We won’t get this time back – this unspoken for, unplanned time. With three or more unscheduled weeks off from school right at the beginning of spring, try your hand at a semi long-term project that you and the kids can enjoy working on and have a feeling of pride and accomplishment at its fruition. And don’t worry if you have no idea how to do these things. YouTube will teach you everything you need to know!
Hatch and/or Raise Chicks – If you can get your hands on an incubator (starting at around $55 on Amazon) and some fertilized eggs (also on Amazon, or check locally, such as Craigslist), you might have your first hatchling in about 21 days. Chick eggs need to be turned over at intervals several times a day, and a proper temperature must be maintained inside the incubator. Since the kids are home anyway, why not? How exciting it will be to see that first little crack as the first chick is getting ready to emerge from its shell!
Want to skip the incubation rigmarole and get right down to loving on your fuzzy little babes? Our local Spring Creek Feed Store usually has many types of baby chicks for sale this time of year, plus you are sure to find them elsewhere if you ask around or check Craigslist. [As of a 3/16/2020 post, Spring Creek Feed Store will be open this week with new chicks to arrive on Friday, March 20). A chick is a baby for about 6 weeks, and during this time, your child can learn how to set up and maintain its habitat, feed and water the chick, and help the chick transition into adulthood.
Plant a veggie garden, and MORE – If you’ve never planted a garden, this time at home with little ones is a convenient time to start. Most kids enjoy outdoors, digging in dirt, seeing the occasional earthworm, playing with hoses and watering cans, and using a shovel.
What grows well in our climate? Cherry tomatoes, for certain. Peppers, cucumbers (but oh, those pesky vines!), and all your favorite herbs (like rosemary, thyme, and mint). You can start your project by digging a bed, or take the easy route and create a raised garden. You can purchase a raised garden bed kit at Lowe’s (and even Amazon). The experience of doing a bit of online gardening research, mapping out the garden, loading up bags of soil and fertilizer, choosing plants and seeds at the store, observing growth, and finally harvesting the bounty will be a delightful experience for the whole family.
But don’t stop at just edibles. If your lawn has beds that need to be mulched or spruced up with new plant life, forget about hiring a landscaper this time. Boost your curb appeal by letting the kids help choose colorful flowers, and spend time as a family learning how to properly plant them.
Redecorate a room – Pick up paint cards at your nearest hardware store (assuming it hasn’t shut down) and make plans to give one of the rooms in your house – preferably your child’s room or the playroom - a makeover. From sketching out a new design to choosing paint colors to shopping the classifieds (Facebook Marketplace) for used items, this project will create an energetic new living space in your home that you wouldn’t otherwise have. If you need a smaller project, choose a bathroom. There will still be plenty to do with choosing new shower curtains, wall hangings (we love Hobby Lobby for this, and as of 3/16/2020, they’re still open), fresh new towels, new toothbrush & lotion holders, rugs, and more.
Create a short film – Your older kids just might eat this one up. Pulling out the video camera is something most of us do regularly, but how many times have you dedicated a whole month to putting together a copasetic movie? From writing or finding a script (there are plenty free ones online), to choosing characters (you might recruit a neighbor or two, if necessary), deciding on setting, storyboarding, memorizing lines, and creating costumes, you can really pull it off if you’re dedicated. Keep in mind, a short film can also be in the form of a documentary, a music video, a commercial, or a public service announcement. When life is back to normal, debut your film to friends and family at a Movie Release Party complete with refreshments.
Get good at a sport or Get in shape – This is another great idea for older kids / teens. Use these next few weeks off school to develop a good exercise routine or some solid skills in a physical activity of interest. Does your child want to run a 5K or half marathon this year? Is your son interested in bulking up for the football team (or for… the girls)? Perfecting his golf swing? Get your hands on some gear and simple equipment – and get things going. Invest in quality sneakers and work-out clothes to make things official. If possible, enlist the help of a friend or neighbor who can really help your child achieve his/her goal.
Not the physical activity type? (We get it.) Maybe in 3-4 weeks she’ll be the best chess player in town, or ready to audition for that musical theater role she’s been eyeing. Whatever it is, use this time to focus on solidly building the skill.
Sew a quilt (or something else) – We hope you have a sewing machine, but if you don’t, you can get one pretty cheap from Walmart or Amazon. Children as young as 5 can be taught how to carefully use a sewing machine, and we recommend choosing a machine that has a speed control option. A simple block quilt top is easy to create and is mostly straight stitching, but what makes this project special is that your child can choose his/her favorite fabrics, plus, everyone will enjoy watching the quilt slowly come together each day as new pieces are added. Once the quilt is finished, you’ll need to learn how to bind it and finish it up, but there are plenty of instructions online for tackling this project on your own. Our local quilting shop – Cupcake Quilts in Old Town Spring – can even finish the quilt up for you for a fee if you wish. When it’s all done, your child will have a favorite new blanket!
Not interested in quilting? Other fun sewing projects: stuffed pillow animals, an elastic waistband skirt, a handbag, doll clothes, fabric bows and headbands, bibs for a younger sibling, pot holders, pillows
Create a cookbook (or a different type of book) – Kids of all ages will enjoy this creative project. You’ll take the time to create 10-20 recipes (use some they already know or they can make up their own), give each recipe a clever name, and take photos while they’re in the kitchen preparing the meal as well as a photo of the completed dish. Use a simple page layout program such as MS Publisher or even MS Office and format the recipes on each page (ingredients + instructions + photos). Consider adding special touches such as anecdotes before each recipe or suggestions for meal pairings. You’ll also find it worth your while to do a bit of online research to learn how to take beautiful photos of the prepared food.
If cooking isn’t your child’s thing, maybe he/she will enjoy creating a different type of book. Writing out a story and illustrating photos or creating a book of jokes & riddles might be more his/her speed. Whatever the case, bring the project completely to fruition by revising drafts until it’s perfect, taking the time to carefully illustrate the pages, using high-quality printing and paper (consider Fedex Office), and choosing a quality binding. It needn’t be bookstore worthy, but it will certainly be worthy of a special place in the family library. Make multiple copies; the new book will make for a wonderful gift-giving idea for the holidays.
Start a YouTube Channel – We totally get it if you don’t want your kids on YouTube. A private channel – for friends and family only – is still worthwhile, OR you can make a video series that resides completely on your computer and not online. If your child has something entertaining to say, show, or teach, help him be the star of his own channel. The ideas are infinite – a science show that highlights different experiments, a show about pets / dog tricks, a “slice-of-life” vignette reality show, book or movie reviews, even a show with your preschooler singing various songs and doing the hand motions for each… basically anything goes as long as it’s in good taste, can capture an audience, and is useful to some degree. Help your child choose a theme that (1) others would take interest in and (2) he can see himself making dozens (or hundreds or thousands) of episodes for. Employ decent equipment for sound and video (your iPhone and a simple tripod might be all you need for starters), research to learn some pro tips, and then use the next few weeks to film. You won’t want to announce the show to friends until you have several episodes (perhaps 10) already created, so you can roll them out at intervals as you build an audience (if you decide to build an audience).
Create an Art Exhibition – Is your child creative? Let her use this time to create projects for a new art exhibition, and be sure to invite friends and family to come have a look once things are back to normal. Invest in the supplies she needs to get her creative juices flowing – paints, crayons, brushes, sculpting clay, beads, canvases, etc. – and encourage her to dedicate time to her craft each day. At the end of several weeks, she might have only a couple of great pieces, or a whole LOTTA great pieces, depending on how long it takes to crank out each piece. Whether it’s jewelry, paintings, or stick figure drawings, if your child has created what she believes are masterpieces, help her assemble the art into a gallery, which can be a simple hallway or a small room in your home. (Note – if you share this idea with a buddy, the kids can get together and create a gallery, and there will be more artwork for guests to marvel at.) Oh yes, definitely have guests! Invite everyone you know over for a gallery viewing and reception, and be sure to let them know if the artwork is intended for sale.
Create a Park Journal – We just got word that the over 100 parks in The Woodlands are officially closed until May, but there are many other parks throughout adjoining areas. It’s spring, and no matter how much you want to keep away from coronavirus germs, fresh, outdoor fun at one of our local parks is irresistible. Your child might enjoy visiting several new parks each day, discovering the unique features of each, and keeping a journal with notes and photos for each. Maybe he/she can start a personal blog, highlighting each day’s park adventures.
