So here we are again. End of week 5. I saw this posted on Facebook recently and it felt rather accurate:
On the other hand, long days at home mean more time for things we otherwise wouldn’t even imagine doing. Like over the weekend we baked our own homemade carrot cake granola. And then the other day my younger son asked if we could make waffles from scratch for lunch and I thought, why not?
On Tuesday afternoon we whipped up this edible play-doh (just two ingredients!). The boys have discovered a new (and time-consuming) hobby: origami (currently my older son is trying to master this infinite magic cube). And we’re gearing up to make some Pokemon-painted rocks in preparation for a real-life Pokemon Go game in the backyard. We’re also collecting our empty cans in hopes of assembling something that resembles this DIY schoolwork supply caddy.
We continue to work on our garden, although the relentless cold and rainy weather has slowed our progress some (it is spring, right?). I’m experimenting with new trellising techniques for our cucumbers, green beans and pea pods, and hoping that will keep the plants from turning into the sprawling mess I usually find myself wrestling with mid-summer.
And we’ve found some new ideas for at-home kid-friendly activities that we’re eager to share with all of you, of course.
But first, I’d like to take a moment and say ‘thank you’ to our Out and About Mom sponsors. Check out the ads in our sidebar over there ——————->
Those are the folks keeping us in business right now, because, as you can imagine, it’s a little tough to write a blog all about getting “out and about” these days. And even those of us operating in the “virtual world” of blogging still have very real overhead costs. So if you have a spare moment, and I think most of us do, take a little time to check them out. Some of them are even offering FREE virtual programming right now (see list below for some of their offerings). It’s an easy way that you, too, can support Out and About Mom!
Keep hanging in there, friends! We’re in this together!
Local online events:
- The Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park is running Facebook live programs Tuesday-Friday at 11:00am (live animals) and 2:00pm (environmental experience).
- The Ballard Museum of Puppetry is offering Facebook live puppet building workshops, many of which are recommended for ages 5+.
- Check out the Stamford Museum & Nature Center’s Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the animals on the farm. See the new baby goats, watch them hive honey bees, see amazing snakes, and more.
- The Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford is offering virtual programming, like weekly Bake-Alongs, via their Facebook page. You can also find videos for all sorts of classes like crafts, kids’ yoga, and dance here.
- Imagine Nation Museum is offering virtual learning and activities on their Facebook page.
Other online learning and entertainment events:
- Download the Space Launch Now app from their website and you’ll get info about upcoming SpaceX rocket launches including a countdown, video and any news updates! Keep a lookout for SpaceX’s first crew test flight that’s currently scheduled for late May.
- CNN and Sesame Street are partnering for a special town hall Saturday at 9 a.m. ET about coronavirus, focused on kids and parents. The 90-minute town hall will feature experts and Sesame Street characters — including Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita and Grover — answering questions submitted by families.
- Zoo Atlanta is offering various virtual programs including a story time featuring a do-at-home activity and a virtual field trip every Friday at 10:00am.
Websites with activities for kids:
- Google’s Arts & Culture page has virtual tours of dozens of famous sites around the globe!
- The San Diego Zoo has live cams on apes, baboons, giraffes, koalas, pandas, elephants and more!
- BrainPop has free educational content on your kids’ favorite school subjects like math, social studies, science, art & music, and more.
- Fun Brain offers free games, videos and read-aloud stories.
- The American Dairy Association is offering virtual farm tours.
- Feeling stressed? Check out this soothing view of swimming sea life from the Georgia Aquarium’s live cam.
Crafts and things to do at (or near) home:
- The Marco Polo app is a great way to stay connected with family and friends! You share short video clips throughout the day with a single friend or a group of friends or family. It is an easy way to keep up with how everyone in your circle is doing. Mandy currently uses it with her family. She has a group set up with her parents and her five siblings and their families. Grammy and Poppop share a daily kid-friendly joke and everyone else pops in to say hi, ask a question, or share what they are doing. Its a quick and easy way to keep everyone in the loop.
- Thrill your mini Pokemon fans by playing a real life version of Pokemon Go (making something virtual into something actual–now that’s a change! Haha!). You can also print out this Pokemon bingo set for an indoor game option, or enjoy these Pokemon coloring pages.
- Mix up this easy edible play-doh with just two ingredients.
- Play dress up with these DIY dragon masks or these DIY unicorn masks (includes FREE printable mask!).
- We were inspired by some Pinterest images to bring some dinosaur figures outside and the kids had a ball creating different dinosaur habitats from objects and debris in the yard. Such a simple idea! Why didn’t we think of this sooner…
- This app is probably more for the adults! We know Zoom happy hours are all the rage, but we have another great option: Houseparty. Instead of setting up a zoom call, you can just hop on this app with up to 6 people and connect over live video. Lock your “room” so no one can enter or let friends drop in and out. You can play games with your friends like trivia, heads up, quick draw, or just chat and catch up. Grownups need playdates too!
This week in photos…
We made homemade carrot cake granola. This was a fun project because the boys got to do some new kitchen tasks like peeling and grating carrots. I enjoyed our creation sprinkled over apples with some almond milk; the boys preferred it mixed with yogurt and topped with some extra maple syrup 🙂
Made-from-scratch-waffles for lunch. Because, why not?
Have your fun and eat it too with this 2-ingredient edible play-doh. (We added a little food coloring for one batch too.)
Creating dino habitats with backyard debris.
Experimenting with new gardening techniques.
Mandy and her kiddos have been keeping in touch with family with an app called Marco Polo.
Want to keep up with things to do with kids in Connecticut?
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