Note, this post was written in 2018 during that season of Northern California Fires, we are now doing this on a yearly basis so this post is even more important than ever). :(
We are now officially on day five of having to be stuck indoors with kids. Day five of refreshing our air-quality apps (purple air), hoping that maybe this afternoon the smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County will dissipate and head away from the Bay Area.
Day five of both the kids and parents having cabin fever. Listening to the same songs from Moana over and over again. Let’s just say — Right now I don’t want to say THANK YOU to anyone…..
I was planning on putting this post together at a later time to share my favorite indoor activities and items for a “Rainy Day Survival Kit” — but, now that fires are a regular part of the fall season, and the climate crisis is here, it will be called, “Rainy Day and Smoke Day Survival Kit for Kids and Parents."
Indoor Activity Kit for Kids:
Just remember, this is not an Emergency Preparedness Kit. You will need to have another kit just for that, and I love these ideas from the California Department of Public Health.
For your rainy day/smoke day kit, I recommend starting off with at least two different tubs, one for the adults and one for the kids, unless your kids don’t like sharing, then maybe get one tub for each child.
Indoor Activity - Crafts:
Basic crafts, like markers, paper, coloring books. Check out the Wine Country Moms Pinterest for a ton of different activities for kids!
The goal for these indoor activities is to keep them occupied for more than 10 minutes and to keep them from sitting in front of the TV all day long. So, fun activities like playing in shaving cream, contact paper taped to the floor sticky side up, painting on bubble wrap can be a hit with younger kids. Better yet, grab this sensory-friendly pack with Pop Its and other toys that kids will love playing with for a few minutes. Also great for a travel kit..
Finger Paints, stamps, sticker books, and coloring books can all work in the kit. If you have room, you could add a big sheet of butcher paper and have your kids trace each other.
My kid loves his old school Etch-a-Sketch. This newer version is very travel-friendly and comes in a pack of 3 for all your kids. He can actually spend the good 20 minutes drawing the same thing over and over again. So that is a MUST for us (we have about 3 of them in different places when we head out to eat).
Indoor Activity - Reading Books:
The key to having books in this kit is to add books they have NOT looked at before. You can get new books from the thrift store, Copperfield's, or on sale at Target so they’re not the same old books that they had been reading over and over again.
Of course, I recommend to add a copy of Randall the Blue Spider Goes Surfing and read it again and again to your kids… This cute children’s book is easy-to-read, fun and makes a great gift also. Okay. Sorry, not sorry.
Indoor Activity - Playing with Toys:
Last Christmas I kept some of the gifts that other people got for Ryeson because he didn’t need 30 toys all the same time. I unwrapped them just so I could make sure what they were, and I put them in a place where he wasn’t able to find them. We have brought them out at different times, so we always have a “new toy” to play with.
The older toys shouldn’t just get thrown away or piled up in a toy chest either. Just go through the toys that you already have (that you think they may like again) and add them to this kit. They’ll be brand new to them all over... and you can put them away when the sun comes back out.
Indoor Activity - Drawing:
My husband and I love that Rye loves drawing. One of his favorite Youtube shows is called Art For Kids and we are excited because we can stand it (I mean.. I don’t know a single parent who actually LIKES Blippi or Ryan’s Toy Review), and it is teaching Ryeson drawing skills. If you have a younger kid, check out their art for young artists playlist and let your kids make you new fridge art!
For some reason, my toddler just wanted to play with his old STAR WARS Rey doll today. He used a smaller tub to give her a bath for about 30 minutes this morning. It was a wet mess in my kitchen, but thankfully he was occupied while I wrote this up!
Other toys you can add are things like puzzles, board games (Jenga, Pictionary, Connect Four), or monkey noodles (trust me, they are fun!), etc.
A local mom created something called a “busy box” filled with small-themed trinkets. We love the Thanksgiving one found on our Facebook group!
Indoor Activity - Eating Snacks:
Because when you’re stuck indoors sometimes you don’t want to even bother going to the grocery store so having some kids snacks that are fun to eat, like fruit roll-ups, goldfishes, etc are always a good idea.
Indoor Activity Kit for Parents:
It isn't just kids who are stuck inside during the days when smoke take over the skies, adults need something to help them get through the day as well.
Wine:
A bottle wine or a large format beer (one that can be aged... so no Pilsner or IPAs) and, of course, a wine opener/bottle opener. If you want to be fancy and not rely on your own dishes, get some plastic glassware. If you don't drink, add your favorite flavor of LaCroix Sparkling Water.
PG/PG -13 Games:
A fun game that both kids and adults can play like Apples to Apples (because cards against humanity should not be played alongside anyone under 15 unless you want to explain what “pulling out” is), Connect Four, Life, etc.
Snacks:
Adult snacks need something to help us get through the day, something with protein. My favorite is almonds and Luna Bars. You could also go with beef jerky or a jar of peanut butter if that’s your thing. Sometimes you’re so busy taking care of the kids that you forget to eat yourself, and that is never good.
An air purifier:
I have two air purifiers in my home year-round, but if you want to be extra careful, grab a small Honeywell one. And remember to make sure it says HEPA! The HEPA filtration removes 99% of common allergens and irritants, enhancing your quality of life at home during a smokey day outside, or if you suffer from seasonal allergies in Wine Country.
For today (if you are reading this while already stuck inside):
We know that creating a Smoke Day Activity Survival Kit today may not work out, so just remember, that kids can turn ANYTHING INTO A TOY! Get some plastic spoons, bowls and let them "cook" something up in the kitchen while you get lunch ready. Or build a fort made out of blankets and watch Moana again... Hopefully, the smoke will go away soon and we can get back into our routine of school and work, but for today. Let's try to enjoy some extra time with loved ones.
