The Kinder Mommy

01/06/2025

Follow for effortless activities that will bring joy to your kids—and sanity to your day—in 2025!And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by mom life or just need simple, stress-free ways to keep your little ones entertained, make sure to check out my blog and resources! The link is in my profile.Let this be the year you find balance, fun, and time for yourself and FUN for your kids—without the overwhelm.

01/06/2025

There’s a street out there somewhere…Routine=normalcy Comment LPP and I’ll send you a free week of The Low-Prep Preschool! Which might be especially helpful if you’re snowed in like us!

01/04/2025

Where are my other December/January moms?! 🙋🏼‍♀️Crazy, genius, or just plain luck?

12/30/2024

Welcome to your new favorite account for practical tips and activities for busy families with little kids from a mom and kindergarten teacher. And while I can’t promise you every easy activity will be a hit (but chances are good), I can promise you it will be simple enough you can try it again another day and it will be a home run. This one is so simple, grab some washable markers, cardboard, paint brushes, and water. Draw shapes, letters, or numbers and let them trace them with a paintbrush and water. OR turn this one into a double activity and let them draw their own pictures/letters/name and then paint over it with water to create a watercolor effect. Be sure to follow along and hello below! Feel free to drop your kids ages or message them to me. While my boys are only days away from 5 and 3 years old, I also like to share ideas for ages of your children!

12/23/2024

Day 9 of No & Low-Prep Activities for Winter Break and this one is so simple to set out so you can get stuff done, or get stuck in decision fatigue like me! 🙋🏼‍♀️Comment potato for these Mr. Potato Head type accessories!

12/19/2024

Send this to the Toddler/Preschool moms in your life!I get asked about stocking stuffers every year and I’m just a millenial trying to raise my babies in the 90s, so these are very much what I grew up getting. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that the first thing my 4-year-old tells everyone he wants for Christmas is shaving cream. He knows he gets it every year in his stocking. We use it for activities, but also in the shower. It’s their favorite thing to play with. Sticky Notes- they love to use these to set up “activities” but we also use them in our on-the-go binTape- Painters tape for my youngest, but my oldest is getting his own tape dispenser this year…this might replace shaving cream as the favorite.Refill of Art Supplies- seems simple, but this is the perfect time to refresh those markers, crayons, or Color Wonder tools. Toothbrush/toothpaste- does anything scream the 90s more than a new toothbrush? Santa bringing a toothbrush may also help encourage them to brush their teeth!Not in the video, but they’re also getting a refresh of underwear and socks, their favorite candy, and bubble bath solution.Also raising your kids like 90s babies? Stick around for more easy ideas to keep them busy!

12/18/2024

Nothing beats a calm morning especially in this holiday rush. Comment Bins and I’ll send you 10 Brain Bin ideas AND 7 free holiday activity packs! This is Activity 7 of my series! Holiday Break is almost here and most likely you’ll hear “I’m so bored” or you are just trying to figure out how to keep everyone busy so you can make your list and check it twice. I brought Brain Bins from my kindergarten classroom into our home and make sure it’s in yours too! Brain Bins are so perfect because they are simple to clean/pick up, guide children to independent play, and offer choices which promotes buy-in. Now I know the limits of my kids may be different than yours. I also know those can change daily, so fill your Brain Bins with options you know your kids can handle independent play AND independent clean-up because these are meant to simplify life, not the opposite. I set up 3 when we are ready for a new rotation and explain each to my kids during a time we are all playing together. I teach them how to play and how to clean up. Then, when they pick it the next day, we review quickly what the guidelines are and how to clean up. The first time they may need a little support to pick up. Now here’s the key, if your child is LOVING a certain Brain Bin, leave it be. If it stays in the rotation for 8 weeks, that’s perfect! If you have had an option in the rotation for 5-7 days and they don’t go for it, you might change it out for a new one and try it again later. Comment Bins and I’ll send you info on Brain Bins and 7 Free Holiday Packs! 👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

12/18/2024

Activity 6 of No & Low-Prep Holiday Activities to save your sanity is something that we have with us for trips, doctor visits, visiting friends who are usually kid-free, and all the time at home. Seriously, so easy and compact to toss in your purse. Before Keepy Uppy, my little brother and I played some pretty intense rounds of the balloon game in the late 1900s. Call out a specific body part that is the only one they can use if your kids are a bit older. You can also add a line on the ground like a volleyball court and play similar to four square. 🛷Need to keep your little ones busy so you can get stuff done especially when Santa’s sleigh isn’t big enough to carry your mental load? 👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

12/16/2024

Comment SANTA to get 7 free activity packs that you can use to help fill your day and help your kids 2-5 learn during this holiday season. These are all tried and true activities that I use with my boys (2 & 4) and are Low-Prep Playbook/Kinder Mommy community favorites! On the 5th day of No & Low-Prep Activities, if there’s something I’m always excited to do, it’s send free, easy, hands-on learning to busy families. 🛷Need to keep your little ones busy so you can get stuff done especially when Santa’s sleigh isn’t big enough to carry your mental load? 👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

12/15/2024

Day 4 of No & Low-Prep Holiday Activities because everyone’s overwhelmed. No glitz, no glamour, definitely not Pinterest worthy, but they LOVE it. It works their brains and their bodies. Grab these loose parts and buckets from for an easy, no-prep sorting activity. I was staring at the clock at 4:00 wondering what I should do next but also how I was going to fill their day until bedtime. I grabbed these from my December tub and made it up on the fly. And it’s been a repeat activity which has saved me so many times, but it was important for me to walk them through it…plus they stayed busy for 30 minutes while I decided what to focus on next. Just a quick and easy color sort (with movement)! 🛷Need to keep your little ones busy so you can get stuff done especially when Santa’s sleigh isn’t big enough to carry your mental load? 👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

12/12/2024

This one is a solid 10 from all of us. Day 3 of No & Low-Prep Holiday Activities and this one is a winner for us all. While they aren’t perfect, they are adorable and fit their personality. BONUS TIP: Have your child look at their clothes and ask them to draw their clothes on their gingerbread man. This worked like a charm for my 2-year-old who tried to draw his firetruck from his shirt onto his gingerbread man. Follow along for more easy no and low-prep activities from a busy mom and teacher.

12/09/2024

This activity came in handy multiple times on an especially cold day and no heat downstairs. 🥶A silly activity like this brings the giggles and teamwork, while helping to regulate the nervous system. During this holiday season, adding Santa to any activity is an easy win. 🛷Need to keep your little ones busy so you can get stuff done especially when Santa’s sleigh isn’t big enough to carry your mental load? 👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

12/06/2024

Day 1 of my new series…Low-Prep Holiday Activities. Save these for Winter Break or when the days are long!

So let’s kick it off with our viral tip from last year, bells and magnetic tiles are all the rage during the holiday season, but add pipe cleaners too! You can leave them straight or twist the ends to make “ornaments”. This small change can extend play time!

🛷Need to keep your little ones busy so you can get stuff done especially when Santa’s sleigh isn’t big enough to carry your mental load?

👀Be sure to binge my content for more ideas and click that Follow button to see every activity of this series!

11/21/2024

11/19/2024

Saving Christmas one tree at a time.

Because “Gentle hands” and “Hands off the tree” really only makes touching the tree more enticing.

Weeks or days here…whenever you see the interest die down.

Share this hack with someone else who is ready for Christmas!

10/23/2024

We love a good sticky note activity. So here’s a developmentally appropriate learning game when your child is interested in learning about letters for less than $1. One mistake I often see when scrolling my feed is families will often give their child all 26 letters in the same activity. Exposure is fabulous, but if you are really trying to focus on a specific skill, start with 1 to 2 at a time. So 1-2 letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. Once they have learned them and know them well, then add another one. I know I will get questions, so I’ll try to get ahead of this. Yes, my two-year-old son wants to learn different skills. He is interested in jets, so we take him to the air museum and the airport, and we also lean into his interest in learning letters. I have no doubt his interest comes from big brother doing learning activities, but I still want to provide him with the opportunity to learn, too. Be sure to save it for later and share it with a friend who loves a screen-free learning activity that helps fill your day.