A Week of Ideas for You and Your Kids (Round 3)
The warm, sunny weather over the weekend really lifted my mood. We took a family hike and for a brief moment things felt almost normal. This week I am trying as usual to stay positive, take it one day at a time and not be too hard on myself when I freak out. Here are a week's worth of ideas for you and your kids!
Monday: Playdough Sensory Play
Set your kids up with some play dough and a variety of small objects and figures and let them play and imagine. This keeps both of my girls occupied for quiet awhile. Portia loves these sensory kits but you can also make your own playdough ( last forevers and is worth the flour) and use whatever small figures or toys you have around the house!
No Cook Playdough:
2 cups flour
1 c salt
2 T cream of tartar
2 T oil
2 cups boiling water
food coloring of choice
1 tsp peppermint or lavender oil (optional but makes it smell so nice!)
mix and knead until smooth
Tuesday: Morning (or anytime Zen)
With tensions running high in our house I have been trying to get the girls to take a few moments each day to breathe, get centered and focus on mindfulness. They both love this "Rainbow Breath" exercise, it really seems to help curtail some of the screaming. Want some cute activewear outfits for your mini's at home workouts and dance parties? We love these tie dye sets!
Wednesday: Origami Birds
Portia's preschool class made simple origami birds this week and they were a huge hit. We made an entire family of them and she played with them for a very long time. Here is an easy tutorial. We used construction paper but if you want to get fancy this origami paper is great!!
Thursday: Play Hotel
No one is traveling right now. Everyone misses travel, even my kids. This week their favorite pretend game was "hotel" where they are the ( usually celebrity) guests and I am the front desk/concierge/room service. I have never seen them be more polite then when we played this game. They used more "please" and "thank you" than I have ever heard as they ordered their snacks, read their poolside magazines etc etc.
Friday: Granola Dust Bars aka "Magic Duster Doodles"
Despite the silly name given to these bars by my girls they are truly delicious! If you are anything like my family no one ever wants to eat the non chunky bits of "granola dust" at the bottom of the bag ( or in our case glass jar that we decant into.) These bars are the perfect way to make sure not one bit of granola goes to waste. You will notice the recipe if quite loose because these bars are impossible to mess up!
2 large bananas mashed
2 cups of "granola dust" or a mix of oats and granola equalling 2 cups
2 heaping spoons of almond butter
big splash of oat or almond milk
handful of dark chocolate chips
3-4 chopped dates
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Transfer mixture to an oiled baking pan ( any size works) a d bake for about 20 minutes until slightly brown.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
These can be stored in the fridge for a week or so!
Saturday: Play Vet (with masks!)
My kids are very, very resistant to wearing masks outside. I get it. They are awkward and uncomfortable and
can feel a little scary to a small child. One game that has helped? Play Vet with their stuffed animals and have them wear a mask as the doctor to protect their patients! Portia was very into this as her teddy's well being in always her top concern. These kids and adults masks are really pretty. For fun bandages nothing beats this favorite brand of ours.
Sunday: Go on a Scavenger Hunt ( inside or out!)
Illustrator Megan Eplett has created two super fun scavenger hunt's for kids (or anyone). Inside or outside I urge you to print them and have a go!
Bonus: It's ok to feel mom rage. Really.
I hope the improving weather is helping everyone's mood a bit. With Mother's Day coming up I want to send extra love to all of you mamas. This isn't easy. You are doing great. While I won't be getting the spa day I wanted ( and honestly deserve) for Mother's Day I did order myself these gorgeous flowers to arrange with the girls!
