Long Winter Days


These winter days are beginning to get long with a lack of fresh snow and nothing but a big ice pack in the yard. We have entered into the puzzle and game zone and the fridge and walls are overflowing with artwork. What to do to keep the little ones busy? Here are some thoughts for the week ahead to help keep the kids entertained.

We made our first trip to My Playspace in West Lebanon last week and it was a very enjoyable time for all. A wide open play area that travels around the world; ride a double decker London bus, climb the Eiffel Tower, dress up in the palace guards attire, shop at the market and play with legos and draw on the big white board and much more. Mom's can chat freely without constantly having to look around corners to keep the kids in view. My kids loved it and it broke up another day at home in sub zero temperatures. Check it out, it's very well done and a great addition to the Upper Valley.

Turn a snack into a baking project. Turn frozen bread dough into your child's favorite animal or creature for a tasty treat. We made three bears out of a pound of frozen bread dough.

Thaw a pound of frozen bread dough in the refridgerator overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spray 2 baking sheets with non stick spray. Use half of the dough to make 3 bear bodies, use half of the remaining dough to make the bear heads and the rest of the dough to make the legs, arms, ears and noses. We used dried cranberries for eyes. After placing the bears on the cookie sheets, cover with a lightweight towel and "hide" the bears in a warm place to rise until they are double in size (about 60-90 minutes). After rising, bake the bears for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Provide a small bowl of honey or jam for your kids to dip the bears into. Get creative and shape your dough into any animal or object, let your kids use their imaginations to create their own shapes. Enjoy!

No longer can we make a snowman outside, however you can create snowmen inside with homemade snow dough, courtesy of Family Fun. Whip up this crafty play dough and get creative with objects around the house to dress up your snowmen.

Stay warm, do a snow dance (if you like the snow) so we can get back outside without slipping and sliding and enjoy your week. Stay tuned for more projects and ideas to get through these long winter days.

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