Fun with Leaves

JenniferA — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:30:00 GMT

The leaves are already starting to fall so it's time to think about the cheap fun your kids can have with them. You may have to think back to when you were a kid, but do you remember:

Making a house outline with leaves? This takes a little bit of time and is best when there isn't much wind to blow the house away. Kids can drop leaves to outline the different rooms of a house and let their imagination run wild.
Stuffing a scarecrow? It's not too early to start decorating for Halloween. A stuffed scarecrow is easy to make and will last a lot longer than a carved pumpkin.
Going on nature hikes? It's fun to enjoy the fall weather and try to get leaves from as many different kinds of trees and plants as possible. Then you can play "Name that Leaf" and figure out the correct tree or plant of origin.
Making a leaf rubbing? It's simple. Put a piece of white paper on top of a leaf and rub over it with a crayon. The shape of the leaf will appear on the paper and can be used to decorate the house long after the leaf is dried up and gone.
Raking up a big pile and jumping in? The best part of raking a big pile of leaves is jumping in and doing it all over. This is simple fall fun at its best.

So the next time you're outside looking at all the leaves you'll have to clean up, don't get frustrated. Instead hand your kids a rake and remind of all the fun they can have with leaves.

Jennifer Applin is a freelance writer, wife and mother of four. She spends her days cooking, cleaning and caring for little ones, and her nights writing about parenting, pregnancy, and the quest for peace (as in peace and quiet—there is such a thing, right?).

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Earlier Dinners = Easier Evenings

JenniferA — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:30:00 GMT

Hopefully everyone is adjusting to the new back-to-school schedule (for adults and kids!). With the addition of homework and running around for extra-curricular activities, the dinner hour may be getting more and more stressful. One thing that has worked for us is eating dinner as soon as the kids get home from school. Here are the benefits:

The kids are always hungry when they get home. Instead of offering a snack, make this the usual time for dinner. Their growling stomachs are a great motivator to get them to help with the rest of the dinner preparation.
The problem with having dinner later is that the pace of the evening hours can become rather hectic. You can easily get worn out by tackling the meal prep, eating dinner, meal clean-up, helping with homework, and getting kids ready for bed without much of a break in-between. By spreading these out you can work at a slower pace and avoid getting worn out and frustrated.
By having dinner right when the kids get home they can take a break from schoolwork. Who wants to deal with homework right after spending hours in school anyhow? This way kids can sit down and catch up with their family right when they get home. Later in the evening they can take care of their homework and parents will be more focused with helping since they won't be busy getting dinner ready.
The decreased stress from avoiding the dinner/homework/ready for bed rush may mean that your family will enjoy a little leisure time together by playing games or watching a movie. If anyone gets hungry later in the evening there's still plenty of time for a healthy snack.

Earlier dinners won't solve all of the issues with the weekday evening chaos, but it may allow for a slower pace and a more enjoyable time together as a family. Give it a try and see how it goes.

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The eLearners News Blog : Family Time

Fun with Leaves

Earlier Dinners = Easier Evenings