How To Get Your Work Done Over March Break

March 08, 2010

March Break is back and I find myself in the same predicament as last year.  Two boys at home + one mother working from home full-time + no nanny + no video games.

In case you're not good with math, the answer to the above equation is this... 

March break can be a stressful time for moms.  If you work outside the home, you need to arrange child care, camp or take time off.  If you're a stay at home mom and haven't hopped on the camp bandwagon, you're going to be at home with your kids looking for things to do.  If you're a mom who works from home, you're madly digging around the bottom of your purse for that valium you dropped six months ago.*  Last year I wrote about the cheap and easy ways I use to keep my kids busy while I get my work done 20 minutes at a time.  And in keeping with March Break tradition, here ya go.

1) Think Outside The Box

Kids love boxes. I don't understand the fascination and I don't really care why there's such an undenying box love in the under 10 group but the fact is, boxes have occupied my kids for hundreds of hours. They've built forts, had box races, made trains and currently, we have a box trap in my basement that consists of a box with one end of a rope attached to it and the other end flung through the ceiling rafters so it's like a pulley system.  When some unsuspecting soul (me) comes along, they drop the box on the person's head, trapping them.  When I'm not available, they take turns dropping it on each other.

Boxes are all about imagination and if you give them the right tools - crayons, paint (and if they're old enough, scissors), it will spark their imagination and the possibilities are endless.

The added bonus?  Where do you think I get all our boxes from?

 

'Nuff said.

2)  Rocks

Not just any rocks.  They need to be relatively round, smooth rocks like ones you find near a body of water like an ocean, lake or river.  Or in my case, my neighbour's garden.

Get some acrylic paints (or if you have younger kids, water colour), put newspaper on the table or floor and let them paint.  Their creativity will take over and soon those rocks will be transformed into works of art fit for a king.

Or your neighbour.

Which ever.

3) Science Experiments

Walk into any toy store and there's usually a display of science kits with everything from growing crystals and building an ant farm to mixing colours and making candy.  I'm not knocking these kits because they can provide hours of fun and the kids learn while playing.  But there's also a few experiments you can do at home using items on hand.  And god only knows I'm no Susie Homemaker so I might as well use my baking soda for something. 

Science Explosion

First of all, it's all in how you present the experiment.  If you're all "we're gonna make fuzzy bubbles with vinegar and baking soda" your kids will never stop shaving the cat to see the fun you've set up.

But if you say "Hey Kids!  We're gonna make an explosion and you're not even gonna get in trouble!".  Well they'll happily put a sweater on your newly half shaved cat and follow you to the kitchen in a nano-second.

Items Needed:  Two deep bowls (preferrably plastic), vinegar, baking soda and a small measuring cup.

Depending on the age of your kids, you may need to supervise them.  Personally, I give my older son a Loonie, my younger son a stern look and let the shenanigans begin.

Fill one bowl with vinegar, spoon a couple of teaspoons baking soda into the second bowl.  Have them add small amounts of the vinegar to the baking soda with the small measuring cup. The combination of vinegar and baking soda creates lots of bubbling action, not unlike bathtime after a black bean burrito dinner, which ironically, is also another fun activity for your kids.

Milk Rainbow

Rainbows are fascinating, especially to my older son who covets money.  We once spent an hour driving around trying to find the magical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  When we almost ran out of gas and barely made it to the gas station, I introduced him to something almost as magical - my gold card.

This experiment will allow you to create the beauty of a rainbow without having to suffer inside with the kids on a rainy day.  Because it uses food colouring which stains almost everything it touches, you may want to supervise this experiment.

Items Needed:  red, blue and yellow food coloring, milk, dish soap and a shallow bowl.

Pour about a cup of milk into the shallow bowl.  Add three drops of red food colouring into the milk near the edge of the bowl. One third of the way around the bowl, add three drops of blue food colouring.  Then add three drops of yellow food colouring at the final third spot.

Now squeeze a drop of dish soap to the centre of the bowl and watch the magic. You may want to have a camera ready to capture the expression on their faces because it is kind of cool.

4) Buying Stuff

If you find you're still scrambling for things to do, I've had great luck with this Straws and Connectors kit.  I first borrowed it from a friend and my boys loved it so much that when we returned it, I went out and bought two of the kits for them and have since bought it as birthday presents for three of their friends with great success.  It's our go-to toy on a rainy day.

 

There you have it!  Fun, easy ways to keep your kids busy.  Good luck to you this March Break!  If you don't hear from me in the next seven days, I'm trapped in a box in my basement - send help.

 

*That's probably just me

The cat picture is courtesy of http://www.knitgrrl.com/?p=410

This blog was based on stuff I actually do with my kids and was not sponsored by the liquor store, baking soda, vinegar, milk or Straws and Connectors - although if a liquor store wanted to sponsor me, I'm totally cool with that.  It's not like I'm not there on a daily basis anyway.

Winterlude: Day Three

March 02, 2010

Our last day at Winterlude we went to Snowflake Kingdom. 

A group of us met up to spend the day frolicking in the snow.  We were pretty easy to spot in the throngs of people since we were all wearing our Yummy Mummy Club toques.  And let me tell ya.....that one came back to bite me in the ass as I was dragging Son No. 2 kicking and screaming from the bottom of the ice slides with one hand while trying to cover the Yummy Mummy Club logo on my hat with the other lest I end up on facebook or YouTube with the caption:  A Not So Yummy Mummy.

And ohmygawd me and the kids got to eat our first Beavertails. I can't believe I've lived this long without this awesome fried dough deliciousness. Between my dislike of hockey and beavertail abstinence, I'm surprised I haven't been kicked out of Canada eh.  Hubby wasn't feeling very well so he didn't partake in the beavertail experience but when I questioned him about past beavertail indiscretions, he winked and said he'd had a few.....wah wah wah.  

 

Alas, our family didn’t spend the entire day at the snowy kingdom as Son No. 1 wanted to do what all young boys dream of doing - touring the Royal Canadian Mint  – so we only frolicked for about an hour and a half and sped off to our tour.  Which by the way was cool because we got to see the Olympic Medals up close and personal and learn how they're made.  And if you try to grab one?  Those security guys are pur-it-tee fast.  Luckily no bail money was needed.  

Winterlude is a great weekend for the whole family (and kids of every age) and I love that we spent vacation time doing something on our home turf because Canada has a lot to offer and we don't always need to go south of the border for a winter getaway.  But the reason our family will be going back next year is because Winterlude was about doing things together as a family and good old fashioned fun. And because life is short and you need to take advantage of every moment that makes you feel like a kid again.

*A big thank you again to @CLBuchananPhoto for her amazing pictures and also to @MeghanReddick for giving me the idea to video my ride down the slide.