10 Inexpensive Family Friendly Ways to Relieve Cabin Fever

Today, on facebook, a friend posted a picture. Of her two boys. Crying that cry that makes your skin crawl and all you want to do is escape into the sunshine. That welcome-to-Monday-I-went-away-for-the-weekend-and-you-are-going-to-make-me-pay-for-it cry. If you have kids- you know the one.

And if you live in a place where winter is really winter-perhaps out your office window it looks like mine and you wonder if the snow will ever disappear. Knowing of course that in Minnesota it could still be here for another month or so.

Outside my office window

If you are in THAT place of skin crawling, mind numbing, fingernail scratching cabin fever, maybe one of these ideas will help:

1. Crank up some LOUD music and have a dance party. C’mon- you know you want to show your kids your moves.
2. Make the granddaddy of all forts. Each family member creates a fort in one part of the house. Make tunnels to connect everyone’s forts. Use boxes, blankets, couch cushions and furniture.
3. Turn up the heat in the house and have a luau. Put on shorts or swimsuits. Spread out beach towels. Make smoothies and eat fresh fruit. Have a hula contest.
4. Eat supper on the floor of the living room. Spread a blanket and have a picnic. For added fun, make pretend bugs-flies, ants, bees, and mosquitos -and spread them around the room.
5. Go on a scavenger hunt at a mall. Everyone writes down 10 items to find. Work together to find as many as possible within a time limit. Take goofy pictures with your phone.
6. Have a tailgate party in your driveway. Pull out the grill. Put on the mittens and hats. Invite the neighbors. If nothing else, it will give the neighborhood something to talk about.
7. Hold a boot camp for a day. Make obstacle courses, do exercises, go on adventures in the snow, build a snow fort, paint camouflage on faces, wear tans/greens and sleep in a tent (inside).
8. Roll all the socks in the house into balls. Have an all out- no holds barred-sock war. (For added fun place socks on top of ceiling fans and turn them on full force.)
9. Teach the kids economics. Each one does extra jobs around the home for money. Go to the dollar store and buy something with it. But first, teach them to give 10% to church/charity and to save 10%. Make a bank with 3 jars: spend, give, save.

10. When all else fails. . . find the nearest Sonic, put the kids in the car and drive to it no matter how far away it is. Preferably at Happy Hour. Order a Cherry Limeade. Or whatever. Sip it and dream about summer. Eventually the snow has to melt. Right?

Happy 9th Anniversary River’s Edge!

 

As our gift to you-

Nine Days of Crazy Deals:   Each Day a NEW Deal   

  

Deal #1: 50% OFF Any ONE Download of our “classic” elementary or preschool curriculum good for 9 days. 

USE CODE “9DEAL1” AT CHECKOUT

(Does not include Imagination Factory. Expires February 28, 2013.)

Watch for Deals #2-9:

 

We like to have fun in crazy, spontaneous ways. We haven’t even decided yet what all the deals are!  

Here’s a few ways we are going to celebrate the next nine days:

>>Some super deals will run 9 hours only!  

>>Every deal will have the number “9” in it somehow.   

>>We are pretty sure that a few free things will be given out here and there.  

>>Some deals will be advertised ONLY on Facebook, Twitter and our blog.   

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10 Fun Things to do with Your Family for Valentine’s Day

I can remember loving Valentine’s Day as a little girl. You know- the fun boxes that we made at school to collect the Valentines. The trip to the store to buy just the right box of Valentines to give out to the class. The lining up of Valentines across the floor- in order- from the degree of  “gooshiness” to those that were “friendly.” The boys had to have only friendly ones just in case someone might get the wrong idea. The party at school complete with red Hi-C and cupcakes and games and a room mother and a box full of Valentines. And then inevitably my dad would bring home a heart box full of chocolate goodness. He rarely bought us candy so this was a huge treat.

Today, Valentine’s Day has become so commercialized. The simplicity of the day has been lost. No longer are Valentines alone good enough- they must be accompanied by candy and trinkets to be worthy. Expensive dates. . .over the top gifts. . .always looking for that perfect way to say “love.”

So in the spirit of simplicity- here are 10 fun, simple ways to have fun with your family without breaking the bank.

1. Make individual homemade pizzas. Form a heart with the crust.

2. Sing a love song to your mate in front of your kids. Video it for posterity or to simply embarrass you on Facebook.

3. Cut out red hearts. Write a fun message on each heart. Place them around the house. Be corny. Be funny. Be serious. Be whatever makes your family’s heart beat a little faster.

4. Cook spaghetti with marinara sauce for supper. Have a little fun doing the “Lady and the Tramp” spaghetti slurp. One piece of spaghetti with ends in two people’s mouth. Take pictures!

5. Write messages on large hearts (or chalkboard hearts!) to family members far away telling them how much you love them. Take pictures of family members holding the hearts with your phone and send them the message.

6. Make Valentine’s Day breakfast parfaits. Just layer yogurt and strawberries.

7. Do an act of love for someone who might be lonely. Perhaps a recent widow. Bring her a box of chocolates, a plate of cookies or a Valentine. Just because.

(Side note: When my grandpa died, I remember my grandma telling me that she would miss the heart full of chocolates he would bring her on Valentine’s Day or the random candy bar he would bring her from town. Every so often- I send her chocolates. Just because.)

8. Buy a box of conversation hearts. Give everyone a heart or two. Start a story using one heart. Go around to each family member adding to the story- but it has to use the phrase from a conversation heart. (Um. For younger kids you might want to check the sayings on the hearts first. Just in case, you know.)

9. Have a heart healthy night. Go to the Y or to the park and do something active a family. Make hearts that have active things to do written on them. Take turns drawing the hearts from a hat and doing them (jump on one foot for one minute, do 20 jumping jacks, do 10 sit ups).

10. Pick a Bible verse about love or the heart together. Make it the family verse for the month. Write it creatively and place it on a wall, mirror or fridge.

Found on Etsy

Check out more ideas for Valentine’s Day on our Pinterest board. Click here to visit the board.