If you’re like a lot of parents, the thought of spring break coming up fills you with a sort of dread. It’s not that you don’t love your kids—of course, you do!—but you also don’t want to be bombarded with “I’m bored! What should I do?” the entire week. Planning ahead is the answer. And since the weather doesn’t always cooperate in March and April, the smartest move is to plan indoor and outdoor activities to keep your kiddos busy.
Conquer Cabin Fever
One reason kids feel cooped up when they’re stuck inside is that they need to move. (We all, do, of course, but little kids seem to know that better than the rest of us.) Unless it’s bitterly cold, bundle ‘em up and take ‘em outside. Even 15 minutes of running wild can make a huge difference in your kids’ mood.
Too cold or snowy or sleety or slushy? Try wearing them out indoors. Watch an aerobics or yoga video together and follow along. (Bonus: you get exercise too!) If you have room for a mini-trampoline in the basement, consider it an investment in cold weather sanity (yours and your kids’).
For more sedate indoor fun, try snuggling up with a book, baking cookies, doing arts and crafts, performing a science experiment, or playing instruments. Having art supplies and instrument bins at the ready makes your next craft project or impromptu marching band a snap to organize. Invest in lots of baking soda, vinegar, food dye, and corn starch for scientific fun.
Need to get out of the house? Head to the library, a museum, a skating rink, an indoor playground, a bowling alley, or an indoor pool. Craft stores often have scheduled activities for kids too. Just one of these activities can take up a whole afternoon.
Succumb to Spring Fever
When the weather’s warmer, playing outside is simple. Some kids can dig in a sandbox, blow bubbles, or draw with sidewalk chalk for hours. Others might prefer playing a game of tag or hide-and-seek or soccer in the yard with you. Now that it’s staying light later, the whole family can take an after-dinner stroll around the neighborhood. Make it a scavenger hunt of sorts — who can find a yellow flower, a robin, an acorn, or a funny-shaped rock?
Spring is a great time for a picnic, either in a nearby park or your own backyard. Just be sure to pack plenty of food; fresh air seems to make everything taste better. Your kids might also like to help you plant your garden, whether they’re digging, pulling weeds, or poking seeds into the ground. No land? Look for a community garden near you.
Floradix® and Floravital® to the Rescue
Matching kids’ energy any time of the year is challenging, but that’s especially true when they’re home for nine. whole. days. If your energy is in short supply, you may be low on iron. In the U.S., about 1 in 10 white women have iron deficiency anemia, while nearly 1 in 5 black and Mexican-American ladies do. Yikes!
The truth is it’s hard to get enough iron through diet alone. That’s why Flora is so big on iron supplements. Our Floradix Iron Tablets, Floradix Iron + Herbs Liquid, and Floravital Iron + Herbs Liquid (our yeast and gluten-free option) all provide this energizing mineral in a highly absorbable, non-constipating form. Because when you take care of yourself, you’ll be able to take care of your littles.
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