Wee Willie Winkie Bedtime Activity

By Deborah Rowley

Wee Willie Winkie was another favorite bedtime activity we did with the kids when they were little. You can read my Three Little Pigs Bedtime Activity post here.

(Don't you love Katie's-it's-way-past-my-bedtime look!) 

To really get into Wee Willie Winkie you need a long night cap. If you don't have a long night cap handy, you can make a temporary one as easy as 1-2-3. All you need are a pair of leggings, a rubber band or hair tie and a Santa cap or ski hat with a pom-pom on the end.

Step 1: Get a pair of your child's leggings. Put one leg inside the other leg.

Step 2: Push the Santa cap or ski cap all the way down the leggings so that the pom-pom sticks out the other end.

Step 3: Secure the pom-pom with a hair tie or rubber band if desired. This step really isn't necessary but I needed three steps!

Now put the stocking cap on your child's head and the fun can begin.

Turn off all the lights in the house and give your "Wee Willie Winkie" a flashlight. He or she can now race through the house and knock on all the doors of various family members, calling out the famous rhyme to each person he meets.

Wee Willie Winkie
Runs Through the Town
Upstairs and Downstairs
In his nightgown.
Rapping at the window
Crying through the locks
"Are the children in their beds?
For now it's 8 o'clock!"

*You can change the time based on your child's bedtime.

Once the child has raced through the house and repeated the rhyme to all the family members, then it time for Willie to head to bed.

Just like in the Three Little Pigs, my children knew that if they got out of bed or made a fuss after playing Wee Willie Winkie, they wouldn't get to do a bedtime activity with us the next night. It was the perfect incentive. It only took a few minutes but it helped everyone go to bed happy instead of crying and whining or coming out for the 15th drink. Give it a try tonight!

Here are some other nursery rhyme posts you may enjoy:
Humpty Dumpty
Hey Diddle Diddle
Old King Cole
Little Jack Horner Pin It

Top Tips for Doing Disneyland with Teens

By Deborah Rowley

As Tiffany mentioned in her fun Countdown to Disneyland post, we just took our families to the Happiest Place on Earth. Here are my top tips for doing the Magic Kingdom and California Adventures with teens. Tiff will then weigh in with her top tips for younger children.

#1 Don't miss the parades or the shows. It would be easy to miss a parade or a show assuming that they are too juvenile for teenage children. But my kids LOVE Fantasmic and the World of Color and wouldn't miss Aladdin and the Disneyland fireworks show even though they have seen each of these productions several times. This year we loved both parades as well as the new show Mickey and the Magical Map at the Fantasyland Theater. Nobody puts on a show like Disney.

#2 Don't forget the Kiddy Rides. Let each child pick a nostalgic favorite with one rule: no one can complain. We encouraged each child to choose a few favorite kiddie rides that they wanted to visit for old times sake. We enjoyed Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride among others. The kids loved trying to remember which rides were their favorite when they were small and we all enjoyed re-experiencing these classics since no one could complain.

#3 Do meet and greet the characters. One of my favorite memories is seeing my 18 year old compare hair notes with Merida of Brave fame. They both have wild, unruly hair and it was so cute to see them together! We had even more fun watching our teens talking to the characters than we did when they were little when they seemed to scream and bury their heads in our necks more than carry on a conversation.

#4 Do establish financial parameters beforehand. Our kids knew that we would pay for all of their meals and an ice cream treat in the middle of the day. Otherwise, they were on their own for any snacks and/or souvenirs. This made for an enjoyable trip for Mom and Dad as we watched our kids agonize over purchases made with their own hard-earned money while never getting nagged to open our own wallets.

#5 Do take cheesy photos. My niece Shayla taught me this tip. When we went with Shayla to Disneyland three years ago, she insisted on stopping at all the funny photo stops and taking pictures. I love to look back at her and her cousins in front of the wishing well, trying to pull the sword out of the stone or riding in a cartoon car. Fun family photos made the BEST souvenirs of any trip to Disneyland.

#6 Do eat unique foods in unique places. I have heard complaints about the food at Disneyland and it can be overpriced and tasteless. This time we tried something different. We committed to not eat anything in Disneyland that we could eat at fast food places at home. So no burgers, pizza, or fried chicken. Instead, try some foods unique to Disneyland. For example: Enjoy eating Monte Cristo sandwiches while watching the Pirate Boats go by in the Blue Bayou. Or stop at the Cozy Cone Motel in Radiator Springs. We tried both the chili and the chicken verde in edible bread "cones" that were delicious. We also loved the Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches at the Hungry Bear Restaurant. And we couldn't resist the famous hand-dipped corn dogs from the Little Red Wagon on Main Street. They were amazing!

#7 Do spend plenty of time in Radiator Springs. Cars Land is absolutely incredible. Even if you don't have a Cars movie fan in the family, you must spend time in this fantastic place. I am still in awe of how the magicians at Disney made this movie come to life. Yes, the traffic light is actually slower every third blink!

#8 Try something different each trip. A few years ago we went to see Cherished Moments with Mr. Lincoln and were amazed at how realistic this animatronic marvel really is. This time around we took the Sourdough Bread Tour on Paradise Pier and watched the Asimo Robot Demonstration in the Innoventions building. Both were fantastic and worth our time.

#9 Take Advantage of Line Time. My oldest daughter packed a funny pack of storytelling cards in the bag she carried around Disneyland. Whenever we were stuck in an extra long line, she would pull it out and we were soon laughing hysterically over the storyline someone in the family had created. Before we knew it, we were at the end of the line and jumping onto the ride. It would be easy to let your teenagers pull out their cell phones and use line time to do your own thing on Pinterest, but line time was some of the best bonding time for us as a family. We also played words games, guessing games and memory games to pass the time. During one wait, we quoted Disney movie lines for each other to guess. In another line, we compiled our list of the Top Ten Disney movies of all time. Even though I don't like lines, it was fun to wait with my kids!

#10 Enjoy every moment. Our days of going to Disneyland with our kids are numbered. We don't have to imagine the future any more. Our kids really have grown up too soon! It is wonderful that we share a love of Disneyland together. And before too long, we will be sharing that love with our grandchildren!



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Birthday Celebrations

By Deborah Rowley

We have a few birthday traditions in our family that I love. They started simply but have become a cherished part of the day, even now that my children are teenagers. Birthdays begin with the bedroom door decorating before the birthday child wakes up.

Other members of the family can help and I am sure that we make so much noise that the birthday child is far from sleeping but is laying in bed on the other side of the door laughing at our lack of stealth.

The door is decorated with signs that express love and signify the importance of the upcoming year. Here is the door for my son who just turned 15.

The door is also decorated with photos that show that child throughout the years. I love to look back and see their growth and progress. I have a box of photos that I have set aside to use for door decorating. These are duplicates that never made it to the scrapbook. It is also really handy to have this box of loose photos when teachers request a picture for a project or when we need to make a poster because one of our kids is the Star of the Week at school.

After the door is unveiled in all its crepe paper and curly ribbon glory, we tramp upstairs for teddy bear pancakes. My grandmother gave me these teddy bear pancake molds when my children were small and they are pulled out just for each child's birthday breakfast.

We add mini M&Ms for the eyes, mouth and buttons and usually whipped cream or ice cream for the hair. Healthy breakfast, right?! Luckily kids' birthdays come just 5 times a year at our house! (Rather than say 100...)

We sing Happy Birthday and then the birthday child goes off to school or work feeling loved and celebrated for the day even if the official birthday party isn't until three days later or we can't fit in a family dinner until the following night.

My children have now started to decorate my bedroom door for my birthday and for my husband's. They even decorated grandpa's door last June! It is fun to see them start to adopt and carry on these traditions themselves.

Have you read this absolutely hysterical post from Glennon about birthdays? I love Momastery and I think this post is absolutely essential reading for every newlywed. I know I will be making each of my daughters read this before they get married. Enjoy!

Glennon on Birthdays

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The Three Little Pigs and Bedtime

By Deborah Rowley

One my kids favorite activities to do at bedtime was play the Three Little PIgs. 

Here are the instructions for this activity that I have written for kids:

For this bedtime activity, Mom or Dad will be the big bad wolf and you will be the smart little pig. Choose where the straw house is going to be and where the stick house is going to be.  Your bed is going to be the brick house. The straw house could be your Mom or Dad’s bed. The stick house could be on the couch in the living room. Start by going to the straw house and pretend to build it. Suddenly the big bad wolf comes and says, “Little Pig, Little Pig, let me come in.” You answer: “Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin.” The big bad wolf says, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.” The big bad wolf starts to blow and you run as fast as you can to the stick house with the big bad wolf chasing you.

When you get to the stick house you pretend to build it until the big bad wolf says, “Little Pig, Little Pig, let me come in.” You answer: “Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin.” Of course the big bad wolf says, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.” The big bad wolf start to blow and you run as fast as you can to the brick house (your bed) with the big bad wolf chasing you. 

When you get to your bed you pretend to build strong bricks all around you. The big bad wolf comes and says, “Little Pig, Little Pig, let me come in.” You answer: “Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin.” Then the big bad wolf says, “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.” He tries to blow and he tries to blow and nothing happens. You snuggle down in your bed and smile while the big bad wolf starts to choke and cough. Finally the big bad wolf says, “Okay I can’t blow your house in, so I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll give you a good night kiss.” You give the big bad wolf a kiss and pat him on the head so he won’t feel bad.  Then you go quickly to sleep in your safe, strong bed.

It was such a hit that it was easy to get the kids to go to bed if we promised that we would play the Three Little Pigs first! Then I told my kids that if they got out of the brick house after getting tucked in, they wouldn't be able to play 3 Little Pigs again the next night. It works! 

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What is Lurking in Your House? Scary Halloween QR Codes

By Deborah Rowley

You may have read our previous post about the kid friendly QR Codes I created for Halloween here.. In that post I mentioned a big kid version!

Here are the scary creatures that I am going to hide around my school for my students to hunt for and find. Underneath each picture I have listed the place that I am going to put that QR Code. You may not have a classroom but you can hide these QR Codes anywhere you want to delight the older kids at your house.

(This QR Code is going on the door to Brent DeGraff's Classroom. He is our school's favorite teacher. He has a dancing skeleton in his classroom and is famous for using an ax to get kid's attention! )

(This QR Code will go on the door to Jason Lloyd's Classroom. He is our resident FBI agent/ Science Teacher in Disguise.) 

(I will put two QR Codes on the mirrors in both the girls and the boys bathrooms.)

(This QR Code is destined for the strange storage closet that no one ever goes in because no one is quite sure what is in there....) 

(Can you think of a more perfect place for this QR Code than the Microwave in the Cafeteria?)

(The QR Code for this big guy is going on the door to my classroom because this is what I look like when I am upset!)

(I just might have to put two of these QR Codes on the backs of the toilets in the girls and boy's bathrooms. If I don't do that.... the drinking fountain might be a good second choice!)

(The Ronald McDonald Zombie QR Code has to go on the student fridge in the cafeteria! Do you think he will make anyone lose their appetite?)

(The Wicked Witch will be lurking behind her QR Code in the Janitor's Closet.)

To create your own houseful of spooky Halloween guests, simply print out the QR codes below. Cut them apart and cut off the (text in the parenthesis) that tells who that QR Code is. Then hide them on the openings to doors and cabinets and cupboards around your house.

Then give your kids a smart phone or tablet with a free QR Code reader and send them on a monster hunt around the house for unwanted Halloween visitors!

Scary Halloween QR Codes


Reminder: If you have younger children who will be scared by these images, see our kid-friendly QR Codes at this post.

Once my students have found all our creepy Halloween visitors, I am going to switch out these QR Codes for a different set that include answers to silly Halloween Jokes. Stay tuned for that post later in October! Happy Halloween!



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Who is Hiding in Our House? Halloween QR Code Activity

By Deborah Rowley

I am excited for a special QR Code Activity I have planned for my class. I am going to hide some Halloween creatures around our school! How am I going to do that, you ask? Special QR Codes will reveal the lurking monsters behind closed doors, closets, and storage cupboards in our classroom.  I even have some critters to hide in the microwave, the student's fridge and the kids' bathrooms.

You can join in the fun by hiding some Halloween friends around your house. I designed these QR Codes for the younger set. These visitors aren't scary. They are cute and fun and guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone who hunts for these happy Halloween guests.

Simply print off the free QR Codes that are provided below. Cut them apart and place them in unsuspecting places around your house. Consider putting one QR Code on the trapdoor to the attic. Another QR Code could be placed on the dryer door. How about putting one on the trash compactor and another one on the door to the linen cupboard. Put the QR codes any place a Halloween friend could hide.

Then give your child a smart phone or tablet with a QR Code reader like Qrafter Pro and let them discover who is hiding in their house.

Find the QR Codes Here.
If you want you can actually plant a plate of goodies where your last QR Code is hidden. This is the picture that comes up with the last QR Code I have planned.

Tell your kids that if they dare to open the door where this QR Code is planted, they will get a treat!

Stay tuned for the scarier QR Codes that I have planned for the older students in my class.


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Feel Great in 8 Challenge

Yesterday I posted about Old King Cole making healthy food choices. How about the rest of us?!! My sister Tiff is starting another round of Feel Great in 8 on Monday. I absolutely love her program and have done it with my cute teenage girls. If you are looking at entering the holiday season with some extra help and motivation to stay healthy, this is the way to go! It is amazing! 

October Feel Great in 8 Challenge - Let's Spread the Word!

Image from www.freedigitalphotos.net

The next round of the Feel Great in 8 Challenge starts on Monday, October 7th!

First of all though, I just have to tell you something...

I had the coolest, cheesiest, most realistic dream last night. I woke up with it fresh in my mind and I've been thinking about it all day.

I'm going to tell you about it, but no making fun of me and my cheesiness. ;)

In my dream, the October challenge was the biggest yet. 10,000 participants to be exact...realistic, right?! {haha}

That's not to cool part though, in the dream we were all together. 10,000 of us walking together down a long road. We were holding hands, patting backs, and had arms around each others shoulders. We were this huge force of positivity, cheering each other on, lifting each other up, and supporting each other to the finish. We were strong and brave and happy.

As I type this I can seriously still feel it. You guys, it was awesome! 

So, today I've been thinking about how we can make it happen. Something magical is coming, I know it.

I just need your help to get it going. Take a minute to think of anyone you know (or 10 people you know) who need this, who want to join us on this healthy path, and would love to be part of this amazing group of support. 

Let's use pinterest, facebook, emails, texts, actual phone calls, face-to-face chats, and even twitter to spread the word! *Just don't ask for my help with that last one, I'm not cool enough to understand twitter. :)

It's going to be amazing.

Feel Great in 8 Challenge

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