5 Activities Your Family Can Do On Thanksgiving

We have an extremely small family consisting of me, my husband, and our two kids. Add in one 90-year old mother-in-law and Thanksgiving can get rather...boring quickly. My mother-in-law is very demanding, so on major holidays we need something to dilute the intensity of the time we spend together.

Thanksgiving carries a lot of pressure when you're hosting!

Directed activities are great because they take the focus off individual issues and place everyone's attention elsewhere. Also, since I do the majority of the work on Thanksgiving, they give me a much-needed breather! So here are my favorite

5 Activities For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Bingo – A favorite with Nana, this site has free, printable bingo cards. Use pennies or candy as markers and it's a blast for kids of all ages.

What's Missing – Grab a tray and place Fall and Thanksgiving-related objects (candy corn, different leaves, a pine cone, an acorn, etc.) on it. Have players look carefully at the tray for 30 seconds. Take the tray away and see if they can guess which object is missing. 

Hidden Pictures – Print out these sheets and invite everyone to spot the hidden objects in the Thanksgiving picture.

Balloon Volleyball – Blow up a balloon, clear some space, assign teams, and play volleyball with the balloon. This is a great way to channel some of the energy of active kids and is one of my favorites! Okay, so the 90 year old can't play, but when the balloon comes near her she can swat it. 

Bring Out The Board Games And Playing Cards – You know all those board games the kids ignore in favor of their electronics? Now's the time to bring them out! Grab Sorry, get ready for some Trouble, and cut the deck of cards for a rousing game of War.  You can even have a tournament!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's something we can ALL celebrate, no matter what religion we belong (or do not) belong to. Games are fun for everyone. 

Give the activities above a try, have fun and deflate some of the intensity of the holiday!

This is pretty much what I look like the night of Thanksgiving - I'm pooped!

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I've written quite a few Thanksgiving posts. Read them, won't you?

 



10 Ways To Deal With Family At Thanksgiving 

10 Tips For Helping The Kids Enjoy Thanksgiving 


My 20 Favorite Thanksgiving Jokes 

    
5 Pumpkin Cocktails To Make Your Thanksgiving Sparkle 


10 Thanksgiving Movies For Kids Of All Ages

Which Tips & Life Hacks Worked For Me Last Year

Since I've just joined The Ultimate Blog Challenge which asks that you write every day for, I think, at least the next month, there will be a lot more material on this blog. That means I'd better get my tushy in gear finding life hacks, recipes, tips, etc. that I can actually recommend. 

I am always on the lookout for tips & life hacks that make things easier.  Life is too short to spend it reinventing the wheel!

Not to toot my own horn, but in looking over my posts last year,

I think these proved most valuable to the majority of readers.

10 Indoor Activities To Do With Kids – I'd forgotten how much snow we'd already had by the time I wrote this one. It's also nice to see the snow sculptures my daughter made last year.

A Lazy Mom's Guide To Winter Decorating – Next week I'll be ripping the Christmas stuff down and taking out some of my Winter stuff. This post offers a link to a great tutorial on making paper snowflakes.

How To Find Family-Friendly Trips InYour Area  – Based on the blast we recently had at The Turkey Hill Experience in which we learned how to make ice cream (review coming up), I'll be looking for more companies that offer tours. And now that money is especially tight, the tips offered in this post are even more appealing.

5 Ways To Prepare For Spring  – Assuming we survive what's being predicted as an upcoming Snowmageddon, these serve as good reminders on what needs to be done before Spring.

Mom's 'Must Dos' Before The Kids Get Out Of School – Again, a nice checklist of what needs to be done before the troops are out for Summer.

Posting information means I have to research that data and really think about what might be useful to other parents. This is stuff I talk about with the moms I meet as we try to figure out this parenting-gig. I hope some of these posts help you. And stay tuned – there's a lot more coming up this year!

10 Tips For Helping Kids When They Visit A Nursing Home

My GREAT aunt

My great aunt (and she IS great) is 93 and in a nursing home. When we first began visiting her after the fell that ended her time living on her own, she was bright and lucid. Her mind was sharp.  Now, three years later, she is a shell of who she once was. Today, when I brought the kids to see her, she had lost weight and was clearly not herself. My children, especially my 8-year old, had trouble with this latest visit. So I've compiled this list of tips to help us, as parents, help our children when they go to see someone in a nursing home.

1. Talk with your kids about why they're visiting. Explaining why your relative or friend is living there, i.e. because they're unable to care for themselves, is important. Help them gain appreciation for the aging process and see, in a positive manner, why a nursing home is a good place for people who need it (socialization, constant care, etc.). 
   
   
2. Prepare them for what they might see and hear. They will probably see residents in wheelchairs and some using walkers. They may see people who are unresponsive or talking in an erratic manner. Encourage your child to ask questions and discuss any concerns they might have. 
   
   
3. Explain how to behave properly in a nursing home so that the visit is pleasant. Kids need to know that they should keep their voices down, walk instead of run, be aware of people in the hallways, and understand that older people may not see or hear them.  Visitors need to get out of the way of residents first. 
   
   
4. Help kids not to take any negative expressions personally. Some elderly people may be resentful, in constant pain, and/or angry because they can't do things they once could. They may be angry that family and friends are not visiting more often. Help children understand what the elderly might be going through and that the behaviors expressed often have nothing to do with the children themselves. 
   
   
5. Try to time the visit so that the resident is at their best. Often, optimal visiting times are mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and early evening. Ask the elder or her caregiver what time of day would be the best and most convenient.
   
   
6. Bring a gift for the resident and let the kids help to pick the gift out. We bring flowers to my aunt and my daughter loves choosing which type of flowers we bring. You can see her
   swelling with pride as we walk through the hallway and people compliment her on the beautiful bouquet she's chosen. If the resident's diet permits (check first), you could bring a treat that your child can share with the elderly person. We've stopped on the way up for ice cream; my kids pick out a cup of their favorite and we get my aunt her preferred flavor. Then we have a picnic in her room.
   
   
   
7. Plan an activity that will involve the resident and the child. We've brought playing cards up and had a rousing game of War. If you're going to do crafts, bring needed supplies with you. An activity is a great way to engage even the shyest child who might be intimidated by the nursing home surroundings.  Showing the resident photographs is also a marvelous way to foster conversation and bonding.
   
   

8. 

   My aunt loves seeing pictures of our cat and hearing about the mischief she's been up to.

   Model the behavior you want your kids to exhibit. If they sense that you're uncomfortable, they will be, too. Keep things upbeat, although not falsely cheerful. Highlight the positives and avoid making negative comments about the person or the environment. 
   
   
9. Keep the visit short. Both kids and the elderly may have short attention spans and get tired quickly. It's easier and kinder to make more frequent brief visits than to force an occasional long one. 
   
   
10. After the visit, talk with your kids about what happened and how they felt. Answer questions honestly and praise them for having gone and for their behavior.

My kids honestly love my aunt. They remember her as she used to be and appreciate the fact that she's lived such a long life. As hard as today was, they know it was important to go and show her how much we love her. 

It's vital for kids to see those in all stages of the aging process and know that there are options for when people cannot take care of themselves. Vising a nursing home to see someone you love is an important lesson children will hold onto forever. 

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Thanks for reading!  

10 Indoor Activities To Do With Kids

(Please Note: The website Bloggy Moms lists writing prompts with challenges to write about the topics listed. The prompts are interesting and fun, so I've accepted the January Blog Dare and will periodically be responding to them, starting today. My Product Reviews & Tips will always appear first so that you can read those first in case you'd rather not peruse further.)

Photo courtesy of Carol Capozzi 

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This is proving to be a snowy Winter, therefore, I have been incarcerated, errr in, with the kids quite a bit. Prying their eyes from video is always an Olympic challenge so I've been reaching into my Mom's Bag Of Tricks to find indoor activities that will keep them busy. The Teen is usually happy playing his clarinet or reading a book, but keeping the very active Diva (8 years old) has been difficult.



Here are some activities that have worked for me and will, hopefully, work for you:

1. Bring the snowy fun inside. Just because it's cold outside, doesn't mean the snow has to stay there! I grab a big ol' lasagna dish and fill it with snow. The fun begins with building snowy creatures, then we move into painting the snow using food coloring and watercolors. After that, we use the snow to build “snow castles” and finish by pouring the melted snow into the plants. This kept Diva busy for about 2 hours yesterday!
    
   

   

   Fill a pan.

   
   

   

   Diva's snowpuppies & snowlady.

   
   

   

   Diluted food coloring & even watercolors work well for paints.

   

   She achieved a pseudo Monet technique.

   
   
   
2. Marshmallow Toss and Marshmallow Building. Note: the Toss is better in a room with washable floors or put a plastic coating, like an old shower curtain, down on the floor because this can get a bit sticky. Throw marshmallows to see who can get them the furthest. For Marshmallow Building, use them to build towers. You can use spaghetti, skewers, or toothpicks to help connect them. Who can build the tallest before it falls down?
   
3. Have a scavenger hunt (here's the link to a previous post I wrote in which I outlined how: http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2013/12/10-activity-ideas-for-xmas-eve-or.html ).
   
4. Discover what's magnetic.  Give your kid a magnet and let him/her discover what in the house is magnetic. Furniture handles, doorknobs, hooks, some jewelry are all candidates. If you're really ambitious, you can then discuss the principles of magnets, etc.
   
5. Reinvent their bedrooms. Who doesn't like to re-do their rooms?  This project is all about making them happier, plus, it might get them to clean their room. Invite your kids to think outside the box and help them redecorate their rooms using objects in the house. How can they gain more storage? Can they section their room into a “reading nook” or “fashion table”? What can they do to make their room better fit their needs?
   
6. Build a tent. My daughter LOVES to do this! Grab some old blankets and sheets and let the kids build a “Kids Only” zone. With any luck, they'll stay in it for a bit.
   
7. Pay the older kids to babysit the younger ones. It'll give you an hour or two of peace and keep everyone occupied.
   
8. String popcorn. Let the kids string some popcorn for the outdoor critters and hang the “garland” over a bush or in a tree.
   
9. Play I Spy. Someone picks a color, shape, or item and then says "I spy something..." The other players have to guess what the lead player spies in the room.
   
10. Have a Crazy Outfit Fashion Show. Grab a box of winter garb and other pieces of clothing. See who can come up with the craziest outfit.
    

Got any more suggestion? Add them in the Comments section!


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Today's writing prompt is “I've been here all night” and maybe twice monthly the “here” is Diva's room. She's a big nighttime cuddler and if I'm wiped, her warm blankets and soft pillows are too much to resist; I sail right off into dreamland. She encourages this by setting her noise machine to “ocean,” a sound she knows I love. Often I'll feel a gentle “thump” on the bed, meaning the feline has joined us; this is also a signal of caution since Cosy likes to nip or play with any toe that finds its way out from under the covers. My husband rarely objects to my overnighters with our daughter because I am far from a sound sleeper. Hot flashes regularly wake me at about 2AM and I've been known to flip like a salmon spawning. Diva sleeps soundly and doesn't mind my restlessness. When I wake in the early morning hours, I listen to her rhythmic breathing and whisper a heartfelt “thank you” to the Universe for giving me this special child.


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Check back in with me in a day or so. The Christmas tree is down and we've decorated for the Winter. I'll show you a simple, but really neat craft I made a few years ago using a leftover dish detergent bottle.


Stay warm!

10 Activity Ideas For Xmas Eve Or Christmas Day (Or As My Husband Puts It, "Goy To The World!")

As I've said before, we have a very tiny extended family and as much as the four of us love being together, sometimes it's a struggle to come up with unique activities to make a holiday extra-special. Christmas is a bit easier than others because of the novelty of the presents, but let's be honest. The kids are going to spend 5 minutes playing with their toys and 15 playing with the boxes. Then what? And what if you don't celebrate the Yule? Here are some suggestions for activities that might help make Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at least a bit noteworthy, if not downright fun. Note that pre-planning in the form of research or purchasing materials may be required, but making the day special is worth the effort.

1. Have a family scavenger hunt. We've been doing this for years and my kids LOVE it. I write rhyming notes with clues leading to the next clue, and so forth, building up the excitement until the last one which leads to a prize which could be as simple as a candy cane. An example of a clue is: “This clue is clean and not a willow. You can find it under a _____ (answer: pillow).” When my daughter was little, my son would read it to her; now that she's reading, however, she can decipher some of the clues herself.
   
2. Conduct a Family Olympics. Decide on events (relay races, calisthenics, board games, etc.) and make it a competition. Winner gets to eat the first Christmas cookie.
   
3. Prepare and feast on special foods. This is the day we splurge on Costo's best and treat ourselves to hors d'ouvres for dinner. Pigs In A Blanket, anyone?
   
4. Be a tourist in your own town. More and more venues are staying open on Christmas. Call around or check online. There are also places you don't need to go in to enjoy. Visit a park, see a monument, or the outside of historic churches.
   
5. Do some family crafts. Head down to your local crafts store for the materials to paint your own t-shirt or backpack, make jewelry, decorate a trinket box, etc. Or check out Pinterest, Parents.com, Spoonful.com (http://spoonful.com/crafts) for other crafting ideas.
   
6. Play games. I mentioned in one of my Thanksgiving posts that the free Thanksgiving bingo game I'd printed out was a big hit with my daughter and her grandmothers. Here's the link to a Christmas bingo that will please young and old alike: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/printablechristmasgames/ss/Christmas-Bingo-Game-Cards.htm. That site also features mazes, coloring pages, and a Christmas Song Picture Game while and Tools For Educators offers free Christmas worksheets (http://www.toolsforeducators.com/christmas.php) that you can do with your kids. Note that these sites also offer non-Yule games which are lots of fun.
7. Read a religious story. It is a religious day, after all, even if it's not your religion. Grab a Bible or another spiritual work and give it good read. If you've got kids, it's a great day to discuss what some of the world's major religions believe.
   
8. Rent a hotel room. If it's within your budget, find a hotel (perhaps one with a spa or indoor pool) and enjoy it's facilities for a night.
   
9. Build a Gingerbread House. Part craft, part food, you don't have to be an expert to build one. CookingWithMyKid.com (http://www.cookingwithmykid.com/holiday/easy-gingerbread-house) has simple instructions on how to make one out of graham crackers.
   
10. Camp Out In Your House. Grab some sleeping bags and head to the living room or den. Picnic on an old sheet and (carefully) roast marshmallows over a candle. Pretend you're outdoors or build a tent out of blankets and sleep in there.

Again, some of these do take advanced planning, so you may want to start now.
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As always, thank you for reading! Please check back in with me on Christmas Eve for my list of some of the best online Christmas activity sites (and if your kids want to see what the reindeer are doing before Christmas, log onto the Reindeer Cam at http://reindeercam.com).