Food Fun Family

5 Skills Your Kids Can Build While Playing Outside

Lolli — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 01:19:17 +0000

The school year officially ends for us next Friday, but I know that a lot of my friends around the country are already enjoying summer break with their kids. The school year can be busy and not leave much time for free play when the kids are at home. I don’t know about you, but the kids are exhausted and hungry at the end of a school day, and all they want is to rest and have a snack before digging in to their homework. Then it’s dinner time and bed time, and the routine starts all over again.

Summer time means longer days, brighter nights, and temperatures that invite kids to be outside, whether it’s playing at the park, taking a cool, shaded nature walk, or swimming at our neighborhood pool.

My kids love the outdoors. They loved being outside when they were little, and they still love it now that they’re bigger. When they were little, and still today, I encourage as much outside play as possible. It keeps them off the electronics, the house stays cleaner, and they are more tired by the end of the day (believe me, that’s a huge plus during the summer!). Little do kids know that playing outdoors can be beneficial to their development. In fact, here are five skills that your child can build while playing outdoors.

Social Skills

While playing outside, especially at a park, your child will likely encounter other kids. This is a great time to help build social skills, as they make new friends. However, with every childhood friendship come arguments over whose turn it is. Learning to settle disagreements and learning to be fair is all part of building social skills that will help kids later in life.

Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is all about planning things in the moment and creating strategy. What better way to practice this than while playing sports? While running down the field and kicking a soccer ball, your little one will be using their brain to think about their next move.

Gross Motor Skills

Outdoor play can involve so much more movement than what your children may be able to do inside. While outside, children will have plenty of space for all sorts of activities from running across the yard, to skipping down the sidewalk. But there are so many more fun things that cannot take place indoors. For instance, climbing trees, or even using their legs to pump themselves on the swing set.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills can easily be tuned inside, however there are also many outdoor activities that help as well. Digging through a rock garden can provide excitement for little ones as they search for the shiniest or smoothest rock, but grasping those tiny pebbles is great for fine motor skills.

Self Confidence

Self confidence can easily be built while playing outside, whether at the park, or in your backyard. As children play on their own, they may find they are becoming more sure of themselves, as they step out of their comfort zone, and finally go down the slide alone or climb that perfect tree.

Playing outside is such an essential part of any childhood. Whether it’s free play or organized play, your child will benefit from playing outside. What’s better than building critical skills while having fun?

Homemade Popsicles – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #77

Lolli — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 11:00:01 +0000

We’ve hit the one-month mark of our summer break, and swim season is finally coming to a close. My youngest son made it to Divisionals this coming weekend (so proud but secretly sad that we’ve got MORE swim ahead of us!).

It’s been a busy summer, and you’ve probably noticed that things have been quieter than usual around here lately. I’m hoping to take a few days in the next week or so to put together some new recipes and DIY projects for you guys. But if you REALLY miss me between now and then, you can always follow my comings and goings in my LuLaRoe group!

That’s right! This week we’re pulled together some incredible popsicles – the perfect summer time treat! Here are a couple of popsicles I’ve shared on Food Fun Family. Enjoy!

Blueberry Mango Popsicles

Watermelon-berry Popsicles

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Cooking in Stilettos – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Taco Dip from Joyful Homemaking
https://joyfulhomemaking.com/2012/08/taco-dip.html
#2: Crispy Sausage Egg Breakfast Burritos from Meatloaf and Melodrama
#3: Watermelon Lemonade from Country Chic Cottage

Watermelon Lemonade Recipe

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles from She Saved

Lois loved Easy Homemade Blueberry Popsicles from Premeditated Leftovers

Brett loved Pina Colada Popsicles from Food Fun Family

Susan loved Easy Patriotic Pudding Pops from Coupons and Freebies Mom

Aly loved Unicorn Rainbow Ice Pops from Flour on My Face

Keri Lyn loved Cherry Yogurt Pops from Chef Next Door

Emily loved Berry Yogurt Popsicles from Bunny’s Warm Oven

Mary loved Strawberry Paletas from The Black Peppercorn

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. We pin a ton of recipes that are shared to our linky party each week. So get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

Loaded Potato Nachos

Lolli — Wed, 17 May 2017 22:21:50 +0000

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of McCain Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.

I love nachos. But not the boring kind where you dip chips in a fake cheese sauce. Oh no. I like the real, melty cheese variety loaded with all sorts of delicious fresh and full-flavor toppings. Nachos are the perfect summer food. They’re quick to whip up for dinner or a backyard BBQ or party appetizer. Not only that but they are easy to customize to each person’s taste (I’ll take mine with everything, please!) something I know that the kids appreciate.

Can you believe that summer is right around the corner? It’s hard to believe, but having just wrapped up Spring Break (with some gorgeous weather!), it’s getting easier to imagine summer time! Summer is a busy but lazy time of year, with swim practice and swim meets, park days and camp outs. The two things that are SO much harder for me during the summer are sticking with a good work schedule (because the kids want to be on-the-go all the time) and sticking with a good dinner schedule (who wants to be in the kitchen standing over a hot stove when it’s 98 degrees outside?).

Summer is the perfect time for getting together with friends and family, and McCain fries compliment SO many of our favorite summer-time meals. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a backyard BBQ or inviting people over for a warm summer evening spent indoors, McCain fries are the ideal addition to your menu plan.

Our family is particularly fond of onion rings, so McCain Craft Beer Battered Onion Rings are always a hit alongside a juicy burger. But for those nights when I really don’t want to get any hotter by cooking dinner, McCain 5 Minute Fries can’t be beat! I try to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen during the summer. Between swim team and my busy work schedule, I don’t have the time, anyway!

This week, I tried a new spin on a family-favorite and used McCain Smiles (mashed potato shapes) instead of tortilla chips for some quick and easy loaded potato nachos! They were a major hit in our house. Everyone loved them and was asking for more!

Not only are these loaded potato nachos delicious and easy to make, but they are so much fun thanks to the smiley faces on each McCain Smiles! In fact, we’ve already nicknamed these delicious nachos “Smiley Emoji Nachos” in our house!

What makes McCain Smiles so amazing? They’re full of real potato goodness, with no artificial colors or flavor. They take whole potatoes, peel, cook, mash, and then shape into adorable happy face “emojis!”

And let me tell you – potatoes make the perfect “base” for loaded nachos!

Here’s how I made them:

Ingredients:

1 (22-oz) bag McCain Smiles

2-3 teaspoons Taco Seasoning

1 cup shredded cheese (“Mexican” blend or other similar cheese)

½ lb ground beef or chorizo sausage (or combination), crumbled, cooked and drained

Toppings: your choice of chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, diced avocado, sour cream, shopped cilantro, olives, guacamole, salsa, etc

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread McCain Smiles on the foil in a single layer. Sprinkle generously with taco seasoning.

Bake for 6 minutes; flip product over and bake for an additional 6 minutes.

Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and return to oven; bake for an additional 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve potato nachos hot topped with your favorite fresh nacho toppings.

Enjoy!

Loaded potato nachos are perfect for sharing….but be forewarned. You may not WANT to share these delicious nachos! They definitely put a smile on our family’s faces.

So tell me, how would you top your loaded potato nachos? Get more ideas for McCain fun for the whole summer here.

© 2017, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Fight the Summer Slide with Summer Brain Quest Workbooks

Lolli — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 15:17:25 +0000

Summer Brain Quest prizing and samples, along with blog sponsorship, were provided by Workman Publishing. All thoughts are my own.

We’re in the middle of Spring Break, which for me as a parent is like a sneak peek of what summer break is going to be. It’s SO hard to keep kids from wanting to sit on the couch playing on their devices all day. I know I’m not the only mom who worries about the dreaded Summer Slide. It’s hard enough to keep my kids on task during the school year, but during the summer it’s nearly impossible for them to stay in “learning mode.” I worry each fall when they start a new school year that they will have forgotten everything!

Did you know that most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in math, and many also lose reading achievement, during the summer? That’s kind of scary! Imagine how much further ahead kids would be if they didn’t have to keep re-learning the same things that they learned last year?

The brand new Summer Brain Quest workbooks, available April 18, are perfect for keeping kids learning throughout the summer and prepared for the new school year. The best thing about the Summer Brain Quest books is that they make learning FUN and engaging for kids, and kids actually WANT to pick them up to read through them and fill them out.

There are size Summer Brain Quest books: For kids between K-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6. Each book includes over 150 full-color pages of learning activities, a foldout summer progress map, over 150 stickers and a thorough answer key to check answers.

Each grade level book includes topics in math, English language arts, social studies, and science. The topics align with Common Core standards and, of course, they’re age appropriate. The Summer Brain Quest workbooks are effective new tools for parents, homeschoolers, tutors, and teachers alike. I wish I’d had these books for my kids when they were in elementary school! Luckily (for my friends, at least!) I’ve got friends with kids in elementary school so even though my kids are a little too old for the books, they’ll be well-loved and utilized.

More about Summer Brain Quest:

SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is notable because it offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience that delivers personalized learning for every type of kid. Personalized learning is an educational method where exercises are tailored to each child’s strengths, needs and interests. Our goal was to empower kids to have a voice in what and how they learn, while ensuring they get enough practice of the fundamentals. It achieves this through our interactive format.

SUMMER BRAIN QUEST is structured like a game; each book includes a pull-out map that guides kids on a learning quest. They fill in their route on the map by earning stickers for completing workbook pages as well as pursuing outdoor activities. The map offers a choice of routes, allowing kids to customize their learning path and pursue what excites them most (extra math problems? more hands-on science?), and also encouraging them to jump around within the book to follow their curiosity.

Original artwork by video game artist Edison Yan makes every book feel fresh and fun. These are the most visually appealing books in the market.

Summer Brain Quest workbooks are available for pre-order on Amazon.

WIN a Summer Brain Quest Prize Pack!

One lucky winner will receive a Summer Brain Quest prize pack with everything listed below! Just enter on the giveaway widget! Giveaway ends 4/25/2017, after which a winner will be selected at random and notified via email. Prizing and samples provided by Workman Publishing. Giveaway open to US addresses only.

One (1) winner receives:

Complete set of 6 Summer Brain Quest workbooks (grades K-6)
Branded colored pencils
Branded Frisbee
Branded swim goggles
Branded drawstring backpack

Entry -Form

Connect with Workman Publishing

Learn More at the Official Site
Visit the Workman Blog
Follow @WorkmanPub on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
Like @WorkmanPublishing on Facebook
#BrainQuest

Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest 2016

Lolli — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 20:00:37 +0000

This past Saturday, three of my kids and I headed south to Kings Dominion for BBQ & Brew Fest. All I had to do was mention BBQ tasting and they were ALL IN. This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

What is BBQ & Brew Fest?

It’s simple! BBQ & Brew Fest is a three weekend-long festival celebrating great BBQ and local craft beer. Guests can sample everything BBQ, from chicken to brisket to pork to ribs (and don’t forget the sides and desserts!). Guests 21 and over can enjoy signature craft brews from some of the area’s local breweries. All that BBQ pairs perfectly with entertainment from live bands. BBQ and Brew Fest runs Saturdays and Sundays, August 6 through August 21.

Where is BBQ & Brew Fest?

The BBQ & Brew Fest is set up at Kings Dominion along Candy Apple Grove. It’s easy to browse the different food offerings (all within a short walking distance around Candy Apple Grove) and then grab a shady spot to eat and listen to live music.

There is no separate admission fee for BBQ & Brew Fest – anyone in the park can enjoy. All food items are $5.00 each (except for watermelon cups which are $3.00 and strawberry shortcake parfaits which are $4.00); you can either pay cash or purchase sampler cards for $5.00 a piece. They’ve even got a discount card for $20.00 that get you 3 BBQ tasting cards and 2 brew sample cards.

Sample size (5 oz) pours of beer can be purchased for $3.00. Full size (20 oz) pours are $8.00 each.

The BBQ & Brew Fest Menu

The Pit
? Moonshine Pulled pork slider with smoky BBQ sauce and spicy pickles
? Beef Brisket Slider with BBQ sauce and spicy pickles

Tastes from the Tower Food Truck
? Redneck Eggroll with “white BBQ sauce”
? Loaded tater tots with pulled pork, cheese sauce, jalapenos and sour cream

BBQ Fiesta
? Loaded moonshine pulled pork “walking taco” bag
? BBQ chicken tacos

BBQ Island
? Hawaiian style grilled teriyaki beef slider with chive mayo and pineapple coleslaw
? Jamaican style jerk BBQ chicken quarter with Jambalaya Cornbread fritter and mango salsa

The Dogs
? Virginia Oinker dog (dog wrapped in ham, topped with BBQ pork and chopped bacon) and BBQ brown sugar baked beans
? Grilled hot dog topped with BBQ pork, coleslaw and jalapenos with BBQ brown sugar baked beans

Mac ‘N Cheesy
? BBQ pork and mashed potato “parfait” with macaroni and cheese
? Candied bacon blt served with BBQ macaroni and cheese

Southern ‘N Sweet
? Moonshine bratwurst with blackberry jam
? Southern style banana pudding

The Halligan Bar and Grill:

“Chicken Shack” BBQ
? Memphis Style BBQ Chicken Slider
? “Wings of Smoke”
? “Bird Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad

Beef Country
? Texas Style Beef Brisket Slider
? Bacon Wrapped Brisket Bites
? “Texas Bull Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Macaroni salad

Carolina BBQ
? North Carolina Style Pulled Pork BBQ Slider
? Baby Back Ribs
? The “Dog Pound”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, BBQ Baked Beans

Fire Truck Smoker with Whole Pig Roasted on Saturdays

The BBQ & Brew Fest Brewers

I’m not a beer-drinker, so I can’t speak to how great the beer tasting was, but people sure seemed to enjoy it! The list of brewers is different each weekend.

August 6 – 7

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Brother’s Craft Brewing — Harrisonburg, VA
Legend Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
O’Connor Brewing Company — Norfolk, VA
Old Bust Head Brewing Company — Faquier County, VA
Strangeways Brewery — Richmond, VA

August 13 – 14

Ardent Craft Ales — Richmond, VA
Devils Backbone — Roseland, VA
Midnight Brewery — Rockville, VA
Chaos Mountain Brewery — Callaway, VA
Center of the Universe — Ashland, VA
Starr Hill Brewery — Crozet, VA

August 20 – 21

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Steam Bell Beer Works — Chesterfield, VA
Isley Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
Hardywood Craft Brewery — Richmond, VA
Kindred Spirits — Richmond, VA

The BBQ & Brew Fest Entertainment

I love live music, so this was perhaps my favorite part of BBQ & Brew Fest! We loved the Pat Russel Band, and wish we could be there every day of the festival to hear all of the other live entertainment!

8/6: Pat Russel Band
8/7: Inside Out
8/13: Moonshine Society
8/14: Red Light Rodeo Allstars
8/20: The Mashup
8/21: Little Country

Also catch Chainsaw Chix each day at 2:00pm, 3:15pm and 6:30pm. They were fascinating to watch!

I loved everything about our experience at Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest, except for the weather. It was almost too hot to do anything at all. When we weren’t sampling the BBQ and listening to Pat Russel Band perform (in our shady spot), we were refilling our souvenir cups or ordering frozen treats to try to cool off. Unfortunately, because of my son’s stitches, we weren’t able to get wet (how mean would it have been to leave him while we went down a water slide or two?!) but we still had a blast on a couple of our favorite rides.

We’re definitely putting BBQ & Brew Fest on our calendar for next year!

Summer Games Scavenger Hunt Activities for Kids

Lolli — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 01:04:08 +0000

When I was growing up, watching the Summer Games (ie, the “games that shall not be named”) on TV every 4 years was EVERYTHING. As in, everything stopped and we watched the events all day, every day. I was fascinated by all of the summer sports.

I am so excited about this year’s Games in Rio, partly because my kids are actually into a few of the sports that will be represented in the Games…and partly just for nostalgia’s sake. My oldest son is a runner (both cross country and track & field) and three of of my kids spent the last 2 months swimming competitively. I know that they’ll be glued to the swimming and running events this year.

To celebrate, I’ve pulled together a fun, ACTIVE scavenger hunt. Instead of searching for things, they’ll be checking off things that they DO.

So print off this month’s scavenger hunt, grab a few pencils, and get active!

(Click HERE or click the image above to download the PDF version of this scavenger hunt!)

How to use this Summer Games Scavenger Hunt Printable

This scavenger hunt is a little different than my others. Instead of hunting for things, you’ll see how many of the activities on the list you can do! You can put on your own Summer Games. Make it a party, invite a few friends over and have fun with it! Simply print off as many sheets as you need, and then go get active!

Print:
PDF version of the SUMMER GAMES scavenger hunt
Jpeg version of the SUMMER GAMES scavenger hunt

YOU make your own rules. Do each “event” in order, as a team, or compete side by side. There are no rules. Just have fun!

Be sure to check out my other scavenger hunt printables and check back soon for MORE fun throughout the year!

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

DIY After Sun Cream

Jody — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 12:00:53 +0000

As much as most of us love to be outdoors during the warmer months of the year – at the lake, the beach, the pool, gardening, hiking etc…the sun takes a lot out of your skin – things like moisture and softness. The best way to combat that is to add it back in as naturally as possible, preferably without artificial scents, colors, and other harmful ingredients that most store-bought products are full of.

In order to keep my skin care products as pure as possible, I like to make my own After Sun Cream here at home. It is so easy to do with just 4 ingredients and it takes less than 20 minutes. I end up with a thick, creamy, conditioning and healing mixture that absorbs well into my skin. If that sounds like something you want to try, then gather these 4 ingredients and let’s get started!

Please note: I’ve linked to the products I use so that you can find them easily if you don’t already have them at home. These are affiliate links, which means I’ll get a small commission but you pay the same low price you normally would. If you’re looking for essential oils, I highly recommend Rocky Mountain Oils.

How to make all natural after sun cream:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon Aloe Vera gel

2 tablespoon Shea butter

2 tablespoon Coconut Oil

10 drops Lavender essential oil

You will also need:

Small saucepan

Whisk

Small jar with a tight fitting lid

Directions:

Place shea butter and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk well as it softens until completely melted.

Remove from heat and cool pan until it is just warm, pop it in the fridge and let it set for 10-15 minutes-just until it begins to set but is not completely hardened. If you leave it too long and it solidifies just leave it out on the counter until it softens.

Add aloe vera gel and essential oil and whisk until well mixed and it has increased in volume. You can really whip it up if you want to use your mixer instead to whip it and add air into it which double or triple the volume. I like easy so I like to skip washing the big beater and bowl.

Transfer to small jar with airtight lid and store in a cool dry place. For even better after sun refreshment you can keep it in the refrigerator.

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Kings Dominion KidsFest

Lolli — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 19:22:34 +0000

Two of my kids and I were able to visit Kings Dominion this past weekend for KidsFest and we had a blast! This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Kings Dominion is welcoming back its wildly successful KidsFest for a second year and you are invited!

What is KidsFest? I’ll tell you! KidsFest is the most fun, family-friendly weekend(s) EVER at Kings Dominion! Yes, even big kids like mine LOVED KidsFest! KidsFest takes place at Planet Snoopy and is a celebration of all things kids-related, from concerts and crafts to activities, shows, and so much more! KidsFest started this past weekend (7/16-7/17) and next weekend (7/23-7/24) from 12pm to 5pm.

PLUS – (this is exciting!) Everyone Pays Kids Price when you buy your tickets online to come during KidsFest.

We started our KidsFest day at the Imagination Movers concert – front row, center stage. It was a blast! Yes, it was HOT but at least we were sitting and out of the sun for a little while. Imagination Movers put on an energetic, fun show – perfect for all ages!

One of our favorite experiences of the day was the Cirque Imagine acrobatics show. Not only were the performers super talented, but they were funny, too! We especially loved the cool auditorium that provided a welcome rest from the heat!

You can see Cirque Imagine at the Kings Dominion Theater from June 18 – September 5. Shows are Tuesday – Friday, Sunday 2:00, 4:00, 6:00 and
Saturday 2:00, 3:30, 5:30, 7:00.

KIDSFEST ENTERTAINMENT

The entertainment during KidsFest ROCKS! This was our favorite part of last weekend’s visit for sure! We rocked out during the Imagination Movers concert from our front row, center seats, and even had a free meet and greet with the Movers themselves afterwards! My daughter bought a hat and had all 4 Movers sign the rim. She may be 17, but it was “best day ever!” quality!

Imagination Movers – Get ready to move and groove with the Imagination Movers! Join us in the PEANUTS Showplace for two free concerts at 1pm and 4pm on Saturday, July 16. (PAST)

Choo Choo Soul All Aboard! – Choo Choo Soul will be performing at the PEANUTS Showplace on Saturday, July 23 at 1pm and 4pm

Power UP! Dance Party – Shake it and groove it at our Power UP! Dance parties! 12:00pm-1pm & 2:30pm-3:30pm.

Mad Science – This is not your typical science education show! Join Atomic Ali and learn more about science in a fun and interactive way. At PEANUTS Playhouse 12:30pm-1:00pm & 2:45pm-3:15pm.

Animal Education Show – Enjoy this wild show full of different animals. Get your questions ready — this engaging show will teach you all about the starring animals and their habitats. At PEANUTS Playhouse 2:00pm-2:30pm & 3:30pm-4:00pm.

Party with the PEANUTS Gang – Hang out with the PEANUTS gang! Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang to celebrate your day at Kings Dominion. Take a break and party with them daily at 2pm and 5pm at the Snoopy Fountain!

Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular – End your day of fun with Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular! Take in the vibrant light and music extravaganza from the International Street fountain to the Carousel. 10pm-Closing

BONUS: The Kings Dominion Clown Band is not a KidsFest-only event. I recommend enjoying them everyday! They are so much fun and FUNNY! These are clowns that will make your kids laugh and clap and dance along to the music (not run away in fear!). Watch for their shows – they roam around the park so you never know when you’ll see them!

KIDSFEST ACTIVITIES

Kids of all ages can enjoy a ton of free activities (included for free with park admission), including crafts, a visit with the Hanover Fire Department and a chance to climb inside a real fire truck, Lola the CLown an her amazing balloon animals, and coloring pages (you can even print off your own pages to color at home!

FAMILY-FRIENDLY RIDES

Of course, a day at Kings Dominion would not be complete without your favorite rides! There are rides for ALL ages at the park – my big kids like the thrilling rollercoasters, but I’m more fond of the Carousel and Peanuts Turnpike!

Get Kings Dominion tickets HERE…and don’t forget to grab the amazing deal for KidsFest next weekend. Remember – everyone pays kids prices when you buy online!

POKEMON GO AT KINGS DOMINION

Kings Dominion is a gold mine of Pokestops and Gyms. We played while walking around the park and standing in line and had SO MUCH FUN working on OUR Pokemon collection together (yes, we have one game that we work on as a family). We found a ton of new Pokemon that we’d never encountered before, and we collected so many items at Pokestops that our storage was at capacity. Kings Dominion is a great place to play Pokemon GO as a family!

Connect with Kings Dominion

Website: https://www.kingsdominion.com/ #KDFirstTimer
Facebook: facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: @kingsdominionva
Twitter: @kingsdominionva

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Delicious Dishes Recipes Party #28 – Recipes With Fruit

Lolli — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 11:00:52 +0000

This past week has consisted of a TON of baking and cooking recipes for a client site….and I can’t wait to share them with you!

We’re staying so busy this summer, but swim team season is in it’s final stretch, and I can’t wait to sleep in next week! How has your summer been going?

I’m so excited about this week’s Delicious Dishes recipe collection. Because there were so many amazing recipes with fruit shared on our link up last week, we decided to feature our favorite fruity recipes. There’s so much you can do with all of your summer fruits!

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven

Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Cooking in Stilettos
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved
Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Raspberry Gelato by Ann’s Entitled Life
#2: Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Cheesecake by Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
#3: Apple Fritters by In The Kitchen with Jenny

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Very Berry Fruit Salsa by Finding Zest

Lois loved Yogurt Fruit Breakfast Pizza by Finding Zest

Brett loved Hawaiian Pizza Bites by Domestically Speaking

Susan loved Fizzy Watermelon Cocktails by April Golightly

Aly loved Creamy Kiwi Key Lime Popsicles by The Domestic Life Stylist

Keri Lyn loved Strawberry Cream Cheese Jello Pie by Eat Move Make

Emily loved Chocolate pomegranate ice cream by Morsels of Life

Mary loved Raspberry Charlotte Cake by Tots Family

Follow us along on our NEW Pinterest board. We pin all your amazing recipes!

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

© 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.

Summer Scavenger Hunt for Kids {Free Printable}

Lolli — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:48:36 +0000

Can you believe that we’re half way through with summer? I am shouting hallelujah because my kids’ swim season is almost over, and I might actually be able to catch a day to sleep in (seriously, I look forward to turning my alarm off during the summer, but instead it’s set for every day at 6:30 during the summer. It’s too early!).

I don’t know if your family has caught the Pokemon GO craze this month, but we’re enjoying catching Pokemon around our neighborhood. However…the game is not for everybody (especially kids who don’t have their own devices like a few of mine). Scavenger hunts are a great alternative. Kids still get to hunt around (around the house, with neighbors, around town, etc) but they have real paper and a pencil instead of an electronic device. I like Pokemon as much as the rest of them, but I still enjoy some disconnected play too!

Ready for the summer-time scavenger hunt?

(Click HERE or click the image above to download the PDF version of this scavenger hunt!)

How to use this Summer Scavenger Hunt Printable

Get ready to search for all things related to summer! The best thing about this scavenger hunt is that it can be played many different ways – use the printable list as a guide and make the game your own. Simply print off as many sheets as you need, and then go have some fun!

Print:
PDF version of the SUMMER scavenger hunt
Jpeg version of the SUMMER scavenger hunt

Single-player game: race against the clock! See how many of the items on the list you can find in 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Look in the house for as many items as possible, or find things that aren’t at home in a magazine or book.

Group scavenger hunt: If you have enough players, divide into 2 teams. Each team works together to find the items on the list. Reconvene at a specific time to compare what each team was able to find.

Get creative! Some items are easier than others to “collect” as participants search for things on the list. Let the kids think of alternative methods of “collection” such as taking a picture, drawing a picture, or having an adult initial next to an item on the list. See ideas for gathering clues below.

Broaden your search area. With parental permission/supervision, teams can ask neighbors for help gathering scavenger hunt items. Maybe you don’t have a cupid at home, but a neighbor does. Make sure that kids know to only go to houses where they know the people that live there, and always bring a buddy along.

Methods of gathering “clues:”

Each person or group has a small bag and collects as many items inside the bag as the can in a set amount of time. At the end, everyone shows off the item they’ve collected.

Each person or group has a digital camera (phones, ipod, etc) and snaps a picture of each item they find.

Simply check off each item on the scavenger hunt paper as it is found or have another person act as a “witness” and initial the paper to verify that an item was found.

Use your imagination! Let the players decide the rules!

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