

Check out these 5 easy themes for your teenager's next birthday bash:
Murder Mystery Party: A unique choice for a boy/girl party. Many websites offer ready-made, age-appropriate murder mysteries specifically for teens. This type of party provides a great opportunity for creative teens to get dressed up and utilize their natural tendency for drama. Look for a mystery which includes a basic story line, not a script. Teens won’t want to have to learn lines. Also, be sure to incorporate a meal or fancy snacks with the production. This draws out the players and provides more time for mystery solving.
We’re awaiting a hurricane! Here are 8 fun ideas to help pass the time together with your family!
- Do a school project - The learning doesn’t have to stop because school’s out of session. Have your kiddos create a presentation on a topic they’re learning about, such as a colorful play dough model of the digestion system, or a salt dough map of the earth.
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Indulge in a read-aloud - If you’re not currently reading a book to your child, start one this week. Use our online library system to check out a digital copy for your Kindle app if possible. For young kids, are few books we recommend the Little House series, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Boxcar Children. For picture books, a few of our faves are Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, The Little House, and A New Coat for Anna.
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Watch the storm - It might seem odd, but children and adults alike find it interesting to watch the radar of large storms while listening to meteorologists and news reporters give updates.
Regardless of age, being physically active provides numerous health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for adults each week, and 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for kids between the ages of 6-17 each day. Finding ways to move daily can help everyone in the family maintain their health – and prevent them from going stir crazy.

Pretty soon, it'll be "Hello August"! Wow, this month has blown by quickly! And if it has felt pretty uneventful because of … well… COVID-19 and all, then here’s your last chance to win Mom of the Month for July: a Christmas in July celebration that the kiddos will love. Here’s how to pull it off!
Even if your child is an infant confined to a stroller or baby carrier, he/she can still benefit from nature – there’s a lot to see and hear, and plenty of fresh air to breathe!
Use your senses to observe the world around you. Lizards and June bugs are really showing out this season, but what else can you see that isn’t immediately noticeable? What can you hear? Stand still, wait, and watch.

Have you been wondering about what to do with your child for the upcoming school year? As guidelines roll out and school districts share plans for conquering the upcoming months, many parents are starting to grow concerned.
THE OPTIONS:
School resumes in August or September this year, and we’ve got options to consider! Many of our local districts, including Conroe ISD (Woodlands-area schools), Klein ISD, and others, have detailed an On-Campus learning option for students (with the requirement of wearing masks, social distancing, etc.), as well as a Virtual / Online learning alternative (which doesn’t exactly equate to “homeschooling” in the general sense. The virtual learning option will most likely require your child to be enrolled in the school, be available for daily attendance, possibly plug-in for live virtual classes, follow the scope, sequence, and lesson plans of the teacher/ school, and submit work for grading, etc.)
What’s a parent to do? Send your child to school where he’ll have to adhere to new COVID-19 guidelines, or keep him home and try to navigate the waters of the school’s newly-formed online learning program?
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- No guests, No problem. Your child can have a Happy Birthday at home, even on lockdown!