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How to Plan a Back-to-School Bash
We’re not sure how this happened, but happy August, friends! The summer flew by, as it always does. In our home, we’ve been prepping grandkids to go back to school and celebrating National Back to School Month the best we can to soak up this last bit of summer. And that note, we wanted to share a fun idea. One thing we think is a really special way to generate excitement around heading back to school and reuniting with friends is planning a back-to-school bash! So, since so many parents and grandparents shop with Simply Inspired, we wanted to share a few tips that maybe you can take back to your family this back-to-school season.
What is a Back-to-School Bash?
A back-to-school bash is an epic celebration of the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. Kiddos of all ages have had a tough few years, which has caused anxiety in many little ones when it comes to heading to the classroom. Infusing fun and excitement into the idea of learning in the classroom again is a great way to ease the anxiety and show your kiddo that this is a great time to celebrate and get excited for the year ahead!
5 Steps to Plan a Back-to-School Bash
#1. The Bash Basics (Guest List, Date, Location Time, Etc.)
Now, before we go down this rabbit hole, we know some of you may be saying, “The last thing I need to do this summer is adding one more thing to my to-do list.” But, don’t worry. This plan is meant to be super simple, so you can easily plan with the minimal days of summer left and give your kiddos an event they’ll remember forever.
First, let’s talk about the basics. Maybe you want your back-to-school bash to be just neighborhood kids and families. Perhaps you want to invite your kiddos new class so they can get to know each other. Up to you! Choose whichever avenue feels best to you and your little one.
It’s during this phase that it’s a good idea to get them involved in the planning process too. They’ll have fun, and it will only spark more excitement.
Once you have the who, think about where and when you’d like to host!
#2. Choose a Summery Theme for Your Back-to-School Bash
Next up, a theme! A few themes we love for back-to-school bashes are:
Hawaiian Luau: Tropical is always a good way to go when it comes to summer-themed parties. One last “vacation” before school is in session! Complete with leis and tons of pineapple décor, of course.
Western BBQ: Think red and white checkered tablecloths, lawn games, and all the cornbread you can eat!
#3. Offer An Epic Summer-Themed Menu
One reason we say to make a theme is because then you can use it to create your menu! You can either get it catered, whip up your favorites, or make it a potluck and ask everyone to make a dish that goes with the theme.
The easiest way to do this as a last-minute summer soiree is definitely a potluck! Create a Google Sheet you can share with parents noting what you need and have every family sign up for one dish!
#4. Feature All the Fun Summer Activities
Every party needs entertainment! Bust out summer favorites, as well as some fun games to get kids ready to learn. Here are a few ideas:
Lawn Games: Cornhole, ring toss, sack races, hula hoop competitions, the list goes on!
Book Share: Have every family bring a book. Leave it on a table, and everyone takes a new book home as a favor!
The best way to make this fun for the kids? Let the kids plan it! They’ll sure have some great ideas from their epic summer adventures that they’ll want to share with their friends and classmates.
#5. HAVE FUN!
The most important part of any back-to-school bash is to have the time of your lives! Before the practices, after-school clubs, and homework start to sneak into daily routines again, enjoy the freedom of summer. But also celebrate how great of a year your kiddo has ahead of them! They’ll thank you and be oh so excited to head back to the classroom in a few short weeks.
P.S. Kiddo already back in school? That doesn’t mean you can’t party! Simply invite your little one’s class after school is in session for an official back-to-school bash. This way, you can get to know the families and make new friends for a new year!
We wish you and your loved ones the best school year yet. Happy end of summer from Simply Inspired! Sign up for our email list to get more fun tips to live simply inspired, and make the most of life every day!
How to Decorate a Guest Bedroom & Welcome Out-of-Towners
We’re in the thick of summer, friends, and we hope you’re having a beautiful one! If you’re anything like us, you have grandkids, children, cousins, and friends coming in and out every week. Visiting with friends and family is one of the greatest blessings of this beautiful season, and we’ve mastered the art how to decorate a guest bedroom to welcome our out-of-towners. So today, we’re sharing our top tips, just in case you have visitors coming in soon, too!
Top Tip: Decorate a Guest Bedroom with Neutrals & Greenery
Add Fresh Cut Flowers in a Vase
Select Wall Art with Purpose to Decorate a Guest Bedroom
Don’t Forget a Place to Hang Essentials
Put a Nightlight in the Room
Place Scented Candles in the Guest Bedroom
Leave a Trinket Dish on the Nightstand
Don’t Forget About the Guest Bathroom
Bonus Tip: Give a “Thanks for Coming” Gift
Basic is Better: Why Simple Toys Are Better for Child Development
Before you become a parent and you’re shopping for gifts for friends or family, you probably look at toys as simply entertainment value. We did! But, things change once you have children and grandchildren of your own or watch your little nieces or nephews grow. You’ll start to realize how little ones interact and learn from every single moment. It’s then that you fully understand that they’re much more than just entertainment. Toys have so many educational and developmental benefits for every age! Choosing the perfect toy is far more than just the color or how trendy it may be at the time. It’s about learning which toys will match a child’s stage of life and development to help them grow safely! Why is this important, and what toys can you search for? Today we’ll look at just that (hint: basic is better, go for the simple toys).
Why Simple Toys Promote Greater Development in Little Ones
An article by Forbes about the best toys for toddlers shared that a choice should be made based upon whether a toy is baby-powered or battery-powered. They explained, “When a child engages with a battery-powered toy, they will press a button as they wait to be entertained. Baby-powered toys offer opportunities for growth, problem-solving, challenge, achieving goals.”
This straightforward explanation is at the heart of why simple toys are better.
With electronic toys, children follow a path that the toymaker has created for them. They’re not exercising their imagination or working through life as they’re learning. Rather than being self-taught and learning intuitively, they’re learning to push buttons, waiting to be guided towards the next thing.
Simple toys allow children to imagine the possibilities, make their own discoveries, play out social situations, and problem-solve with their own minds. This sets the stage for complex problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and boundless creativity later in life as they continue to grow!
Our Favorite Simple Toys from Simply Inspired’s Collection Perfect for All Ages
Here are a few of our favorite simple toys that we have in our collection!
Maileg Mice & Bunnies
This brand is well-known across the globe for its timeless creations. Their stuffed mice and bunnies each take on their own unique personality and help children play out a wide variety of life scenarios with fun accessories. Plus, they show children that any type of creature can become a part of the family!
Soft Dolls
Soft dolls are not only great for comfort and cuddling, but they also help develop interpersonal skills. Little ones can feed and nurture their babies or act out tea parties and adventure scenes with family members. Soft dolls are also proven to produce happy hormones that help young children feel secure when leaving mom and dad for daycare or having a babysitter come by for date night!
Hand Puppets & Finger Puppets
Hand puppets and finger puppets aren’t just fun. They’re one of the most effective ways for kiddos to develop fine motor skills like finger movement. As they learn how to maneuver the puppets, they’re also learning how hand-eye coordination functions in real-time. Puppets are also a great way to allow children to process their emotions, as they can act out difficult situations or challenges in a safe way.
Felt Block Kits
These kits are perfect for ages 3+ as this is the age that kiddos begin to really get into the nitty-gritty of problem-solving, creating more freely. We carry felt block kits from a company called lowercase toys, which is women-owned and artisan-made right in the USA. The woman who started the company is a mom and Speech-Language Pathologist who knows firsthand what children need to develop and grow. After struggling to find developmentally appropriate toys, she took things into her own hands and started the company! It's stories and missions like this that we love to support.
Simply Inspired Will Always Provide What You Need to Help Your Little Loves Grow & Thrive
Every product on our site will note age suggestions that come from the manufacturer. But a good rule of thumb to decide which gifts to get the little ones in your life is to read this guide by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This organization offers special accreditations for schools and preschools to ensure that they meet children’s developmental needs during the early years of life. So, they’re an incredible resource!
Once you find what’s age-appropriate, browse our Pretend Play collection to find a wide selection of simple toys that promote appropriate development! Plus, you can also sign up for our emails to be the first to know about our new children’s toy product releases.
Learning Through Pretend Play: Inspiring the Next Generation
At Simply Inspired, we love seeing what little ones’ minds can create. We like to say that a child’s imagination is the most wondrous place on Earth! Don’t you agree? When a child plays make-believe and engages in pretend play, they’re doing so much more than simply having fun. They’re shaping their minds, they’re learning hard skills that will take them through life, and they’re shaping the center of their beings. And in today’s day and age, where technology is ever-present, they’ve found that over half of children aren’t getting enough pretend playtime as they grow.
So, how exactly does pretend play help children grow every day and how as parents and grandparents can you help them thrive? Let’s dive in!
3 Reasons Pretend Play is Important for Child Development
While every child grows and learns differently, there are a few proven ways that pretend play impacts a child’s development in the early years of life. These are a few:
Pretend Play Sparks Creativity & Critical Thinking
Pretend Play Supports Language & Social Development
Pretend Play Develops Fine Motor Skills
Some of Simply Inspired’s Favorite Pretend Play Products
Part of our mission at Simply Inspired is to provide parents and grandparents with the tools they need to help raise the next generation of leaders, scientists, activists, teachers, caregivers, and more. Through imaginative play, we can allow children to exercise their minds and become exactly who they are meant to be! Here is just a small sampling of our favorite imaginary play products, there are so many more from our partners across the globe which you can find on the site, too.
Finger Puppets & Hand Puppets
Puppets provide freedom of expression that is delightful to watch in your kiddos. Make a cardboard box theater together so they can put on a show with their band of puppets! Putting on a show helps develop their language and speaking skills, as well as their confidence and creativity, and problem-solving skills, as they develop the storyline to share.
Plush Stuffed Dolls
Dolls are perhaps one of the most popular options for pretend play! Playing with dolls allows children to act out scenarios from their life, create an understanding of the world around them, as well as learn more about things like diversity, as not all of our doll collection looks the same. They also help expand vocabulary by playing out new situations and cultivating caretaking skills.
Sustainably-Crafted Wooden Toys
Every parent’s priority is keeping their children safe. And most don’t realize that many toys are manufactured in a way that is destroying the environment they’ll grow up in. These Tender Leaf favorites are manufactured in a sustainable way with recycled materials and wood, as well as providing fair trade wages for families in Sri Lanka working in the factory. Plus, they replant 100% of the wood they use to create these lovely toys!
Machine-Washable Costumes
We point out machine washable because let’s be honest, once kids get playing, things sometimes get messy. Costumes or playing dress-up allow kids to role-play. This, in turn, can inspire greater creativity and empathy, while allowing them to explore who they are.
3 Ways Parents & Grandparents Can Inspire Pretend Play
Parenting is a lot of figuring it out as you go. We know how that goes! But when it comes to how to use toys effectively for learning and growth, many don’t realize the impact that the simplest toys can have. So, how do you inspire your child to engage with simple and impactful pretend play? Here are a few ideas:
Purchase Toys that Cultivate Imagination
Use Toys to Explain Real-Life Scenarios
Let Your Child Lead, But Push Them Along if Needed
The best part? Engaging in pretend play together is a wonderful way to create happy memories as a family. And that’s invaluable!
We’re Ready to Help You Inspire the Next Generation with Pretend Play
Our team works incredibly hard to source products that provide meaning and value in the lives of families everywhere. The carefully curated selection of pretend play toys has been designed to support families raising the next generation to be good, kind humans who can make this world a better place. Wondering which toys your kiddo will love? Browse the site with them and have them point out what speaks to them!
Quotes on Grandparenting That Share the Essence of This Joyful Time in Life
Just when you think life can’t get any better, you become a grandparent! There is something so special about connecting with someone who shares your blood and steals your heart from the moment you meet them. In our humble opinion, we don’t think there’s a more joyful time in life. Today we’re going to share just a few ways you can make the most of your grandparenting journey, and some quotes on grandparenting that will warm your heart and give you a little chuckle!
Ready to feel the love?
3 Simply Inspired Tips to Enjoy Your Grandparenting Journey
💛 Read Up!
Plus, don’t forget to schedule reading time with your grandkids! There are so many children’s books out there that are really great. We love these Finny + The Biff books that are actually sticker books too for added entertainment. They share some important values, too!
💛 Schedule Special Time to Connect
If you do live close, offer to babysit on Friday nights for a parents night out every week. This way, your kids get to enjoy each other’s company while you enjoy the company of your grandchildren with solo time! Be sure to bring some fun crafts or toys for extra fun!
💛 Share Family Traditions
There’s just something about grandparenting that warms your heart instantly. Whether you’ve experienced it yet or not, you’ll appreciate these grandparenting quotes we love coming up next! They’re great to use to create special cards or pictures with your grandkids!
10 Heartwarming & Funny Quotes on Grandparenting That We Love
⭐ “Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.”
⭐ “Because (grandparents) are usually free to love and guide and befriend the young without having to take daily responsibility for them, they can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generations.”
⭐ “Grandparents make the world a little softer, a little kinder, and a little warmer.”
⭐ “What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change, and they give me a million dollars’ worth of pleasure.”
⭐ "Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever."
⭐ “Children brought up by their grandparents are generally spoiled.”
⭐ “Truth be told, being a grandma is as close as we ever get to perfection. The ultimate warm sticky bun with plump raisins and nuts. Clouds nine, ten, and eleven.”
⭐ “Young people need something stable to hang on to—a culture connection, a sense of their own past, a hope for their own future. Most of all, they need what grandparents can give them.”
⭐ “No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.”
Heading to See Your Grandchildren Soon? Don’t Forget a Sweet Gift!
Now, if this post has inspired you to book a trip to see your favorite little ones, there’s something you better have in tow. Gifts! Gifts from grandma and grandpa will always bring your grandchildren joy and happy memories! We have sales on our dolls and toys coming up soon, sign up for our emails to know when they launch. Together, we’ll raise a new generation of empowered, smart, and loving kiddos that will change this world.
4 Organic Baby Products to Welcome Little Loves to the World
When many people think of organic baby products, they only think about the food or formula they consume. But in reality, organic means so much more! Products are organic if the farmers and manufacturers make it without pesticides filled with toxins, potent chemicals, harmful fertilizers, or anything artificial. Being a parent is hard enough without worrying about what your little one is putting on or in their growing bodies. For that reason, and many more, organic is better!
Why Organic Products Are Better for Babies
So, why are they better? Well, when babies come into this world, they’re untouched by the elements. For them to grow in the most natural, protected, and healthy way, it’s so important to avoid chemicals and toxins that have the potential to make them sick or impact their growth in any way.
Here are just a couple of the reasons it’s essential to shop organic for the little loves in your life:
💛 Lessens Health Risks for Their Delicate, Growing Bodies
💛 Generates a Healthier Environment for Their Futures
Our Simply Inspired Team’s Favorite Organic Baby Products
These organic baby products are some of our team’s favorites!
Baby Aria - Organic Baby Doll
Not only is Baby Aria cute as a button, but she’s also award-winning! She has won gold in the Mom’s Choice Awards, an organization honoring excellence in family-friendly products. She comes from Sri Lanka, where she is made with love by artisans who are paid fair wages and work in a safe factory! Plus, her skin is OCS 100-Certified Organic Cotton, so not only are her cuddles extra soft, they’re safe, too.
Certified Organic Cotton Muslin Baby Swaddle 2 Pack - Busy Bees
A soft swaddle can be a lifesaver for new parents. This extra-comforting wrap keeps babies feeling secure, calm, and held even from afar so mom and dad can get a few things done. These muslin swaddles come with a super sweet bee print for your tiny honeybee! They also come in a great gift box that makes a perfect gift for new parents.
Star Organic Natural Rubber Teether
Teething time can be rough for parents and little ones alike. So it’s important to have tools to help your sweet babe relieve some of the pain, keeping them comfortable even during this uncomfortable time of growth! This organic natural rubber teething toy is certified non-toxic, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free. You don’t want your little one putting toxins in their mouth, so this is a perfect solution!
Faux Fur Bear Sherpa Ear Flap Hat
This bear-y cute hat is the perfect addition to any chilly seasonal outfit. You may even be jealous, as it’s made with luxurious 100% Egyptian cotton and a sherpa-like fluff that’s softer than anything you’ve ever felt before. We also have a stroller blanket and snuggly lovey toy to complete this cozy collection.
With these products, you can ensure the little loves in your life are the healthiest and strongest versions of themselves!
Shop Organic Baby Products with Simply Inspired, Year-Round
At Simply Inspired, you can count on us to have organic baby products and gifts for the littlest loves in your life year-round. We want to help families grow, making it easy to keep their precious babes safe as they learn about this big, beautiful world. Of course, you can always find the full collection here!
Want to be the first to know about new organic baby products? Join our e-mail list to become a Simply Inspired Insider!
Happy National Tell a Story Day from Simply Inspired!
Did you know that today is National Tell a Story Day? Stories weave together our entire world if you think about it. It’s how we learn where we come from, how we explore new topics and places as a daily escape, and how children learn about this thing called life. Without stories, we’d have no connections to share.
So, are you ready to celebrate National Tell a Story Day with a little bit of inspiration for how to celebrate with the little ones in your life?
Storytelling Helps Each Generation Learn & Grow
Firstly, stories have been integral to our culture and world for eternity. In fact, the first indication of storytelling was found on cave walls in France, drawn out by people over 30,000 years ago. For a long while, storytelling was used to make sense of the world, to pass on knowledge from generation to generation-first for survival, and now out of a desire for connection and culture, but now, it’s more than that.
It's entertainment, it’s escape, and for little loves, it’s the way they make sense of the world.
In a recent National Geographic article, they explained, “[Storytelling] helps us to find order in things that have happened to us and make sense of the events of a random world.” Now, what are kiddos doing when they engage in pretend play? They’re writing their own narratives, which are often inspired by day-to-day experiences that they need to mentally work out as they grow into capable and compassionate youth and adults.
So as you can see, storytelling through play helps children build interpersonal communication skills, develop empathy, spark creativity, and more. Without storytelling through pretend play, our children’s growth would look wildly different!
So, how do you inspire your child to grow through telling stories this National Tell a Story Day? First, you can make sure they have the right tools.
A Few of Our Simply Inspired Pretend Play Favorites for National Tell a Story Day
Part of teaching a child the art of storytelling goes beyond just reading them stories. In addition to stories, you must allow them to play unstructured, channeling only their imaginations. This way, without even realizing it, they’re creating stories all their own.
Leota - Black Hair with Purple Dress
We cultivate our diverse collection of soft dolls to inspire relationship building! Doll play has been shown to teach interpersonal connection and can help children act out situations they’re experiencing in their “real life.” This biodegradable doll is handmade in a socially responsible way in Sri Lanka, with safe and non-toxic products.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Finger Puppet Set
Without a doubt, finger puppets allow little ones to bring stories to life. So it’s extra fun when they want to act out one of their favorite bedtime stories with this Goldilocks set. Our artisan partners in Nepal make these sweet puppets by hand with love, featuring soft felted wool.
Theo The Raven Glove Hand Puppet from Haba
This puppet is extra fun because he’s a ravenous raven! There’s a pocket designed to act out food-centric scenes. Slightly older kids can have fun drawing and coloring all kinds of pretend food to feed him and see if he likes it.
Our Felt "GIRL DOLL" Deluxe Set - Artisan Made in the USA
Understandably, we all want to give our children toys that are good for the world. lowercase toys, a woman-owned company creating sustainable toys that spark meaningful development in little ones, makes this felt doll. All the felt they use is made from recycled materials. Plus, they donate any unused felt to local makerspaces to abide by a no-waste business model.
Beach Mice - Little Sister in Cabin by Maileg
Maileg is a nostalgic toy brand that has a whole cast of characters. This little lady is about to have a perfect beach day! You can grab her brother and parents for an entire family ready to act out your child’s tales.
Soft Bunny Small - Off White by Maileg
But, Maileg doesn’t just make mice families. They make bunnies too! In the Maileg world, mice and bunnies can be besties, and family comes in all shapes and sizes. With these toys, children can create their own family stories to tell.
Tender Leaf Stables
Plush toys aren’t the only toys sparking the storytelling itch! They ethically manufacture the Tender Leaf wooden toys in Sri Lanka from recycled wood. Each piece contributes to a scene where kids can let their imagination run wild. This kit allows your kiddo to have a fun day at the stable, riding and petting the ponies (and maybe sneak them a mint or two), and more.
Spark Your Child’s Imagination this National Tell a Story Day
So, today, we want to inspire you to celebrate National Tell a Story Day in a creative way. Spend some time with your child participating in free play with some of your child’s favorite toys. Let their imagination soar; allow them to dream up the most magical stories this world has ever heard!
Want to be the first to know about new toys for pretend play? Sign up for our email list to become an exclusive insider!
Earth Day Partner Feature: Celebrating Mother Earth, One Conscious Step at a Time
Happy Earth Day from Simply Inspired, friends! This Friday, April 22nd, this global celebration will place a light on sustainability, eco-friendly living, conservation and preservation efforts, and more. Earth Day began over 50 years ago in an attempt to recognize the potentially detrimental health and environmental effects of over 150 years of industrialization. On the first Earth Day in 1970, over 20 million Americans, which back at that time was 1/10 of the population, took a conscious step, supporting the movement with peaceful protests. It ultimately led to the organization of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of bills like the Clean Water Act. It sparked change and progress in a time where the focus was on growth, power, and production, not sustainability. So, when the celebration went global in 1990, it only grew. And the need for environmental awareness and corporate accountability is increasing with it.
Today more than ever, we need to honor Mother Earth and protect her future. That's why Simply Inspired is trying to take a conscious step towards fostering awareness while also doing our part to give back to the environment, animals, and other humans in this world. One way we do that is by partnering with companies doing good and supporting these causes too.
So today, we want to introduce you to one of those partners in light of the Earth Day celebrations on the horizon. Meet Conscious Step!
Conscious Step: Helping Revive & Nurture Mother Earth
The Mission
To start, we need to share their words about their mission. They’re intentional and powerful:
“Conscious Step is committed to lasting social and environmental change. Every step we take in our production process supports farms and factories with fair wages, safe facilities, and sustainable materials.”
Their goal is to provide power and purpose with every purchase, helping heal our planet and its people, which aligns directly with our mission at Simply Inspired. This is why you’ll find their cozy socks in our collection!
The Story
It all started in 2013 when the founders were winners of the UNSW Sydney Seed Fund Pitch Competition. The trifecta who started the company is made up of a medical doctor, an industrial designer, and a finance professional who wanted to shed light on the causes that needed extra support in our world. Nearly ten years later, they’ve donated almost a million dollars in profits to organizations like St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Trevor Project, Conservation International, National Alliance on Mental Illness, etc.
But it’s not just about their giving. They’re also advocates for ethical manufacturing, which was part of their inspiration for sourcing a clean supply chain, as manufacturing is one of the most significant pollutants in our world today. Here’s how they’re doing it:
Organic Fabrics
Important Causes That Conscious Step Socks Support
This is just a tiny sample of the causes that Conscious Step socks are supporting through intentional partnerships making this world a more beautiful place for us and preserving it for the next generation.
The Animals
Protect Australian Animals Gift Box - Organic Socks from Conscious Step
This box is a perfect gift that gives back. It includes three pairs embroidered with kooky kangaroos, sneaky crocs, and sleepy koalas. A portion of all proceeds supports Wildlife Warriors and their work to save the unique creatures of Australia.
Organic Socks that Save Cats Lives (+ Dogs Lives)
Cats and dogs are a part of the family in our house. How about you? These pairs support Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. In fact, they operate a huge sanctuary for thousands of homeless cats and dogs while advocating for the 8 million companion animals that wind up in shelters each year!
Organic Socks that Protect Penguins and the Arctic
Your feet won’t catch a chill with this pair that supports Arctic waters! Part of the profits go towards funding Oceana. They’re the largest advocacy organization focused solely on oceans. Ultimately, they want our seas to be healthy and abundant for years to come.
If you like this cause, you can also check out the Protect Ocean Animals Gift Box - Organic Socks from Conscious Step!
The People
Organic Socks that Plant Trees
These don’t only support the environment. But, they also support development in third-world countries. How, you ask? Conscious Step partners with "Trees for the Future." This organization educates and empowers families in developing nations, helping them reclaim land with plants and trees that will thrive in their backyards. The food those plantings produce improves the family's standard of living – while feeding the earth and its people!
Give Water Gift Box - Organic Socks from Conscious Step
Every sale of these socks provides additional funding to Water.org to improve lives with their clean water and sanitation programs. So far, Conscious Step has provided villagers in developing nations with 121,654 years of access to safe water. That’s impact.
Let’s Create a Better World Together This Earth Day, One Step at a Time
Today, Earth needs us to be more conscious of the organizations we’re supporting. How they operate, the products they use, how they treat their people. We’re honored to partner with a company like Conscious Step Socks because they’re thinking through each facet in-depth, thinking about how they can positively impact this world. When we all make conscious decisions about the products we purchase and their effects on our planet, we can collectively move towards a brighter, healthier, poverty-free world.
Shop their collection with Simply Inspired, and help Mother Earth this Earth Day!
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Crafting Through the Years: How Fun Crafts to Do at Home Spark Multi-Generational Connections
As children, many of our childhood memories focus on experiences with those near and dear to us. What are your most cherished childhood memories? For many members of the Simply Inspired team, we hold fond memories of creating and learning with parents and grandparents. The beautifully hand-woven potholders made with a Harrisville loom and colored cotton loops were some of the greatest treasures exchanged. You’re picturing them now, right? The remarkable thing about this craft is that every time you use that potholder, the memory of its creation comes back into your mind. Who you made it with, where you were, what fun you had choosing the colors and learning the motions to create such beauty. Who knew that fun crafts to do at home could spark such nostalgia and joy? This is precisely why we carry these crafts and more in our Simply Inspired collection!
Embroidery & Weaving Throughout the Years
Many modern-day crafts are inspired by historical traditions or even necessities. Embroidery and weaving are no exception. They say that the first sign of embroidery and weaving were from the Neolithic Era, over 30,000 years ago. While few actual pieces are remaining, we know that they created tools like needles and looms from bone, clay, and stones. It was also depicted in art.
Throughout history, these traditional art forms have served as a form of self-expression, a sign of wealth, and skills that allowed women to be gainfully employed for many years. In the 1800s, women attended school to learn skills like these to run a household later. If they didn’t learn in school, it was a trade that their mother or grandmother taught, passed down between generations. This generational transfer of knowledge has only recently.
While today these crafts aren’t limited to just women, nor are they a necessity, they offer unique value. These traditional crafts that are now fun crafts to do at home allow you to relax, disconnect with technology, and reconnect with yourself and others around you. That’s just one of the many things we love about these fun crafts to do at home!
Fun Crafts to Do at Home That Spark Memories with the Next Generation
We believe it’s essential to keep these traditional arts alive. Not only do we want to revive these age-old crafts, but we want to provide families with the opportunity to make memories. Because that’s what life is all about!
We carry the two product lines to bring crafting to the next generations: Harrisville Designs and Corrine LaPierre. Each of these companies has a mission to preserve traditional crafts while teaching and celebrating art!
Metal Potholder Loom from Harrisville Designs
You probably played with the original potholder loom during your childhood! Made by Harrisville Designs right here in New Hampshire, USA, at the company’s factory in a historic woolen mill.
Wooden Peg Loom from Harrisville Designs
A new take on an old favorite, this loom teaches similar skills with wool yarn rather than cotton loops. Great for older children! This wooden peg loom is a winner of the Teachers' Choice Award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal "Best Toy" Award.
Vintage Heart Garland Felt Craft Kit from Corinne LaPierre
This sweet product is a fun craft and a great DIY décor project. By hand, you sew the intricate soft wool pieces together to form a beautiful garland that can you can hang as a celebration of love.
Linen Lavender Bags Embroidery Kit - Bees from Corinne LaPierre
Corrine LaPierre is a company that uses high-quality products from the UK and Europe, and this specific product is no exception. You fill each bag with beautifully fragrant lavender grown at a cooperative in Provence, France. They make lovely gifts, too. There’s nothing like a gift handcrafted with love and care!
These fun crafts to do at home are great for all ages and skill levels. Try your hand at creating beauty with one of the above kits, or browse the collections to see which designs speak to you and your family!
Shop Our Gifts for Crafters Collection to Find Fun Crafts to Do at Home
It’s time to make new memories, don’t you agree? Even if you don’t necessarily have the weaving or embroidery expertise that your grandmother did, you still have knowledge to share. So, shop our simple kits for fun crafts to do at home that will bring you closer to your children as you learn and create together.
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