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Long winter days. . .need ideas

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by abcgrad94, Jan 29, 2009.

  1. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Anybody have suggestions for filling up these long winter days? The weather here has been bad and the kids and I are getting cabin fever. We've cleaned house, homeschooled, watched our Netflix movies, read library books, and played board games. They are getting bored and cranky and want to do something new. Any creative ideas for games or activities we can do at home that won't mess up the whole house?
     
  2. Gwen

    Gwen Active Member

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    It's the "that won't mess up the whole house" that gets ya!! LOL!

    Here are some suggestions:

    Start a genealogy project--trace your family back to the Civil War, or Revolutionary War. It's amazing what you can find out on the internet.

    Learn to knit or crochet, then make baby blankets for a shelter or the local church nursery. (This actually goes faster than you think! Granny Square blankets are quick and easy.)

    Freeze ice in lots of containers in different sizes and shapes. You can add food coloring to the water before you freeze it. Then the kids can make ice castles outside. If it's cold enough, they can last a long time--especially if you build them in a shady part of the yard. My kids did this one year, and we actually got to enjoy them for about 3 days--unheard of here in GA.

    Hope this helps a little. :) Good luck!
     
  3. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Come up to Syracuse and help me shovel my driveway:saint: :smilewinkgrin:
     
  4. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    I love keeping the sofa from levitating, especially in winter. Amazing how fast the day goes by.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
  5. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    Have you done one of those story games? The first person starts a story (aloud) with a sentence such as, "It started to rain when Sally was on her way to the store." Then the 2nd person adds to it: "Sally thought maybe she should take a long way to the store so she could walk under some trees and not get as wet, but she got lost." And so on. Just go around and each person adds to it. Fun and creative!

    You can also do this as a rhyming game, with a word or sentence.
    Tree, three, knee, tea, she, etc.
     
  6. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    It kinda depends on how old your kids are, but here are a few simple ideas.

    Take a mixing bowl, tape a nickel to the bottom (in the middle) and set it upside down on the floor so everyone can take pennies and try to throw them so they land on top of the nickel.

    Get M&M's and some frosting. See how high of a tower they can make with them, and the fewer candies for the base, the better.

    Teach them how to type using the computer keyboard.

    Make pizza dough, then let everyone toss their own crust and top the pizza how they like.

    Make up your own last few pages of books you have read so that the ending is changed.

    Get those cheap, plain white t-shirts, some fabric glue, and a bunch of odds and ends on clearance in the sewing/crafts section of the store and decorate your own t-shirts.

    Make up a song, having everyone write one stanza that goes with the tune of a hymn you all know.

    Stretch! Have everyone practice stretching. First one to be able to do a full split wins. When everyone can do one, order out and have dinner delivered!

    Find people to be pen pals with and write to them.

    Make a family book. Get a big journal or a nice notebook and have everyone write (or write for them) stuff like their testimonies, their best and worst memories, favorite songs, books, and foods, who their hero is and why, their dream job, etc.. Make sure you divide it into sections first and dedicate a certain amount of space in each one for each family member.

    Okay that's it, my mind is all hyper and isn't gonna stop. LOL I gotta go take a chill pill! That was a cool question.
     
  7. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    ROAD TRIP! Come to Middleville and I'll teach you how to operate a snowmobile!
    :thumbsup:
     
  8. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Great ideas! Keep 'em coming. We're still getting snow. I love the idea of tossing pennies into the bowl. That will keep them occupied in one room and there won't be toys everywhere. The story idea is good, too, Marcia. Thank you.

    Padre, I haven't been on a snowmobile in about 25 years! Wish I could do it again. It's fun!

    Salty, if you lived closer my girls would love to shovel your driveway, but they charge an arm and a leg!:laugh: Especially the 8 year old. She's a big spender.
     
  9. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    Have you played "I Spy" yet? My grandmother used to play this with me.

    I am not sure if you know the game. Someone picks an object in the room and then others ask questions, trying to guess what it is.

    Same kind of thing with "20 Questions," except the person is thinking of a famous person, living or dead (or for children, could be book characters or animals). Then everyone gets to ask a question up to 20 questions trying to guess who it is.
     
  10. BigBossman

    BigBossman Active Member

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    I guess you get too much snow up there to really enjoy it. If it snowed down here, I'd have to act like a little kid & build snowmen & get into snowball fights.

    I remember when I lived in Arkansas, when I was 7. My friends & I would get into snowball fights, with "no holds barred" rules. That meant that snowballs to the face were legal. It kind of stings when your face is numb from playing in the cold weather for over an hour.
     
  11. Spinach

    Spinach New Member

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    We are in the same place.

    We work out together every weekday morning. At the end, we stretch and then breathe deeply, while sharing happy thoughts (hugging Grandma, eating chocolate cake, etc). That helps get the mood a little lighter.

    I crochet and sew. I also read books. Today I'm watching some preaching DVDs.

    This week we plan on making a newspaper. Each child will be given a subject to report about. Then we'll paint some sun catchers/rainbow chasers.

    We do art contests and a creative writing challenge.

    When all else fails, we watch Andy Griffith.

    Oh, candy making is a great one. I hear that taffy is difficult but very fun. I have yet to try it, though.
     
  12. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    God bless you all. I have no idea how you people live up there. Movies, movies and more movies -- that's all I can think of. I can't imagine living where you can't go outside.

    On Tuesday, we will be at our kids' high school's soccer game (regional finals) and then on Wednesday, it's the beginning of baseball season!
     
  13. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Actually, WV winters aren't as bad as Michigan or Wisconsin. It just seems like this winter has been worse than what we've experienced in the past several years. That, and the fact that our roads are very hilly and curvy, which makes travelling difficult or impossible when there is ice.


    Bigbossman, the snow is fun for the first day or two, but mostly ours is ice or muddy slush right now. Not fun for mom to try to clean up!

    Today we're reading and doing extra schoolwork, so that when it's pretty outside the kids can play again.
     
  14. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    A town near us has recorded 310 inches of snow so far. Folks in Redfield spend most of their time plowing, shoveling, hauling firewood, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, etc. In other words, they play in the snow! That might be a bit difficult when the temps dip into the -30s. Add a couple of layers and enjoy!

    [​IMG]
     
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