Hi, I’m Ellen!

Welcome to The Twenties Batch, where I help you find ways to create the SWEETEST core memories with your own little “twenties batch” (AKA babies born in the 2020s).

I’m a wife, mother of two sweet girls and former high school teacher. Obsessed with finding new ideas for my kids every day, I decided to create this corner of the internet so that I could share everything I try! As a mom, there’s no greater fulfillment for me than seeing my kids excited in the morning when they hear the day’s plan, and then at bedtime, asking me “can we do it all again tomorrow?”
My ultimate goal is to create as many core memories as possible, and have my kids remember their childhoods as warm, cozy and full of whimsy. All of which will hopefully lead to strong bonds between parent, child and even siblings.

Why I Started “The Twenties Batch”

When I first became a mom, I struggled most with the BOREDOM of spending everyday with a little human who couldn’t speak. My first daughter wasn’t a huge cuddlebug, so most of our time was spent just sitting on her tummy-time mat staring at each other. For context, we lived in a tiny remote town of about 500 people, and winter lasted eight months of the year. I would desperately search Pinterest for ideas to keep my little one (and I) entertained.

When I had my second daughter, I realized the mental load of finding crafts and activities was beginning to feel heavy because I had less time to myself. With two nap schedules to juggle, I no longer had a chunk of time in the day to prep activities or the mental energy to search Pinterest for hours before bed. I began to feel quite sad as I realized when my eldest turned three, I couldn’t do all of these fun activities that I had waited years to do with her. I felt like I was wasting the precious little time we have together while she’s still eager.

What if there was a weekly activity plan that I could do with my kids? What if there was a ‘lesson plan’ that I could receive on the week-end with easy activities/ideas/recommendations that I could fall back on when the boredom hits? Then I could prep everything I need before I’m overwhelmed on Monday morning. I don’t know about you, but my anxiety hits the roof and I feel frozen when I don’t have a plan for the day. Letting my kids take over is NOT what leads to a productive or relaxing day.

I searched and searched for this and it did not exist. No easy, tested activities on a weekly basis. The closest thing I could find were weekly sensory bin activities… which in general, sensory bins SUCK. You have to buy a bunch of stuff that mostly goes to waste, clean a huge freaking mess, and your kids only use it for five minutes. HECK NO. So, I started doing it myself! And if I’m making these plans and testing them… I’m sure there are others out there that could benefit too. So, here I am, making my little weekly ‘baskets’ of ideas for ways to spend our days together. Even if that means setting time aside to be intentionally bored, I never feel like a day of their precious childhood is wasted.

What You’ll Find

If you are a parent or caregiver struggling to make each week magical/educational/beneficial… this is the space for you. Come back every week to get a new basket of ideas that’s easily tailored to your life. If you like visits to the library, crafts, science experiments, imaginary play and/or home schooling, then I think we will get along just fiiiiine.

Every week I’ll add a small basket (with recommendations and reviews) of activities, crafts, books, low stimulation screen time, play prompts, and anything else we tried that week. I also have a section called The Play Edit where I post gift ideas, DIY toys, lists, etc.

So sign up for e-mail delivery or follow this page and grab your weekly idea basket, skip the Pinterest overwhelm, and let’s make these years warm, whimsical, and way less boring.