Got a paper plate? If so, you can easily make this fun instrument
Give your kids a crash course in music appreciation, and fill an afternoon with creative fun by helping them make a DIY tambourine. Scroll down to find out what you’ll need (a few supplies and lots of imagination!) to make this paper plate tambourine, and your baby Beethovens will be hosting their own jam sessions in no time. Feeling crafty? Check out these other homemade instruments that actually work.
What You’ll Need to Make a DIY Tambourine
1. Stiff paper plates (we used Chinet lunch plates)
2. Curling ribbon— any color
3. Silver jingle bells
4. Marker pens
5. Stickers
6. Scissors
7. Fishing line
8. Hot glue gun (parental supervision required)
9. Hole punch
Design the Paper Plate Tambourine
Let your kids design their own tambourine using markers and stickers. Each plate will be a side of the instrument.
Assemble the DIY Tambourine
Step One
Measure and punch along the edge of the two paper plates. One spot at a time, use a pen to line up the location of the holes on each side of the tambourine.
Step Two
Using the fishing line, thread two jingle bells through each hole. Continue until every punched hole has two bells strung tightly.
Step Three
Curl strips of ribbon with the scissors and then using just a dab of hot glue, insert and secure the strips to the bottom of the tambourine.
Play the Tambourine
They’ll love the impromptu jam session that occurs right after the project is complete!
They deal with fourth-grade math so you don’t have to
They keep our kids all day and teach them all the things we might not remember (and probably lack the patience to explain). Yes, we’re talking about educators, and it’s time to say “Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!” If you’re looking for creative ways to spoil your kids’ teachers, we’ve got great ideas that range from gifts you can get at the grocery store to e-gifts delivered right to their inboxes, so get ready to thank your favorite teacher today.
Grab a Last-Minute Gift from the Grocery Store
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We get it, we can't all give our favorite teachers a Pinterest-worthy gift basket. Lucky for us, there are plenty of great gift ideas waiting for you at the grocery store. From gift cards to candles and even a good beach read, say happy Teacher Appreciation Week with one of our favorite items here.
A picture is worth a thousand words of thanks—especially when your kids hold photo props featuring customized messages of appreciation. Head over to Hello Wonderful for the free word bubble printables, made even more adorable with the Elephant and Piggie props, and then customize them for your favorite teachers. Set up a photo shoot inside, and send those pics to your kids' teachers. Bonus: you can erase the boards and have your kids write messages for their core teacher, art teacher, and PE teachers, too!
Sometimes it's fun to get the whole class or a group of kids involved with a big teacher appreciation gift. But, the hassle of collecting money, making sure everyone is included on the gift tag, and getting the gift to the classroom can be overwhelming. Group Together allows you to collect money from others, have them sign a digital card, and then you choose from dozens of gift card options like Amazon, Target, The Container Store, Wayfair, and more. Your teacher will receive the card and gift all in one. Talk about efficiency!
A gift card to a local restaurant shows your teacher you care and supports small businesses, too. Ask your teacher what their craving these days, and email a gift card for sushi, burgers, or samosas their way. It'll give your child's teacher a night off from cooking and show your appreciation.
Send your teacher a little love by filling out this free teacher thank-you printable. Simply print it out, and help your child answer each prompt, then scan and email it directly to your kiddo's favorite educator. If you're up for it, you can also share this template with the other parents in the class, so that your child's teacher receives a book full of love. Visit Paper Heart Family to get your free printable.
Let your favorite teacher enjoy a relaxing night off and catch a movie at home. Send them a Netflix gift card, which they can use to add more months to an existing account or to subscribe. If you'd like to add a few snacks to go along with their favorite movie, send popcorn to her doorstep.
Keep your teacher's pantry full with an electronic gift card for groceries. Whole Foods will email or text a gift card to your favorite teacher as soon as you order it. Groceries are a tangible gift they'll appreciate, and your show of gratitude will keep your teacher fed, and ready to tackle whatever challenges teaching throws at them.
Instead of flowers, use a company like Bloomscape to pick and have a new green plant sent to your kids' teachers. Whether they leave it at home or bring it to class, it's a lasting way to say thank you.
Most teachers have all the cute mugs that they need—but they can always use more snacks, coffee, or wine. You can put together your own teacher appreciation basket customized to your teacher’s favorites like the ones seen above from @angelarichhome.
Old-fashioned letters are a great way for kids and teachers to stay connected. Have your kiddo write something and send it with a gift card and a supply of stationary like this adorable set.
Add to Their Library
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Teachers always need more books for their classrooms—and their bedside tables. As a show of appreciation for your favorite teacher's hard work, send them a gift card to your local bookstore or Barnes and Noble. Or, ask your teacher for a list of books they need and order a copy from Bookshop, which lets you shop online and supports indie bookstores, too!
Send a Thoughtful Thank-You Note
Oz Spies
Your child can write a thank-you card themselves, or you can put your thoughts down on the page and let your child's amazing teacher know what a difference they've made. You can even share a copy of this note with your teacher's principal, who might not know about all of the great things you see. Don't forget to write "Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!"
Moms. They are the absolute glue of a family, they raise you, look after you, and love you all while balancing the rest of their life. This can oftentimes be thankless work, so it’s our job to make sure they feel the gratitude they deserve, at least once a year! This Mother’s Day, take care of mom like she’s taken care of you. Need a little inspiration? We’ve got you: below are just a handful of some of the wonderful gift ideas to surprise her with this May!
Loyly Sauna has two Portland locations to choose from. The larger Northeast facility features two cedar saunas, a cold shower cooling room, and therapeutic massage and holistic skincare services. The Southeast location is slightly smaller and features a cedar sauna, steam room, showers, locker rooms, along with their signature therapeutic massages and holistic skincare services. Purchase your special mama a gift card for a massage and sauna experience and we guarantee she’ll be feeling like a million bucks! The whole family will be feeling her afterglow.
This northeast Portland flower shop is exactly where you want to go for your Mother’s Day bouquet. With flexible pricing options, same-day delivery, and an endless amount of customization options, these master florists are guaranteed to piece together something thoughtful and beautiful. Beaumont Florist targets a certain temperament with each of its bouquets and offers additional gift items like chocolates or balloons to pair with your arrangement! Truly a one-stop-shop. Check out their sister shop in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, too!
4201 NE Fremont St., Portland, OR 97213 (503) 281-5501 Online: beaumontflorist.net
Sammy's Flowers Personalized Arrangments
Open seven days a week, this adorable, Parisian gem builds beautiful arrangements that are sure to leave you satisfied and your mother’s dining room table looking great. Want to depart from a standard bouquet and give her something that she can cherish for longer? Sammy’s Flowers sell beautiful orchids in several dazzling shades, as well as cards and chocolates for the ultimate flower-gifting experience! Want to build mom an arrangement made especially by you? At Sammy’s Flowers, that’s no problem! Just pick out some of their individually priced flowers and they’ll arrange and wrap them for you. Make sure to jump online or give them a ring soon, Sammy’s gets especially busy during the Mother’s Day week.
1710 W Burnside St., Portland OR 97209 (503) 222-9759 Online: sammysflowers.com
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Moonstruck Chocolates & Cacoao Sweets
Mom's love is oh so sweet, so why not get her some luxury sweets for her special day? Grab a box of the classic truffle collection at Moonstruck Chocolates. If she likes bars, there's a delectable variety to choose from. And don't forget to scope out the bundles that let you mix and match her treats.
Need a few things to help mom feel like she’s pampered? Good news: Tender Loving Empire has everything under the sun for helping mom feel adored and appreciated! From incredible-smelling candles and adorably-designed tote bags to jewelry and spa-night kits, they’ve got you covered! Come with a plan or come without! You’ll be sure to leave with something special for that extra-special woman who you call mom.
If you frequent NW 23rd, it is more than likely that you’ve found yourself in Lush Cosmetics dazzled by their soap collection. This Mother’s Day, Lush is pulling out all the stops so you can be in awe even more. From scents like earth and herbal to citrusy and floral, and need-levels like soothing or deeply cleansing, Lush has the gifts that mom needs to let those shoulders down and enjoy a bit of an at-home spa night. Whether it’s a bath-bomb, a shower scrub, a face mask or a vegan body wash, Lush will help you help mom take a load off and enjoy herself. Head online to see their full list of options, or head in to the store today!
Gifting a living plant is a long lasting present that will forever remind your loved one of your thoughtful gesture. Pop by one of Portland Nursery’s two locations and find the perfect house plant. Pick from aloes or bonsai to cacti and succulents.
Love our city? So does With Love From PDX! Maybe mom doesn’t live here in town (but she should!) and you want to treat her to a little bit of the place you call home. That’s where With Love From PDX comes in. They’ve got curated gift boxes that will fit exactly what you need, whether that’s the ultimate charcuterie set or a gardening box for the green-thumbed lady in your life. Have a friend with a newborn? Send her With Love From PDX’s “Mama + Baby” gift set, so they’ll both feel a bit of your love. Can’t find all the right things in one box? No worries, you can create your own custom box, so both gifter and gift-ee can rest satisfied! All the goods in each of these bundles of love are filled with locally-made goods from Portland, so you can give gifts and support small businesses! Head online to check things out today!
Don’t look now but back to school season is almost here! And parents have big spending plans for school shopping. A new survey found they’ll spend an average of $843 per child, plus many aren’t waiting until August to fill their shopping carts.
Data from Affirm surveying 2,000 parents found that clothing is the top spending category this year, trumping technology. 70 percent said they’d spend the most in that category, followed by school supplies. And nearly one in three parents said they spend more money on back to school than holiday shopping!
If you’ve circled the first day of school on your calendar, you’re not alone. More than half of the parents surveyed (52%) said they are counting down the days until school starts. But parents also have more appreciation for teachers now, with 67% noting that the pandemic has boosted their gratitude.
Finally, almost a quarter of respondents said they’d celebrate back to school by taking a vacation sans kids. If you’re inspired to plan your own escape, check out our curated Airbnb lists for an epic trip!
We all know that last year was especially tough on parents—and there’s plenty of hard data to back that up. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, a new survey found that in light of those challenges, this year’s holiday might be more important than ever.
The research surveyed 2,000 people and found that 65 percent say they view mom as a superhero. The same data showed that on average, individuals missed out on 28 days of in-person time with their moms over the past year due to the pandemic.
That’s why the majority will go to great lengths to make the upcoming holiday extra special for mom. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they want their mother to “have the best day ever” after 2020 wreaked havoc on typical plans, 84 percent are more eager to visit their mom on Mother’s Day than ever before and 60 percent cited in-person time with family as the driving force to get vaccinated.
Quality time is the top activity listed for Mother’s Day plans, followed by buying mom flowers, taking her to a nice restaurant, or cooking a meal for her. Other popular gifts include a massage, shopping trip or spa day. All presents will be carefully considered: seven in 10 of those celebrating the holiday emphasized that they need mom to like her gift this year.
The survey was commissioned by Groupon and conducted by OnePoll. Moms will surely love any gesture of appreciation after 60 percent said that 2020 was their most stressful year as a parent! Fortunately, 64 percent of survey respondents said the past year has made them even more appreciative of their own mothers.
––Sarah Shebek
Video courtesy of Groupon and SWNS/Feature photo: arto_cannon/iStock
It’s nearly time to close the book on this non-conventional school year. You could say we’ve had a book thrown at us, as we’ve learned that teaching our kids is no easy task. Here are some printables to send some much-deserved gratitude to our teachers! Feel free to fill out an award or two for yourself–you’ve earned it!
PS: Another great way to say thank you to your favorite teacher: The gratitude-packed book Dear Teacher. This so-sweet book thanks all the people that empower and inspire little ones to be themselves and overcome all of life’s obstacles—making it the perfect gift for the last day of school! Learn more.
A recent poll of 1,000 moms revealed what leading ladies really want for Valentine’s Day––and it’s not about flowers and candy.
The study, conducted by OnePoll with Zulily was all about uncovering what mamas want after the horror that was 2020. It found that the number one “gift” was “me time” and that’s pretty much all it takes to feel loved this V-Day.
photo: Zulily
The topic of “me time” arose out of the result that found 55 percent of moms believed they has spent too much time with their partner and needed a break. Nearly 75 percent also believed that it was just as important to spend time apart when in a relationship.
Amidst the pandemic, research also demonstrated that expressions of love have changed, with 33 percent of moms reporting a change in their love language. In fact, brand new love languages have emerged!
The updated languages now include
Partner doing household chores: 45%
Relaxing but doing own thing in the same room: 41%
Cooking a meal: 36%
Playing video games: 28%
Sending/sharing memes: 27%
Megan Marshall, director of brand marketing for Zulily says“Finding joy in the moment and understanding how to communicate, show love and receive appreciation is always important to all relationships whether it’s with a significant other, ones’ children, or other women in their lives. This is what we’re excited to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.”
No matter what your love language is, the study revealed that almost 80 percent of respondents believed their partners should know their love language, even if theirs differs. Now, about that “me time…”
Can you believe it? 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of The Wiggles, the world’s most popular children’s entertainment band. To kick off the year-long celebration, The Wiggles are releasing a new video focused on diversity and inclusion entitled, We’re All Fruit Salad.
The new song honors the legacy of The Wiggles greatest hit Fruit Salad with a nod to today’s social climate. The song delivers a message of unity, respect, appreciation and acceptance. Several of The Wiggles celebrity friends, including Lou Diamond Phillips and stars from the Broadway smash “Ain’t Too Proud-The Life and Times of The Temptations” are featured singing in the video.
“If you want to see a room light up, watch what happens when children start singing. It’s a joy that spreads through young and old. It has been a real adventure over the last thirty years, and we hope to be having this much fun for at least another 30 years to come! 2021 marks a very important moment for us and we cannot wait to celebrate this milestone with all our fans, young and young-at-heart,” said Anthony Field, Blue Wiggle.
Over the past 30 years, The Wiggles have been a fixture in many homes, entertaining and educating children and families all over the world. Generations of fans that grew up watching are sharing their love of The Wiggles with their own children.
“Thank you to our Wiggly fans all around the world for listening to our music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services. We’re looking forward to sharing lots of exciting new Wiggly tunes with you over the year ahead!” said Lachy Gillespie, Purple Wiggle.
Stay tuned as more 30th year celebration collaborations and activations are revealed throughout 2021.
To me, gratitude is about attitude, and being grateful and showing gratitude comes with humility and putting others before yourself. And here’s the psychology behind it. Research shows that if you do something good for someone else you end up feeling better about yourself. Studies have shown that generosity, giving back, and showing gratitude to others actually helps decrease stress and depression and increase life span!
In my professional expert opinion, most children want to be helpful and show appreciation, it’s the way children’s brains are wired. Being thankful is intrinsically motivating, which is behavior that is driven by internal reward. The opposite of this extrinsic motivation, getting money, or a tangible reward like candy or a sticker for doing something good. But instead, positive verbal and nonverbal praise goes a long way with a child. And the more a child is shown thankfulness for good deeds and behavior, the more they will want to continue doing it more and more. It’s naturally satisfying when someone is happy with you.
I believe the best way to teach children lessons in life is by doing. And starting as early as possible! Showing them firsthand how to be grateful and giving back by volunteering and helping those in need. Parents are the role models and it all starts with us. Therefore, I have implemented writing in a Gratitude Journal every morning with my children. This can work really well for children from preschool age to college. You can prompt your children if they need help and then write down a few things/people you are thankful for each day helps gratefulness!
Here are some other ways to teach gratitude for children of all ages and cognitive developmental levels:
Babies: Teach them please and thank you.
Toddlers: Pick new toys at the store and donate them to Toys for Tots, Rady Children’s Hospital, or Operation Christmas Child.
Children: Teach them how to write a thank you each time they receive a gift from someone. Or once a month, make a card and give it to a teacher, friend, or family member and or leave a note and some water and snacks for mail carriers to show appreciation for all of the extra hours they are putting in this holiday season can help them feel grateful for hard-working individuals.
Teenagers: Volunteer at a food bank or a soup kitchen for the day so it can help shape and build their perspective. Or find a good cause to donate to and or participate in like a Susan G Komen Walk for Breast Cancer where they can raise money and walk the walk!
And here are a few of my favorite Gratitude Journals:
Dr. Kim is a mom of two young children, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Registered Play Therapist, Univeristy Professor, and the owner/founder of The Parentologist w/ Dr. Kim, a Southern California based family and lifestyle blog about everything parenting with a therapeutic twist.
2020 was a wild and sometimes challenging ride for Portland parents. COVID-19 caused schools, indoor play spaces, and even parks to close down. While navigating the constantly changing COVID safety requirements, Portland families still managed to make things work while staying safe. Some might think that most moms and dads look back on 2020 as anything but a positive time in their lives, but when we asked, we were surprised that many look back on it downright fondly. Read on to find out what Portland parents have to say about what they loved about 2020.
I’ve been working from home since March, and although it’s been challenging to have interruptions throughout the day as my three kids are online for school, I feel like this experience has made all of us closer. I don’t spend two+ hours per-day driving (one hour commuting each way). I’ve gotten more sleep each day not having to get up extra early to get ready to be in an office environment for the day, and nothing beats having my youngest son come in my room when he first wakes up to give me sleepy snuggles before he gets dressed for the day. Before, I’d leave the house to head to the office before my kids were even awake. I feel like I’ve had more time…more quality time…and I’m so thankful for that.
Lelah Hogan
Portland school districts have rocked the school lunch and breakfast program! I was just thinking about this today. There has been a heightened sense of community reliability and connections. I will be sad if this goes to the way side when normalcy returns.
I have a new appreciation for teachers and how crazy fantastic they have been regarding flexibility and patience with the vast amount of changes. I have heard of several families finding they love to homeschool, or parents being surprised with how well a child does academically versus in a large classroom.
Elise Bays
One thing is it’s made us all slow down a bit more. We are doing more together as a family. Less tv time and more learning together. We bought a piano and now everyone is learning. Our schedules were hectic before and it has been nice to slow it down. I would echo that teachers have been amazing during this time and give so much of their time. The online environment has actually worked better for my son. As a whole I see where people have come together more to help each other.
2020 has definitely…caused a slow down for many families. Its brought a new appreciation for the old recipes, traditions and generations that hasn’t been as experienced in recent years. My sons and daughter have been able to share so much with my grandbaby, talk freely with my mom and learn more about our family history. Its brought us back together in so many ways and reignited a family spark that our communities were missing for far too long.
Crysta
I have six kids…I still feel that navigating parenting, working and schooling is something that should be celebrated, because it was bananas. But I took away so much from this year. I slowed down. I spent more one on one time with my kids individually and collectively. We went on adventures and learning transitioned to being outside more. We set goals and navigated mental health and how that looks for our family. It brought us together closer as cooperants to these kiddos and my work as a birth worker was refueled and rejuvenated as so many birthing people came back home to have their babies. If 2020 provided anything it was resilience and connection.
Kate VanLooven
I got to spend time with most of my kids (ages 18 to 26), time I would never have had without the shutdown. We all live in one house, usually on different schedules. We got to garden, cook, and play family games together, opportunities that would not have otherwise happened. Plus, now we know that no matter what’s going on, we will have fun. My dad lives with us, too. His grandchildren and I have been able to spend time with him while he’s still around (he’s 77). Keeping him safe with kids and COVID has been a challenge but worth whatever sacrifices we have had to make.
One has to work reeeeally hard to find such a silver lining. But I would say that my conversations with my fourteen-yo daughter on systemic racism, American history, the political process and our civic responsibility would be my “good thing.”
But seriously, it’s like asking what’s the best part of a hurricane.
Dawn
My son taught me some good cooking skills. He likes cooking…I don’t.
Christina
I was pregnant and gave birth in June. I swear I have such a chill baby because I was working from home and able to rest, eat healthier and have flexibility which allowed me naps. I was able to focus on having a safe pregnancy vs. commuting and being on my feet, walking to meetings, etc.
Stephanie
Ultimately as hard as 2020 was on full time working parents, the best thing that came from it was we got to spend significantly more time with our kids. Spending so much time together made us closer. Our oldest (13) started talking to us more and wanting to do activities with us instead of playing his video games. We became our 2yr olds best friends and teachers. We got to spend months teaching both of them what we felt was important. It made both my husband and I realize that we need to focus more on our family than on our careers. Sometimes it takes a really shitty situation for you to realize what’s actually important and that was 2020 for us.
