2.03.2010

{ organize ME - family fun }


I've written about this before....how I try to plan a fun family activity, lesson or outing once a day and schedule into my momme planner....sometimes this is as simple as a craft project after school, sometimes its an outing to the rec center and sometimes its something that requires a bit more planning, like a family olympics. We also just reinstated our family rule of no TV or computer games during the school week. So after school it has helped having something planned for in advance so Samme doesn't ask to watch a movie or play a computer game because she's "bored." {I'll post more about the no TV rule soon.} Anyway, I gather up all of the goodies on Friday and put them all in a bin on the table so we are ready to go each day.


This delightful site that I posted about last week inspired me to plan some of this family fun around a weekly {theme}. I like this idea and think it will help me plan our weeks a bit better.
For any given theme you can have the kids do crafts, read books, cook food, enjoy imaginary play, listen to and play music, sing songs, make art, go on field trips and all sorts of other activities that help them absorb and enjoy the information about the weekly theme.

So this weekend we started the {Snow} theme. Here are some ideas for building some family fun into the week around the theme of {Snow} - build a snowman, make felt snowman, create marshmallow snowman, make snowman pancakes for breakfast, make glitter snowflakes to hang from the window, read books about snow, etc.

Next week we are starting the {Love} theme and on the weekend we'll make valentines cards for classmates, valentines bracelets for grandmas, afterschool we'll make glitter hearts, have heart shaped snacks, decorate the windows with hearts, make a heart mobile, make heart pancakes for breakfast, read love books from library, learn about the heart, spread some love, etc.

The following week or two will be an {Olympics} theme to coincide with the start of the winter Olympics - we'll have a family olympics (sledding competition, go skiing together, snowshoeing, swimming, etc.), make olympic ceremonial torches and paint olympic flags, mark on a map where the different countries are, watch olympics competitions together at night, etc.

4 comments:

tracie said...

jenny, i love this! i love katherine and what she does, but also feel so intimidated by the "greatness" of her projects, that i feel discouraged to just do something ... like at least start, right?

i love the way you've simplified this! thanks for being inspired, sharing your inspiration, and in turn ... being an inspiration! ;)

Mrs. Biscuit said...

Love everything about this idea! I also sometimes feel overwhelmed but projects with kids...thanks for keeping it real for the rest of us!

Tammy said...

I love your sight. Catching your second wind told me about your blog. I write on Thursdays (use to be Tuesdays) about some sort of organizing tip. I can't wait to check out your sight some more. I am going to be your newest fan!

LobotoME said...

Hi guys - I know - I am no martha stewart - To prove that I will have to post a pic of the marshmallow snowmen that sam & i made - they are hilarious - and crooked - and half eaten - but we had fun while making them - it isn't about the finished product - just the process of spending some time together...j :)