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35 Ideas to Make Memories at Home

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Spending Spring Break at home this year? Many families are self-isolating this year, or forced to stay home due to school or work cancellations, because of COVID-19 precautions. 

Here are our ideas to make the most of your time at home:

  1. Book & a Movie. Read the book, THEN watch the movie! Compare the two for similarities and differences.
  2. Family Costume Party. Dress up as your favorite character for dinner and play their part. See if everyone can guess your part.
  3. Recreate Cooking Shows. You can use your own pantry to recreate Cutthroat Kitchen or Guy's Grocery Games. Or, go classic and make dinner while impersonating your favorite TV Chefs as they demo food prep.
  4. Classic Movie Night. Watch family favorite films and enjoy popcorn. Try different flavors and seasoning on your popcorn for fun.
  5. Tackle DIY Projects. Have a project that just never gets done? Buy a bucket of paint and repaint that living room or bedroom while jamming to favorite tunes.
  6. Karaoke or Dance Party. Have fun with your favorite playlist.
  7. Pillow Fight. Grab those pillows and go to town. Be sure to set a few ground rules for everyone's safety - pick a place like the rec room or playroom to play, and avoid breakables. 
  8. Create from the Recycle Bin. Dig out the recycle bin and see who can create the coolest masterpiece. You might come up with a theme or let imaginations run wild. You'll be amazed at the castles that can be created from a cereal box!
  9. Play Outside. Eat on the deck. Play on the swingset. Play catch. Go old-school and simply enjoy the outdoors!
  10. Game Night. Dust off games you haven't played in a while.
  11. Story-telling. Have one person start a story for 60 seconds. Then the next continues it for another 60 seconds and so on.
  12. Painting. Get out paper and watercolors and let everyone paint. Try painting family portraits or memories from favorite vacations.
  13. Classic Games. Play Hide & Seek, Duck, Duck, Goose, Charades, Pictionary... all the old party games and kids games you grew up with - they never get old!
  14. Clean out the Closets and Desks. This is a great time to tackle an organizing project you've been neglecting.
  15. Read. Turn off tech for an hour or more and cuddle up with a good book.
  16. Paper Airplane Air Show. Make paper airplanes. See who can fly the farthest, fastest, longest. Give prizes for best design.
  17. Puppets. Make puppets with old socks or lunch sacks and put on a show.
  18. Go for a Hike. Visit a nearby nature trail and explore.
  19. Bubble Wrap Dance Party. Shopping online these days? You probably have bubble wrap from packages. Lay it on the floor and let the kids dance on it.
  20. Scavenger Hunt. Make up an at-home scavenger hunt and award a prize for the fastest person to complete the hunt.
  21. Pizza Party. Make or buy some pizza crust (a loaf of french bread split in half is one of our favorite for a simpsle pizza), and let everyone build their own pizza with their favorite toppings.
  22. Formal night. Set the table with your nicest dishes and candles and serve a fancier meal. Let the kids help make a special dessert. 
  23. Tea Party. Host an at-home tea party with stuffed animal guests.
  24. Pillow Forts. Get out the pillows and sheets and build a living room fort.
  25. Toy Time. Play with toys. Race hotwheels, play pretend with the dollhouse, dress up your teddy bear, build with Lego... enjoy playtime.
  26. Nerf Gun War. The name says it all! 
  27. Take a walk. Go around the neighborhood and each time you hit a turn, have someone choose left or right. Take turns and see where you end up. 
  28. Alphabet Hunt. This can be played on a walk or at home. Find something that starts with A, then B, and so on until you complete the alphabet. Tip: For the letter X, we usually allow an object with an X in its name.
  29. Bake. Open the cookbook and bake a new dessert or make grandma's best cookie recipe.
  30. Spa Night. Manicures, pedicures, facials.
  31. Garden. Clean up the yard, plant some seeds, make fairy houses... prepare for spring blooms.
  32. Sensory Play. Fill a small bucket with rice, beans, or noodles and allow little ones to play.
  33. Skate Night. So many great skating and biking trails crisscross the metro. Spend an evening rollerblading as a family. Indian Creek Trail, Turkey Creek Trail, Tomahawk Creek Trail, Little Blue Trace Trail and Howard Park in Lee’s Summit are some of our top picks.
  34. Fashion Show. Dress up and put on a fashion show with all the accessories.
  35. Night at the Museum. Take your kids on a “tour” of your family museum. Tell them the stories behind family heirlooms or old photographs. Compare and contrast your interests. Does your son’s book collection more resemble Mom’s or Dad’s taste in literature? Does your daughter enjoy painting like an aunt or grandparent? Tell the story of your family on a tour of your own home.

Do you have another great idea to add to our list? Comment below!

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