When I started my online business venture, one of the first things I did was implement a home management binder. It was something that I needed to regain my sanity. There were so many things that I was holding onto that I didn’t even realize until I sat down and started putting it all on paper.

Simple things, such as our go-to meals, monthly bills, cleaning schedules, home maintenance and insurance information. Things that you wouldn’t think should bog down your brain.

But, without realizing it, using brain space for these things that are important to run our home, was also keeping me from being able to accomplish goals, projects and countless other items.

Benefits of a Home Binder

The biggest benefit, I feel, of implementing a home management binder is that you are clearing up brain space. By getting all that saved information in your head … out of your head and onto paper.

There are also some added benefits such as:

• Having a home for all of your most important information. If someone needed to come in and take over things, by having something in place, it should make it relatively easy. Or in the least, easier than if they didn’t have anything at all.
• Organizing projects so that they actually get completed. If you are anything like me, sometimes it can be hard to keep track of all the projects you have going on at one time. Including a projects section in your home binder will help eliminate this overwhelm.
• It helps create family teamwork. When everyone knows what is expected from them, it becomes easier to take care of the home, as a whole.
• Ready to-go resources. You can have ready to go material so that it’s one less thing to think about. Pages for babysitters, travel planning pages, house sitter pages, etc. I, personally, did not take the time to fill out these pages, but they are sitting and ready to go for whenever they are needed.
• Written down documentation. Sure. You could use electronic services to maintain your information. However, I think it is always good to have a backup. We all know tech fails us, plus making sure people know how to access your documentation can prove to be difficult sometimes.

For these reasons alone, I think it’s important for just about everyone to have some type of home binder. Whether your single, married, children, no children.

My Most Favorite Pages to Include

Ok, so depending on what I am working on, my favorite pages can change quite a bit. But if I had to pick some of my favorite pages, it would be these.

Seasonal Maintenance Schedule for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter

When I designed these pages, I created them so that they would cover (just about) anything that should be done within those particular seasons.

The lists are long … and I’ll be honest, we don’t always complete them ourselves, but they are great reminders for us so that we can properly maintain our home.

These pages took me at least a solid day to put together, probably longer. But, having them altogether means that I will never have to go searching again. And I won’t waste countless hours coming up with the same four lists each season.

Weekly Menu Template

The weekly menu template helps keep us on track for the meals that we are having throughout the week.

I had actually created 2-3 templates that we used on a rotating basis so that I wasn’t recreating each menu template all the time. And in doing this, I was able to cut down on the time needed to create these weekly menus, drastically.

The other benefit of having this in place is that we aren’t sitting around, waiting to talk with the other, to decide on dinner. So, if I am busy cleaning up, my husband can get dinner started. Or if he is busy doing other things, I can get started.

Otherwise, we sometimes found ourselves eating dinner late into the evening.

Grocery Lists

Ok, so I know. You might be thinking “why don’t you just use a piece of paper to keep track of groceries needed”. Guys, I can’t tell you why. BUT, this is the only “running” grocery list that has worked for us.

I don’t know what it is. And maybe it’s just us, but this thing is one of our most used pages.

What I do is print out a couple sheets of these grocery lists at a time, cut them out and hang them on the refrigerator. When we run out of something, we simply add it to the “active” list.

Then, when we sit down to create our grocery list for the week, we also grab our “need to get items list” and add them. This way, we never forget anything!

Bill Pay Tracker

I think that I just really like this one because it lays out all of our bills on one page, nicely. Many of our bills are set up on auto-pay, but it’s just a way to double check to make sure that everything that is due for the month has been paid.

For those bills that are only due quarterly or yearly, what I do is put an “X” in the months that they are not due in and highlight the months that we do pay them.

Debt Tracker

One of our biggest goals is to be financially free. Other than our home, we do have a couple of medical debts and a car loan (fingers crossed it’ll be paid off soon!) that we are working on paying off.

With electronic banking, the debt tracker is absolutely not necessary; however I like to use these pages as motivation more than anything. It really helps to watch those balances shrink so that we continue to work hard towards our ultimate goal.

Travel Packing Checklist

This page is not used often but I do like that it is easily accessible to us. This page was built with just about anything you could think of to bring on a trip.

So, now when we do plan a trip, it’s super easy to just give each of us our own packing checklist and we should be good to go!

Important Dates & Birthdays

I wanted to start sending out birthday cards to those closest to us last year, but it just didn’t happen. So, I am making it a goal this year to get out as many birthday cards as we can.

I feel like in today’s world, it’s just nice to get something in the mail, showing that people are thinking about you. Sure, we can say it via social media, but it’s just not the same as getting something via snail mail.

And this important dates and birthdays page is going to help keep us on track.

Of course, these are just a few of the pages that we have printed in our home binder. And what you find most useful to you may be something completely different.

And that’s why the home management binder I built contains over 140 pages. So that you are able to create it uniquely to you and your family.

Other Pages Included in the Home Management Binder

So, the pages included in a home binder will really be dependent on the system that you choose to go with OR if you plan to DIY it yourself.

When it comes to the Intentional Living Home Binder (my signature binder system), the following pages are included:

HOME

• Things to do Template
• Seasonal Maintenance Schedules for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter
• Blank Seasonal Maintenance Schedules, to create your own x4
• Password Log Template
• Movies to Watch List
• Books to Read List
• Projects to Do Template
• Inspiration Template for Projects
• Project Planner
• Project Budget Template
• Example Auto Maintenance Schedule
• Vehicle Maintenance Template x3
• Notes Template

MEAL PLANNING

• Family Dinners Template
• Weekly Menu Template
• Grocery Lists
• Grocery List by Category
• Recipe Sheet Templates – 2 versions
• Recipes to Try Template
• Favorite Recipes List
• Favorite Restaurants List
• Freezer Inventory Checklist
• Refrigerator Inventory Checklist
• Pantry Inventory Checklist
• Weekly Food Diary

CLEANING

• Cleaning to Do Template
• Daily Cleaning Checklist + Blank
• Weekly Cleaning Checklist + Blank
• Monthly Cleaning Checklist + Blank
• 15-Minute Quick Pickup Checklist
• 30-Minute Quick Pickup Checklist
• Spring Cleaning (3 pages)
• Young Children’s Chore Chart – 2 colors
• Icons for Young Children’s Chore Chart
• School-Age Chore Chart
• Family Chore Charts – 2 versions

FINANCE

• House Expenses Template
• Debt Overview Template
• Debt Tracker
• Bill Pay Tracker
• Monthly Budget
• Daily Expense Log
• Savings Tracker
• Savings Log
• Donations Log

FAMILY

• Personal Information – 3 versions
• Family Sizes & Favorite Brands
• Emergency Info (for babysitters)
• Babysitter Information
• Pet Sitter Information
• House Sitter Information
• Family Emergency Plan

SCHOOL INFORMATION

• Information Template
• Schedule Template
• Classmates Contact Information Template
• Reading Tracker

MEDICAL

• Insurance Information
• Medication Information
• Family Medication
• Vaccine Acronyms
• Immunizations Tracker
• Blood Pressure Tracker – 2 versions
• Pet Vaccine Tracker
• Health (Pet)
• Pet Medication – 2 pages

FITNESS

• Weekly Workout Schedule Template
• Weight Progress Template
• Body Measurements Template
• Exercise Log

TRAVEL

• Travel Wishlist
• Planning Template
• Packing Checklist – 2 pages

CONTACTS & PHONE BOOK

• Important Contacts
• Emergency Contacts
• Phone Book Page (space up top to enter letter)

HOLIDAY & IMPORTANT DATES

• Christmas Gift Guide Template
• Valentines Gift Guide Template
• Easter Gift Guide Template
• Parent’s Day Gift Guide Template
• Important Dates and Birthdays
• Birthday Gift Tracker – 12 pages
• Yearly Calendar – 12 pages

GOALS

• Weekly Goals
• Daily Goals

As you can see, there are pages for just about everything. More than you will ever need (my personal home binder is only about 40 or so pages long), but enough to make it totally your own.

The post Implementing a Home Management Binder Saved My Sanity appeared first on Gogo Mama.

It is also one of the first things I did to create a more organized home. And little did I know that something as simple as this would have such a big impact on our family.

You, see. Before implementing meal plans, we were the family that ordered takeout most days of the week. It was simple and we didn’t have to worry about cooking and cleaning up.

But after awhile, it gets old. Not only were we wasting gobs of money on takeout, but the meals we consumed were not usually the healthiest either.

So frustrated and tired of our current meal situation, I was determined to make some changes. And to my surprise, it was far easier than I expected.

And that is what I will be sharing with you.

But before we get into what we did that made meal planning so easy, let’s talk about all of the benefits.

Benefits of Meal Planning

Meal Planning is Healthier (generally)

I would say the biggest benefit, by far, is the health aspect of eating at home. Sure you can buy healthy entrees while ordering in. But more often than not, this was not the case with us.

While planning out our meals, we could clearly see where we needed to add fruits and veggies into the mix. It really made us be intentional about the food we consumed.

And while neither of us were overly concerned about dropping any weight, we did both notice changes within just the first week.

But this was certainly not our first priority. First and foremost was to focus on fueling our body with good, healthy, wholesome food from the inside out.

And planning out our meals has definitely helped in that retrospect.

More Cost Effective

This may or may not be the case with you. When it was just the two of us, before any kids, it certainly was, at times, cheaper for us to order in.

As we now have more mouths to feed, it tends to be more cost effective for us to make our own meals. Especially when some dinners can be used as leftovers. Which is always a win-win.

I will say, however, that our first week of meal planning left us in a bit of shell shock. We RARELY spent over $100 on our grocery shopping. Usually, it was somewhere around $50-$70.

And I know. Some of you reading that may be thinking “WHAT?!”. But it’s true.

So when our first shopping trip was around the $150 mark, you bet it had us questioning if this was the right route for us.

But here’s the thing.

While we spent more money at the grocery store, we spent $0 on ordering in. So we essentially broke even that week.

We also didn’t account for leftovers. Truth be told, my husband is not a leftover type of person, but I can be. So, I was able to eliminate some of the lunches I had planned.

And lastly, our meals were very meat heavy. I believe I had some type of meat down for each day of that week (for both lunch and dinner). No simple meals, like a pizza or pasta.

So, considering the above and for the amount of food we get, meal planning has definitely saved us a few bucks during the month.

Takes the Guesswork Out of Dinners

We’ve all seen the memes. You know the ones.

Where the couple is trying to decide on dinner. Nobody “cares” what’s for dinner until … they do. That was 100% us.

There were days we weren’t eating until right before it was time to go to bed. Simply because we could not make a decision on what to have for dinner. And we all know eating right before sleeping is no good.

Having a weekly meal plan has completely eliminated this for us. We know exactly what’s for dinner every night of the week.

Are there days where we make changes? Of course! This isn’t an all or nothing set up. But, the fact remains. A few minutes of planning at the beginning of the week will lessen the pain points later in the week.

Meal planning has done nothing, but benefit our family. So, I want to show you how you can do it too. I’ve learned a couple of things, while meal planning for my own family, to make it fast, easy and efficient.

How to Meal Plan Easily

Creating a meal plan is so simple; it makes me wonder why we didn’t start it sooner. When it comes to meal planning, I do it in three steps.

Step 1: Create a Dinner Cheat Sheet

I initially got this idea from a YouTuber and thought it was genius. If I can find the video, I will list it here.

But essentially, we have what I like to call a dinner cheat sheet. It is a list of our go-to dinners so that when I sit down to create our meal plan I don’t have to brainstorm too long. They’re all right there in front of me.

Our dinners are split into four categories – easy dinners, crockpot dinners, healthy meals and favorite meals. By having a section for crockpot and easy dinners, this will allow you to quickly glance and choose fast dinners for those busy nights.

It takes just a few minutes to create a dinner cheat sheet, but you will easily make up those minutes ten-fold when it comes time to plan out your weekly menu.

Step 2: Take an Inventory of Food on Hand

This step is going to help eliminate food waste and save you money. Most of us would go into meal planning by sitting down with our weekly menu template and simply planning out our weekly meals.

BUT, this is not taking into consideration the food you already have on hand. By knowing what you have in your kitchen BEFORE you begin to meal plan, it helps you narrow down your meal options.

If you’ve already got the taco shells, cheese and toppings for tacos, why plan out an elaborate meal where you would need to purchase nearly everything?

You can take an inventory by simply noting it down on paper or you can have a more elaborate method, where you keep a running inventory list (like the ones below).

Either way, use what you have first (so nothing goes to waste) and then plan out the rest.

Step 3: Create Weekly Meal Plan

Now, it’s time to create the weekly meal plan. I like to use the below template and plan out EVERY meal of the day. Usually, there are a couple changes throughout the week, but this ensures that we have everything on hand.

I pick one day out of the week to spend about 5-10 minutes creating our weekly menu. To make it even simpler in the future, I plan to create 4-5 menus that we can simply rotate throughout the months.

That way, I am not creating a menu from scratch each week. Which will save even more time in the long run. I am all about using our time in the most efficient way as possible!

If you have no interest in meal planning for all three meals, it is perfectly fine to meal plan for just dinners. In that case, I would use a simple monthly calendar, like the one below, and fill in the days.

And that’s it!

It is that simple to start meal planning for beginners. Now, the hardest part is actually sticking to your weekly meal plan. The first week will be the toughest, but each week thereafter will become easier and easier.

They say, on average, it takes about two months for a new habit to form. For us, it took about three weeks for this to become a new “normal” in our household.

So, if you are ready to start meal planning for your family, I am here to say it is totally possible with commitment!

Interested in the templates on this page? They are part of my household binder, which contains 140+ templates, which you can grab here.

The post The Benefits of Meal Planning: Meal Planning Made Easy appeared first on Gogo Mama.

I am going to keep this post sweet, short and to the point. Check out some hot songs below to host an awesome dance party at home!

1.) The Goldfish Song

I absolutely love this song! It is actually one that we learned at a dance class and I just knew I had to find it.

2.) Baby Shark

With over 2 billion views on YouTube, you know I had to include Baby Shark. I avoided this song for as long as I could because it was so hyped up. BUT it is super easy to follow along and children love it.

3.) Five Little Monkeys

This oldie, but goodie song is a regular with us. It might not be as fun as some of the other songs, but we love jumping around and “falling” down!

4.) Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes

This is a great song for learning different body parts.

5.) Freeze Dance

Okay, I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan of this song when I added it to the list. But I decided to go through all of these songs with my daughter and she kept asking me to replay this one. I knew then that this song deserved a spot on this list!

I think these songs are all what you put into them. To make up for the slow tempo, we make the “freezing” so fun.

6.) Shake Your Sillies Out

I love, love, love The Learning Station and you’ll find a few more songs from them on this list. While this song can be a little advanced for some toddlers, it is still so much fun!

7.) The Hokey Pokey

Just have fun with this one. Younger kids likely won’t know right and left, but it’s a great way to start getting them familiarized.

8.) Body Boogie

Who loves a good air guitar? ?‍♀️ This song is perfect! I might love this song even more than my daughter, but it is SO good!

9.) If You’re Happy & You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands ?.

10.) The Wheels on the Bus

Another oldie, but goodie. I picked this version because it seemed to be the closest to the traditional “Wheels on the Bus”.

11.) Get Funky

This song has a great beat and is so much fun to dance to! Get funky, do the monkey ?.

12.) There was a Crocodile

This song can be a little advanced for younger children, but they’ll have fun acting out the different animals.

13.) Chicken Dance

I was trying to find a version of the chicken dance to include and chose this one from GoNoodle. I love that they explain some of the movements in the video so that children can learn to follow along.

14.) Going on a Bear Hunt

This is a fun song to get kids to act out to. They’ll have fun swishing through tall grass and splashing through the water.

15.) Slippery Fish

This is a cute and fun song for kids to enjoy. There is a video on YouTube that shows a teacher going through the moves. You can check it out or come up with moves of your own!

Do you have any songs that your children just love? I would love to hear them below.

The post Dance Songs for Kids appeared first on Gogo Mama.

1.) Got to a park

Going to the park had to be number one on this list. Not only do children LOVE going to the park, but it’s free and easy.

One of our favorite things to do in the summer is explore the many different parks. Not only do we get to see different faces, but it keeps us from getting bored with the same one park.

2.) Take a walk

Sometimes all it takes is going for a walk to get the inside jitters out. Walks are especially useful for young children and babies.

Bonus Tip: As kids begin to age, talk to them about everything they are seeing. Stop signs, grass, the blue sky, etc.

3.) Have a Picnic

Take the afternoon to have a picnic outside at the park or even at home. We were gifted the cutest kiddie size picnic table and it was one of our favorite things to do last year!

4.) Play Tag

A good game of tag is a great way to burn off some energy. Be advised, though, if you are playing with a toddler you may just be the one getting the most exercise!

5.) Play with Bubbles

Whether you want to make your own bubble solution or use the store bought wands, bubbles are always a crowd-pleaser. You can even make it into a game. See how many bubbles they can pop or see who can get the most.

6. Draw Pictures with Sidewalk Chalk

If you haven’t already invested in some sidewalk chalk, the summertime is the perfect time to do so.

7.) Play Basketball

Basketball is a fun activity for boys and girls alike. If you don’t have a hoop at your home and have toddlers, I recommend this one. It’s super lightweight (but can be weighed down with water or sand). Plus in the winter months we bring it indoors for inside play.

8.) Plant Flowers

Planting flowers or having children help out in a garden is a great way to teach children about Mother Nature.

9.) Go to a Waterpark or Outdoor Splash Place

One of the most fun outdoor activities for kids, especially during the summer months, is to go to a waterpark or “splash area”. Plan a day to go to a waterpark or community waterpark.

10.) Plan a Beach Day

If you haven’t had a beach day in awhile, why not plan for one now? It’s a great way to spend a day exploring the outdoors with no electronics.

11.) Take a Swim

Have a pool or know somebody that does? Plan an afternoon at the pool, eating snacks and enjoying the water and sun. Don’t forget the floats and swim diapers!

12.) Go for a Bike Ride

If you have small children, let them practice riding their tricycles up and down the sidewalk. You could even encourage them to use their imagination by asking them where they are going.

Are you headed to school? The store?

13.) Host a Lemonade Stand

This is a classic, but one that doesn’t get old. Operating a lemonade stand teaches a lot to children – basic math, business skills, cooking, etc.

14.) Make Ice Cream

If you’ve never made homemade ice cream before, why not give it a try?! It’s fun and a great little experiment for the young ones.

Here are a couple of videos on YouTube showing how to make simple and easy ice cream.

15.) Fly a Kite

Grab a kite and head outdoors for some fun in the sky. If you don’t have a kite, consider making one.

16.) Build a Sand Castle

If you have a sandbox or sand activity table, the summertime is an excellent time to take it out and have some fun.

17.) Create an Outside Obstacle Course

Any time kids can climb, jump or crawl is usually a good time. This will take some planning on your part. Creating an outside obstacle course is both fun and exciting.

18.) Color Rocks & Hide Around Neighborhood

A super simple fun outdoor activity for kids is to find rocks, color them and then hide them around the neighborhood, if you’d like. Some communities even have entire Facebook groups dedicated to the “rock hunt”.

19.) Have a Water Balloon “Fight”

On those really hot days, fill up some water balloons and have a good old fashioned water balloon fight. While this is likely not ideal for small children, they can still be involved. Instead of a balloon “fight”, do a water balloon toss.

20.) Set Up an Outside Water Play Area

Have your kids cool off in the sprinkler, with a hose or some other play mat. You can also set up a super simple “pouring station” with a bucket and some cups. We love pouring water from one cup to the next and it’s great for fine motor skills ?.

21.) Visit a Local Library

Growing up our local library always had fun outdoor activities for kids to do during the summer. Check with yours and see if they offer anything.

22.) Have a Campout in the Backyard

Grab a tent, build a fire and have a campout in the backyard.

23.) Create an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

This will require some pre-planning, but kids will enjoy searching for the items on their outdoor scavenger hunt.

24.) Make a Bird House

Making a bird house doesn’t have to be elaborate. Take a toilet paper roll, cover it in peanut butter and add bird seed. Easy Peasy! Need a visual? Take a look at this awesome tutorial here.

25.) Go to a Farmer’s Market

Summer in our neck of the woods means fresh farm veggies, fruits and other fun items. Take the kids out for a fun day at the farmer’s market.

26.) Paint Outside

Does your kid love to paint? Take the paint outside and enjoy the sunshine!

27.) Go to a Zoo or Local Museum

Looking for a somewhat educational day? Take the kids to the zoo or local museum to learn about animals or other fun artifacts.

28.) Make Homemade Popsicles

Okay so this isn’t technically one of the outdoor activities for kids, but you can enjoy them outside! And if you wanted to, you could certainly bring the party out in the sunshine.

29.) Wash a Car

Kids love doing things that most adults prefer NOT to and that includes washing a car. Grab a sponge, some soap and a bucket and wash a car.

30.) Paint with Water

Now this is what I am talking about. No-mess, no-fuss and super easy. Get a paintbrush roller and fill a bucket up with water. Let your kids “paint” the driveway and sidewalk.

31.) Go on a Bug Hunt

Grab a magnifying glass and have the kids go on a bug hunt.

Did you skip down to the bottom? Here are the 30+ outdoor activities for kids to enjoy on a summer day.

• Got to a park 
• Take a walk
• Have a Picnic
• Play Tag
• Play with Bubbles
• Draw Pictures with Sidewalk Chalk
• Play Basketball
• Plant Flowers
• Go to a Waterpark or Outdoor Splash Place
• Plan a Beach Day
• Take a Swim
• Go for a Bike Ride
• Host a Lemonade Stand
• Make Ice Cream
• Fly a Kite
• Build a Sand Castle
• Create an Outside Obstacle Course
• Color Rocks & Hide Around Neighborhood
• Have a Water Balloon “Fight”
• Set Up an Outside Water Play Area
• Visit a Local Library
• Have a Campout in the Backyard
• Create an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
• Make a Bird House
• Go to a Farmer’s Market
• Paint Outside
• Go to a Zoo or Local Museum
• Make Homemade Popsicles
• Wash a Car
• Paint with Water
• Go on a Bug Hunt

The post Outdoor Activities for Kids for a Fun Summer Day appeared first on Gogo Mama.

You’ve nixed the contraceptives, monitored your cycle and got busy doing the baby-making dance.

The dreaded two-week wait has officially begun.

In the meantime, you’re scouring the internet, reading baby and TTC (trying to conceive) forums and symptom comparing.

Maybe your breasts feel different or you can smell what your boss ate for breakfast a mile away. Could these really be early pregnancy symptoms?

The short answer? You, betcha.

But, it’s important to note that women become very in-tune with their bodies when trying to conceive.

Every little twinge you experience is going to have you wondering if this month is the month.

The only sure-fire way to know if you are pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. With that said, your body may just be sending you signals that there is a little bun in the oven.

15 Early Pregnancy Symptoms Before Missed Period

1.) Breasts are Changing

Often one of the very first symptoms many expectant moms say tipped them off is a noticeable change in the breast area. This is likely because this can occur just 1-2 weeks after conception. Here are a couple of different things that are going on.

Sore or Tender Breasts

The increase of hormones estrogen and progesterone are mostly to blame for sore and tender breasts in early pregnancy. As your body begins to adjust, this tenderness will usually subside by the second trimester.

However, don’t be surprised if it returns in your third trimester. Some women will even go on to have this symptom throughout the entirety of pregnancy.

Nipple Pain & Appearance

Tingling nipples and nipple pain are also a common complaint during early pregnancy. This, too, is due to the hormonal changes your body is going through.

You may also notice that your nipples appear to be protruding more than usual. This is completely normal as your body prepares your milk-makers.

Areola Appearance

The areola (the area surrounding your nipple) will begin to darken. You may also notice little raised bumps along the perimeter of your areolas.

These are called Montgomery’s tubercles and they are good for you! As noted by HealthLine, “their primary function is lubricating and keeping germs away from the breasts”.

These goosebump looking pimples produce secretions. If you decide to breastfeed, these secretions may help keep your milk from being contaminated.

2.) You’re a Moody Beast

Is your spouse, boyfriend or significant driving you nuts? Or maybe you broke down crying because the waiter brought you the wrong order.

Either way, if you’ve noticed that you have become extra moody, it may just be those pregnancy hormones speaking and one of the early pregnancy symptoms before missed period.

3.) Bloating & Wind

The surge in progesterone is at work here. As progesterone relaxes the intestine muscles, it slows down our digestive system. This allows gas to become backed up. Which will ultimately lead to bloating, burping and wind (isn’t that such a fun word for gas or “flatulence”? ?).

Maybe you’ve noticed that you are extra gassy or your pants aren’t quite fitting the same. This could just be one of your early pregnancy symptoms before missed period.

4.) Constipation

Constipation is also thought to be the result of our intestine muscles relaxing. This is a pretty common early pregnancy symptom (and a presumably uncomfortable one).

If you are having troubles going to the bathroom, there are a couple of things you can do to try to help you out. These include drinking plenty of fluids, walking or moving around to help stimulate the bowels and eating a high-fiber diet.

It is especially important to drink enough fluids if you are taking iron supplements. And if constipation is persistent or becomes unbearably uncomfortable, you may want to speak with your physician. They may recommend reducing or potentially removing a fiber supplement from your diet.

5.) Fatigue & Tiredness

No surprise here that the increase in hormones contributes to the fatigue felt during early pregnancy. Progesterone, along with the increased blood-production, has a habit of making us feel sleepy.

If you’ve been feeling extra tired for no explained reason, it could very well be an early pregnancy symptom.

6. Cravings or Food Aversions

During the first few months of pregnancy, your hCG levels double every few days. This rapid increase in hCG may be affecting your love, hate relationship towards certain foods.

Specific food cravings and aversions may last the entirety of your pregnancy. You may even hate one food early in pregnancy, only to love it later on.

7. Nausea

In many women, nausea tends to hit around the 6-week mark. However, some women may begin experiencing this as early as 4 weeks. Nausea is likely also linked to the rapidly increasing levels of hCG hormones (what prompted your positive pregnancy test).

The good news is that nausea tends to cease for most between 11 and 14 weeks. This is also when hCG hormones are beginning to decrease and level off.

8.) Cramping

Cramping during pregnancy is usually associated with all things bad. However, in early pregnancy cramping is a pretty common occurrence.

Mild pregnancy cramps in really early pregnancy are usually due to implantation and just the overall changes your body is going through to prepare for baby.

These cramps have a tendency to creep up either before or right around the time Aunt Flo is due. And many times, women dismiss these cramps for their period.

However, the cramping sensation you generally feel is “dull” and are a much milder version than that you would feel during your period. It can usually be associated to a pulling or tugging type of sensation.

If you are experiencing unbearable or difficult cramps or have any concerns at all, contact your physician right away.

9.) Spotting

While alarming, spotting can be quite normal during early pregnancy. One of the most frequent spoken about spotting in early pregnancy is that that is associated with implantation. Implantation occurs when the embryo attaches to your uterine wall.

This can sometimes disrupt the blood vessels within your uterus and cause spotting. Spotting, due to implantation, is generally much lighter in nature. And will usually clear up in a few hours to a few days.

If the bleed gets heavier, this may likely not be associated with implantation.

Contact your physician immediately if you are experiencing a heavy bleed, bleeding associated with bad cramps or have any concerns, in general.

10.) Elevated Basal Body Temperature

During ovulation, your body’s basal body temperature (BBT) rises slightly. Mayo Clinic states that “a rise in basal body temperature that lasts for 18 or more days may be an early indicator of pregnancy”.

This method will only be useful for those that are monitoring their BBT throughout their cycles.

10.) Changes in Cervical Mucus

Most women do not experience significant changes in their cervical mucus, or otherwise known as leukorrhea, before their missed period. However, some women have reported that they experienced a slight increase in the days leading up to their missed period.

Leukorrhea is generally thin, milky-white and may only have a slight odor. It should not have a strong odor or cause itching. This could indicate that a visit to your physician is needed.

While this may be an early symptom before missed period, it is more reasonable to expect these changes around week 8. It’s also important to note that women who are not pregnant may also experience leukorrhea.

11.) Heightened Sense of Smell

A heightened sense of smell is one of the popular early pregnancy symptoms before missed period. And you can blame your surge in hormones once again for this one. If you begin to experience a heightened sense of smell, this could be indicative that you are pregnant.

While you may have just gained a superpower, don’t be surprised if it also contributes to your morning sickness in the coming weeks.

12.) Frequent Stops to the Bathroom

Kidspot actually has a pretty scientific reason as to what causes increased urination. They mention, “This is mainly because the blood flow to the woman’s kidneys increases by up to 35 to 60%. The extra blood flow makes her kidneys produce up to 25% more urine soon after conception. This increased urine production peaks by about 9 to 16 weeks of the pregnancy, then settles down.”

13.) Lower Backaches

Hormones are at work again with this one. Health Line mentions, “during your pregnancy, your body releases hormones that help ligaments and joints in your pelvis to soften and loosen”.

However, this is not just centralized to the pelvis region. As it moves throughout the entire body, it can also have a direct impact on your back.

If you are experiencing back pain that is also accompanied by vaginal bleeding, a fever or burning sensation when urinating, contact your doctor right away.

14.) Strange Dreams

If you have been experiencing more vivid dreams, nightmares, frequent dreaming or more intense dreams, it could be an early pregnancy symptom before missed period.

American Pregnancy mentions “one cause is due to an increase in hormone production. You’ll find during pregnancy that your hormones may impact your emotions and your anxiety”.

The emotional, mental and physical states are all connected. This means that the increase in hormones could be affecting how your brain responds to emotions and data. Thus resulting in vivid story telling dreams.

15.) You Just Know

Some women claim that they just simply knew. Their body feels different, they feel different and they know something is up. Their spide-y senses are going off.

How Do I Know I am Not PMSing?

Women whom are trying to conceive may spend every minute after DTD (doing the deed), trying to decipher the code. You may have also noticed that most of the symptoms on this list could be mistaken for PMS symptoms.

Therefore, there is no sure-fire way to know if what you are experiencing aren’t just PMS symptoms. Until you take a pregnancy test, that is.

My recommendation would be to stay off the internet, especially in the very beginning. And yes, that is coming from me – who makes a living writing for the internet world. Otherwise, it may just drive you bonkers.

If you simply can’t wait, there are hyper sensitive pregnancy tests out there that will allow you to test 6 days before your missed period.

Am I Pregnant?

This term is searched over 90,000 times a month on Google so it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s a common question women have.

As grueling as those two weeks can be, you have to wait them out. The only way to know for sure if you are pregnant or not is to take a pregnancy test. Then to get 100% confirmation, you must follow up with your physician or possibly get your blood drawn.

I think I’m Pregnant, Now What?

First and foremost, if you think you are pregnant, take a pregnancy test. If it comes back negative, you may have just tested too early. Give it a few days and test again. If it comes back positive, it’s time to ring the doctor.

Some physicians may tell you “Congratulations”, but that they want to see you between 6 and 8 weeks.

This can seem like an eternity, especially if you found out early. But there are some things you can do in the meantime. Avoid drinking, smoking, limit caffeine and only take medications that are pregnancy safe. Begin eating healthy, balanced meals and look into a prenatal vitamin.

If you ever have any questions, always reach out to your physician. Some OB offices even have an online messaging system where they can answer all the questions you have.

So these are some of the more scientific symptoms of pregnancy in first month. I’d love to hear, what tipped you off that you were pregnant?

The post Early Pregnancy Symptoms Before Missed Period appeared first on Gogo Mama.

As a matter of fact, when it comes to packing your hospital bag, you should visit the hospital you plan to deliver at. Ask them what they include in your hospital stay. Then remove any item that they provide to you, during your stay.

Some people prefer to still bring their own items (toiletries, underwear, etc.) although the hospital provides them. The choice is completely up to you.

However, if you are someone that can go a couple of days without then there’s no need to pack it all up. Because remember, everything that gets packed up will need to be unpacked, as well. ?

Download your FREE Hospital Bag Checklist Now

If you want to be prepared for it all, the below hospital bag checklist will help you get there!

What to Pack in a Hospital Bag for Labor

• Photo ID
• Insurance Cards
• Birth Plan
• Camera and/or Video Camera
• Hair Tie, Headband, etc.
• Cord Blood Banking Collection Kit (if applicable)
• Phone and Charger for you and significant other
• Snacks and Change for Vending Machines for significant other
• Tennis Ball or Massager to help during labor
• Puzzle, Books, Cards, other activities to do in event labor is long
• Pen and Paper

Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom

• Slippers and No-Slip Socks
• Flip-Flops for Shower, if you wish
• Nursing Bra
• Nursing Pads, irregardless if you are nursing or not
• Nipple Cream
• Boppy Pillow
• Breast Pump Flanges (if you’re unsure of flange fit, some hospitals will help size you)
• Maxi Pads or Depends
• Large Water Bottle, Yeti type (where they keep your drink cold or warm)
• Old Underwear
• Snacks for After Delivery
• Toiletries: Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Soap, Deodorant, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Hair Brush, Lip Balm, Moisturizer
• Travel Mirror
• Travel-Sized Blow Dryer
• Makeup, if you wish
• An Old Robe (or one you don’t mind getting “messy”)
• Two Pairs of Change of Clothes – loose fitting, comfy
• Eye Glasses, Contact Lens if you wear them

Hospital Bag Checklist for Baby

• A Going Home Outfit
• Outfit for Picture, if you wish
• An Approved Car Seat, installed in your vehicle
• Couple of Sleepers and Onesies
• Mittens for Hands and Hat
• Nail Clippers (nails may come out long)
• Receiving Blanket
• Weather Appropriate Attire (blanket, jacket for winter, etc.)
• Newborn Diapers
• Unscented Baby Wipes
• Baby Book for Footprint (if hospital will do)

What to Pack in a Hospital Bag for Dad

• Pillow and Blanket, if staying the night
• Contact List (people you want to notify right away)
• Phone and Charger
• Snacks and Vending Machine Change
• Change of Clothes
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Eye Glasses, Contact Lens if they wear them

The post Hospital Bag Checklist: What to Pack in a Hospital Bag appeared first on Gogo Mama.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission from your purchase if you decide to buy through one of my links. Read my full disclosure here.

1.) Make a Fort

No activity list would be complete without a fort. Forts are super easy to create and can keep kids entertained for at least 30-45 minutes. Think the time setting it up, playing in it; maybe even reading a book.

Skills: Imagination, Problem-Solving, Independence

2.) Paint

This is one of my favorite go-to things to do on those days where we are stuck inside. Painting sessions generally last about a half hour and if you have young kids, paint is an excellent way for them to express themselves.

Skills: Fine Motor, Imagination, Experimentation, Hand-Eye Coordination

3.) Building Blocks

Building blocks are easy indoor activities for kids to do on a rainy day. You can use Legos, the wood building blocks or even build your own out of boxes. Either way, it is an activity that most children enjoy and set up and take down are seamless.

Skills Used: Motor, Hand-Eye Coordination, Problem Solving,

4.) Have a Dance Party

Free and easy, simply play a few songs from YouTube and dance along to them. You can even choose songs that already have some choreographed moves to them. Such as:

• The Goldfish Song
• Baby Shark
• Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes
• Shake Your Sillies Out

Skills: Creativity along with added bonus of exercise

5.) Host a Talent Show

A talent show is one of the most simple indoor activities for kids that you can do. Make it fun by grabbing a pretend microphone and announcing each act.

Skills: Creativity

6.) Bake

For toddlers and above baking is a fun and easy thing to do on those rainy days. I prefer to involve children from the start, even allowing them to help pour ingredients into measuring cups (with parental supervision and help, of course). Make it extra official by adding in an apron and hat!

Skills: Basic Math, Hand-Eye Coordination

7.) Read Books

Grab a few books and have a reading session. Children love a good story time.

Skills: Cognitive Development

8.) Pretend Bake / PlayDoh

Not up for real baking? PlayDoh is a great alternative and has a much easier clean up time.

Skills: Motor, Creativity, Hand-Eye Coordination

9.) Give Babies or Toy Animals a Bath

If you have a washable/plastic doll or animal around the home, have your child give them a bath. Fill a plastic container with water, give them a rag, soap and towel and have them get their toy squeaky clean!

Skills: Motor, Sensory

10.) Play Ball on the Floor

Super easy! Sit on the floor with legs open and pass the ball back and forth. For older children, pass it in other directions to make it a little more challenging.

Skills: Hand-Eye Coordination

11.) Bowling

If you have a child bowling set, great! However, if you don’t you can still set this up. Create a couple towers of blocks on the floor and roll a ball towards them to see if they can knock them down.

Skills: Hand-Eye Coordination, Simple Math

12.) Perform a Marching Band Parade

Get some instruments together and host a marching band parade. March around the kitchen and living room, creating beautiful ? music.

Skills: Hand-Eye Coordination, Motor

13.) Make a Seasonal Craft

Scour Pinterest for a seasonal craft to make; these are the perfect indoor activities for kids. Look for one where you have materials on hand – such as popsicle sticks, pom poms and paper plate crafts.

Skills: Fine Motor, Creativity

15.) Go on an Adventure Hunt

Draw up a simple map and create an adventure hunt for you and your little ones to go on. If you’ve ever watched Dora the Explorer, think of the adventures that Dora and Booths go on. Fun and easy to put together on the fly.

Skills: Imagination, Problem-Solving

14.) Create a Camp In

If you have an indoor tent, now is the perfect time to pull it out. Create a camp-in, complete with stories, sleeping bags and flashlights. It’s sure to be a fun time with your little one.

Skills: Creativity

16.) Practice Colors

For young kids learning their colors, practicing colors is an easy indoor activity for them to do. One of our favorite way to learn colors is to tape construction paper on the wall and give them coordinating color stickers. They peel off the sticker and place it on the correct color construction paper.

Skills: Fine Motor, Colors

17.) Play Don’t Touch the Floor

Blow up some balloons, toss them around and play don’t touch the floor. This is one of those fun indoor activities for kids that they are sure to enjoy.

Skills: Motor, Hand-Eye Coordination

18.) Build an Obstacle Course

Use sheets, couch cushions, mats, yarn and other items to create an obstacle course.

Skills: Balance, Physical, Motor Planning

19.) Play Hot Potato

Have more than one child? Why not play a round of hot potato? This is a classic game that brings a smile to people’s faces.

Skills: Hand-Eye Coordination

20.) Decorate a Cookie or Cupcake

Either bake treats or use store bought cookies or cupcakes. Whip up some colored frosting (or use store bought) and let them decorate their own sweets. Sprinkles and other toppings are a bonus!

Skills: Creativity, Hand-Eye Coordination, Motor

21.) Put Together a Puzzle

One of the many simple indoor activities for kids. Pull out a puzzle and put it together.

Skills: Motor, Cognitive

22.) Create a Scavenger Hunt

Hide some items around the home and put together a scavenger hunt. Older children can practice reading. For younger children, you can use images along with words. This is a great way to get kids moving about and fun for the whole family.

Skills: Observation, Problem-Solving

23.) Host a Tea Party

Take out the tea cups and measuring spoons and have yourselves a tea party. Don’t forget to invite the babies and stuffed animals!

Skills: Imagination, Fine Motor

24.) Have an Indoor Picnic

Make lunch extra fun. Instead of eating at the table, set up shop on the floor. Lay down a blanket, have your little one help you with set up and enjoy lunch on the ground for a day.

Skills: Direction Following

25.) Play Hide & Seek

A classic game that never gets old.

Skills: Problem-Solving, Counting

26.) Make Salt Dough Creations

With only needing 3 common household ingredients this is one of the easier indoor activities for kids on the list. Have your little ones help you from start to finish.

Skills: Creativity, Basic Math

More Indoor Activities for Kids

27.) Play Pretend (or Real) Cleanup

Need to get some household chores done? Have your little one help along. Perfect time to pull out those toy brooms and vacuums.

Skills: Responsibility, Motor

28.) Don’t Drop the Egg

Boil up some eggs, balance them on a spoon and make it a game to where the egg can’t drop. Prefer not use real eggs? Plastic eggs or even cotton swabs are great alternatives.

Skills: Balancing, Motor

29.) Plant Something

Grass is something that grows easily and can be grown indoors. It’s a perfect opportunity to discuss how plants, vegetables and fruits are grown. Interested in giving it a try? Check out this page to learn more.

Skills: Fine Motor, Observation

30.) Make a Homemade Pizza

Pizzas are always a crowd pleaser. Gather up all of the ingredients and make a homemade pizza. Or make individual pizzas and allow the little ones to put on their own toppings!

Skills: Motor, Direction Following, Independence

31.) Tie-Dye Shirts

Another classic that never gets old. Grab some plain, white 100% cotton t-shirts and create some tie-dye shirts.

Skills: Motor, Colors

32.) Red Light, Green Light

Cut out some stop lights in red and green construction paper and play red light, green light. Red paper means stop and green means go. If you have more than one little one, add some competitiveness by seeing who reaches you first.

Skills: Motor, Observation

33.) Leap Frog Onto Puddles

Cut out puddles with blue construction paper. Tape them to the floor and have the little ones hop from one puddle to the next.

Skills: Motor

34.) Play Musical Chairs or Simon Says

Turn those listening skills up. Best when played with more than one child and can be enjoyed at any age.

Skills: Listening, Observation, Motor

35.) Make a Noodle Necklace

Another one of those simple indoor activities for kids. Create a noodle necklace out of uncooked noodles, color them if you wish and string them.

Skills: Fine Motor, Creativity

36.) Play Freeze

Play music and when the music stops, everyone freezes in the position they were in.

Skills: Motor, Listening

37.) Play Cards or a Board Game

Memory, Go Fish anyone? Rainy and wintery days are perfect times to pull out the family card and board games.

Skills: Varies depending upon the game

38.) Indoor Basketball

Either use the kid basketball hoop you have or set up buckets for the hoops. Get some light bouncy balls and play ball.

Skills: Motor

39.) Create Closed Sensory Boxes

Place items in boxes and have little ones put their hands in to guess what it is. These can be season specific or general items found around the home.

Skills: Problem Solving, Sensory

40.) Play with Kinetic Sand

Who says sand is just for outdoors? Kinetic sand is fun and perfect as one of the indoor activities for kids. Make castles, molds and more and then enjoy watching it “melt” apart.

Skills: Creativity, Motor, Sensory

41.) Paint Rocks

Your community may participate in rock painting. But if not, this is still a fun and affordable indoor activity for kids to do at home. Gather up some rocks, paint and paintbrushes and let them get to work.

Skills: Creativity, Fine Motor

42.) Make Easy Peasy Suncatchers

Take some clear contact paper, cut it in the shape you wish. Cut out different colored tissue paper and let the kids place it on the sticky side of contact paper. Hang in window.

Skills: Fine Motor

43.) Create a Laser Maze Obstacle

This is one of the fun, challenging indoor activities for kids. Take come crepe paper and cris-cross tape it throughout a hallway. Have the kids try to make it through the maze without touching the crepe paper.

Skills: Observation, Motor

44.) Make a Raised Salt Painting

With some Elmer’s glue, table salt, liquid watercolors and paintbrushes, you can make super cool raised salt paintings. Create any image you want or make something season specific.

Skills: Fine Motor, Creativity

45.) Sensory Bin with Rice or Beans

Fill a bin with dry rice or beans and give the little ones a spoon and cups. Or place some (non-choking) toys in there and let them “fish” them out. This little simple activity can surprisingly provide a great time for them.

Skills: Fine Motor, Creativity, Hand-Eye Coordination

46.) Make Slime

With so many different recipes for slime, you are sure to find one that fits your family. Add glitter or other materials so they can make it their own. A traditional and fun kid and family favorite.

Skills: Basic Math, Motor, Creativity

47.) Put on a Show with Paper Bag Puppets

Take some paper bags, add eyes, nose, mouth and hair and you’ve got yourselves a puppet. After they are complete, take turns putting on a show. Invite the teddies and dolls to join you ?.

Skills: Creativity, Imagination

48.) Create a Personalized Picture Frame

Take pictures or use an already printed picture. Decorate a paper, foam or wood picture frame and place the picture in there. Perfect gifts for parents, grandparents or just to add as decor to their room.

Skills: Creativity, Fine Motor

49.) Put on a Fashion Show

Let the kids dress up as their favorite super hero or princesses and have them put on a fashion show. Create a runway to give it that extra oomph!

Skills: Creativity, Imagination

50.) Set Up a Store and Shop

If you’ve got play food, now is a great time to put them to use. Set up a store and let your little ones go shopping. Make it official by pulling out your check out register, if you’ve got one!

Skills: Basic Math, Imagination

51.) Fix a Toy Car

Play pretend by fixing up a toy car. Grab toy tools and explain how each one works. Let your little one twist bolts and hammer away.

Skills: Imagination, Motor

52.) Make a Hat

One of those simple, but fun indoor activities for kids. Cut out a strip of construction paper and let your kid(s) decorate them. After they are decorated, make any adjustments to the strip of construction paper and adhere the two ends together with tape.

Skills: Creativity, Fine Motor

53.) Nothing

Down time for kids is good. If your little ones are complaining they are bored, don’t immediately turn on the electronics. Invite them to do something on their own. You might be surprised what their imagination and creativity cooks up.

Skills: Imagination, Creativity

Did you skip down to the bottom? Here’s a summary of the 53 indoor activities for kids to do on those rainy, wintery days.

• Make a Fort
• Paint
• Building Blocks
• Have a Dance Party
• Host a Talent Show
• Bake
• Read Books
• Pretend Bake/ Play Doh
• Give Babies or Toy Animals a Bath
• Play Ball on the Floor
• Bowling
• Perform a Marching Band Parade
• Make a Seasonal Craft
• Create a Camp In
• Go on an Adventure Hunt
• Practice Colors
• Play Don’t Touch the Floor
• Build an Obstacle Course
• Play Hot Potato
• Decorate a Cookie or Cupcake
• Put Together a Puzzle
• Create a Scavenger Hunt
• Host a Tea Party
• Have an Indoor Picnic
• Play Hide & Seek
• Make Salt Dough Creations
• Play Pretend (or Real) Cleanup
• Don’t Drop the Egg
• Plant Something
• Make a Homemade Pizza
• Tie-Dye Shirts
• Red Light, Green Light
• Leap Frog Onto Puddles
• Play Musical Chairs or Simon Says
• Make a Noodle Necklace
• Play Freeze
• Play Cards or a Board Game
• Indoor Basketball
• Create Closed Sensory Boxes
• Play with Kinetic Sand
• Paint Rocks
• Make Easy Peasy Suncatchers
• Create a Laser Maze Obstacle
• Make a Raised Salt Painting
• Sensory Bin with Dried Rice or Beans
• Make Slime
• Put on a Show with Paper Bag Puppets
• Create a Personalized Picture Frame
• Put on a Fashion Show
• Set up a Store or Shop
• Fix a Toy Car
• Make a Hat
• Nothing

The post 53 Indoor Activities for Kids to do Today appeared first on Gogo Mama.