. Your kindergartner will form a bond with their teacher and classmates. You can prep your student for this by allowing them to be in situations where they can make friends on their own. You won’t always be there to help them make friends, so it’s important to let them learn to create this bond on their own.

These four tips will help your child learn a few basics before heading off to kindergarten. Just remember that it’s not just about the academics, but the social and emotional growth as well. What tips would you add to this list?

Stick Figures, Hair Clips, & a Message From My Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 04:19:00 +0000

The other day, I took my daughter to the gym with me. Not for any super-compelling reason, other than convenience and lack of child care. My daughter is five, going on fifteen, and isn’t interested in playing with the “little guys” in the kids zone, where her 2-year-old brother goes. So, got the green light from my instructor ahead of time to let her come with me to one particular class I take, Les Mills Body Combat.

What happened in the 48 hours during and then following that class, and the lessons *I* would learn continue to surprise me, even as I type this out.

I prepared her for the class, letting her know that it would be similar to the gym class she got to try out at UFC Perimeter Gym, but with grown ups. I assured her she was welcome to join in with us, and that it was ok if she didn’t know all the moves. None of us did, really. But I also comforted her with the iPad (don’t judge me!), a pad of paper, and her markers. On the drive over there, I tried pumping her up, getting her excited about doing “mommy’s class”, without trying to push her too far. She seemed on board.

However, once we got in the room, and other people started coming in, her shyness kicked in, and she only wanted to set up camp and draw and play on the iPad. Fine. Mommy needed to workout, so I went about my ways, while keeping an eye on her. She occasionally came over to me, to ask random questions, really just needing reassurance that I hadn’t forgotten she was there, and giving her attention. I came over to her in between each track, grabbing a sip of water, planting a kiss on her sweet little noggin, and showing interest in whatever she was working on at the moment. I continued to lightly encourage her to get up and try the moves, if she wanted.

Long story short, she hopped up a handful of times to try to participate. The moves were complicated, and intimidating at any age. But she tried. She ran a lap with us, and the instructor gave her a high-five as she passed, just as she did for everyone else in the class. She ran in place, holding my hand. She attempted to do lunges and other complex leg moves. My heart grew full watching her.

She was doing what her mommy was doing. She was imitating me. I was her role model.

During and then after class, she showed me two pictures she drew. Both were stick figures of me kicking and punching, like I did in class.

She was watching me, her mother, work hard. She was watching me, her mother, keep going, even if I wasn’t perfect. She was watching me, her mother, do something to improve my health and fitness. She was watching me, her mother, and taking notes. She was watching me, her mother. Period.

The following evening, which happened to be July 4th, I gave the kids a bath, put them in their PJs, and we whisked them out to see the local fireworks. They’re kids, and they need to make memories. After she got her PJs on, she insisted on taking out my hair clip and using it in hers. I instead offered her a smaller one that would fit better in her hair.

She wanted her hair clipped up in the same manner I had been doing this summer.

She was watching me, her mother. Again.

After securing her hair in a smaller clip, she held her head up, chest out proud and said “now we’re twins, mommy. HAIR TWINS!”

That’s when the emotions began to overwhelm me. I am my daughter’s role model. I am my daughter’s example of what a mother is, what a woman is, what a girl is.

I. Am. Her. Example.

I honestly just assumed, since she is such a daddy’s girl, and seemingly only has eyes for her sweet daddy, that she wasn’t really paying much attention to me. That she was more apt to imitate him, not me. Boy was I wrong – this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m getting a message from my daughter, loud and clear: daddy may be her prince and hero and ideal of a perfect man in her eyes, as he should be. But, just as I viewed my own mother through childhood’s eyes, I am her image of beautiful. I am her image of all-knowing. (Yes, she’s told me she thought mommies are supposed to know everything about everything.) I am her image of perfection, period. She doesn’t see my flaws as flaws, but just part of my perfect-in-her-eyes package.

It is up to me to show her what’s important. Our mantra for several months now has been “pretty isn’t important“. But those words mean nothing if my actions and my example don’t mesh with that mantra. I have this amazing, bring-me-to-my-knees humbling privilege of teaching this smart little girl to love herself, to love herself enough to take care of herself.

It’s my job to BE the good example. To live my life in an exemplary manner. My words need to match my manners. So while I serve my children milk and water, while I sip on (WAAAAY) too much soda or sweet tea, she is seeing my actions. Although she’s not interested in drinking either, she’s taken a sip here and there, almost as if she wants to like them, because she sees her mother drinking them. Or worse, when I serve my children a balanced dinner, yet sit down with nothing in front of me -or with some quick crap I grabbed from the freezer- she is watching me.

By the same token, she also sees me with a stack full of books at my bedside table. She sees me reading frequently, and sees the spark in my eyes when I do so. She sees me get up in the morning, and put on my workout clothes. She sees me scrutinize and compare at the grocery store, coupons in hand. She sees my husband and I discuss our meals if we go out, searching for good coupons or Scoutmob deals. She sees her parents say prayers before meals, attend Mass every week, and putting our strength and trust in God.

My daughter needs to see me mess up, and watch how I keep trying, how I don’t just quit. My daughter needs to see me defend myself, and not get pushed down and cower in times of adversity. My daughter needs to see me handle adversity with strength and grace, with poise and self-assurance – even if I’m secretly cowering in my proverbial boots.

She has asked already if she can come to class with me again. I will make certain she can do so at least a few more times before school starts back. I will hold my head up high, knowing my example during class is shaping a little girls’ mind, a little girl’s schema for persistence, hard work, and self-confidence. And perhaps I will even set us up with matching hair clips.

You may also like:

Tangled Hair, Starting Kindergarten, and Doing-It-All

Spinach pancakes {Picky Tot Pleasers}

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:05:00 +0000

This post originally appeared as a guest post on another site about two years ago, but that site is no longer around. :/ SO, I’m re-claiming it and adding it to my Picky-Tot Pleasers series. Lemme know what’cha think!

Call me Popeye. What can I say? I love to cook with spinach. Up until recently, it’s been in just about any dish I made with chicken or ground turkey. However, I crossed the line the other morning when I (deliberately) baked spinach in to my pancakes. That’s right, my daughter and I made spinach pancakes. On purpose.

Vitamix Applesauce with a Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 21:14:00 +0000

So I’m really loving my Vitamix these days. Juicing for breakfast, and sharing with my son. (Say goodbye to his multivitamin!) Warm Vitamix Chicken Tortilla soup on a cool evening. And now, Vitamix Applesauce, with a twist.

As you may recall, my goofy kids enjoy applesauce and frozen peas. I don’t know why, they just do. I’m not complaining, since they don’t normally volunteer to eat anything green. So, when I set out to make Vitamix appleasauce, I was determined to fuse other healthy foods in to the mix as well.

Here’s what I did:

I found a bunch of pre-sliced apples on clearance at Kroger, so that’s what I used. You can use whatever kind of apples you have on hand, but I recommend you stick with the sweeter, rather than tart apples. Also, I use all organic ingredients whenever possible.

First I made a batch that was JUST apples, lemon juice, and cinnamon. I used too much cinnamon, and my daughter was not a fan. So I made another batch, using other ingredients to blend with the cinnamon-y batch, to tone it down.

Remember my meatball debacle from a while back? Yeah, ^^^ this brings back fond memories.

Vitamix Applesauce with a Twist

You’ll need:

2-3 sweet apples
a splash of lemon juice
a small handful of baby carrots (I have small hands, sooo, I’d approximate about 1/2 cup.)
~ 2/3 c frozen strawberries
1 spoonful of sugar or sweetener (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon

Blend all ingredients, starting with slowest speed, working your way up. If you have a tamper*, use it to help push ingredients down. If mixture seems too chunky or not “smooth” enough, add small doses of water, as needed. I believe I ended up adding about 1/4 c water all together. Blend to desire smoothness and enjoy!

One thing I want to try with my next batch is to freeze it in small containers, or fill an ice cube tray and freeze that way – then I’ll have applesauce handy, and can toss in kids’ lunch bag in the morning, and it’ll thaw by lunch time. Also, I’m going to try adding a bit of spinach with this recipe. I’d also like to try a batch with dates, or other nuts, as inspired by The Blender Lady. What other ingredients would YOU add to Vitamix applesauce?

* I don’t have a tamper so I had to improvise. (What can I say? When you get a $9 Vitamix, you don’t always get all the cool accessories!) When ingredients looked “stuck”, I’d turn off and open the top and push down with long plastic spoon. Yeah, a tamper would be SOO much easier!

5+ Other Ways To Play with a Water Table

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 03:56:00 +0000

The holy grail of outdoor kids’ toys these days comes in the form of a water table. There are many great ways for kids to enjoy the water table with …water. And sand. I think we all know that, right?

But if you’d like to REALLY get more bang for your buck with these tables, consider alternate uses for the water table.

5+ Ways to Play with a Water Table

CARS! Most water tables have slanted surfaces, with ramps and other road-like twists and turns. Also, try trains, or any other wheeled hand-held toy.
Make it a sensory table. Fill it with a few cups of rice and beans one day, along with scoopers and small cups. Cotton balls and colored pom-poms the next day with kid-friendly tweezers, as well as big cups to transfer them in to. For preschoolers ready for scissors, toss in some straws, scrap paper, and kid scissors and let them practice.
Play dough. Seriously, what a great surface to create and mold with little hands. Toss in the play dough rollers, molders, and other fun toys, and let them go at it! For a fun textural change, mix the play dough with a little sand and/or glitter.
Noodles and rice make for another great sensory experience. (Dried, of course!) Grab scoopers, cups, and other toys you might use with your Play dough (see above) for a new sensation.
PAINT it! Water colors, some butcher paper or cardboard or just regular ol’ paper, some brushes, and -boom!- you’ve got a nice little, change-of-pace easel. Or kids can paint right on the water table, especially if you have washable paints on hand.
Mix it up: Fill it up with sand, or make your own “moon sand”, and toss in some cars, dinosaurs, scoopers.
Water Gun Station. Melissa from Stockpiling Moms suggested using the table as a water-gun filling station.
Shaving Cream – My kids frequently get “shaving cream baths” or showers – but you can also let them use shaving cream on a water table too. Bonus: the shaving cream acts as a cleaner!
Ice, Ice, Baby – Yeah, I just went there. Fill up some ice cube trays with small trinkets and freeze them. Toss a few small toys in small to mid-size tupperware containers, cover with water, and freeze them, too. Fill your table with the ice, and arm the kids with squirt bottles, and let them “rescue” the treasures inside!

Also, check out other ways to keep your kids cool this summer, free and frugal ways to beat the heat around Atlanta (splash pads around Atlanta, local water parks and aquatic centers, or indoor venues around Atlanta), great outdoor toys for tots, and outdoor toys for kids of all ages!

Atlanta's Frugal Mom

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

15 Books You Should Read with Your Kids

Gift Guide for Toys to Keep Kids Moving

Chicken Orzo Soup

Getting Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

Getting Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten

Summer Activities for Young Preschoolers

100+ Sensory Table Ideas for Your Preschooler

Car Games for Kids

Car Games for Kids

The End of Summer

Tonight I Let Her Struggle

Tangled Hair, Starting Kindergarten, and Doing-It-All

Turning Seven, Painting Pots, and Surprise Parties

Chipotle-Flavored Tofu Burritos Recipe

Chipotle-Flavored Tofu Burritos

To the Mom Whose Kid Hit Me with a Coloring Book at Church Today

Advice for My 6-year-old Daughter, For the Teen Years and Beyond

Advice for My 6-year-old Daughter,for the Teen Years and Beyond

My Wish List for My Daughter

My Wish List for My Daughter

Saying Goodbye to Kindergarten

Painting with a Twist

Hey! Your Disney Side Is Showing!

My Bucket List

My Bucket List

Surviving Snow Mountain, Southern Style

Surviving Snow Mountain: Southern Style

Signs of Kindergarten Readiness

Signs of Kindergarten Readiness

Stick Figures, Hair Clips, & a Message From My Daughter

Spinach pancakes {Picky Tot Pleasers}

Vitamix Applesauce with a Twist

5+ Other Ways To Play with a Water Table

5+ Ways to Play with a Water Table

Advice for My 6-year-old Daughter,
for the Teen Years and Beyond