Category Archives: ideas-for-moms

{Back to School Shopping – With Printable}

It’s almost time for the kids to head back to school. My kids have grown quite a bit and need to do some serious clothes shopping this year.  I always try to fit lessons into the activities that we do and back to school shopping is no exception.  As soon as the kids were old …

To Clean or Not to Clean?

That has been the question. Here at Smart and Trendy Moms, we are trying to figure out just how much to help our kids with cleaning their rooms. We’d love to hear what you require of your kids when it comes to cleaning up. When you have kids, it goes without saying that you have …

{"Mom’s Sanity Saver Car Box"}

I’ve never been the best at planning.  It never bothered me much until I had kids.  When my daughter was little, I started out carrying a diaper bag; but as she got older, I started thinking, “We’re only taking a quick trip to the store; I won’t need the diaper bag.”  So as you can …

{Tips for a Happy Holiday}

On the Holidays, do stress and worry go hand in hand with food and family for you? Yeah, for us too. Here are some ideas I’ve come across that might help: Keep It Real – To help reduce stress, set realistic expectations (and then be willing to let even those go) or even set your …

{Homework Help – Developing Independent Learners}

In the kindergarten and first grade years, there is a lot of parent help needed for homework.  As they get older, they need less and less help. Developing good study habits is important for kids for later in school when they won’t ask or when you can’t help them — I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember my …

{Timez Attack – Multiplication Game}

Its that time of year again, the kids are back in school and hard at work. If you have a child that needs to learn their times tables this year – or needs to review them   – we came across a great computer game called Timez Attack.  The game takes what is basically flashcard practice and …

{Kitchen Clean Up Game – Kitchen Ninjas}

When my kids were in the 4 to 9 age range, they started to go into the kitchen and get their own snacks or drinks. That was great; I love that my kids are independent. What I didn’t love was the mess that they started leaving – cracker crumbs, puddles of milk and juice, smudges …

{The Chore Cup}

I am trying a new idea at my house. I get tired of my elementary aged kids fighting over chores. I hear a lot of : “It’s not fair! I vacuumed/dusted/took out the trash/insert-chore-name-here last time.”   In an effort to curb the fighting, I am trying a Chore Cup. I don’t remember where I heard about …

Breakfast Butterfly – Go Ahead, Play with Your Food

Butterfly French Toast and Eggs - Ideas for Moms

I love having fun with food, especially at breakfast when my kids often need a little encouragement to wake up and start the day in a positive way.  My son and I made a french toast and scrambled egg butterfly, and he loved it.  We cut the french toast into quarters for the wings, formed the …

Monoface – Online Fun

Image from Monoface Website

My kids were totally entertained by this site. It’s called Monoface. It was originally a Holiday card by the advertising and design agency Mono. They took photos of their employees (some making funny faces) and have put them together in one face. Some silly, bizarre, and funny photos result. You click on the different parts …

Fish Finder Math Fun – Kids Math Game

Fish Finder Math Game

Looking for an idea on how to get your child to study his or her math facts? This is a math-practice game that you and your child can make. Your child lines up two numbers in the two upper bubbles and the answer appears in the large bubble. It is currently set up for addition, but …