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Kathryn

3 In 2020/ Games/ Joy

30 Wintertime Activities for Quarantined Kids (Part 1)

We are in a season that none of us have experienced before! However, we can still find moments of joy and have FUN with our kids.

Wintertime PLUS quarantine has forced us to slow down and spend time together. So, if you are looking for some ideas of what to do with the extra time…keep reading!

Here are 30 activities that your children can do to survive this winter in quarantine.

This is PART 1 of a 3 part series of “Wintertime Activities for kids in Quarantine!”

Part two is 30 FREE ideas for Winter in Quarantine – Click here to read that post.

Part 3 is 41 final family activities for winter in quarantine! For a total of 101 ideas for you and your kids!

1. A Gratitude Journal

I often find George at the kitchen counter, adding things to his Gratitude Journal.

A gratitude list or journal is EXTREMELY valuable in uncertain times. Thinking about our blessings and what we are grateful for is extremely helpful in building resiliency! I researched journals a few months ago and decided to purchase this simple one for George. I’ve loved watching him open this up (without prompting), and write what he’s grateful for!

Research suggests that keeping a gratitude journal can boost your health and happiness.

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2. Balloon games

  • It’s crazy how much joy a simple balloon can bring.
  • Use a string/rope/crepe paper across the living room and play “tennis” or “volleyball.”
  • This balloon rocket from Amazon has brought us so much joy! We’ve been using it for years – I bought refill balloons recently.

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3. Nerf guns and target practice

  • Make or buy nerf targets for your kiddos

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4. Read a book

  • We love The Who Was series!
  • Books we read this year
  • I recommend reading Little House on the Prairie out loud. I was surprised at how similar the “Little House” life is to our life in quarantine right now.
  • I have a four boys and find it challenging to read to all four at the same time unless they are playing with play doh, eating, or have something that can keep them from wrestling.
  • I like finding a book my child will love and reading with them one-on-one.
  • Most early readers (and pre-readers) enjoy graphic novels. 
  • We enjoy the “Who Was” series!

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5. Blank Journal

I love using blank journals. They can use this as a gratitude journal, nature journal, or anything else!

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6. Dino Dig

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7. Puzzles

  • Do a Puzzle together
  • Puzzle races: 1. Time your kids and see how fast they can put a small puzzle together. 2. If you have two small puzzles, race to see who can put them together faster.
  • Optional Money-saving tip: Trade puzzles with your neighbors or buy some used ones!
  • Gift your family with a new puzzle from Amazon.

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8. Bocce Ball

My boys and I play this in our living room when it’s too cold to play outside.

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9. Don’t Eat Pete Game

What you need:

Any small snacks (cereal, candy, tiny crackers, peanuts, raisins)

1 piece of paper and a writing utensil

To do:

  1. On a sheet of white paper, draw a large grid – nine squares. 
  2. Put a number on each square.
  3. Put a small snack on each square. 
  4. Have ONE person leave the room. 
  5. Have another person choose which square is “Pete.”
  6. Ask the person who left the room to come back. He or she eats one snack at a time. When they grab the snack that is “Pete,” everyone screams: 

“DON’T EAT PETE!”

Their turn is over. 

Repeat as many times as your kids are interested!

Click here to watch and learn.

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10. Hot Potato Pig

This is a fun and simple games for all ages. Push the pig’s belly, then pass the pig around while he sings. Whoever is holding the pig when he TOOTS, is out. Prepare for lots of laughter as you play.  

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11. Make homemade gifts

Friendship bracelets are BACK!

These take time and creativity.

You can find lots of friendship bracelet string (floss) on Amazon by clicking here.

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12. Learn Creative lettering and calligraphy

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13. Paint by sticker

This sticker book has over 5000 5-star reviews! I am getting one for my son for Christmas.

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14. Build an arcade game out of boxes.

Clark created a game called “Hit It” – Targets for Nerf Guns

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15. Play with Cheerios

  • Allow your kids to string Cheerios or Fruit Loops for an edible necklace
  • Stack cheerios on Spaghetti noodles
  • With older kids – turn this into a race!

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16. Have a Spa Day!

Paint nails, do hair, give back or foot massages.

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17. Spike Ball

My son Clark just got this game for his 11th birthday. My boys love it. It’s best for ages 8 and up.

When it’s too cold to play outside, this game can be played in a living room or basement.

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18. Watercolor Painting or Paint by Number

If you have a budding artist, the paint by number kits are fun!

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19. Play a board game  

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20. Learn a few magic tricks

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21. Take an online class

George just finished a Chess class through Outschool and loved it. Next, they’ll be doing a class to learn how to invest in the stock market. Paul will try a nature class. Clark is going to take a class on investing.

CLICK HERE for for $20 off your first Outschool Class!

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22. Learn to Crochet, Cross Stitch or Knit

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23. Make or Buy Kinetic Sand or Play Doh

George created a giant play doh fidget spinner

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24. Have a conversation

Has 9 months of quarantine left you with nothing else to talk about than how bored you are? Then you NEED this set of cards.

Each card asks interesting questions for your family to answer or discuss. My kids ask for us to pull the cards out whenever we sit down to eat. One time my kids were eating alone and my oldest son pulled the questions out to ask his little brothers. I LOVED listening to their conversation!

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25. Make a blanket for your family or one to donate!

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26. Make stained glass window art

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27. Perler Beads

This Star Wars set has over 1000 5-star reviews!

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28. Laugh together

Get a joke book from the library, buy one, or search for kid’s jokes on the internet and entertain each other.

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29. Mad Libs

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30. Try an Activity Book

I just purchased this activity book: 101 Outrageously Fun Things To Do and plan to use it over the next several weeks.

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I hope this inspires you.

Click here to read 30 FREE quarantine activities!

Click here for part 3 – 41 final family actives for wintertime in quarantine!

If you want more, click here for a post I wrote in March that includes 55 quarantine ideas for your kids.

Share your ideas in the comments and I might include it in a future post.

Thanks for subscribing!

This post included affiliate links. That means if you choose to purchase something I’ve suggested, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!

November 14, 2020 By
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0 In 2020/ Family/ Peek into our Week

Peek into our Week

Halloween 2020

  • There were about 30% of our neighbors with lights out, not participating.
  • About 20% of neighbors had a bowl or baggies setting out.
  • The remaining 50% passed out candy as usual.
  • 100% of kids had FUN and collected way too much candy.

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Basketball Begins

  • Paul played his first ever game of basketball!
  • He made FOUR baskets.
  • Eight points for his team.
  • The final score was 18 to 13 and it was SO fun to watch them play.

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Pumpkin Pancake Contest

  • I made two different kinds to see which was better.
  • The Trader Joe’s brand was more work but tasted better.
  • The Birchbenders only required water, and were easier to make, but I didn’t think they were as good.
  • My kids loved them both!

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The Tale of Two Georges

George

George and I finished reading this ‘George Washington’ biography together and now George wishes his middle name was Washington. We have so much admiration and respect for our first president. He was a true patriot who worked tirelessly to create, protect, and lead the United States of America.

Did you know George Washington decided the leader of our country should be called “The President of the United States?” (or “Mr. President” for short)

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It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas

Our lights outside are covered in snow!
  • We put up our Christmas tree and hung lights outside.
  • The Christmas tree and lights bring us JOY and we need more JOY this year!

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Back to the Classroom

Kathryn and George
  • All four boys are in school now (two days a week).
  • While they were in school, I worked on earning my Minnesota teaching license and applied to be a substitute teacher in their schools.
  • My first day was teaching 7th grade language arts and I LOVED getting to teach George and lots of his friends.
  • I was a little nervous about teaching middle school, but the kids were TRULY “Minnesota nice” and I can’t wait to do it again.

What have you. been up to? Leave a comment!

November 11, 2020 By
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2 In 2020/ Book Review

Should you watch the movie or read the book?

If you had to choose between reading a book or watching a movie, which would you choose?

You probably won’t be shocked to learn I’d rather read the book. However, there are a few exceptions.

Here are my opinions on a handful of titles.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

The book:

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terrible horrible book
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The movie

The verdict:

Watch the movie, skip the book. The book is a cute little children’s story. The movie is funny and engaging for all ages. It’s one of our favorite family movies!

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Just Mercy

The book:

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The movie:

The Verdict:

The movie was excellent, but READ THE BOOK! It’s powerful.

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Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

The book:

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The movie:

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The verdict:

I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s RARE that I find a fiction book that I love so much that I not only recommend it to others, but also re-read it. This is one of the few. The MOVIE was nearly as good as the book. I recommend you read the book and watch the movie!

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Harriet Tubman

The book:

harriet tubman

The movie:

The verdict:

Well, both were excellent, but I preferred the book. Harriet is a HERO! I recommend you watch the movie, then read the book.

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Little Women

The book:

little women book

The movie:

The verdict:

The book is a classic, so I have to give credit to the original novel that has been loved for generations and inspired so many spin-offs. But I watched the movie first and read the book second and enjoyed the movie more than the book.

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The Blind Side

The book:

The movie:

The verdict:

BOTH!!! The movie highlights Michael Ohr and has football as a backdrop. The book highlights football with Michael as the backdrop. Both are excellent and earn 10 out of 10 stars.

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So what’s your opinion? Have you read/watched the same story and have something to share? Leave a comment!

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    Click here to check out another Book/Movie comparison post.

    Here’s the link to the YouTube video I posted about these titles:

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    Thanks for reading and please consider subscribing!

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    Disclaimer: Affliate links included in this post.

    November 7, 2020 By
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    1 In 2020/ Book Review

    5 Books I Read in October

    Here are the books I read in October!

    Rising Strong by Brene Brown

    Rating: 8/10

    Review: This was a good book, but I liked Daring Greatly and The Power of Vulnerability better. The Power of Vulnerability was one of the best books I read last year. Click here to read all my favorites of 2019.

    Brene recommended the next book I listened to on my Hoopla App:

    The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner

    Rating: 9/10

    Review: Brene Brown recommended this book and wow, it contains SO many Gold Nuggets for relational connection! There were many practical stories, tips, and steps. I listened to this on the free Hoopla App but now want the actual book so that I can re-read it and underline/highlight my favorite parts.

    Here are a few points I appreciated:

    • Honesty is great but spontaneous, uncensored expression of feelings and thoughts is not always a good thing. If it’s unbridled, it can damage motivation for future communication.
    • Not everything has to be talked about and addressed. So be strategic, have self-restraint and have tact.
    • We need to rehearse silence more than we need to practice speech. Being quiet and listening is harder than sharing our opinion.
    • Wish to hear and understand more than you wish to be heard and understood.
    • We need to muster a huge amount of maturity and discipline to say less when you feel compelled to say more. 
    • If you want to be the sort of person who has connections, always leave open the possibility of connection even if the other person may take a long time to reconnect.
    • People sometimes stonewall, respond with silence, or minimize the effects of their harmful actions not because they feel no remorse, but because they feel too much guilt or shame to face up to taking accountability. It’s protective self-deception.
    • When someone critiques you, listen for the bits you can agree with and discuss them. Don’t focus on the bits you want to refute.
    • Fights are healthy. But fight well, not reactively.
    • We need to ask ourselves if we are more invested in our anger than we are in changing the relationship.

    The author shares STORY after STORY of difficult relationships and how people successfully worked through conflict. Though there were a couple parts of the book that I didn’t completely align with, there was much more to the book that I thought was helpful! It’s a short book and I recommend it to anyone interested in strengthening your communication in marriage and/or with extended family members!!

    Motherhood without all the Rules by Maggie Combs

    Rating: 8/10

    Review: First of all, I loved the title of this book. I’m not good at following lots of rules. Second, the cover is so pretty – I love the water color look of this book.

    As far as the content IN the book – it was good, but I didn’t love it as much as her first book, Unsupermommy. I rated that as one my favorite books of 2018, click here to see all my favs that year.

    This book did have gold nuggets! Here’s 5 things I pulled from the book:

    1. The safety, health, and happiness of my children doesn’t depend solely on me … they have a Heavenly Father who loves them even more than me!
    2. Our children thrive when they experience the love and care of God.
    3. In our culture of “self-care” we need to make sure we are getting true “soul-care” by spending time with God. He’s the One who truly satisfies.
    4. When we need a quick escape, turn to God’s word first. His word re-orients us to truth.
    5. God didn’t make you a mom because He knew you’d be awesome at it, but to teach you your need for Him and grow you in your knowledge of Him.

    Hudson Taylor by Janet Benge

    Rating: 8/10

    Review: Hudson Taylor was a missionary in China and this book gives an overview of his life. He had an interesting and impacting life, but I don’t think this book captured it well. This has been my least favorite of the Benge biographies.

    Abraham Lincoln by Janet Benge

    Rating: 10/10

    Review: Excellent book for kids and adults alike! Our family loves biographies by Janet & Geoff Benge. They are well written, engaging, and informative. I loved this biography about our 16th president.

    Click here to read the best books I read last year.

    What are you reading right now? Leave a comment!

    All books are affiliate links. That means if you click and decide to buy one, I’ll earn a small commission without any extra charge to you!

    November 1, 2020 By
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    0 In 2020/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

    Peek into our Week (Fall 2020)

    Here’s what we’ve been up to in September and October:

    My boys and a couple of their friends at a local apple orchard.

    Luke wakes up and waits at the steps for me to see him, say good morning and give him a hug. I haven’t asked him to wait…it’s just become a tradition.

    The boys are in school two days a week, and do school at home three days a week.

    • Luke in Soccer
    • Paul in Soccer
    • Clark in football

    This was our first season of FOUR boys in sports! Luke, Paul, and George were in soccer. Clark was in football.

    Paul and his friend caught Pike!

    Then…it started snowing….

    • The wonder of snow!
    • Catching snowflakes

    And didn’t stop snowing…

    So much snow!

    Here the boys are selling hot chocolate to neighbors.

    All the snow means SNOW SLUSHEES!

    Life Hack: Buy a sweatshirt that makes you look and feel like a teddy bear to get more cuddles!

    Rain or shine (or snow) – Paul is ready to fish!

    Amazon had a sale on animal crackers. They inspired me to make my favorite childhood treat for my kids – Circus Sundaes! Vanilla Ice Cream, strawberry syrup, animal crackers and whip cream.

    Paul asked if he could sleep by Luke. When I checked on them, I found this!

    We’ve also made a trip to the Arboretum – read about that by clicking here.

    And a trip to Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden – click here to read about that!

    October 27, 2020 By
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    1 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota

    Exploring Minnesota: Eloise Butler Garden

    Last Saturday was a beautiful fall day, so we decided to explore a new spot in the Twin Cities – the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Founded in 1907, the Wildflower Garden is the oldest public native plant garden in the United States!

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    There is no charge to explore and hike, but there is a minimal parking fee.

    Most days the park is staffed by naturalists and volunteers who are happy to tell you what’s blooming, where to explore, and to answer other questions you may have about birds or flowers.

    There were ‘scavenger hunt’ sheets available for kids at the entryway, and my boys loved being on a ‘hunt!’

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    The boardwalk was so really cool.

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    Once inside, there’s a marked out “trail” for you to walk. I was grateful for this because I have a tendency to get lost if I’m allowed to wander aimlessly. The marked trail is less than a mile and even our youngest son walked all the way through without complaint. (There is also a longer trail for you to explore, but we took the short cut.)

    There were so many things to enjoy – different trees, small animals, lots of birds and so many plants. The signs throughout the gardens teach you about the various wildlife.

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    Eloise Butler Garden and Bird Sanctuary is beautiful and I look forward to exploring it in the spring when the flowers are blooming!

    It’s open April though October – but click here for more information on this spot!

    The Walker Sculpture Garden is close by, so I recommend you visit that place next.

    If you want to read about another beautiful place to explore, read this post about the Minnesota Arboretum.

    Click here for my Minnesota Bucket list.

    October 24, 2020 By
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    0 In 2020

    The Story of Us: Family Photos Through the Years

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    2025

    Location: Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    2024

    Location: Millennium Garden in Plymouth, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    2023

    Location: Plymouth, MN on trails behind Wayzata High School

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    2022

    Location: Wayzata, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    Lake Minnetonka

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    2021

    Location: Bakken Museum in Minneapolis, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    2020

    Location: Lyndale Park in Minneapolis, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    2019

    Location: James J. Hill Mansion in St. Paul, Minnesota

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    Family Photos 2019
    Family Photo 2019

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    2018

    Location: Ritter Farm in Lakeville, MN

    Photographer: Emma Peterson

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    Family Photo 2018
    Family Photo 2018

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    2017

    Location: Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado

    Photos taken by Ashlee Kay Photography

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    #eglyboys
    Family Photo 2017

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    2016

    Lcoation: Colorado Springs

    Photographer: Ashlee Kay

    Family Photo 2016

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    2015

    Location: Colorado Springs, CO!

    2014

    The year we became: Egly party of 6

    Family Photo
    Family Photo 2014

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    2013

    Photo taken by Ted 🙂

    Family Photo 2013

    2012

    Egly party of 5

    Location: Naperville, IL

    Photographer: Christina Michelle Photography

    2011

    2010

    2009

    We became: Egly party of 4

    2008

    2007

    We became: Egly party of 3

    We moved to Illinois and had our first baby!

    2001

    Egly Party of 2

    Just the two of us. We were so well-rested.

    Our life began in Tulsa, Oklahoma

    Our First Christmas, 2001
    October 20, 2020 By
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    4 In 2020/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week

    The Magnificent Minnesota Arboretum

    Since the world seems to be enveloped in ugly unrest, we could all benefit from getting outside and surrounding ourselves in nature. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is the PERFECT place to go. The Arboretum is made up of 1,200 acres of natural beauty, professionally-maintained gardens, rare plant collections, and accessible trails.

    When I told my boys that we were going to the Arboretum, they weren’t as excited as I was, especially since the most kid-friendly parts of the park (the hedge maze and the giant willow tree fort) are closed due to Covid. So how did I get them excited about going? I came up with a contest…

    Whoever could take the most beautiful picture would win one dollar.

    My competitive boys were all in!

    When we arrived, I was thrilled to see that there is a paved, 3-mile loop around the Arboretum, with parking spaces every half mile or so. We drove the loop, and when the boys or I would spot something we wanted to see up close, we’d park and get out to explore.

    The fact that my boys were on a hunt for something pretty and unique, made this visit so much fun! They were pointing out and capturing the most fascinating things! (See pictures below)

    I appreciate that the Arboretum has something special in every season. Currently, the fall colors are in full bloom and they are breathtaking (our pictures don’t even do it justice). If you come in the winter, you can enjoy the light display. The spring and summer are full of floral beauty.

    Below are a few of my favorite photos.

    We let the neighbor kids vote on who should win the photo contest. Read the captions in each picture to find out which kid won. Leave a comment to tell us which picture YOU think is the best.

    Pictures I captured:

    Clark enjoying the view from the slanted tree
    Clark enjoying the view while he rests on this slanted tree.
    I love this pumpkin tree!
    My boys thought the Flintstones vehicle was pretty cool!
    Luke was intrigued by this stone harp in the Sculpture Garden
    A fort made of willow tree branches
    My boys wanted to play in this amazing fort made of willow tree branches. It’s currently closed due to COVID.
    • Clark and two friends under a beautiful Gingko tree
    Luke loved the little houses
    Clark
    Paul was on the hunt for flowers – he found some! Unfortunately, the lighting in this picture isn’t ideal.
    Luke

    Pictures by Clark, my 11 year old:

    The boys spotted this wasp nest and asked me to stop.
    • Clark asked me to stop the car so he could take this picture –
      and it’s the one that WON the contest!

    Pictures by Paul, age 8:

    • Mushrooms
    I love the reflections in the water (This is my vote for best picture)
    Paul pointed out this amazing curved tree
    Paul was on the hunt for flowers and found some!

    Pictures taken by Luke, age 6:

    Since I asked him to smile for a picture, he asked me to smile for one too!
    Looking up!

    This ‘contest’ made me realize what good photographers my boys are! I’m especially intrigued by Paul’s pictures.

    This is one of 25 Minnesota “bucket list”…click here to read the other 24!

    Interested in other Minnesota adventures?

    Which is YOUR favorite picture of all the ones I’ve posted above? Leave a comment and let us know!

    October 8, 2020 By
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    1 In 2020/ Book Review

    September Reads

    Here are the four books I finished in September!

    The Happiness Hypothesis

    Rating: 7/10

    Review: I enjoyed the book, but thought it was a little too wordy. Ted recommended I read just the parts he highlighted. I couldn’t do that, but I did skim through some of the book.

    The book uses ancient wisdom to discover the source of Happiness. I’m all about finding sources of happiness in 2020!!! Here are a couple points and quotes that I enjoyed most from the book:

    • Activities connect us to others, objects often separate us. Work less, earn less, and “consume” more family time, vacation, and other enjoyable activities. 
    • Children need plenty of failure to learn that success takes hard work and persistence. 
    • Work more on your strengths than your weaknesses. 
    • Something about the vastness and beauty of nature makes the self feel small and insignificant. Anything that shrinks the self, creates an opportunity for a spiritual experience. 
    • Just like plants need water, sun and good soil to thrive, people need love, work, and a connection to something larger. 

    Studies that have assigned people to perform a random act of kindness every week, or to count their blessings regularly for several weeks, find small but sustained increases in happiness.

    Jonathan Haidt

    I love the following insight from the book and plan to add it to my post on 17 reasons to serve:

    Who Was Julia Child?

    Rating: 8/10

    Review:  I was picking up some “Who Was” books for my boys at the library and grabbed this one for me. It’s a super quick read and a good overview of Julia Child’s life.

    Who Were the Wright Brothers?

    Rating: 9/10

    Review: I read this book with my son, Paul. We enjoyed the book and thought it was a good overview of the brothers who invented the airplane. It showed how hard work and perseverance can make a huge impact on the world. Now Paul wants his Poppy to take him flying.

    God Smuggler

    Rating: 10/10

    Review: This book is so incredibly inspiring. I could read it over and over. The book shares stories of Andrew bringing Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. He’d find a church with a hundred people all sharing one Bible. I read this book in 2019 and loved it so much that I re-read it with Clark. He enjoyed it too!

    What have you been reading? Leave me a comment!

    Disclaimer: All the books are linked to Amazon, if you choose to purchase one, I will earn a small commission for the recommendation.

    September 30, 2020 By
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    0 In 2020/ Recipe

    Got Tomatoes? Make Gazpacho!

    The first time I ordered Gazpacho was almost 25 years ago. It was a cold, rainy day, and all I wanted was some warm soup. I ordered Gazpacho, not realizing that this was a COLD soup! I was living in Florida, so cold soup is a good idea most days of the year, but this was NOT one of those days. I wanted something warm. When I tasted the soup, I thought I was being pranked, or that the kitchen had messed up – why was this soup cold? I wasn’t expecting it and didn’t enjoy it.

    However, now that I’m familiar with Gazpacho, I’ve grown fond of this soup. I’ve even been craving it this summer. It’s bright and refreshing, full of fresh, crunchy vegetables and perfect on a hot day – and it’s been hot here in Minnesota – about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. The tomatoes I planted in May are finally ripening, and my neighbor brought over cucumbers from her garden. I used those two ingredients and a few more to make this delicious, refreshing Gazpacho Soup.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 round tomato, or two Romas – most seeds removed
    • 1/2 red onion
    • 2 small peppers or one regular size
    • 1/2 cucumber, most seeds removed
    • 1-3 slices of Jalapeño, depending on your heat preference
    • 1-2 T of olive oil
    • 2-3 T of vinegar – either Balsamic, Wine, Sherry or Apple Cider
    • 1 tsp of Cumin
    • Salt/Pepper

    Put everything in a blender or food processor.

    Pour into one or two bowls. Crumble up some white bread or a croissant roll and add to the bowl. Allow the bread to seep for several minutes before eating.

    ENJOY!

    Feel free to double or triple this recipe! You’ll be glad you did :).

    September 26, 2020 By
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