One of the biggest stress inducers for me lately has been finding enough activities to keep my young daughter occupied. Structure and focus seem to be requirements to prevent afternoons filled with whining and crying. Park and pool trips, walks, craft projects, Play Doh and coloring books, and when all else fails, TV. Usually Dora the Explorer.

And then there's her birthday party coming up. She'll be 3. And about 10 other 3-year-olds will be joining her to celebrate. An afternoon of whining, crying 3-year-olds would take more bottles of wine without the "h" than I can afford. So I've come up with the following ideas to get me through the afternoon sober:

• Strategy No. 1: A goal contest with a soccer ball and a Diego doll strategically placed as goalie. They can kick to their heart's content and everyone will get a handmade ribbon for their efforts.
• Strategy No. 2: Craft project. Ten foam sun visors in the same color to prevent fights for favorites. Foam stickers to decorate as well as foam letters to spell out names. Cost for supplies: $28. Value of a few minutes of peace at the party: priceless. Added bonus: the kids have a favor to take home.
• Strategy No. 3: Cupcakes. No ice cream. Save yourself from cutting and serving and scooping. Enough said.

More good news: The first two can be used any old time. And you can find more ideas here. So good luck. And hang in there until September!

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Here's a crafty do-it-yourself project for those readers interested in making their very own stress ball. You've seen the iconic, squishy stress relievers that probably sit atop every desk on Wall Street. Well, if you've ever wondered what in the world goes into making them, this home project may give you a rough idea.

In fact, the steps are definitely geared toward using a partner, so it makes for a great group activity too! You can paint or decorate the finished product for a bit of personalization -- something not everyone has tried with the store-bought variety.

There are two types of stress balls: the single balloon ball, and the dough ball. Using a funnel, the first type is filled with cornstarch. It's encouraged to read the instructions, but after funneling as much as you want into the balloon, tie it off as near to the cornstarch as possible. The second type is created by making, heating and stuffing dough into a series of balloons to make it as sturdy as possible. It wouldn't be justified cramming all the steps in here, so check out the rest of the post to find out how to make your own stress reliever!

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