Hot Family How-Tos
How To: Prepare Your Child For School
Academically Preparing Your Child For School Many parents are anxious when their child begins school for the first time, especially when he/she is the first child to leave the nest. Is my little one ready for school? What should my child know/be able to do before starting? Unless you have teacher friends or have been given guidelines by the school it can be difficult to know how to get your child ready academically. Here are a few tips to help give your child a good start.
How To: Paint a unicorn with face paint for anywhere on the body
In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to create a very beautiful unicorn using face paint. You can use this design anywhere on the body, from your arm to your face. This is a great activity to do with your kids.
How To: Make a Star of David craft with your children for Hanukkah
Teach your children about Hanukkah while making this fun Star of David craft! You will need: at least six craft sticks or popsicle sticks per craft; crayons, markers or paint; non toxic craft glue; yarn; tissue paper and safety scissors.
How To: Make a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with your children
It's like the hand turkey, but with a Christmas theme! Make a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with your children! You will need craft foam, pom poms, non toxic craft glue, markers, googly eyes, a paper back and safety scissors.
How To: Buy good and creative gifts for children
Whether they're your own children or a niece, godson or grandchild, this gift guide is perfect for figuring out what to give the kids on your gift list. Every gift is innovative, eco-friendly and facilitates talking between children and parents.
How To: Create some fun family Thanksgiving traditions beyond simply the meal
Focus on the memories, not the food! This video lists some great ideas, like a Giving Tree that you can put at the kids' table to encourage your children to think about what they can give to others, in addition to being thankful.
How To: Make children listen with their "listening ears"
In this video from CullensAbcs we learn a tip for how to children should listen with their "listening ears." This is taught by a girl and a gator puppet. She says to ask children to put on their listening ears so they can hear a story you are going to read to them or if you have something that you are going to say. Children like doing these types of things. It's a great tip to use to get your child to hear what you have to say. They can also make a sound when putting on their listening ears t...
How To: Do an Easter basket art activity with your kids
In this video, we learn how to do an Easter basket art activity with your kids. First, grab some white paper bags and have the child cut a line across the top of the bag. You can also use decorative scissors for more of an Easter effect. After this, let the child use paint, cookie cutters, glue, glitter, crayons, and markers to paint all over the bag! Let them make any design that they would like for the upcoming season! Once finished, let these dry and then open them up! These can be used fo...
How To: Make silly putty gak
In this video from lachoneus87 we learn how to make silly putty. You need 3 small cups or bowls, warm water, a teaspoon of borax, a big bowl to mix it all in, 2 cups of glue, liquid measuring cup, 1 cup measure, a spoon to mix, and a teaspoon to measure. Optional is food coloring.
How To: Make silly putty from scratch
In this video, we learn how to make silly putty from scratch. You will first need to take some flour and mix it with warm water in a small plastic container. After you mix this together and it turns into a putty type of shape, you will then add in some food coloring to the container as well. Add in some borax to this and continue to mix until it's completely finished mixing together. When done, you will be able to play with this and make other colors to mix together. This is a great project f...
How To: Drop your kids off at pre-school
In this tutorial, we learn how to drop your kids off at preschool. When dropping your kids off, walk them to the front of the gate around the classroom. Give them hugs and kisses and tell them you love them. After this, let them walk into the classroom all by themselves. Kids like to walk in by themselves and feel like a big kid. The classroom isn't big enough for all the mom's and dad's to come in, so just let your child go by themselves. The teacher will take care of them the rest of the day!
How To: Safely make silly puddy
To make silly putty start by putting four tablespoons of Elmer's Glue into a glass jar. Next you will add two tablespoons of liquid starch into the glass jar with the Elmer's Glue. Use a metal fork to stir up the glue and starch mixture. Stir it until it is thoroughly mixed up. Then take the glue starch mixture out of the jar with the fork and put it onto some aluminum foil that you have laid out on the table. Take the mixture and squish it with your hands. Flatten the mixture out into a patt...
How To: Make children listen with the marshmallow game
In this video, we learn how to make children listen with the marshmallow game. When you are trying to tell a story to children, they can talk and start a conversation without being quiet. To help this out, tell the children to put a pretend marshmallow in their mouth and they will pretend to chew it! Have them put more and more marshmallows into their mouth so it will be filled up and they can't talk. Make sure they continue to breathe while they are doing this, sometimes they hold their brea...
How To: Make blue silly putty
In this tutorial, we learn how to make blue silly putty. To make this, you will just need borax, glue, and food coloring. First, pour a cup of water in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of glue and some borax. When it's all poured in the bowl, mix it together. After this, add in the food coloring until you have the color that you want. Mix the putty together until well combined and then play with it! You can store it in a plastic container to play with later and use for whatever type of craft ...
How To: Mix up the ingredients to make silly putty
In this video from nyelover we learn how to make silly putty that is kid friendly! You need white glue, borax, a little water, a plastic bag, some food coloring, and some small jars. Use 40-50 ml of Borax and put in a bowl. Then put 20 ml of white glue and 5 ml water and a few drops of food coloring into a separate bowl. Now add 5 ml of the saturated Borax solution to the water and glue. Remember again not to add too much food coloring. This is all you need to make your own silly putty. Just ...
How To: Decorate a spiral notebook with your children
Dress up your kids school supplies by helping them decorate their spiral notebooks! This is an easy art project, good for any school age child. All you need is some colored foamy, safety scissors, non toxic glue and some foamy letters. And, of course, the spiral notebook!
How To: Make a fall leaf card with your children
Here's a fun craft project you can make with your kids to celebrate autumn! Create a fall themed card, complete with colored leaves. All you will need is some white cardstock, red, yellow and green construction paper, a pair of safety scissors and some non-toxic glue.
How To: Get service records from WW2 American soldiers
Whether you're a World War 2 veteran (thank you), the next-of-kin of a vet, or a member of the general public, there are lots of reasons you could want to look at service records for WW2 vets. Watch this video for tips on acquiring these service records from the US government.
How To: Keep your children busy during Thanksgiving by giving them craft projects
Want something that will both keep your children occupied while you're busy cooking Thanksgiving dinner, while still getting them into the spirit of the holiday? Here are some great ideas for art and craft projects you can give your kids, like turkey tags and paper napkin rings.
How To: Make laminated and personalized Thanksgiving placemats
This crafts idea is a great project to do with your kids - create personalized Thanksgiving placemats for all your dinner guests, and then laminate them to keep them from getting dirty (and so you can use them for next year's Thanksgiving, too!)
How To: Set a Thanksgiving table for your kids and with your kids
Involve your children in Thanksgiving this year by letting them decorate and set the 'kids' table' this year! Here are a few ideas to create a fun and kid-friendly table setting that you can put your children in charge of this holiday season!
How To: Make a replica feather quill pen
This is a fun and easy craft you can do with your children, by making a replica of the old feather quill pens - with none of the mess! You'll need some white construction paper, a regular ball point pen, some scissors and a stapler.
How To: Make turkeys out of paper cups and tin cans
This tutorial shows you how to make some fun turkey crafts with your children. For young children, you can make a colorful turkey out of a paper cup, some paint, glue and construction paper. For older children, you can create a tin can turkey out of felt and some hot gule.
How To: Make Thanksgiving Table Decorations with Your Kids
Involve your kids in the Thanksgiving festivities by having them make the centerpieces to be hosted on your table! This tutorial shows you a few fun crafts you can do with your kids to make some fun centerpieces and table decorations.
How To: Make a toy drum
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a toy drum. You will need: felt, recycled tin can, 1 red lace, 4 soda caps, 2 popsicle sticks, glue, and scissors. Cit, cut the felt into a circle and glue it around the tin can. After this, take red felt and cut it into strips, then glue on the side of the tin can so it's striped. When finished, apply glue to the top of the can and then cover with additional pieces of felt. Tie a ribbon around the top and the bottom of the felt on the fan. To make the s...
How To: Make rock salt animals with your kids
In this video, we learn how to make rock salt animals with your kids. You can use any kind of animal including a snake or alligator. To start, cut out the shape on a piece of white construction paper. After this, you will need to mix up some water color in a shallow dish. You can make this by mixing up water with some food coloring. Now, dissolve the rock salt into it and then let the child brush the mixture onto the top of the piece of paper. Let this dry overnight, then when finished it wil...
How To: Make a colorful paper turkey
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a colorful paper turkey. For this, you will need: colored paper in red, orange, yellow, white, black, purple, and brown, a bag, scissors, and glue. Now, take the orange, purple, and yellow papers and cut out two teardrop shapes of each. Then glue them to the top of a brown paper bag. Then, cut out eyes using the black and white papers. Glue these onto the top of the bag to make the eyes, then use the brown to cut out the sides of the turkey, and glue on....
How To: Teach children to be gentle
In this tutorial, we learn how to teach children to be gentle. If children are in a setting with other kids, arguments will arise. If a child happens to try to harm another, you will need to tell that child that it hurts the other one if you harm them. Tell them that it's not nice and that they need to say they are sorry for not being gentle. Tell them that it is a nice thing to be gentle with other people and they will make friends by doing this. This will help your child be gentle and make ...
How To: Wear a baby Bjorn for dads
In this tutorial, we learn how to wear a baby Bjorn for dads. First, you will want to take it out of the body and put the straps together. After this, you will place the straps around your shoulders so that the back brace is on the back. The ouch for the baby will be at the front. From here, you will strap on the pouch for the baby by clipping it into the bottom of the shoulder straps. Then, pull the straps so that the entire thing fits securely. When finished, you will be wearing this and ta...
How To: Make a pom pom curtain
Children like to have fun things in their rooms. A pompom curtain is perfect for a little girl to have and pretend it is the entrance to her castle. A young boy might like a plain colored pompom curtain to pretend it is the entrance to the dungeon where he keeps his monsters!
How To: Make a miniature table
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a miniature table. Materials you will need are: a wood slat, 4 popsicle sticks cut in half, paint, paintbrush, and glue. Heat up your hot glue gun and then grab your popsicle sticks. Glue one stick to the side of every corner of the slat. After this, you should have two on each side of all four corners of the wooden slat. After you're finished placing them on, let the glue cool and then harden. To finish, you can paint this and decorate it and use it ins...
How To: How to Make a Dry Ice Crystal Ball - DadLabs.com
In this video, we learn how to mow to Make a Dry Ice Crystal Ball! This is a fun activity you can do with your kids and that you will enjoy as well. To start, you will need to take some Dawn dish soap that doesn't have soap and isn't anti-bacterial. After this, put this in water and add rags into it. Swish it around to make the water bubble up. Now, grab a smaller bowl and fill it with water. Then, take another bowl and put dry ice in it using a glove. Next, Now, drag the rag over the top of ...
How To: Make a gift basket of healthy stuff for a pregnant mom
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a gift basket of healthy stuff for a pregnant mom. First, go to Whole Foods Market, which carries everything that you need! First, think about what your mommy needs and what she is going to need after she has a baby! First, place in some books that have to do with pregnancy. Then, stock the basket with some supplements, prenatal vitamins, organic teas, a loofa, ginger pills, and bath salts. Once you give this to your expecting mom, she will thank you and...
How To: Prepare yourself for baby labor and delivery
In this video, we learn how to prepare yourself for baby labor and delivery. First, make sure you bring change for the vending machines, labor and delivery can take a lot of time. Watching the pain of the delivery process can drive you nuts because you want to rescue your wife. Don't be rude to the caregivers and make sure to help your wife by giving her an amazing foot massage. You will also want to give your wife a gift to show her you love her. Make sure you do NOT faint, this will make th...
How To: Save old crayons and make new ones
In this video, we learn how to save old crayons and make new ones. To do this, you will need to buy a Crayola Crayon Maker. Then, open up the maker and take your old pieces of crayons that you don't have a use for. Break them up and situate them in the tray inside the machine. After this, turn on the power and then the light will come on. The light will start to melt the crayons down and in ten minutes you will pour the wax into the molds. When finished, you will have some cool looking crayon...
How To: Prevent pregnancy stretch marks with water and exercise
Getting pregnant is one of the most joyous times of many women's lives, but carrying an eight pound baby doesn't come without its share of wear and tear on your body. Your feet go up half a size to one size, you swell up all over, and stretch marks usually set in wherever your skin is overstretched.
How To: Turn your child into a Disney princess at Disneyworld
Nearly every little girl wants to be one of the Disney princesses, to live in a castle and dance every night with Prince Charming! This video shows you how you can take your child on a trip to a Disney park and turn them into a beautiful Disney princess!
How To: Teach your children good manners by modeling them
The best way to teach your children good manners is to have good manners yourself, and model them in front of your children. This mother of three goes over several of her favorite strategies for raising a well-mannered and polite child.
How To: Make it a point to teach your children how to behave in public
Toddlers can be difficult to manage in a public setting. This mother of three shows how you can get even a very young child to behave and have good manners when you're in a place like a restaurant or other public place.
How To: Get your child to go to bed without having to deal with a tantrum
Children hate going to bed, but they certainly need their sleep. How can you get a toddler to accept that it's bedtime without having to deal with a temper tantrum? Here are a few good stratgies for getting a toddler to go to bed peacefully.