Blog — Kids Activities

The Benefits of the Arts and How to Get Involved
If you want to help expand the mind of your child then you should consider infusing the arts into their lives. By playing music, painting pictures, and expressing themselves artistically, kids can have more fulfilled lives and you never know where the hobby could take them!
How to Teach Your Kids to Clean (+Printable Games to Help Teach Them)
After a long day working, running the household or completing errands, the last thing you want is to put your hand down on the counter and feel something sticky on the surface. But for many parents? Cleaning up after the kids is part of the job.Â
Luckily, there are ways to ease the burden of cleaning and teach your kids to share the load. By showing them that cleaning can be fun, quick and painless, they can pick up clean habits that will make mopping up a spill or folding their laundry second nature rather than a chore.Â
One way to teach kids not to fear cleaning is by playing cleaning games with them while they’re still learning. Check out this list of fun games that can help you build a culture of cleanliness in your home. Take a look!
The Clean Lantern
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Link to download this mockup image.
Turn your kids into a superhero who is on a mission to find and defeat the evil Dust Bunny. Create a cape using a sheet, then use this printable superhero eye mask and badge to turn your kids into the Clean Lantern. Challenge them to fight evil using their mops and washcloths.Â
Laundry Room Races
Once the laundry is finished and ready to be folded, line your kids up at a starting line and have them race to get their clothes folded, taken to their rooms and put away. There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to get chores done. For added fun: have them shoot their socks into the laundry bin like a basketball before they can move on.
Link to download preview image.
Chores and Ladders
Give each child a token such as a coin or bottlecap and use this printable game board to make cleaning a game of chance. Line up at the starting line and roll a 6-sided die, then move the number of spaces indicated and complete the corresponding task. The game board even includes blank spaces for you to leave blank so your kids can get off the hook, or write in house-specific chores.Â
Sprinkler Time
If there’s an outside mess to be cleaned up — chalk on the driveway, anyone? — make it more fun by playing games with sprinklers or a hose. Put on bathing suits, turn on the hose and have fun spraying each other while you clean up chalk or wash the car.Â
Link to download preview image.
Dust Monster
Make sweeping more interesting by turning the dustpan into a monster that is hungry for dirt and dust. Print out the dust monster printable, have your kids color it in then attach it to your dustpan with tape. Every time your kids sweep dirt into the pan, it’ll look like the dust monster is eating it up.
Cleaning Karaoke
Turn your cleaning day into a concert while mopping, sweeping or dusting. Use the broomstick, mop handle or spray bottle as a microphone and sing along to your favorite pop hits. Bonus points if you dress up like a diva!Â
At the end of the day, creating a culture of cleanliness at home means making it so your kids don’t fear cleaning. Make chores fun for them by making it a family affair that they look forward to.Â

How to Host a Grandchild's Birthday Party That Won’t Break the Bank
If your grandchild’s birthday is coming up, use these tips to plan a budget-friendly celebration everyone will enjoy. Fun for everyone!

Eight Games To Play With Sidewalk Chalk This Summer! Stand Up & Draw, Play & Create.
Looking for quick and easy fun games to play this summer? Grab some sidewalk chalk and keep the kids active for hours with these ideas.
Look Out! 2018 Sidewalk Chalk Art Festivals Are Coming in Michigan
2018 Michigan Sidewalk Chalk Art Festivals!
It may still be snowing here in the Midwest but Spring is right around the corner...
It is, right?Â
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Yes, it is - and that means sunshine, getting outside and finding fun creative things to do with your kids on the weekends. One very cool thing is to check out a Street Art Sidewalk Chalk Frestival - fun and when you see the artwork, it's amazing!
Here are a few really great festivals happening in Michigan in 2018, and Walkie Chalk may just pop up at a few!
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June 15-16
West Michigan Chalk Art Festival - Byron Center, MI
June 23-24, 2018
Northville Chalk Festival, Northville, MI
July 28-29
Chalk Art - Downtown Chelsea, MI Â
August 3-5
Chalk The Block - St. Joseph, MI

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Sidewalk Chalk to Snow Shoes: Kids Activities - "Just Get Outside!"
Outdoor Toys For Kids To Stay Active.Â
We review a few toys to get kids outside and playing. Simple fun toys, to move around and be active, crate and just play. We'll also tell you a secret... our favorite sidewalk chalk.Â
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