Cynical Parent

As a parent, summer time can be a challenge. Whether you’re a stay-at-home or working parent, the reality is, summer time is “fun time.” (big time air quotes there)

And fun time means…you need to find stuff for your kids to do.

Even if your kid is young enough to still be in daycare or you’re sending him or her to a summer camp, you will still undoubtedly find yourself with hours in the afternoon or on weekends where you need to find stuff for them to do.

And as much as I’d love to be running around after a long day or week of work (correction: NOT), sometimes it’s much less stressful and much more enjoyable to find some fun activities that your kids can do at home.

And let’s not forget another important factor: it’s a hell of a lot cheaper too.

So, without further ado, we’ve put together an amazing list of 12 super fun summer activities for kids at home.  Keep your kids busy, keep your own sanity, and keep your wallet from going empty.

These are the goals.

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Spring has arrived! That means more time outdoors enjoying the warmer weather on sunny days, and more time trying to keep your preschoolers occupied indoors when spring storms hit. Fortunately, there are plenty of spring activities for preschool kids that are fun and totally engaging!

Even better, there are tons of spring activities for preschoolers that require little to no planning and minimal supplies (yay!). In fact, many of the supplies you can find in your pantry or outdoors in nature.

Plus, most spring activities can be completed outdoors so you can embrace the beauty of the season (and keep your home clean).

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Whether you’ve been able to grab an actual Nugget or one of the Nugget alternatives, you’re probably wondering what the best Nugget couch accessories are.  You know, the things that can really take Nugget play to the next level.

Aside from buying more pillows, Nugget (the company) themselves don’t actually sell any accessories.  And let’s be honest: if they did, they would probably be sold out right now given how hot this play couch is.  

We did some digging around though – looking through Pinterest, Instagram, etc. to see what other people are using to maximize playtime with the Nugget, and compiled it all in a nice little list.  There’s a lot of great stuff out there.

Let’s get to it! 

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You potty trained your kid at age 3.  You still kept them in a diaper while sleeping at night because you weren’t sure if they would be able to hold it overnight. Totally normal.  And you were right too, because they would wake up every morning with a wet diaper. But then, as they turned 4 or even 5 years old, you started to wonder, “should my kid still be wearing diapers at night?”

How can I get them to stop?

It’s something a lot of parents deal with.  It’s normal.  Just because your child is potty trained doesn’t mean they’re developed enough to go 10 hours without using the potty. 

This is something we dealt with as our 4 year old turned the corner to age 5, and in some ways, it’s harder than daytime potty training for certain kids.

We did our research to figure out some effective strategies.  Here’s what we found.

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You think you’ve done all the right things. You’ve taken the dog to obedience class.

You’ve read up on how to introduce a dog to a baby.

But then, just as you dreaded, it happens.

grrrrrrrrrr

Your dog growls at the baby.  The baby starts crying.  

Now what?  

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Here in the Midwest, there are several months of the year when it is cold and there is plenty of the white stuff.

Snow is a four letter word most of us have a love/hate relationship with.  It’s pretty and fun to play in, but it can also be a hassle (driving can be a major pain in the ass). And sometimes, when old man winter is feeling especially generous, it means you’re stuck in your house for a while.

Fortunately, this makes me an “expert” on finding fun snow day activities (since I’ve been snowed in more than a few times myself!).

So, if you are dreading that first good snowfall and the inevitable school “snow” days, fear not! Here are 10 insanely fun snow day activities for you and the kids this winter!

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We’ve written about Nugget alternatives before, but now we’re going to take a look at a new Nugget alternative contender: The Figgy.  In a comparison of the Figgy vs. Nugget, which play couch should you buy?

If you haven’t heard of the Figgy, it’s new to the rapidly growing play couch scene.  Play couches to a certain extent have been around forever, but when much of the world experienced a “stay at home” order in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, play couches (and the Nugget in particular) exploded in popularity.  Kids are playing at home more, and the Nugget ended up being a great solution for parents.

But with the popularity of the Nugget, the demand far exceeded supply and parents everywhere were left fighting for Nuggets.  Whenever they would restock, they would sell out within seconds.  They’ve since increased production capacity and have begun selling more again, but the increased demand has opened the door to new options such as the Figgy.

Let’s compare the two and see what’s right for you.

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I don’t know if you noticed, but the Nugget (that little play couch for kids) has been super popular lately, especially during these times where we find ourselves at home more often.

There was a time when they were perpetually sold out.  And when they did come back in stock, they sold out within a couple minutes. Or, you had to sit and wait to win a lottery.  It was crazy.

So, you might find yourself wondering, “what else is out there? There must be something else like it, right?” 

You’re in luck.

While there’s nothing exactly the same as the the Nugget, there are several good alternatives and knockoffs that are easier to get your hands on and will still provide tons of fun for your little ones.

Let’s dive in and check out the best Nugget alternative (we have a few options).

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As a parent, I am always looking for ways to keep organized and make life just a little easier.  One of the problems I’ve found is that all of the really cool organization stuff out there is expensive.

And when you’re looking to organize drawers, closets, kids toys, etc. the cost really starts to add up.

Fortunately, genius minds of the internet have found a lot of really cool low budget ways to get organized.  I’ve compiled a list of my favorite, and it’s time to share with you.

Prepare to have your minds blown with my list for 9 Dollar Store hacks that will make you an organizing genius!

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You may have thought your little one’s sleeping problems were behind you.

Waking up with a newborn guzzler is no joke, but now your bug-eyed toddler seems to be going through the dreaded 2 year old sleep regression. And like me, you could be waking up with a kid’s foot in your face.

Although you may have thought this was the time to reacquaint with your partner, catch up on romance novels, or binge Netflix shows, think again!

But don’t worry – we’ve got some answers for you here.

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