Author

DIY Kinetic Sand Recipe for Kids

April 2, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Sensory play has always been a big hit in our family.

As soon as our kids were old enough to stand up, they loved playing with sand, mud, and playdough – like most other toddlers.

We’ve made edible playdough, moon sand, slime, and lots of other sensory materials at home.

And that’s why I wanted to share this DIY kinetic sand recipe too!

If you have kids who love sensory play and building, this kinetic sand is perfect.

It’s soft enough to mold, but also firm enough to hold its shape. Great for little builders!

Get the full kinetic sand recipe instructions below.

And, for more fun with sensory input, check out our scented Apple Pie Playdough too!

This easy DIY kinetic sand is such a fun way to play indoors with little ones! Perfect for sensory input too!

DIY Kinetic Sand Recipe for Kids

To make this DIY kinetic sand recipe, you’ll need:

Sand
Baby oil
Cornstarch

This sensory recipe is so easy that the kids can help you make it.

Once you’ve measured out the right amount of each ingredient, just mix them all together.

It actually works best if you mix it with your hands.

So the kids can get some sensory play before they even start playing with the kinetic sand!

After you’re done mixing, toss a few sand molds and building toys into the sand.

The little ones can play as long as they like!

NOTE: This DIY kinetic sand is NOT edible. Please use caution with toddlers and very young children.

Scroll down to get the printable DIY kinetic sand recipe!

Check out other sensory play ideas!

Make up a batch of this apple pie playdough to have a fun fall sensory activity with your little ones! So fun for little hands!

Mix up some sensory fun with these edible playdough recipes for kids! These are so fun for little ones who love to play with dough!

This fun and easy snowman slime is so fun for sensory play during winter! Mix up a few jars and hand them out as gifts for little ones!

DIY Kinetic Sand

This DIY kinetic sand is a simple sensory play idea for young ones!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

2.5 cups sand
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup baby oil

Instructions

Pour the sand into a mixing bowl or loaf pan.
Add the cornstarch and mix well with your hands.
Pour in the baby oil and mix well.

Recipe Notes

If the mixture is too dry, add a few drops more baby oil until you reach the right consistency.
If the kinetic sand doesn’t hold its shape, add a bit more cornstarch.

Make a batch of this simple DIY kinetic sand for a quick sensory play activity at home!

Scavenger Search! Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

March 31, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Having fun indoors can be a bit of a challenge for a family.

After all, little ones have a TON of energy. And keeping them entertained within four walls can be difficult.

So indoor scavenger hunts have become extremely popular with families these days.

It’s like playing “Hide and Seek” without having to actually find a place to hide. Which can pose its own set of challenges if you live in a small space like we do.

This printable indoor scavenger hunt for kids can make inside play a piece of cake!

Fun Printable Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

This would be a great activity to burn off energy and let the little ones play for a while any day.

Read on to get your copy – free!

And, if you want to take an indoor scavenger search to the next level, pick up our Family Night Scavenger Hunt Cards for a fun family game night activity!

Pick up this free printable indoor scavenger hunt for a fun indoor play activity to share with the kids!

Scavenger Search! Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

To use this printable indoor scavenger hunt for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase markers (optional)

This one-page scavenger hunt features twenty different items for kids to find and mark off.

If you have more than one child, you can print the page twice.

Then split the kids up into teams and see which team can find all the items first.

Printable Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Or you could assign each child one column of items to find and see who gets them all the fastest.

Want to reuse this for later? Laminate it and let the kids mark off each found item with dry erase markers!

Be sure to have a special treat ready for everyone once the scavenger hunt is over!

I suggest these simple Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies. Just don’t eat them all while the kids are hunting.

Scroll down to get your printable indoor scavenger hunt for kids!

Need more ways to play and learn inside?

Use this printable Space Color by Sight Word Activity to help early readers practice literacy skills and have an art activity too!

Make the most of time at home with these easy boredom busters for kids! Great for school breaks, summer vacation, and more!

To get your copy of our Scavenger Search! Indoor Play Activity, just click the image or the link below to download it to your computer!

>>> Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids <<<

Uppercase and Lowercase Cupcake Letter Matching Activity

March 30, 2020 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Working with a kindergartner is kind of like walking on a tightrope.

They don’t want to do anything too “baby-ish”, but they’re not quite ready for “real school” either.

Except for my four-year-old.

She wants to do EVERYTHING her older siblings are doing, including learning subjects and predicates, as well as order of operations.

Naturally, I’m trying to put the brakes on a little, especially since she’s our last child we’ll ever homeschool.

But she’s ready to go on to more advanced concepts and there’s no stopping her!

So I thought she’d love this fun cupcake-themed letter matching activity for learning about lowercase and uppercase letters!

And she did.

She thought it was one of the most awesome activities we’ve done yet!

Read on to see how to get a copy of this printable alphabet activity for your little ones and score a digital drag and drop version too!

And check out our cupcake playdough mats for even more fun PreK learning!

Cupcake Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching Activity

To make this cupcake uppercase and lowercase letter matching activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Laminator (for durability)
Scissors

To get started, just print out the cupcake pages. Then cut out each cupcake.

Cupcake Letter Matching Activity for Kids

Finally, cut the “frosting” with the lowercase letter away from the “cake” bottom with the uppercase letter.

How to Use the Cupcake Letter Matching Activity

Once you cut apart the uppercase cupcakes and the lowercase frosting pieces, just mix them up and hand them to your eager early learner!

Piglet wasted no time in getting started matching up each frosting and cake combination.

As she found each matching letter set, she’d reassemble the completed cupcake.

It didn’t take long for her to start working her way through the entire alphabet.

And making quite a lovely batch of cupcakes!

This was such a fun and cute letter matching activity!

And, as you can see, she absolutely loved it!

Ready to try this with your kids?

Scroll down to pick up this cupcake-themed alphabet matching activity!

Don’t miss these other fun early learning ideas!

To get your copy of our Cupcake Letter Matching Activity, click the image or the link below to visit our Store!

>>>>Cupcake Letter Matching Activity<<<<<

Want to score the printable activity and a digital version you can use on your computer or tablet?

Stop by my Teachers Pay Teachers store to get the printable + digital bundle of this cupcake letter activity for preschoolers!

>>> Printable + Digital Cupcake Letter Matching – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Space Sight Words! Color by Sight Word Activity

March 26, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to read sight words is one of the first reading fluency skills young children master.

It’s so fun to watch them learn to recognize one word, then two, then a full sentence!

And if you can add a hands-on element, it’s even better.

So I thought this fun space-themed color by sight word activity would be a cool resource to add to early literacy lessons!

This is a true no-prep activity. Simply print the pages and you’re finished.

Perfect for teaching small groups, working at literacy centers, or learning at home!

Read on to see how to get your copy. And, if you’re looking for more early literacy ideas, don’t miss our Rhyming Word Puzzles!

Space Sight Words! Color by Sight Word Activity

Sight word reading can be a very helpful step toward literacy.

When young readers can remember important and commonly used words, it builds their confidence – which is critical to building a love for reading.

Which is why learning sight words is definitely worth the time, even at young ages.

This literacy and art activity can help!

To use this sight word color activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Each coloring page features six sight words and color codes for each picture.

Printable Color by Sight Word Worksheets for Kids

Students simply color the picture according to the color for each sight word.

There are five different pictures in all.

Since students will be reading and rereading the words again and again, this is an excellent retention lesson.

Printable Color by Sight Word Activity for Kids

Plus, they’ll get a fun art activity in the meantime!

Printable Color by Sight Word Literacy Activity

Scroll down to get your copy of this Space Sight Word Color Activity!

Don’t miss these other early literacy activities!

This hands on short vowel sounds activity is so fun for building early phonics skills! Add it to your literacy centers for engaging phonics practice!

These Spanish color playdough mats are a wonderful hands on resource for early learners, Spanish language learners, and ESL students!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

To get your copy of these Space Sight Word Reading Color Worksheets, click the image or the link below to get it from my Store!

Space Color by Sight Word Activity for Kids

>>> Space Color by Sight Word Worksheets<<<

Prefer to shop on Teachers Pay Teachers? Grab this product in my TPT store!

>>> Space Sight Words Activity – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Practice early literacy skills and get some fun art practice with this Space Color by Sight Word Activity! Great for learning at home or in small literacy groups!

Easy Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft for Kids

March 24, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I grew up in a small town. A very small town. The population was somewhere around 500 people.

Naturally, there weren’t a ton of things to do for fun.

So the annual county fair was a big deal for the kids in the area. We went every year.

Whenever we’d get close, I’d start watching for the lights on the midway and the top of the Ferris wheel going around and around.

You could usually see it a mile away.

So I still have a soft spot in my heart for Ferris wheels. And that’s why this easy coffee filter Ferris Wheel craft was so fun to make!

Fun and Easy Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft

This is an excellent crafting project for early elementary kids. It’s great for strengthening fine motor skills, but it’s easy enough to finish in about 10 minutes.

Perfect if you’re looking for a fun indoor art activity for kids!

Read on to see the full directions. And, for more crafting fun, don’t miss my list of preschool crafts you can do in just 10 minutes!

Share a simple craft for kids with this easy and fun Ferris Wheel Coffee Filter Craft!

Easy Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft for Kids

To make this easy Ferris Wheel craft, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Making a Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft

To begin, find a brightly colored piece of construction paper and turn it vertically.

You need enough space to add the Ferris Wheel and the support stand at the bottom.

Use a glue stick to attach the coffee filter on the top center of the construction paper.

How to Make a Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft

Draw a colored circle in the center of the coffee filter. I added a yellow cut-out star, but you don’t have to.

Use a black crayon or a black marker to add spokes coming out of the circle in the center. There should be eight in all.

Now use child-safe scissors to cut the “seats” out of construction paper.

The shape I used is flat on the top and rounded on the bottom, but you could use rectangles, squares, circles – really any shape is fine.

Before you glue the construction paper “seats” onto the wheel, lay them out and make sure that you can fit them all onto the coffee filter.

You want the seats to hang just a little below the white filter – just like they do on a Ferris Wheel!

When you’re sure you can get all eight onto the circle, glue them down.

Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft for Kids

Note: You might have to extend the black “spokes” out to connect all the way to the seats.

Now all that’s left is to add the stand!

Easy Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft for Kids

Use a colored marker or a bright crayon to outline the stand legs. Then color them in!

Add a few gold stars and we’re all done!

How to Make an Easy Coffee Filter Ferris Wheel Craft

This is such a fun craft to add to a spring or fall unit!

Or you can share it with students in small art groups or with your own kids at home.

If you make this, I’d love to see how it worked out. Feel free to share pictures of your projects in the comments!

Don’t miss these other simple crafts for kids!

Get ready for back to school with this super cute paper school bus craft for kids! So easy to make, even for little ones!

Make this easy paper roll rocket craft with the kids this summer! So fun for a long summer afternoon of crafting!

This simple coffee filter jellyfish craft is a perfect easy summer craft for kids! Make a few with your little ones this summer!

Gather a few household supplies and make this easy coffee filter Ferris wheel craft! So fun for indoor crafting!

Printable Relaxed Kids Homeschool Day Planner

March 23, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We were homeschoolers for ten years.

During that time, I taught up to four children. In four different grade levels. It was fun.

And at times overwhelming.

But one of the most important things I learned is that the only way to make homeschooling work (for me, at least) was to take a very relaxed approach.

I tried timed schedules and they just didn’t work for us. Especially because some of our children have attention issues.

The relaxed homeschooling approach, though, was perfect.

Which is why I thought it might be helpful to share this printable kids homeschool day planner – which is perfect for relaxed learning at home!

Cute Printable Homeschool Day Planner for Kids

With this handy planning page, you can structure your child’s learning day without going overboard.

Which will only stress you all out. Trust me.

Read on to get your copy – free!

And, for more ways to plan your homeschool without feeling overwhelmed, take a look at how I got by without using a homeschool planner at all!

This free printable homeschool day planner makes it easy to structure a day of learning from home!

What is Relaxed Homeschooling?

I feel like I need to give a quick primer about relaxed homeschooling, just in case you’re new to teaching kids at home.

Relaxed homeschooling takes a gentle approach to schoolwork.

Instead of structuring your day in a school-at-home fashion (with a set time for each subject and a set amount of work to cover), you choose your own way to cover each subject.

In fact, you can even choose which subjects to complete each day.

The overall goal is to learn on a continuous basis – not to cover a certain amount of the curriculum.

My kids loved it.

Printable Relaxed Kids Homeschool Day Planner

So – if you’re using a relaxed homeschool approach, this simple homeschool day planner is perfect for outlining what you want to accomplish each day.

To use this printable kids homeschool planner, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Pencils
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase markers (optional)

This homeschool planner includes two color pages and two line art pages.

One set of color and line art planning pages has labeled sections for the following subjects:

Math
English
Physical Activity
Creative
Free Choice
Science
and Quiet Time

Colorful Homeschool Day Planner Printable for Kids

The other set of color and line art planning pages is unlabeled, so you can decide which subjects or areas you’d like to teach that day.

The very essence of relaxed homeschooling!

You can even make these reusable.

Simply laminate the pages and use dry erase markers to fill in what you’d like to cover each day.

And you can let the kids color in the line art version too!

Scroll down to get your free Printable Kids Homeschool Day Planner!

Need more help structuring your learning days? Try these tips!

If your homeschooling day starts badly, it can be a real challenge to get it back on track. Here are a few tips to help you learn how to start the homeschool day right each morning!

Overwhelmed by planning your homeschool day? Try this minimalist homeschool schedule to get started!

Looking for an easy ADHD homeschool schedule to try this year? See the simple ADHD homeschool schedule we're using!

To get your copy of our Printable Relaxed Kids Homeschool Day Planner, click the image or the link below to download it to your computer!

>>> Printable Kids Homeschool Day Planner <<<

This relaxed printable homeschool day planner for kids is a perfect way to keep your learning days structured without going overboard!

15 Science Experiments You Can Do In 15 Minutes

March 20, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

There’s nothing that keeps kids interested in learning like a great science experiment!

But if a science activity requires a lot of supplies or if it takes a super long time to show results, it can be tough to keep the kids interested long enough to observe it all the way through.

Plus, who has time or space to work on a science experiment for days on end?

And that’s why I love these easy 15 minute science experiments!

These activities are simple, quick, and educational – perfect for learning at home or in small groups!

Read on to see the list below.

If you’re looking for a quick science lesson plan you can use with kids, don’t miss our Superhero States of Matter activity! It’s a science lesson, an experiment, and an observation journal in one!

15 Science Experiments You Can Do In 15 Minutes

1. Gather a few supplies and let the kids learn how to make an egg float!

2. This seed jar experiment does need a few days to complete, but it only takes a few minutes to set up! And the kids won’t mind watching their seeds sprout!

3. Get the kids outside with this super cool colorful exploding baggie experiment!

4. Your kids will go nuts for this awesome hot ice experiment! And it only takes about 10 minutes!

5. Ever wonder how pinecones open in the fall? Set up this easy science experiment to learn how pinecones open!

6. Did you know that light can actually change direction? Try this simple activity to observe how light refracts in water!

7. Penguins are ingeniously designed. They swim around all day, but manage to keep themselves dry! Help the kids do this activity to learn how penguin feathers stay dry!

8. Add some glittery fun to your science lesson with this DIY sparkly explosion!

9. Plants will be growing all over the place over the summer. Try this colorful experiment to study how plants take in nutrients!

10. Let the young learners get involved with this cute expanding marshmallows experiment! And be sure to let them sneak a few as a snack.

11. Learn how cold air and water interact and create your own condensation!

12. Have you ever found an old penny on the ground that looked green? See how this happens with this turn a penny green activity!

13. It won’t be long before we’re watching the beautiful fall leaf colors in the neighborhood. Get ready for fall with this experiment that demonstrates how leaves change colors!

14. Heat is a powerful form of energy. It can even travel through solid matter! Set up this easy experiment to learn how heat conducts energy through metal!

15. Shock your kids by showing them how leaves “breathe” with this leaf respiration experiment!

I hope you love using these simple 15 minute science experiments! Let me know which one you loved the most!

Need more fun science activities for kids? Don’t miss these!

This list of easy 15 minute science experiments is part of the Useful Tasks You Can Do in 60 Minutes linkup at iHomeschool Network! Stop by to see even more quick activities you can accomplish in your homeschool!

Butterfly Life Cycle Activity for Kids

March 19, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Butterflies are some of the most incredible creatures around.

They’re one of the few species that undergoes a complete change as part of the growth process.

It’s really awe-inspiring.

So a butterfly’s life cycle is an excellent science lesson for early grades. And that’s why I’m sharing this fun butterfly life cycle activity with all of you today!

Fun Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity

This is a wonderful activity for science centers! And you can make it reusable too!

Read on to see how to get your copy. And keep reading to see how you can get this as a digital product!

Be sure to check out our Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity too!

Butterfly Life Cycle Activity for Kids

To use this butterfly life cycle sequencing activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printable Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity

This product includes:

One color butterfly life cycle mat
Five color butterfly life cycle picture cards
One color butterfly life cycle mat with color picture cards
One line art butterfly life cycle mat
Five line art butterfly life cycle picture cards
And one line art butterfly life cycle mat with line art picture cards

Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing for Kids

Simply cut the circular picture cards out and let students practice placing them in the correct sequence on the life cycle mat.

Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity

For a one-time lesson, students can glue the picture cards in place.

For a reusable center, laminate the pages and affix hook and loop sticky dots.

If you use the line art version, students can color in the pictures too!

Scroll down to get this Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

Take a look at these other science activities!

This easy oak tree life cycle activity is such a fun way to teach kids about how trees grow during fall! Take it with you on a nature walk or use at fall centers!

This printable apple life cycle sequencing activity is perfect for helping students learn how apples grow! Use it at science centers or in morning tubs!

To get your copy of this Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing Activity, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Butterfly Life Cycle Sequencing – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Prefer to use this as a digital activity? Get both the print and digital version!

Learn about how butterflies grow with this fun and interactive butterfly life cycle sequencing activity! Available in print and as a digital activity!

>>> Print + Digital Butterfly Life Cycle Activity Bundle – Teachers Pay Teachers <<<

Simple Science Experiments: Floating Egg Experiment

March 18, 2020 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

It’s time for another one of our simple science experiments!

This time, we’re learning about salinity and floating with a simple floating egg experiment.

My boys are entering first and second grade, respectively.

These are excellent ages to introduce science experiments – especially ones that are low-prep, inexpensive, and simple to do, right?

Check out how we learned about salinity by making an egg float!

This would also be a great science lab for small groups or science centers.

If you enjoy this activity, don’t miss our colorful celery experiment or our superhero states of matter experiment!

Simple Science Experiment: Floating Egg Experiment

Like all of our science experiments, this one is super easy and requires absolutely no scientific expertise.

To complete this easy science activity, you’ll need the following:

Clear glass
Egg
Salt
Spoon

We started by cracking open the Usborne First Encyclopedia of Science. (This is an affiliate link.)

It’s an excellent, hands-on introduction to scientific concepts for kids in grades 1-4.

The boys and I read the section about floating together.

We learned that there are places on Earth where water is so salty you can actually read a newspaper while you float along!

In the book, we read the instructions to learn how to recreate the same type of environment that allows human beings to float in salty water.

Then, we were off and running!

We gathered the supplies and got to work.

We poured each glass half full of water.

Then we added 10 teaspoons of salt to one of the glasses.

(Don’t put any salt in the other glass of water.)

Like so.

When we placed an egg into the glass that didn’t have salt in it, the egg sank right to the bottom like normal.

But when we added an egg to the glass filled with salty water, it floated right to the top.

The kids got a kick out of watching me push it down, only to see it pop right back up!

And that’s how salinity works! Salty water is denser (heavier) than plain water.

So heavy, in fact, that it can support the weight of heavier objects like an egg.

Neat!

This entire floating egg experiment took about 10 minutes from start to finish.

So if you’re looking for a super quick science experiment, this one’s perfect!

Stop by to see our other science learning ideas!

$Study the properties of light with this simple light refraction experiment!$

20 K-2 Learning Resources Kids Can Use at Home

March 16, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When you’re working with early elementary grades, it can be a challenge to make learning fun.

And, if you need to help students work at home, it can be even more of a challenge.

I’ve found that, if a resource is fun and interactive, my students are far more likely to actually do the work and remember what they learn afterwards.

And that’s why I’m sharing a list of 20 different K-2 learning resources that students can work on at home!

Fun K-2 Learning Resources Kids Can Use at Home

These are excellent for extension activities, homework assignments, independnet learning days, and more!

Check out the full list below. And, don’t miss our list of 20 printable preschool resources too!

These K-2 learning resources are fun for students who are working on concepts at home! Activities here for math, social studies, science, and ELA!

20 K-2 Learning Resources Kids Can Use at Home

1. Use this Candy Bag Skip Counting Activity to help kids practice counting by 5, 10, and 100!

2. Reinforce short vowel sound fluency with this Vowel Houses CVC Word Sorting Activity!

3. These Pumpkin Pie Parts of a Whole Clip Cards are a hands-on way for students to practice reognizing fractions!

4. Need to teach basic English contractions? Pick up this comprehensive Construction Contractions ELA Lesson!

5. Work on adding to make ten with these cute Panda Make Ten Worksheets!

6. Read the classic story “Harry the Dirty Dog” and then use this Harry the Dirty Dog Storybook Extension Lesson to add math and reading skills!

7. Practice reading equations with this Aquarium Arithmetic Addition and Subtraction Activity!

8. Learn about where animals live and what they eat with this printable Animal Diets and Habitats Sorting Activity!

9. Introduce students to important African-Americans in history with these Black History Figure Puzzles!

10. Need a quick science activity? This printable Superhero States of Matter Science Lesson teaches states of matter with a super simple experiment kids can do at home!

11. Practice adding with these reusable Counting Crows Write and Wipe Addition Cards!

12. Teach students how to count with tallies with these Rainbow Tally Marks Worksheets!

13. Study how plants grow with this fun Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

14. Practice recognizing verbs, nouns, and adjectives with this Snow Globe Grammar Parts of Speech Sorting Activity!

15. Reinforce counting fluency with this spring-themed Bumblebee Counting On Math Center!

16. Learn to relate numerals and number words in two languages with this English and Spanish Cupcake Number Matching Activity!

17. This printable All About the Solar System Science Unit is perfect for heading into space with early grades!

18. Watch the movie “The Jungle Book” and then complete this The Jungle Book Movie Discussion Activity!

19. Learn about equal parts of a whole with this hands-on Donut Making Equal Shares Math Center!

20. Teach students about the animals who are awake during the day and those that are up at night with this Nocturnal and Diurnal Animal Sorting Activity!

Need even more resources? Don’t miss these ideas!