Pinterest Collaboration: Activities for Kids with Jana Thomas
Today we’re excited to team up with Jana Thomas, the owner and director of Strictly Social Media and newest Evermine Contributor, on a Pinterest board that’s full of inspiring ideas and activities for kids. And because Jana is a busy mom with three boys of her own, we know that she has tons of experience with getting creative and keeping those kiddos entertained.
Here are a few questions we asked Jana about her Pinterest board, her family, her kids and the kinds of activities they enjoy:
What motivated you come up with Activities For Kids as a Pinterest board theme?
We are a busy family of 5 that includes 3 very active boys, ages 15, 7 and 4. I’ve been collecting fun activities and boredom-busters for kids of all ages for quite some time, and thought Evermine readers and pinners would enjoy some of these ideas with their own kids. Whether you’re looking for birthday party minute-to-win-it games, or Saturday afternoon science projects, there’s something in the Activities For Kids board for everyone!
What are some of your kids’ favorite activities?
Our kiddos share a love of sports and outdoor activities. My older son is a varsity soccer player in high school, so of course at that age life revolves around soccer. My two younger sons are also proud supporters of their big brother, and attend games to cheer him on… They even make signs! Vice versa, our oldest co-coached his younger brother’s 1st grade soccer team last season. I love that they can find ways to support each other.
The boys also enjoy being outside and love anything to do with nature. Fishing, hiking and cave tours have topped the list. The two youngest boys have most recently started collecting rocks (as many as they can fill in their pockets), and catching bugs in their bug catchers. I’m not as excited about the latter (I’m not a fan of bugs), but I still let them explore their curiosity.
How do you come up with ideas for keeping your kids engaged and curious?
When I’m looking for new ideas, I look through family and parenting magazines, chat with friends who have kids of similar ages, and, of course, spend time on sites like Pinterest to browse fun and interesting activities. We also have lots of books we’ve collected over the years that explore everything from weather experiments and DIY projects to rock and crystal specimens. One book that we received as a gift when our oldest son was about 7 years old has been a great reference. It’s called The Dangerous Book For Boys, and has hands-on activities for boys, like knot tying, identifying insects and paper airplane-making.
Do you have any tricks for keeping kids of multiple ages interested in the same activity?
I think it’s more about encouraging each of your kids to find their own passions and interests. Each of the boys are given an opportunity to try different sports and activities. When they find something they like, you can see a change in them. The smile is ever-present. They look forward to practices, lessons or the activity. They talk about it constantly. Then, as a family, it’s our job to support that person or sibling. The boys don’t always agree about what they like to do, but we encourage them to respect each other and take an active interest in what other family members are doing.
The other important element is having fun. If Mom and Dad aren’t having fun, how can you expect the kids to have fun and join in? đ
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us Jana!
Here are just a few pins from Jana’s Pinterest board, Activities for Kids. Don’t forget to click here to see the full board:
Follow Evermine’s board Activities For Kids with Jana Thomas on Pinterest.
Josephine Guicciardi is the nom de plume of our creative Evermine blogger. With romantic connections to Ludwig van Beethovenâs âImmortal Belovedâ love letters, it is in keeping with the blogâs themes of love and joy. The great composer writes the famous words âever thine, ever mine, ever oursâ to a woman who remains a mystery to this day. Two of the most likely objects of his adoration are Josephine Brunsvik and Guilietta Guicciardi, and itâs from these two women that Josephine Guicciardi draws her persona.
