Spy Week: Part 1

Welcome to SPY WEEK!

Spies (and I'm using this term losely) are sneaky, smart, and crafty. It's fun to pretend to be a spy (especially if you have an older sibling). A spy kit is a fun way to start off spy week and I wanted to show how easily you could pull together a kit like this for a birthday or surprise gift!

The only thing I bought was the magnifying glass and I found it at Michaels in the bargain section. They also had quite a few other fun spy gadgets but I thought I'd show you how to pull stuff out from around the house! The silver thing is a small flashlight. Flashlights are another thing I recommend keeping on hand for playtime. The moustaches and nose glasses I picked up in the party supply section last year. I try to keep an eye out for things like that on clearance to hid in a stash since you never know when you might need them! A little box, suitcase, or bag and you have a complete set!

For our first spy activity we made a laser beam obstacle.

We first saw the idea at Chicken Babies and posted about it HERE. Finally decided to try it on our own with some string and washi tape. I actually liked using the tape because if they touched/pulled on the string too hard it fell down and they had to try again.

(I think at this point we can start making a game out of seeing how many pictures Kona the dog can get herself into)

Such a fun game and reminded us of the Backyardigans Super Spy episode they watched when they were little.

See more from SPY WEEK

April Fools!

With April Fools coming up I thought I'd share some more fun and innocent pranks

Our Ketchup + Mustard bottle prank

I'd do this for my oldest but probably not my youngest. His reaction would cause a ruckus in the lunch room lol! from Morena's Corner

Love the colored water prank from Martha Stewart

Solid juice is pretty funny - from The 303 Griffiths

How about making your kids some Brown E's - from Dump A Day

And of course the water bottle prank we shared yesterday

What are you favorite pranks?!

Water Bottle Prank

I got pranked this weekend and the boys thought it was the best thing ever. It's an easy one too - perfect for April Fool's Day.

You just need a water bottle and a pin. Fill the bottle pretty full with water. Over the sink poke holes all around the center of the bottle.

Wait until the water stops dripping, very gently wipe off and place on the counter somewhere you know it will get seen and picked up.

When someone finally picks it up (I did in frustration of the boys leaving things out everywhere)...

Yep, you get sprayed. It was pretty funny. This works best with the thinner plastic water bottles. Have fun!

(Obviously young kids should be supervised when using needles)

Surviving Sick Days - DIY Catapult Game

I'm happy to be back with Part 3 of our "Surviving Sick Days" series with Children's Mucinex! In our first post we talked about staying healthy (we all try SO hard) but when the cold or flu does hit I definitely go into full blown Mom mode. In Part 2 we shared a super fun DIY dry erase album that many of you loved! Today I have a game that my sick kiddos really love and I think yours will too! It's a DIY catapult game!

You'll just need craft sticks (slotted or not - these were the ones we had on hand), rubberbands (I had the small clear hair elastics), a plastic spoon, and whatever you want to catapult!

The design is pretty straight forward - stack up 6 or 7 sticks and rubberband them together. Make a "V" around the stack with 2 more sticks and secure with rubberbands making an x over the 2 sticks (as shown in the images)

When laying down I used a clipboard for a sturdy base and placed a bucket at the end of the couch to try and launch the balls into.

My boys like it best when I participate by holding the bucket and moving it around to catch the balls. It's fun to experiment with different angles of the catapult (more sticks on the bottom) and different sized/weight balls to launch into the bucket.

It's such a fun game to make and play!  Luckily Children's Mucinex helps them feel a bit more up to playing games since it does help clear their congestion and perk them up a bit when they are fighting the bug. This allows us to experiment a bit more.

Don't forget that Children's Mucinex Multi-Symptom Cold is offering you a $2.00 off coupon to use on your next purchase!

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GIVEAWAY! 

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Cardboard Flyer

I think they boys have found their new favorite flyer! We came across this cardboard flyer from Flyerguy on Instructables. It's easy (which we love) and flies really, really well. I know it's a good one when they have to show Dad.

You can download the template from Instructables

Cut out and tape the template to some cardboard and cut again.

The launcher is a bobby pin and a rubberband

The boys launched it best by holding the rubberband  - this helps support that little finger too. The cardboard does wear out a bit after a while.

It flies far and fast. It's actually pretty accurate too! SO fun! Thanks Flyerguy for a fun flyer!

CLEAN DOUGH

I've been seeing a "clean mud" tutorial making it's rounds again but it involves shaving 3 bars of soap. I prefer less work and prep for a fun activity where the longevity is unknown ;)

"Clean" dough is SO simple - baking soda and water. Pour some baking soda onto a tray or in a bowl.

Then pour in water little by little

Mix until you get a consistency you like

That's it!

Minifigs optional

If they start to lose interest add in a squirt bottle of vinegar for fizzy fun! The best part is that clean up is super easy! Have fun!

Spider Web Game from Making Boys Men

I love this simple game from Making Boys Men. A game that could be fun for many ages!

A fun game for those that may be stuck inside! For the simple instructions visit Making Boys Men!

BALLOON RACES

I wish I invented balloons. So much fun in such a small little package.

I think balloons are one of those things you should always keep on hand just in case. This is a fun quick project that can be as time consuming as you make it! Basically you tape a balloon to a straw on a string and watch it fly! It's best to attach the string to a door nob but tape will work too - just be prepared to keep re-taping.

We picked a nylon string to use hoping it would make the balloon go fast

Add the straw to the string before attaching the other side to the wall. Place the tape on the top of the straw. We used washi tape so the balloon could come off and on easily. (Washi tape is basically thin, decorative masking tape so that or painters tape would work too)

Blow up your balloon and either hold the end or secure with a clip

Pull back to the start line

And let er rip!

They go fast! Make your string long enough for the balloon to travel pretty far. To make this a longer project, have balloon races with several balloons/people. Experiment with different string, lengths, angle of the string etc! Have fun!

Let the races begin!