Little Pockets of Bliss

The Single Mom's Guide to Finding Joy in Every Day Life

Kid Bliss

6 Easy and Free Summer Activities For Kids

6 Easy and Free Summer Activities For Kids that the whole family can enjoy

Searching for Easy and Free Summer Activities For Kids

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Summer is finally here!  Long hot days, warm peaceful nights.

For those of us in Canada, kids have only a few weeks left of school, and already I’m stressing about keeping them busy this summer, so I don’t get the constant whines of “I’m bored!”.  Luckily this year, my oldest is gone to summer camp with Air Cadets for 6 weeks (not sure who is going to miss who more), and my youngest is signed up for 2 weeks of Minecraft and Video Game Designer camps with Brickworks Academy.



But there is still a LOT of potential boredom time if I don’t get some ideas going, without breaking the bank!  So here is some easy and free summer activities for kids you can do to keep everyone happy!…

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Quick and Easy Parmesan Mayonnaise Chicken Strips

Chicken, coated in parmesan and mayonnaise, with crispy breadcrumbs.  Yep, this one is a classic!  A quick search of the internet (or mom’s recipe book) and you can find lots of variations on this recipe.  Surprisingly, we only introduced it as a staple in our house a few months back.  But it was such an instant hit with the boys (and so quick and easy), it’s now on our regular rotation.


Change it up

Changing up the recipe a bit, by slicing the chicken into strips and completely coating with the mayonnaise mix, made it less prone to being dry. It also made for better buy-in from my picky eaters (anything shaped like chicken fingers for the win)!  And using both Italian and Panko bread crumbs together gives it more flavour and crunch!

Get the kids in on it

If your kids are like mine, and love getting their hands dirty, this is a good way to get them involved in making dinner (just make sure they wash before and after!) Easy to prep (you can even slice the chicken ahead of time), measure, and mix, it’s a great starter recipe for budding little chefs.  Nothing screams fun to kids like getting your hands completely covered and gooey (using your hands really is the easiest way to get a good layer of mayo on the strips…just take your rings off first!)…

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The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short – How Time Changes As Parents

The days are long but the years are short. Never was a quote more apt. When you are juggling babies, cooking, cleaning, working, but then suddenly you blink, and they are grown and gone.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and decide to purchase, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! I only post links to products I myself have used and would recommend to others.  Thank you!

The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short

A little thing happened at the bowling alley last night.  (Like the beginning of all good stories…Lol!)  There was a crossover of life stages that caught me by surprise, but also brought a smile to my face (and a little tear to my eye too).

A gathering of work colleagues at our local KingPin Bowl Lounge, to celebrate a birthday.  I said I would drop in, as it was near to the airport, where my oldest attends Air Cadets.  (Have I mentioned that I am currently in the stage of parenthood known as “taxi driver”? Those of you in this stage too are nodding your heads in understanding and solidarity).



I also had my youngest son with me.  It’s the first time in a long time I’ve felt comfortable that he would behave in public without embarrassment (and he acted like a complete gentleman…proud mama moment!)

“Little Boy” Time

One of our co-workers, who is currently on mat leave, was there with baby boy in tow. I immediately scooped up the little guy (because I am magnetically attracted to the wee little ones it seems, and…baby!).  There I was with a 4 month old in my arms, watching my 10 year old shaking hands around the table like a little man.

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How To Manage Electronics Time For Kids

How To Manage Electronics Time For Kids when it feels like they are addicted to screens all the time. #screentime #gamingkids #electronicstime #addictedtoscreens #parenting #momlife #gamingaddiction

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and decide to purchase, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! I only post links to products I myself have used and would recommend to others.  Thank you!

Are your kids spending way too much electronics time?  Always in front of a screen, be it a video game, tablet, phone or tv?  Do you struggle with finding the balance between entertainment and education?  And when you finally take the devices away, do you get temper tantrums and meltdowns?

Me too.  It’s not easy, and it’s something our family still struggles with.  But I have made some small changes that are slowly adding up to create different habits and outcomes.  Some days it still feels like one step forward, two steps back.  But I’m confident that if we keep at it, we’ll reach a balance that we can all live with.

As a single mom, electronics time from a young age is the only way I keep up with everything.  Putting on an episode of Blue’s Clues or Thomas the Tank Engine (I’m dating myself here, aren’t I…) gave me 20 minutes to fold a load of laundry, or start dinner.  A Disney/Pixar movie, with my toddler planted firmly between my curled up legs and the back of the couch could equal a much needed nap for me, especially after nightshift.

Too Much Is Not A Good Thing

I am well aware of the dangers of too much electronics time.  I’m living it.  My youngest could definitely be considered “addicted” to video games.  If he is not squarely policed, he will play incessantly.  He’ll forget to eat, sacrifice sleep, and get so wound up and aggressive that he becomes completely unmanageable.



Yes, I am partly to blame.  I said yes to the hand-me-down iPads that both boys were given.  I bought the video game console. And the second one when the first was considered too “childish” (Come on Mom, nobody plays Wii, it’s gotta be PS4 or Xbox!) It was me that purchased the video games, and agreed when others gifted more games.  And yes, I downloaded Pokemon Go on my phone (and have been known to play it on occasion when the 10 year old is not around, don’t judge me…).

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How to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies

Picky eaters? Here's some great ideas to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies! #pickyeaters #fruitsandveggies #healthykids #pickykidstips

Eat More Fruits and Veggies

If you’ve got picky eaters like I do, it can be a real struggle to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies.  You try this strategy or that tip, and just when you think you’ve found success, they change their minds again!  It can be soooooo frustrating!

With my kids, I try to look at it as a long game.  If I take it one day at a time, eventually they will eat more fruits and veggies than they did yesterday.  I stick to what’s working, and try new ideas when they don’t.  Also, don’t be afraid to circle back around to something tried before without success.  Next time it just might be the win of the day!

Here’s a quick list of ideas to help get those kids eating more of the foods that are so healthy for them!

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