I feel like my husband, Scott, my daughter, Kayla and I were in training for a quarantine the entire time we were on our year-long trip around the world. Just the three of us together, in very tight, often one-room quarters, 24/7 for twelve months strait makes the “Stay At-Home” directive in Austin seem like child’s play.
The shortage of food and minimal variety of brands to choose from at the super market was the scene we found in almost every country we visited on the planet. And overloaded, interrupted, slow WiFi was the norm, not the exception on our travels.
We were in Thailand last year when the air quality was the poorest in history. So, it was common to see the majority of people wearing masks out in public. And waiting in extensive lines for suitable healthcare was unavoidable in most places on the globe.
I agree, it has been hard not seeing friends and family for the past couple of weeks. But, put yourself in Kayla’s shoes, being a pre-teen, only child, on the road for a full-year with your parents as your only friends. That being said, there was plenty of down time during our adventure where good-old-Mom had to step it up and figure out some family amusements before our daughter died of boredom and loneliness. And desperate times call for creative measures.
This is a most interesting era we are currently facing in the world. Many parents are working from home for the first time, families are figuring out what home-schooling is all about, all external diversions have closed their doors and people are exploring how to use the additional time they have on their hands.
In an effort to reduce the divorce rate, keep the kids from going insane and avoid the potential for loneliness to creep in, I would like to share with you a list of imaginative things you can do to entertain yourselves and your families. My family of three did many of these recreations throughout our globe-trotting to pass the time during long train rides, international flights, extensive delays at restaurants and rainy days at hotels. And I added a few more to the list that we have done since we arrived back home.
I hope these suggestions inspire quality time with your family unit. Enjoy!
Family Fun
- Create a Treasure Hunt for the whole family, map included.
- Develop a home or neighborhood Scavenger Hunt.
- Draw a Collective Art Picture by folding a paper into thirds or fourths and have each person draw a section of a character without seeing the other parts. Open up the paper after each person takes a turn and view the final masterpiece.
- Paint Rocks with inspiring messages or fun pictures and hide them around your neighborhood or parks with a #, so people who find it can send you a pick of your rock.
- Buy a variety of random candy, blindfold your teammate and test your skill to Guess What Candy You’re Eating.
- Make a Nasty Concoction in the Blender and make the other person drink it.
- Create Decorations for the Holidays from any materials you have on hand.
- Change or Add Rules to Board Games to change it up a little. We wrote numbers 1-6 on the end of Jenga pieces and then rolled the dice to see which block we had to choose.
- Download Group Game Apps like Headsup or Millionaire.
- Partake in Just Dance from anywhere even if you don’t have a Wii by playing the dances off of Youtube.
- Submit an entry into tons of art contests held throughout the year. Kayla participated in several contests listed on this awesome resource for youth. https://www.samanthasbell.com/art-contests-for-kids/
- Learn a Magic Trick.
- Paint a Beautiful Design or Pic on Your Clothes with fabric paint.
- Design Nail Art.
- Watch Your Wedding Video with your family.
- Go Through Old Printed Photos.
- Mail Surprise Packages to Friends and Family with fun items from your home.
- Teach Your Pet a New Trick and give them a break from going for walks 12-times per day.
- Look in your fridge and make a meal out of the random ingredients. I call it Making Something Out of Nothing.
- Get outside with a camera and take photos of nature, pets and family. Enter into a Photo Contest.
- Play our made up game “Profile”, where one person describes a suspect for a crime and the other one draws what they think they look like. It’s fun to see the crazy pics.
- Pull out Grandma’s Old Recipes and create some home cooking favorites.
- Do a Good Deed for a Neighbor or a stranger and don’t expect anything in return. We bought meals for some families at my daughter’s school who needed a little help and drew uplifting pictures for a local nursing home.
- Hold a Spa Day with home-made face masks and mani/pedi self-care for everyone.
- Develop a Themed Dinner to include ethnic cuisine and decorations.
- Pick Up Litter in your neighborhood or local park.
- Bake a Decadent Dessert.
- Hold a Family Massage Chain.
- And last but not least…Do DOGA: Dog Yoga! You knew I would slip yoga in there somewhere and what better way to get creative than with your furry friend.
This week’s 12-minute FREE floor yoga class, DOGA: Dog Yoga for Deep Connection, is all about expanding your bond with your fur baby. Whether you have a dog, cat, hamster or any special pet, enjoy a moment of tranquility together as we spend time providing some needed self-nourishment for ourselves and our loyal friend. Through massage, movement, breath work and visualization, we will enhance the energetic vibration that links you with your faithful companion.
Yoga with Meditation Mutha is for everyBEING. Please join me in this opportunity to be present with your trusted mate. Enjoy!
Spring Women’s Weekend Wellness Retreat – April 24th-26th