I saw a bumper sticker a while ago that said:
Good parenting requires Twice as much time and half as much money.
So true!
This is the season for gift giving, but we all actually could
do with a lot less stuff!! The best present I think that families can
give to each other is the gift of self (
otherwise known as time and attention)
For kids who are old enough to understand, give a certificate
that promises a special activity that you might do some time in the
future.
It is great for families to do outings all together, but one on
one time is so important if you can manage it. Mix and match so that
you make sure that everyone gets special time with one other family
member. This includes one on one time for you parents as well.
The list below has some old and new ideas.
Nurse Judy's Inexpensive and creative activities
Collect and decorate rocks with colorful paints and glitter for a rock garden.
This is a great one to use as a reward for good behavior. When they
see the pretty rocks, they will remember that they earned them.
Make a collage. Old magazines and old photos are great for this activity.
Make a musical instrument... Use your imagination: a shoe box
with rubber bands can be a guitar; Glasses filled with different levels
of water make different tones; Tapping different surfaces with
chopsticks makes different sounds.
Go on a 'use all your senses' walk. What do they see, smell, hear, and feel?
Make a personalized place mats. Take some family photos, glue
onto cardboard and cover with clear contact paper. Kids will love to use
these with meals.
Create a scavenger hunt walk. Plan a list ahead of time of thing to
find...like a dog, an airplane, or even a girl with purple hair.
Go on an ABC walk. Find things that start with all the
different letters...or find the actual letters on signs and license
plates. This is a great game in a supermarket.
Download Free coloring pages from the internet. With a little searching, you can get a picture of just about anything.
Draw with chalk. Make a hopscotch board.
Make your own play dough. You can find the recipe on line
Make a fort using the couch cushions,
For a really special occasion, set up the tent and have a backyard camp out
Write a story and illustrate it together.
Decide on a recipe and bake or cook something. Kids will often
try foods more eagerly if they helped with the cooking. Let them help
sprinkle in different spices and be the taste-tester.
Have a Tea party. Invite the dolls, and get out the good china that you never use.
Trace your hands and feet and color them in.
Have some down time while watching a video or a special TV
program. There are some lovely educational TV programs and videos out
there.
Play a computer game. Don't be afraid of controlled use.
Children that don't learn how to be comfortable on computers at a young
age are at a distinct disadvantage in this high tech culture.
Blow bubbles
Playing board games with the family is the stuff that great memories are made of
There is little out there that is as much fun as a giant box to
get inside of . If you buy a new appliance or see a neighbor buying
one, ask for the box.
let’s be optimistic: Make a rain gauge!
Play dress up. In my opinion, every house needs a good dress up
box, (after Halloween is a great time to pick up costumes and things on
sale)
Read!
If you can manage to make it work, try hard to have at least one
meal of the day sitting down with the entire family. Have everyone say a
little about their day.
Take advantage of where we live, there are always fairs, festivals and museums that are so close. SFKIDS.ORG and Parenthoods are great resources for all of the happenings that are going on
Make a scrapbook with keepsakes and photos of all the fun activities
Unless you are using the phone or tablet as part of the activity
make sure you put them down and be fully engaged in what you are doing
(emails can wait)
For Those lucky enough to live in or near the Bay Area, here is my list of quirky, only in SF things to do.
Fort Funston: Bring some dog treats and take a walk. You are pretty
much guaranteed to see lots of fuzzy friends to pet. If you are lucky
you will see hang gliders. (Free)
Turrell Sky dome: For this you need an admission to the De
Young museum. Many folks have no idea that this magical place exists. Go
out to the garden by the cafe and follow the path and signs down to the
sky dome. Once you are in there, make sure you sing and listen to the
acoustics
The camera below the cliff house: Lots of folks don’t bother
stepping in there, but it is worth it. The Camera Obscura gives a real
time 360 view of the surrounding. It is only open when the weather is
clear. It isn’t free, but it is reasonably inexpensive
The Wave Organ: This is an old exploratorium exhibit that remains
out at the end of a jetty behind the St Francis Yacht club. When the
tide is right (good luck, I have rarely been there are the right time)
pipes will play music. It is an enchanting place regardless, especially
if you are there when no one else is out there. It is free
The Gingerbread house in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel is
worth a trip. It is only there until the New Year. This is free unless
you opt to splurge on the very expensive tea.
I love the Stairway walks of SF book. If you child is old enough
that they don't start asking to be carried half way through the walk,
these are a great family activity.
Happy Holidays...go out and make some wonderful memories!
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