Related: 
Field Trip | The Flower House 
Field Trip | The Notorious P.A.C.zki Day in Hamtramck 
Field Trip | Hamtramck Disneyland 

Look- I researched all the ways you can make Royal Icing and then I just made my own. Yeah, that just means: I didn’t measure, hahahahaha. I also totally winged it— for real. I’m not saying to use my method, just telling y’all what I did. 

​So to create my version of Royal Icing I just dumped some powdered sugar into a small bowl and added a few spoonfuls of warm water. Not a measuring spoon so don’t ask me how much- just a regular spoon from the silverware drawer. 

Then I kept adding powder sugar until it was the consistency of shampoo. Then I added like 18 pinches of Cream of Tartar but I was too lazy to add egg whites.(The lady online said to add 6 egg whites- ughh, really! No thanks. For as much icing as I went through I think that adds up to like 73 eggs)  I used some food coloring to turn the white icing brown. Again, I did not follow protocol, I just mixed some colors together until it kinda looked remotely like the color I wanted. 

I threw it into a plastic frosting apparatus (not sure what it’s called— it’s like a glue gun or piping bag but it’s hard plastic) Not recommended because while I wasn’t paying attention (I was admiring my work, hahahahaha) the icing seeped outta the other end— the end that was supposed to have the stopper. Whatever. I totally continued to do it this way bc it was easier for me than doing it correctly. ​

Then I took a break. (ie: ran to the store for the 11th time bc these cookies are HUGE and use a ton of icing!) I grabbed more powdered sugar and got back to work.

I filled in the feathers with icing. then I used a toothpick to draw lines onto the icing. I stuck the toothpick into each individual feather at the top and ran it down each feather once. This created a "feathered" effect. 

Then I let them set. Gobble. Gobble. 

Thank you to everyone who made Youth Day at the Michigan Science Center great. It was seriously the most Fun. Day. Ever. 

Monkeys & Mayhem hosted the "Stuft Animal Remix" project. We had hundreds of visitors and more than 300+ people made their own species. We nearly ran out at the end, but I had my fingers crossed--- and we just made it!

It was so cool to see all the animals y'all came up with. Some of the greatest animal configurations I've ever seen were created today right in front of our eyes! It was amazing to see the different age ranges who loved this event- big kids, little kids, toddlers, teens, parents. In fact-- I don't know who had the most fun-- the kids or their parents. Yup-- we had truckloads of parents designing their OWN species of animals to take home. It was awesome!!!  ​

We had a blast and hope you did too. If you weren't able to visit us for Youth Day-- nbd-- you can find instructions for this creative kids design project right here. 

Related:
​Kids Craft | Stuft Animal Remix 
Field Trip | Mathmatica, with Kids 
Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus: The Band  
Detroit Design Festival: Youth Path 
Activity: Glow Ring Toss 

Thanks for joining us at this year's Youth Day at the Michigan Science Center! We had a truly awesome day and hope you did too!

If you weren't able to make it out to the kids version of Month of Design on Saturday-- nbd-- here's a play-by-play of the children's activity we hosted using discarded stuffed animals. Have fun!

Before you donate that arsenal of stuffed animals, check out this project where they could be re-used. This project gives stuffed animals that have seen better days a new lease on life. Fun for a large group- everyone can bring a neglected animal to add to the pile.

Ingredients:
 -At least 4 Stuffed Animals
 -Hot Glue Gun
-Scissors
-Needle & Thread
-Large Safety Pins

Deconstruct all limbs, tails, heads, etc from the main body of the animal. Throw the spare parts into a box. Let the children dig through the bin. Allow the children to reconfigure their animals- the sillier the better. An adult should help smaller children with the task of assembly. Have safety pins ready as a way to temporarily attach the parts. 

Next, use your best judgment to determine which method- sewing or hot glue- will work best to secure the various parts  onto the body permanently. After the glue has cooled or the stitches completed, remove the safety pins. 

Hint: Hot glue can hold almost anything together.

One of the coolest things about this craft is that there is NO WRONG WAY to do this project. In fact- the more rules that are broken-- the better! I saw how my kids didm't want to do crafts when adults told them they were "doing it wrong." It took all the fun out of them making something THEMSELVES. When they created their own "Stuft Animal Remix" project-- they had FUN choosing their pieces and creating their animals. It was a Game-changer. 

To broaden the scope of learning, ask the children questions about the new species they have created.  What is it called? Where does it live? What sounds does it make?    ​

Related: Field Trip | Detroit Zoo 
Cooking with Kids | Horse Cupcakes 
​How to Make a Black Cow, with Kids 
Transformers Movie Set | Behind-the-Scenes, with Kids 

Ingredients:
Paint Chip Color Samples or Construction Paper
Popsicle Sticks
A Pen, Pencil or Markers
School Glue, Hot Glue or Tape
Scissors 
Flashlight 

​All you're going to do is glue or tape the animal shapes onto the sticks. BOOM- you're done!

You can leave the figures blank or draw details. To take this project a step further-- draw animal face onto the paint-chip cutouts. Be sure to include general, but distinguishing characteristics of each animal. 

This project could keep kids occupied for an afternoon, and then again before bedtime. Yes- this animal menagerie has dual roles: They can perform at a matinee, use a shoebox as the theatre. Then at night, bring the animals out again as an encore. Find a flashlight- because now is their time to shine as shadow puppets in a performance on the wall. This is a great activity to use in conjunction with the sheet tent you made while 'roughing it' during our indoor camping trip. 

​*RockStar Tip* Place the menagerie in a cup on the dining room table, it keeps kids occupied while food prep is underway.

We finally saw the commercial we shot in May out in the wild! 

Here's the result of the ad campaign we did for the Henry Ford Museum. The director did such an amazing job! Check out those skills! There's some different versions floating around. Let me know if you catch it live. We're so excited! Our friends and family have been telling us they've seen it-- but we never caught it ourselves until now! 
​
Check us out in the Henry Ford's guide to Greenfield Village:
​Henry Ford Ad Campaign in Greenfield Village, with Kids  

Here's a little run-down of the lakefront beaches we trekked out to this summer. We liked some better than others but check 'em out for yourself-- maybe you'll find one that's right up your alley. The things I dod't like may be what you'll love! There's more beaches to explore, so keep your eyes opened because just because school started doesn't mean summer's over! It's still hot and humid and 93 degrees right now & It's dinnertime. In September. 

Click "Read More" to read our list of our favorite beaches in the area. ​              ↓↓↓

Heron Lake | Holly, MI 
Our summer fave. This lake is our new best friend. After checking out many beaches throughout the summer, we went to Heron lake on Labor Day weekend. I expected it to be crazy busy and super crowded but when we got there we found it to be the opposite. It was a very family-friendly beach and was peppered with families here and there some playing games others building sandcastles. There were canoers and kayakers. There was an added bonus of a a floating water park. The water was crystal clear and I could see fish swimming around my legs. We found shells and the water was warm. And not murky. We saw a rainbow. There was also an awesome playground nearby. The girls made friends here and didn't want to leave. 

Traverse City, MI |  Clinch Park 
This area is great for families, with tons of stuff to do just steps away. And the scene is very serene, with sailboats gliding by every so often. Although, we totally saw, then heard- a massive real live CANNON being shot into the water. So I guess you could say  it was very tranquil, except for that cannon. The water is beautiful. Nice and clear, minimal waves except for when those speedboats make their grand entrance.  The kids thought that was cool. Sand is perfect for sand castle-making. 

Orion Lake | Bald Mountain Recreation Area, Lake Orion, MI 
The beachfront features calm waters and a nice sandy area that's just big enough.  
The water is extremely shallow, great for young kids but not as much for older swimmers. This beach is surrounded by beautiful scenery. There's a small play area and a total Mid-Century Modern changing area. An array of great activities are hosted by the DNR at this location. The girls made friends very fast here and the vibe was chill. 

Petosky 
The kids liked 1.) the playground, (of course because-- we're on vacation so of course the most alluring thing is a playground-- because we've never seen one of those before)! then 2.) the lighthouse on the Pier the best. The beaches were expansive. There was miles of beach, and treacherous waves. That's the part I didn't like. Wouldn't recommend for wading, much too dangerous.  But definitely a beach for kites! It was super windy. 

Mercer Beach | Walled Lake, MI 
One time an airplane landed on the water in front of us. It was awesome. There's a cool playground and ice cream trucks swing by on the regular. We used to love this beach but lately it's fallen outta favor with us and we haven't been back since the beginning of the summer. So maybe things are better. Basically our last time the beach was dirty and the water was not as pretty as usual green with algae. And there was a dead fish. A big one. It was gigantic. It is a tiny beach so it gets crowded. The crowd is cool though and is beyond friendly. The girls made lots of friends here- every time. 

My cousin texted me to let me know she'd seen us in a print ad. Awesome! I asked where she saw it. She told me she saw it yesterday at Greenfield Village-- in the booklet that she was given at the Henry Ford Museum admissions counter. ​

​There's More! Click 'Read More' to get the full scoop...                                ↓↓↓

I texted her back saying we were at the Henry Ford Museum playground AT THAT VERY MOMENT (I told you we go here every day)! and would grab one on our way out. (the funny thing is- we ALWAYS decline a map/pamphlet because we know where we're going, so we don't really need one, hahaha.)

Anyway- we asked the attendant for a booklet as we left and couldn't believe it! There we were! 

If you'd like to read more about our experience shooting the Henry Ford Ad Campaign- Awesome! Just click over here!
On the Set of the Henry Ford Museum Ad Campaign 

There's more! Click "Read More" for Instructions                        ​↓↓↓