I'm pretty sure they invented Teacher Workdays for the sole purpose of convincing we fence-sitters that we're really not cut out for homeschooling. Not even a little bit.

We just survived a month littered with at least 6 days off school (did I mention I'm a Work-At-Home Mom?).  It might have been more, but I think selective memory is shielding me from recalling every little highlight.  I prepared in advance for some of this by booking a few vacation days to sleep in and paint my nails make quality time with the kiddos, but November is a tough month for cabin fever.

If you Google "Fun Things To Do With Kids", you'll get a lot of papier mache craft ideas and emoticon-filled blog posts on 101 ways to play Hide 'n Seek.  Unfortunately, I can't think of a worse idea than homemade glue and newsprint all over my hardwood floors. 

Babies and toddlers are reasonably easy to distract with Play-Doh or the aforementioned Hide 'n Seek-a-thon, but if you have school-aged kids as I do, you know it's time to get a little more creative.  After all, the Christmas break is approaching.

At-Home Ideas

1. Spa Day

Break out all of your nail polishes, facial masks, scented candles, and bath bombs to create an in-home oasis. 

2. Random Celebration Day

I recently threw a party for my kids for absolutely no reason. We hung up paper streamers and balloons, baked a cake, and gave each other silly gifts we scrounged up around the house. 

3. Pajama Party

Commit to staying in your PJs and serving breakfast foods all day long.  Have a Just Dance-off and pull out classic games like Twister and Uno.

4. Create a Fairy (or Transformers!) Garden
images via Rhythm of the Home

This craft is as simple or complex as you want to make it. Start with a large shallow pan, add Chia compound or potting soil, seed with low-growing plants like watercress, alyssum, or grasses, and add dollar store toys like doll miniatures or Lego people, marbles, and decorative shells.  It takes just a few days to germinate and kids love seeing their results!

5. Baking

This seems so obvious, and yet I've shied away in anticipation of the mess that results when baking with my kids.  Then I realized how easy it is to tidy up the worst of it just by using my vacuum cleaner.  Including on my children. 

We suggest ChickAdvisor-tested kid-friendly favourites like Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Pretzel Rods, or Honey Drop Jam-Jams.

6. Make a Cardboard Play House

You never get too old to make a playhouse out of a giant box!  If you don't have one lying around the house, you can buy large appliance boxes from moving supply stores like U-Haul or ask at your local hardware or appliance store if they have extras.

7. Snow Graffiti

images via Mt Vernon News, Sideshow Collectors

Fill spray bottles and water guns with food colouring-tinted water and send them outside to decorate their backyard canvas.

8. Make a Snowglobe

This craft is easy and infinitely adaptable.  Check out our tutorial!

9. Crayon Melt Artwork
images via Everything Burger, Martha Stewart

Use cookie cutters or muffin tins as molds, fill with crayon shavings or small broken pieces, melt and let cool into amazing rainbow crayon creations.  In the summer you can set your molds outside to melt in the hot sun, but during cooler times it's easy enough to do in your oven. The hamburger picture was created by melting crayons with a candle and allowing the drips to splatter onto a canvas - something for older and fire-safe teens to try.

10. Bird Feeder Craft
images via Fun For The Poor and Parents.com

We tried this one year and it was a huge success... until we realized how much our cat enjoyed the benefit of easy prey.  Smear a large pine cone with peanut butter and then roll in birdseed, or hollow out an orange and fill the inside with birdseed.  Attach a ribbon or heavy string and hang it from a tree branch in your backyard. 

Out & About Ideas

11. Roller Skating

I thought I left roller rinks behind when I graduated from Junior High school, but recently we've rediscovered them.  They still smell like popcorn, New Kids On The Block mix tapes, and preteen heartache.  So obviously, you should go immediately.

12. Volunteer with an Animal Rescue group

Shelters are always looking for volunteers to clean cages and walk dogs. It's a fun community service and a far more convenient way for your kids to get their puppy fix than this. Call ahead to schedule your volunteer hours.

13. Unusual Tours

Find out if local factories or universities offer tours or special public events.  Our local community college's astronomy department hosts a giant telescope viewing every Friday night for free!

14. Arrange a mass play date

Coordinate with other families to meet at a common destination like a park, mini golf course, or skating rink.  Any activity is ten times better when your kids have friends along to enjoy it and the extra pairs of eyes make supervision much easier.

15. Dollar Theatre

A movie matinee breaks up the day and can provide the necessary incentive to get kids to pick up their rooms.  Just sayin'.

16. Day Tripping

Take some time to explore your local area!  If your kids usually ride in a car, give them a new experience of riding public transit around the city or take a train ride to a nearby town.  Sometimes the "getting there" is as much fun as the destination itself.

17. Neighborhood Olympics

Organize a group Games with other neighborhood families.  Keep things simple with Kickball (think baseball but with a large rubber ball), Capture The Flag, scavenger hunts, and street hockey.

18. Creative Destinations

Check into craft stores and community museums that offer drop-in sessions for pottery, sewing, painting, and other special activities. Many are free and fee-based programs often have special offers in your Entertainment Book coupon guides or online.

19. A Geocaching Hike

"But Mom, hiking is just, like, walking around!"

Plan your hike to include a geocaching treasure hunt!  Don't forget to bring something to leave behind in the capsule and, of course, warm apple cider and cookies for your site snack.

20. Day At The Gym

Many family fitness centres (e.g. YMCA) have open swim and open gym times.  Find out if they have special drop-in events during school breaks, and take a few of your kids' friends along to make sure they have a pal.

What activities have you tried with your kids?  Share your ideas with us in the comments!