Games for 2-5 Year Olds

The hubby and I have been enjoying board games together since our days of playing on the floor of our college dorm rooms. We have always imagined playing games with our kids and decided  that this summer was the perfect time to start our family game night tradition. We have had so much fun exploring games with our kids (currently ages 2 and 5) and wanted to share a few of our favorite games for little ones.

A few of our favorites:

Think Fun Roll & Play

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This was the perfect first game to introduce. No game board – – just a large die to roll and action cards for the color you land on. This game isn’t competitive at all and is a great way to start teaching how to take turns during games.

Pancake PileupPancake Pile Up Game

In all honesty we have not actually played the Pancake Pile-Up game using the instructions. This game has been amazing for our kids though. We usually draw a pancake shortstack card and then have the kids each try to plate their pancakes in the right order.

Matching Games

Classic matching games are always fun for a quick game to boost their memory skills and learn a little patience with taking turns.

Pop the Pig

Pop the Pig Game

Pop the Pig is one of the newest additions to our game collection. A family friend recommended it this summer as a fun game for young kids to play together. Very simple and easy instructions and if you can get past the slightly creepy look of the pig and his ever expanding belly, your kids will have a blast!

Raccoon RumpusRaccoon Rumpus

Absolutely love Raccoon Rumpus! Such a cute game with fun illustrations and easy to follow instructions. At two, kids can easily play with the help of a parent or older sibling. By three our son was excited to play and could handle himself and all of the rules on his own.

Don’t Rock the Boat

Don't Rock the Boat Game

Don’t Rock the Boat was a great game to start understanding balance and consequences. These pirate penguins and their ship have even been snuck into our playroom for play time.

With two littles at home all afternoon each day this school year, we will definitely be incorporating more interactive games into our daily routine.

What games do your little love to play? Let us know in the comments below!

Slow Cooker Mexican Lasagna

I was introduced to this recipe by our former next door neighbor. After our daughter was born she kindly offered to bring us a meal. She showed up to our door with her crockpot and this dish.

With a few minor adjustments, this has become a favorite in our house — well, maybe not with the kids quite yet. They usually get quesadillas on the nights we make it. We keep this one on a monthly rotation and love having dinner hot, ready and waiting for us. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 can diced tomatoes & green chiles (mild Rotel), drained
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn (typically we use frozen)
  • taco seasoning (amount as desired)
  • 1.5-2 cups shredded cheese
  • corn tortillas

Directions:

  • Cook ground beef.
  • Add in taco seasoning, tomatoes, black beans, and corn).
  • In crockpot, layer meat mixture, cheese, and tortillas.
  • Continue layering, ending with a light layer of the meat mixture on top. Sprinkle on a little cheese to finish.
  • Cook on low 3-4 hours.
  • Optional: Serve with avocado or sour cream.

Count the Ways: Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

Our holiday break has ended. It was one for the books. We took a family trip to Disney World with the kids’ Nana and PawPaw, watched so many Christmas movies by the twinkling lights of the tree, took D to see The Grinch (his first movie in theaters), and in general, tried to cram as much holiday fun into the month as possible.

It’s the second week back at school for my little guy (preschool) and the hubby (professor). Things are off to a great start. D loves his teachers and was so excited to see his school friends again…and slide down the playground slide as many times as humanly possible each day. I recently read the Magic Art of Tidying Up and am in full-on purge, declutter and organize mode. I’ve been trying to take on one organization project a day, be it a single drawer or the whole pantry. As long as we’re moving forward and making progress, I’m happy and calling it a win.

Everything is back in motion and the family is trying to settle into this semester’s routine. It’s now just me and baby girl at home during the days again. She’s one and a half now, and at some point, I know that I will need to stop calling her my baby, but I’m going to hold out as long as I can. I am loving the chance to have some sweet one on one time with her again, but I can already tell that it’s going to be challenging to juggle mommy duties, my part-time remote job, Moore Cookin, and keeping the house in order. Going to take things one day at a time, while stepping up my meal planning and home organization game stat.

One of my best not-so-secret tricks for simplifying weeknight dinners that I plan to take advantage of is to utilize the Costco rotisserie chicken to the fullest. Really, any grocery store rotisserie chicken will do the job, but Costco’s $5 rotisserie chicken just can’t be beat for the price.

Here are just a few ways that we like to use rotisserie chicken:

Lunch/Lighter Meals

  • Lettuce Wraps
  • Greek or Chicken Caesar Pita Wraps
  • Ciabatta Sandwiches
  • Chicken Pesto Panini
  • Quesadillas

Enchiladas & Tex Mex

Rice Bowls

  • Chicken Fried Rice or Stir-Fry
  • Chicken Burrito Bowls
  • Chicken, Broccoli & Cheese Rice Casserole

Pasta

  • Chicken Alfredo Pasta
  • Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken
  • Risotto

Soup

  • Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
  • Chicken Noodle Soup

With endless possibilities, I’m sure that I’ll be coming back to update this list, so be sure to check back! And let me know in the comments what your favorite recipes using rotisserie chicken are.