5 Simple Ways to Bring Your Family Together

Is your family disconnected? Are you finding it more and more difficult to spend quality time together as a family? You’re not alone. Job duties, after-school programs, friends and even technology play a key role in keeping families from interacting with one another on a daily basis. Whether you’re a parent trying to reconnect with your teenage kids or you’re a child determined to get your busy family to spend more quality time with each other, there are many simple ways to bring your family together.

1. Play board games. Playing board games with your family, like Monopoly, is a surefire way to bring your family together. Get together with your family and designate one night of the week for game night. Find a game all family members like and simply kick back, relax and enjoy the quality time spent with your family. Board games are inexpensive and give out hours and hours of pure entertainment and fun.

2. Watch movies. Nothing brings a family together quicker than a good movie. Instead of opting in on ordering movies online, take your entire crew to your local video store to select the movies together. Let everyone pick their own movie and then vote on which movie to watch first. To keep the atmosphere stress free and inviting, be sure to order in a tasty pizza the whole family will enjoy.

3. Partake in outdoor recreational activities. Whether you’re into hiking, running, cycling or walking, get your family active and involved in outdoor activities. Not only will you help bring your family closer together while partaking in outdoor recreational activities, but you’ll also help keep yourself and your family as fit and healthy as possible. If you’re looking for a free, inexpensive way to spend time with your family outdoors, visit your local park. Remember, the family that plays together stays together, so get outdoors with your family today and enjoy all that nature offers.

4. Cook together. Food is comforting and tasty and serves as a great tool when it comes to bringing your family together. Be sure to include your family in the entire process of cooking a meal by taking them out to purchase the foods together, beforehand. Taking time out of your precious day to cook a healthy, appetizing meal with your family members is something you’ll not regret. Cooking with your family is a simple, memorable way to bring your family together.

5. Eat one meal per day together. Due to the vast amount of distractions prevalent in our current society, the majority of families rarely sit down and eat a meal together. Instead of sitting in front of the television with your food, opt in on sitting at a table with your family. Turn off all distractions and politely ask your family members to sit down and eat a meal with you. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, taking the time to eat a meal with your family is a great way to bring your family together.

Rainy Day Activities for Kids: Creativity Day

When rainy weather forces the kids indoors, don’t let boredom rule the day. With a little forethought, you can have ready-made activities for those times when your kids and their friends are house-bound. Consider keeping a “rainy day box” at the ready, stocked with basics such as construction paper, poster board, old magazines, glue, tape and crayons. For more versatility, include ribbon, yarn, crepe paper streamers and child-safe scissors. When dark clouds gather and you hear the distant rumble of thunder, don’t worry. With your “rainy day box” and a little imagination, your kids may decide that playing indoors is the most fun of all.

Have a creativity day! Have each child make a book. Cut pages out of poster board. Cut pictures from old magazines and glue to the pages. Then, have children write captions for each picture to create a story. Help younger children as needed. Cover each page with clear contact paper and tape each page together to form a book. Or you could use a hole-punch to make three holes on one edge of each page and string yarn through the holes to bind the books. Let each child take a turn reading their story out loud while showing the pictures to the listeners.

Cut out pictures of cartoon characters or animals from old magazines or comics. Glue the cutouts to poster-board and then glue to a popsicle stick to make puppets. Have a puppet show. Let the kids make up a story or a play to act out with their puppets. Providing the voices for a variety of characters can be hilarious for kids!

Use paper bags to make masks. Place the bag over the child’s head first to locate the correct locations to cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Let children decorate the masks with glitter, markers, sequins, cotton balls, feathers or any craft items you have on hand. Another way to make a mask is to use paper plates. Punch holes on either side to run string or yarn through and after the kids have decorated them, they can be tied on.

Make a memory box. Use an empty shoebox. Cover the box with contact paper or construction paper. Glue on decorations such as dried, pressed flowers, glitter, sequins, pictures or words cut from magazines or even photos. Cover all this with clear contact paper. The box can be used for anything they choose such as photos of friends, birthday cards, notes, letters or memorabilia such as ticket stubs from special events.

Form a marching band complete with flags and music! Make a drum using a coffee can. Use wooden spoons as drumsticks. For, cymbals, two pot covers clanged together work perfectly. Put beans or macaroni in an empty oatmeal cylinder, tape the lid closed and shake. For a stringed instrument, cut a hole in the cover of a shoebox, tape the cover on and stretch rubber bands over the box. Strum the rubber bands. For a flag, tape crepe paper streamers to a stick or dowel and wave in the air. Now, line up and parade through the house with flags flying and music playing!

If you have small dinosaur toys or jungle animal figures, use a shoebox to make a diorama of their habitat. Color the background first or cut paper to make a background of blue sky. Glue on cotton balls for clouds. Decorate the interior of the shoebox with trees and grasses made from construction paper, yarn, felt or other material.

Start a story by providing a simple beginning and let each child help to complete the story. For instance, you could say, “When I was walking through the park, I saw a black and white cat with her kitten.” The children then add to the story, taking it wherever their imaginations may go.

Rainy days inside don’t have to be boring. Children learn by using their creativity to entertain themselves and to make something they can use or display. So, when storm clouds threaten, bring out the “rain day box” and let the fun begin!

Kidkraft Glamour Dollhouse back in stock at A Kid Place!

With the Kidkraft Glamour Dollhouse with Lights and Sounds, playtime is more like real life than ever before. With its large size and attention to detail, the Kidkraft Glamour dollhouse is like your own home and perfect for the kid who can’t wait to grow up.

Features include:

Four Levels.

21 pieces of furniture.

Bedroom vanity mirror, two elegant chandeliers and stove all light up at the push of a button and brighten your child’s playtime experience.

Piano, toilet and stove all make realistic sounds at the push of a button.

Walls are decorated with vivid, eye-catching backgrounds.

6 large windows allow excited eyes to watch their dolls from different points of view.

Accommodates all fashion dolls up to 11.5 inches tall – perfect for Barbie dolls.

Sturdy construction.

Adult assembly required.

Batteries included.

Dimensions:

32.5″ L x 15″ W x 51″ High

The Kidkraft Glamour Dollhouse with Lights and Sounds is
Recommended for ages 3+

All paints and finishes on Kidkraft furniture and toys are lead-free and non-toxic.

Kidkraft Avalon Table – New Color! – Espresso

Kidkraft’s Avalon Table is now available in Espresso at akidplace.com.

Crafted from solid wood, the KidKraft Avalon table echoes the elegant simplicity of Shaker-style furniture. Timeless in design, and at home in a traditional or contemporary nursery or play-area, the Kidkraft Avalon table is kid-sized and specially designed to accommodate the growing child. The sturdy 24 inch high table has a large, central drawer for storing and organizing important supplies.

Dimensions: 24″ x 36″D x 24″ High

The Kidkraft Avalon Table in Espresso is Recommended for ages 5 and up

All paints and finishes used on Kidkraft furniture and toys are lead-free and non-toxic.

Some assembly required.

The Kidkraft Avalon Table is also available in Black, Honey, Natural , Vanilla and Chocolate.

Kidkraft Cupcake Stand Set Now Available at AKidPlace!

Our Kidkraft Cupcake Stand Set with Cupcakes is a perfect kitchen accessory for any of the young chefs in your life. Kids will love putting the cupcakes on display for the whole world to see. Maybe they’ll even sell you one!

Features include:

• Two-tier cupcake stand
• 8 pretend cupcakes – mix and match the tops and bottoms to make your own color combinations
• Smart, sturdy construction
• Made of wood
• Quick and easy assembly – it will takes just minutes of your time to have this set ready!
• Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions

Dimensions: 7.25″ x 7.25″ x 9″

The Kidkraft Cupcake Stand Set is Recommended for ages 3-8

All paints and finishes on Kidkraft toys and furniture are lead-free and non-toxic.

10 % off All Kidkraft Products!

Save an additional 10% off our already low prices on all Kidkraft purchases at www.akidplace.com from May 1 – May 31, 2009. Simply enter the code KKMay at time of checkout to receive the discount.

Kidkraft Pink Chenille Upholstered Rocker with Ottoman Set Now Back in Stock!

Kids love to be just like mom and dad, and now they can with the Kidkraft Pink Chenille Upholstered Rocker with Ottoman Set 18620. Scaled to fit a child, our Kidkraft Pink Chenille Upholstered Rocker with Ottoman is a comfy place for kids to read stories, play let’s pretend, or just relax with their feet up.

Unique features include:

* Finished in pale pink chenille
* Padded, thick cushioning for cozy comfort
* Secured on solid, natural wood bases for safety

Chair Dimensions: 24″ x 16″ x 22″ High (Seat 8″ High)
Ottoman Dimensions: 12″ x 12″ x 5

Recommended for ages 18 months to 4 years

The Award-winning Kidkraft Savannah Dollhouse is back in stock!

The Kidkraft Savannah Dollhouse is one of our most elegant dollhouses to date. Decorated like a true southern mansion, this gorgeous house is sure to provide girls with hours of fun, imaginative play.

Kidkraft Savannah Dollhouse Features Include:

• Four levels and six rooms of open space
• 13 pieces of colorful furniture
• Wide windows allow dolls to be viewed from multiple points of view
• Full outdoor patio area
• Large enough that multiple children can play at once
• Made of wood
• Sturdy construction
• Accommodates all fashion dolls up to 11.5” tall

Dimensions: 32 ½” x 13 ½” x 51”H

The Kidkraft Savannah Dollhouse is for Ages 3 +

Assembly required.

All paints and finishes on Kidkraft furniture and toys are lead-free and non-toxic.

Kidkraft Activity Center with 3 Stools

The Kidkraft Activity Center with 3 Stools gives kids a fun place to let their imaginations run wild. Just pull up a stool and let the fun begin!

Features:

• Two-sided tabletop – LEGO®-compatible surface on one side, smooth surface on the other
• Three wooden stools
• Storage space keeps blocks in one place
• Perfect for households with multiple children
• Sturdy construction
• Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions

Dimensions: 24″ x 24″ x 21″,

Each Chair – 11″ x 12.5″ x 22″, Seat 10.75″

The Kidkraft Activity Center with 3 stools is Recommended for ages 3+

All paints and finishes used on Kidkraft furniture and toys are lead-free and non-toxic.

Kidkraft Backyard Sandbox

Our Kidkraft Backyard Sandbox gives kids a perfect place to build sandcastles, dig for treasure and play with all of their favorite sand toys. Parents will love watching their kids have so much fun without even leaving the backyard.

Features include:

• Corners double as convenient seating
• Mesh cover for when sandbox is not in use
• Large enough that multiple children can play at once 
• Smart, sturdy construction
• Reinforced wooden panels prevent warping and weathering
• Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions

Dimensions:  60″ x 60″ x 8.46″,  72 lbs.

Materials:  Sanmu Wood

The Kidkraft Backyard Sandbox is now available at A Kid Place