Fun Tech DIY To Do With Kids

Children have a thirst for knowledge and love to experiment. Sometimes it can be challenging to find
projects that you can do from home that can help encourage this. DIY technology projects can be so
much fun, and usually, you can find the items in the house, or source them pretty quickly online. So
here are a few fun DIY projects that you can do with the kids. 

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Earmuffs

You might have seen these in a store already, but you can create your own music earmuffs at home.
The critical thing to remember is that you won’t be able to put your earbuds in your ear. Instead, they’ll sit
behind a layer of fabric. Kind of like can headphones - but warmer. Simply cut a small space in the
center of ear earmuff, slide the earbud inside and stitch it back up again.

 If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can use larger headphones, and replace the fabric entierly. If
you don’t love the idea of musical earmuffs, try putting on-ear headphones Into a woolly hat instead. 

Echo

You can create your own Amazon Acho by using a Raspberry Pi. Amazon has a range of walk throughs
and coding sources to help you manage it. And once you have tackled that, you can move on to turning
it into a Twitter Bot, a Minecraft Game server, or even just private storage. 

FireStick

If you have a firestick or Apple Tv, you might be surprised to know just how much you can do with
them - aside from watching TV. TroyPoint has a few really fun DIY projects that are really simple to
tackle. 

USB Drive

Sure we mostly use cloud storage or HDD now, but the simple USB drive has a lot going for it. Even
more, when you take the time to create your own case. You can opt to do something with dried flowers
and epoxy or perhaps building something with LEGO. You can get super adventurous and use an oven
bake clay to create a dinosaur or a happy potter wand. Bake for a few minutes in the oven and voila!

Jewelry

Geek-chic and ‘nerd’ jewelry is a big deal. Even more to the people who are genuinely in that culture.
You can create some incredibly unique pieces of jewelry like earrings or necklaces with old
motherboards. Of course, other circuit boards will do the trick, but motherboards are more prominent,
and you’ll be spoiled for choice on the textures. 

You’ll need to saw the board into the shapes that you want, and it is recommended that you wear
gloves and eye protection while doing this. Smoothing down the edges doesn’t take long with some
epoxy. 

You can pick up old defunct computers at car boots and online, rather than consider sacrificing old
motherboards that you have in the home (that can be used to build your own computers)

Simple and fun ideas to help encourage your children to get creative with technology and DIY.

Brown Sugar Overnight Oats

Breakfast has never been easier or tastier than it is with this simple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats recipe.

Some of the best things in life are simple; this recipe embraces that and plays on the goodness of pantry staples. I love that you can literally toss this together in under a moment for a no frills, but tons of flavor start to the day.

This post contains affiliate links.

Ingredients
1 cup of old fashioned oats
1 cup of 1% milk
1/8 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a food storage container. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Overnight is ideal.
Serve cold, or heated in the morning for a nutritious and delicious breakfast.

This recipe will last for 3 days covered in the fridge.

I love this cold and often opt for it over dessert. It is that good! I consider it my happy food these days. If you have a favorite overnight oat recipe I hope you will leave a comment and share it with me.

Find some of my favorite recipes here:
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Why Sweden Is The Perfect Place For Your Next Holiday

Pixabay - CC0 Licence

For a relatively quiet country in the chilly North of Europe, Sweden has quietly assembled a large
collection of fans over the years from those who love the country’s contributions to such diverse
categories as music, furniture and sport. It’s also a country that is on many people’s travel bucket lists,
and it’s that last point that we want to talk about today. If you’re looking for somewhere ideal to take your
next family holiday, then below you’ll find plenty of good reasons to get packing and head to the
Scandinavian paradise that everyone is talking about.

1. It’s a super-healthy country!

If you’ve ever wanted to be inspired to live a healthier lifestyle, then holidaying in Sweden is enough to
convince anyone of the benefits. Not only are Swedish residents some of the happiest in the world,
they’re also among the most active - and they make it look like a whole lot of fun, too. Whether you’re
taking long, beautiful walks in Skåne or heading to the northern Lule river to get the best use from your
Tailored Tackle ice fishing rod and other items, there’s a great opportunity to get the family out in the
fresh air, enjoying life together.

2. It’s full of beautiful scenery!

If you head to Sweden on holiday, it’s advised that you take plenty of photographic equipment with you -
or at least make sure your phone has a decent camera. There’s such beautiful and diverse scenery in
the country that you’ll want to record as much of it as possible. Whether from the rustic fishing villages
of the Gothenburg archipelago or the old-town charms of Stockholm’s Gamla Stan, there’s something
beautiful everywhere you look.

3. Swedish people take food and drink very seriously!

If you enjoy taking time out for a quick snack or a hot meal, then you’ll fit right in in Sweden. There is a
tradition of warming, wholesome dishes such as köttbullar med gräddsås - a national institution - while
both mid-morning and mid-afternoon are seen nationwide as fika time. At these times of day, it’s
considered traditional to stop for a cup of coffee and something sweet to eat; and in any of the cafes
dotted around the towns and cities, you’ll be welcome to join in.

4. It’s a great place to visit with kids!

Some European holidays are best enjoyed as a couple, or a solo traveller, due to the large amounts of
walking and “grown-up” attractions that make up much of the itinerary. Sweden, for its part, has plenty
to appeal to the younger tourist. Skansen, a much-revered open-air museum in Stockholm, offers an
interactive look at the traditions of Swedish family life, as well as the city’s popular zoo. Amusement
parks are also never far away - among the best you’ll find Gröna Lund, near Stockholm, and Liseberg in
the Gothenburg region to be very popular with both young and old.

If you’re looking for the ideal holiday for the whole family, you’d be hard-pushed to beat Sweden. It’s got
something for everyone, and is sure to put a smile on your face!

Play Doh Pre-Writing Activity

This play doh pre-writing activity is a fun way for preschoolers to work on letter recognition and writing while using their developing fine motor skills.

As we prepared for kindergarten, I wanted to make the process of learning the letters fun for Harper. We turned to our local discount store to find supplies. I came up with a really cute and easy way for her to practice her letters and see them printed too.

I am a participant in the amazon affiliate program. If you make a purchase I will earn a small advertising fee.

Supplies:

• A bag of letter beads; I found mine at Dollar Tree.
• Play Doh
• A Pencil or Play Doh Tool for Writing

Directions:

Invite your child to flatten a can of play doh .
Ask your child to pick on letter bead from the bag of beads.
Encourage your child to write the letter in play doh using a pencil or play doh tool.
Instruct your child to find more beads in the same letter and place them around the letter they wrote in the play doh.
Repeat with more letters.

This was a fun hands on way to practice letter recognition, letter formation and fine motor skills. It was the perfect way to mix play time with learning.

You can find all of my play doh recipes and ideas here.

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Glow in the Dark Galaxy Slime

My kids have been begging to make slime for a while now. I finally caved and made a really pretty glow in the dark galaxy slime. This was easy and fun to make. My kids loved it in the daytime, and at night too!

We loved this slime because it can technically be made with stuff you already have. I happened to have glow in the dark powder at home, so I added it. Use whatever glitter or confetti you have to make this easy slime. 

I am including affiliate links below. If you make a purchase it helps to my site up and running via commission paid via advertisers.

Supplies:

1 cup of cornstarch

Blue glow in the dark powder

3/4 cup of water

Extra fine black glitter

Small silver star confetti

A craft stick

Directions:

Mix the glow in the dark powder with the cornstarch.

Slowly add the water to the blue cornstarch.

Add a generous amount of extra fine black glitter and silver star confetti.

Begin to mix the slime with the craft stick.

As it begins to clump together begin kneading by hand.

Your slime is ready when it is dry to touch but squishy!

If your slime is too runny add a pinch more cornstarch.

This will glow in the dark if left to 'charge' in the sun. You can also use a black light to really bring out the glow in the dark properties.

You can find all of my kid crafts here.
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January DIY Inspo for You and Your Kids

Image credit - Pixabay

January is notorious for its terrible weather. And it isn’t just getting frustrating for the kids who are stuck
inside. For many of us, the daylight hours are short, and it can feel like we’re stuck in perpetual night
time. Below, you’ll find some home DIY ideas to keep both you and the kids occupied while we wait for
spring to come.

While you might be cutting back in January after Christmas and watching the pennies, there’s no reason
not to use January as the opportunity to get some small things done around the house that generally get
put off the rest of the year. Take advantage of staying in and focus on the little things that will make a big
difference.

Framing – So often we are given or pick up beautiful prints and think to ourselves about how beautiful
they will look when framed. And then they sit in our homes for months and months, gathering dust until
we get round to it. Which is sometimes never. When you’re stuck inside for days, it might be the
opportune moment to get out those prints and devote some time to measuring and ordering frames for
them. With a hobby lobby coupon, you won’t even feel the pinch and will soon have new pictures
breathing fresh energy into your home.

Table and chair legs – These get the brunt of household knocks and kicks and can often become
scuffed. There are some easy ways to get rid of surface scratches though – and it’s something you can
enlist the kids’ help with too. Whether it’s getting a small pot of paint to touch up table legs, or using other
great crafting solutions, you’ll soon have furniture that looks good as new.

Soft-furnishing repairs – Again, often so small that they would be overlooked by anyone else, but we all
want our homes to be in tiptop condition and, if you take pride in carefully selecting pieces for your
interior, then it makes sense you want to keep everything well. Accidents do happen though and so
make a day of collecting all the little things that need mending. It might be a cushion cover, a throw or a
pillowcase. Teaching your kids how to mend things like this are great skills to pass on to them and will
serve them well for the rest of their lives. For younger children, how about giving them a sampler, or
even some embroidery thread and cardboard with a thick needle to practice on?

De-clutter – Having a sift through your things at the beginning of the year can make you and your
family feel refreshed and prepared to get stuck into the new year. Start by tackling small areas – you can
even make a de-clutter calendar for a different part of your home to do each week. Talk to your kids
about the importance of passing things on and getting organized. You can even take them with you to
charity stores to donate their old toys and clothes.

With so much to mend and do, January doesn’t have to be boring. Get your kids involved in helping
around the house and you’ll be set for 2020 in no time.

4 Family Health Mistakes You Could Be Making

t’s always important to look after your health, but when we are young, we don’t tend to think about it as
much. It doesn't seem like something that you need to worry about until you get older so a lot of us
make poor health decisions early on in our lives. But as you get older and you start a family, it’s a lot
more important to look after your own health and the health of your children. Kids learn by example and
if their parents get into bad health habits, they’re likely to pick them up as well. They won’t lead a healthy
lifestyle on their own either, so it’s important that you as parents steer them in the right direction and
show them how to eat well and exercise etc. 

Image Source - Pixabay CCO License

Unfortunately, a lot of families get it wrong when it comes to health and they end up making simple
mistakes that can damage their health. It’s easily done because there is a lot of conflicting information
out there about health, particularly when it comes to diet. If you start making these health mistakes now,
it could have a long lasting impact on your family as a whole, so it’s important that you avoid them.
These are some of the most common family health mistakes that you should watch out for. 

Choosing The Wrong Insurance Plan 

Having the right insurance cover is vital if you want to make sure that everybody is healthy and manage
your finances properly at the right time. But a lot of families make the mistake of thinking that they can
save money by going for the cheaper option when choosing a healthcare plan. Unfortunately, it’s not that
simple and you will probably end up spending more money in the long run. The cheaper plans won’t
cover that much, so if somebody in the family does need treatment, it’s likely that you will have to pay
out for it anyway. It’s actually far more cost effective to pay more each month for better coverage so
your bills are lower when you do need to visit the hospital. 

The other mistake that families make is that they void their insurance in some way so it doesn’t pay out.
Things like lying on your application or visiting a hospital that isn’t covered by your plan may mean that
the insurer simply refuses to pay out, and if you violated the terms of the insurance, then there isn’t
much that you can do about it. This leaves you in a difficult situation where you need to balance your
family’s health and your finances. It’s important that you spend some time finding a comprehensive
insurance package and you read the policy properly so you know exactly what is and isn’t covered. 

Neglecting Oral Health 

Image Source - Pixabay CCO License

When you are choosing your insurance package, you need to consider oral health as well, but this is
something that a lot of families neglect. It’s important that you teach your kids good habits and make
sure that they are brushing twice a day, but that isn’t enough to maintain good dental health. If you have
poor oral hygiene, it can lead to all sorts of different health problems like respiratory issues and even
heart disease, so you need to make sure that the whole family visits the dentist on a regular basis. One
of the most important things is choosing an honest dentist with integrity so you can be sure that your
family is getting the best level of care. You should also look for somebody that specializes in family
dentistry so you can all see the same person. This makes it easier to schedule appointments around
your busy family life and it means that the dentist can easily diagnose issues that are affecting the whole
family, like diet, for example. 

Eating Too Much Sugar 

You already know that eating too much sugar is bad for you and you may be thinking that you do a good
job of managing the amount of sugar that your family eats. Unfortunately, a lot of people slip up because
they eat foods that they think are healthy when, in reality, they’re packed full of sugar. It’s common
sense that you shouldn’t feed sugary snacks and drinks to your kids all the time and hopefully, you’re
already limiting those foods, but what about things like fruit juice? Parents often give this to their kids as
a healthy alternative to soda but it actually contains just as much sugar, so it’s not good for them. A lot
of foods that are labelled low fat and marketed as healthy options actually contain a lot of sugar and salt
to make up for the loss of flavor when fat is taken out. Breakfast cereals are another one that appears
healthy but is actually filled with sugar. It’s easy to get caught out here, so make sure that you check
the labels on all of the food that you buy and try to cook from scratch as much as possible. 

Lack Of Exercise 

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Regular exercise is so important if you want to stay healthy, and you probably tell your kids that when
you are trying to get them to stop playing video games or playing on their phone and go outside instead.
But are they really going to listen if you spend your free time in front of the TV as well? If you really want
to inspire your children to stay active and improve your health at the same time, you need to start
exercising regularly as well. If they see you doing it, they are more likely to follow your advice and stay
active themselves. The best thing to do is to exercise together as a family, so you can all live a healthier
lifestyle and you get to spend more time together. Going for walks or bike rides, or even playing sports
together is a great way to boost everybody’s activity levels. 

Looking for more ways to keep your family healthy? Don't forget to check out productadvisor guide
to air purifier for more ways to keep everyone in good health.

As a parent, you always try to make the right decision but sometimes, it’s not so easy. If you are
making some of these family health mistakes, it’s important that you make a change right away.