Ally Noel

Latest posts by Ally

Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 04/26/2020 - 1:54pm

Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting.

Did you know plastic milk jugs make awesome fairy houses, or sugar cubes are a fun substitute for Lego bricks? Sometimes we all need a little inspiration to get our creative juices flowing. And we're here to help, with a mega list of 100 arts and crafts projects you can do with your kids in the comfort of your own home.

Our list of creative boredom busters, includes everything from paper crafts, like crafting a decorative paper mache bowl, to our best slime recipes, inventive STEM activities, and projects perfect for the artsy preschooler in your life.

So, embrace your inner maker, roll up your sleeves, and craft some memories and pretty cool finished projects in the process!

DIY Mother's Day Cards That Kids Can Make

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 04/23/2020 - 6:41pm

Use watercolors to make beautiful DIY Mother's Day cards at home.

Homemade cards make Mother’s Day extra special: When you add little handprints, flowers, and self-portraits, you are guaranteed to pull at mom’s heartstrings. Create the perfect card with these crafty and creative DIY Mother’s Day cards that can be made using what you have around the house and with kids of any age. Their homemade touch is the perfect way to show mom how much you love her.

For more ideas (literally hundreds) of crafts, activities, and more fun things to do with kids at home, check out our Ultimate At-Home Guide for Families.

Best Games Kids Can Play on Zoom Virtually with Friends

Submitted by Ally Noel on Tue, 04/07/2020 - 12:00pm

Charades is a great pick for virtual game night with the friends or family.

Life in quarantine has forced families to think of creative ways we can get together during the novel coronavirus outbreak. And if you need a break from playing board games with whomever you share a home, a virtual game night makes for an excellent (and refreshing) alternative. Whether you choose Zoom, Hangouts, FaceTime, or Skype, there is virtually no end to the technological tools that keep us connected.

Group games are so important to kids for so many reasons. You can still sing your heart out with friends, challenge grandparents to a round of Pictionary, or ask your cousin to play a game of Battleship. Despite the circumstances, kids just want to have fun. So, let the games begin!

For more ideas on pandemic parenting, visit our Coronavirus Guide for Parents with hundreds of activities and things to do with kids of all ages.

Working From Home with Kids: A Big List of Activities To Keep Kids Busy

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 03/29/2020 - 3:25pm

Almost overnight, many parents have begun working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Juggling the challenges of keeping our families’ homeschool education on track while maintaining our work schedule from home is not an easy task.

The Mommy Poppins team are seasoned WFH pros. With a handy set of noise-canceling headphones, we can work in almost any situation. When the sign on the door that states “Working:Do Not Enter” stops ...well... working, this list of independent play activities should keep everyone engaged and entertained. Some of these activities require a little bit of set-up depending on your child’s age. Take one tip from this pro: save screen time for the end of the day. It’s the perfect activity to wrap up your workday or respond to a few last emails.

Best Kids' TV Shows and Movies To Stream Now

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 03/22/2020 - 12:22pm

Fan favorite Frozen 2 got an early release thanks to coronavirus. Photo courtesy of Disney

We've rounded up our favorite TV shows and movies to stream right now, as many parents are finding we need to rely more on screens these days! We tried to make these picks our favorites, meaning ones that we don't feel too bad about letting them gorge on or even watching with them (our laptops balanced in laps, of course).

Read on for more than two dozen of our parent-tested-kid-approved shows (and a few movies) that are streaming on Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Prime.

15 Easy Trader Joe's Recipes for Families

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 11:30am

Stocking up your cart in light of covid-19? Try these easy meal combos.

For families, creating a pantry with enough staples that you can make several meals when you don't have time to hit the store can be a lifesaver. We're big fans of Trader Joe's recipes for easy weeknight cooking, so whenthings get busy, I turn to Trader Joe's to start stocking up.

Kids may love going to Trader Joe’s for the free stickers, hidden stuffed animals, and lollipops. But, for me, I have always loved the number of convenience foods this specialty food store provides, aka, entire gourmet meals I can microwave or throw into a single pan from frozen—and have ready sometimes in as little as 7 minutes. The packed shelves can seem overwhelming for anyone to navigate, so we’ve created this list of 15 best meals from Trader Joe's recipes, combining veggies, proteins, whole grains, and flavor.

Things To Do in Connecticut this Weekend: St. Patrick's Day Crafts, Maple Sugaring, Cardboard Sled Race, Theater

Submitted by Ally Noel on Wed, 03/11/2020 - 9:00pm

Smell and see how maple syrup is made. Photo courtesy of Visit CT

Cheers to being halfway through March! We’ve survived the transition to daylight savings time and spring is right around the corner. Several St. Patrick's Day parades are canceled because of coronavirus, but there are other ways to celebrate the Irish holiday this weekend, including shamrock-themed cookie decorating in Norwalk and a pot-of-gold treasure hunt in Newtown. There’s also a fishing demonstration, fantastic live theatrical performances, and a few more maple festivals as well. The annual cardboard sled race is in Middlefield was on at press time!

Due to coronavirus, some activities planned for this weekend have been canceled, postponed, or modified. We will do our best to keep our weekend picks up-to-date with any changes made by event organizers. Stay well, everyone.

Science Experiments for Kids: How to Make Invisible Ink

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 02/27/2020 - 11:02am

Watch your sketch appear in this invisible ink science experiment!

This low-tech invisible ink science experiment lets kids send secret messages to friends and family. All they'll need is a little lemon juice or milk. We decided to try both versions of this invisible ink experiment to see if the results were any different.

Commonly found household items make up the ingredient list, including juice, milk, honey, and vinegar. At room temperature, these compound liquids are colorless, making them perfect for invisible ink fun. Put them in contact with heat and the oxidization process turns them various shades of brown, aka, the ink appears! Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to make invisible ink with your kids.

Find more science experiments for kids in our STEM Activities Guide.