10 Awesome Ideas for Mommy-Son Date Nights

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Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. My oldest is 7 making him four years oldest than his next closest sibling. Unfortunately, because the younger two are still so small they require a lot of my attention. It can be easy for my oldest to fall between the cracks because he is so well-behaved and so independent. That is why we’ve started making mommy-son date nights a regular thing. It’s the perfect way to make sure he still gets important one-on-one time with mom. Goldfish crackers know how important this is too and that’s why they’ve created the Goldfish Tales campaign. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

[bctt tweet=”This week on the blog I am sharing our list of mommy-son dates! See what you’ll love! #GoldfishMoments #AD” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Arcade

There is nothing more fun than trolling the arcade together. This date night can be as big or as small as you want. My son and I recently did this while we were out of town for a conference I attended. We simply went down to the hotel game room after dinner and played our hearts out. It’s that easy to have a quick arcade date night. Grab some quarters and head to a movie theater arcade for a small date night. You can also go all out and head to a big arcade for an over-the-top date!

Mobile Game

Unless you’ve been sequestered in recent months you have seen the augmented reality games on the internet. These are an easy and inexpensive date night for you and your son. All you need to make it happen is the app on your phone and your neighborhood. Make sure your phone is charged before heading out because these games suck up your battery life. Then lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement together on the hunt. Your son will love searching out new creatures, portals, and more. You will love all of the laughs you share.

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Fill a Time Capsule

This is another super fun and inexpensive date night idea. Go through the house and find items that represent you both today. Next, write letters to your future selves or fill out this free printable. Place your letters and your trinkets in an empty coffee can. Lastly, dig a hole in the ground and bury it. Dig it up on the same day next year for another fun date night.

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Build a Fort

This one can also be as big or as small as you want. Build a blanket fort inside and play pretend or play a board game. You can also go big and build a permanent fort together in the backyard. Pull out some wood and tools to create a fun fortress he can play in anytime. Another option if you’re less-than-handy is to grab some paint and update a plastic playhouse you already own. No matter which option you choose, you will love the memories you make together.

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Basketball

This one is pretty obvious but sometimes the obvious can be overlooked. My son made a comment the other day that made me decide to add it. He was nervous about trying basketball as his next sport because he didn’t know how to play. I realized I had never just shot hoops with him. Something as simple as a game of horse could help him feel more confident. It doesn’t have to be basketball for you and your son but playing any sport together can have an impact you don’t ever realize.

 

[bctt tweet=”Big news my friends! Submit your Fall Fun Goldfish Tale here https://ooh.li/5e45248 for a chance to win $1,000 and other prizes! #GoldfishMoments #AD” via=”no”]

 

Dart Gun Fight

What kid wouldn’t love having a dart war with his mom? You likely already have the guns lying around so why not make a date night out of it? Get your protective gear on and head to the family room. Let him know that it is totally okay to duck behind furniture and roll on the floor to avoid attacks. Take a fun picture of the 2 of you wielding your weapons to capture the memory.

 

 

Face Paint

This date night is like a makeover night but for boys. Get some face paint and decorate each other’s faces. You can get ideas from pictures online or take creative license to make your own designs. This is another one that you will want to take pictures of. Don’t forget that you can wash it off and try out multiple looks. Add a little more fun by acting out your paint designs. For example paint zombie faces and pretend you’re eating stuffed animals or paint ninja masks and show off your awesome Kung-Fu moves. Remember to be silly and have fun!

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Code Breakers

Have a date being spies together. Create secret messages for your son ahead of time using the telephone code or print out these pre-made messages. The telephone code is easy to follow, and teach. It works like this:

  1. Draw a pound sign (or hashtag for your kid’s reference).
  2. Number the square 1 through 9.
  3. Add 3 letters to each square.
  4. Decipher each letter by adding the number the letter falls in with an exponent telling which letter in the trio. See the photos for reference.

For the date night, teach your son how to break the code in your secret messages. Then take turns writing notes to each other in your new code!

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Selfie Scavenger Hunt

Go on a photo scavenger hunt with your son. This free printable is full of things you can find in your neighborhood so you don’t have to travel far or spend any money. Take a picture of yourselves with each item on the list and be silly with it. For example, for “leaf” take a selfie of the 2 of you holding leaves in front of your faces. The biggest rule for this one is that you both have to be in the picture. It’s important for you to be a part of the photos and not just behind the camera!

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Have a Race

There are many ways to do this one. To help you get started, here are 3 ideas to give a try:

  1. Toy Cars – Find a slope or build one. Our driveway is sloped so it works for us but you can also use a flattened cardboard box propped at an angle. Next choose your cars and then, race!
  2. Remote Control Cars – This one is fun because you can create a track and/or obstacles to make the race a little more interesting. You and your son each choose a vehicle and go head-to-head. Try racing them on multiple terrains to see who wins on pavement, wood, and grass.
  3. Foot Race – Playing with your son is a great way to stay fit! This is the perfect activity for that. Pick a start and an end point and simple race. Up the ante of the race by stringing crepe paper streamers across the finish line. When the winner breaks through it, it will be as a true race champion!

 

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

Date night with your kids is so important, especially as your family grows. Find out how to create Smile Worthy moments from playing a quick game before bed to epic fort building with these 10 awesome ideas for mommy-son date nights.

 

Don’t forget your date night snacks when you’re on the go! Goldfish crackers are the perfect snack to throw in a backpack when you’re hunting Pokémon or refueling after a race. We love the Goldfish Colors because anything colorful always wins in our book but you can find the Goldfish to fit your family! Are you ready for even more fun? Visit the campaign landing page to get inspired and learn how to enter the Goldfish Tales promotion for a chance to win awesome prizes!

50 Fall Bucket List Ideas + Tips for Success

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Do you love creating bucket lists? With so many ideas out there is can be overwhelming. Confession time: I have never made a bucket list of any kind. This year I’m changing that! Why? Every year there are things I want to experience with my family in a given season. Before I realize it, the season is gone and we’ve only done 1 or 2 of those things. Sound familiar? Find out why I’m taking the plunge and making a fall bucket list this year. Then, fill in your own fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed below!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Find out why I’m taking the plunge and making a fall bucket list this year. Then, fill in your own fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed!

 

[bctt tweet=”Fill in your fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed here! #fall #bucketlist” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Why a Bucket List

Bucket lists are portrayed as these fun little exercises to do things you like. They are, but they are also so much more. When you make a bucket list you are setting goals. These are goals for experiences you want to share with your kids. These are goals to help push you outside of your comfort zone and grow as a person.

I love goal setting and when you look at it that way you see the point. The best part about a bucket list is that you can make any kind you want. Make an individual one, a list for couples, or a list for your family. You can also make it as finite or expansive as you like. Create a seasonal one, like the fall bucket list, or a life-long bucket list.

 

Find out why I’m taking the plunge and making a fall bucket list this year. Then, fill in your own fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed!

Tips for Your Bucket List

There are a few tips to make a successful bucket list that you will actually complete. They are:

Determine Who – Who is your bucket list for? Are you setting an individual one for yourself or making one for the whole family to complete together? The “who” will define the activities and goals you put on your list.

Create a Theme – Is it a list of places you want to visit? Are you making a seasonal list? Do you want to try new things? Decide this before creating your bucket list.

Set a Time-frame – A fall bucket list is easy because it has a specific season set to complete it. Other bucket lists are not as straight forward. If creating a travel bucket list, you will need to define a time-frame, such as 5 years. This helps keep you accountable for completing it instead of continually putting it off.

Pick a Number – Don’t overload your list with more tasks/goals than you can reasonably complete in the chosen time-frame. For example, don’t make a list of 20 destinations you want to visit in 5 years if you can only realistically manage 1 trip a year.

 

Find out why I’m taking the plunge and making a fall bucket list this year. Then, fill in your own fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed!

Find out why I’m taking the plunge and making a fall bucket list this year. Then, fill in your own fall bucket list with help from the 50 ideas listed!

50 Fall Bucket List Ideas

Note:

The first 12 of these ideas came from the new Create365 Seasonal Planner Stickers. They include beautiful bucket list stickers for every season. Use them to set little reminders in your planner of bucket list events!

  1. Go for a Hay Ride
  2. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
  3. Eat Pumpkin Pie
  4. Read a Book
  5. Roast S’mores
  6. Carve Pumpkins
  7. Go Apple Picking
  8. Enjoy a Comfort Food
  9. Visit a Haunted House
  10. Donate to a Family in Need
  11. Watch a Scary Movie
  12. Make a Fall Craft
  13. Make a Costume
  14. Decorate Your Porch
  15. Make a Scarecrow
  16. Make Pinecone Bird Feeders
  17. Take a Walk through Your Neighborhood
  18. Drink Apple Cider
  19. Tell Ghost Stories
  20. Have a Bonfire
  21. Make a Dried Fruit Garland
  22. “Boo” Your Neighbors
  23. Have a Campout
  24. Visit a Farmer’s Market
  25. Go to a Football Game
  26. Visit a Fair
  27. Go Trick-or-Treating
  28. Visit the Library
  29. Enjoy some Candy Corn
  30. Collect Acorns
  31. Throw a Halloween Party
  32. Make Your Own Applesauce
  33. Make and Send Halloween Cards
  34. Create Leaf Rubbings
  35. Jump in a Pile of Leave
  36. Make Halloween Masks
  37. Watch Hocus Pocus
  38. Go on a Scavenger Hunt
  39. Visit a Corn Maze
  40. Start a Family Gratitude Journal
  41. Look at the Current Constellations in the Sky
  42. Plant Some Bulbs
  43. Attend an Outdoor Concert
  44. Rake a Neighbor’s Yard
  45. Research Halloween History
  46. Make DIY Potpourri
  47. Go Ziplining
  48. Explore Fall Foliage
  49. Research Local Ghost Stories

When creating your fall bucket list, make sure you keep the tips above in mind. On the free printable you will find room for 15 items and that is the maximum I recommend. Our family is only choosing 10 because I know we cannot reasonably complete 15 along with obligations already on our family calendar. What are your favorite ideas from the list? Let me know!!

See where I’m linking up!

The New Stranger Danger

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A couple of weeks ago the kids and I were at the craft store shopping for supplies. Let me tell you, shopping along in any store with 3 small children is no easy feat. At one point we finished looking in one aisle and turned to go to the next. I turn around and the 2 kids not in the cart are no longer behind me. I go back to the previous aisle to tell them to scoot their booties and they’re NOT THERE! Immediately a feeling of panic washes through me and I start calling their names. Thankfully, they immediately come around the corner but, as any parent that has also and we again went over the rules for the store. It inspired me to make sure that you have the tools to keep your child safe as well and not only in the store. That is why I’m sharing these tips to protect your children from the new stranger danger.

 

You never want to believe that being abducted could happen to your child. Keep your child safe from the new stranger danger with these tips.

1. Talk Early and Often

The first way to help protect your kids is to talk to them early and often. Don’t talk only about how to prevent things like abduction. Also talk with your child about what to do in the event that someone grabs them. If you need tips for what to tell your child:

When I worked in retail, we were trained on child abductions and how to prevent them. Speed and concealment are the key factors of abduction. Many kids’ appearances are changed by quickly cutting their hair and/or clothing in the bathroom before walking them right out the door. The more difficult your child makes it on his or her attacker, the higher the chances that the abductor will move on to an easier target.

 

[bctt tweet=”Keep your child safe from the new stranger danger with these tips.” username=”diyadulation”]

 

You never want to believe that being abducted could happen to your child. Keep your child safe from the new stranger danger with these tips.

2. It Is Not About Hiding Names

When we were growing up we were warned against wearing our name on our clothing and monograms quickly went out of style. In this day and age it is really impossible to completely hide your child’s name from someone who really wants it. It can be as simple as following you around the store and listening for you to say it. In addition to that, your children get bus tags at school, names and contact information are put on team rosters, and more. Because this information is so easy to get in the digital era, it is of growing importance to teach your child how to stay safe instead of trying to conceal his or her name.

 

You never want to believe that being abducted could happen to your child. Keep your child safe from the new stranger danger with these tips.

3. Have Clear Rules

Protecting your kids from strangers is sometimes easier than protecting them from people they know. Make sure that you have clear rules in place and go over them often with your child. These rules should include:

  1. You have a boundary radius in public places such as your child not being able to go past the end of the cart in the grocery store.
  2. You child knows never to go with anyone unless it is previously discussed with you, period.
  3. Have hourly check-ins when your child is playing with friends or outside. If your child is old enough to have a phone, tell them to text you each hour. Make sure he or she knows not to tell anyone about this policy.
  4. Discuss the uniforms of workers and law enforcement when visiting a busy area or store.

4. Code Word Plan

This one is important because it helps protect your children from all predators. The concept is simple. Create a code word with your child and help them memorize it. They then do not leave school, daycare, the bus stop, or anywhere else with someone who does not know the code word. This rules needs to apply to friends, family, and strangers. Also, make sure that your child knows to never tell anyone the code word. If you want someone to know it then you will tell them. This helps protect your child from unknown threats that may also be within your social circle.

 

You never want to believe that being abducted could happen to your child. Keep your child safe from the new stranger danger with these tips.

You never want to believe that something like being abducted could happen to your child. You tell yourself things like, “That only happens to other people” or “We don’t see that stuff in our neighborhood”. The harsh reality is that it can happen to anyone, anywhere. Following the steps above will keep your child safer and that is all any parent wants. You can also find out how to make this DIY Emergency Lanyard to keep your child safe on vacations. It is always better to educate before it is too late.

See where I’m linking up!