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4 In 2020/ Christmas/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado/ Things to do in Minnesota

41 Final Wintertime Activities for Quarantined Kids (Part 3)

I’ve created 101 things to do in quarantine.

Click here for the first 30 (Part 1)

Click here for the second set of 30 – all FREE! (Part 2)

Today I bring you the final 41, for a total of 101 ideas for wintertime and quarantine fun!

1. Build a Marble Maze / Labrynth

George creating his game called “The Ultimate Maze”

Your kids can use an empty box.
Glue straws to the bottom to create a maze.

2. Card Games

Play a card game with your family after dinner.

A lady I enjoy listening to, raised four amazing sons and swears by the power of spending time with your kids around the table – not just eating, but staying to play games. She said the boys didn’t always want to play, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Playing together opens up conversations you may not normally have. Games make you laugh and connect in a new way.

Some good options: Go Fish, Memory, Uno
My kids and I love Skipbo and Rat-a-tat-Cat (Best for ages 7 and up)
You can learn a NEW card game. My boys and I just started playing “Garbage” – it’s an easy game we learned on Youtube.
When I was a child, I entertained myself by playing Solitaire. Perhaps your kids can learn this one too!?
My kids don’t always want to play a card game, but I often ask them to play just ONE game. They forget how fun it is until they start playing.

3. Try winter gardening

Click here for ideas

4. Make snow slushees

If you have milk and sugar, your kids can make their own ice cream!
Click here for recipe!
Scoop fresh snow, pour any drink on top to turn it into a SLUSHEE!

5. Minute to Win it Games

Click here to read the ten fun games to play with your kids!

6. Create “Ramp Races”

A really fun and simple activity that can act as a physics lesson and opportunity for an experiment. Make a simple ramp using cardboard or a piece of wood, and roll different objects down: measure how far they go, how fast they roll, or hold races between different kinds of balls to see which wins!

7. Go Fishing With Magnets

Create “fishing poles” using pencils, string, and magnets.
Place a variety of items in a bin–some magnetic, some otherwise–and let them go to town exploring the concept of magnetism!

8. Draw self portraits

Have your kids look in the mirror and do a self portrait!
Be sure to have them write their name and age. It will be fun to look back on this when they are older.
You could have them repeat this every year around their birthday to see how their drawings improve!

9. Make a Flip Book Animation

Kids can learn how to make a flipbook animation in less than 5 minutes. All you need is a pen and a stack of paper, or even better, a sticky note pad. This video is a great and very quick tutorial

Here is one of my son’s first flip book, using index cards:

10. Create paper airplanes

Click here for ideas

11. Sledding

If you have snow like we do, this is fun for all ages!

12. Skiing

Skiing requires gloves, you can wear a mask, it’s outdoors and fairly easy to stay ‘socially distant.’ Many ski resorts have special rates and lessons for beginners.

13. Play with shaving cream

14. Have a make your own pizza and family movie night

Click here for some of our family favorites

Click here for a simple 3 ingredient pizza recipe!

15. Take a winter walk

16. Play Bingo! or Zingo!

17. Make one of a kind ornaments

Click here to read how!

18. Make a comic strip

Read the Sunday comics to your kids, then make your own!

Click here for this printable comic strip outline.

19. Stop Motion

Download a stop-motion app for your kids and let them make stop motion videos

Here’s a video my 10 year old made:

https://youtu.be/PwXNusWmltk

20. Learn and/or Practice an instrument

Piano, keyboard, xylophone, harmonica, recorder or drums…make it a family band.
Look on Youtube for free lessons.

21. Pour Paint

22. Rock Art

23. Play with marshmallows and toothpicks

24. Make Special Snacks

Take a cupcake holder and put a different snack in each section
Make Circus Sundaes – Ice Cream, Animal Crackers, Syrup, Whip Cream and a Cherry On Top!

25. Blow Art

Pour droplets of paint on paper
Allow kids to “blow” air through the straw to make a cool pattern

26. Play Follow The Leader

Have each child take a turn being the leader
Walk all around your house
Do jumps, turns, stop to hug dad, etc.

27. Mess Free Coloring

28. Playfoam Game

29. Go Retro with Lite-Brite

30. Become an author

My fourth grade teacher once gave us the title “The Entire City Lends a Hand” and had the class each write their own story. Read a rendition of that here.
Give your kids a title/prompt and let them write!
Title ideas:
- If I were President…
- Undersea Adventure…
- You Won’t Believe what Happened!

31. Got Toilet Paper?

Tape them up to create a “marble maze”
Click here for more ideas

32. Have your children create a scavenger hunt for each other!

Give them a treat to hide for their sibling
Have them create clues to search the house and find it!

33. Memorize a verse together

I find SO much comfort in knowing Scripture by heart and being able to quote it when I’m feeling fear.
Learn a verse together with your kids.
Click here for 12 great verses.

34. Draw it

35. Butcher Paper Family Table

Roll a large sheet of paper across the dining room table or counter top or coffee table.
Set markers in a jar on top of the table.
Draw Christmas scenes, hand prints, rainbows, etc.

37. Fashion Plates or Action Plates

38. Make salt dough ornaments

My sister made these with her girls (ages 5 and 8). They turned out so cute. I am going to make some with my boys.

Click here for step-by-step instructions.

39. Get a job or Help a Neighbor

Both working and serving can boost your mood!

If you have kids who are 8 and older, they can earn money or serve their neighbors by shoveling, cleaning up leaves, or helping any other outdoor task.

40. Find a place to explore!

Though there are some places that are closed for Covid, you can still find a new place to explore with your kids!

You can look at the website “Only in your State.”

If you are in Tulsa, Oklahoma, check out The Gathering Place or RedBud Nature Preserve.

If you live in Colorado Springs, CO – click here for ten great places to hike with kids.

If you are in Minnesota, click here to discover the Arboretum, the Eloise Bird Sanctuary, and more!

41. If all else fails…let them be bored!

Being bored is a natural part of life as a kid. Try not to offer an immediate solution to their boredom and see what they come up with! It’s often in times of boredom that children show their greatest creativity!

Click here to read 20 gifts that Minnesota gave the world. I’m guessing most inventions were made during the long, dark winters in Minnesota.

Thanks for reading!

If you missed part 1 of this series, click here!

Click here for 30 FREE wintertime activities for kids!

Click here for 55 more ideas for quarantine fun!

Here’s a video I created to show you some great gift ideas for kids:

November 28, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Christmas/ Food/ Recipe

Delicious Holiday Appetizer: Pecan Cinnamon Roll Brie

This recipe was an accident that turned out delicious.

I was planning to make a croissant-wrapped Brie, but when I opened the fridge, I only had cinnamon rolls. So … why not?

The crunchy and salty pecans, the gooey, warm cheese cheese and the soft, sweet bread create a party in your mouth.

Ingredients:

Pillsburry Cinnamon Rolls
Brie cheese
Pecans

Roll out the dough and put pecans on top of cheese

What to do:

Open the cinnamon rolls.
Roll them out
Set a brie ring on top of the rolled out rolls
Sprinkle pecans on top of the Brie
Wrap up the Brie
Put more pecans on top
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees
After you take it out of the oven, pour icing on top
Enjoy!

Have a happy and delicious holiday!

Since I’m all about balance, check out this amazing Kale Salad Recipe!

November 19, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2019/ Christmas/ Family

Fun & Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Do you have children that look forward to the Elf showing up each year?

My children LOVE this tradition.

If you aren’t familiar with it, the Elf comes each Christmas season to hang out and watch to see if your children should be on the “naughty” or “nice” list. He flies to the North Pole at night to report to Santa how your children are doing. He comes back each morning and hides in a different place in your home.

My children have enjoyed this children’s cartoon about the Elf. This would be a fun gift the Elf brings your children.

After my boys go to bed at night, I find a place to hide our Elf. I used to have to set a reminder on my phone so I didn’t forget. Thankfully, I now have helpers named George and Clark, who love to stay up and find creative things for the Elf to do!

I am not a HUGE fan of the Elf, but my kids love it so much I can’t stop. My older boys get excited about finding creative things for the Elf to do, and my younger boys are excited to wake up in the morning and search the house to find our Elf.

If you are new to this tradition, I would recommend you start just ONE WEEK before Christmas and use the SIMPLE ideas listed below.

Our elf now comes on December 1 because I have helpers to hide him.

Here are some ideas for your Elf on the Shelf Tradition!

1. Place him in a large Mason Jar with a note that says, “Show me around!”

2. Choo Choo Train Ride

3. Or a SHOE SHOE Train Ride!

4. Playing card games

5. Leave a love note

6. Just Hangin’ Out

7. Candy Cane Hide-and-Seek

Hide candy canes around the house!

8. Make happy faces on the fruit

9. Countdown-to-Christmas Paper Chain

10. Elf is peeking out of your child’s stocking

Optional: Leave a note to your child about what the Elf has noticed: A Good Thing and Something your child could work on.

11. Put him in your Christmas tree by his favorite ornament

12. Hide him inside cups.

Children have to search the cups to find him. My kids were happy he was in a cup so they could hold the cup and walk around with him. (No touching the Elf)

13. Reading a Christmas story to his friend.

14. 3 cheers for hot chocolate!

Optional: Leave hot chocolate out for your kids!

15. Just Chillin’

Just wrap a scarf around a picture or chair and put the elf inside!

16. Army men are protecting our home and they think the Elf is an INTRUDER!

I just taped that poor Elf to the wall.

17. Zip lining

This takes a little more work, but it’s always a favorite. Tie a string across a room and attach your elf to the string. Zip Line!

These were just some simple and silly ideas for you! Do you have a fun Elf prank? Leave a comment!

Last year we added a “Shepherd on the Search” to our family. My kids call him the “Christian Elf.” (LOL!) I like how the “Shepherd” keeps Jesus at the center of Christmas. The Shepherd goes on ADVENTures – keeping “advent” the center of the Holiday season. Click here for some excellent ideas for how to use the Shepherd!

Want some easy ways to save and even MAKE money this Christmas season? Click here!

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December 5, 2019 By Kathryn

3 In 2019/ Christmas/ DIY

Create a One-of-a Kind Christmas Gift

Here’s a fun and easy, one-of-of-a-kind gift to make with your kids!

What you need:

Ornaments
Plastic container
Nail polish or paint of various colors

What to do:

Fill a container with water
Pour various colors of paint on top of water
Dip ornament completely in water or swirl around water
Hang to dry
Hang on tree or place in box to give away!

Start with a plain white ornament.

Fill a small plastic container with water and pour paint inside. I purchased nail polish from the Dollar Store.

Dip ornament into paint/water and swirl around.

Hang to dry:

Place on tree or wrap for a gift!

Here is a how-to video I created for you!

You can use this technique with other items too – including SHOES! We found an old pair of converse and turned them into a one-of-a-kind MASTERPIECE! (Put tape over the parts you don’t want painted.)

Before
After

November 30, 2019 By Kathryn

1 In Christmas/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

Raising children who bring Peace, Love and Hope to a Hurting World

“So God throws open the door of this world—and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.” -Ann Voskamp

I have four young boys so there have been four Christmas nights that I’ve been up with a newborn. These quiet moments always give me a chance to reflect on the very first Christmas…

What was Mary thinking and feeling as she held her little one in her arms.

Luke 2:20 (NIV) tells us:

“But Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them in her heart.”

What was she pondering? Was she scared? Excited? Curious? Wouldn’t it be nice if she wrote what she learned from others, what she learned from Jesus? (I hope to get to talk to her about it one day in heaven!)

I stare into my little boy’s face and wonder who he will become. Did Mary know who Jesus would become? Was she overwhelmed at the thought that God had entrusted her to raise His Son! A child who would bring Hope and Peace for all eternity. Was she afraid she might do something wrong?

As I hold my little one in my arms, I begin to feel afraid. Though I didn’t give birth to Jesus, I am raising a child of God! A child who has the potential to bring hope to a hurting world. A child who can bring the Good News to others! What if I mess up?

Do I have what it takes?

I stop and remember that God chose this child for me at this time.

Deutoronomy 31:6:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Wow, just bask in those words for a minute. We don’t need to fear. He NEVER leaves us. He is always with us!

So what are some things we can do to invest in and mold these young lives so that they become Followers of Christ and make a positive difference in this world?

First of all … ask for God’s help every single day! Ask Him for wisdom because James 1:5 tells us:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Here are some other suggestions for raising young men and women of God:

Lead by example. Spend time reading God’s word and praying.
Stay present. Look at your children in the eye and answer their questions.
SMILE and remind them that they are LOVED – by you and by God!
Say ‘I’m sorry’ when you mess up. (We all mess up!)
Talk about the Goodness of God – sharing stories of what He has done in your life and the lives of others. Deuteronomy 6:7 – “Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Pray together – for their “owies,” for their friends, and their concerns.
Sing and/or read together.
Practice ‘self-care’ so that you aren’t running on fumes.
Go to church together.
Download the Bible App for Kids. When they want to play on your phone, encourage them to play this first. Or play together!
Love their Daddy and invest in your relationship. If you are divorced, refrain from speaking bad about their dad.

Do we have to do ALL of these things every day? No.

I think the most important thing we can do is ask God for help. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as you lead your children.

If you feel like there is something you can tweak to become the best mama to your children, do it.

Each day is new day!

Each day is a new opportunity to ask God for help. A new day to stay present in your children’s lives. Another opportunity to watch for what God is already doing in your child’s heart and life to encourage and support that!

Let’s look into our children’s eyes and remind them that God loves them and has GREAT plans for their future – He really does!!!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Merry Christmas friends,

Kathryn

This is a devotion I wrote for the Help Club for Moms Fall Study: The Wise Woman Abides

December 11, 2018 By Kathryn

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