Father's Day Homemade Craft Gifts for Kids & Families to Make Together for Dad

Fathers Day

More likely than not that special Dad in your life already has way too many neck ties and bottles of cologne, right?  So this year, why not help your kids make a really unique Father's Day gift for Daddy that he'll always cherish instead?  To get you inspired, here are my favorite easy-to-make arts and crafts for Dads, culled from a variety of sources, that you'll have a great time making with your kids and giving to that special man in your life.

The Funky Luggage Tags pictured above are definitely one of a kind and practical too.  See Family Fun for directions

Screen Printed Ties are an original idea that's fun to create.  Who says dear old Dad won't love one more tie if he receives this personalized one from you?  See HomeMade Simple for directions

Edible Dress Shirt and Tie Cake is almost too handsome to eat, but your special Daddy will enjoy it as much as your kids delight in making it for him.  Watch the Family Fun video below to cook this up, being sure to have your computer speaker turned on so you can watch & hear how to make this easy-to-make cake.  Also, visit Family Fun for more fun Father's Day craft project directions

What a cute dog sculpture this is! Easily made from golf balls this would be a memorable craft project that golf-playing Daddies will always cherish. To make this cutie from FamilyCrafts.About.com, see directions

Have a Fathers Day kid craft to share of your own? Please leave a comment below telling us about it, with a link to the project's directions if possible.  Happy Father's Day To All!

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15 Cheap Summer Activities to Do With Kids

by Janis Brett Elspas

Outside or Indoors, this list of free and inexpensive, easy-to-do activities will keep your kids busy all summer long, till school starts again in the fall.  Pictured at left is Mini Mommy Blogexpert, my daughter (now a teen) who started backyard gardening when she was just three years old.

Outdoor Activities
1. Have a backyard sailboat race.  Just fill a plastic kiddy pool, make homemade boats, and see which one is the fastest.
2. Have a nature scavenger hunt. Give kids a list of things found in nature and have them look in the yard for those items.
3. Have a seed-spitting contest. Who doesn’t love to eat a nice, cold watermelon and see how far you can spit the seeds?
4. Catch fireflies.  If you’re lucky enough to live in an area that has fireflies, make a firefly-catching jar by poking holes in the top of a pickle or mayonnaise jar. Just make sure you let them go.
5. Let your kids start a collection.  Just make sure it involves something cheap, like rocks they find. Or even better, use the digital camera to “collect” items they see but don’t want to hurt, like flowers.

Indoor Boredom Busters
6. Make paper airplanes.  Download templates from the Internet, use them as a starting point, and see just how far yours can fly.
7. Have a sleepover party.  Who needs overnight camp when you can have “sleepover camp” for your kids’ friends?
8. Play indoor volleyball.  Make sure it’s okay with Mom, and then use a beach ball to play, with the couch as the “net.”
9. Build a fort out of cardboard boxes.  Cardboard boxes are the best toys!  Decorate your fort with markers and glue, letting your imagination run wild.
10.Turn your kitchen into a restaurant.  Make the menus and let the kids be “waiters,” then they can take turns being the waiter and the customer.

What is your child's favorite summer fun activity. Please leave a comment below this post and share their ideas with other families.

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.       

Raising KIDS To GIVE THEIR TIME Toward Community Volunteer Projects - Enter to Win $1000 Now in this Contest

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

I'm a mom raising my own children to volunteer in the community frequently -- my hubbie, kids and I each donate more than 75 hours per year to various causes.  Pictured here are my girls painting the barn fence at historical Will Rogers State Park in California last month.  This was the most recent community service project, a Big Sunday event, that we participated in as a family.  In fact, our family has volunteered for Big Sunday since our youngest (triplets) were just two years old.

So, whenever I hear about programs such as this I'm always glad to pass on information to this blog's readers about organizations such as Kids Who Give which is currently holding a competition to recognize children who are donating their time to make this a better world.

The Details:
Kids Who Give will select 5 community-minded kids, ages 7-17.  Each winner will be honored with $1000 to be contributed to the cause of their choice. Hurry, deadline to enter is June 15, 2010. See contest rules and complete this entry form to nominate a deserving boy or girl.

About Kids Who Give
Kids Who Give is a national program created by Farm Rich, the frozen snacks and appetizers company, to recognize kids who give back to those in need and to also educate other interested kids on how to start giving back in their own communities.

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.      

Cute Contemporary Baby Blankets that Are Uniquely Personalized - A Novel Gift Idea for Newborns

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

Exclusively available now through June 16, 2010 

from Zulily.com for just $29.99 (regular $48) 

I just love these contemporary monogrammed blankies for baby, a gift that will be welcomed with glee by parents whether this is their first child or not.  Features a smooth print on one side and plush back. Great for getting cozy and for tummy time.  Pictured above is my personal favorite, the Pink Polka-Dot Signature Initial Blanket by Two Tinas.

Product Details

• Felt monogram included in price
• 30'' x 30''
• 100% cotton with poly/cotton fill
• Ultra-plush backing
• Machine wash; tumble dry
• Made in the USA

Also available in this Kaleidoscope Signature Initial Blanket as well as several other styles.

Zulily runs special savings events constantly featuring a delectable assortment of comparable other brands, too, with each sale limited to 72 hours in duration.  Many of the products showcased are from up-and-coming boutiques offering designs that are truly unique.

What is Zulily, anyway?
Zulily.com is an online marketplace where you can buy top-quality apparel, gear and other goodies for moms, babies and kids (both boys and girls).  Members can save up to 70% off retail prices—not to mention discover all the exciting new brands showcasing their products here.   Only members can shop their sales, but membership is free and sign up is fast and easy.  After you register, be sure to invite your friends to join, too.  As the Zulily shopping community grows, so will their ability to offer you even better prices and selection.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Zulily.com was formed by retail and e-commerce veterans.  They're dedicated to bringing their members great finds at great prices, as well as giving emerging brands a place to showcase their products.

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert is a guest blogger for  Zulily's Blog.  However, MommyBlogExpert did not receive any products, payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Stay Connected to Kids Who Don't Have Phones

Technology

Motorola Talkabout 2-Way Radio Review

Links in this post updated 2/14/24

Parenting Hacks

I always enjoy doing reviews on family-friendly products that enhance life for parents, kids, and families as a whole and sharing them with all of you. This product test and review of the Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios was no exception.

MBE partnered with Motorola, this post contains affiliate links

Motorola Two Way Radios for 2024

My initial intention with this particular gadget unveiled by Motorola at the January 2010 Consumer Electronics Show CES was to experiment to see if the radio set would make a good substitute for cell phones since none of our kids has one. Prior to this whenever they needed to call home, they'd just use a landline or borrow a friend's cell phone.  

As it turns out, the two sets of two Talkabout two-way radios that Motorola sent us which are pictured at left, have been even more fun and practical than my four kids (triplets who are almost 13 and big brother one year older) and I could have ever imagined. The first thing I noticed out of the package was how the 6.46" H x 2.28" W x 1.35" D radio was perfectly sized for the hand for both parents and children to hold. The unit fits easily in a jacket or jeans pocket as well.

Set-up was a breeze -- our 14 year-old had both sets of radios up and running in less than 15 minutes. Also included in the package were detailed use directions in English that were actually easy to understand, plus 2 belt clips, a dual charger, one charging adapter, and two (3 x AA) NiMH rechargeable battery packs. 

All four of the radios -- 2 radios came in each package -- worked together as a foursome, my kids quickly discovered, so they were able to keep in touch with each other while each was at a different friend's house. That didn't help me much, though, LOL. With four radios out of the house, I was left with no way to reach any of them so I had to revert to my old-fashioned method of keeping tabs on them by calling the home and mobile phones of the kids they were with.

Nevertheless, these Talkabouts did give me peace of mind.  That's because after using them just a few times, they all reported back that they were very good about keeping in touch with one another. This impressed me that while they were biking around our hilly residential neighborhood which is adjacent to an urban area, they were able to stay connected to each other even when they were spread out over 2 or 3 square miles. A interesting sidenote: I was quite surprised at how well the kids got along with each other when talking on these radios out of sight of each other, since like most siblings they don't always get along when they're all in the same room.

Here one of my triplet girls is saying, "Copy that," to her brother who was about 1-1/2 miles away at the time. Based on the first few times we've used them, this product appears to live up to just about everything that was in the pitch I received from Colleen, Motorola's PR representative for this product line. 

Among its proven benefits, our family confirmed -- most notably -- this is a must-have product for active moms, dads, caregivers and their children that is practical for just about every adventure. It's also very easy to use -- for kids and technologically-challenged adults alike and is sturdy enough for youngsters who tend to break things (like mine) 

As a Certified Online Mom I will mention that like most other electronic devices, this has the potential to be most helpful when used properly but not if it's abused. I found this out accidentally when the kids started switching through the wide choice of channels on their radios just for the fun of it, listening in on some adult conversations on other people's radios that were definitely not G-rated.

I happened to overhear them playing around and I called an impromptu family meeting so we could go over the rules: if they used the radios responsibly they could hang on to them, otherwise I would take them away. Yes, technology can be a boom or bane to our children's existence. But, if parents teach their kids about responsible use, whole families can benefit from gadgets such as this Motorola's Talkabout line.

My kids and I look forward to testing our two sets of radios some more in the field as we travel both by air (to stay in touch in busy airports) and by car (especially when we are visiting museums National Parks) this summer while on vacation.

More About Motorola 2-Way Radios

The Motorola Talkabout two-way radio line (available as of 2024) includes an entry level Motorola 3 Radio Talkabout Set suitable for age-appropriate younger kids. A more advanced Motorola Two Way Radio 2-Device Set also currently is available and is designed for use by responsible teenagers and adults. Current models of Motorola 2-Way Radios are available on Amazon and at big box stores such as Target and Best Buy. Visit the Motorola's Amazon Store for additional consumer information on their wide assortment of Motorola two-way radios.

Mommy Blog Expert participates in the Amazon Affiliate program so we receive a bit of compensation, at no extra cost to you when you make a purchase using our Amazon links. 

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert received two sets of the Motorola Talkabout MC220R to facilitate this review. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.