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How to beat cabin fever with your kids
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Is cabin fever starting to get to your kids? Turn off the
TV and get creative.
The effects of flooding in the Red River Valley are still present. It isn’t just sandbagging, sump pumps and rising water though – area schools and daycares are in the second week of closures and cabin fever is starting to set-in for local kids. Here are some suggestions to combat the inevitable boredom of being cooped up in the house:
1. Create a new play area. Find a room in your home that isn’t used very often and turn it into an indoor playground. Move furniture out of the way and encourage your children to be creative with their new play area. Even if it’s just for a few days they can build tents, create an art station and let their imaginations run wild. The change of scenery will keep them engaged and having their own area will provide some much needed excitement.
2. Get creative in the kitchen. Bake and decorate cookies or cupcakes, make a special cake and let your kids do the frosting or bake your own bread. Letting kids ‘get their hands dirty’ in the kitchen helps them forget they can’t play outside.
3. Bring out the home movies. Your kids will love to see themselves on the big screen so get out the old home movies and reminisce as you watch first steps, family vacations and birthday celebrations. Make some popcorn and grab a box of Kleenex because even though your kids will enjoy being the star of the show, it might spur some impromptu water works from you as you see how much your kids have grown and changed through the years.
4. Organize a treasure hunt. Leave clues around the house and cut big, red X’s out of construction paper to mark treasure locations. At the end of the treasure hunt leave a prize for them to uncover.
5. Play restaurant. Encourage your kids to create their own restaurant – come up with a name, design menus and help them as they cook for their customers.
6. Make your own pottery. You can easily whip up a batch of baking clay with everyday kitchen ingredients.
Baking Clay
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup cold water
2 tbsp. cooking oil
Mix and knead all the ingredients in a large bowl for about two minutes. Have your kids mold the clay into different shapes (bowls, animals, letters, etc.).
To bake: Place clay on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Prick larger areas with a toothpick to speed up baking. Bake at 300ºF for about one hour. Allow clay to cool and then have your kids paint their clay creations.
Preserve by spraying with clear varnish, with adult supervision, of course.
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