The Walking Game {a.k.a. Easy Kid Fun!}

A couple of days ago the kids were feeling a little restless--you know, the dreaded pre-dinner witching hour was beginning to strike.  As I often do in times such as these, I decided to read aloud (one of our favorite pastimes).  I grabbed the latest issue of Spider magazine (another favorite!) and got to it.  One of the stories was called "The Walking Game" by Linfred Longenecker.  Intrigued, I started to read.

Love Spider magazine.  LOVE.

The story tells of some rowdy siblings who are getting annoyed with one another (the spooky E.S.P.-esque realization that I had picked this story in the midst of sibling crankies was not lost on me!).  The mom decides that, in order to remedy the squabbles, the kids need to play the "Walking Game",  in which they head outside in different directions, returning home once they were no longer feeling annoyed.  The assignment works like a charm, and the kids come back refreshed with unique treasures in hand, resulting in a nice dinner together.

Ummmmm, yeah.  This girl needs some serious cheering up come witching hour.  What was it that Shakespeare said... "though she be but small, she be fierce"!

 Genius!!  I immediately needed to put this idea to the test!  After finishing the story I sent the kids outside in different directions to collect 3 things each, that we would arrange on the table as a dinnertime centerpiece. I know.  I veered from the original story.  But just a little.  Keep in mind that our yard is not nearly as interesting as the one in the story, in which the kids come back with all kinds of spectacular garden fruits and flowers!  So, I figured I'd add in the treasure-hunting aspect.  IT WORKED.  Worked like a charm, it did!  The kids thought it was uber-fun to see what they could find, and loved the added intrigue of keeping it a secret from one another.  They all came back with cute little finds (cute for a considerably boring yard in late October, anyway!), and had a blast arranging their treasure for our centerpiece.  Then we had a nice (and peaceful!) dinner together...and the rest is history!

Our centerpiece :)

Witching Hour: 0,  Mom: 1.

In fact, the kids loved it so much that they asked to do it again the next day!

Witching Hour: 0,  Mom: 2.

So, if you find yourself desperate to occupy the littles some late afternoon, I highly recommend giving the Walking Game a try!  You could easily modify it to become an indoor hunt on bad weather days--just send them to different areas of the house to find something special.  Or, if you want to get crafty, you could have them each make something to use instead.  And if you want to get even more creative, you could have them each find or make something specific (e.g. something red, something symbolizing a favorite activity, something holiday-themed, etc.)  The possibilities are endless!  For us it struck that perfect balance of feeling special (an official centerpiece!) with mystery/ rivalry (who will find the coolest stuff?  What will everyone else pick??).  If you want to read the original story to add to the fun, I found it online here: The Walking Game.  Try it, it worked for me!

Easy and fun...a win-win!

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Easter and Spring at Last! {An April Daybook}

Outside my window...

Glorious sunshine with temps in the high 50s!  Oh, Spring, at long last you've arrived! :)




I am thinking...

...about how to best manage all the springtime trips with the kids (think picnics in the park and zoo trips) with a newborn in the mix.  Newborns cramp my spontaneity just a tad!  I've also been thinking about our homeschooling year.  It's been all kinds of crazy with the move and the baby!  Many homeschoolers reassess their academic year in February but I kinda had a baby instead, so here I am doing it in April!  I've been especially focusing on how to make my oldest more motivated to write.  He loves writing tasks when he gets to orally dictate, but cannot stand the mechanics of writing and spelling.  It's like pulling teeth.  I've tried to make it as fun as humanly possible--I made a snazzy journal jar filled with fun questions and even added a computer-time reward, but it's slow progress...as in watching mold grow seems to be faster and more pleasant!  Suggestions welcome! :)




I am thankful...

bubbles!

 

...for the sunshine and for everything greening up!  There's nothing like watching the kids digging around in the dirt and coming in from the yard with grass-stained knees to boost one's spirits! I'm also thankful for the Easter season!  We've been having fun using our Garden of the Good Shepard calendar as a launching point for activities to celebrate:

Megan making a marshmallow "sheep"

Luke's sheep

In the kitchen...

Ummm...still haven't found my groove with the cooking nice things for dinner yet.  All hail the quickie no-brainer meals!  But I did manage to make this yumminess for Easter:

soooooo good!

It's an adaptation of this recipe: Fresh Raspberry Almond Tray Tart.  (I made a strawberry walnut version!)


I am wearing...


Ick...sizes much too large.  Now that my little man is officially 6 weeks old it's time to get back in shape.  I just started using this DVD this week.  The pain, oh the pain!  I'm (reluctantly!) going on Weight Watchers, too.  It's what I've done after my other babies and it's always worked well for me. Getting started is always the hardest part!








I am creating...


Well, the kids have been crafting lately and I help out--does that count?!  They made these Easter "sun-catchers" last week:

coffee filter sun catchers

 

 We also dyed eggs:

I love the green one toward the center with the purely accidental cross on it!

This week we made a Nature Mandala:

The mandala was an idea from the book 15 Minutes Outside.  I highly recommend it if you're looking for quick outdoor ideas to do with the kiddos!  It has 365 ideas broken down by season, so it's great to reference each month to pick out your faves when you're feeling uninspired.

I am going...


Still not too many places just yet!  But oh, how I have plans!!

I am wondering...



When I'll be able to read anything of substance again without falling asleep!  There are so many books I'd love to dig into but I just don't have the energy in the evenings.  Someday...


I am hoping...


...to find some homeschoolers here in our new town.  I don't know a soul here and it'd be nice to get together for afternoon play dates!




I am looking forward to...


walks without jackets and the return of flip-flops!


I am pondering...


how to "live slow."  With a lot less time during the day and less energy in the evenings, I feel like I try to rush to cram things in, but often lose joy in all that hurrying.  I feel like I'm always looking at the clock to gauge my time left before the next feeding, the next mealtime, the next....   So, I'm trying to figure out a way to just be ok with less time and enjoy it to the fullest.


A favorite quote for today...


"Dost thou love life?  Then do not squander time, for time is the stuff life is made of." --Benjamin Franklin


Oh how this rings true these days!  Less idle time=more quality time.  It's a tough balancing act because when I'm tired I tend to just waste time clicking around on the computer or watching inane TV.  But then I don't feel fulfilled.  But I'm too tired for the deeper things I love to do...so it's kind of a catch 22.  I know it's just a transient season of "newbornness" that will pass, but I'm trying to figure out how to best enjoy it!



One of my favorite things...


As part of my homeschool assessment, I've been thumbing through one of my favorite homeschool books, Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home.  It's so refreshing and inspiring whenever I'm feeling kind of...meh.

A Peek into my Day...

His double chin is coming along quite nicely, don't you think?  :)

Worm "grunting"

 After reading an article about worm grunting, we decided to give it a try.  It was a total and complete bust!  Not one measly worm came to the surface!  Decidedly we are NOT worm charmers.  But the kids had fun digging around in the dirt anyway. :)  They found all kinds of other creepy crawlies as a substitute!

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How to have a Quick and Easy Spontaneous Picnic!

I *heart* picnics.  Late summer and...dare I say it--Autumn (it's on the way! I can feel it!) are perfect for picnics. There's just something about being outside in nature, enjoying a simple meal with family and friends that fills my heart with joy.  But at times they can be a little tough to pull off on a moment's notice--especially with little ones in tow.  So, here are a few tricks I've learned along the way in order to make picnics fast and easy!

1.  Keep a "picnic essentials" tote

 I try to always keep a tote bag of picnic essentials on hand, in order to keep packing to a minimum.   In my "essentials" tote I have stashed: 

--paper towels and napkins

--plastic utensils

 --juice boxes

-- apple sauce cups

-- dry treat of some sort (e.g. pretzels or goldfish)

--granola bars

 --paper plates

--wet wipes

--plastic bags (for easy garbage disposal!)

lunch made easy thanks to a little pre-packing!

2.  Keep a picnic blanket in your car

Another easy way to pull off a spontaneous picnic is to keep a picnic blanket in your car.  Even better if you happen to have a water-proof one! (If not, any blanket will do--just be careful to avoid wet spots on the ground when selecting your picnic spot!)

Blanket: check.  Nature journals: check.

3.  Have a "picnic activity" tote ready to go

I'm all about the pre-packed totes!  I just love having a few activities tucked away for the kids to do.  Our tote includes:

--a kite

--nature journals w/colored pencils

--binoculars

--pocket microscope

--bubbles

--balls, frisbee and other outdoor toys

--bug spray

--sunscreen

--bug-examining apparatus (my boys love bugs!)
--print-outs of outdoor games (e.g. scavenger hunt check-lists)

colored pencils are always a hit!

"Something Round" Scavenger Hunt  items we found

4.  Keep your home stocked with simple picnic lunch essentials

We try to make sure we always have some PB&J fixin's on hand as well as cold cuts, veggies & fruit.  Not to worry--if your cupboards are bare, you can always run to a sandwich shop on the way!  We've stopped off at Subway en route to our picnic on more than one occasion!

5.  Bring extra clothes for kids!

There have been many times where my littles stepped into mud patches, got drenched at the beach, needed extra (or fewer!) layers when the weather changed, and even (oops!) had accidents.  Extra clothes are AWESOME to have in the car!

The boys rolling down a huge hill the day after it had rained--extra clothes to the rescue! :)

Water exploration... muddy pants practically guaranteed!

I hope these little tips I've learned along the way help you plan for some spontaneous picnic fun this Fall!  I've found these few simple steps really reduce the amount of time it takes to prepare what's needed for a day of outdoor fun.  If you have any other tips to share I'd love to hears yours!  Please share in the comments below with all of your tips and tricks! :)

Happy Fall! 

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10 Boredom Busters for Rainy Days!

It has been raining here lately. A lot. When the rain strikes and the schoolwork is done in our house it's time for boredom busters! I just wanted to share some of the go-tos that our family enjoys. Some of these are items you can purchase and others are things you can easily throw together from household items. And bonus: none of these are super messy! Here they are:

1. Magnetic Mosaics
There are different brands out there of these sets, and they are all worth their weight in gold! There's just something really appealing about little magnetic foamy squares that magically turn into a picture that kids love! And bonus: they're great practice for number and color recognition!

2. Playdough Table
I can't even count how many hours of fun this little table has provided in our house. There's just so darn much you can make with it, and the the surface provides a built-in work space without messing up the table! We just lay a plastic table cloth under ours and let the kids go to town. When they're done (and seriously, some days the boys have sat there and played with this for about 3 hours in a row! It's a beautiful thing!) the tablecloth collects the bits which makes for easy clean-up.

3. Tangrams
These age old shapes provide hours of fun! They're cheap to buy (you can even make your own out of cardboard if you don't want to buy them) and there are dozens of printable patterns available online. And if you're really feeling crafty you can even trace them in various ways to make up your own designs. I put together a binder for the boys of puzzles varying in difficulty so even Adam has fun with these (he's 3).

photo source

4. Kumon Cutting & Pasting
Kumon has a variety of great cutting and pasting workbooks. My kids just love these. They jump at any opportunity to use glue sticks. :)

5. Ed Emberly Drawing and Tracing Books
My kids LOVE all of Ed Emberly's drawing books. One of their absolute favorites is the "Book of Weirdos." It's great because you can use it as a tracing book for younger kids and as a step-by-step drawing book for the older ones. Fun for everyone!

6. Make Your Own Marble Maze
Ok, now we're moving onto the make-at-home projects. But this is EASY! All you need to do is round up some old boxes, cardboard tubes, duck tape and, of course, marbles. Then turn the kids loose! See what they create!

Source: tpcraft.blogspot.com via Pam on Pinterest

7. Make Your Own Money
This is another simple craft that the kids will go crazy over! (It's even better if you happen to have a play cash register on hand.) Just grab some paper, stickers, markers and whatever else you've got and let the kids design their own currency! (The picture below shows how to sew the money, but eh...paper works for me!) When they're done it's also fun to put price tags on toys and play "shop!"

Source: bkids.typepad.com via Katie on Pinterest

8. Cardboard Cars and Castles
You can make yours as simple or elaborate as you want! All you need are cardboard boxes, markers and tape! This is a ton of fun! You can also make cars, ice cream trucks, caves, houses and whatever else your heart desires!

Source: eclecticmom.com via Maria on Pinterest

9. Magazine Collage
This is an oldie but a goodie. (And for some reason I have this tendency to forget about the classics sometimes!) Just grab some old magazines (and boy-oh-boy do I have a mountain of 'em!), glue sticks, scissors, paper, and voila! Insta-art! It's so much fun to see what the kids consider "collage-worthy." This is a collage Luke made last year. He just LOVED that googly-eyed stack of money. :)





10. Scavenger Hunt
This is another classic that never gets old. There's just something so stinkin' fun about racing to find hidden stuff! Just round up some toys and make a list of them (or draw little simple pictures of the items for pre-readers). Hide them wherever your heart desires and see how long it takes the kiddos to find them all! My kids love to call it a "treasure hunt" because they love all things pirate. Such are boys. If you want to get fancy you can even make a map leading to certain items.

photo source



Aaaaaaaand that wraps up my list of rainy day boredom busters! I hope some of these ideas help you survive er...enjoy the next rainy day at your house!

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10 Ways to Have Fun Outside With Your Kids!

I have this great little deck of cards full of fun things to do outside. (I think I bought this way back when I was in high school!) It's called 52 Nature Activities. Well, now that Fall is here I thought it was high time I pull it out and enjoy the crisp air and bright colors with the kids! I just thought I'd share some of my personal favorites that we enjoy, and maybe you will, too. (By-the-way, these are totally fun to do with adults! Kevin and I used to do some of these back when we were dating.) I paraphrased the descriptions of each activity and added in some ideas of my own. I highly recommend the whole deck--for about $6.00 it's a bargain for such a comprehensive set of ideas! They are great to do over and over again and in different seasons. Especially great for homeschoolers!
(Disclaimer: I haven't been compensated to say any of this. I'm just sharing them because I *heart* them!)

1. Soft to Hard
Go outside and gather a bunch of things around you of varying textures (e.g. moss, rocks). Line them up from the softest to the roughest/hardest. You can also line them up by other attributes like coldest to warmest or longest to shortest.

2. Shapes of Things
See how many different shapes can you find outside in nature. Can you find a square? A circle? How about an oval? Can you find any obscure shapes like a parallelogram?

3. Seed by Seed
How many different seeds can you find outside? Can you identify what plants they come from? Do you know how they're transported and how they grow? Find out! Take a picture of each seed and find pictures at home of the plants they will grow into. Make a chart of the seeds and their adult equivalents.

4. Postcard Designer
Cut a rectangle out of a piece of paper to make a "frame. " Go outside and find your own "postcard" scenes by framing your surroundings. Bring a camera and take pics of your favorites! Print them out and send them as postcards friends and relatives wishing them a happy Fall!

5. Nature Crown
Round up a bunch of items outside. Attach them with pipe cleaners to create your own crown! What are you the king or queen of? Rake some fallen leaves into the shape or pile of your choice and rule your kingdom!

6. Nature Alphabet
Gather a bunch of items from outside (e.g. rocks, twigs, leaves) and arrange them to create your own alphabet! Take a camera with you and photograph each letter. Print them out and put them together to make word art!

7. Leaf to Leaf
(The perfect time of year for this one!) How many different types of leaves can you find outside? Can you identify what type of tree they come from? Find out! Make rubbings of them in the appropriate colors and label each one.

8. Designs in Nature
Head outside with a magnifying glass and look for beautiful patterns in nature. Look closely at the intricate spirals of a pine cone or the scattered array of pine needles on the ground. Examine a splotchy patch of moss on a rock. Get lost in the natural beauty of patterns. Take a nature journal with you and sketch your favorite patterns. Or bring your camera and create "pattern art" by putting together a photo collage of your favorites!

9. Blind Walk
Head outside with a blindfold and let a partner lead you around. What do you smell? What do you hear? Have your partner put objects in your hands. Can you guess what they are by feeling? Record your "blind observations" in a nature journal. Try this in the same location in different seasons to observe the changes.

10. Colors of the Rainbow
(Another great one for fall with the changing colors of the leaves!)Round up as many objects outside as you can. Try to make your own rainbow of colors using the items you find. You can also turn it into a race to see who can find each particular color first. Take a picture of your own special rainbow!

I hope this list helped inspire you to get outside and enjoy to beauty of Fall with your littles! :)

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