Author: jweller

The last Saturday of the month is Independent Bookstore Day across the United States. It is a great way to get out and support your local indie bookstores. Many stores have special events, book signings, merchandise and specials. If you click HERE you can find local stores around you and what events they have going on.

Local bookstores are some of my favorite places in the world, we went to 3 over our vacation in NC! They are all so unique and fun to explore. The staff is usually so kind and very knowledgeable about books. They can help you or your child find the right book or find the book you came in searching for. Many stores are happy to special order a book if they do not have it in stock. I know the price point of some websites and box stores is sometimes lower but it feels good to know that my money is going to help support the store and the people who work there.

If you can not make it to a local bookstore today, you can still support your favorite independent bookstores in a few ways:

1. Libro.fm–Libro.fm is an audiobook retailer where you can choose the independent bookstore you would like part of your purchase to support. You can sign up for a monthly plan or just shop around. They often have great audio book sales, especially around this time of year and it feels good to know that a portion of your purchase is going directly to your favorite indie bookstore.
2. Bookshop.org–Bookshop.org is similar to libro.fm but for actual books, puzzles and games. You can order from their WIDE selection and pick a bookstore that you would like a portion of your purchase to support. Their shipping costs are low and sometimes they offer free shipping for Independent Bookstore day.
3. Visit their Local Website–Visit your independent bookstores local website and see all that they have to offer and events they may have coming up that you want to put on your calendar.
4. Call and Place an Order–All of the indie bookstores I have been in are wonderful about special orders. They will find the book you desire and call you when it comes in. Then you have a great excuse to go to the bookstore for a visit!
5. Plan to Visit the Store Sometime Soon–If you cannot make it to your local bookstore today, plan to visit sometime soon. They will appreciate your support anytime of year!

Need an idea for your next read with your child? Check out our Book Corner to see what looks good and then head out to your local bookstore or library to grab a copy today. Happy reading!

This activity is very simple but has a such big impact on the community.  We collected smooth rocks outside (the beach is perfect for this) and painted them white. I learned the hard way that it is best to do this with a water proof paint!  The kids then used paint pens to write uplifting messages on the rocks. These rocks were then spread out around our community to spread hope and kindness.

There is a bigger global project called Kindness Rocks Project that was started in Cape Cod by Meghan Murphy. There is a beautiful video on her site that explains her project and why she started it.

1. Project Linus–Grab a blanket kit (or two) from your local craft retailer and your fabric scissors.  Transform the two pieces of fabric into a warm and cozy blanket that can be donated to a child in crisis.  If you can tie a knot, you can make a blanket!
2. Cut out Shoes for Sole Hope–Do you have old jeans laying around your house?  Order a shoe party kit from Sole Hope and turn those jeans into future shoes for children in Uganda.
3. Animal Shelter–Contact your local SPCA and Humane Society to see if they have any projects that you and your family can participate in.  Click Here for some suggestions from our local branch.
4. Dignity Bags–Making Dignity Bags for a local homeless shelter is one of my favorite service projects to do with kids. All of the bags included necessary items to help with hygiene and comfort. Homeless shelters do not always have feminine products available and teens can make bags that contain these items. Click HERE for more information.
5. Bagged Lunches for the Homeless–Making bagged lunches for the homeless is a great project for teens. Contact your local homeless shelter to see if there is a good day for you to donate bagged lunches. Make sure to take some time to decorate the paper bags with uplifting messages and drawings. We have also written notes with sharpie on the bananas.
6. Trail Clean up–Many local organizations are looking for volunteers to help with upkeep and cleaning up of their trails. My husband and son recently volunteered with a group near us to clear out the bittersweet and repaint trail markers. Trail Finder is a great website to find local trails. The group/organization that manages the trail is often listed at the bottom. Contact them to see how you can volunteer.
7. Nursing home Penpal-Contact your local nursing home to see if there are any residents interested in being a pen pal with your child. This is a great way to encourage your child to practice their letter writing and also form a relationship with an elder. If it is safe to do so, plan a visit to see your child’s pen pal. Click HERE for more nursing home service projects.
8. Trash Pick Up–Our streets, parks and beaches are littered with trash, especially those of us who just had the snow melt.  Grab some gloves and trash bags and head out to pick up trash with your kids.  
9. Military Holiday Card Challenge–The Military Holiday Card Challenge has sent over 500,000 cards. The deadline to send in your cards is Halloween but there is no reason why you can’t get started on them now.  Put on some holiday music, get out the paper and markers and spread some holiday cheer to our military with a holiday card that thanks them for all of their hard work and sacrifice. Check out their website for card guidelines.
10. Write a Thank You Note–-Have you thanked your parent or care giver lately?  Have you thanked your teacher, your coach, bus driver or librarian for all they do for you? Did you recently receive a gift?  EVERYONE loves mail!  Bless one or more people in your life with a card or note thanking them for all they do to help and support you.  Thank you notes are a lost art and it is an important way to teach our children about gratitude.

OTHER IDEAS

1. Project Dollar Store–This is one of our most favorite activities! The mission is to put together baggies with $1 dollar bills and messages of love.  Spread them all over the dollar store with out being detected.  Drive away with love in your hearts. Click HERE for more information.
2. Kindness Jar–The Kindness Jar is a great family activity. The jar contains slips of paper with ideas for kind deeds that your family can do. It is a great go to when you and you kids are in the mood to spread some kindness. Click HERE to learn more and for our FREE printable.
3. Project Seeds of Kindness–The mission for this project is simple: Create simple Seeds of Kindness to help brighten the day of the people you meet when you are out and about in the world. Click HERE to learn more about this special project.
4. Project Food Drive–Food banks get the bulk of their donations in November and December and thus the spring and summer months can be pretty sparse. Helping your kids to organize a Food Drive is a great activity to help them serve their community. Click HERE for more information.

Other Service Project Ideas by Age

1. Project Seeds of Kindness–The mission for this project is simple: Create simple Seeds of Kindness to help brighten the day of the people you meet when you are out and about in the world. Click HERE to learn more about this special project.
2. Project Dollar Store–-This is one of our most favorite activities! The mission is to put together baggies with $1 dollar bills and messages of love.  Spread them all over the dollar store with out being detected.  Drive away with love in your hearts. Click HERE for more information.
3. Project Food Drive–Food banks get the bulk of their donations in November and December and thus the spring and summer months can be pretty sparse. Helping your kids to organize a Food Drive is a great activity to help them serve their community. Click HERE for more information.
4. Donate Gently Used Toys, Games and Clothes-People who are homeless are always in need of gently used clothing (especially warm clothing in the cold winter months), new toiletries or toys that are in good shape.  Give everyone in your family a bag or a box and challenge them to fill it with as many quality items as they can.  Once you fill your bags or boxes drop them off at the local homeless shelter.  This service project is not only helping people in need but it is also challenging the family to declutter. This is a win-win in my book!
5. Kindness Jar–The Kindness Jar is a great family activity. The jar contains slips of paper with ideas for kind deeds that your family can do. It is a great go to when you and you kids are in the mood to spread some kindness. Click HERE to learn more and for our FREE printable.
6. Artwork for Hospice–Creating artwork to cheer up hospice patients is a WONDERFUL service project for all ages.  You could paint uplifting paintings, make blank greeting cards with the children’s drawings on the front or paint terracotta flower pots. Click HERE for more information.
7. Art and Cards for the Nursing Home–Many local nursing homes are not allowing visitors and the residents would love some artwork and cheer from the outside. Contact your local nursing home to see if they are open to cards and artwork to cheer up the residents. Click HERE for more ideas of how to serve at your local nursing home.
8. Trash Pick Up–Our streets are littered with trash, especially those of us who just had the snow melt.  Grab some gloves and trash bags and head out to pick up trash with your kids.  Parks and beaches are safe places to clean up as you don’t have to worry about traffic.
9. Military Holiday Card Challenge–The Military Holiday Card Challenge has sent over 500,000 cards. The deadline to send in your cards is Halloween but there is no reason why you can’t get started on them now.  Put on some holiday music, get out the paper and markers and spread some holiday cheer to our military with a holiday card that thanks them for all of their hard work and sacrifice. Check out their website for card guidelines.
10. Write a Thank You Note–-Have you thanked your parent or care giver lately?  Have you thanked your teacher, your coach, bus driver or librarian for all they do for you? Did you recently receive a gift?  EVERYONE loves mail!  Bless one or more people in your life with a card or note thanking them for all they do to help and support you.  This is a project for all ages, as the littles can draw and adults can scribe the note of thanks and gratitude. Thank you notes are a lost art and it is an important way to teach our children about gratitude.

OTHER IDEAS

1. Paint Kindness Rocks–This is a fun project for when it is nice outside and you can paint outdoors!
2. Secretly Leave Treats on a Friend’s Doorstep (Boo for Halloween, Jingle for the Holidays or just because!)
3. Project Appreciation-Bake a sweet treat for a group of people who serve your community (or buy prepackaged treats).  Have your children create a thank you note to go along with the treat.  Deliver the treat and let that group know how much you appreciate all they do. Click HERE for more details and a thank you note printable.
4. Project Fundraiser–Kids of this age LOVE a good lemonade stand. Help them to turn their lemonade stand into a project that will serve others. Click HERE to learn more.
5. Birthday Boxes-Birthday celebrations are often taken for granted but there are some families where money can not be spared. Put together Birthday Boxes for your local food bank to help children in need have a very special day!

Other Service Project Ideas by Age

1. Art and Cards for the Nursing Home–Many local nursing homes are not allowing visitors and the residents would love some artwork and cheer from the outside. Contact your local nursing home to see if they are open to receiving artwork from your child to cheer up the residents. Click HERE for more ways to serve your local nursing home.
2. Military Holiday Card Challenge–The Military Holiday Card Challenge has sent over 500,000 cards. The deadline to send in your cards is Halloween but there is no reason why you can’t get started on them now.  Put on some holiday music, get out the paper and markers and spread some holiday cheer to our military with a holiday card that thanks them for all of their hard work and sacrifice. Check out their website for card guidelines.
3. Project Appreciation-Bake a sweet treat for a group of people who serve your community (or buy prepackaged treats).  Have your children create a thank you note to go along with the treat.  Deliver the treat and let that group know how much you appreciate all they do. Click HERE for more details and a thank you note printable.
4. Project Fundraiser-Lemonade stands are great for kids ages 3 and up. Their attention span may not be very long but they will like selling lemonade and cuteness to their neighbors. It is a great way to teach them about donating money to a charity cause that your family believes in. Click HERE for more details about how to run a fundraiser.
5. Project Birthday Boxes-Young children love birthdays and this service project is great to do on their birthday. Explain that some kids don’t get to have a cake and decorations and we want to make sure that every kid gets to celebrate their favorite day. Click HERE for more information about Birthday Boxes.
6. Park Clean Up–Cleaning up your local playground is a great project for kids 3 and over (we have even had 2 year olds help with extra adults on hand). Make sure you have gloves for them to wear or have them point out trash that you collect for them. This is a great lesson to help young children learn how important it is to keep our planet clean.
7. Draw Thank You Cards–-Thank you cards seem to be a lost art but are such a valuable lesson in gratitude for our kids. Have you thanked your parent or care giver lately?  Have you thanked your teacher, your coach, bus driver or librarian for all they do for you? Did you recently receive a gift?  EVERYONE loves mail!  Bless one or more people in your life with a card or note thanking them for all they do to help and support you.  This is a project for all ages, as the littles can draw and adults can scribe the note of thanks and gratitude.
8. Visit with an Elder–If you have an elderly person living in your neighborhood or town, see if they would like a quick visit with you and your child. Kids bring so much joy to elders but make sure to time your visit for when your kids are well rested and not hungry! If you can’t go in person, record a video of your child singing their favorite song or telling a joke and send it to the older folks in your life. Help bring a smile to those in your community who may be feeling a little lonely.
9. Meals on Wheels–A great project for young kids is to have them make “placemats” or cards for your local Meals on Wheels. Check your local chapter and see if they would be interested in this. Kid artwork is always sure to bring a smile to the clients of Meals on Wheels.
10. Homemade Seed Balls—Miss Rumphius is one of my favorite Children’s books and this project allows you and your family to make the world a more beautiful place, just like she did. This guerrilla gardening project helps to plant native flowers in places that could use a bit of love. Perhaps you have a vacant lot in your neighborhood, or the local road or highway needs some brightening or maybe you want to use these in your own backyard.  They are easy to make and take no care once they are spread.  Here is what http://www.gardeningknowhow.com had to say about how easy this project is: “The last step in how to make flower seed balls is sowing them. Yes, you can place them carefully over the area to be planted or you can gently toss them one at a time, which is a lot more fun. Don’t bury them and don’t water them.–gardeningknowhow.com” Click HERE to learn how to make your own Native Seed Balls or you could buy THESE.

OTHER IDEAS

1. Paint Kindness Rocks–This is a fun project for when it is nice outside and you can paint outdoors!
2. Secretly Leave Treats on a Friend’s Doorstep (Boo for Halloween, Jingle for the Holidays or just because!)
3. Artwork for Hospice–Creating artwork to cheer up hospice patients is a WONDERFUL service project for all ages.  You could paint uplifting paintings, make blank greeting cards with the children’s drawings on the front or paint terracotta flower pots.

More Service Projects by Age

Today we are going to talk about creating a feeling of hygge in your home. The best way to start is by thinking of the five senses and how you can create a cozy environment that encourages your family to slow down, put away their electronic devices and spend some quality time together.

Lighting is very important when creating a feeling of hygge in your home.  Harsh overhead lighting does not make for a cozy environment.  In our home we have table and floor lamps spread throughout.  On the first day of fall, we bring out a strand or two of Christmas lights and keep them up until spring.  We have candles (battery operated and real), two salt lamps, an old lava lamp and the glow of our pellet stove.  Soft lighting can really add to the cozy feeling of home and it brings me so much joy during these dark days of winter.

What else might you see in our home?  You may see baskets of books, mason jars of colored pencils, coloring books, house plants (good for cleansing the air), cozy blankets and pillows, the birds gathered at the feeders outside, half completed puzzles, family board games, our snowshoes and cross country skis in our garage ready for adventure and our basket of family yoga mats.  These are all things that inspire creativity, togetherness and good health.

In our home hygge smells like a pot of soup or spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove.  It smells like mulled cider, hot cocoa or the smell of wood burning in the fire.  You can use just about anything to create the smells of hygge in your home.  We sometimes boil spices on the stove, burn soy candles and diffuse cozy essential oils (lavender, fir oils, frankincense, cinnamon and wild orange are our personal favorites).

The tastes of hygge go right along with the smells.  Soups, stews, warm pasta dishes, hot tea and other warm foods help to create a feeling of hygge in your home.  Maybe you pop a big bowl of popcorn for the movie you plan to watch together or sip on hot cocoa after a day playing outdoors.  The tastes of hygge should warm you from the inside out but be nourishing.  It is important to stay away from junk food and focus on delicious whole foods that will fuel your bodies and keep you and your family healthy.

Cozy blankets, soft pillows, fuzzy socks, flannel pajamas…..all of these are the textures and feels you want to have around you.  Hygge is all about being comfortable and cozy.  We have soft throw blankets and pillows on every couch to help create a feeling of comfort.  One of my favorite parts of hygge is snuggling up on the couch with the people I love.

Soft music playing in the background, my husband and I playing our acoustic guitar and ukulele together,  a crackling fire, laughter during a board game, good conversation, a family audio book or read aloud, a family movie….these are the sounds of hygge in our house.

I hope this post has inspired you to create a feeling of hygge in your own home.  hygge does not need to cost a thing and is such an important concept in our busy society. You can start right now by putting on some soft music, lighting a candle, grabbing a cozy blanket and snuggling on the couch with someone you love. 

I would love to hear how you invite hygge in to your lives.

Click HERE for more hygge posts.

Not sure what hygge is? Click HERE for our other posts.

Today we are talking about scheduling some hygge time with your loved ones each week. I am not sure that the Danes would like this idea of putting hygge on the calendar, it kind of goes against everything that hygge stands for.  However, in our busy lives,  I find that scheduling hygge time is essential.

hygge is a beautiful way to slow down, connect and focus on what really matters.  If you do not schedule it in, it will be the first thing to be shoved aside as you focus on your long to-do lists and rush from activity to activity.  Taking an hour, two hours (we take a whole day) to build in hygge time means that you will be more likely to follow through.  I know that once you start adding sacred hygge time into your life, you will look for more and more ways to add more time.

Here are some ideas of how you and your family can schedule in some hygge time this week.

Family Game Night–This is a great way to set aside some hygge time each week.  Dust off those family games, make some fun snacks, light a few candles and put on some soft music.  This is a great way to spend some quality time together.

Hygge Afternoon–My dear friend’s family have a hygge afternoon on Sundays.  They lock up all of their electronic devices, get out their cozy blankets, light some candles and gather together in their family room.  They may each read their own books, listen to an audio book together, work on jigsaw puzzles or color in adult coloring books.  This all happens while the delicious smells of dinner drift into the room from the crock pot in the kitchen.  This precious time helps them decompress from their busy week and recharge their batteries…the beauty of hygge!

Gratitude Walk–This can be done by going on a family walk, bike ride, hike or a snowshoe.  Exercise and time in nature is a very important part of hygge.  Go out and get some fresh air as a family and see how great it makes you feel.   CLICK HERE to learn more about Gratitude Walks.

Cook Together–It is so important to get kids involved in the kitchen.  Learning to cook when they are young, will help to prepare them to be healthier eaters when they grow up.   Spend some family time in the kitchen, making your favorite dishes.  Even the little ones can be involved in the process.

Have a Dance Party–Put on your favorite dance music, light some candles and clear some space…it is time for a family dance party!  Show the kids your best moves, let them show you their latest fad dances and just be silly together.  This is a great way to get exercise and have a lot of fun.  

Have a Bonfire-Winter bonfires are my favorite kind of bonfire.  It is so fun to sit around in the cold and watch the firelight dance.  S’mores taste just as good in the winter as they do in the summer, so break out some marshmallows and enjoy some quality hygge time.

Have Friends over for Dinner-Gathering with people is a big part of hygge.  There is no need for anything to be fancy.  Make a big pot of pasta or soup, get some bread and invite some friends to join you for dinner.  I think we put too much pressure on ourselves when it comes to hosting others.  Our true friends do not care if we have dust bunnies in the corners or if the kitchen floor hasn’t been washed in weeks.  Open up your doors, gather round the table and break bread with the people you care about, it’s so hygge 😉

How do you and your family schedule in hygge time each week?

I live in the northern hemisphere and slowly but surely the days get longer, the sun gets brighter, the birds start to sing and I know spring has sprung!  hygge is often thought of as a winter concept but the truth is the Danish people take the coziness and togetherness of hygge and make it last all year long.  Here are some fun family ideas to plan for when the weather gets warmer.

hygge Ideas for the Warmer Weather

1. Pizza on the beach at sunset
2. Outdoor concert
3. Ice cream cones on a hot day
4. Reading in a Hammock
5. Catching Fireflies in a Jar
6. Outdoor BBQ with Friends
7. Cloud watching

hygge Activities for Anytime of Year

1. Stargazing
2. Campfire
3. Family game night
4. Family read aloud time
5. Potluck Dinner
6. Family Hike

If you missed our other posts you can click HERE check them out. We at Kids in Service believe that you must take care of yourself if you plan to serve others.

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.” -Edith Sitwell

Winter is the perfect time to focus on the Danish concept of HYGGE.  Never before has this beautiful concept been more important for our minds, bodies and souls. For those who live in colder climates, winter can be a LONG season. Bringing hygge into your home can help shift the perspective of this time of year from one of dread to one of joy. It will help lift everyones moods as you focus on cozy and gratitude instead of cold and loss. 

What is hygge you ask?  We have a series of posts all about this WONDERFUL concept and all you and your family can do embrace the cozy feeling of hygge this winter.

Ramadan Sometimes Begins in January

Winter is the perfect time to explore the concept of hygge.  What is hygge you ask and how do you pronounce this funny word?  Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga) is a Danish word and concept.  It is hard to explain but it may be the reason that the people of Denmark are among the happiest in the world.  To my family, hygge is a feeling of coziness which invites you to be mindful and use your five senses. It is about gathering, slowing down and spending quality time together.

Why am I bringing the concept of hygge to Kids in Service?  Well you can thank my friend Claire for that.  She knows how passionate I am about this topic and suggested I share it with all of you.  One of the most important lessons I have learned from Claire and her teachings, is the concept of putting on your own oxygen mask first. The truth is that you can not serve others in your life if you are feeling run down or depleted. I am hoping that hygge will be a way for you and your family to give yourselves a little self-care so that you will be ready to go out into the world and help others.

We have many posts that explore the concept of hygge.  We explore how you can create a hygge feeling in your home through the five senses, share some great books to read together as a family, talk about dedicating time to hygge as a family each week, share some cozy service projects that you can do together at home and share ways that you can incorporate hygge into your lives all year long. You can check them all out HERE.

It will cost you NO money to put the concept of hygge into action in your home.  Hygge is all about togetherness, being mindful, creating a cozy environment, having a positive perspective and being grateful for what you already have.  Denmark has some of the longest, coldest and darkest winters, yet its people are so happy.   I believe this is because of hygge.  Hygge is a powerful concept and I invite you to explore it more with your family this winter.