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Dad shares great parenting hack saves money and make kids happier: 3D printed toys

It's less expensive and a lot more fun for parents and kids.

Photo credit: Canva

A 3D printer can help you save money on toys while also inspiring a new hobby for your kids.

If you’re a parent, you know how much money you spend on toys for your kids. While they’re fun, there’s always the worry about the expense, especially since your kids might quickly outgrow a toy or lose interest in them. Well, a dad recently shared his solution to the issue: a 3D printer.

“I've been in the hobby for 6 years. I originally got one to print minis for tabletop games such as DnD and 40k, along with cosplay. Now that my boys are older, 6 and 5, I use my printers 20% of the time printing toys for them. They want Minecraft toys? Give me 3 hours and I'll have you a small army. Transformers? Easy Monster trucks? No Problem! Bluey? I got you. Did it break or did you lose it? Easy and cheap fix. Then you have the fun activity of letting them paint them!”

- YouTubeyoutu.be

This dad is onto something. According to the Toy Association, approximately 3 billion toys are sold in the U.S. each year, generating an average of $41 billion in sales annually. Making toys with a 3D printer instead of going to the store can save a lot of money if you’re able to invest in a 3D printer, quality filament, and know-how. A 2017 study on the cost-effectiveness of 3D printing toys found that the average commercial Lego block costs six cents, but Lego blocks that are associated with popular intellectual property like Marvel or Harry Potter could cost up to $3.61 per piece! Depending on what material you use, a 3D printed Lego piece made at home could cost as little as half a cent.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

While bringing your toy budget down is a definite bonus, it’s not the sole benefit of having a 3D printer around the house to make toys for your kids. It’s more environmentally friendly, too. About 80% of toys end up in landfills, with a great majority of them being made of materials that are hard to break down and decompose. Many 3D-printed toys can be made with recycled or reusable materials. In fact, if your kid gets tired of a 3D-printed toy, some plastics can be reused to make a new toy out of the old one, saving both money and the planet!

A third benefit of a 3D printer as a toymaker at home, is the bonding you can have with your kids. As that Reddit dad pointed out, one of the joys of making those toys was the time he spent painting them with his kids. This can also be a hobby you and your child can have together, teaching them a new skill that they can carry with them much like how finger painting could lead to oil brush painting, play dough leading to sculptures, and whittling leading to woodworking. For your older kids, there are even 3D printers specifically designed for children to learn and use independently. It can provide you with teaching moments with your child and allow them to create some fun stuff, too.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

With many 3D printers costing around $150 and material getting cheaper each year, it might be worth investing in if you have some toy fans in your household, or to add to your baby registry if you’re expecting. Go forth, save money, have fun, and make!

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Health

Therapist shares 2 big reasons why energizing hobbies are the perfect happiness hack

There’s a big difference between “growth” hobbies and “rot” hobbies.

via Pixabay/Pexels, Lucxama Sylvain/Pexels, Tara Winstead/Pexels

People enjoying energizing hobbies,

For those who feel like they could be happier but know they’re missing a key element, a therapist has shared her “hack” to happiness and it’s pretty simple: have an energizing hobby. The conversation about the happy hobby hack started on TikTok when marketing expert Harrison Swales noted that all his “successful” and “happy” friends have one thing in common: they enjoy energizing hobbies.

He added that instead of binging on Netflix or drinking all weekend, they were either in sports leagues or enjoyed creating things like books or videos instead of passively watching what other people make on TikTok.

"I don't know if it's directly correlated to your career and success in other areas of your life," he said, "but it certainly seems like it." The video went viral, amassing over 560,000 views and inspired a follow-up from therapist Israa Nasir, who shared the psychological reasons why energizing hobbies are so beneficial.

"This is literally the way to hack your happiness," Nasir said in response to the video, "and there are two reasons why this creator is totally accurate."

@israajnasir

#stitch with @Harrison Swales where is the lie? #neurosciencetok #happinesstips #positivepsychology #emotionalresilience

1. Sense of flow

"A sense of flow is being so present and immersed in the present moment, being completely where you are,” she said, adding that it’s a state where "mind and body [are] in the same place, and you're engaging in something that gives you joy or creativity or movement, boosts dopamine in your mind.”

"When we're able to engage in that long period of time in a state of flow, we have a slow, sustained state of dopamine," Nasir continued. "So that we feel happier for longer, which is the opposite experience when we do things like scrolling mindlessly or watching Netflix or mindlessly drinking."

2. Hobbies de-center work and romantic relationships

"If you think about it, your whole life is structured around work … and your romantic relationship,” Nassir explained. “So that makes us very flat and one-dimensional. By adding hobbies, we add more depth and dimension into our life."

She then had a message for the TikTokkers out there who claim they don’t have enough time for a new hobby. "Open your phone app where it measures how much time you're spending on social media and you'll see that you're probably spending three to four hours a day on your phone," she said. "So even if you cut that in half, you can make time for energizing hobbies."

So now that we know that energizing hobbies are a key to happiness, what are they, specifically? In the comments section, Nasir clarified what she meant by energizing hobbies, saying that they are any activity that helps you lose yourself or enter a state of flow.

That could mean dancing, doing puzzles, playing a musical instrument, playing golf, crocheting, metal detecting at the park, surfing, writing, or any other creative activity. One commenter compared energizing hobbies with those that aren’t beneficial. “I have growth hobbies and rot hobbies. You can guess which ones are energizing vs draining,” Curtis Lane wrote.

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Wellness

Looking for a simple way to improve your family’s well-being? Try crafting together.

Courtesy of Brother USA and ABCDeena

Doing crafts as a family is good for everyone's well-being.

True

It’s National Craft Month! We’re celebrating all things crafty and highlighting crafts that do good. Crafting is fun, of course, but it can also encourage sustainability through upcycling, promote education and connection through teaching others, and nurture our well-being through relaxation and mindful creativity.

I recently got a taste of all of those benefits with my own family.

“Mom, I feel like doing something crafty,” my pre-teen son told me one evening. I pointed out that we have a whole cabinet full of craft materials he could use, but he wanted a specific project.

“Okay, let me think.” I told him. “Why don’t we make collages?”

I pulled out the scissors, glue, some old magazines, scrapbook paper, and a piece of cardstock for each of us, and sat down at the table with him.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d set aside time to do something artistic, and soon I found myself wondering why I don’t do it more often. It felt good—refreshing and soothing at the same time.

As we each cut and arranged images and words that spoke to us, we talked about the things we were choosing for our collages and why. We discussed the different colors and how they make us feel. As we worked, our conversations meandered here and there, from deep and meaningful to light and silly. It all felt important.

One of the few good things the pandemic has given our family is time for creative activities we might not have made space for before. In fact, a study on families in the U.S and South Korea found that more parents have purchased more arts and crafts-related merchandise and encouraged their kids to engage in more creative endeavors since COVID-19 arrived. Parents have seen crafts as a way to keep kids occupied in an educational way.

Courtesy of Brother USA

In my personal experience, it’s also a great way to bond as a family. Deena of ABCDeeLearning says that it’s important for families to do crafts together because it helps create memories with one another. But families who aren’t particularly crafty might not know where to start.

“The basic craft supplies that families should have on hand are washable paint, acrylic paint, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, art trays, paper plates, beads, clothespins, colored cardstock paper, markers, crayons, and toilet paper rolls,” she says. “I love using recycled materials like toilet paper rolls to create with. If you have these supplies on hand, you can do A TON of different crafts.”

Deena recommends starting with painting crafts if you’re new to crafting, as it’s easy to do and adapt to different ages. It also doesn’t require a ton of supplies. As families get more used to the idea of crafting regularly, they can expand to things like paper-cutting crafts, or fabric and sewing crafts, but crafts don’t have to be complicated to be fun.

Courtesy of ABCDeena

Crafting can also be legitimately therapeutic. In fact, a study from New Zealand shows that the feeling of calm I had while collaging with my son wasn’t a coincidence.

Researcher Tamlin Conner from the University of Otago and two American researchers surveyed 650 young adults whose online diaries describe their daily activities and their sense of well-being. Then they analyzed the participants’ engagement in creative endeavors, their levels of positive and negative emotions and what the researchers called “flourishing”— their overall sense of meaning, purpose, engagement, and social connection.

What Conner and her team found? Engaging in creative activities one day predicts a positive sense of well-being the next day.

“Research often yields complex, murky, or weak findings,” Conner told Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. “But these patterns were strong and straightforward: Doing creative things today predicts improvements in well-being tomorrow. Full stop.”

And it didn’t matter whether people were naturally creative or not.

Courtesy of Brother USA

“We were actually pleased that personality made no difference in the link between creativity and well-being,” she said. “This suggests that everyone and anyone can benefit from introducing creativity into their daily lives.”

Making time and space for crafts can help you reap the benefits of creative activity for your own well-being, and also help you connect on a different level as a family. If you’re not sure where to start, we love Brother USA’s blog of resources. They have a range of crafts for all ages and skill levels that can easily be done as a family, as well as products that can make your craft projects pop. (For instance, the Brother ScanNCut DX SDX85 is a cool tool that lets you scan and automatically precision-cut your own handmade designs. We’re also big fans of their P-touch Embellish ELITE which allows you to customize ribbons and tapes right from your smartphone.)

The time we have with our kids at home is precious and fleeting, so let’s make the most of it, wisely and creatively.

More Links We Like:

Brother Crafts USA Instagram

P-touch Embellish Instagram

Brother Sews Instagram

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The amount of joy this guy gets from watching trains has TikTok completely charmed

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Screenshots taken from @francis.bourgeois on TikTok

There is truly no end to the bizarre and delightful pockets of TikTok. Whether you’re watching someone put literally anything under a microscope, discovering how to make oreo mug cake or enjoying the simple pleasures of witnessing amazing cleaning transformations, the possibilities for entertainment are endless.

This 20-year-old trainspotter and TikTok star, Luke Nicolson (better known as Francis Bourgeois), is certainly no exception to this.

Even if you could care less about trains, the unbridled, child-like enthusiasm that Francis has for them is so contagious that you might find yourself looking longingly at a railroad. Or at the very least, in better spirits after hearing his infectious laugh.

@francis.bourgeois Here is a Southern class 377 running Littlehampton to Southampton Central #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

Often with a go-pro strapped onto his head, Francis waits in heightened anticipation, raves over tones and chats up the drivers, who seem equally happy to see him.

Most of the time, he simply can’t contain himself once the train arrives, as indicated by the bursts of pure glee that come from him as a new train approaches. And that’s just the way his millions of followers like it.

@francis.bourgeois Class 59 (59103) Merehead Quarry - Wootton Bassett driven by the legend called Gordon! #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

“It’s the sound of the engines, the honks, the wheels on the tracks, they’re therapeutic noises, “ he tells The Face. “As for the railways, there’s a satisfaction in the way they line up, the way something so huge is on a direct path. On a deeper level, there’s something [special] about how the direction of a train is predefined – you know where it’s come from and where it’s going to go.”

@francis.bourgeois Fantastic Mr. Fox nearly ended up in a disasterous situation but luckily I saved him!🦊 #trains #fox #trending #fyp ♬ Time - Hans Zimmer

Luke spent his childhood in North West London immersed in his passion, even drawing pictures from memory of the trains he had seen passing by at the station (The Tab).

Often as we approach adulthood, that certain zest for our childhood hobbies begins to fade. Or rather, it gets suppressed. Luke too felt the pressure to conceal his interests in order to blend in once he got older.

However, once he began his engineering degree at Nottingham University, things changed.

@francis.bourgeois Class 158s are amazing, if you’ve been on one, you will know they’re good! 😊 #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

“Coming to university, I’ve turned a new page and allowed my passions to [flourish] and not be held down. It’s made me a lot happier,” he told The Face.

@francis.bourgeois I found an awesome new train spotting location where you can wave at the commuters coming back from London! #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

Coming more into his own, along with a dose of lockdown boredom, helped Luke come up with the idea. And thus Francis Bourgeois (presumably named after a court painter for George III) was born.

@francis.bourgeois Saying goodbye to @ryan.windridge after a great day train spotting! #trains #trending #fyp ♬ Peace Piece - Bill Evans Trio

Many thought Francis’ larger-than-life person was too good to be true, and accused him of being a fake, particularly after photos of his younger self emerged. Francis posted a response video. And it is not only a masterclass in authenticity, it also sheds light on just how powerful the urge to fit in can be, and how we are so routinely compelled to silence that inner child.

@francis.bourgeois I wanted to make this video to show that train spotters can come in different shapes and sizes! #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

And sadly, many of us can struggle to bring that light back, once it’s squelched. However, seeing people like Francis rekindle that innocent spirit makes things seem so much more hopeful, and I think that’s a major aspect of his appeal.

@francis.bourgeois BILLIE EYLISH WENT ON IG LIVESTREAM WITH ME!!! #billieeilish #dreamcometrue #uk #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

His fame might have taken off as a result of a few fake Insta lives with celebrities like Billie Eilish, but the true lasting power of Francis’ account is thanks to the endearing charm, wholesome devotion and genuinely loveable demeanor of his personality.

@francis.bourgeois Here’s when I saw the Midland Pullman and met some lovely staff #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

It’s a certain lust for life that makes Francis’ videos so profound. It’s hard to not find yourself wanting to discover your own passion after witnessing his.

@francis.bourgeois Class 66’s top and tailing a rake of engineering carriages to Fairwater Yard! A very rare occurance happens here😂 #trains #trending #fyp ♬ original sound - Francis Bourgeois

Francis might be a mostly local celebrity now, but as is the magic of TikTok, his local celebrity status has transcended after being discovered by a talent agency. So who knows, maybe we’ll spot this trainspotter on his very own television show. I’d certainly watch it.

In the meantime, his TikToks continue to be amusing, uplifting and inspiring.

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