Category: Play

How to Earn Kicks: 16 Tips for Shopkick Success

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I’m a Shopkick master, everyone knows that. I mean, it’s nothing for me to earn a gift card a month, which I promptly spend on splurges at Starbucks or combine with all my Walmart Savings Catcher deals for extra savings. Right now, I’m saving up for a Best Buy gift card for a special someone.

how to earn kicks on ShopkickBut, it recently came to my attention that while almost everyone knows how Shopkick works (you shop! you get kicks! you redeem for gift cards!) not everyone really knows how to earn kicks on Shopkick the right way. So, I thought, “Let’s fix that!” Here are some things every Shopkicker should be doing, how to follow the Shopkick rules—and some tips for getting the most out of the very best shopping app, Shopkick.

How to Earn Kicks: The Nitty Gritty

Obviously, you’ve already downloaded the Shopkick app and set up your profile. Once you’ve done that, everything else kind of runs itself. Still, there are some things you can master to get the most kicks possible:

  • Turn on notifications and Bluetooth: Do this so that you never miss an opportunity, like a great sale or a chance for extra points. The app will also let you know if you’re about to walk past a store that’s got a deal for extra kicks.
  • Open the app at least once a week: New places to get kicks come up all the time. Plus, kick amounts increase often and products change frequently.
  • Stay up-to-date: Be sure to update the app whenever there’s a new release to make sure you always have the latest, greatest working version of Shopkick.

How to Earn Kicks in-Store

So, you’re up-to-date and your Bluetooth is turned on. It’s time to start earning kicks … for everything you do. Challenge yourself to do these four things the next time you go shopping and watch the kicks start rolling in:

  • Walk into a store: Many stores give kicks just for walking through the door! Just remember to have the app open and Bluetooth turned on.
  • Scan products: Get kicks!
  • Buy products and upload a receipt: Get kicks!
  • Link your credit card and make a purchase: Get kicks!

How to Earn Kicks from the App

Sometimes, I’m too lazy to go out. At those times, I like to earn kicks while shopping in my jammies. From my phone. And, hey, Shopkick is the best mobile shopping app, after all. When I open the Shopkick app, I:

  • Watch a video: Learn more about products—and get kicks!
  • Find an instant surprise: Go on a treasure hunt to find instant surprises. These are located under the Discover tab.
  • Make an online purchase: This is self-explanatory, but here’s an added tip: Sometimes I go to my favorite online shops on my desktop to load up my cart. Then, I open up my Shopkick app and navigate to that store and buy everything in my cart—and get kicks!
  • Invite friends: You can earn free kicks whenever someone you invite to Shopkick downloads the app and starts using it.

How to Earn Kicks on the Web

So, as I mentioned, sometimes I prefer to shop online, then buy everything from my handy-dandy Shopkick app. Other times, though, I like to earn rewards for shopping on the web. Here’s how:

  • Open a browser on your computer: Go to www.shopkick.com and login using the same credentials as you do to log into the app on your mobile phone.
    See unique stores like Macy’s and Sephora where you can earn kicks for online purchases.

How to Earn Kicks on Shopkick the Right Way

As it turns out, some people like to try to break the rules. Nobody likes a cheater, so here’s how to play fair and not get banned:

  • Scan in-store only: For scans, make sure you are in the store when you attempt to scan a product and that you scan the actual physical item. Remember, the companies paying for all those amazing free gift cards you get with your kicks—retailers like T.J.Maxx and Marshalls and brands like Lego and Tylenol—love to be on Shopkick because it helps them connect with their customers in a fast, fun, easy way. They reward Shopkick for helping them, and Shopkick passes those rewards on to all you awesome Shopkickers. It’s a win-win-win for everyone, but it only works if you’re physically interacting with products in the store.
    Also, don’t fall into any traps or “creative shortcuts” that may have you breaking the rules; Shopkick’s technology detects when rules are being broken. Yikes!

It’s a win-win-win for everyone, but it only works if you’re physically interacting with products in the store.

  • Be unique: Another way people get in trouble is by having more than one Shopkick account on their phone. If someone pretends to be multiple people—by signing up for multiple Shopkick accounts—that raises serious red flags. To protect the members of the Shopkicking community who are playing fair and who want to keep getting gift cards, Shopkick asks rule-breakers to leave (which they hate to do!)
  • Keep your mobile number to yourself: Don’t share your number with someone else. No one else should be logging into your account from their phone. It looks suspicious,  like one person is trying to pretend to be many people.
  • Invite—and shop with—friends: Help your BFFs get Shopkicking! An easy and fun way to keep racking up the kicks is to Shopkick with others. I personally love to head out with my friends. I hear all the time how Shopkickers like to Shopkick with their sisters, mothers, daughters, husbands, wives, etc. They use it as a way to get their steps—and kicks—in on evenings or days off. Both you and your friends will get extra kicks after they earn their first kicks in-store within seven days of accepting your invitation. Why not go with them on their first Shopkicking adventure and show them the ropes?

So, that’s it my Shopkicking friends—my best advice on how to earn kicks on Shopkick so you can rack up the points! If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun.

Image courtesy Zinkevych

5 Trendy Workouts to Try at Home

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Aside from staying home during the current pandemic, one of the best things we can do for our mental and physical wellbeing is to stay active. Spending 10, 30, 45, or 60 minutes a day invested in a workout has the potential to make you feel strong and accomplished because you’re sweating and moving your body. Thanks to the known benefits and in an effort to encourage us to continue (or start!) our workout routines, many gyms and fitness studios are now posting their classes online. So, if you have been wanting to try out a trendy workout, like Peloton, Barre3, or Orangetheory, keep reading because we’re sharing five trendy workouts you can try for home!

1. Peloton App

You’ve likely heard of Peloton and their bikes, but did you know they also have an app filled with plenty of other workouts? Try out yoga, strength training, walking, running, cycling (of course), and more via the app with any of their trained instructors. Classes range from quick 10 minute sessions to hour long classes you can participate in live or at your leisure (everything is saved). At the time we’re publishing this post, Peloton is currently offering a 90-day free trial. 

2. Obe Fitness 

Obe Fitness is known for their 28 minute workouts, and they recommend alternating between cardio (SWEAT), strength (STRENGTH), and yoga (FLOW) classes throughout the week. Because the sessions are short and known for their high energy feeling, we won’t be surprised if you achieve their recommended goal of 5 classes/week. Try a free trial to see what you think before joining and paying for a monthly membership.

3. Shopkick 

Have you worked out with us yet? We have been launching new workout videos on Mondays and Wednesday in the app and also on Facebook Live! Mondays is devoted to mindfulness, so join us to practice yoga and stretch with Cat. On Wednesday, join us as we try a different workout each week. We’ve done Zumba, stretching, and core work so far with Nikki!

4. Orangetheory 

If you have not yet tried Orangetheory, you likely have a friend who is a big fan. Typically, Orangetheory workouts are an hour long, and they’re designed to work on “endurance, strength, and power”. Currently, the team behind Orangetheory is launching daily workouts for you to do at home with most lasting for 30 minutes. Everything is free through the Orangetheory At Home program!

5. Barre3

Barre3 combines strength training together with ballet, and the full-body workouts are known to be challenging. Choose your level and stream workouts online during a time that suits your schedule. Currently, you can enjoy a 15-day free trail and some items you may wish to purchase to use during your workouts are discounted.  

Join us on Facebook as we stay active together!

At Home Science Experiment: Egg Drop

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First grade teacher Mrs. Lamb was live again yesterday on Facebook, and we’re back to recap her session! This time, she dove into science after receiving requests to explore this fun subject. And, after chatting with a friend, she decided to explore the egg drop. Many of us remember the day when we had to create a structure that would protect an egg from a fall, and Mrs. Lamb introduced her kids to the experiment first and now you’re invited to take part too.

The steps to try this experiment at home are simple!

How to Do an Egg Drop Experiment at Home:

  1. Explain the concept of dropping an egg to your student. Older kids may have learned about force in their science classes, which is the ultimate lesson. However, there is plenty of creativity to be had for younger students too.
  2. Ask your student to create a structure they think can withstand a drop from a second or third story window or even from a lower down ladder. Encourage them to get creative and think about what might protect their egg during a fall. The key thing Mrs. Lamb noted was she encouraged her kids to use anything that could be recycled, which is a great idea in general and also in celebration of Earth Day.
  3. Encourage your student to decorate their egg! Mrs. Lamb’s kids got creative and drew on their eggs, which we thought was such a fun touch. They also named them for even more personalization.
  4. Prepare the egg for the drop! Place it inside the structure, make sure it’s secure, then head to the spot where you will drop it.
  5. Mrs. Lamb’s kids waited in the yard outside where they took videos of their eggs dropping in slow motion. The videos are fantastic!
  6. Open the structures to see if your egg survived the fall. The goal is for it to be intact.

After taking a peek at their eggs post-fall and reviewing why certain structures worked while others didn’t, Mrs. Lamb’s kids asked to try again. One experiment turned into a complete activity for Mrs. Lamb and her family, and we think you and your family will have fun too!

Will you take part in the egg drop experiment? If you do, make sure to share it with us on Facebook. Stay tuned for next week because Mrs. Lamb will be back on Tuesday to share even more ideas live!

How to Homeschool: Two Easy Crafts for Preschoolers

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Mrs. Lamb was back on Facebook Live yesterday, and this time she answered your question about how to encourage preschool age students to be creative. Throughout her broadcast, Mrs. Lamb explained how to do two different crafts with young kids between the ages of three and seven. We loved seeing the results of her mosaic art and dot art projects, and we’re excited to share more about each below! 

Mosaic Art:

Supplies:

  1. A picture either hand drawn or printed onto a piece of paper (a coloring book picture could work too!)
  2. Construction Paper
  3. Glue Stick

Why It’s Important:

This project encourages preschoolers to work on their fine motor skills because they will need to rip small pieces of paper. The skills they are exercising through this craft are the same skills they will use when they begin to work on their handwriting. That’s why projects like this one are important! Students can also learn about colors, math (you can ask them to count how many pieces of paper are needed to fill in each section), and staying within the lines.

Directions:

  1. Draw or print the outline of an object onto a piece of 8”x11” paper. The outline is important because your student will be filling the interior with paper.
  2. Tear small pieces of construction paper
  3. Beginning with the large sections, glue each piece of construction paper onto the larger paper within the section where your student would like it to be placed. The small pieces of paper should overlap. 
  4. Repeat steps 2 + 3 until the outline is filled in.
  5. Hang your preschooler’s project up! Placing it face out on a window is a great idea, so your neighbors can enjoy your student’s colorful art during their walks.

Dot Art:

Supplies:

  1. A picture either hand drawn or printed onto a piece of paper (a coloring book picture could work too!)
  2. Water Based Paint (Crayola works well!)
  3. Q-tips

Why It’s Important:

Like the mosaic art project, dot art encourages your student to work on their fine motor skills because they are pinching a Q-tip while they’re painting. They can also work on coloring within the lines, learning the difference between cool colors and warm colors, and how to describe their work.

Directions: 

  1. Draw or print the outline of an object onto a piece of 8”x11” paper. The outline is important because your student will be filling the interior with paint.
  2. Dip your Q-tip into the paint and paint dots* onto the paper.
  3. Repeat until the page is complete.
  4. Ask your student to describe what each color they’re using means to them and make a color guide.
  5. Hang your preschooler’s art in a place where you and your neighbors can enjoy it!
  6. *If your preschooler would prefer to paint longer strokes using the Q-tip, that’s fine too! As Mrs. Lamb points out, they are still working on their fine motor skills.

The important thing to keep in mind with either project is there isn’t a right or wrong way to complete them. Encourage your child’s creativity along the way! 

For more ideas and to see Mrs. Lamb explain (and make!) the projects, make sure to watch her Facebook Live. We’ll see you back on Facebook tomorrow for Mrs. Lamb’s next session!

Family Fun Themed Easter Basket

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This weekend, we’re welcoming a chance to celebrate because Sunday is Easter! Since families are spending more time together than ever before, we thought we would curate an Easter basket with a family fun theme. From LED Easter eggs for a fun nighttime egg hunt to corn hole, a book, and even something for your pup, all of the items we’ve included below are budget-friendly (for the most part!), wonderful to enjoy together, perfect for many ages, and completely available online so you can shop with your Shopkick app and earn kicks. Let’s fill your Easter basket! 

Family Fun Easter Basket | www.shopkick.com

1. DIY Birdhouse

If you and your kids are looking for a new activity to enjoy together, consider building a birdhouse. The Home Depot has a complete tutorial available online, and their stores are still open for you to purchase all of your supplies. Once complete, your family will be able to enjoy the new animals that stop by to visit your birdhouse!

2. Corn Hole

Corn hole is a classic outdoor game, and it’s perfect for all ages to enjoy. This set from Dick’s Sporting Goods arrives with two boards and eight beanbags – four for each team – ready for you to play. Corn hole is a game you will enjoy long after our quarantine ends, and it’s the perfect addition to barbecues if you’re looking to up your gathering (once we can gather again!) with a little friendly competition.

3. Giant Jenga

Like corn hole, Jenga is another great family game! This Jenga set from Dick’s Sporting Goods takes the fun of the classic game to the next level thanks to its giant size. Add this set to your backyard collection to encourage you and your family to spend more time outside together on Easter and beyond.

4. Easter Book

Get ready to read along as Pete the Cat helps the Easter Bunny in “Pet the Cat: Big Easter Adventure”! Pete the Cat is already beloved by many kids, so whether your kids are fans or you’re hoping to find a new book for them to enjoy, this New York Times Bestseller is definitely the way to go. Find it online with Walmart.

5. Rainbow Kite

Bright colors are such a source of fun and joy, especially now when we’re all looking to find happy details. Fly this kite into the sky on Easter in your backyard and make sure to save it for summer beach trips that will start happening soon. You can add this rainbow kite to your Easter basket when you shop online with Walmart!

6. LED Easter Eggs

One of the highlights of any Easter holiday is an egg hunt with family, and these LED Easter Eggs from Walmart are about to make your hunt even more interesting! You can definitely still enjoy a classic egg hunt during the day, but make your Easter evening more fun when you hide this set of eggs in the dark. The glow is sure to make sure kids smile!

7. Disney Theme Park Edition Candyland Game

If you were supposed to spend your spring break at Disney World or Disneyland, you can still pay the parks a virtual visit. We found Candyland online with shopDisney, and this version might be even more fun than the original. It’s based off of Walt Disney World’s theme parks!

8. “Frozen II”

Once your Easter evening is underway, gather your family together for a movie night. It’s always more fun when you’re watching a new-to-you movie, so add the newly released “Frozen II” to your family fun Easter basket. You can shop this movie and many more on shopDisney’s website!

9. Pet Ball Thrower

It’s safe to say our pets are enjoying having us home the most! If you’ve been playing more fetch than ever before, make your job as Official Thrower even easier with this Hyper Pet Throw-N-Go Tennis Ball Launcher Dog Toy from Pet Care Supplies. There’s room for two tennis balls – one to toss and an extra, just in case – so you will be set for a long game of fetch.

10. Bunny Dog Toy

Your pup needs to join in on the festivities, so purchase a bunny dog toy from Pet Care Supplies! Available in three sizes, this Kong Wubba Ballistic Friends Dog Toy is durable and ready for play.

How are you and your family celebrating Easter? What items are you thinking about adding to your own family-fun themed Easter basket? Let’s keep the conversation going on Facebook!

How to Homeschool Your Kids: Tips from a Teacher

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In an effort to continue to share content that can make an impact in your lives, we have been sharing tips for keeping kids busy at home. Combined with your requests and requests from our own families and friends, today we thought we would tackle a new topic with help from an incredible educator: homeschooling!

Students, teachers, and parents are currently trying to navigate completely uncharted territory as many jump into homeschooling for the first time, and we knew first grade teacher, Mrs. Lamb, would offer great insight. So, we went live with Mrs. Lamb today on Facebook! Did you catch it? If not, make sure to watch the replay, and take a peek at the comments. There are so many great learning ideas from fellow Shopkickers who are homeschooling for the first time just like you!

A few of our favorite takeaways from Mrs. Lamb about how to homeschool:

1. Prep the Night Before

For parents who are also trying to work from home, we think this tip is especially meaningful! The night before, review the schoolwork your child needs to accomplish. Then, set initial assignments aside, especially those your child can complete without guidance from you. When you spot work that will require hands-on help, pull that from the pile and save it to do together to prevent interruptions during your work calls.

2. Create a Schedule

Kids (and adults!) are used to schedules, and it’s important to keep that going at home. Of course, you’re free to make modifications depending on how you and your family feel the day is going. However, having a general plan works wonders! Mrs. Lamb mentioned she and her kids have found it’s best to complete work that will require them to sit at the table during the morning. Then, they switch to a special, like art or music, during the afternoon and sometimes do a science experiment together. The freedom to play is especially important after lunch when energy levels rise and the desire to sit still starts to fade.

3. Encourage Independent Work

Mrs. Lamb was quick to point out students are asked to work independently at school, so they should be able to do the same thing at home! As we mentioned above, starting the day with independent work or scheduling it for times when you need to attend meetings works well. Mrs. Lamb also said Go Noodle is one of her go-to sites for younger kids who need fun activities that they can do on their own.

4. Set Up a Reward System

Mrs. Lamb mentioned a few different ways to offer rewards during her Live. She said she and her kids have been filling a mason jar with gems – they’ve named it The Gem Jar. Mrs. Lamb also mentioned choosing a word and then spelling it out with stickers each time a child (or parent!) has an accomplishment. A key takeaway: “wins” can be things like completing work or doing well on an assignment, but they can also be even more simple like being kind to a sibling or getting dressed for the day on their own. Once your goal is met, do something fun together at home!

5. Explore Activities at Home

Whether you’re planning how to explore specials together or thinking of a fun family reward for a full Gem Jar or completed work, you definitely don’t have to look further than your home! A few ideas that stood out to us: build a fort, camp in the living room, create chalk art with painter’s tape (here’s a tutorial), or enjoy a family movie night. 

BONUS: Stay Connected

We’re all missing the everyday connections we typically make without effort, so it’s more important now than ever before to make sure to stay connected to friends and teachers. Turn to Zoom, FaceTime, and more to stay in touch! While you’re talking, share what you and your family are doing during your school time together.

Mrs. Lamb sent us all of her go-to resources for at-home learning, and we wanted to make sure you can access them too. Here’s the full list:

Movement

Reading: 

Math Tools:

Enrichment Activities

Virtual Field Trips:

Communication Tools:

We’ll be sharing more tips and tricks from Mrs. Lamb, but don’t hesitate to chime in on Facebook in the meantime!

5 Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids

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Almost all of us may have been asked to stay at home, and we’ve shared ideas for indoor activities to do with kids, like crafting and cooking, but that doesn’t mean that time spent exploring the outdoors is suddenly off limits. In fact, now more than ever, outdoor fun feels refreshing and even more necessary as a way to burn off energy for both kids and parents. Walking and running around your neighborhood together is always a wonderful option, but we have five more ideas for you to consider. Let’s go outside!

Five Fun + Simple Outdoor Activities for Kids:

Bike or Scooter Ride:

Your kids likely love riding their bikes or scooters on your driveway or around the block, but when was the last time you joined them on your own set of wheels? Take a family ride together! Explore your street, neighborhood, or a new-to-you part of town. This is a great family activity to incorporate daily even if it’s just a quick ride around the block.

Scavenger Hunt Walk or Hike:

Now is the time to explore your own backyard or neighborhood, but switch things up so it doesn’t feel like an everyday walk or hike. Think about creating a scavenger hunt! You can create your hunt by listing shapes or colors you would like your kids to find, or you can suggest specific objects. This printable Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt by Baby Boy Bakery is perfect for the occasion!

Backyard Camping:

A proper camping trip might not be in the cards at the moment, but we’re certain all of your gear will be equally as fun in your backyard. So, camp out together! Tell stories, make up a skit by the fire, play games, and don’t forget about the s’mores. If you don’t own a fire pit, never fear – you can make s’mores in the oven! The Food Network has a great quick and easy recipe.

Field Day:

School is out of session, and your kids might be missing out on field day. So, create your own! Create an obstacle course, jump rope, play volleyball, see which family member can win at H.O.R.S.E, run races, and more. This post by The Simple Parent has a number of fun (and easy!) ideas you can play at home.

Outdoor Movie:

You don’t always have to watch movies inside! If your weather is cooperating, take your movie night outside. Use a projector to create your own screen on the side of your house or on a sheet. If you don’t own a projector, set your laptop up outside. Don’t forget to pop popcorn and have your favorite candy on-hand.

What other ways are you and your family spending time outdoors together? Let us know on Facebook!

5 Easy Cooking Ideas for Kids

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If you’re in the middle of spending more time at home, your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry are likely fuller than they’ve been in weeks. Rather than focusing on the “why” behind the increase of food to enjoy at home, think of this as an opportunity to explore the kitchen with your kids. From meals to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner to sweet treats to whip up together, we’re sharing five quick and easy ways to inspire you and your kids to have fun in the kitchen.

5 Easy Cooking Ideas for Kids:

Try a New Recipe:  

Every family has their favorite go-to recipes, so mix things up and try something new! To make this more fun for your kids, encourage them to choose the recipe you will all try together. Maybe it’s not a new recipe at all but instead enjoying breakfast for dinner, for example. Delish has plenty of kid-friendly recipes for any type of eater, so make sure to take a peek.

Cupcake Decorating:

Cupcakes are fun and easy to make no matter the reason, and days spent at home are definitely a reason for some levity! Mix up the batter together and bake your cupcakes. Then encourage your kids to ice cupcakes themselves. If you have vanilla icing on hand, consider adding food coloring to make things more fun. Fruit is also a great thing to use to make faces, and you can always add candy. What will your kids create on their cupcakes?

Chopped Challenge:

At Shopkick HQ, “Chopped” is one of our favorite cooking shows! A Chopped Challenge is a fun and easy way to make your kids feel like they’re competing on the show. The directions are simple: pull three random ingredients from your freezer, refrigerator, or pantry, and encourage your kids to get creative as they decide what dish they want to make. Next, set a timer and get cooking. Once the dishes are complete, make sure to have a taste test to decide on the winner! For a little more direction: consider creating the challenge after specific meal times.

Cookies:

Like cupcakes, cookies are always a great idea! If you have favorites you look forward to during the holiday season, now is a great a time as any for them to make a comeback. You can also try something new! If you’re looking for a great recipe source, Sally’s Baking Addiction blog has incredible recipes that never disappoint. Of course, sugar cookies are always welcome, and kids can have fun decorating them as well.

Pizza:

Every day likely feels like Friday, so tonight sounds like a pizza night! Purchase pre-made dough (or make your favorite recipe), and divide the dough so each member of your family can create a personal pizza. Then, add your favorites from sauce and cheese to toppings galore! For an added layer of fun, do a taste test and decide which pizza turned out the best. P.S: English muffin pizzas are always a hit too! Top with your go-to options, then bake at 375-degrees for 10 minutes.

How do you like to cook together? Let us know on Facebook!

P.S: Yesterday, we shared five simple and easy crafts to do with kids!

5 Easy At-Home Craft Ideas for Kids

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If you’re like us, you’re suddenly spending a lot more time at home. And, you’ve likely had more than one moment in which you (or your kids) asked what to do next. So, we thought we would launch a new series of five easy things you and your kids can do together. From crafting to cooking and even outdoor fun, we think there’s something for everyone in our top five ideas for each category.

First up: let’s dive into five easy crafts to do at home!

5 Easy At-Home Crafts for Kids:

Homemade Play Dough:

For an added layer of creative fun, try your hand at making Play Dough at home! With flour, salt, water, and food coloring or paint, Play Dough proves to be a simple and easy thing to make at home. With 1.7+ million views, we recommend following the recipe and instructions found in this YouTube video by Sea Lemon.

Shaving Cream Marble Art:

Marble art is abstract, so it’s impossible to create pieces a “right” or “wrong” way! Whether you have young kids who enjoy sensory play or older kids happy to try any craft, creating marble art with help from shaving cream and food coloring is sure to please. Simply add white shaving cream to a tray, spread evenly, add drops of food coloring, swirl together with a toothpick or stirring stick, and place your paper on top to create your masterpiece. Here’s a great tutorial with more information from Alice and Lois.

Friendship Bracelets:

Did you grow up making friendship bracelets every summer? Teach your kids this vintage and fun art! Rather than explaining all of the different designs you can make, we recommend checking out this blog by DIY Projects for Teens or this video by A Girl and a Glue Gun. Both have step-by-step instructions with visuals. Purchase thread and enjoy! P.S: While kids can’t see friends, making bracelets for them and dropping off finished creations in mailboxes is a wonderful way to still feel connected.

Cool Whip Bath Painting:

Think about making bath time more fun with painting! Cool Whip acts as a great base for paint. Simply separate Cool Whip into cups, add a few drops of food coloring, and mix together. In minutes, your kids have paint they can use in the tub that’s completely washable. Busy Toddler mentioned this has provided many minutes of fun for toddlers who can sometimes be hard to keep entertained!

Coloring:

Don’t forget about coloring! Markers, colored pencils, and crayons can provide hours of entertainment, and there have also been studies done that suggest coloring helps to lower anxiety (adults: we’re looking at you!). If you type “coloring book pages” into your search bar, plenty of free printables will pop up if you don’t have coloring books on hand. You can also color freeform on computer paper. Think about hanging up your pages on your front door and windows to help to brighten the sights your neighbors can see while walking through your community.

Let us know what you and your family are doing together on Facebook! Don’t forget: we’re all in this together!

P.S.: We think our schedules will resume again soon, so save these ideas for a rainy or snowy day when you’re back inside once more.

3 ways to make money while shopping with friends

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When you’re as busy as I am, it can be hard to find time to spend with friends. Work, family, and just about everything else tends to get in the way. Thankfully, I’ve found a great way to spend more time with my friends while also running a few errands; and it’s definitely paid off. You see, we’ve always been the group of friends who bond over shopping. When we were teenagers, we would go to the mall and help each other pick out outfits. Now that we’re older, with families of our own, we don’t have much time to spend shopping. And, when we do find the time, we have to make our budgets stretch because we have more responsibilities; adulting, bleh. 

Recently, I’ve been looking into ways to make money while shopping with my friends and I was surprised to find that there are so many opportunities out there. Some of them allow you to earn money and others allow you to earn gift cards that are just as good as cash if you ask me. Of course, I couldn’t jump on every opportunity, so I decided to choose three that would fit into our busy schedules and also be a fun way to stretch our budgets. 

If you’re looking for ways to make money while shopping with your friends, you should check out what I discovered. 

How to Make Money While Shopping With Friends

how to make money while shoppingOne of the best pieces of advice I have for anyone who wants to make money while shopping with friends is that you should choose the best option that works for you. You don’t want to make the mistake and choose a way that takes the fun out of shopping, ruining your favorite hobby. Here are the three ways that I found to be both fun and rewarding. 

Become a Mystery Shopper

One way to make money while shopping with friends is by signing up to become a mystery shopper. A mystery shopper is someone who goes shopping at a store and evaluates the shopping experience, providing feedback on how to improve and make that experience better. This has been a concept for a long time, and becoming one now is a great way to make money while shopping with your friends.

There are a number of different ways to become a mystery shopper. You can find lists of mystery shopper opportunities online, but the fact is these opportunities change often. That’s why I suggest regularly conducting your own research. It takes a little bit of extra work, but it’s worth it to find the best mystery shopper opportunities available. One thing to note, though, is that you might not always be able to visit your favorite stores which may take the fun out of shopping. 

Shop for Others

Another great way to make money while shopping with friends is to work for services that make it possible for you to shop for others, and, obviously, get paid to do it. Like being a mystery shopper, there are different ways to do this. My personal favorite is a service called Instacart, which I also use as a customer. 

The way Instacart works is simple. It’s an app that people who are too busy to shop for themselves can download, order groceries, and have someone else do the actual shopping in-store and deliver it to their doorstep. I’ve definitely used this service as a customer before when I found that I was even too busy to shop. (I know, right? No one should ever be too busy to shop!) Now, I’ve been using it with my friends to shop for others and make money while doing it! It’s a great way to spend time with my friends and make extra money to support my own shopping habits.

Use Shopkick

This last way to make money while shopping with friends is actually my favorite. It’s an app called Shopkick, and the way it works is pretty straightforward. Shopkick is a shopping rewards app that gives you points—which it calls kicks—for things you do while you’re out shopping already. With Shopkick, you can earn kicks by doing things like walking into stores, scanning barcodes, and making purchases. You can then trade your kicks in for gift cards, which are just as good as cash!

The potential to earn rewards while shopping at my favorite stores is one of the things that makes Shopkick my favorite. I also like that you can combine Shopkick with both of the other ways to make money shopping with your friends that I mentioned before. Shopkick also brings an added layer of fun to shopping by turning every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points. And, I can’t forget to mention that Shopkick is so convenient that I can use it to shop online on my phone while chatting over coffee with my friends. 

The potential to earn rewards while shopping at my favorite stores is one of the things that makes Shopkick my favorite.

So, there you have it—three ways to make money while shopping with your friends. There’s nothing better than shopping, but the simple truth is that it can sometimes get a little expensive. That’s where these ways come in handy.

If you’re looking for a fun way to make money while shopping with friends, I highly recommend you download Shopkick. It’s made going shopping with my friends even more fun while at the same time helping me earn kicks toward gift cards to do even more shopping. 

It’s time to get your kicks! Shopkick is easily the best way to make money while shopping with friends. Download the app today and start to get your kicks instantly! 

Image courtesy of MaxStrogiy

5 Cheap April Fools’ Day Pranks You Can Pick Up at the Grocery Store

Posted on by shopkick

For better or for worse, April Fools’ Day is upon us. If you’ve always wanted to get in on the fun, but can’t plot out a prank, we’ve got you covered. We asked our users and rounded up our 5 favorite fun and cheap pranks to pull on April 1 with just a few supplies from your local grocery store!

 

Breakfast Is Served

On April Fools’ Eve prepare a bowl of cereal for your significant other, friend, roomie, or kids and pop it in the freezer — spoon and all. In the morning, set the table for breakfast and enjoy watching their confused reaction when they go for the spoon. (You could also add gelatin to their juice or milk for a jiggly surprise!)

You’ll Need: Favorite cereal, milk, gelatin

target april fools

 

Invisible Door

Stretch plastic wrap across a door frame (as tight as possible) and use duct tape to fasten to the sides of the door. Stand by as unsuspecting  people try to walk through!

You’ll Need: Plastic wrap, duct tape

target april fools

 

Eye Gotcha!

Attach googly eyes to everything in your kids’ lunchboxes, everything in the family fridge, or everything in your friend’s closet for an innocent laugh.

You’ll Need: Googly eyes, glue

target april fools

 

Color Wheel

Dip a q-tip in the food coloring of your choice, and run it around the inside of the bathroom or kitchen faucet. When the water is turned on, they’re in for a colorful surprise!

You’ll Need: Gel food coloring, q-tips

target april fools

 

Sweet Surprise

Swap out the ice cubes in your freezer ice machine for some colorful colorful candy. Make sure you are close by to witness their reaction!

You’ll Need: M&Ms, Skittles, Reeses Piece’s or another favorite treat

target april fools

 

 

Before you head to the store to pick up your prank supplies and more, download the FREE Shopkick app to earn rewards in the form of kicks for not only walking into the store, but also for scanning items and making purchases. Kicks are redeemed for free gift cards to your favorite stores — including Target, Walmart and more!

How to get paid to play games: Money-making apps for techies

Posted on by shopkick

I’ve been playing games since I was just a little guy. My first home game console was the original Nintendo Entertainment System (yeah, that’s how old I am), and from there I graduated onto bigger and better things like the Super Nintendo, the Nintendo 64, the Sony PlayStation, and so on right up to modern day. I guess you could say I’m a gamer.

Recently, though, I’ve actually figured out how to get paid to play games through money-making apps for techies. These are apps that you can use to get that old gaming challenge, while also earning money, money that you can spend on even more games!

Anyway, that’s what I’d like to talk about today: how to get paid to play games with money-making apps for techies. There are a few different ways to do this, but for our purposes, I’m going to focus on the one I’ve found most useful, before giving you advice about my favorite.

Get Paid to Play Games with Shopping Apps

ways to get paid to play gamesAs any experienced gamer will tell you, the key to beating any game is to stick with it. It’s the same thing for apps that let you get paid to play games. You don’t want apps that feel short-term or like a fad, especially not if you’re a techie like me and you pride yourself on staying up on all the modern techie trends. Because of that, I tend to get tired of certain apps quickly.

That’s why I think the best way to get paid to play games is to find an app that pays you to go shopping. Let’s face it, no matter how much we may dislike shopping, we all have to do it. That’s why the ideal money-making app for techies, in my opinion, is one that turns shopping into a game you actually want to play!

How Shopping Apps Work

Now that we’ve determined the best way to get paid to play games is through apps that turn shopping into a challenge to find savings, it’s time to talk about how these apps work. The good news is that my personal favorites are perfect for techies, of course, but they also have a pretty simple step-by-step process that non-techies can figure out quickly as well:

  • Earn points just by walking into a participating store
  • Purchase certain items, use the app to take a picture of your receipt, and get even more points.
  • Trade those points in for gift cards to your favorite stores.
  • Savor the savings.

Before you know it, all your shopping turns into a hunt for the biggest savings. Anyway, this next part is probably more crucial for techies, but the best shopping apps you can use to get paid to play games also let you earn rewards while shopping online. The differences between how these apps work for online shopping versus in-person shopping is pretty small, though. Here’s how using one of these shopping apps online works:

  • Visit an online store and get points
  • View select products and get more points
  • Make mobile purchases and get even more points
  • Watch videos and score points yet again
  • Trade those points in for gift cards to some of your favorite stores
  • Savor the savings

The Best Shopping App You Can Use to Get Paid to Play Games

Of all of the shopping apps out there, my personal favorite is Shopkick. That’s because it has more ways to score points than most of the other apps I’ve tried, and it has the most fun social media channels, too, which as any techie will tell you is super important when it comes to staying engaged. It’s a guilty pleasure, but I actually have a ton of fun looking at Shopkick’s goofy Facebook posts. Oh, and I should note that Shopkick is available for both Android and iPhone too, so you can get in on the action regardless of your device’s operating system.

Shopkick gives you points for all the usual shopping things you do: walking into the store, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. There are other ways to use it to make money, too. In fact, there are tons of ways that Shopkick users can earn rewards right from the app without even physically going anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, which is my personal favorite.

I know it’s a little unconventional, but I really do think the best method for how to get paid to play games is by using Shopkick, my personal favorite money-making app for techies. Like I said, it turns every trip to the store into a fun hunt for points. In fact, I like it so much that I’ve started to kind of look forward to my shopping trips—just a little bit.

The best part is trading in your Shopkick points for gift cards to your favorite stores, which for me usually means anywhere that sells all the latest and greatest technology.

The best part is trading in your Shopkick points for gift cards to your favorite stores, which for me usually means anywhere that sells all the latest and greatest technology. I know, I know, I probably spend a little too much time staying up to date with modern technology, but hey, it’s fun!

Ready to start having fun by getting paid to play games with a great money-making app for techies? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping can be!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy artiemedvedev