Family Friendly Autumnal Activity Ideas

Welcome back Autumn! Every year I look forward to the Autumn and the warmth it generates inside my home and soul. Where I live, September and October are still rather warm on some days, and turn wet and cold as the months progress toward Winter.  I cannot get enough of the rain this time of year. The cold, wet weather begins to take over outside, driving us all inside to be together and warm. There’s nothing like cuddling up with people you love, reading a good book, watching a movie or playing a video game while the weather misbehaves outside.

I intend to spend a lot of time with my family this year and came up with some family friendly ideas I’d like to experience with Zoey! Follow along and try some of these activities for yourself, this is a time we should all enjoy!

We intend to:

  • Bake bread.
  • Bake cookies for family and/or friends.
  • Collect acorns and make art.
  • Collect leaves and make art.
  • Collect rocks and make art.
  • Make nature pressings or rubbings.
  • Donate to a food bank.
  • Go on a hayride.
  • Go puddling in the rain.
  • Have an indoor picnic on a stormy day.
  • Make a bird feeder.
  • Make Halloween decorations.
  • Go trick or treating!
  • Make fresh tortillas.
  • Make homemade play dough.
  • Make stovetop popcorn.
  • Pick apples.
  • Bake apple pie.
  • Drink apple cider.
  • Make caramel apples.
  • Pick out pumpkins at a pumpkin patch.
  • Give pumpkins a bath.
  • Carve, decorate and/or paint pumpkins.
  • Bake pumpkin bread. 
  • Roast pumpkin seeds.
  • Roast s’mores.
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Water Table Accessory and Activity Ideas

Water Table Activities

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is making things that delight her; I want to create fun, educational activities for her that are made with love and will be loved!

With how much young ones love water, water tables are perfection during the hot summer months! Set them up in a comfortable location with some shade, and watch them play to their hearts content! They can play with the table as is, or you can add accessories to make the play even more engaging and fun! 

Here to inspire you, I’ve created a list of water table accessory/activity ideas to keep the kiddos entertained for hours!

**If you live in California or any other location where wasting water may be an issue, no worries! Bypass adding any food coloring to the play water and once you’re done, you can use it to water your plants!

2022 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year Friends! I wish you all the best and sincerely hope all your hopes and dreams for 2022 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 22 resolutions for 2022, check them out!

  1. Buy a sketchbook & fill it.
  2. Celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.
  3. Celebrate Zoey’s 3rd birthday.
  4. Expand our kitchen garden.
  5. Finish my tattoo half-sleeve.
  6. Finish the Spanish lessons in Duolingo.
  7. Meditate 5 times a week (or more).
  8. Paint 3 Bob Ross paintings.
  9. Pay off my Navient loan.
  10. Plant 3 fruit bearing trees.
  11. Play & complete 22 video games.
  12. Practice yoga 5 times a week (or more).
  13. Reach my earnings goal by December.
  14. Reach my goal weight.
  15. Read & complete 22 books.
  16. Refurbish the play car & give it to Zoey.
  17. Refurbish the playhouse & give it to Zoey.
  18. Research & create a haircare regimen for myself.
  19. Research & create a nail care regimen for myself.
  20. Research & create a skin care regimen for myself.
  21. Take Zoey to Disneyland.
  22. Watch & complete 22 movies I’ve never seen.

I’m going to do my best to fulfill each and every one of them so if you’re looking for ideas, inspiration or just to follow along in some good fun follow me here and on my instagram for updates!

Family Friendly Christmas Movies and Specials – PG Rated

Family Friendly Christmas Movies and Specials - PG Rated

Welcome to the cozy and magical month of December my friends!

My family and I have created a list of family friendly Christmas movies and specials for you and yours! Christmas may be celebrated a little differently this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t kindle a little Christmas spirit!

This year we’ve decided to focus on movies and specials that are rated PG for parental guidance suggested; some material may not be suitable for children. If you are looking for movies and specials that are rated G for general audience and good for all ages, please visit last year’s list – Family Friendly Christmas Movies and Specials Rated G.

Please let us know if we missed or left out any of your family friendly (PG-rated) Christmas favorites you feel should be included! We’d love to hear from you!

Organized alphabetically by title:

Family Friendly Halloween Movies – PG Rated

Family Friendly Halloween PG Rated

Welcome to the spooky month of October my friends!

My family and I have created a list of family friendly Halloween movies and specials for you and yours! Halloween may be celebrated a little differently this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t kindle a little Halloween spirit!

This year we’ve decided to focus on movies and specials that are rated PG for parental guidance suggested; some material may not be suitable for children. If you are looking for movies and specials that are rated G for general audience and good for all ages, please visit last year’s list – Family Friendly Halloween Movies and Specials Rated G.

Please let us know if we missed or left out any of your family friendly (PG-rated) halloween favorites you feel should be included! We’d love to hear from you!

Organized alphabetically by title:

Family Friendly Halloween Children’s Books – Ages 5 and Under

Family Friendly Halloween Books

Welcome to the boo-tiful month of October my friends!

To inspire you and your little ones into the Halloween mood, I’ve curated a list of Halloween-themed books for ages five and under! These selections are festive, without frights or scares that could upset a younger audience.

There are a handful of books on this list with a reading age that start under the age of five and peak at the age of 7 or 8.

If you have a favorite Halloween book for children ages 5 and under that you do not see here, please let me know! I would love to add it to this list!

A Classic Berenstain Bears Bibliography

Berenstain Bear Classics Bibliography List

The Berenstain Bear Classics, originally classified as the Berenstain Bear First Time Books, are staple series of my childhood.

I fondly remember my mom reading this series to me. Each story taught life lessons and felt so relatable. But the artwork? I loved the artwork and I still do! It’s very unique, warm and welcoming.

I realize now as I research this that as much as I loved the books I knew, there are so many more I’ve never had the pleasure of reading! I am starting to collect these Berenstain Bear books to read to my daughter, so I’ve created this one-page handy dandy bibliography to keep track as I go! Please feel free to use it too if you need it!

Please feel welcome to check out the other bibliography lists I’ve compiled!

Pixar Animation Studios Watch List

Pixar Watch List

I grew up watching a healthy dose of animated Disney and Pixar movies, they had a positive impact on me, and I would love to continue the tradition with my daughter. We’ve already watched a few and as her attention span grows I’d like to watch more. Let’s be honest though, child(ren) or not, you’re never too old to love and enjoy these films. I’ve created this handy dandy Pixar watch list to keep track; please feel free to use it as a reference!

  • Toy Story
  • A Bug’s Life
  • Toy Story 2
  • Monster’s Inc.
  • Finding Nemo
  • The Incredibles
  • Cars
  • Ratatouille
  • Wall-E
  • Up
  • Cars 2
  • Brave
  • Monster’s University
  • Inside Out
  • The Good Dinosaur
  • Finding Dory
  • Cars 3
  • Coco
  • Incredibles 2
  • Toy Story 4
  • Onward
  • Soul
  • Luca
  • Turning Red
  • Lightyear

Walt Disney Animation Watch List

Walt Disney Animation Studios Watch List

I grew up watching a healthy dose of animated Disney and Pixar movies, they had a positive impact on me, and I would love to continue the tradition with my daughter. We’ve already watched a few and as her attention span grows I’d like to watch more. Let’s be honest though, child(ren) or not, you’re never too old to love and enjoy these films. I’ve created this handy dandy Walt Disney Animation Studios watch list to keep track; please feel free to use it as a reference!

  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
  • Pinocchio
  • Fantasia
  • The Reluctant Dragon
  • Dumbo
  • Bambi
  • Saludos Amigos
  • The Three Caballeros
  • Make Mine Music
  • Song of the South
  • Fun and Fancy Free
  • Melody Time
  • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
  • Cinderella
  • Alice and Wonderland
  • Peter Pan
  • Lady and the Tramp
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • One Hundred and One Dalmatians
  • The Sword and the Stone
  • The Jungle Book
  • The Aristocats
  • Robin Hood
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • The Rescuers
  • The Fox and the Hound
  • The Black Cauldron
  • The Great Mouse Detective
  • Oliver and Company
  • The Little Mermaid
  • The Rescuers Down Under
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Aladdin
  • The Lion King
  • Pocahontas
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame
  • Hercules
  • Mulan
  • Tarzan
  • Fantasia 2000
  • Dinosaur (CGI)
  • The Emperor’s New Groove
  • Atlantis: The Lost Empire
  • Lilo and Stitch
  • Treasure Planet
  • Brother Bear
  • Home on the Range
  • Chicken Little (CGI)
  • Meet the Robinsons (CGI)
  • Bolt (CGI)
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • Tangled (CGI)
  • Winnie the Pooh
  • Wreck-It Ralph (CGI)
  • Frozen (CGI)
  • Big Hero 6 (CGI)
  • Zootopia (CGI)
  • Moana (CGI)
  • Ralph Breaks the Internet (CGI)
  • Frozen II (CGI)
  • Raya and the Last Dragon (CGI)
  • Encanto (CGI)

Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama Bibliography

Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Bibliography

I fortuitously found our first Llama Llama book at a local library book sale. It was October and I collected what halloween-themed children’s books I could find, then brought them home. Zoey immediately fell in love with Llama Llama Trick or Treat, handing it to us over and over again until both my husband and I could (and still can) recite it from memory. 

Since October, we have collected Llama Llama Gives Thanks, Jingle Bells, I Love You and Easter Egg. As I researched the author, Anna Dewdney, I was deeply saddened to hear that she has passed away. Her stories and her artwork are so heartfelt and beautiful; we love them, and will continue to collect and read all of her books.

As we continue to introduce Zoey to more Llama Llama stories, I’ve created a bibliography of Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama series. Please feel free to use it too if you need it! Her estate has released some books posthumously and I’ve decided to include those that have the same look and feel as the originals.

Posthumously

Please take a look at other Children’s book author bibliographies I’ve created here: