familyfun Archives

Make Fourth of the July Light Sabers & Ice Cubes Craft

June 24, 2014 by Momstart 2 Comments

I have two more really fun Fourth of July ideas from FamilyFun magazine. This time we’re sharing with you how to make Fourth of July light Sabers. What little boy wouldn’t love to be running around the park eating/playing with his light saber pop. And then you can also cool off with festive Red and Blue ice cubes. Family Fun Magazine shares with us below!

Freeze Pop Sabers:
Feel the force of ice-cold refreshment—and keep hands unfrozen—with these felt cozies. For each, cut a 3- by 4-inch rectangle from gray felt. Fold it over a freeze pop and use fabric glue to seal the side and bottom edges. Clamp the fabric closed with binder clips or clothespins, if needed. Slip the felt off the pop. Glue on stripes and dots of black and colored felt. When your pop is frozen and the glue is dry, you’re ready to battle the heat!

Red, white, and cool cubes
Tricolored spritzers offer a refreshing way to celebrate the Fourth. Make several trays of ice cubes with beverages colored red, white, and blue (we used cranberry juice, water, and Powerade Mountain Berry Blast). To serve, place the cubes in separate buckets and let guests make their own drinks with plain seltzer.

Some Family Fun Fourth of July Pretzel Sticks/Edible Sparkler Recipe

June 23, 2014 by Momstart 3 Comments

Celebrate the 4th of July this year with tasty red, white, and blue treats from FamilyFun magazine! If sweet and salty is your snack of choice, try the festive pretzel sparklers. If you need to add some color to your beverage, use the USA ice cubes to add some flair! Today we’re sharing the flag day ready Pretzel Snack!

Sweet & salty sparklers
Ingredients:

Pretzel Rods
M&M’s
Red, White & Blue Sprinkles
1 cup white chocolate

Layered with white chocolate and studded with sprinkles and M&M’s, our pretzel treats add flare to any party spread. Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a medium, heat-safe bowl according to the package directions. Use a spoon to drizzle 1 pretzel rod at a time with chocolate (you’ll have enough chocolate to make a dozen), then lay the rod on the prepared sheet and scatter it with red and blue sprinkles and M&M’s. Chill the pretzels in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.

Find even more tasty red, white, and blue treats from FamilyFun magazine.

FamilyFun: Little Lunch Lambwiches Recipe

April 2, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

From FamilyFun we received a great recipe that you can do with your kids in honor of spring time. Make these little lunch lambwiches for some laughs together during lunch. FamilyFun is always a great resource for finding fun things to do as a family. They have lots of crafts and recipes and just ways to spend time together as a family having fun. Try this Lambwich recipe:

Little Lambwich

Ingredients

Sliced cheese
Mini bagels
Mustard
Ham slice
Black olives
Shredded cheese

Directions

Two types of cheese give this savory, open-faced sandwich its sweet-as-can-be look. Trim a piece of sliced cheese to fit atop one half of a mini bagel. Cut a round muzzle and a pair of half-circle ears from more sliced cheese, then attach them with mustard or mayonnaise. Add a nose cut from a ham slice, plus a mouth and a pair of eyes trimmed from black olives. Finish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese between the ears.

FamilyFun Leprechaun Hat Snack Recipe for St Patrick’s Day

March 16, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

FamilyFun magazine has a very cute and easy recipe such as this Leprechaun Hat Snack. It’s a fun and healthy idea for a snack on St. Patrick’s Day.

Leprechaun Hats

Ingredients

English cucumber
Sliced cheese
Hummus

Directions

Celebrate Saint Pat’s with a crunchy cucumber treat. Cut 1-inch sections of an English cucumber. Halve them lengthwise and lay the pieces flat on a plate, as shown. Trim a cucumber brim for each hat and set it in place. Finish with a sliced cheese band and buckle, attached with dots of hummus or dip.

FamilyFun: St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Donuts Recipe

March 16, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

Need a super easy snack recipe for spring? FamilyFun magazine has a very cute and easy way you can delight your child with donuts for breakfast. Or even let them create these donuts themselves it’s easier then you think. You can tell them it’s food fit for a leprechaun.

Leprechaun Doughnuts

Ingredients

Chocolate sprinkle:

O-shaped cereal
Dark or white chocolate
Colored sprinkles

Cinnamon sugar:

O-shaped cereal
Sugar
Cinnamon sugar

Directions

Lure wee visitors this Saint Patrick’s Day with O-shaped cereal disguised as tiny doughnuts. Prepare each variety following the steps at right and let dry on waxed paper. Add to the fun by placing them in a miniature box (get our template at familyfunmag.com/printables).

Chocolate sprinkle:

Dip the tops of O-shaped cereal into melted dark or white chocolate (the tines of a fork work well for this) and cover with sprinkles.

Cinnamon sugar:

Over medium-high heat, dissolve ½ cup sugar in ½ cup water. Let it cool. Dip the O’s, a few at a time, in the syrup, then toss them in a small bowl of cinnamon sugar.

Family Fun Magazine Craft: Sweet Mice Valentine’s Day Treat Craft

February 11, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I know I’m throwing crafts at you guys but I also know that I’m not alone when it comes to doing Valentine’s Day cars with the kids. We just started doing ours last night. We started with pencils and store bought ones just in case we don’t have enough time to finish hand made ones. This craft is straight from the FamilyFun Magazine.

“Sweet Mice”

Description:

Made of two Hershey’s Kisses and a heart-shaped set of ears, these tiny critters are almost too cute to eat.

Materials:

Ear and foot template (from familyfunmag.com)
Card stock paper
Hershey’s kisses
Tacky glue
Gray yarn
Googly eyes
Markers
Glue Dots

Directions:

Print the ear and foot templates on cardstock and cut out the shapes.

Remove the paper flags from two Hershey’s Kisses.

Fold the feet where shown on the template, then use tacky glue to sandwich the feet and ears between the Kisses.

Glue a 4-inch length of gray yarn to the underside of the back kiss.

Add googly eyes.

Attach the mouse a cheese-shaped piece of card stock with a glue dot, then write a note.

Suggested messages: Mice to Know You! You’re Really Mice!

A Cute M&M Tic Tac Toe Game Valentine Craft

February 11, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

FamilyFun magazine is one of our favorite places to get craft ideas. It’s a great magazine that you can still have delivered to your house or you can view on-line. This craft here, even though candy isn’t my favorite Valentine idea, this one is unique because it provides kids a chance to play and not just eat candy because it’s there.

“Game lover’s greeting”

Description:

M&M’s serve as a sweet stand-in for X’s and O’s in this packaged card-and-game combo. (For a sugar-free version, use buttons instead of candy).

Materials:

M&M’s
Card stock
Markers
Scissors
Clear treat bags
Tape

Directions:

Trim card stock into a 4- by 6-inch rectangle. Use a marker to draw a tic-tac-toe board in the center and add a message at the top, such as “U R A winner” or “I’m game to be your friend!”

Slide the card into a 4- by 9-inch clear treat bag (available at craft stores).

Add several M&M’s, providing an equal number of two colors.

Fold the top of the bag behind the card and seal it with tape.

Make a Heart Wreath: Circle of Love Heart Craft

February 11, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Looking for some fun, kid-friendly craft ideas this Valentine’s Day? FamilyFun magazine has a lot of cute and easy (and in some cases, tasty!) crafts. Here is the Circle of Love Craft that you can use glue dots with.

“Circle of love”

Description:

Pretty paper and glue dots are all you need to make a heartwarming wreath to hang anywhere that needs a little love.

Materials:

Double-sided scrapbook paper
Scissors
Glue Dots
Ribbon

Directions:

Cut a sheet of double-sided scrapbook paper (ours is a 12 inch square) into 1-inch-wide strips.

Make five hearts as follows: fold a paper strip in half, sandwiching two glue dots about an inch down from the fold to create the top of the heart.

Bend the loose ends away from the center and use two more dots to join them at the point. Next, make the two hearts that anchor the hanging ribbon.

Sandwich one end of a 12-inch-long ribbon in the center fold of one heart, then form the heart’s point. Secure the other end of the ribbon in a second heart.

Use glue dots to adhere the sides of the seven hearts in a circle, as shown.

Remember you can find many more craft ideas with the FamilyFun magazine.

Travel: 12 Winter Fun Festivals Quick Getaways in The US

January 8, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

FamilyFun magazine has created a list of the best winter getaways in North America for families to explore! I love going to family festivals. My grandmother used to take me to a summer festival in Texas with my extended family. We made so many memories together. Now for your family, you can find something from the mountains of North Carolina to the streets of Quebec, winter festivals offer a feast of frozen delights: snow sculptures, ice palaces, winter-and winterized-sports (think: snow golf and snowshoe softball), along with light shows, fireworks, torchlight parades, and seasonal treats like maple taffy on snow.

Check out these twelve different options.

· Saranac Lake Winter Carnival

Saranac Lake, NY

Jan. 31–Feb. 9

Try snowshoe racing or cross-country skiing; enjoy concerts, dances, and parades; and watch the fireworks over the awesome Ice Palace at this 117-year-old festival.

saranaclakewintercarnival.com

· Lake George Winter Carnival

Lake George, NY

February weekends

This lakeside celebration features beach bonfires, ice-diving demos, hot-air balloon rides, a giant snow slide, kite flying, and chili and chowder cook-offs.

lakegeorgewintercarnival.com

· Stowe Winter Carnival

Stowe, VT

Jan. 18–Feb. 2

Vermont’s best-known ski town goes all out with snow volleyball and golf, youth hockey and snowboard half-pipe competitions, ski racing, fireworks, and a kids’ carnival.

stowewintercarnival.com

· Montréal en Lumière

Montreal, Quebec

Feb. 20–March 2

This sprawling urban festival features light shows, guest gourmet chefs, life-size board games, a Ferris wheel, and a massive sled slide plus music, theater, dance, and circus performances.

montrealenlumiere.com

· Carnaval de Québec

Quebec City, Quebec

Jan. 31–Feb. 16

The world’s largest winter carnival boasts sleigh rides, snow slides, nighttime parades, an extreme canoe race, an ice palace, and more.

carnaval.qc.ca/en

· Winterlude

Ottawa, Ontario

Jan. 31–Feb. 17

Skate through downtown on a frozen canal, then check out the illuminated ice sculptures, annual bed race, the hockey classic, and the world’s largest snow playground.

ottawafestivals.ca/events/winterlude

· Saint Paul Winter Carnival

Saint Paul, MN

Jan. 23–Feb. 2

Go geocaching and thrill to fireworks, parades, hot-air balloon races, sled dog competitions, and the bouncing team’s aerial acrobatics.

winter-carnival.com

· Fur Rendezvous

Anchorage, AK

Feb. 21–March 2

Celebrate Alaska’s heritage with the Rondy World Champion Sled Dog Race, the Running of the Reindeer, the blanket toss, outhouse races, and the native arts market.

furrondy.net

· Winterfest

Blowing Rock, NC

January 23-26

Family-friendly activities abound, including ski and snowboarding lessons, ice carving demos, hayrides, bonfires, kids’ games and crafts, and the Polar Plunge.

blowingrockwinterfest.com

· Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival

Steamboat Springs, CO

February 5-9

Watch ski jumping, cross-country obstacleracing, and the Dog Dash; compete in shovel and three-legged races; and cheer on the Lighted Man as he sets off fireworks down the slope.

steamboat-chamber.com

· Snowdown

Durango, CO

Jan. 29–Feb. 2

Activities all over town mark this annual winter blowout, including a parade, costume party, doggie Olympics, waiter/waitress race, and music.

snowdown.org

· Whitefish Winter Carnival

Whitefish, MT

February 7-9

A lake plunge, torchlit parade, horse-towed skiing (ski joring), battle of the bands, and pie social are all part of this kid-friendly fest.

whitefishwintercarnival.com

Afternoon Fall Snack Idea: Owl Crackers Recipe

October 10, 2013 by Momstart 3 Comments

Have kids that like to play with their food? I sure do!

Here is another fun recipe from FamilyFun Magazine for this fall. They are full of healthy, fun snack ideas to keep your little ones both entertained and full. This recipe is complete with raisins for eyes and almonds for wings, this snack is a savory treat for celebrating the beginning of fall and the upcoming “spooky” season.

Whooo’s hungry owl crackers recipe

Ingredients

Round crackers
Mini round crackers
Cream cheese
Almonds
Raisons

Directions

1. Spread a layer of plain cream cheese on a round cracker, using the tip of the spreader to make small indents for feathers.

2. Press on a pair of mini round cracker eyes (we pulled apart a Ritz Bits sandwich and used a half for each eye) and attach raisin pupils with a dab of cream cheese.

3. Finish by pressing on an almond beak and almond-slice feathers.