12 Days of Vacation...

I stumbled across this article in our local newspaper, and I just had to share!   

In the spirit of "The 12 Days of Christmas", here is a list of fun boredom busters for your Winter Break
 (if you are bored and need more ideas!)  :)  

We have already done most of the list, but may mix in a little "Camp Out" and maybe some ice skating!  I would also like to mix in some more "game time" with Josh and the girls when Ian is sleeping!  Yes, he's a little nuisance during "game time".

On the 1st day of vacation

Make cookies. Get out those cookie cutters and bake. Help mom or grandma in the kitchen this holiday, or if you're old enough, ask for permission to make some cookies on your own. You could even give them as a gift.

On the 2nd day of vacation

Go skating. Headwaters Park ice skating rink, 333 S. Clinton St., is open from noon to 10 p.m. on weekends and 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. And the coolest part? Fridays are free for those younger than 13!

On the 3rd day of vacation

View Christmas lights. Something the whole family can do is walk around the neighborhood and see what light displays your neighbors have put up. You could also check out the AWS Fantasy of Lights from 6 to 10 p.m. at Franke Park. Drive through the park and view all of the colorful light displays. Cost is $5 a car.
*We helped judge our neighborhood lights, and I took the kids to Fantasy of Lights tonight.

On the 4th day of vacation

Snowball fight. We realize this one's kind of iffy. It depends on whether we get more snow. But if we do, gather your friends and have a snow war.
*My friend game me an INDOOR SNOWBALL FIGHT kit!  Adorable - and the kids love it - and it's WARM.  I'm a wimp.

On the 5th day of vacation

Sledding. Again, if there's snow on the ground, get out those sleds and snowboards. You probably have a favorite spot to sled, but if you don't, try the sledding spots at Shoaff and Franke parks.
*We have the BEST sledding hill in our backyard!

On the 6th day of vacation

Movie marathon. Pop the popcorn, invite some friends over and settle in for a day of movie watching. If you have a library card, you can check out a number of good movies for free.
* Josh took the kids to the library the other day and checked out some good movies!
*Sophie had some girlfriends over for A Charlie Brown Christmas Pajama Party!

On the 7th day of vacation

Go caroling. Who cares if you don't have a good voice? Spread some holiday cheer by singing to your neighbors. Just make sure you go with a buddy or family members.

On the 8th day of vacation

Camp out. Yes, we know it's too cold to camp outside. Do it inside. Use blankets to create a tent between sofas or other furniture. If you have a fireplace, roast marshmallows or hot dogs. You can even sing songs and tell stories near the fire.
*I am EXCITED about this one!

On the 9th day of vacation

Make a gingerbread house. Many stores sell gingerbread kits for less than $20. This could be a fun event to do with the family.

On the 10th day of vacation

Board game challenge. Have a board game competition with your family or friends. A good game of Monopoly could take a loonnnggg time!

On the 11th day of vacation

Make bird feeders. Gather pine cones and then tie a string around each pine cone. Spread peanut butter on the pine cone and then roll it in bird seed. Hang your bird feeder in a tree and watch. You should see birds flocking to sample your winter treat!
*We've done this before, but not over this break - yet.

On the 12th day of vacation

Make wrapping paper origami. Don't throw away that wrapping paper! Use it to make origami shapes. There are all sorts of origami patterns online that you can try, or make your own shape.
*The girls would love this!