Happy Monday!
We’re back from the wilds of Nebraska and settling back into normal life. It was a fun time but it’s good to be home.
I wrote out a list of ten ways to make the day magical while at a science museum in Nebraska last week, but I seem to have accidentally left it in the play area. Someone else must have stumbled onto a very strange little to-do list written in colored pencil. 🙂
I’ve forgotten all of those ones, so I’ll have to dream up some new! Here’s some ways to make a little magic with your kiddos this week…
1. Make a marble circus. Paris Bourke has a printable you can print, color and cut, then attach to a shoe box.
2. Do some campfire science.
3. Make glow stick lanterns by simply breaking glow sticks and pouring them into glass jars (mix colors for extra fun). Lil Blue Boo has the simple instructions.
4. Make a mix of songs that all have meaning for your child — songs with her name in it, songs about the state you live in, favorite animals, you name it.
5. Create an altered cookbook. Take a lousy cookbook and assign this challenge– kids must pick a recipe from it and change 3 items in the ingredients to form a new family recipe. Write over the recipe with a funky colored pen (each family member gets her own color) to make changes. Try to make the recipes as different from the original as possible, and tastier. After tasting the final creation, the family rates the recipe and writes that in next to the entry.
6. Make some colorful catapults. Family Fun has simple instructions or design your own. My four-year loves to use everything from forks to rulers to make up homemade ones. 🙂
7. Use washable markers to give each other temporary tattoos.
8. Have a sack race. Pillow cases work well. Everybody hop to the finish line. Older kids and grown ups can hop backwards.
9. August is a great time to “catch” falling stars. Lie outside on a blanket together and wait to see if you can spot any. While you’re waiting, it’s a great opportunity to just talk.
10. Teach the kids to do the macarena and then video tape the fun. You join in too!
And with that, I’m off to a prenatal appointment and a play date with a certain 13 year-old.
Kiss your babies (even the big ones), count your blessings, and don’t forget to take care of you!
I love so many of your suggestions! I am out home with my two little ones, but my 2 year old seems to get bored in seriously like 2 seconds. Think maybe we’ll try to tattoos today. Looking forward to checking back to get more good ideas!