Always Be Prepared for an Emergency

An emergency can happen anytime and anywhere. There are normally no warning sings and emergencies can turn from bad to worse in a matter of moments. Natural disasters, automobile accidents, and health problems are just a fraction of the kinds of emergencies that can spring up at anytime.

While you can't always prevent emergencies from happening, you can be prepared for them! Plan out escape routes in case of a fire and set up a meeting spot with your family. Make sure harmful chemicals are kept out children's reach. Put together a home First Aid Kit and make sure that everyone in the family knows where it is kept. Learn CPR and make sure that your other family members do as well.

Here are some other helpful links that can help you plan for and prevent emergencies:

First Aid Kits: Stocking the Essentials
How To Make Your Own Emergency Kit For Your Home
Hidden Dangers: Children, Choking, and Toys
Bathtub Safety
Room-By-Room Safety Tips
Keeping Afloat Around the Pool

Frankenstein in the spotlight

                                                                                                                 

August 30th was Mary Shelley's Birthday. You know who that is don't you? If you don' t already know, Mary Shelley wrote the novel "Frankenstein" in the early 1800's. Mary was born on August 30, 1797, in London, England. This famous author also wrote: Falkner, Lodore, The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck, and The Last Man.

In honor of Mary's birthday, we've put together some birthday goodies and some Frankenstein inspiration, enjoy!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Vegetable Dips

Granola Fruit Kabobs

Frankenstein Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Frankenmallows

Frankenstein Trail Mix

Frankenstein Pudding Cups

Frankenstein Crafts:

Tin Can Frankenstein

Frankenstein Treat Bags (Favor Bags!)

It's National Lemon Day

Did you know that Lemon Trees will bloom and produce lemons all year long? Each lemon tree can produce anywhere from 500-600 pounds of lemons in one year! They are high in vitamin C and also aid in the relief of fevers and sore throats. 

It's National Lemon Day, so let's celebrate this awesome little super fruit!

Lemon Bar Flags
Flavored Ice Teas
The Ultimate Lemon Bars
Lemon-lavender Greek Yogurt Pound Cake
Spinach Lemon Orzo Soup
Lemon & Blackberry Cream Cheese Swirl Cake

An Apple A Day

"An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away". 

Every time I think of apples, (which has been a lot lately thanks to Back To School stuff) I think of that little saying that I heard so much as a kid. 

Snacking on an apple is a good way to provide your body with immune-boosting vitamin C and fiber, but apples are also great for different crafts. They are super tasty when added to different recipes. 

Plus the "apple" theme is so cute! 

Next time you're in the kitchen, jump on over and try these apple themed recipes and craft ideas!

Apple and Apple Themed Recipes:

Sausage and Apple Chowder
Chocolate Peanut Butter Coated Apples 

Awesome Apple Munchies  Apple Pie Biscuits Apple Cinnamon Pancakes Krispy Apple Treats Caramel Apple Pie Apple Themed Crafts: Scented Apple Wreath Class Act Apple (Paper Bag Craft) Apple Prints Terra Cotta Pot Apple Container Apple-Shaped Stamped Cards for Back to School Apple Coasters

Do you have any favorite apple crafts or recipes?

Back to School Lunch and Snack Ideas

Most schools are back in session now and that means that it's time to start packing lunches and snacks again. While you can't be there with them every moment of the day,  you can make sure that they have a good nutritious lunch and a healthy snack to give them the fuel they need to get through the day.  

These 30 Healthier Snack Ideas are great for kids of all ages. Don't forget that healthy doesn't have to mean boring! Tortilla roll ups, mini homemade pizzas and pita pockets can brighten any lunch box!

Also check out these great lunch ideas:

Cheesy Corn Dog Muffins

Sandwich Kabobs

Curried Turkey Wraps

Homemade Apple Sauce

50+ Ways to Beat the Heat!

It's August and that means the hottest temperatures of the summer! Only a few more weeks and school will be in session. So to keep the kids cool before they get back to hitting the books, try a few of these 50 summer crafts, recipes and games. Want to make a party out of it? Try our summertime Beat the Heat Party for hosting an end of summer bash!

Need some back to school ideas? Try these back to school crafts and tasty recipes. Our experts have fabulous parenting advice and some money saving tips too! 

Chicago: Family Fun Festival

The Family Fun Festival returns to Millennium Park this summer, making the Park the place to be for kids of all ages. Every day, from July 2 through September 2 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., family performances and hands-on activities will take place in the Family Fun Tent, located on the Park’s Chase Promenade North. The Family Fun Festival is sponsored by Target and presented by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

“At Target, we are committed to serving local communities where we do business,” said Laysha Ward, President, Community Relations, Target. “That’s why we are proud to partner with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to present the Family Fun Festival as we work to strengthen communities and enrich the lives of our guests and team members.”

Activities in the Family Fun Tent every day include Wiggleworms® at 10 a.m., when instructors from the Old Town School of Folk Music lead young children in a fun-filled sing-along that has kids singing and dancing to popular children’s favorites from the Wiggleworms program. A reading circle follows at 11 a.m., and concerts by some of the most notable names in local and regional entertainment will take place at 1 p.m.

Throughout the day, the Family Fun Tent’s Activity Zone will include hands-on craft projects and garden, science and environmental activities led by some of the region’s popular museums and cultural institutions, including Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Chicago History Museum, Chicago Park District, Chicago Wilderness, Chicago Youth Circus, CircEsteem, Lurie Garden, Museum of Science and Industry, Swedish American Museum and William Moss and Friends.

The Family Fun performer line-up and the Activity Zone schedule can be found at www.millenniumpark.org. For more information about the Family Fun Festival and all of the programming in Millennium Park this summer, visit millenniumpark.org, call 312.742.1168, visit Millennium Park on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @Millennium_Park.

Weekly Activity Zone Partners
July 2-8

Wild in the City with activities led by Chicago Wilderness

July 9-15

Pop Goes the Easel with activities led by Art Institute of Chicago

July 16-22

Past, Present and Future: Your Chicago with activities led by Chicago History Museum

July 23-29

Under the Big Top with activities led by CircEsteem and Chicago Youth Circus
 July 30-August 5

Architecture Week: Building Chicago with activities led by Chicago Architecture Foundation

August 6-12
TBD

August 13-19

Science and Exploration with activities led by Museum of Science and Industry

August 20-26

Cultural Exchange: Explore Swedish Traditions with activities led by Swedish American Museum

August 27-September 2

Garden in the City with activities led by Lurie Garden (August 27-31) and Get Out & Grow with activities led by William Moss and Friends (September 1-2)

Millennium Park
Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It is bordered by Michigan Ave. to the west, Columbus Dr. to the east, Randolph St. to the north and Monroe St. to the south. Convenient parking is located in the Millennium Park Garage (entrance on Columbus at Monroe or Randolph) and at the Grant Park North and East Monroe Garages, all located within a short walking distance of Millennium Park. 

Millennium Park, managed and programmed by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park’s prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture. 

For more family fun in Chicago check out the article on FamilyCorner - Fun Things to Do with Your Kids in Chicago