Stay Sane this Spring With 4 Fun Activities

Posted April 7, 2017 by Prairie Wife -

As a female I know all about the ups and downs of hormones, the changeable moods and all the other crazy side effects.

Mother Nature seems to be experiencing more than her fair share of mood swings this Spring….and it’s making it hard for me to stay sane!

Within a 24 hour period we’ve had 71 degree weather followed by a foot of heavy wet snow. All these changes cause some major behavior issues with kids. From my past life as a teacher and my current life as a mom of 5 I can assure you that children are barometers. The crazier the weather the crazier the children.

As a public service (and at the request of our readers) I’ve put a few of our favorite activities that help us stay sane during this crazy Spring weather, and they are all under $15.00!

ABC Yoga by Christiane Engel

My big sis Texas Two Steppin’ sent this to the Cowkids as a gift, and it’s one of the best we’ve received. With fun pictures and short and sweet text this book helps my littlest Cowkids get out the wiggles and giggles. Each letter has it’s own yoga pose and it’s hilarious to watch your kids do the poses…and even more fun if you join in yourself!

Grow Kits

Grow Kits are the perfect way to keep your kids busy on a rainy/snowy Spring day. Buying grow kits like these from Target take all the stress out of this activity, and keep the project short and sweet. Not only is it fun to have a mini science lesson with your kids as you plant your seeds but, it will offer weeks of entertainment as your kids watch their seeds grow and tend to their plants. Take it one step further by purchasing your own pots (and letting the kids decorate them), dirt and seeds and then replanting them outside when the weather stabilizes.

Shovels and a Bucket

Plain and simple nothing keeps my kids as busy as a bucket and shovel. Snow, rocks, water, dirt…if it can be found outside it can be put into a bucket with a shovel. Over the years I’ve found it’s worth it to hit the local farm and ranch store and get a sturdy plastic bucket and a few metal (or thick plastic) shovels of varying length. They last longer and can put up with the wear and tear that plastic sand buckets and shovels simply can’t handle. Are they going to get messy and dirty? YES! But, they’ll be happy and busy for way longer than it takes you to throw them in the bath!

Washable Paint

I get it, letting your kids paint can be a pain. Trust me when I say there is a reason I put this one last…it’s a last resort to buy yourself some time (perhaps to hide in the closet and eat some chocolate). This Crayola Washable Paint is one that I can personally attest is TRULY washable. It comes off furniture, clothing, various body parts and hair with just a bit of warm soapy water. Let your littlest kids finger paint and buy some brushes to allow your older kids to get creative. If you’re feeling like being a really fun parent, take a big cardboard box, put it outside in the Spring sun, and let the kids go crazy! NOTE: I find it best to have my younger kids paint in their underwear, it just makes clean up easier!

Do you have any activities that can help parents stay sane this Spring?

The folks at Ibotta.com are all about saving money and the team at iRazzo are all about making money in your spare time. When they saw these low cost items they asked if I’d mention their awesome apps. Check them out and see how you can get gift cards to stores you already shop at (and where you can buy these items) by taking surveys, playing games, and using their app!

Categories: Reviews

Tags: , ABC yoga, activities for kids, garden tools, grow kits, parenting, Spring, supports, washable paint