Fun Paper Crafts for Kids

2020 is off to a fast start. Many people have noted that January went by pretty slow, but February is flying by. At least we get an extra day this year.

Since the year is off to such a great start we thought we’d give you a few fun ideas to mark the passing of the first few months. You don’t have to be an artist to make these project look good. Even if they turn out less than flawless, they will be fun to make. To keep it easy and accessible, we put together a different fun paper craft idea to get you through the first half of the year. Each month has a holiday or event you can celebrate with the kids by making craft time educational.

February - Paper Heart Wreath

How are you going to use your extra long February, doing fun crafts of course. Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, we can celebrate love all month long. A cute creative activity is to make a paper heart wreath. Cut paper into strips, then fold the strips into hearts and glue them together. For more details check out The Hybrid Chick’s directions.

March - Mosaic Paper Shamrock

Luckily, in March we get to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Some cute crafts to celebrate the “luck of the Irish” are mosaic paper shamrocks. Cut out some simple paper shamrocks and cover them in multi-patterned green squares. Check out this article from Happiness is Homemade for more details.

April - Bunny Hat

April brings the Spring and Easter! That can mean a few things but for kids crafts, it means BUNNY HATS! This one is really easy, you only need scissors, a pink marker, and a paper plate. Alpha Mom put together some easy directions and other fun ideas for DIY projects you can do with paper plates.

May - Friendship Bracelets

May is for Mother’s Day and the end of the school year. First you can show Mom she’s baby’s best friend with a sweet origami friendship bracelet. These modular bracelets from Paper Kawaii can be made for any occasion. Once you’ve mastered the pattern, you can make special ones for all the classmates to have over the summer. Using different color combinations, the possibilities are endless.

June - Giant Paper Airplanes

Mom got a custom friendship bracelet, it only makes sense that Dad would get something special for Father’s Day. The weather is nice and it’s time to take some of these crafts outside. What could be more fun than making paper airplanes with Dad? Making giant paper airplanes with Dad, of course. These jumbo planes from Fireflies & Mudpies can be made for $1 and keep the kids (and Dad) occupied for an entire afternoon.

July - Patriotic Wind Twirlers

The summer gets hot, real hot, every breeze can feel like a big deal. For the 4th of July you can celebrate the breeze and Independence Day with these patriotic wind twirlers. They are colorful, recycled and fun to make. The kids can help decorate for this year’s 4th of July party with these easy-to-make crafts from Happy Hooligans. Start saving your empty paper towel rolls now.

Have Fun

This is just a list of a few fun ideas, the possibilities are truly endless with a strong imagination and a quick Google. Whether you are looking for activities to do with your own kids or kids your babysit, be creative. You can try new things every month or even every day. These ideas can save you from the screen pacifier and help develop creative projects for everyone. Enjoy!

Unconventional Date Night Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (February 14) and some of us are dreading it, not all for the same reasons. The holiday itself is a day of love. A chance for couples to celebrate their relationships but if you have a little one, taking time to celebrate can be difficult. Additionally, if you have been with your partner for many years, chocolates and dinner may feel a bit ordinary.

A proper and thoughtful date can satisfy any of the 5 love languages. We’ve put together a few unconventional date night ideas to give you some inspiration. Some of these are perfect if you want to stay home and involve the kids as much, or as little, as you like. However, some of these may be more appropriate for an “Adult Night Out.” Either way, have fun with your significant other.

Unconventional Home Date Night Ideas

1.Unplug at Home, Completely

Pack away your cellphone and don’t turn on any of your other devices, including the lights. Make it romantic and play cards or board games by candle light. You can wait till the kids fall asleep or let them join in on the fun. Might we suggest an adults only game of Twister to see what kind of knots you can get into.

2. At Home Foodie Night

This is an easy one to go super fancy, adventurous or both. Go to the grocery store and buy a bunch of fruit, meats, and cheeses that you have never had before. Then, create your own indoor (or outdoor) picnic. You can film each other’s reactions for a laugh later. If you want to take a safer route, get items you know but pair them with wine to elevate the experience.

3. Backyard Bonfire

Spending time in the backyard around a fire pit can bring out the most primitive urges in all of us. The fire pit is usually reserved for parties or guest but make the night special for you. Bring a nice bottle of wine or a fancy mocktail and enjoy the mild weather we’ve been having. You can roast marshmallows or, if you are feeling particularly adventurous, cook dinner over the open fire.

4. Replicate Something You Saw On YouTube

YouTube is full of interesting DIY videos from food to science experiments. Find a few and see if you can create a perfect dinner date, or safely blow up the kitchen. Whether the experiment fails or succeeds, you will both have fun making a mess together.

5. Movie Marathon Night

Take “Netflix and Chill” to the next level. Have an at home movie night with a theme. You can watch all the movies you can find on a particular topic like horse racing or movies involving dogs. Or, you can make a marathon of watching movies filmed in your city — Atlanta has been very popular in recent years.

Sometimes you need a night out away from the kids. As nice as a fancy dinner date can be, this Valentine’s Day, think outside the box with the following suggestions.

Unconventional Adult Night Out Dates

1.Go to A VR Cafė

It might sound a little different, but ultimately, this amounts to a night of playing fun games in an exciting atmosphere that’s perfect for sharing a great experience with your significant other. There are several options that will fit the bill perfectly — and it can be a much better time than some prix fixe menu at a local restaurant. So take a look, and see what’s there for a great date and a great story for all of your friends.

2. Role Play (Not like that)

Pretend to be super rich and attend an open house for property you have no intention of buying. If that’s not really your style, you can always test drive an expensive vehicle. It can be a lot of fun keeping each other on their toes with unknown backstories that you have to make up on the spot. See who can pull it off the best!

3. Be a Home-Town-Tourist

Playing a tourist in your home town can be exciting and out of the ordinary. This is a great way to learn more about your city and you’ll get to travel around to spots you may not have thought of visiting before. If you are in Atlanta, think about all the interesting history available to explore.

4. See A Show

Atlanta always has a live show going on. Whether it’s The Fox, The Tabernacle, The Village Theatre, The Shakespeare’s Tavern, or one of the many other venues, live shows are going on everywhere! You could plan this with the kids, or get a sitter and make it an amazing time out with your special someone. There are a lot of great shows going on this Valentine’s Day, so if that’s your cup of tea, make sure to get your tickets and have a great time.

5. Craft Brew Tasting

Experiences are the best way to drive a deeper connection. So why not make it a tasting experience? Search your city and try something new. Start with a flight for yourself, then choose one for your significant other. Make it a game, and see what the other has prepared for you and vice versa. The possibilities are endless, and you’re pretty much guaranteed an amazing night!

Whatever You Do, Make It Memorable!

There are definitely those moments where you need to just do the easiest thing, but Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be one of those times. It also doesn’t have to be super expensive and complicated to create new memories with the person you love that will last a lifetime.

So take a second and think about what you want to do. If you want to head out for the night, but are concerned about who will take care of your kids, use USIT and book one of our certified sitters today! With us, you can rest easy knowing that your children are in the care of vetted, proven professionals who absolutely love taking care of children.

Regardless of whether you celebrate your love with the kids around or not, make sure to make it special!

Our “How To” to Trick O’ Treat this Season

Trick O’ Treating  might be on October 31st, but who says you can’t bring the festivities to the children while you are babysitting? 

Usit prides itself on recruiting sitters who can engage children with various activities. We know sometimes you may run out of ideas on how to have fun with the children. So have no fear! Usit is here!

We want to share some ideas that you can have up your sleeve this Halloween while you babysit! 

Bling Out! Pumpkin Style

Bring the “Bling Bling” by going to your local pumpkin patch and picking up small pumpkins. Have the children “Bling Out” their pumpkins using various craft items such as: 

• Sharpies 

• Googly Eyes 

• Sequences 

• Glitter

• Stickers

*BONUS: Ask them to “Bling Out” their pumpkin to their favorite book character! 

Find a Hidden Drawing through a Pumpkin?

Print out a pumkin silhouette for the children, and ask them to turn that pumpkin into something else. 

Witch, Monkey, Dog ? Who knows? 

This activity allows them to get creative, and hey who knows? They can become true artists. 

Pumpkin Toss 

A pumpkin, measuring tape, that’s it. 

Have a starting line and allow the child to toss the pumpkin. Ask them to guess (in inches or cm) how far the pumpkin is away from the starting line. 

Measure it, and see how close they were to their prediction! 

You can always have a competition to see who guesses the closest. 

M&M Math - Can’t go wrong for a sweet treat!

Nothing can go wrong with M&Ms! With the parent’s permission of course, you can give a fun size pack of M&Ms to the kids. 

Depending on the age of the child, you can ask them various questions: 

• What kind of colors did you get?

• How many of each color? 

• Percentage of each color? 

• Average, Median, Mode of total M&Ms

Kick Back with a Spooky Book

Grab a book from a donation store or from the library. A Halloween themed book, few candy bars to celebrate and you are done. You can ask them to read for you and help them while they are reading along the way. One of the best memories you can give them and for you. 

These ideas are fun, festive, and easy on the piggy bank. You become the talk of the town with the kids and that parents will appreciate you even more. 

We got a contest for you! 

Sitters: Follow and Tag @usit_app on Instagram by doing one of these activities with the kids. We will do a drawing and one will be able to get $15 gift card! 

Parents: Follow and Tag @usit_app on Instagram of your little one’s halloween costume. BEST OUTFIT gets $30 of credit towards their next date night!! 

Happy Trick O’ Treating, Y’all!

5 Simple Self Care Activities

By Niesha Castro

Whether you’re a college student who’s stressed to the max about upcoming deadlines, or a mother looking for a little me time, you deserve to  take time off for yourself. Sometimes life becomes a little too much for us to handle and that’s okay. Everyone deserves peace of mind. As a female who is easily overwhelmed, I can tell you one thing: I have become very familiar with how to treat my mind and body so I can focus throughout my day.

1.       Take a Day to Pamper Yourself

Often times, when we get caught up in our work and everyday duties, we tend to put our personal appearance to the side. It’s an easy aspect to forget about. Being focused on too many tasks can distract us, or take up a lot of our time. So even if it’s just applying an extensive makeup routine, or putting on that cute dress that you haven’t found an occasion to wear it too, DO IT! Even having a spa day for yourself. I know when I actually take the time to fix up my appearance in the morning, it makes feel 10 times more confident and makes me feel more like myself!

2.       Clean Your Room/House

This one always helps my brain! Although I hate cleaning, in the end, it makes me feel more organized and inspired. Clutter gives me anxiety, but I can be very messy. So taking a whole day just to clean my apartment always feels great. It becomes fun if you start rearranging furniture also. Finding different layouts in your space opens up new possibilities.

3.       Create!

I know a lot of people who claim they are not artists, but you don’t have to be artistic to indulge in this task. EVERYONE has something they like to make with their hands. Whether it’s a awesome DIY craft that you found on Pinterest, or if you have a new recipe you’d like to experiment. Creating anything helps us realize our worth and talent.

4.       Talk

Sometimes self care is not so glamorous. Sometimes the only way we can get over our feelings of stress, or self doubt, or even depression, we just need to spend time with a trusted loved one or therapist and talk out every thing that’s on your mind. I, personally used to bottle all of my anxieties up until I would just burst one day. I’m still unlearning this habit, but I have gotten a lot better about it. Talking every thing out puts everything in perspective.

5.       Create a Dream Board

I’ve done this in the past and it is great for getting your thoughts organized and aligned. Stressing out about our future and how we’re even going to reach our goals for ourselves is very relatable. A dream board is a crafty version of making goals and what steps you can take to get there. Dream boards are made up of images and sometimes small phrases or mantras that represent your wants in life. Like your dream job, future house, traveling plans, or family goals. It’s fun and you can hang it up and be reminded everyday of what you’re striving for.

What ever you do to take steps to care for yourself, make sure you indulge. Put in your full effort to rid yourself of any negative thoughts or feelings. The next day, you can return to your work or regular schedule with a clear outlook and mental health. Always remember that your mental health comes first before anything else. Let me know what steps you to to treat yourself on your self care days down below. Everyone has their own go-to routine.