Unanticipated days off from school can present some significant challenges for we parents. This entry is meant to provide you with 12 ideas on making the most out of them, each of which is probably better for your kid(s) than vedging in front of the TV or Xbox all day.
• Use the problem solving method to develop plans for the summer. Ask you kid(s) to generate at least 10 ideas for summer activities or plans without evaluating them. After the ideas are generated, ask them to rate each of them from one to ten, with ten being the best idea (ideas can have the same rating). Then, if they are old enough, ask them to start researching things like dates and costs.
• Make a snow person family on the property where you live.
• Use the snow from shoveling driveways or walkways to build snow forts and have snowball battles. (You may have to make rules about the weight of snowballs. I wonder if Bill Belichick or Tom Brady might have some advice to offer 😉 ) You might also augment these battles with water guns!
• Try geocaching. This activity involves using a handheld GPS to find hidden treasures. Just Google the term to learn about this universe around you. Alternatively, you could set up your own treasure hunt inside and outside your home.
• Have your kids produce their own movie. Write a plot (or improv it), have costumes, make up, direction, filming, and so forth.
• Have your own cupcake wars. Invite a neighbor in to judge. Get a trophy for the winner.
• Have a photo contest regarding the outdoor winter wonderland. Find someone to judge the pictures, making sure to keep undisclosed who authored which pictures. Arrange for a nice prize (e.g., I love winning back rubs).
• Create some crafts using family photos; most of us have a ton of these on our phones. Again, many ideas are available online.
• Do makeovers on each other, incorporating makeup, hair and clothes. (When my girls were younger they loved applying makeup to me.)
• Have a tournament with any games you might have that involve physical activity (e.g., ping pong, Wii games).
• Perform science experiments. Here’s a site with some good ideas.
• Play winter wiffle ball (use socks and a broom stick if you don’t have a wiffle ball and bat). You can play with as few as two, but you could probably easily find other kids to play with a little effort. (IMHO, baseball is God’s sport. Who says it has to be warm out to have a ton of fun with it!)
I bet you’ll find that you can make some pretty special memories doing these activities, so be sure to take some pictures and videos as you go!
Dr. David Palmiter's Blog for Hectic Parents 