{"id":1963,"date":"2012-06-18T15:38:57","date_gmt":"2012-06-18T15:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.wordpress.com\/?p=1963"},"modified":"2012-06-18T15:38:57","modified_gmt":"2012-06-18T15:38:57","slug":"100-ways-to-make-today-magical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/18\/100-ways-to-make-today-magical\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Ways to Make Today Magical"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><em><strong>I&#8217;ve been lax in posting here while we&#8217;ve been dealing with Victoria&#8217;s health struggles, so I thought I&#8217;d make up for it with an extra special &#8220;ways to make the day magical&#8221; post!\u00a0 Here&#8217;s 100 ways to make the day magical that have been featured in past posts&#8230;<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\">1.\u00a0 During the night, decorate the living room with streamers and a big sign that says \u201cHappy _____ Day!\u201d (marmot day, random day, I love you day, blueberry day\u2026)\u00a0 Make up traditions for the day together\u2013 you must wear purple, it\u2019s traditional to eat ice cream for breakfast, whatever.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#808000;\"><strong>2.\u00a0 Teach the kids to whistle with blades of grass and stage your own backyard grass concert together.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>3.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><strong><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">Play with water balloons.\u00a0 Get creative with how to throw them.\u00a0 For instance, we like to throw them straight up and try to be as close as possible to where they land.\u00a0 We also like to make targets and try to catch them without breaking them.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>4.\u00a0<\/strong> <\/span><strong><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">Make a love box.\u00a0 Find a fun, small box and put a treat inside.\u00a0 Leave it on someone\u2019s pillow, at their seat at the dinner table or in a lunch box.\u00a0 The person has to put something in it and pass it on to another family member.\u00a0 Ideas for treats\u2013 a chocolate, a tiny toy, a poem, a drawing, a love letter, a fresh flower, a list of things you love about the person, a coupon for a back rub\u2026\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#3366ff;\"><strong>5.\u00a0 Make squirt gun art.\u00a0 Give the kids each a piece of poster board and some washable markers and ask them to use lots of colors and make a design all over the posterboard.\u00a0 They can do lines, colored circles, patterns, whatever.\u00a0 The more color the better!\u00a0 Hang them on the clothes line or prop them up in the back yard and give each child a squirt gun filled with water.\u00a0 Have them squirt their pictures to make the ink run and make new designs, colors and patterns.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>6.\u00a0 Visit a museum together.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4093\/4893136608_f2d20ab392.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\">\u00a0<strong>7.\u00a0 Let the kids camp out in the back yard or living room.\u00a0 Better yet, join them.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget the campfire songs!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#008000;\">8.\u00a0 Fade some clothes.\u00a0 Let each child pick a dark or bright colored T-shirt and gather an assortment or rocks or other small, heavy shapes.\u00a0 Have the kids arrange their shapes on the T-shirts in a sunny place where they can remain undisturbed for a few days.\u00a0 Have them check their shirts every few days until they have faded enough to make the pattern really visible.\u00a0<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\"><strong>9.\u00a0 Throw a theme potluck\u2013 everyone must bring a dish that starts with A, has exactly 3 ingredients or is a certain color, for example.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t want to have to clean first, stage it at a park.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>10.\u00a0 Buy a pack of toilet paper for the sole purpose of goofy fun.\u00a0 Wrap your kids up into mummies, make toilet paper streamers and run through the yard, toss it and see how long you can get the tail as you throw, experiment with getting it wet and having \u201csnowball\u201d fights with it\u2026 If you can, compost it when you\u2019re finished.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008080;\"><strong>11.\u00a0 Take a field trip to someplace you\u2019ve never been in your community\u2013 a factory, museum, or even an old graveyard.\u00a0 Really explore it and talk about what you find.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>12.\u00a0 Play detective.\u00a0 Take the kids to a \u201cscene of the crime\u201d like an empty lot or quiet park.\u00a0 Give them notebooks and have them really look at the surroundings, then have them make up a story of what happened there based on the evidence.\u00a0 There are two tire tracks but only one set of footprints, so one person never got out of the car\u2026. have them come up with their own stories.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>13.\u00a0 Make a canopy out of fabric, sheets or lace curtains over your child\u2019s bed.\u00a0 You can make something for the night or something more permanent.\u00a0 Kids love the privacy and the fun of canopies!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>14.\u00a0 Sit down and paint, sketch or sculpt with your kids.\u00a0 Sure, you give them crafts to do but how often do you sit down for an hour and join in?\u00a0 They\u2019ll love the extra attention and you might not realize how much fun you\u2019ll have!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800080;\"><strong>15.\u00a0 Look at old videos of your children as babies, and even of the times before they were born.\u00a0 Talk about how you felt during those times and retell the stories that go along with them.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>16.\u00a0 Do three sweet things today for each family member.\u00a0 They can be tiny little things, just something to show you love them that you know will make them happy.\u00a0 Buy your honey a big bag of his favorite treats and bring it to him after supper.\u00a0 Leave the dishes and go read a story to your toddler.\u00a0 Give extra monkey hugs (in our family, we dip kids upside down and holler \u201cmonkey hug!\u201d and swing them back up\u2013 then repeat until exhaustion), and so on.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>17.\u00a0 Have the kids put on a show for the family.\u00a0 They can dance, sing, act, you name it.\u00a0 Ask them to spend the day preparing it, then offer to charge admission after supper (to you, older relatives, whoever).\u00a0 It can be a talent show, variety show, or whatever they like.\u00a0 Help them put together costumes, music, and the works.\u00a0 For little ones, you can do the same thing but scale down the preparation.\u00a0 Let them wear tutus and spin around with scarves, then sing \u201cI\u2019m a little teapot\u201d for doting onlookers.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>18. Find a park that offers something different like paddle boats, horseback riding, or even horseshoes.\u00a0 Spend a lazy day connecting and having fun.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1059\/4733855951_9e95359fb7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>19.\u00a0 Chase fireflies.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#808000;\"><strong>20.\u00a0 Make puppets and put on a puppet show.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4025\/4716537812_842a084c9b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">21. Gather sticks in the back yard and some fun art supplies (paint, glitter, baubles\u2026) and make magic wands.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#993300;\">22.\u00a0 Bake cookies.\u00a0 The more decadent, the better.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\">23.\u00a0 Walk around town adding food coloring to puddles.\u00a0 Magical Mama Tiffany says, \u201cWouldn\u2019t it be fun to go walking and find all different colors of puddles?!\u201d.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>24.\u00a0 Use clean sand castle molds to make ice cream castles.\u00a0 Decorate wildly and eat!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>25.\u00a0 Play the sock game.\u00a0 Everybody puts on socks and sits in a circle, then tries to pull everybody else\u2019s socks off while keeping their own on.\u00a0 Whoever is last to have a sock on wins!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>26.\u00a0 Blow raspberries on everybody\u2019s bellies.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#000080;\"><strong>27. Leave a candy bar and a note for the mailman.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>28.\u00a0 Have the kids play dress up in their most fanciful clothes and then go on an evening walk around the neighborhood.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3345\/3485454580_cc3b3b880c.jpg?v=0\" alt=\"\" width=\"230\" height=\"250\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>29.\u00a0 Start a snail habitat.\u00a0 Magical Mama Jen shared this sweet idea years ago for the Magical Childhood newsletter\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>I have always loved snails, and while out with Sage a month or so ago, we were looking at snails and how they have 2 sets of antennae, etc\u2026and I thought\u2026why not bring them IN?\u00a0 Soooo\u2026.I searched on the internet to see what snails need to be able ot survive indoors.\u00a0 All you need is a large container with air holes (of course, lol)\u00a0 In the bottom, place about an inch of gravel\u2026then a couple inches of soil on top of that.\u00a0 Place some \u201cgreenery\u201d from outside in there\u2026it will root and grow very well\u2026.also, give them a rock to play on, lol, and lean a stick in there\u2026..a good idea is to place some moss on some of the soil to help retain moisture for them.\u00a0 They eat fruit and veggie scraps\u2026..ours love carrot and cucumber, but do NOT like cantaloupe or celery.\u00a0 It\u2019s been quite educational for us to have them\u2026as well and fun\u2026you can see their mouths open up, they have a row of teeth called a Radula that they rub on food to eat it..very neat to see their open mouths as they stick to the container.\u00a0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/s1.wp.com\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/icon_surprised.gif?m=1129645325g\" alt=\":o\" \/> )<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>You should mist their habitat every day or so, keeping their home moist, but not overly so.\u00a0 Also\u2026the chlorine in water is bad for them, so either leave a container of water open outside for a couple days to let the chlorine evaporate, or boil water for about 10 minutes. (lid off)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>You should also clean out their home every week or so\u2026and a tip that I saw on one web site was to put their food on a little piece of wood, or something to that effect, so once it starts to get a little \u201cicky\u201d, you can just take the wood out and rinse it off\u2026.much easier than digging around in there with your hands to remove the left overs.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>Hope that helps some\u2026if you need more info, try typing \u201csnail habitat\u201d in a search engine\u2026.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>30.\u00a0 Go for a walk in the rain with your child.\u00a0 Umbrellas optional.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>31.\u00a0 Have a bubble relay outside\u2013 players blow or carry their bubbles from person to person and start over if they pop.\u00a0 Alternately, blow a bubble and see if you can work as a team to blow it across a finish line.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">32.\u00a0 Help the kids make these pretty pens from strips of their art or favorite scrapbooking papers.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com\/2010\/04\/prettying-up-regular-pens.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">Chocolate on my Cranium<\/span><\/a> has the super easy instructions.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2722\/4497625772_dd66f22913.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"424\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>33.\u00a0 Make up a miniature golf course in the backyard or living room.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>34.\u00a0 Throw a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/attachment-parenting-in-mankato\/how-to-throw-a-fairy-party\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\">fairy party<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn2-b.examiner.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/image_full_width\/hash\/3d\/2f\/3d2f23c66e3ed9ab4188a5f65d6cec9e.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"323\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/image_full_width\/hash\/12\/16\/121626de7cf62cb1245d07b4d97da1c5.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"323\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>35.\u00a0 Find a patch of clover and find four leaf clovers.\u00a0 My kids find dozens.\u00a0 To preserve them, press them between a small, folded piece of waxed paper in a heavy book.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800080;\"><strong>36.\u00a0 Find some whimsical stickers and help the kids scatter them around the house in half-secret places.\u00a0 We once used a sheet of dragonfly rub-ons this way and it was so fun to happen upon them.\u00a0 You can put them inside a dresser drawer or cabinet drawer, on baseboards or mirrors, anywhere.\u00a0 Make sure they\u2019re removable if you don\u2019t want permanent whimsy!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>37.\u00a0 Make tissue paper resist prints.\u00a0 The<a href=\"http:\/\/www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com\/2010\/01\/easy-reverse-resist-paintings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"> Frugal Family Fun Blog<\/span><\/a> tells you how.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/i490.photobucket.com\/albums\/rr264\/vdeneen\/heartresist1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>38<\/strong>.<strong>\u00a0 Start an \u201cI love you\u201d journal together on the inside of your cupboard doors.\u00a0 Cover them with contact paper for easy removal (and for keepsakes).\u00a0 Take turns leaving notes to each other, artwork, recording special moments, etc.\u00a0 Make sure little ones understand which places are okay for this special graffiti.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>39. Make a blanket fort on the clothesline.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4041\/4694355571_757f094fca.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>40. <\/strong><strong>Make <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pedagonet.com\/videos\/paperboat.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#800000;\">paper boats<\/span><\/a> and sail them in puddles or the kiddie pool.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#339966;\">41.\u00a0 Or fill the kiddie pool with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23788-Mankato-Attachment-Parenting-Examiner%7Ey2010m6d9-21-fun-things-to-put-in-kiddie-pools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#339966;\">something else<\/span><\/a> like bubble solution for giant bubbles, oobleck or water and colored oil.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>42.\u00a0 Meet some friends at a science museum.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4034\/4694994038_288a300431.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>43.\u00a0 Mail your child a postcard telling her how much you love her.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#808000;\"><strong>44.\u00a0 Write a song together and record it yourselves singing it.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>45.\u00a0 Make homemade lemonade.\u00a0 Find a way to make it unique to your family.\u00a0 For instance, we put a handful of mint leaves in when making a sugar syrup for ours (one cup sugar, one cup water, simmer till the sugar dissolves and the mint is fragrant, then combine with 4 cups of water and 1 to 1 1\/2 cups lemon juice, to taste) and garnished with mint.\u00a0 Also consider using frozen berries for ice cubes, adding a couple of scoops of a bright juice concentrate or serving with ice cubes that have edible flowers (without pesticides!) inside.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4010\/4694354873_15411b723a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>46.\u00a0 Sketch your child as he sleeps.\u00a0 Let go of any criticism about your artistic abilities and just enjoy the process of really studying your child and capturing a moment.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#339966;\"><strong>47. Go rock hunting for smooth stones and use paint or permanent markers to write inspirational words like \u201ccourage,\u201d \u201cstrength,\u201d \u201clove\u201d or \u201claugh\u201d on them \u2014 or even just silly faces and symbols.\u00a0 Put one in your pocket on days you need it, and let the kids do the same.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\">48. Have a glow-in-the-dark treasure hunt after dark.<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>49.\u00a0 Take a horse drawn carriage ride.\u00a0 We went two weekends in a row because we happened upon them, once at a winery and once at a historic event.\u00a0 At $5 and $3 each, it was worth the cost for a really wonderful experience.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4019\/4676585422_e4ca9600e1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800080;\"><strong>50.\u00a0 Record a new wacky or sweet greeting on the answering machine together.\u00a0 Keep it short but fun!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>51. Make <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/examiner\/x-23788-Mankato-Attachment-Parenting-Examiner%7Ey2010m6d3-Five-easy-outdoor-crafts\"><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\">nature pendants<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 (Jack made a billion of these plus bookmarks the other day and loved it, though you can\u2019t tell by this look on his face!)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4022\/4676580370_7acb70fd9b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>52.\u00a0 Call some local museums and find out when they have free days to visit (many are free all the time!). Spend an afternoon just dawdling and enjoying yourself there.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4066\/4658375863_2b4bc5118f.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>53.\u00a0 After dark, head outside together and howl at the moon.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\"><strong>54.\u00a0 Make <a href=\"http:\/\/baking.about.com\/cs\/sorbets\/a\/basicsorbet.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\">fresh fruit sorbets<\/span><\/a> in the ice cream maker.\u00a0 No ice cream maker?\u00a0 Make it <a href=\"http:\/\/www.momsbudget.com\/playtime\/homemadesorbetrecipe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\">in a bag<\/span><\/a>!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#808000;\"><strong>55.\u00a0 Make some <a href=\"http:\/\/goddesshobbies.blogspot.com\/2009\/08\/ecolovies-toad-houses-but-frogs-are.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#808000;\">toad houses<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/lh3.ggpht.com\/_57F6wVI0CKc\/Sn2e_AkpHII\/AAAAAAAAdqI\/IccXBDn0B64\/s512\/IMG_0939.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"341\" height=\"512\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>56.\u00a0\u00a0 Have a breakfast picnic in the park.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>57. Run in the sprinkler together.\u00a0 Yes, you too!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#3366ff;\"><strong>58.\u00a0 Make up some <a href=\"http:\/\/quirkymomma.com\/2011\/fizzing-sidewalk-paint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#3366ff;\">fizzing sidewalk chalk<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Quirky Momma has all the details on how to take homemade sidewalk chalk paint to the next level.\u00a0 This is definitely on our to-do list this week!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/quirkymomma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/fizzing-paint3-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>59.\u00a0 Put birthday candles in each child\u2019s dinner tonight.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter if dinner is sandwiches and it\u2019s 9 months from their birthdays, kids just love blowing out candles and feeling special.\u00a0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/s0.wp.com\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g\" alt=\":)\" \/> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>60.\u00a0 Go someplace beautiful together.\u00a0 Is there a hill outside of the city where you can park and watch the lights below?\u00a0 A Japanese garden with peaceful spots to relax?\u00a0 Find someplace beautiful and just sit and talk.\u00a0 Bring a treat like a bag of fresh chocolate chip cookies or old fashioned root beer in bottles, and just unwind together.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800080;\"><strong>61.\u00a0 Try painting on salt.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/totschool.shannons.org\/?p=4499&amp;utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=painting-on-salt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#800080;\">Tot School<\/span><\/a> has the simple directions.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/totschool.shannons.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/SaltPainting-1322-Small-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>62. That idea was inspired by one on A Bit of This and a Bit of That.\u00a0 For another of their whimsical projects, try <a href=\"http:\/\/jojoebi.blogspot.com\/2010\/05\/salt-chalk-painting.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\">salt chalk painting<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>63.\u00a0 Have a jam session.\u00a0 Gather up instruments and make your own by filling tins with pennies and getting pots to bang on.\u00a0 Find as many different types as you can, and then sit everybody down on the floor.\u00a0 Have someone start with a back beat and then one by one join in.\u00a0 We started a retreat with this when I was on the board of a state organization, and it was a hoot even for a room full of us old folks.\u00a0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/s1.wp.com\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/icon_wink.gif?m=1129645325g\" alt=\";)\" \/> \u00a0 Be as loud a you want!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>64.\u00a0 Make homemade popsicles.\u00a0 We use fruit juice and sometimes freeze different flavors and colors in layers to make them especially fun.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>65.\u00a0 Do some <a href=\"http:\/\/fingerpaintsuperheroes.blogspot.com\/2011\/03\/spring-window-art.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color:#008000;\">spring window art<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Fingerpaint &amp; Superheroes shows you how.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-aY4a-HWcKZY\/TYIiNuPi6rI\/AAAAAAAAAmI\/DISNpOYFu7E\/s400\/IMG_7537.JPG\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>66.\u00a0 Pick out some older clothes and let the kids decorate them with markers.\u00a0 You can use washable markers (keep in mind that not all might wash out) and let kids make new designs each time, or you can use permanent ones.\u00a0 Fabric markers can add special highlights too.\u00a0 Here\u2019s my girls years ago in some home-designed patterns.\u00a0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/s0.wp.com\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g\" alt=\":)\" \/> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5222\/5790696119_ef6143ae2e.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#993300;\"><strong>67. Make mud art!\u00a0 Find a good place to dig in the dirt and provide some water, spoons, platters and pretties to decorate with (we used dried flower petals, dried beans and pasta, and beads).\u00a0 Let the kids mix up mud andmake whatever designs they like and leave them to dry.\u00a0 Take pictures and then just rinse and reuse the special stuff later.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2673\/3763592706_2ac53afa6d.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>68.\u00a0 Let the kids arrange some 2\u00d74 boards on the lawn in a funky pattern or their initials.\u00a0 Wait a\u00a0few days\u00a0and let the sun &#8220;brand&#8221; your lawn.\u00a0 The covered area will be brown in the shape the kids made.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s temporary.\u00a0 The grass will green up again soon after.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>69.\u00a0 Make a celebration cake &#8220;just because.&#8221;\u00a0 Add candles and too much icing.\u00a0 If you want, go all out and eat it with your hands.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>70.\u00a0 Give your kids facials.\u00a0 Include a slow, circular face massage with cleansing lotion followed by a warm washcloth soak.\u00a0 Follow that with a masque (there are great recipes online) while you sit and talk.\u00a0 Finish with a light moisturizer in a delicious scent.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#339966;\"><strong>71.\u00a0 Make up a family dance line routine.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>72.\u00a0 Have a sidewalk parade with neighborhood kids.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#000080;\"><strong>73.\u00a0 Visit thrift shops for an old piece of furniture and repaint it together.\u00a0<\/strong> <strong>Make it as whimsical, funky or dramatic as they like.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#3366ff;\"><strong>74. Dedicate a song to your child on the radio.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>75.\u00a0 Have a watermelon seed spitting contest outside.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>76. Take apart a cheap wall clock and let the kids decorate the face before putting it back up.\u00a0 For little ones, do painted hand prints.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"color:#808000;\"><strong>77. Put bubbles in the kiddie pool!\u00a0 Just add a generous squirt of bubble bath or good quality dish soap and then spray fresh water into the pool.\u00a0 We used Dawn dish soap and had bubbles for over an hour!\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n<div><strong><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3445\/3762796481_51433d6b8b.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>78. Invent a recipe together.\u00a0 Make up a standard cookie, cake or pancake recipe and then brainstorm on things to add.\u00a0 Write it all down in a family cookbook as you go (with measurements) &amp; afterwards write suggestions on improvements for next time.\u00a0 One of the most fun parts is you get to come up with your own name for your recipe\u2013 that and getting to eat it all up.\u00a0 <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/s0.wp.com\/wp-includes\/images\/smilies\/icon_smile.gif?m=1129645325g\" alt=\":)\" \/><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800080;\"><strong>79.\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Make<\/strong><strong> snow cones!\u00a0 You can make up your own syrup for on top (<a href=\"http:\/\/family.go.com\/food\/recipe-sk-19111-homemade-snow-cones-t\/\"><span style=\"color:#800080;\">here\u2019s<\/span><\/a> an easy recipe using kool-aid powder) but it\u2019s even easier (and loads healthier) to just use fruit juice concentrate (undiluted).\u00a0 Crush your ice in the blender or let the kids pound it in a big ziplock baggie covered with a dish towel.\u00a0 Then scoop it into cups or dishes and just drizzle your syrup of choice and serve!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>80.\u00a0 Go see a pageant (a historic play) or other outdoor show.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3471\/3762797163_5bacb2e59c.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>81.\u00a0 Better yet, sign up to be part of one!<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2521\/3763594140_e6fb0c7dcd.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>82.\u00a0 Have a puzzle marathon.\u00a0 Pick out a big, challenging puzzle and clear a spot at the table. \u00a0 Get some snacks, arrange a great soundtrack and sit and chat and eat and work on it together <\/strong><strong>as a family until it\u2019s done.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>83.\u00a0 Help the kids run a popsicle or lemonade stand.\u00a0 Decide on a great goal for the earnings, whether it will be donated to charity like a local animal shelter, used for some fabulous family fun or applied towards a treat the kids have been yearning for.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>84.\u00a0 Find an outdoor concert to attend together.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>85.\u00a0 Make a date with one of the kids for a daybreak breakfast together.\u00a0 Get some tasty treats for the occasion like a thermos of chocolate milk and some blueberry muffins and wake your child just in time to find a cozy spot to watch the sunrise and enjoy your special breakfast.\u00a0 Then, if you get so lucky, you can go back to bed!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>86.\u00a0 Scatter wildflower seeds in dull places.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>87.\u00a0 Make up a bunch of wonderful pictures and bring them to decorate doors and walls at a retirement home.\u00a0 Go door to door offering them to residents and make people\u2019s day (and let your kids get delightfully fawned over!).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#993300;\"><strong>88.\u00a0 Make moth paint!\u00a0 From a very old issue of the Magical Childhood newsletter:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color:#993300;\"><strong>Did you know there are more than 10,000 species of moths?\u00a0 For an interesting nocturnal adventure, mix up a batch of this goo and trek outside after dark to see how many you can spot.\u00a0 Mix two over-ripe bananas, 4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 cup of apple juice and paint it onto several tree trunks.\u00a0 After dark, head out with the kiddos and a flashlight to see if any moths have come to dine.\u00a0 Their eyes will reflect the light and they will often stay and munch despite you, so you get a chance to identify different kinds and get an up-close look at the little creatures.\u00a0 Some people mix up very elaborate concoctions, often involving beer and molasses, while others say that just smearing a mashed watermelon will do the job.\u00a0 Still, warm, moist nights are supposed to work best.\u00a0 Happy hunting!<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><strong>89. Look for shooting stars.\u00a0 This time of the year the sky is filled with them.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3493\/3763594892_2bba79f1d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>90. Make art for lunch.\u00a0 Spread a tortilla with cream cheese or almond butter and then give kids an assortment of colorful fruits, veggies and other healthy foods to make their own mosaic picture.\u00a0 You can cut things like green and red peppers into strips, halve cherry tomatoes and grapes, slice olives and cheese, etc.\u00a0 Take a picture before they eat their creations!<\/strong><\/span><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>91.\u00a0 Visit a farmers\u2019 market.\u00a0 Pick out some fresh, local foods and take the time to chat with the vendors.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find good deals, get good food and help the community.\u00a0 You can often find fabulous other finds too, from homemade soaps to fresh cookies to jewelry.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#333399;\"><strong>92.\u00a0 Take up a new sport.\u00a0 We picked up some badminton rackets and birdies at a garage sale last week and our whole family has been having a blast playing badminton every day since then.\u00a0 We rigged up a net using a hammock and bamboo stakes in the back yard.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s tennis or t-ball, find a new way to play outside.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>93.\u00a0 Find a children\u2019s book that\u2019s set in your area and read it together.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know of any, ask your local librarian or do a google search.\u00a0 We\u2019re in the area of <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">On the Banks of Plum Creek<\/span> here and we have friends who recently discovered that their cabin is near the fictional site of <span style=\"text-decoration:underline;\">My Side of the Mountain<\/span>.\u00a0 Do a little sleuthing and find some story to visit where you can feel that added kinship to the characters.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#800000;\"><strong>94.\u00a0 Explore a local historic site.\u00a0 Jesse James and the Younger Brothers were in a big shoot-out just up the highway from us and the kids love visiting the site and imagining the battle.\u00a0 At another site we find Native American artifacts and imagine how different life was here just a couple of hundred years ago.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff00ff;\"><strong>95.\u00a0 Extend the fireworks season by sprinkling pop rocks on cupcakes.\u00a0 Okay, it\u2019s quite junky but the kids will delight at geting a popping surprise with every bite!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>96. Find a good hill and roll down it!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2556\/3763591230_4b84feece7.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\"><strong>97.\u00a0 Doll the kids up and do a photo shoot.\u00a0 Make it as glamorous, funny or theatrical as they like, complete with props.\u00a0 Help them pose and take a billion pictures.\u00a0 Or if they prefer, let them doll you up and play fashion photographer for YOU.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#993300;\"><strong>98. Make your own puzzle.\u00a0 Have the kids assemble an old puzzle and when it\u2019s all together, take it outside and spray paint it white.\u00a0 When it\u2019s dry, give them paints or markers and have them create a new picture for it.\u00a0 Remind them to try to cover as many of the pieces with the picture as possible to make it easier to assemble.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\"><strong>99<\/strong>. <strong>Hand out permanent markers and plain white socks, and let the kids make some fun feet!\u00a0 Check out these cuties that Victoria made for Alex!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4115\/4940513556_5bbb9541b0.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>100<\/strong>. <strong>Try to conduct your entire family dinner conversation in song.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#0000ff;\"><em><strong>And with that, chickadees, I&#8217;m off to wrestle the laundry and plan some sort of marvelously messy art project.\u00a0 Have a wonderful week!<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve been lax in posting here while we&#8217;ve been dealing with Victoria&#8217;s health struggles, so I thought I&#8217;d make up for it with an extra special &#8220;ways to make the day magical&#8221; post!\u00a0 Here&#8217;s 100 ways to make the day magical that have been featured in past posts&#8230; 1.\u00a0 During the night, decorate the living&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[253],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1963"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1963\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/magicalchildhood.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}