Activities for Families, Adults, and Kids

In-A-Day Activities

Our Activities offer creative ideas that you can do with your family or modify for a unique date idea. When you add a little imagination to activities you create memories that last a lifetime.

A new In-a-day are posted a few times a year. Check back or enjoy browsing our extensive archives for other great ideas.

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Write a Perfect Day

5/29/2014

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With school out for the summer, the last thing kids want to think about is homework. As parents, we worry that they will lose the skill-level they are at during the long break. Creative writing helps kids keep up with their writing skills. A fun way to encourage them to write is to have them write about what they think they would do on a "perfect day."
Not only will this project help with their writing, but you also may be surprised to find that your child's idea of a perfect day is something quite possible.

We asked an aspiring young writer what her dream day would be. Ms. Abby R, age 8, resides in Arizona. This accomplished and adorable second-grade graduate wrote an insightful paper for ThemeTrip. As you can see, most of her dream day is very doable. Maybe not the "press a button to somun all of my friends." But her writing is a precious example of how kids find joy in everyday possibilities.

My Perfect Day
"If I could put together the most perfect day, this is what it would be...
First I would have the most magnificent breakfast, chocklet chip pancakes melted chocklet chips on top. Then, I would dress in causaul comfertabel clothes. Soon, I would go to carriage lane park with my butterfly bike. I would have to press a button to somun all of my friends, to come to carriage lane park. Once my friends got there, the park would be reserved for us. Frist we would have a fashoin show with a gizillion choices of dresses to show. After we have shown of our good looks we'd have a water balloon fight. I'd be fun! Then, we'd have lunch. After everyone finished an ice cream truck would come, and everyone would get their favorite favor for free! We'd go swimming and hang out. Then , we'd have sphegetti for dinner. And, I'd go to bed happy after desert of course! And throughout the whole day I wouldn't get hurt."

Thank you Ms. Abby for your hard work on this assignment. I look forward to reading your future publications. I know there will be many and we will be proud to say we published you first.

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Water Play! Tables and Squirt Guns.

5/22/2014

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It's getting hot out there which means is a perfect time to visit some options for keeping cool and enjoying a fun activity. I found a wonderful water-and-sand table, (you can see the link to Amazon at the end of the post) but really, if you are crafty, you can save some money. I checked out the plastic kiddie pools, both blow-up and solid, and they are pretty reasonable in price. (Think dollar store or discount chains). That way you can even make your own water center for outdoor play at a fraction of the price. Put it up on a table outdoors at your kids height, add a few inches of water, then load it with water toys. They can have imaginary play for hours and keep cool.

I'm not saying that the first little pre-made table is not a fantastic idea. To be honest, I might be inclined to just order one and turn it into a crafting play table in the winter for indoor play, (playdough or water painting perhaps) but there are options that will work just as well as purchasing one. I also consider the Step2 Play and Shade pool a great alternative since you can use it as a pool some days and a water table on others. It comes with a few toys and a shade as well, so that gives it bonus points.

Just remember to watch little ones around water. Even a few inches in a bad situation can be a drowning hazard. It's ok to be rolling your eyes at me, I know you all know
that. It's just the mother in me coming out.

OLDER KIDS and FAMILY PLAY : Forget the water table and host a squirt-gun water fight. You might think that this will not keep them occupied long, but you will be surprised. Even teens love this idea. Pick up the cheap assorted-style water guns, a few sand buckets filled with water for quick refills, and a large enough area to run and play. The kids WILL knock over at least one bucket as they run to fill up, so always have extras. Throw in assorted popsicles and you are all set.

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Make a Go-Away-Bad-Dreams Pillow

5/15/2014

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Do you have a little guy or girl that is afraid of things that go bump in the night? A go-away-bad-dreams pillow might just do the trick. The idea is pretty simple. Once you have talked out any potential fears and addressed their concerns in the light of day when things seem so much less scary for them, the child can begin the project (with your help) by writing down "magic word blockers." on fabric. Make sure it is a nice soft fabric that with be ok for the little ones to rest their heads on.

Start by cutting some squares of fabric, different colors of fabric work well if they have several fears so they can visualize the colors they wrote the words on. Then with a fabric writing pen, write down the antidote to any fears that the child has. "Go away bad dreams," "no monsters allowed in the closet," "noises don't bother me." They can be as clever as they want with their antidotes.

You can choose to put them in the pillow a few different ways. If you are handy with a needle and thread you can make a small slit in the pillow and stuff them in and then sew it back up. If you are like me and not so good with sewing, just tuck them in the pillowcase with the pillow. Then at night they can have their go-away-bad-dream pillow that can remind them that they already shooed away their scary thoughts.

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Make a Simple Gesture Jar

5/8/2014

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One of the hardest thing sometimes for couples to do is to show genuine appreciation for each other off the cuff. If you have been thinking that it has been a bit too long since you have shown your significant other how much you appreciate them, instead of racking your brain about a nice and simple "I love you" gesture, just ask them how they would like to be shown how much you care.

The idea is pretty simple really. Each person takes ten slips of paper and writes on each one something they would love to have someone do for them without having to ask. Then each person folds up the slips, (do not show the other person what you are writing on the slip) and puts them in a decorated jar (or an old peanut butter jar can do as well. No need to get to fancy with a simple gesture jar). Each person has their own jar with their name on it. You can write things like, "Give me a kiss on the cheek", "bring me a cup of hot coffee in the morning", "surprise me with a piece of Godiva Chocolate", "cut me a rose from the garden", "turn on the football game", and "hand me a bag of chips." Keep it to simple gestures only!

These thoughtful things do not have to cost money and do not have to be done right away or with any time frame. Just having them there somewhere you can both see the jars might remind you both to appreciate each other with little gestures. Now, NO picking through the jar for an idea you like. When you want to show you care, simply pick a slip and do that small gesture. Stay away from things that take a long time to accomplish or cost a lot of money. This is about small gestures that you can do anytime. Replenish the list as needed.

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Teen Cellphone Hunt

5/1/2014

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Being around most teens, you may have noticed how difficult it is to get them off of their phones and interacting. I have actually been in a room with five teens who sit in total silence and text their conversations while never saying a word to each other. So, how about taking advantage of this new phenomenon? Play a game of hide and seek with the cellphones.

First, make sure everyone in the group has each others' numbers and start a group text. Then, one person hides an item somewhere in the house. Next, the person who hides the prize sends out hints, one at a time, and leaves a lag time between texts of about two minutes. Every two minutes, a new text hint is sent out by the hider until the prize is ultimately found. The winner becomes the new hider.

This may not get them off the cellphones, but at least it is interactive and can actually start a real conversation!

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In-A-Day Activities

Write a Perfect Day

Water Play! Tables and Squirt Guns.

Make a Go-Away-Bad-Dreams Pillow

Make a Simple Gesture Jar

Teen Cellphone Hunt

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