Fun @ Home

We're almost 40 days into our shelter in place and most days we can easily say we are having fun.  Sure, we are missing our regular routines, but, we are making the most of our time together.

We are keeping basic routines of getting ready every day, keeping the house tidy, learning, having fun and enjoying the sunshine any chance we can get.

I started doing something where I ask the kids each morning -  

What is ONE thing you want to do today?

Then they list one activity that they hope to get to do.  It'll be something like play outside, Play-Doh, an art project, Facetime with _________, bake cookies, etc.  I write their one thing on my daily to do list.  *If their one thing happens to be something that is not possible, we will talk through why it isn't an option for that day (ex: swimming wouldn't work today because it's only 50 degrees outside) and then they'll pick something different to do.  It's been a simple way for me to take into account their hopes for the day as I'm working through my own to do list.  I love asking for their input and letting them help me plan the day.

I'm excited to share some of our favorite FUN things to do at home from this month.

1. Fly a Kite

2. Build a blanket/pillow fort
This is perfect for a rainy day.  My kids love to build Blanket City.  Each blanket is a different type of city.  Our only rule this is that the kids have to help clean up if they want to build a fort.  Also, if they start fighting or arguing the fort gets put away.  They both really enjoy making forts so we rarely have any problems with this.

3. Zoom Meetings or Facetime
Say YES to any zoom meetings or try to Facetime with family and friends.  Olive has a weekly Zoom meeting with her class.  This was her face during their first Zoom call.  She was SO excited to connect with her friends and teacher again.

4. Climb / Play / Explore
Playing outside is probably their #1 favorite activity.

5. Use Your Imagination
I think this game had something to do with firefighters fighting fires.  It was chilly out so no actual water was shot out of these water guns.   I love seeing the games the kids come up with now that they've got much more than usual time at home together.

6. Sidewalk Chalk a Garden
My kids like a theme when we sidewalk chalk.  Some of our favorite themes - flowers, trace outlines of each other, giant pizza slices, rainbows, name art, hopscotch boards, etc.

7. Plan a Picnic (inside or outside!)
I packed the kid's Yumboxes with their favorite foods, let them stay in their pjs through lunch time and then invited them to an indoor picnic.  They loved it.

8. Movie Night
Olive completed another reading log so we celebrated with a movie night & popcorn.  We watched Richie Rich.  We all enjoyed it!  Find fun ways to celebrate your kid's learning milestones at home.  This celebration only required Netflix and a bag of microwave popcorn.  Super easy and Olive felt super special to stay up a little later than normal to watch a movie.

9. Bake
I've baked with the kids, tried new recipes and tried to enjoy having more time at home to cook.  I made cinnamon rolls for Kevin this week and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies before that.

10. Family Walks
We've taken a little break from bike riding as I'm recovering, but walks are still totally doable.  We try to squeeze in a walk any day that the weather is nice.  It's good for all of us to get out and stretch our legs.

What fun things are you doing with your family during this time??