Weekend Family Fun (At Home) is sponsored by Kate McDonough.
The sheltering in place continues and so do the at-home activities to keep the kiddies entertained! We’ve rounded up some of the most fun ideas we’ve found this week for you to try with your family.
If ice cream isn’t sweet enough for you, try these solar oven s’mores.
A cardboard pizza box transforms into an oven with the addition of foil, construction paper, and plastic wrap. Oh, and the sun, of course! You can also take the opportunity to turn this into a STEM lesson by discussing how the oven works.
Sure, you can get ice cream pretty easily, but where’s the fun in that? You’ll need two zipper-seal bags (one large and one smaller), half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, ice and salt, and some elbow grease to make this delicious treat. Everyone in the family can take turns shaking the bag as the ice cream forms.
Here’s a cute idea to share some joy, even if you can’t be with the ones you love. This Mail A Hug craft project puts the kids at center stage. Trace the silhouette of your child with their arms outstretched onto a long piece of butcher paper. If that’s not available, you can tape several smaller pieces of paper together. Then have your child decorate a self-portrait any way they choose. They can also write a note. When it’s done, fold it up, pop it into an envelope, and mail it off to someone who could use a hug.
You can also try these other body tracing self-portraits. If you don’t have the drop cloth recommended, try paper or a large piece of cardboard. You can also try tracing your child’s hand for them to decorate or tape a sheet of paper to the wall and have them cast a shadow onto it for you to trace. This is a great way for kids to get creative as they make art out of themselves.
Did you play hopscotch as a child? This classic game is best played outside with the numbered boxes drawn in sidewalk chalk, but there are so many options if you want to get imaginative! Consider drawing a maze, writing instructions like “hop on one foot” or “spin around one time,” or matching shapes. This blog post has many ideas to try. While a big game could span a large portion of sidewalk, don’t let that stop you from building a game in the space you have.
Longing for summer nights on the Boardwalk? Try DIY Skeeball! A couple of laundry baskets, a cardboard box (or anything else you can make into a ramp), and some lightweight balls are all you need! Make some homemade funnel cake when you’re done to complete the night!
