This week is Fall Break for us here in Tennessee for those that attend school. Yep I have my wonderful boys for two full weeks. Now that I have them what do I do with them? This is the question many parents ask. I understand that heaps of parents do not have the option of staying at home like I do and many moms and dads are busy with work and are looking to maximize the quality time they get with their kids. I really do understand that because once upon I time I used to work 60 plus hours a week.
Do not fear! I am here with tons of ideas to help you make a fun day with your kids! These ideas are designed for cooler weather but can be changed to fit whatever climate you live in.
Since it is cold and wet here we will be mostly indoors. The first thing that is on my "TO DO LIST" with my kids is simple, color! There are TONS and I mean TONS of free printable coloring pages out there from children's websites. Nickjr.com has quite a few that can be had in their most popular characters like Olivia and GO! Diego GO! . You can also search in your web browser and get tons of sites.
2. Paint. Since it is fall and fall means leaves and pumpkins. Before you paint make sure you have all the supplies you need. I like to cover everything in newspaper, including the work area and the floor. I let the kids were old T-shirts to paint in since smocks are kind of hard to find. I like to use paint brushes with different sized tips from small to large, and I try to use the ones that have a TRIANGLE handle, the shape lets the kids use the brush like a pencil, and lets them use their tri-finger pencil grip with ease. Make sure the paint is water soluble, and is NON-TOXIC and is safe for kids. Trust me, they will get paint in places you never thought possible.
I like to take the kids outside with a bucket to gather leaves of different sizes, acorns, rocks, sticks and anything else that they like. If the items are wet dry them off as best as you can and if the leaves are wet press them between two paper towels and set a book on them and allow to dry OVER NIGHT.
When we paint we use construction paper, paper plates and card stock, but any paper product will work. I use Dixie cups to divide the paint up by color, and a plastic cup to hold the water and brushes. The kids like the clear cups so they can see the water change colors when they rinse their brushes. Let them paint one side of the leaves and whatever else the pick up from outside and them press it onto their paper.
This lets the kids see the textures of the leaves and the surfaces of their items. They can use different colors and make a fall scene they can be proud of!
3. Paint Pumpkins! Everybody has seen the cute little pumpkins on sale at their local store for cheap. They are the PERFECT size for small hands. Pick up a few and let your kids paint them. Don't be scared to use the ones with textured surfaces, often kids like the bumpy ones better! They can have spooky faces, silly faces, add some yarn and give them hair with a bit of hot glue to hold it on. You can use buttons for eyes, construction paper or felt for a hat. The possibilities is endless! Then sit your end product on a table for a homemade center piece that is touchable!
4. Spooky Cut Outs! Construction paper is cheap and it can be bought in large amounts. For this alone I LOVE it! For this you can use water paints, crayons, markers, or whatever you happen to have on hand.
Draw shapes of ghosts, pumpkins, and monsters on construction paper, then let your kids color them. Some older kids can help you cut them out, but be sure to let them use safety scissors. Remember the less detailed the limbs are, like hands and hair, the easier it is to cut them out. I like to cut out eyes and tape a different colored square of constriction paper on the back side to give them different colored eyes. Then tape them to any surface of your choosing, but make sure it is somewhere where they can be admired!
5. Bird feeders. These will not be squirrel proof, but they are fun. I know that if you like us you go through milk like crazy. Save some milk jugs, make sure they are rinsed out well though and keep the lids.
Step one is to draw a large oval or square on your milk jug. I like to use the sides opposite if the handle. Then cut it out using kitchen shears or some sharp scissors, this recommended to be done by adults only. Make sure the hole will be large enough for a bird to get into the jug, think of the size of a Blue Jay.
Next paint the jug with Non-toxic kid safe paint. (Remember to cover your work area with newspaper or a drop cloth and to let the kids wear an old T-shirt) Let the jugs dry overnight or till they are completely dry!
Once dry drill two small holes through the neck of the jug, the holes need to be large enough to allow you to thread twine through them with ease. Once drilled thread twine through the holes and cut the twine with enough length to allow it to hang from a tree branch.
You also need a third hole. This will be for the perch. For the perch you can use a stick from the yard, but make sure it is at least 1/2 inch in diameter and that it is not rotted so it will support a bird, or you can go to the local hardware store and by wooden rods and cut them to size with a small saw. Some craft stores sell small pre-cut perches also. Cover the end of the stick in a strong glue like Gorilla Glue and place it in the hole you drilled. Allow the glue to set and dry. Make sure to place the lid back on it so that rain will not get in it from the top.
Once the glue is dry pick out a place to hang it. A tie the twine around the branch, and fill with bird seed. The kids will love watching the birds at the feeder, and they will love filling it back up. Plus it's good for the environment!
6. A movie Picnic. For an afternoon that is dreary get out a quilt and make a living room picnic. We usually pop popcorn and make hot chocolate for this event, make sure to use a cup with a lid. Watch some family favorites like "The Wizard of OZ", "Babe", "Wall-E" and have a blast snuggling and laughing. The dreary afternoon will be fun and the mind numbing stream of endless cartoons and video games will be halted for some quality time. My boys love it when we have a movie marathon picnic, try watching several Harry Potters or the Land Before Time movies back to back.
7. Charity. Christmas and extremely cold weather will be here before you can blink. October is the perfect month to get ready for it if you haven't already. Change out your summer wardrobe for Winter clothes and donate your summer clothes that you know you will not wear again to a Charity. I know that kids grow fast and the winter clothes that fit good last year might be too small for this year, so while your unpacking your winter items check the labels and if they are too small make sure they go to charity as well. This is also the perfect time to go through toy boxes and bookshelves. Trust me if you don't do it now you will be kicking yourself come Christmas morning when your house looks like a toy store puked in it. If there is not a local Charity in your area ask around, there is always a family in need somewhere and many local churches and food banks also accept clothing and household items.
8. Read. Yep, read to them. Even the most time pinched parent can sit down and read a book to a child. I cannot stress enough how much spending 15 minutes a day reading to a child can make a difference.
It doesn't have to be a huge book, just a simple one. Cat in the Hat, The little Red Hen or even a comic book will do. If you show that you like to read it will improve their skill for reading! Reading well is a must for school and they will be reading for the rest of their lives so give them a good start!
If you don't have books to read go to the local library or Goodwill. Often at charity stores they have used books for cheap. Another added bonus is they quality time you will get out of reading to your child. They will remember snuggling up and you reading them a book, and they will look foreword to it. My four year old refuses to go to bed without his story, it is part of our nightly routine and helps him relax for bed. Trust me he is a busy boy and he needs to relax before bed or we would be up all night with him. It's a wonderful tool and it allows us to unwind a bit too!
I hope these 8 ideas will help you get through Fall Break with a small part of your sanity intact. If you need to get out of the house with your little ones and it is dry try a park, an ice cream trip, or even a simple walk around the block. Or if you feeling a bit more adventurous take them skating, or rock wall climbing. All that matters in the end is that you got to spend some quality time with them while they are away from the pressures of school. Happy Hump Day!
