Now's the time to empower ourselves to “make lemonade”.
This week was a challenging one. Difficult on a global scale and equally as stressful on families. While health officials and governments are doing the best they can to minimize the risk and spread of COVID-19, the growing health concerns and disruption of travel plans and schedules are leaving people feeling uneasy and anxious.
It’s important to accept and acknowledge these feelings, taking the time and space to work through the nervousness and distress.
And then we must rise to the occasion for our children. We must empower ourselves to “make lemonade.”
In Ontario, as with many other families across the country and North America, we are about to embark on an extended March Break with our children.
We will choose to:
Seize the opportunity to spend quality time with our kids.
Embrace the fun of being homebound.
Teach our children healthy habits that will mitigate the health risk.
Here are our top 5 activities to up the fun and health during this extended March Break:
1. Science Projects
Build a volcano or perform another cool science experiment. Watching a homemade volcano erupt is a very exciting experience for young children as they watch and learn about the amazing power of these geological formations. There are tons of recipes online.
2. Art Projects
Finally, you have the time to make that baby book and make it with your kids! We’re thinking about a baby-to-now scrapbook. Kids will love helping to choose all the photos, crafting each page with stickers and adding in cherished memorabilia.
3. Gym Class
Yes, it’s important to avoid public spaces but it’s also important to maintain sanity and minimize cabin fever. Now that the weather is improving, it’s important to get outside in the yard, take a walk around the block or go for a bike ride.
4. Recess
Having fun activities lined up is great, but kids also need their free time to explore and embrace the boredom. You’ll likely catch them picking up a favourite book or imagining up some great adventure.
5. My Starry Chart
Maybe you saw this coming…but it’s the only sticker chart that starts out as a fun activity (kids get to create their personal calendar) and continues with creating healthy habits using fun sparkly reusable stickers. Here are just some of the responsibilities they can practice to stay healthy and happy:
- Wash My Hands
- Go To Bed On Time
- Eat My Veggies
- Make Someone Smile
There are also chore stickers you can customize to help them learn new healthy habits and reinforce positive behaviours like “Sneeze Or Cough Into My Elbow.”
