These are trying times thanks to our current situation where families are being forced to self isolate. In an effort to help our local families, we are offering a special promotion of Loot Bags that are designed to help keep your kids busy. For $69.99 (shipping included) you will receive 7 loot bags. Note: bags may include smaller items that could pose a choking hazard to children ages 3 and under. For your protection, bags are assembled using gloves, and wrapped in saran protector for a minimum of 3 days before being mailed.
Each bag contains 5-7 items to keep your children busy (geared to children 5-10 years of age), plus a candy item. Items come wrapped in cellophane bags. Hand out to keep little ones busy, as a reward or for helping with chores around the house, or just to help pass the time.
Each order comes with a free gift of 10 raffle tickets you can use over and over to create your own daily raffles with. Get creative with your prizes and rewards!!!
We are taking pre-orders for our Easter Hunt Kit - 18 plastic eggs and 18 items consisting of small toys and candies ready to be inserted into the eggs so you can organize your own Family Easter Egg Hunt. Cost is $24.99 (no taxes) and includes delivery - porch drop off. Your order also comes with a free "personalized" family word search puzzle you can copy and do with your family. You give us 25 words (pets' name, favorite places, games, sports) and we will create a word search puzzle for you to copy and do together.
Eggs can be washed and used again. To avoid cross contamination ensure each child always collects the same colored egg. Use items of your own as prizes - or create your own scavenger hunt with clues in the eggs.
Hold daily raffles and decide what your prize is – no chores for the day, choosing the movie everyone watches, or maybe a loot bag. If you have double sided raffle tickets on hand that’s great (you can get them at the Dollar Store)– if not fold pieces of paper with numbers on them in half and give out one half of the ticket and draw the other.
Everyone gets their own puzzle to work on. Plan for exercise breaks or snacks to give everyone's back and eyes a rest. Remember you don't have to finish the puzzle in one day - a great activity to do for an hour a day for quiet time.
Everyone chooses their own crayons or markers. Take turns being the judge and the one who decides whose coloring project is the best. Display your photos and take a picture of everyone's efforts.
Create your own bingo game. Have everyone choose 5 items and draw your own bingo cards. Write the words on pieces of paper and the caller names each item until bingo is called.
Have a few decks of cards handy? Hold a solitaire night – everyone plays solitaire – have a competition to see who can finish first.
Go online and print off word games for everyone to complete. Try word searches, sudoku and crossword puzzles.
How about a good old fashioned game of charades? Lay pieces of paper out and have everyone take turns choosing what they have to demonstrate.
Everyone gets their own marker for this version - take turns drawing on your own pad of paper.
Have a good old fashioned game of Hide N Seek. Play inside if it's raining or take it outside if it's a nice day.
Everyone gets a piece of paper and pencil. Pair up and take turns drawing portraits of each other.
If you have any leftover plastic eggs from last year have an egg hunt. No eggs? Improvise and use small boxes or plastic containers in your kitchen.
Everyone takes time out to sit and relax and read a book of their choice.
Nobody likes to clean, but if you make it fun it makes a little easier. Have everyone set a timer for a specific time it the day. When the timers go off everyone has to race to their rooms and tidy/clean for 15 minutes. Every time they complete a task they have to yell it out. Reward everyone afterwards.
Take turns choosing your route. Make an effort to get out every day. Mix things up, make it fun. Pick a color and everyone has to wear something that is that color - have everyone wear two different shoes. Take photos.
Right now a lot of people aren't on their regular schedules. Sit down as a family and provide input for the next 3 days on what you want to accomplish and how you want to spend your time. Everyone gets to choose two activities for each day - one is fun, one is chore related.
Search online for websites that have free printable activities. Print off several so you have a supply on hand so everyone can choose when for when you are looking for something to pass the time.
Give everyone one hour and have them search for knock knock jokes online. Set a time for the event to begin. Everyone has to sit in a circle and take turns telling their knock knock jokes. The person with the corniest joke wins.
Everyone has to go online and search for tongue twisters and memorize 3 of them. Then they have to try and teach their tongue twisters to everyone else.
Are your kids a bit older? They must have television shows, cartoons or movies they used to love to watch over and over. Put in a CD (or VHS if you still have them) or search the kids' channel and watch some old favourites.
Do you have any old movies hanging around? How about scrap books? Bring them out! Bring out the popcorn and watch some movies. Kids love to watch themselves when they were younger.
Seeing as most people are eating at home right now, why not create a menu where everyone has input and maybe everyone takes turns helping? Whoever helps prepare dinner that night gets to help choose the food and create a menu, and if you clean up that night you are the person who chooses dinner the next night.
Pick a theme and create a place mat for your meals you've just created.
Studies show many teens don't know how to cook a meal. Use this time to teach your young one some life skills, start with something easy like grilled cheese, pancakes, or preparing an egg. Finish it off with a reward of making cupcakes!!
Can't get your little ones together for a play date? Plan a virtual play date. Plan an activity, have lunch together, do a craft at the same time.
We all know that right now we can't travel very far or get on a plane, but use this time to brainstorm and make suggestions and plans for your next vacation.
Brainstorm together and decide what items you would like to include in your time capsule. Everyone contributes 2-3 items and includes an explanation as to why they have included the item and what it represents to them.
Sit down together and decide what your family's favorite meals and desserts are. Make a page for each recipe and include the ingredients. Have your kids draw pictures of the finished product on the page and create a cover.
Now is the perfect time to get outside and clean the car out. Go for a drive after to get some fresh air.
Pick a country. Learn as much as you can about it, the people, their culture, their weather, and food they eat. Learn a few words from their language. Everyone decide if it is a place they would like to visit one day.
Have everyone clean out their rooms and make a pile to donate to charity. While you may not be able to drop items off right now, you will be able to at some point.