Travel Bags

We did a whole Roadtrip Roundup series last year around this time so definitely check it out if you're in need of some inspiration. We are heading to the Sandwich Islands soon (yeah I know I'm excited) and I've been preparing 6 hour airplane flight bags for the boys. They have always been excellent travelers but maybe it's partly because we always travel prepared? I personally don't like being bored when travelling I can't imagine it being easier as 7 and 9 year old boys.

I thought I'd share some things I've been collecting for the boys' bags as well as things they've picked out. At their ages it's mostly books with a few fun things thrown in.

They are both getting a small plastic box with a LEGO base plate - to help hold pieces down - and a small LEGO set (they know losing a piece or two is a possibility).

The LEGO Captain Americas Avenging Cycle 6865

and the LEGO Star Wars The Battle of Naboo 7929 were both requested recently

The Ultimate Sticker Collection: LEGO Star Wars: Minifigures 

and DUDE Diary #2 were some of the activity book requests

I got them Travel Tangoes - Animals. My brother and I liked playing with the original when we were about their age so I thought they might like it too!

They'll also each get a "professional" Sketchpad and colored pencils/crayons.

Something new for this vacation is journals! They'll each get a journal, small travel scissors, tape, and a glue stick so they can record their vacation in their own words and save bits and pieces that are important to them on their trip. They are both super excited about it.

They've been eyeing these Moleskine Lego Black Brick Ruled

They have fun messing around with silly Teeth

or Mustaches

We'll also have some electronic devices (ipods, Nintendo 3DS, laptop) but those only go so far! Here are some of the books that they wanted to add to their bags:

I think I may still get some Wikki Stix

I'm sure we'll get a couple new movies on the ipods, and maybe download a few new game apps before we leave. Has anyone else seen any great new books or activities lately that would work great for travel?

(Links to products are affiliate links)

Getting Crafty

Thought I'd link up some fun crafts today. I know I need to start stocking up ideas for summer. School is out SO soon!

Here's a recycled Mini Biplane from Looledo

Superhero paper dolls from Tangarang

Shower curtain liner city from Filth Wizardry

 Parachute craft from No Time for Flashcards

Avengers Bookmarks from Crafts by Amanda

Messy painting fun from How Does She

Dinosaur feet stompers from Activity Village

Fort Friday

We're back with Fort Friday! I know many of you missed it last week!

If you're new - here at All for the Boys we celebrate Fridays with some awesome fort inspiration from around the web. Whether made of sheets, cardboard, wood, or sticks, forts are a place we can go to transport our minds to wherever we want to go. You can play, dream, relax, or create in a fort. Everything is better in a fort!

Don't forget if you participate in Fort Friday (or make a fort any day of the week) and want to share email me at info@allfortheboys.com 

Let's start out this week with YOUR inspiration!

Marco from Frauen und Kinder zuerst sent in this photo of this amazing "underground castle with many traps" Imagine all the surprises you could hide in there

Erika's boys each made their own forts (I may need to encourage mine to do this more). Apparently the forts were so good one even fell asleep.

An awesome backyard stick fort from The View Finder by tsdg!

Natalie's boys had fort building on the top of their Spring break to do list. I'd say they checked that one off pretty well!

Here's a quick up and quick down fort from Amazon

A big fort/treehouse at Balboa Park from Bornrich.com

A treehouse trampoline tent would become an oven here in Phoenix but would be super fun in the winter! from Amazon

A pretty cool backyard fort setup from dreadlockgirl

Have a great weekend!

I've Been Pinning

Here are some fun activities I've Pinned on my Pinterest "To Do" board - thought I'd share!

Source: toddlerapproved.com via Allison on Pinterest

Source: 4hbakerco.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

Source: mermag.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

 Source: tamingthegoblin.blogspot.co.uk via Allison on Pinterest

 Source: lilla-a-design.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

 Source: familyfun.go.com via Allison on Pinterest

Source: dollarstorecrafts.com via Allison on Pinterest

Busy Bag Swap

Amber over at Click Pray Love, recently had a Busy Bag swap with other Moms of 2-3 year olds. Each mom made enough of one type of bag for all kids attending so each kid went home with 10 or so different bags! They had lots of fun activities!

Go check out her blog post for how to's on all of these and more busy bag activities!

Mother's Day Rounup

In case the jewelry trays and/or printable wasn't quite what you're looking for - I put together a little Mother's Day roundup for you!

The Fingerprint Heart project from Busy Kids = Happy Mom. She made this for the kids' grandmother with her and her sister's kids!

You could write lots of reasons you love mom and after they are all blown up have a balloon party. Photo from Free Pretty Things For You

Maybe your kids want to collect some sticks to make some natural candle holders - from Fossil

or a photo holder - from Carolyn's Homework

or some stone photo holders - from Photojojo

From BHG - We did this for Christmas a couple of years ago - Helping Hands dish towels!

Either way I hope you've found that perfect gift and/or craft project for mom this weekend!

Tomorrow I have some toddler fun to share!

All About My Mom

Last year I made a fun little All About My Dad printable for Father's Day so I changed it a bit for Moms. Print out and fill in the answers for the little ones or have them fill them out themselves. Always pretty funny to see their answers!

Download  HERE

 

DIY Jewelry Tray

Did you know Mother's Day is sneaking up on us? It's next Sunday! I've been wanting to do something similar myself so I thought I'd get the boys involved. Both of these are super easy and great for getting the kids involved. I'm not a super "girly" mom. No flowers, reds, pinks, or purples for me. I'm more of a succulents, blue, grey, and green type of mom. Apparently I'm in the minority based on the gifts advertised for Mother's Day. Here's what we came up with!

This first one is super cheap and functional. I've been needing some new trays/bowls to throw my jewelry or other small things in on my nightstand and dresser. We started out with a pack of 4 bamboo plates from Party City. It was $2.99 - they are advertised as biodegradable party plates and are made out of bamboo!

To get the colors that will coordinate with Mom's tastes, only put out paints that will go together or will work for mom. That way the kids can choose from colors that will coordinate together, please mom, AND they get to choose. Then you just tape off sections to get the design you want. You could do stripes or squares or whatever you want. If you have a messy or  younger child tape on some plastic wrap or foil to cover the part you don't want the paint to go.

You can dry with a hair dryer to speed the process if you're impatient or Mom is coming home soon. We did 2 coats of each color. Once the paint is dry remove the tape.

"This is a REALLY cool craft Mom!" 

Tape off your next section and continue with another color.

That's it! You can seal it with some Modge Podge, or sealer of some sort to protect the wood and paint.

Both boys (7 and 9) approved of this easy craft and now want to make one of their own. Even if you have a younger child the different brush strokes and painting "techniques" can look cool when taped off into a design.

DIY JEWELRY BOWL

We also wanted to try these DIY Doily bowls from SodaPop

My boys wouldn't go near the doily even for mom so we tried some of our own. I let them do this project all on their own so it's definitely not as "polished" looking as this one but they are still very cute and will proudly hold the stuff I throw on my night stand ;)

Start out with some air dry clay from the craft store and knead it a bit.

Flatten with a rolling pin (we covered it in plastic wrap so as not to get dough in the pin). You can flatten thinner than my boys did but I didn't want to direct too much on this project.

Cut into a circle

Then use anything with texture to create a neat design on your bowl. He's using a seashell

Use a bowl to mold your circle into a bowl shape

I wasn't sure if it would stick as it dried so we just carefully took it out and let dry

He used a piece of scrapbooking elements I had laying around.

It takes about a day to dry (or more if you make it thick). Then you can sand down the edges to make them smooth.

Again you can seal, paint, decorate these however you want. Some ideas are - finger prints (use an ink pad) hand prints, a design with sharpie paint pens etc. Have fun with it!