Covid Time Capsule

Living through a pandemic is something none of us will soon forget, and it is definitely something worth remembering. So, as a family, we created a simple Covid Time Capsule, and we filled with with a few items to help us remember this very interesting time. Keep reading to find out what we put in our time capsule. I'm also sharing a free simple questionnaire you can print and have everyone in the family fill out.

In our time capsule, my family included:

• pictures of our time at home
• our schedule during homeschooling and lockdown
• masks
• a sample of the crafts we made
• a piece of yarn 6 feet long (to help us remember social distancing
• a piece of toilet paper to help us remember some of the shortages
• a sample of our favourite masks
• time capsule questionnaires (filled out by each member of the family)

To download the time capsule questionnaire I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

We just stuck all our items in a large envelope, but you could use any container for your time capsule. It might be fun to have kids use stickers and markers to decorate a box or bin.

Don't you think a Covid Time Capsule is a wonderful idea? I hope it helps us to remember the good things we've experienced (and the extra family time spent together) during this difficult time.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

7 Covid-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Halloween

Like everything else, Halloween is a bit different this year with Covid restrictions in place. However, there are lots of ways to still keep it fun for kids. Today, I am sharing ideas a few ideas for social distanced (Covid-friendly) Halloween fun!

1) Safe trick or treating - Some people are not comfortable with trick or treating this year, but for those that are, social distancing and proper hygiene are extremely important. People who are handing out treats should sanitize their hands between visitors and keep high touch areas (such as door handles) clean. Trick or treats should try not to gather in large groups, and they should wash their hands before heading out and when they return home.

Having pre-packaged bags of treats (that prevent several kids from touching the same treats) is a great idea too. How cute are these gloves full of goodies? You can even print off a "punny" sign for free here.

2) Decorate - Investing some extra time decorating this year is a fantastic idea. And if you want to get the whole neighbourhood involved, you can opt for a house, window, or door decorating competition. 

It's fun decorating, but driving or walking around looking at other family's decorations is enjoyable too!

3) Halloween movie night - A festive movie night at home is a simple, covid-friendly way to celebrate Halloween. You can find my favourite treat idea and Halloween movie choices here.

4) "Boo" the neighbours - My boys have been "booing" the neighbours since 2011, and it's a perfect activity for this year. Fun treats... and no contact required. Find the full instructions and free printable sheets here.

5) Carve pumpkins, eat the seeds, and make some magic - Carving pumpkins is a tradition in most families, but don't forget to cook the seeds and plant a few to create some magic!

Find a few pumpkin carving ideas here.

Cook the seeds. (To roast pumpkin seeds: clean and pat them dry, spread on a cookie sheet, drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with salt, and bake at 300 for approximately 45 minutes... stirring occasionally.) 

Plant a few "magic" pumpkin seeds. Find out how to create the magic here.

6) Play Halloween Bingo or go on a Halloween Scavenger Hunt - Playing games on Zoom or going on an outdoor scavenger hunt is a great way to celebrate this year. You can create your own games, or you can download the scavenger hunt I designed (for free) here.

7) Costume Contest and Parade - DIYing costumes, and showing them off in the neighbourhood is the best way to celebrate Halloween. Organizing a parade or costume party is a wonderful covid-friendly option this year. Check out my 25 FAVOURITE no-sew DIY costume ideas here.

There are many covid-friendly ways to celebrate Halloween this year, but these are 7 of my favourite options. What will you be doing on October 31?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can also find more frightfully fun Halloween ideas here.

5 Mask HACKS Every Family Needs

In this world of Covid 19, wearing non-surgical face masks has become part our daily lives. With five people living in my house, and the need for every family member to always have a clean mask, I quickly realized that I needed to put a few systems in place to control the mask chaos. Today, I'm sharing 5 mask hacks that every family needs to know about.

1) Have "clean" and "dirty" baskets by the door - I picked up these cheap plastic baskets at the dollar store, and I attached paper tags. Now, it is easy for everyone in my house to locate and grab a clean mask on the way out the door. And, when people come home, they drop them in the "dirty" basket, and when it's time to do a load of laundry, it's easy for me to grab the soiled masks and throw them in with the rest of the dirty clothes.

To print the tags I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

2) Buy a lanyard - If you are going to be in a situation where you are taking a mask on and off, a lanyard is a great solution. Ideally, a clean mask would be used every time, and clean masks should be stored placed in a paper bag between uses, but for many, this isn't realistic. A lanyard keeps a mask close at hand, keeps it off the floor, and prevents it from getting lost. 

NOTE: Due to strangulation concerns, lanyards should only be worn by older kids and adults, and they should NEVER be worn while playing. Lanyards with "breakaway" options are best.

Alternatively, fanny packs are great for holding masks and small bottles of hand sanitizer.

3) Wash masks in a lingerie bag - I picked up this lingerie bag at the dollar store, and it is perfect for washing masks. I throw the dirty masks in the bag and hang them to dry. I love that the lingerie bag keeps them all together so they are easy to grab (and hang to dry) when I am transferring the rest of the laundry into the dryer.

4) Have lots of masks in lots of places and label them - Making sure every person in my family has a mask when they need it is not easy. I put a clean bin of masks by the front door, but I also put clean masks in the car and in my purse. Using name labels (especially with kids) is super helpful too. Name labels prevent sharing and help keep masks from getting lost.

5) Try different styles and different colors of masks - In my house, different people prefer different styles of masks. Having a good fit makes mask wearing easier, and having different designs makes it more fun.

Do you have any tips for making "mask wearing" easier and/or more fun? I love all these mask HACKS... but the basket idea is my favourite. It has really organized my mask chaos. If you try it, let me know what you think!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Bonus tip here...