Need a “you” day to pamper yourself? Feeling burnt-out, worn-out, and just tired? Then this is for you! As moms, it can be so easy to forget about ourselves. We give 110% of ourselves to everyone else that we often neglect ourselves. This isn’t healthy or beneficial long-term. Moms need a recharge just as much as anyone else.

But what are you going to do about the kids? Leave that to us. We offer a wide variety of fun events, run by our all-star staff who specialize in fun and child engagement! Give your local franchise a call, or click here to schedule a fun event for the kids while you take care of yourself.

You might even want to get other moms in and plan a pampered mom day! Need some ideas?

We got you.

Here are four ideas on how to pamper yourself while we take care of the kids:

1. Give Yourself Permission…

Many women struggle with taking a break. We can feel guilty for spending time on ourselves. We often allow negative thoughts and feelings to deprive us of self-care. It’s human to need a break. Everyone needs a recharge at some point. Give yourself permission to breathe. Take a moment for yourself. It’s ok to focus on you. 

2. Upgrade the “At Home Spa” Experience

We all know the drill with Spa Day, but let’s upgrade it to the next level. Before we arrive at your house, spend some time decorating your bathroom. Whip out those candles and relaxation plants. Aloe Vera, Basil, Lavender, and Chamomile are excellent choices for relieving stress and anxiety. If you’re not a “green thumb”, fake plants are great as well! Spicing your bathroom up with a bit of greenery can help your space feel less like a bathroom and more like the getaway retreat you deserve. 

3. Pick up an Adult Craft Kit

Explore your crafty side with a pre-made kit in something that interests you. From painting to calligraphy to making felt succulents, pre-made craft kits can help you detach from stress. You may also discover a  cool, new hobby at an affordable price. Creativity can bring blessings to you and to others. Others can appreciate and admire the beauty of your artwork. Even if the craft doesn’t turn out quite as planned, it can serve as a great expectation vs. reality post on social media, giving laughter to your friends and family. Pre-made craft kits are a great way to express yourself, let go of stress, bring joy to others, and possibly help you discover a new passion. 

4. Experiment with a New Coffee or Tea

Whether you’re a coffee or tea person, find a new favorite drink with this hack. Before we arrive, google a recipe that you’re dying to try, order the ingredients, and treat yourself while we’ve got the kids. Nothing compliments the relaxing atmosphere better than a new comfort drink. If you feel like sharing the love, post your drink on social media with the recipe for all of your friends to try as well!

• Additional Idea: Invite a friend or two over to make their own drinks! Compare drinks to see which is your favorite. 
  
  
  

In the hustle of life, it can be easy to allow self-care to slip to the bottom of our to-do list. You may wrestle with guilt for spending time on yourself. Don’t! Taking care of yourself is vitally important. Pause, breathe and give yourself permission to pamper yourself in one of these new ways while the kids are having a blast with us. 

Check out our other blogs on pampering yourself here!

Are you tired, overworked, exhausted, and in need of a vacation? Everyone loves them. They’re refreshing and energizing, but unfortunately, they can be expensive. That’s why you need a staycation! Cut out all the major expenses of a vacation while still reaping all the benefits!
Here are 4 staycation ideas that’ll rejuvenate you and your whole family, while creating fun memories that’ll last a lifetime: 

1. Discover New Hobbies Together

Have you ever wanted to learn a new skill or hobby but have never gotten around to it? Why not do it now with your kids?! Discovering a new hobby is a great way to invest in yourself and your child. You can explore new things together while creating fun memories. Developing these new skills can give you and your child something to look forward to doing together. It can energize your weekly schedule from the boring grind. Learning a new hobby or skill together can spark fun conversations that strengthen your bond. 

2. Host a Family Cooking Night

As parents, we desire to see our kids succeed in life and have fun while doing it. Teaching valuable life skills doesn’t have to be boring! Host a family cooking night where your kids can be the chef. Guide them in all the basics of cooking from washing vegetables to dinner clean-up. A family cooking night not only teaches your child important life skills, but it can also help them discover a new skill that they’d like to explore more. 

Additional Note: This idea may require some prep time from you. Pick a meal(s) beforehand that your family will love and have age-appropriate skills. If your recipe or evening doesn’t turn out as planned, it’ll be ok. Some of the best memories arise from the unexpected. A kitchen mishap might become your next family inside joke. 

3. Beat the Heat with Water Tag

Grab your super soaker and prepare for battle! Beat the heat in a fun game of water tag. Invite friends and family over to witness this great battle. As a contestant, you’ll love getting to show the kiddos who’s boss with your expert tag skills. If you’re a spectator, enjoy the laughs, cheer your heart out, or enjoy the personal space. It’s up to you! Either way, your family will love beating the heat with WaterTag. 

Additional Idea: Set up objects for kids to hide and take cover behind. Create special matches such as boys vs girls, capture the flag, parents vs. kids, and others. OR click here to see if your local GameTruck franchise will come out and run a WaterTag event for you! (yes, many of our franchises do WaterTag events!)

4. Relieve the Past with Retro Game Night

Whether you were a master detective with Clue or a Mario fanatic, give your kids a glimpse into your childhood with this staycation idea. Pick a board, card, or video game that you played as a child and introduce it to your family. Your children will get to discover a cool, new-to-them game, while you relive your childhood memories with your favorite people. Who knows, maybe you’ll start your next family tradition. 

Want us to deliver the games and fun? Click here and book a retro video game party your family will love.

These family staycation ideas are a sure way to get some family rest while also having fun! A staycation is a great alternative or addition to a vacation. They can spark new conversations, create new memories, develop life skills, and deepen your bonds as a family. 

If you’re looking for more staycation ideas and inspiration, check out our article on “Creating Memorable Staycations for Your Family.” It’s filled with additional tips and suggestions to make your family staycation truly remarkable.

Remember, you don’t have to travel far to create amazing memories with your loved ones. Embrace the joy of staycations and enjoy quality time together right at home.

Nintendo Switch Sports was released on Friday and let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint! If any of you played Wii Sports, the original game that came when you purchased your Wii back in the day then you will absolutely love Nintendo Switch Sports.

(And yes, if you’re not careful, you might even break a TV screen or two)

My two kids (ages 6 and 8) and I were up for close to 4 hours playing together, laughing, learning, and loving every minute of it! One of the coolest aspects of the game is a feature that usually sets Nintendo apart from the rest, anyone can pick up the controller and play.

Both my children had no trouble picking things up and even beating me in a few matches (something I do not let them do if I can help it). It’s awesome how this game puts every participant on equal footing and delivers excitement in the process.

Here is a breakdown of the games you can play and how the gameplay works in each game:

Volleyball

A classic take on a classic game. Volleyball makes you feel like you are out on a sandy beach in California. Using your single Joy-Con controller, you can use the bump motion to bump the ball to your opponent, where the CPU or a live person sets it (if a live person, they make the set motion) and then you can jump up by lifting your forearm up and spike it by slamming it down again. My children went wild for this game as they won a couple of matches together against me and the computer.

Bowling

This version of bowling is very similar to the Wii Sports version except the controller is much more steady, accurate, and reliable. It is highly recommended that you wear your wrist strap for every one of these games, but especially this one as it is very possible for the Joy-Con to fly out of your hands as you make the bowling motion. I really loved playing this with the kids and this was by far their favorite – I think we played 8 or 9 games together. Once they got the hang of it, they had the most success with this game (and talked a ton of trash to me as they threw strikes). I really loved how you could twist your wrist to make the ball spin and the ability to position your throw anywhere in the lane. That feature made it super realistic!

Soccer

We played all out 4 on 4 soccer, and it was as glorious as it sounds. This game was truly awesome! We didn’t have the leg piece where you can run and kick but even just using your hands made this feel like a real-life soccer match. You can choose how many players to play either 1 vs 1 or 4 vs 4 and then you use the Joy-Cons to kick the ball, head the ball and direct the ball where you want it to go. This game felt like Rocket League without the cars. Really also loved the golden ball (which doubles the number of points) and the celebration movements after scoring a goal.

Badminton

Grab your Joy-Con and swing it in the air like you just don’t care! This game requires patience, concentration, and supple wrists. With just a wrist flick you can really hit that birdie anywhere you’d like! I really enjoyed teaching my kids how to play this game that I used to play at Grandma’s house back in the day. Within minutes, they were flicking and slashing the bird back and forth on the screen which made for some interesting, fun, and exciting volleys. This might be the most underrated game of all the games in the pack.

Chambara

A fencing game where you can duel with others from a platform above the water. You can choose a single, non-electric charged sword, a charged sword, and two swords. You play by holding the Joy-Con like a sword and using it to block/thrust your way to victory. As a former actor and non-professional fencer (I learned to fence in a fight scene in an opera once). I had some previous knowledge of how the moves would work. My kids didn’t really stand much of a chance and after the third or fourth time they were dunked into the water, they were ready to move on. I really loved this game. It’s a different flavor and gives you a cool, motion-based sword game that normally you wouldn’t find on the Switch. The only downside is only 2 players can play at the same time.

Tennis

Last but not least, my kids and I played some doubles tennis. A few features that stood out to me here were the ability to power serve (which my daughter mastered quickly) and the ability to lob/backhand with ease. I found it fascinating how accurate the Joy-Con picked up on my wrist movements. By the end of the match, I was teaching my son the different ways to swing his arm/wrist. He was playing like a pro. This version of tennis is another game we played for over an hour (but seemed like 15 minutes).

So, to wrap things up, Nintendo Switch Sports is AWESOME. I highly recommend it for any sized family. Once you pick it up, you will be playing together and having fun for hours. This game would be totally cool as a birthday present, family fun night activity, or a reward for a job well done. Whatever the reason, pick this game up now. And if you have kids, play these games with them, and enjoy every single moment of it.

Check out more blogs like this here!