Mess For Less

Patriotic Snack - Food Fun Friday

2013-05-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick and easy patriotic snack that you can bring to any party. Our red, white and blue patriotic pops come together in minutes and are so simple even a child can make them.

You will need:

Star shaped marshmallows
Sliced fruit (you can use strawberries, bananas and blueberries
Kabob sticks

We found these cool Kraft Jet Puffed star shaped marshmallows in red white and blue which are perfect for any patriotic holiday. I only had strawberries and bananas on hand for the red and white fruit, but blueberries would be a great addition.

I gave my kids a plate with some cut up fruit and marshmallows and let them create their own patriotic snack.

I did cut off the tip of the stick before we started so it would not be sharp. Please keep in mind it is still a stick and children need to be carefully supervised when making this fun snack.

The kids loved these! I mean what's not to love? It's marshmallows and fruit on a stick. Does it get any easier than that?

If you are hosting a party or BBQ, your kids can help you make a patriotic snack for your guests. They are quick and simple to prepare.

You can even add some patriotic sprinkles (which mainly stuck to the banana) to make the whole thing extra festive!

For more fun patriotic snacks check out:

Frozen Yogurt Covered Berries

Patriotic Cupcakes

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Slide Painting

2013-05-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I shared a Kids Window Art activity we did that involved the use of watered down tempera paint. I had some of that paint leftover and I am pretty frugal so I wanted to find another use for it. Since it was very runny, I thought it would be fun to pour and splatter it. I thought about doing this on an easel (which would yield similar results) but decided to use our slide to watch our paint drip. Slide painting is a great way for kids to explore the effect of gravity on paint. We used two methods of slide painting, dripping and pouring, and we loved the results of both.

You will need:

Slide or easel
Easel paper
Watered down tempera paint
Paintbrushes
Paint cups
Tape
Tarp or trash bag

I taped some easel paper from a roll to our slide to prepare for our activity. Don't worry about taping every spot. You will have paint get on the slide but it will wash off easily with a hose. I placed a trash bag on the bottom of the slide to catch any paint that might spill on the ground.

I explained how we would be dipping our brushes in the paint and letting it drip on the slide. This required the kids to get a good amount of paint on the brush. They were excited to see what would happen to the paint when they dripped it on the slide.

They noticed that when they didn't load up the brush with much paint, it would just splatter on the paper, but if the brush had lots of paint on it would cause drips that slowly made their way down the slide.

One of my twins had the idea of dripping paint from the ground to see if it would have the safe effect. It did.

A few times during the drip painting activity, the kids commented about how slowly the paint was moving. I suggested that we try pouring the paint directly from the cup to see if it moved any faster. My twins predicted that it would go faster while my youngest thought it would be the same.

The results were very different. The paint rushed down the slide when we poured it as opposed to the slow dripping.

It was fun to do this slide painting activity with different colors of paint as they looked really pretty when combined.

We used every last bit of paint.

Because of the way the paper was taped, all the paint colors seemed to flow in the same direction. The kids noticed that occurred even when they changed where they poured the paint from.

If you don't have a slide at home, this would be fun to do on an easel or even a piece of plywood covered with paper leaned against a fence. There are lots of ways you can explore drip painting and pour painting with kids.

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Exploding Milk Experiment

2013-05-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever started out doing one thing and ended up with something totally different? That's what happened with our exploding milk experiment. It started off as a completely innocent experiment using milk, food coloring and dish soap and ended up as a bubbly, fizzy adventure. We did all of these activities at once but you can split them up over a series of days culminating with the exploding milk experiment.

If you are interested in purchasing supplies for this activity, affiliate links are provided at the end of this post.

You will need:

Milk
Dish soap in a small cup
Food coloring
Tooth picks
Baking soda
Vinegar
Bowl or container for milk

We started out by adding a few drops of food coloring to some milk.

Then we dipped a toothpick in some dish soap and touched it to the food coloring in the milk. My daughter was so impressed with the reaction that took place between the dish soap and the liquid. I think it's pretty impressive, don't you?

Next, she tried stirring it up with her toothpick.

My other daughter worked with blue food coloring.

She had the same cool result when the dish soap made contact with the liquid.

Then she added lots of different colors for a rainbow effect.

At this point I had the idea to add baking soda and vinegar to the milk and food coloring mixture. I didn't know if the milk would curdle. I was surprised when the baking soda and vinegar acted as they normally did and caused a bubbling, fizzy eruption. Apparently the milk made no difference. As you can see my youngest was surprised as well.

We loved how the resulting foam was colored from the food coloring. We added some more food coloring to the mixture along with more baking soda and vinegar and it was fun watching the colors bubble up.

We also tried adding food coloring on top of the bubbled mixture and using a spoon to make beautiful swirls.

The kids really loved all the experiments we did with the milk and food coloring but the exploding milk experiment was by far their favorite. They kept asking me to add more vinegar and baking soda, so you want to make sure you have a good sized container so the milk doesn't overflow.

For more fun science experiments check out:

Chemical Reactions for Preschoolers

Balloon Experiments

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Crescent Roll S'mores - Food Fun Friday

2013-05-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good crescent roll recipe? From a breakfast, to a main dish to a dessert, you can truly do it all with crescent rolls. Today's crescent roll recipe is sure to become a family favorite. How do I know? Well, I've combined all the elements you normally find in a s'more and added a crescent roll. Hmm...maybe I should call them s'mescent rolls. Think the name will catch on?

You will need:

Tube of refrigerated crescent rolls
Marshmallows
Chocolate chips
Chocolate syrup
Graham crackers

Preheat the oven according to crescent roll directions.

Open the tube of crescents and unroll. Sepeate into trianlges. Slice one large marshmallow in half for each roll you will be making. Add the halves from one marshmallow and some chocolate chips to each crescent triangle.

You will want to add them near the widest part of the crescent.

Then roll up the s'mores crescent. After you roll it up you will need to pinch the corners together to form a seal.

Bake according to directions on crescent roll package. While crescents are baking, crush a few graham crackers. You will be sprinkling these crumbs on top of the s'mores crescents.

When they are done baking, pour some chocolate syrup on top and sprinkle the crushed crackers over the s'mores crescents.

My kids loved the indoor s'mores. I was proud of myself that I only inhaled one. Hey, summer is coming.

Try this crescent roll recipe if you are looking for a special treat for your family. You won't regret it!

For more crescent roll recipes check out:

Fruit Filled Crescent Cups

Apple Pie Crescents

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20+ Pipe Cleaner Crafts and Activities

2013-05-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

Pipe cleaners are some of our favorite supplies for kids fun. I love how they come in a variety of colors, are fairly inexpensive (I've seen them at the dollar store) and are totally versatile. I also have great memories of creating pipe cleaner crafts when I was a kid. Well, pipe cleaners are still very popular all these years later. Check out over 20 ideas for Pipe Cleaner Crafts and Activities from my friends over at The PLAY Group.

Making Robots from Train Up A Child

The Very Hungry Pasta Caterpillar from Powerful Mothering

Pipe Cleaner First Sculpture from Craftulate

Straw and Jewelry Creations from Mess For Less

Spoon Ants from Train Up A Child

Pipe Cleaner Beading from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Pipe Cleaner Trees for Wooden Train Layouts from Play Trains

Counting Bead Fun from Mess For Less

Shamrock Crystals from Housing a Forest

Rainbow Discovery Bottles from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Glowing Aliens from Train Up A Child

Beads and Pipe Cleaners from Craftulate

Pipe Cleaner Counting Game from Mess For Less

Hungry Caterpillar Egg Carton Craft from Crafts for Kidlets

Pipe Cleaner Cat Whiskers from Train Up A Child

Pipe Cleaner Butterflies from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Fine Motor Skills with Colanders from Mess For Less

Hand Print Flowers for Spring from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Egg Carton Turtle Craft from Train Up A Child

Practice Spelling with Pipe Cleaners from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Spring Playdough from Mess For Less

Practice Spelling with Pipe Cleaners from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Pipe Cleaner Challenge from Housing a Forest

Patterned Bead Snake from Mess For Less

This collection of pipe cleaner crafts and activities is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much you can do with pipe cleaners to help kids, learn, play and create art. I would love to hear about some of your favorite pipe cleaner crafts.

For more great ideas for kids visit The PLAY Group on Pinterest, like us on Facebook or join our community on G+ The PLAY Group's Playground.

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Glitter Oobleck Recipe

2013-05-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried an oobleck recipe with your kids? Oobleck - a slime that possesses the properties of both a liquid and solid - is simple to make using cornstarch and water. We decided to spice up our ordinary oobleck recipe by adding some glitter and food coloring. The kids loved exploring this messy substance and we even added some marbles for more sensory fun.

If you are interested in purchasing supplies for this activity, affiliate links are provided at the end of this post.

You will need the following to make one batch of our oobleck recipe:

1 1/2-2 cups of cornstarch
1 cup of water
Food coloring
Glitter

Combine the water and cornstarch. If you would like a more solid oobleck you can add the full 2 cups of cornstarch. We added 1 1/2 cups and did so a little at a time as the kids wanted to see how the water changed as we added more and more cornstarch.

We also added some food coloring and glitter (it makes everything better) and then stirred. One of my daughters is not fond of getting her hands dirty. She was perfectly happily to explore the various properties of the oobleck using a spoon. She did venture out and touch it with the tip of her finger and that seemed to confirm that it wasn't her thing.

My other kids jumped in with both hands. The loved trying to hold the oobleck and watching it run off their fingers.

The bottom of the container held the oobleck that felt more solid, while they were able to pour the oobleck closer to the surface.

Next, we added some marbles for exploration. I also provided the kids with some small plastic cups where they could scoop out the marbles they found.

The marbles tended to stick to the thicker bottom, so the kids really worked their finger muscles fishing them out.

As you can see, this daughter enjoyed getting her hands dirty with this sensory activity.

She actually liked getting everything dirty. I added some foil to the bottom of the oobleck container to handle and spills. There were lots, but the interesting thing is that the spills turned solid pretty quickly.

This sensory experience even provided an opportunity for cooperative play among sisters. They experimented with mixing their colors of oobleck together.

Instead of just making a basic oobleck recipe, jazz it up by adding some things you already have at home like glitter and marbles. What do you think would be fun to add to this oobleck recipe?

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Monkey Bread French Toast Recipe- Food Fun Friday

2013-05-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today I will be sharing a yummy Monkey Bread French Toast recipe that my kids helped me make. This is a special, once-in-a-while meal to make for breakfast or brunch. It is very rich and decadent and will be my new special occasion go-to meal. You won't be scrambling to make this french toast recipe in the morning, as you prepare it the night before and simply pop it in the oven in the AM. Does it get any easier than that?

Recipe and instructions from A Little Bite of Life.

Ingredients:

1 large loaf of French bread
6 eggs
4 tablespoons of melted butter
2 cups of half and half
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of vanilla

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
9 x 13 casserole dish

I cut the bread into slices and gave them to the kids to tear into smaller pieces. You can also cut the bread into cubes yourself if you don't have kid helpers, but this was so fun for them and they got to practice their fine motors skills as bread isn't always that easy to tear.

When they are done tearing the bread, they can help you place it in a greased 9 x 13 casserole pan.

The bread should fill the pan almost to the top.

In a large bowl mix the eggs, melted butter, half and half, vanilla and cinnamon. This is another great job for kids.

Pour the mixture over the bread, making sure it covers the bread completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Now it's time to make your glaze. In a saucepan melt the 1/2 cup of butter on medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Heat the mixture on low heat until it comes to a boil. You will need to keep stirring the mixture as it will thicken. Remove from stove after it boils. Pour evenly over the bread in the casserole dish that you refrigerated the night before.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Oven cook times vary. Ours started browning at this point which made our glaze more caramelized and crunchy. If you prefer yours to be lighter, just remove it before it starts browning.

I cannot even describe how good this was, you will just have to make yourself . This Monkey Bread French Toast recipe is a keeper. I brought it to an event and it was quickly gobbled up. Try it and let me know what you think!

For more breakfast ideas check out:

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

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Kids Window Art

2013-05-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, we paid a trip to the Bay Area Discovery Museum. My kids enjoyed playing in all of the exhibits, but their favorite was a window painting area. They spent so much time here that I knew we needed to recreate this kids window art at home. It was a huge hit! We set up our kids window art outside so I could just hose it down at the end for an easy cleanup. Learn how you can set one up below. If you are interested in purchasing supplies for this activity, affiliate links are provided at the end of this post.

This is the kids window art area at the museum.

To create your own you will need:

4-5 cups of different colors of tempera paint thinned with water
Paint brushes
Spray bottle
Squeegee

You will need to thin the paint before using it on the windows. If you do not, it will not come off easily when a child tries to clean it with a spray bottle or squeegee. I did a mixture of half paint and half water.

Simply provide your child with the materials and a window and let them get busy creating. We are lucky to have large sliding doors that lead out to our yard. They provided the perfect canvas for painting.

Soon an entire window was filled with their colorful creations. Painting in this manner is similar to painting on an easel and it really helps a child's developing gross motor skills as they are using larger arm muscles.

Having 3 kids working on a surface like this strengthens their spatial thinking. They needed to consider how they would use space and how they could work together and not get in each other's way. They practiced their negotiation and social skills as they worked on their art. I am proud to say they were no arguments!

Since the paint has been thinned it can become a bit runny after painted on the window. The kids observed how multi-colored drops of paint would form on the pavement as they worked.

When they ran out of space they used a spray bottle filled with water and a squeegee to clean the window and create a new art surface.

Some of my favorite photos of the day were taken from inside. I loved getting this peek into their creative process.

Time to clean that window and start again!

The kids had so much fun with this kids window art activity and they got to learn and practice valuable skills while doing it. You don't need a large sliding glass door like we have to do this. Any low window will suffice. You can also do this indoors if the weather is not cooperating. Place a drop cloth on the ground and cover any wood areas. However, the clean up won't be as easy as it is outdoors. I just took a hose to the window and ground and the paint was gone in a matter of minutes.

For more painting activities, check out:

Painting with Golf Balls

Painting with Feathers

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Crayon Roll - Kids Art Kit

2013-05-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in purchasing supplies for this project, affiliate links are provided below.

I was at a MOPS meeting last week where we made a crayon roll kids art kit. It was so simple to make and is the perfect thing to bring to a restaurant or doctor's office. This kids art kit can be made in 5-10 minutes and is easy when you use the template I've provided.

You will need:

10 inch by 6 1/2 inch piece of felt
6 crayons
Scissor
4x6 inch blank notepad
23 inch piece of grosgrain ribbon (3/8 of an inch wide)
Dark colored ballpoint pen
Custom Template

Using the template I have provided, cut the rectangle shape out and place it over your felt. (Tape the template and felt together to prevent slippage, if needed.) Using a ballpoint pen, poke through each of the dots on the template so some ink appears on the felt. Once all of the holes have been poked through, remove the template and "connect the dots" on the felt. You should be left with lines indicating where to cut. Carefully cut on all of the lines.

An easy way for me to cut them was to fold the felt in half and cut a small incision where the lines were and then open up the felt so I could cut the rest.

When the lines are all cut, insert the pad into the two long lines as shown below.

Then push your crayons through the holes as shown. If they are feeling tight going in, just cut the felt a tiny bit more being careful not to go through to the next cut.

Next, thread the ribbon through the slits in the back. Some people find it easier to thread the ribbon first before inserting the pad and crayon, but I thought it was pretty simple either way.

Tie the ribbon to close the kids art kit, and your child is ready to create!

My kids loved the art kits and now that I see how easy they are to make, I am thinking of making some as party favors. You can change the felt and ribbon colors to really customize the look.

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Preparing your Yard for Spring

2013-05-05T15:00:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

My kids love helping me out in the yard. I think being out in nature makes things seem like less of a chore for them. They will help me pick up leaves and sweep. We have even pulled weeds together. They especially love the whole process of Spring planting. They think it's fun to dig in the dirt, scoop the soil, plant seeds, water them and watch them grow. With the kids working on those tasks,I can start thinking about prepping the yard for Spring.

If you are also looking to prepare your yard for Spring, here are a few gardening supplies you may find helpful:

Plants that can thrive in your area
Potting soil
Shovel
Pruners
Rake
Trowel
Scotts Nature Scapes mulch or Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch
Kid helpers

Scotts Nature Scape Mulch and Scotts Florida Eucalyptus Mulch can help you prep your yard for Spring. The Eucalyptus Mulch contributes to sustainable gardening and prevents weeds naturally. It's 100% natural and contains no debris or waste materials.

When we moved to our house last year we knew that we would have to replace the mulch around our swing set. It certainly has seen better days. It is dry, faded and lets weeds through.

Simply put, it is not a fun place for kids to play and it is something of an eyesore. But replacing that old mulch with Scotts Nature Scapes mulch will give the yard a much needed facelift. It comes in 3 colors: Classic Black, Sierra Red and Deep Forest which will work perfectly with our woodsy backdrop.

Since Scotts mulch prevents weeds naturally and retains moisture, I am thinking it will be perfect to put around our rose bushes as well.

How do you prepare your garden for Spring? Do you have any special projects you will be doing in your yard?

Learn Through Movement: Science - Balloon Experiments

2013-05-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the final part in the Learn Through Movement series that I am doing with Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Train Up a Child. All week, we have been sharing movement activities that encourage learning. I previously shared Math and Reading movement activities. Today's Learn Through Movement activity will teach kids some fun Science lessons using balloons and wind.

You will need:

Balloons
String

Start out by blowing up a bunch of balloons. You will be using these later. I inflated them while my kids were napping and hid them in another room until it was time to use them for our experiments.

Provide your child with a deflated balloon and ask them to describe it. My daughter said it was flat. I asked why it was flat and she said "you need to blow it up!"

Next, inflate the balloon and ask your child to describe the differences. After I inflated it, I asked my kids to describe how the balloon looked and felt. Some of the words they used: "round like a ball," "fat" and "full." We talked about how the air I used to blow up the balloon made it change.

Remember all those balloons you inflated before? Now is the time to bring them outside. I was a little concerned our experiments would fail since it was 90 degrees out, but there was still a decent amount of wind in the air.

As soon as I placed the balloons on the ground outside, the wind started moving them all about. The kids had such fun chasing them and trying to catch them. I asked the kids why the balloons kept getting away and they all knew it was because of the wind. We played with balloons indoors as well and they were not getting away so I asked why they stayed in one spot inside. My youngest realized it was because there was no wind inside.

Challenge your child to keep the balloon up in the air by hitting it. Ask them to notice what happens when they stop hitting the balloon. My girls noticed that the balloon would fall to the ground when they stopped hitting it.

At one point, my daughter threw up her balloon and the wind got hold of it and carried it out on top of our shed. This was a great opportunity for her to observe the wind at work.

Next, tie a string to your balloon and see what happens. My daughters were convinced that a string would make the balloon float. They are so used to getting helium filled balloons on strings that they assumed the string was what made the balloon float. We had a brief and very basic discussion about helium filled balloons.

We noticed that even when we tied a string to the balloon, it still did not move when there was no wind.

Ask your child to run while holding their balloon on a string. When my daughter did this, the balloon started to lift up. We noticed that the air would hold the balloon up when we ran. We experimented with different kinds of movement - walking, running, spinning to see what would lift up the balloon.

My kids had so much fun learning about wind and air through balloons. Let's face it, kids love balloons, and using them to teach some basic science concepts help them learn through movement. I hope you've enjoyed our Learn Through Movement series!

Learn Through Movement is a series from Train Up a Child, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Mess For Less.

More Learn Through Movement Science activities:

Insect and Bug Themed Movement Game from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Gross Motor Balloon Games from Train Up A Child

If you missed Learn Through Movement Reading, you can find those activities here:

Gross Motor Phonics Games from Train Up A Child

Musical Sight Words Game from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

I Spy Neighborhood Walk from Mess For Less

If you missed Learn Through Movement Math, you can find those activities here:

Gross Motor Addition Game from Train Up A Child

Add It Up from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Number Hunt from Mess For Less

For some great Play Inspired by Nature check out these posts from The PLAY Group members Growing a Jeweled Rose and Housing a Forest:

Rain Painting

Puddle Play

Nature Prints

Nature Inspired Textured Paints

For more great learning and play ideas, join The PLAY Group on Pinterest, Facebook and in our Google + community.

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Learn Through Movement: Reading - I Spy Neighborhood Walk

2013-05-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to bring you some fun Learn Through Movement activities with my friends Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Train Up a Child. We are sharing all kinds of activities that will help kids learn while moving and having fun. Monday, we all shared some math activities. I shared our Math Number Hunt which got the kids outside where they practiced counting and numerical order. Today's Learn Through Movement activity focuses on Reading and includes free printables.

I decided it would be fun for the kids to go on an I Spy Neighborhood Walk. I created some free printables which you can download here. On the printables, I included sights that kids might see on a stroll around the neighborhood, and a place for them to record their post walk thoughts. There are pictures and words to help emergent readers make the connection between words and print. My 3 year old is not reading yet so the pictures were a big help to her. My 4 year old twins are readers so they used the words more than the pictures as they walked along.

I got some cheap clipboards at the Dollar Store and used them for this activity. Simply tie a pencil to a clipboard and the checklist can be completed on the walk. Before we left we talked about what a neighborhood was and what sorts of things we might see. The kids had lots of great ideas for things I hadn't even thought to put on my list. I then gave them their clipboards and asked them to read me the names of the things they would be looking for.

We didn't have to go far to check our first item off the list. As soon as we stepped outside the door, my daughter spotted a car.

Then they took off down the block in search of other items on their list.

We spotted some rocks in a neighbors front yard.

There were lots of flowers, so that got checked off the list right away.

A stop sign was a little more elusive, but we finally found one. The kids were so excited, they couldn't help running.

The kids managed to find most of the items on their list with the exception of a traffic light and a bicycle. When we got back home they wrote about their favorite thing from the walk and read me what they wrote. They also created an illustration from the walk.

The neighborhood walk was a huge hit! The kids keep asking when we can do it again. I would have never thought that something as simple as taking a walk through our neighborhood could be so much fun for kids. I guess it just goes to show that even with all the technological toys that kids have access to, sometimes you just can't beat a good old fashioned walk.

For more Reading through movement activities check out:

Gross Motor Phonics Games from Train Up A Child

Musical Sight Words Game from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

If you missed Learn Through Movement Math, you can find those activities here:

Gross Motor Addition Game

Add It Up

Number Hunt

Learn Through Movement is a series from Train Up a Child, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Mess For Less. Join us on Friday for Learn through Movement - Science.

For some great Play Inspired by Nature check out these posts from The PLAY Group members Growing a Jeweled Rose and Housing a Forest.

Rain Painting

Rainy Day Puddle Play

For more great learning and play ideas, join The PLAY Group on Pinterest, Facebook and in our Google + community.

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Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Country Crock

2013-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you love casseroles? I do, but I think sometimes they get a bad rap. People think of them as something mom, or grandma used to make. But casseroles are back! So what is making them so popular again? People are busier than ever these days and are looking to save time when it comes to meal preparation. Casseroles do just that. Most, assemble in a matter of minutes and can be refrigerated and cooked the next day. They are also a comfort food that bring back memories of simpler times. What's not to love?

Whether for breakfast, brunch or dinner, I make casseroles at least once a week. I usually make pretty large casseroles and freeze the leftovers for another day. A casserole is like a gift that keeps on giving. Since they bring so much comfort, I decided to make one for a friend who is having some health issues. Hopefully not having to worry about making dinner will give her the opportunity to relax. I decided to make her one of my favorite casseroles - Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli with Rice. It is simple to make and is a real crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

1 cup of uncooked brown rice
Country Crock (1 tablespoon for cooking rice and 1 tablespoon for recipe)
10 oz of broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
2 cups of cooked cut up chicken breast
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup of milk
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar or cheddar and jack mix
Ground black pepper to taste.

Cook rice according to package directions. I used some Country Crock in place of butter when I cooked the rice.

Steam broccoli and cook chicken breast. Chop up chicken breast into bite size pieces. You can also you precooked chicken from a package to make this even quicker.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When the rice is cooked, spread it on the bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish or tray. Top with broccoli florets.

Added chopped chicken breast.

In a bowl, combine the can of condensed soup, mayonnaise, milk and 1 tablespoon of melted Country Crock. The Country Crock provides a rich buttery flavor with less calories and saturated fat than butter.

Pour the soup mixture evenly on top of the casserole and top with the shredded cheese. Add some pepper to taste.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

How yummy does that look? The only problem with making a meal for a friend is you don't get to try it yourself. I had made this casserole lots of times, but am still dying to have some. I just might have to make another for our dinner.

If you try this casserole, I think you'll agree it's a star! Country Crock is looking for casserole stars. Think you have one? Head on over to their Country Crock Stars Facebook page to share a photo of your favorite casserole, and share in 100 words how you demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen. You can win $5,000 and a trip to NY or some awesome cookware. You can also get some great casserole ideas.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Learn Through Movement - Number Hunt

2013-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week I am taking part in a series with some of my favorite kids websites, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Train Up a Child. We will be talking about different ways kids can Learn Through Movement. Parents and teachers are always looking for ways to make learning more engaging and fun for kids. One way to do this is by connecting learning with movement activities. When kids learn through movement, they are having more fun than they would learning passively and their motivation to learn increases.

Today Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas, Train Up a Child and Mess For Less are focusing on Math, while Wednesday will be Reading and Friday will be Science. Are you ready to get started and see how your kids can learn through movement? Great! Read on to see how to create a fun number hunt that gets kids moving and counting.

You will need:

Popsicle sticks
Marker

That's it!

Number your Popsicle sticks from 1-20.

Without the kids, hide the sticks throughout the backyard.

Be creative and have fun finding hiding places. Since my kids are three and four, I tried to keep the sticks "hidden" in plain sight.

Explain to the kids that you have hidden Popsicle sticks numbered 1-20 in the yard and their job is to find the sticks and then arrange them in the right order before the time runs out. I gave my kids 10 minutes for the task. I told them that if they could work together to complete this mission they would all get a prize. If your kids are older, then you can give them less time.

My kids wasted no time in searching for the sticks. They climbed, ran and jumped in their quest to find the number sticks.

Once they found a stick, they ran back to drop it off at a central location.

When they had a fair amount of sticks, they stopped to count to see if they had them all. Only 14. We talked about how many sticks they still needed and they came up with the answer of 6.

One of my twins suggested we place the sticks in our mud sensory bin, though you can also just arrange them on a table or on the ground.

Finally, they had assembled all their sticks or so they thought. They counted one more time and started putting the sticks in order only to realize they were missing the number 16. They ran off to find it.

Remember the cat statue that was holding a stick? That was where I hid 16 and they passed by it many times before finally spotting it. They found it with a minute to spare.

Luckily, one of my daughters stayed behind to arrange the sticks in the correct numerical order while her sisters searched for the last stick. So all they needed to do was add the number 16 stick and count to make sure everything was in the right order.

It was and they beat the clock! They each got a prize! Later, they were hiding the sticks themselves and finding them, recreating the game. I love how they all worked together toward a common goal, got moving and learned about numerical order and other math skills.

If your kids are a little older, a fun variation on this game would be to make 3 identical sets of sticks and have a race between the kids to see who can find theirs first and place them in numerical order.

I hope you will try this activity with your own kids so they too can learn through movement. For more Math through movement activities check out:

Gross Motor Addition Game from Train Up A Child

Add it Up Math Game from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Learn Through Movement is a series from Train Up a Child, Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas and Mess For Less. Join us on Wednesday for Learn through Movement -Reading and Friday for Learn through Movement - Science.

For some great Play Inspired by Nature check out these posts from The PLAY Group members Growing a Jeweled Rose and Housing a Forest.

Mud Play Recipes

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud

For more great learning and play ideas, join The PLAY Group on Pinterest, Facebook and in our Google + community.

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Guilt Free Candy - Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy

2013-04-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

So what do you do when you are trying to lose some weight but you have a giant sweet tooth? If you're like me, you try and look for options that will allow you to stick to your diet while still indulging in your favorite treats. I had the opportunity to try Werther's Orginal Sugar Free Candy and it is just the thing for when you need something sweet -STAT!

I am the kind of parent who eats the majority of her kids Halloween candy - hey they are three and four and don't need that much candy. I can't pass up a sweet treat or bowlful of candy, hence the aforementioned diet. I am sharing this with you so that you know that I know my candy. I am a candy connoisseur. I am talking full of sugar and calories candy. Sugar free candy has never really been on my radar since I didn't think it could taste as good as the full of sugar options.

But I am not above admitting when I am wrong, and in this case, I was wrong. Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy tastes just like regular Werther's and has no unpleasant aftertaste. Your sweet tooth will never know the difference. I got to sample four great sugar free varieties: Classic (the Werther's taste you've come to know and love), Caramel Coffee, Caramel Apple and Caramel Cinnamon.

Each candy contains just 8 calories and 3 grams of carbs. Since they are individually wrapped, I can keep a few in my purse for those moments when a craving hits (like at the grocery store checkout line when I am surround by candy). I can indulge in the rich taste of caramel and feel no guilt about it.

I am not a big coffee drinker, but the Caramel Coffee really has a rich coffee flavor. It's like a having a cup of caramel coffee in a hard candy. My favorite flavor was the Caramel Apple as it reminded me of those yummy apples you get at a fair.

While these candies are obviously great for dieters or those looking to watch their sugar intake, they would be especially beneficial to diabetics who have had to make lifestyle changes to stay healthy. If you think these candies can be helpful to you or someone your love, head to the Werther's Original Sugar Free Facebook page where you can play a fun game and even get some coupons so you can try out the candies for yourself.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Easy Bread Recipe - Honey Bread for Food Fun Friday

2013-04-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

I was searching for an easy bread recipe to make with the kids. Baking bread is such a fun activity to do with kids. Measuring, scooping and kneading provides so many wonderful sensory and fine motor opportunities. Besides, who can resist a house that smells like baking bread. Yum! I found an easy bread recipe with a twist - the addition of honey! I was surprised how simple it was to make this delicious honey bread. But here's the thing, no one will think it was simple. People are really impressed when you tell them you baked your own bread. I don't know why, but try it and see for yourself.

You will need:

1 package of active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup of warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)
1/4 cup of honey
1/8 cup of melted butter
1 teaspoon of salt
4 cups of all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dissolve one package of yeast into a bowl of the warmed milk. Next add the honey, melted butter, and salt. Mix to combine.

Add 3 cups of flour and mix with hands until a soft dough forms. We saved the last cup of flour for dusting and kneading.

Place the dough on a floured surface and begin kneading for about 10 minutes. This was my kids favorite part. They loved punching, pulling and squeezing the dough.

When you are done kneading, place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it. Place the bowl in a warm place so it can rise and double. This will take about an hour.

Next, punch down the dough and place it in a greased loaf pan. Cover the dough and place in a warm place for another 30 minutes until it rises and doubles.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees. Our top started browning at about 20 minutes so we placed some foil over the pan for the remainder of the cooking time. Remove from pan when done and allow to cool.

We love our honey bread with a little butter which melts so nicely on the still warm bread. I hope you and your kids will try this easy bread recipe!

For more yummy baked goods check out:

Kid Made Baked Donuts

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

We link to these great parties.

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Why We Love Northern California

2013-04-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

I am not a native Californian. I came to California by way of the East Coast as a result of my husband's career. I have to admit I came here with lots of trepidation and sadness about leaving the East Coast. If you told me that just four years later I would come to love this place, I would have thought you were crazy. But it's happened. I love living in the San Francisco Bay Area!

So what makes owning a home in this area so unique and special? Lots of things! At the very top of my list are mild winters. Having grown up on the East Coast where blizzards were normal winter events, my appreciation of the San Francisco area began when we spent our first winter here. Sure there was some rain and chilly weather, but no snow or ice. I didn't realize how much I hated winter until I moved here. Now I am so spoiled that I cannot imagine living in a place that has snow and ice.

The weather is great year round, and there is little humidity during the summer. The year round nice weather has been a lifesaver as a mom with young kids. We have rarely had days here where we could not go in the yard or to a park to burn off some steam.

The San Francisco area is in great proximity to everything. Beaches, snow (for ski enthusiasts), the wine country, the woods and so much more.

You are never very far from anything which makes for some fun weekend road trips. Unless you happen to have three preschoolers in which case it makes for some LONG weekend road trips.

And then there is the city itself. San Francisco has a plethora of culture, dining and entertainment options. It's great for a romantic getaway or for exploring with the kids. One of our favorite places there is Fisherman's Wharf. We love observing the sea lions there and the Alcatraz tour is a must for visitors.

So as you can see, I have acclimated pretty well to Northern California. We are blessed to own a home in such a great place!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Mud Play

2013-04-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

We have been spending more time outdoors as the weather has been getting warmer. Recently, we played with our Garden Sensory Bin. One of the things I have enjoyed about it is that it is very easy to change up the bin and create a new sensory experience for kids. Here, we added water to our soil for some fun mud play. Kids love exploring with soil and water, and mud play is a perfect way to stimulate their natural curiosity.

You will need:

Bin filled with soil
Buckets
Shovels
Water
Sand toys
Small toys (we used frogs)

I let my daughters create the mud themselves by adding water to the bin of dirt. They would pour a bit of water and see if the dirt was the consistency they wanted. When it wasn't, they would add more water.

When my daughter was satisfied with the mud, she added some toy frogs and stirred them up. This is really a great workout for kids as it takes a bit of muscle to stir the mud.

Next, she added some mud to a bucket and decided to see what would happen if she added even more water to it.

Time to add some frogs for some "frog soup."

Scooping up lunch!

The great thing about setting up a mud play area like this is that it is very open ended. Kids get to explore on their terms. They get to hypothesize about what will happen when they add a certain amount of water to the dirt and then test their hypothesis. The mud provides a sensory experience as well as an opportunity for children to stretch their imaginations as they create play scenarios using the mud. Not bad for some dirt and water!

We link to these great parties.

For more fun outdoor activities check out:

Garden Sensory Bin

5 Games to Play with a Broom

Amazon.com Widgets

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The Benefits of Summer Camp

2013-04-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Poulsen Photo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With the school year drawing to a close, many parents are figuring out their summer plans. This could mean lots of travel, a relaxing summer at home, or summer camp. While we love the opportunity to travel or to relax and do nothing, my kids will be attending some summer camps this summer. What are the benefits of summer camp and how you can decide if it will be right for your child? Read on to find out.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned below for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Summer camps offer kids a great opportunity to stay engaged during the summer months. They allow children to continue to have routines like they are used to during the school year. Camp also gives kids the chance to have new experiences and best of all, make new friends. What's really great about most summer camps is that kids are attending from a variety of schools and children can make friends with kids they normally would not have met.

Once you decide you want to send your child to summer camp, the real challenge begins... What kind of camp will you send them to? There are full day camps which typically have similar timing to a traditional school day. There are also half day camps which are great for younger kids or those looking for a shorter experience. If you work and will be using the camp for childcare as well as fun, then a full day camp is a great option. If your kids participate in other activities, or you just want them to have time to relax and play at home or with neighborhood friends then a half day option works well.

Will they go for the entire summer or just a week here and there? This depends on what your needs are from camp and the personality of your child. Some kids like being busy and get bored easily. For them, going to various camps throughout the summer would probably be ideal. Other children like to rest and relax more and really enjoy the unstructured nature of summer. For them, a week of camp might be long enough.

There are as many camp options as there are interests. There are music and sports camps, science camps, art camps, drama camps and camps for almost everything under the sun. If your child has a passion in a certain area, chance are there is a camp for it. My girls are obsessed with amusement parks. It's my fault, we have been taking them to Disney World and Disneyland since they were babies. I was so excited to discover that Galileo camps offers a week long Amusement Park camp. I just know my girls will love it! They are so excited to attend and participate in art, science, and outdoor activities built around an amusement park theme.

I fondly remember my summer camp experiences as a kid. I didn't get to go to many because of our financial situation, but the ones I attended were always so much fun. If your financial situation prevents you from sending your child to camp you can always create a neighborhood camp with other families. If you have a small group of children and some trusted adults you can take turns creating activities and outings for the group. It's a nice way to get the kids out of the house and give them a camp experience.

One final word about summer camps - once you decide where you want your child to go, register them as early as possible. In our area camps fill up quickly and registering early will assure that you get the camp you want.

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Coffee Filter Flowers made with Tissue Paper

2013-04-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

We are big fans of tissue paper in our house and we have used it for many art projects. Recently, we combined it with coffee filters to make some Spring coffee filter flowers. You will love how the colors from the tissue paper transfer when wet to create these coffee filter flowers.

This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Torn tissue paper in various colors
Coffee filter
Green pipe cleaner
Brush
Water in a cup
Paper plate

To make these coffee filter flowers, you will not be gluing the tissue paper to the coffee filters. This confused my daughters at first who kept asking how the tissue paper would stick to the coffee filter. You will just be transfer the color of the tissue paper to the coffee filter using a brush with water.

Have your child place the torn tissue paper on the coffee filter and "paint" over it with the brush and water.

When they do this, the color from the tissue paper will start to bleed on to the coffee filter.

Let the coffee filter dry.

When it has dried, peel off the tissue paper to reveal a beautiful color pattern.

Gather the coffee filter to make a flower shape and attach a green pipe cleaner to make these pretty coffee filter flowers.

For more tissue paper crafts check out:

Tissue Paper Pom Poms

Tissue Paper Collage

We link to these great parties.

Amazon.com Widgets

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The 7 Best Crescent Roll Recipes

2013-04-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever bought a tube of crescent rolls? Are you only using them to make ordinary crescents? Well, hold on to your socks, because there is a lot more that you can do with them. We have made lots of crescent roll recipes here on Mess For Less and they are always crowd pleasers. Simply by changing up the fillings, you can make desserts, snacks and even meals. So grab a tube of crescents next time you are at the store and experiment with these delicious crescent roll recipes.

Strawberry Crescents

Peach Pie Crescents

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Crescents

Easter Candy Crescents

Fruit Filled Crescent Cups

Turkey and Cheese Stuffed Crescents

Apple Pie Crescents

Pepperoni Pizza Crescents

Let me know which crescent roll recipe you'd like to try.

I link to these great parties.

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Bunny Deviled Eggs

2013-04-18T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hosting a party and looking for something the kids and adults will love? Try these Bunny Deviled eggs that I am sharing at the Zak Designs blog. They are too cute for kids to pass up!

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Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

2013-04-17T13:25:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to be sharing our mini deep dish pizzas at the Zak Designs blog. They were simple to make and the little pizzas are the perfect size for kids or for adults trying to practice portion control.

Don't they look yummy? Head on over to the Zak blog to see how you can make them!

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30+ Pretend Play Ideas

2013-04-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

We love pretend play at our house. There is no better way to have kids take on different roles and use their imaginations. Setting up a pretend play activity can be intimidating, but it doesn't need to be. Here are some favorite dramatic and pretend play ideas from The PLAY Group to help get you started.

Pretend Cooking and Food Activities
Pretend Lemonade Stand from Bath Activities for Kids

Pretend Cooking with Real Food Scraps from Train up a Child
Pretend Birthday Party using Playdough from Mess for Less
Teddy Bear Picnic from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Tea Party Bath from Bath Activities for Kids
Birthday Cake Bath from Bath Activities for Kids
Ice Cream Parlor Pretend Play from Bath Activities for Kids

Pretend Sensory Activities

Penquin Sensory Bin and Small World Play from Train up a Child

Gardening Bath from Bath Activities for Kids

Pretend Playdough Zoo from Mess for Less

Imaginative Space Activities from Bath Activities for Kids

Gardening Bath from Bath Activities for Kids

Bird’s Nest Sensory Bin from Train up a Child

Beach Bath from Bath Activities for Kids

Jello Ocean Small World from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Insect Sensory Bin from Train up a Child

Sensory Tea Party from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Dress Up Activities

Vet's Office with Free Printable from Mess for Less

Astronaut Pretend Play and Study of the Moon from Train up a Child

10 Simple Tips for Dress Up Play from B Inspired Mama

Overcoming Doctor Fears through Play from Growing a Jeweled Rose

The ABC’s of Imaginative Play from Train up a Child

Pretend Play with Toys

Pretend Play- Magical Fairy Garden from Growing a Jeweled Rose

Imaginative Play with Toobs from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

Goodnight Moon Storybook Bath from Growing a Jeweled Rose

BIG Small World- Construction Site from Bath Activities for Kids

Creative Pretend Play
Box Cars and Trains from Mess for Less
Pretend Elevator from Housing a Forest
25 Ideas for How to Make Puppets with Kids from B Inspired Mama

Pretend Play Motor Activities

Kids Boating Bath from Bath Activities for Kids

Little Bear Pretend Play and Study of the Sun from Train up a Child
Fanciful Puddle Jumping& Monster Stomping from Growing a Jeweled Rose
Race Car Play Bath from Bath Activities for Kids

As you can see, creating pretend play opportunities for kids can be pretty simple and you can use many things that you already have at home.

For more great ideas for kids visit The PLAY Group on Pinterest, like us on Facebook or join our community on G+ The PLAY Group's Playground.

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Garden Sensory Bin

2013-04-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

With the weather warming up, the kids have gotten interested in all the flowers growing outdoors. Inspired by our surroundings, I created a garden sensory bin for my kids to explore. It was easy to do and the kids got to get their hands dirty and a do a little Spring "planting" of their own. Read on to see how simple it is to make your own garden sensory bin.

You will need:

Soil
Flowers (artificial or cut)
Rocks
Shovels
Pots

I bought a bag of potting soil and dumped it in a bin. I added some rocks and artificial flowers and gave the kids some shovels and pots.

I was curious to see how they would explore the soil in the sensory bin. One of my twins was loving the feeling of the soil on her hands as she poked holes to "plant" some flowers. She also had fun fishing out the rocks and counting them.

My youngest loved scooping the dirt with her shovel into a pot. She did this very carefully so she would not spill any dirt on the ground.

She worked diligently until she filled up the entire pot.

She then proceeded to "plant" some flowers in her pot.

The garden sensory bin was a hit! If you do this with your kids make sure you take time to stop and smell the flowers.

For more fun sensory activities check out:

Painting with shaving cream

Creative Play with Water Beads

We link up at these great parties.

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