PARENTHOOD – Whole Heartily

How to Play – Go Fish

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is finding things that delight and educate her; I want to find fun, creative board games to play with her during our family game nights! This week we played Go Fish the LotFancy version for 2 to 4 players.

This specific Go Fish game is designed for kids and does a great job at reminding Zoey of the numbers she’s already learned and recognizing /collecting matching sets! I remember when I used to play this with regular playing cards, which could be fun to introduce her to at a later date! I remember we would sometimes combine two decks of playing cards so more people could play and/or we could play for longer! Good times!

So let’s play!

IN THE BOX

40 cards

INSTRUCTIONS

Players take turns trying to collect sets of 4 sea creatures and whomever collects the most sets, wins!
Shuffle the cards and deal 5 to each player.
Place the remaining cards face-down in a pile between the players. This is your “pool of aquatic animals”.
The youngest player goes first, then play continues clockwise.
On your turn, pick any player and ask them if they have a specific number card (it must be one you already have in your hand). If they do, they must give you all their cards with that number. You then get to take another turn! If they do not have that card, then they tell you to “Go Fish!” And you draw 1 card from the pool of aquatic animals. If you happen to draw a card with the number you asked for, show the card to the group, place it in your hand and you get another turn! Otherwise place the card in your hand and your turn is over.
When a player collects 4 of the same sea creatures, they place them face up in front of them.
If a player runs out of cards at any point, they draw one card from the pool of aquatic animals at the end of the current turn.
When the pool of aquatic animals is empty, the game is over. The player with the most set of matching cards wins!

ENJOY!

How to Play – Hungry, Hungry Hippos!

This game was a Christmas gift to Zoey from her aunt and uncle, and we love it! Zoey’s favorite color is yellow so I think she feels more drawn to the version where whomever chomps the yellow ball wins, rather than whoever chomps the most balls wins. Either way it’s a classic, fast-paced game we all can enjoy!

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX

A game tray
4 attachable hippos
4 attachable marble release levers
20 balls

INSTRUCTIONS

Each player selects a hippo and places 5 marbles into the marble release area near their hippo.

BEGINNER’S GAME

One player is chosen to release a marble by pressing the marble release lever. As soon as the marble is released, all players try to make their hippos gobble it by pressing the hippo tails until someone succeeds.
Moving clockwise, the next player releases a marble and the process is repeated.
After all the players have been gobbled, each player counts up the marbles in their marble collecting area.
Whomever has the most marbles wins the game!

ADVANCED

All players release their marbles at the same time and (once someone says “Go!”) attempt to gobble as many marbles with their hippos as they can!
After all the players have been gobbled, each player counts up the marbles in their marble collecting area.
Whomever has the most marbles wins the game!

*Another variation is to see who has the yellow/golden marble at the end of the game, and whoever does wins!

ENJOY!

How to Play – The Dr. Seuss Pattern Game

This game was a Christmas gift to Zoey from her great aunt and uncle, and we love it! Zoey has enjoyed most of the Dr. Seuss books we have read to her and the opportunity to play a game with all the characters she recognizes is an opportunity we can’t pass up! Especially when Dr. Seuss’s birthday is coming up on March 2nd!

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX

4 game spinners
A game board
Goal cards
Tiles

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the board in the center of the play area.
Each player chooses a color (blue, green, red, yellow) and then takes all the tiles of that color.
Starting with the youngest player, each player chooses a spinner and a goal card (if you are playing with fewer than four players, place the remaining spinners next the game board in front of pretend players, then leave the remaining tiles and goal cars in the box).
Each player places their goal card in front of them. Each goal card has a basic green side and an advanced pink side. When you set up the game, choose which side to use (you may want to choose a different side for each player, such as younger players using green sides and older players using pink sides).
On your turn, spin your spinner.
- If you spin a picture (character, color, shape or pattern) play one of your tiles on a matching space on the game board. If there are no matching spaces, you may play on an empty space. You cannot play on a space that already has a tile.
  - If you spin WILD!, play one of your tiles on any space on the game board. You can even play on another tile if your tile will fit – only four tiles may stack in each space.
    - If you spin SWAP!, everyone passes their spinner to the left. If you’re playing with fewer than four players, don’t forget to pass the pretend players’ spinners. Then spin again!
You can match squares on your goal card anywhere on the game board, even if they’re facing a different direction.
The first player with four of their tiles showing on the game board that match their goal card is the winner!

ENJOY!

Family Game Night: 25 Tabletop Game Ideas (Ages 4 and Up)

Weekly family game nights, now doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine it, gathering around a table and playing tabletop games, familiar or new. Or getting into pajamas and snuggling up on the couch or pillow-strewn floor, playing video games. There are many ways to create happy memories, and this is one of them!

We’ve already had seven family game nights this year and they were fun and relaxed. We played a mixture of board or tabletop games and video games. Our only personal rule (more-so for my husband and I) is no cell phone usage.

I’ve created a list of some fun starter tabletop games for children ages 4 and up to inspire your family game nights!

What games do you like to play with your family? We would love recommendations!

How to Play – Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game

Zoey loves Pete the Cat and loves cupcakes so this game is a perfect fit for her! It’s also enjoyable to play a cooperative game that we all work together to complete rather than always be competitive. Competition is great, but teamwork is a valuable skill too!

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX

4 game pieces
14 colorful cupcakes
20 birthday present cards
A Game board
A Game spinner
A Grumpy Toad & cupcake tray

INSTRUCTIONS

Each player chooses a character pawn and places it on one of the four corners of the game board (it is ok for 2 players to share a space).
Place all the cupcakes onto Grumpy Toad’s cupcake tray.
Shuffle the present cards and place them all, face down, next to Pete the Cat.
The youngest player goes first by spinning the spinner and moving clockwise around the board.
Players move around the board performing one of the following activities, based on the space landed on:
- Present spots-The player picks up one present card and performs one activity (playing like charades, but sounds are okay). If someone guesses successfully, then the player who performed the activity takes two cupcakes from Grumpy Toad’s cupcake tray and places them on two of the open slots (shaded circles) on Pete the Cat’s birthday party table on the game board.
- Activity spots-(animal, food, letters, music) If a player successfully completes one of the four activities, the player takes a cupcake from Grumpy Toad’s cupcake tray and places it on one of the open spots on Pete the Cat’s birthday party table:
  - Dog – Name an animal and say its sound (i.e. cow…moo!).
  - Apple – Name a yummy food.
  - ABC’s – Think of a letter and name something that starts with that letter (i.e. T…table).
  - Musical note – Sing a verse from a song (i.e. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) or make up a new song!
  - (Once something has been named by a player, other players cannot name the same thing. They must remember what others said and say something new.)
- Grumpy Toad spots – Grumpy Toad decides he’s still hungry and, if there is a cupcake on Pete the Cat’s birthday party table, takes one (any) cupcake off the table and back to his cupcake tray.
- Home spots – Relax, you’re home, not activity is performed.
After the player performs one of the above activities, his or her turn is over and play passes to the left.
When all the cupcakes have been taken from Grumpy Toad’s cupcake tray, the game ends and ALL the players celebrate the team victory by singing Happy Birthday to Pete the Cat!

ENJOY!

Family Movie Night: 90 Non-Disney Family Friendly Movies (Rated PG and Under)

Weekly family movie nights, now doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine it, getting into pajamas and snuggling up on the couch or pillow-strewn floor, munching on a special snack. There are many ways to create happy memories, and this is one of them!

We’ve already had three family movie nights this year and they were fun and relaxed. Our only rule is no screens except for the one the movie is featured on.

I’ve created a list of 90 non-Disney family movie ideas rated PG and under. I did not include many sequels for the sake of length, but most of the sequels are worth watching too! If you have any family favorite I did not include, please let us know!

If you’re looking for animated Disney movies, I’ve created a list of that too! Check it out here and enjoy!

How to Clean – Classic My Little Pony Plushies

Growing up reading The Velveteen Rabbit and then watching the Toy Story films, I became convinced (as I’m sure many children do) that toys are alive and they have feelings. This made giving them up extra hard, and although I had to say goodbye to a lot of them over the years to keep my room and storage from overflowing, I did save a lot of toys that were meaningful to me in the hopes I could pass them on to my future child (like I believe Andy should have done in Toy Story 3). Now we have a daughter and I cannot wait to share some of my beloved toys with her in the hopes that they will be beloved to her too.

I dug through my parent’s garage and found my classic My Little Pony plushies (or Hasbro Softies) from the 1980s! In my memory they were in perfect condition, in reality their bodies are in good condition with no visible stains, but their manes and tails were a matted mess! I also noticed a great deal of their eye paint had scratched off!

I set to work cleaning, repairing and styling my My Little Ponies and now they are all ready for Zoey! I want to help you do the same so you can share them with your little ones, or collect them for yourself, the choice is yours!

First thing’s first let’s assess these ponies! The tags warn that these plushies are surface wash only; submerging them in water could ruin them, so let’s avoid that! I am fortunate that my pony plushies had very little discoloration or staining, so I used soap water to clean them. If I come across a dirtier plush, I will test other methods on them, so stay tuned!

SUPPLIES

Castile soap
Toothbrush
Washcloth
Conditioner
Detangler spray
Comb or wet brush
Small towel
Paper towels
Clothespin
Masking tape
Oil-based paint markers ( I used fine tip and wider)

INSTRUCTIONS

*Do not submerge this pony in water*

Create a sudsy mixture of castile soap and water in a small bowl. Dip your cleaning toothbrush into this mixture as needed and use it to gently clean the pony’s body.
Once you’ve cleaned the whole pony, dampen a soft washcloth and wipe away the soap.
While avoiding getting the pony’s body wet under a faucet, carefully wash and rinse the mane and tail using castile soap or shampoo.
Apply conditioner to the mane and tail. Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then use a wet brush or a comb to gently brush through any tangles. If any of the knots are really stubborn, spraying a little detangler spray on them will help!
Avoiding the pony’s body again, carefully rinse the hair out and use a small towel to give the hair a couple of squeezes to remove any excess water.
While the pony’s hair is still damp, comb through it again so it’s smooth and set it with paper towels and a clothespin. Whichever way you want the pony’s mane to fall (sometimes it’s already decided for you) place a paper towel under the mane, against the body, then wrap the pony’s mane around its neck in that direction with a second paper towel over it and secure it with a clothespin. The tail could air dry, but you are always welcome to wrap a paper towel around it and tuck it between the pony’s legs to smooth it down.
Allow your pony to completely air dry (overnight or 24 hours), then remove the paper towels.
Once the pony is completely dry, we can repair their eyes. Before painting, use masking tape to cover the fur around each eye. I used oil-based paint pens and began with the pupil, coloring in the pupil. I did not have a color that perfectly matched the iris, so I chose the closest color and re-colored the whole iris to match. Use a finer tip for the eyelashes and liner. Allow this paint to dry and then add white highlight marks to each eye.
Once everything is fully dry, enjoy!

What My Little Ponies plushies do you have? How did they turn out? I hope you and your loved ones enjoy them!

How to Play – Boggle Jr.

This game will help children with their spelling in a fun, rewarding way! If this means setting up a reward system for if they could finish all the 3 letter words, then the 4 letter words and then the combined deck, do it! Education should be fun and rewarding! I could see improvement in Zoey’s word recognition and spelling almost immediately.

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX

Boggle Jr. game tray
8 letter cubes
30 picture/word cards (double-sided)

INSTRUCTIONS

Game # 1: Match it-Spell it

Shuffle and stack the picture/word cards so the 3-letter words are all face up and turned in the same direction.
Place the stack in the tray above the cube slots, facing the child (the word cover is flipped down & out of use).
Point to the picture on the card and ask the child what it is — i.e. a pig, a jar, a pie, the sun, etc.
Point to the word below the picture and say the word, then spell the word out loud letter by letter.
Go back to the first letter and have the child find that letter on one of the cubes and place the cube in the first slot of the tray, directly under the letter as it appears on the card.
Proceed through the other two letters until the 3-letter word is spelled out in cubes under the card.
Reinforce what the child has just accomplished by saying the word and spelling together. Give the child the top card and proceed through the rest of the remaining 3-letter words in the same manner.
Next play with 4-letter word cards. Then shuffle the cards and play with 3 and 4 letter words mixed.

Game # 2: Cover it-Spell it

Shuffle and stack the picture/word cards so the 3-letter words are all face up and turned in the same direction.
Place the stack in the tray above the cube slots, facing the child (the word cover is flipped up & in use).
The child glances at the word under the cover, then hides it again. Now he/she is no longer matching letters with letter, but is actually spelling the word from memory.
Next play with 4-letter word cards. Then shuffle the cards and play with 3 and 4 letter words mixed.
For two players the children take turns. Each time a child successfully spells a word from memory, he or she wins that card and continues to the next.
If a child spells a word incorrectly, that card is placed on the bottom of the pile of cards and that child’s turn ends. When the card comes up again, the player whose turn it is attempts to spell the word.
The children alternate turns until all the cards have been used, whoever has won more cards during the game wins!

ENJOY!

Happy New Year 2024!

Happy New Year Friends! I wish you all the best and sincerely hope all your hopes and dreams for 2024 will come to fruition. These last few years have been rocky, to say the least, but its a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, so let’s make the most of it!

I believe in making resolutions; they give you the focus to complete certain tasks. Resolutions can be made any time of the year, and should be in some cases, but it’s traditional to make them for the fresh start of a new year and it’s all in good fun!

I’ve set 12 resolutions for 2024, check them out!

Become a YouTube Partner.
Delete Facebook.
Learn how to draw in Procreate.
Use Procreate to create at least 12 designs and upload.
Play and complete 12 video games.
Progress in Duolingo lessons.
Read and complete 12 books.
Take Zoey to Universal Studios.
Watch and complete 12 movies I’ve never seen.
Weekly family game nights.
Weekly family movie nights.
Yoga 5 days a week.

How to Play – Candy Land

This is one of my childhood favorites that I hope will also be one of Zoey’s childhood favorites. Gameplay is relatively easy with movement based on drawing cards and associating colors, but the board is very busy to navigate. Zoey is currently more interested in playing independently with the gingerbread characters than progressing the game, but we’re hoping her attention will change over time!

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX

A game-board
4 gingerbread character pawns
64 cards

INSTRUCTIONS

Open up the game board and place it on a flat surface.
Shuffle the cards and place them facedown in a pile with easy reach of all the players.
The youngest player takes the first turn. Play then passes to the left of that player and onward.
Each player picks a gingerbread character pawn and places it as the start of the path near the four children.
The youngest player goes first, play then passes to the left.
On your turn, draw one card from the deck and then move the gingerbread pawn as directed. Always move towards the castle, unless a picture directs you to move backwards on the path.
- When you draw a picture card, move your pawn forward or backward on the path of to the pink picture space on the board that matches the pink pictures pace on your card. For example if you draw a lollypop card, move your pawn to the pink space on the board that shows the lollipop.
- Two or more gingerbread pawns can be on the same space at the same time.
- When you draw a card with one color block, move your pawn forward toward the castle to the first matching color space on the path.
- When you draw card that has two color blocks, move your pawn forward toward the castle to the second matching color space on the path.
- There are two shortcuts on the path, Gummy Pass and Peppermint Pass. If your gingerbread lands by exact count on the yellow space below Gummy pass, or the blue space below Peppermint Pass you can take the shortcut immediately to yellow space above Gummy Pass or the yellow space above Peppermint Pass.
- There are two licorice spaces on the path. If you land on one of these sticky spaces by exact count, your gingerbread pawn is stuck there for one turn.
Your turn is over. Place the used card in a discard pile.
If you are the first person to reach the multi-colored rainbow space, you’ve reached King Kandy’s Castle. You win!

ENJOY!