Shelly

7 Tips to Make your Road Trip to Disney Magical

Making Your Road Trip to Disney Magical- Growing up, one of my favorite things about family vacations was the road trip to our destination. We would load up our van with all our suitcases, snacks and games and head to places like Oklahoma, Michigan or Florida. Disney World was the most exciting trip because we could hardly wait to get there! I’ve got ten great tips on road trips to Disney.

7 tips to make your disney road trip magical

7 Tips to Make Your Road Trip to Disney Magical

  1. Let the kids choose their snacks. Have them decorate a paper bag before heading on the road trip or filling a bento box with their favorite snacks. You could also re-name your food with Disney names such as Peter Pan PB&J, Minnie Muffins or Jiminy Crickets on a Log (raisins on a celery with peanut butter).
  2. Bring along Disney games. Print out some Disney trivia and jokes for the ride. Try some Disney themed games like this UNO Disney Game or World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game.
  3. Create character prize bags (Tinkerbell, Mickey or your child’s favorite character). Pack prize bags for good behavior on the way.  The dollar store has lots of Disney items that are very inexpensive; add a few to a prize bag for a fun surprise.
  4. Find Hidden Mickeys. Before you leave, hide a few Mickey shapes in the car (and your food) and have kids search for them along the way. You could even add one of these Mickey Mouse ears car decal on your car!
  5. Night Time Extravaganza. Purchase some new Disney character pajamas and pull them out for a surprise if you are going to be traveling at night. Add some glow necklaces and bracelets from the dollar store and then you can pretend you are part of the Happily Ever After Fireworks Show.
  6. Picture This. Grab a couple disposable cameras or an Instax camera for your kids to capture Disney through their eyes. Start by having them take some photos of your road trip!
  7. Listen Up. Everyone needs a little down time during a road trip. Get a few Disney podcasts or audio books that each family member can listen to on their own or as a family. Some of my favorites are WDW Radio and WDW Prep To Go Podcast. You can also find tons of free Disney audio books through your local library.

What are your favorite ways to pass the time while on a road trip? Any special ways I’ve missed to make your road trip to Disney magical?

disney_resort

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Road trip to Disney Tips

Quiet Activities for Preschoolers

Quiet activities for preschoolers- We just had a baby two weeks ago. Our other daughter, who is 4.5, sings from the moment she wakes up to the moment her head hits the pillow. She runs everywhere! She squeals when excited and loves to wrestle her Daddy. All of these things make me so happy and I love her excitement and joy for life. What I don’t love is feeling the need to shush her when the baby is sleeping in the room. I feel terrible, like I’m shushing her joy. I’ve come up with a roundup of our favorite ‘Quiet Activities for Preschoolers’ that she’s been enjoying the past couple of weeks.

quiet activities for preschoolers- DIY Mama

Quiet Activities for Preschoolers

Easy DIY Projects

Here is a list of easy, low prep DIY projects you and your husband can put together that your child can play alone.

10 Easy Busy Bags by Powerful Mothering: these are great because your child can easily see what’s inside the bag. With inexpensive supplies you could make tons of different learning and play activities.

busy bags quiet activities for preschoolers- diy mama

Block Puzzles Printable by All Our Days: I love this simple printable that you can print out to make block puzzles. Don’t have little blocks? Buy a pack of sponges at the dollar store and cut them up yourself!

Block Puzzles Printable- quiet activities for preschoolers- DIY Mama

Color Matching from The Rigneys: This is awesome because you can get free paint samples from any hardware store. Get a pack of clothespins and you’ve got a very inexpensive activity that uses matching and fine motor skills.

quiet activities for preschoolers- color matching- DIY Mama

Activities You Can Buy

Here is a list of activities you can buy at your local store or online at Amazon. There are affiliate links included.

Bananagrams Word Center by Bugs and Beaches: Use the popular game Bananagrams and these printables for your child to learn sight words.

bananagram- quiet activities for preschoolers- DIY Mama

Coloring books are perfect for this age group. Getting a book with stickers is even better! It helps with their concentration as well as their fine motor skills which leads to better grip for writing. Easily find Disney Coloring Books or coloring books with animals anywhere. Pair it with this ultimate crayon kit with 152 crayons and they’ll be set for a while!

coloring books- quiet activities for preschoolers- DIY Mama

Lego sets are now becoming even more kid friendly with smaller sets geared towards younger kids. Our daughter loves the LEGO Friends Set because she can open all of the packaging, separate the pieces and follow the instructions all by herself.

lego- quiet activities for kids- DIY Mama

Nature Shapes with No Time for Flash Cards: There are TONS of activities you could do with Play-Doh. Kids love seeing what shapes they can make with their toys, alphabet magnets or even things found in nature.

quiet time activities for preschoolers- play-doh

What other quiet time activities do you suggest for little kids to be engaged while you feed the baby, have some meditation time or just need a little quiet time?

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The Art of the Brick at The Indiana State Museum

The Art of the Brick at Indiana State Museum- Starting Sept. 29, visitors to the Indiana State Museum will be able to see the blockbuster traveling exhibit THE ART OF THE BRICK – an exhibition featuring more than 80 works of art made entirely from LEGO® bricks.

The Art of the Brick at The Indiana State Museum- DIY Mama- Shelly Bergman

The Art of the BRICK

Designed to inspire ingenuity and creativity, THE ART OF THE BRICK features original pieces from artist Nathan Sawaya, as well as LEGO brick interpretations of some of the world’s most famous art masterpieces, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Visitors will have the opportunity to get up-close with the fan favorite, Yellow, a life-size sculpture of a man ripping his chest open with thousands of yellow LEGO bricks cascading from the cavity. In addition, visitors will marvel at the David statue made entirely of LEGO bricks, come face-to-face with a 20-foot long T-Rex skeleton and more.

The traveling exhibit will also feature a special activity area where visitors can see what they can build for themselves using LEGO bricks.

“This experience captures the wonder of seeing the unexpected,” said Cathy Ferree, president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. “Integrating a toy into artwork allows the exhibit to appeal to visitors across different ages and interests, and this turn of perspective will inspire visitors to look for other nontraditional outlets for creativity.”

The Art of the Brick at The Indiana State Museum- DIY Mama- Shelly Bergman

In the exhibition, artist Sawaya transforms LEGO bricks into tremendous and thought-provoking sculptures, elevating one of the world’s most recognizable toys to the realm of art.

“THE ART OF THE BRICK takes LEGO somewhere you wouldn’t expect and shows you things you have never seen before,” said artist Sawaya. “The goal with this collection of art is to demonstrate the potential of imagination and the power of creativity.”

THE ART OF THE BRICK will be at the Indiana State Museum from Sept. 29, 2018, through Jan. 6, 2019, and the exhibit is included with purchase of general museum admission, which is free for members.

Photos courtesy of Indiana State Museum

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ABOUT NATHAN SAWAYA & THE ART OF THE BRICK

Former NYC corporate lawyer turned contemporary artist, Nathan Sawaya is the first artist ever to take the LEGO brick into the art world as a medium. Sawaya has earned a top position in the world of contemporary art and has created a new dimension by merging Pop Art and Surrealism in awe-inspiring and groundbreaking ways. Sawaya’s touring exhibition – THE ART OF THE BRICK® – has entertained and inspired millions of art lovers and enthusiasts around the world. CNN heralded, THE ART OF THE BRICK is one of the top ten “must-see exhibits in the world!” Sawaya is an author, speaker and one of the most popular, award-winning contemporary artists of our time. For more information visit www.brickartist.com.

ABOUT THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM

The Indiana State Museum is located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is Indiana’s museum for science, art and culture, offering a place where you can celebrate, investigate, remember, learn and take pride in Indiana’s story in the context of the broader world. Even the building is a showcase of the best Indiana has to offer in architecture, materials and sculpture. Easy and convenient parking is available in the attached underground garage.

Events Happening at the Indiana State Museum This Fall

Events Happening at the Indiana State Museum This Fall- Just like summer, there is no shortage of fun going on in Indianapolis this fall for families. Here is the line up for September through October. Be sure to check out all the free events as well!

Events Happening at the Indiana State Museum This Fall

Fall – September through October

NEW ISM Experience: The Art of the Brick®

  • When: Sept. 29 – Jan. 6
  • Price: Included with admission
  • What: Children and adults alike will marvel at the incredible art made from millions of LEGO bricks in this traveling exhibit from artist Nathan Sawaya. The Art of the Brick® has traveled around the world to locations such as Australia, Taiwan, Singapore and China, and it will be coming to the Indiana State Museum beginning September 29. Visitors will see more than 70 creations from Sawaya, then be able to build their own LEGO creations in a special LEGO play area. The exhibit is the first-ever art exhibition to focus exclusively on LEGO bricks as an art medium.  More info to follow.

 

Canal Nights at Indiana State Museum

NEW ISM Experience: Cardboard Engineering

  • When: Sept. 29 – May 27
  • Price: Included with admission
  • What: Imaginations will run wild in the Indiana State Museum’s Cardboard Engineering experience opening Sept. 29, where visitors will find a room filled with the raw materials to turn fantastic ideas into incredible cardboard creations. Whether building a house or a spaceship, a school bus or sculpture, visitors will be inspired to dream up whatever they’d like to build in this area of free creation. More info to follow.

 

ISM Event: Family Night Out: Spooky Science

  • When: 6 to 8 p.m.Oct. 5
  • Price: $8/member, $15/non-member
  • What: Dress in your Halloween best for a night of Spooky Science at the Indiana State Museum. See a shocking demonstration on static electricity, make things bubble, glow and ooze, create your own eerie decorations and meet a mad scientist. Strut your stuff in a costume contest, and enter to win prizes in categories like “spookiest costume,” “best science costume,” “best homemade costume,” and “best Indiana connection costume.”

Events Happening this Fall at the Indiana State Museum

Angel Mounds State Historic Site: Halloween Hullabaloo

  • When: 6 to 9 p.m.Oct. 20 and 27
  • Price: $5/person, free for children under 3
  • What: Visitors are invited to evenings of spooky fun at Angel Mounds State Historic Site this October. Test your bravery in the Haunted Maze and escape the Mummy’s Curse in “The Tomb.” For those less brave, spend time working on games and crafts, get lost in the corn maze and take a tour of our property on our haunted hayride. Don’t forget to stop by the concession stand to warm up with a mug of hot chocolate. Visitors are invited to bring their trick-or-treat bags to collect candy throughout the night.

 

Corydon Capitol State Historic Site: The Capitol Ball

  • When: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.Sept. 8
  • Price: $15/individual, $25/couple
  • What: Guests at the ball will learn dances that could have been danced during Indiana’s first capital period (1816-1825). Dances will be called, so no prior experience is needed. Live music will be provided by Keltricity. Prior to the ball, free practice sessions will be offered for those who would like some practice beforehand. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period costume, and light refreshments will be served. This event will be held at the Harrison County YMCA. Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling 812-738-4890.

 

Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site: Literally, A Haunted House

  • When: Opens at 7 p.m. each night, Sept. 28, 29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
  • Price: TBD
  • What: Scaring since 1985, the Culbertson Mansion’s annual haunted house has all of the thrills and chills you would expect of a haunted house. This haunting takes place in the Carriage House of the Culbertson Mansion. Originally, the carriage house sheltered the family’s horse, buggy and the male servants to the household. After the Mansion was auctioned off, the carriage house fell into disuse…but dark legends abound concerning tragic fires, spiritual activity and even demonic possessions. Are you brave enough to traverse the haunted carriage house of the Culbertson Mansion? Come, if you dare!

 

Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site: Sip and Create

  • When: 6 p.m. to about 8 p.m.Sept. 8 and Nov. 10
  • Price: $25.00/person, for adults 21+
  • What: Join this program to design and create take-home pieces inspired by Gene Stratton-Porter and her love of nature. Staff and volunteers will guide you as you create pieces using natural elements that Gene showcased at her home in Wildflower Woods. September will feature milkweed pods to create unique ornaments, and November will feature family photographs in the creation of a beautiful holiday wreath. Each session includes supplies, snacks and Indiana-made wine.

 

Lanier Mansion State Historic Site: Ghost Walks

  • When: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sept. 15, 22, 29; Oct. 13, 20, 26, 27
  • Price: $15/adult, $7/youth ages 12 to 17, not recommended for those under 12 years of age
  • What: Is Lanier Mansion haunted? Visitors can find out for themselves during a ghost walk on select nights in September and October. Visitors will go inside the mansion and enjoy a nighttime, behind-the-scenes tour of the home, hearing spooky stories related to the house and its former inhabitants. After the tour, visitors can journey on to three other locations to hear stories about those sites as well, with the final stop at the Broadway Tavern – where participants age 21 and older can enjoy an additional “spirit” if they wish.

 

Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site: At the Underground Railroad’s Grand Central Station: A Poetry Workshop for Kids

  • When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Sept. 22 and Oct. 27
  • Price: $5/youth in grades 1 through 8; reservations required by calling 765-847-1691.
  • What: Youth are invited to spend a day with Indiana poet Shari Wagner for a poetry workshop at the Levi & Catharine Coffin State Historic Site. At the workshop, they will get familiar with the story of Levi & Catharine Coffin, Quakers whose 1839 home was at one time known at the “Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad.” Children will enjoy a guided tour of the Coffin home and then work one-on-one with Wagner, where they will acquire insight into how they can express their reactions to the Coffin story and the history of the Underground Railroad. This program is supported by the Indiana Arts Commission.

 

Limberlost State Historic Site: Twilight Adventure

  • When: 7 to 9 p.m.Sept. 22
  • Price: $4/adult, $3/youth ages 3-17, free for those under 3 years of age
  • What: Explore the Loblolly Marsh as the sun goes down. Take a twilight hike, enjoy an animal presentation with skulls, furs and nests, and roast marshmallows around a campfire to cap off the evening. This event starts at the Loblolly Marsh Pavilion.

 

new-harmony-indiana-state-museum-historic-site-diy-mama-blog

New Harmony State Historic Sites: Paranormal Investigations

  • When: 6:30 to 11 p.m.Sept. 28; Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26; Nov. 2
  • Price: $50/person. Tickets can be purchased at www.hauntednewharmony.com.
  • What: Explore the historic buildings of New Harmony after-hours alongside a host of paranormal investigators. This hands-on experience will allow you to communicate with the souls who may inhabit the space using a variety of real paranormal equipment.

 

T.C. Steele State Historic Site: 30th Annual Great Outdoor Art Contest

  • When: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.Sept. 8
  • Price/Registration: Early bird registration (Aug. 1-31) is $10/adult, $5/youth under age 17. Regular admission (Sept. 1-8) is $15/adult, $10/youth under age 17. Registration materials available beginning Aug. 1 at www.tcsteele.org/programs. Day-of registration allowed.
  • What: The oldest plein air painting competition in Indiana celebrates its 30th year in 2018! Gates open at 7 a.m. for artists to bring their blank pages and canvases to be stamped in the site classroom, then it’s off to work. Artwork is judged at 2 p.m. beside the Formal Garden, and awards for child and adult categories are announced starting at 3:15 p.m. First place and People’s Choice winners will be displayed at the Brown County Art Guild following the competition. Brozinni Pizzeria will sell pizza by the slice and salads for lunch. The Great Outdoor Art Contest is part of Brown County Art Colony Weekend, Sept. 7-9.

 

T.C. Steele State Historic Site: Opening of new Visitors Center and Studio Wagon

  • When: Opening dates TBD
  • What: This fall, visitors to the T.C. Steele State Historic Site will enjoy a brand new Visitors Center as well as an interactive studio wagon experience based on Steele’s own studio wagon that he used to paint in various locations. More info to follow.

 

Vincennes State Historic Sites: Fort Fright

  • When: 6 to 7:30 p.m. (no-scare hours) and 7:30 to 11 p.m. (haunted trail), Oct. 18-20
  • Price: $8/adult, $5/child under the age of 12
  • What: Have a “spooktacular” time at the haunted trail around Fort Knox II and experience scare scenes based on local lore and legend. During the “no-scare hours,” little ones can enjoy games, a hay ride and more. During the “haunted trail hours,” families can test their courage with spooky experiences at dramatic stations around Fort Knox II.

 

Whitewater Canal State Historic Site: Spooky Halloween Cruises

  • When: 7:308 and 8:30 p.m.Oct. 13 and 20
  • Price: $5/person
  • What: The Ben Franklin III canal boat will be hauntingly decorated for night cruises and staff will be dressed in costumes for the occasion. A professional storyteller will be on board to tell family-friendly spooky stories.  Held in conjunction with the Haunted Village of Metamora.

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Mark Your Calendars for These Fall Events at Conner Prairie

Fall Events at Conner Prairie- some of my favorite memories of visiting Conner Prairie are from the fall months. The cool crisp air, smell of camp fire and lots of fun family activities! Here is  a quick sneak peek of what’s to come this fall at Conner Prairie. Be sure to check out the apple cider slushies at the Apple Store! If you are an email subscriber they usually give coupons in your email for discounts at the Apple Store.

Fall Events at Conner Prairie

NEW! BLACK PIONEERS: ROBERTS SETTLEMENT IN 1836

Museum theatre on Saturdays in September
Part of Giving Voice: African-American’s Presence in Indiana’s History, a
collaborative initiative of Conner Prairie and Asante Children’s Theatre.

Fall Events at Conner Prairie Apple Store

THE APPLE STORE

September 1–October 31
Treat your family to deluxe caramel apples, cider slushies, apple-themed gift
items and more. This seasonal treasure is managed by the Conner Prairie
Alliance and its proceeds support Conner Prairie’s exhibits and programs.

PRAIRIETOWN LAND SALE

September 3
Would you like to be a land owner and settle in the beautiful and growing
village of Prairietown? Join us as Dr. Campbell auctions off town lots to
prospective settlers.

Prairie Town at Conner Prairie

FESTIVAL OF MACHINES

September 15, 16
Celebrate Indiana’s rich history of designing, building and innovating amazing
machines. Explore a wide variety of vintage vehicles as we play host to the
Indiana Region Classic Car Club of America’s Indiana Grand Classic.

CORN MAZE

September 22
This family friendly attraction will have you adventuring your way through
corn-lined trails that twist, turn and dead-end. Check out my write up from last year’s first annual corn maze. Visit connerprairie.org to
learn more.

What has been your favorite fall memory at Conner Prairie so far? If you haven’t been, what are you adding to your family bucket list for this fall?

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Fall fun at Conner Prairie

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