Flexible Schedule... for kids social distancing

My boys are just coming off what was supposed to be their March break. We have been social distancing for a full week now, and I have been trying to keep things relaxed and fun for my boys. However, we are getting to a point where we all need a bit of structure. I decided to put together a flexible schedule that allowed my boys to pursue their individual interests and still have fun. Here's what I came up with:

I'm going to try this schedule for the next week, and we'll tweak it as we go.

Are you using a schedule at your house? If you want to use my social distancing scheduling, you can: click on the schedule above, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

And... don't forget to look around the blog. Use the search bar to find lots of recipes, craft ideas, children's activities, etc...

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like this post.

And the ideas for older kids here.

10 Things to Do With Kids... while social distancing from the rest of the world

Given recent events concerning the Coronavirus / Covid-19, and the increased emphasis on "social distancing", parents are being faced with the task of entertaining their children... and retaining their sanity. 😀 Today, I am sharing 10 things you can do with kids... while social distancing from the rest of the world.

1)  Have an indoor picnic - Make breakfast, lunch or dinner a little more fun by laying a blanket down on the kitchen floor and having an indoor picnic. It's a simple idea, but a good way to "change up" the regular mealtime routine.

2)  Read together - Check out your bookshelves or browse an online bookstore and pick out some new books. Then, cuddle up and read together.  

If you are looking for inspiration, I have a list of our 10 favorite picture books here and a list of some of our favourite books for older kids here. 

I even have a list of books for Moms here. It's important for kids to see their parents reading for pleasure too!

3)  Dress up - When my kids were younger, they loved to dress up as Harry Potter, Pirates, Spies and Jedi.  They are older now, but if we are stuck in the house for long periods of time, I bet I can totally sell them on a themed party!

4)  Bake something - My boys love baking and cooking together... and then eating the fruits of their labour.  I've been wanting to teach them more baking and cooking skills, and now seems like the perfect time.

Some of our current favorites are:  banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and energy balls... but I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes with them.

5)  Make a craft, paint, learn a magic trick, do a science experiment, or play with play dough - EastCoastMommy.com is full of fun craft ideas, so take a look around.  You might also want to check out my "Activities and Crafts for Kids" Pinterest board here.

6) Have a puppet show - For the puppet theatre, use a spring loaded curtain rod and an old sheet in a doorway. The sheet works well because it already has an opening for a rod -- no sewing required. (You could also use a cardboard box for a theatre.) For puppets, print pictures off the internet onto cardstock, color them, cut them out, and attach popsicle sticks to the back.

7) Play games, take out the LEGO or build a puzzle - My boys love cards and board games, and I think playing games together is a great way to spend an afternoon.  If you want to make it extra special, you can check out some fun snack and decor ideas here.

8) Watch a movie - Put on some PJs, pop some popcorn, cuddle up on the couch, and watch your favorite family movie.  If you want to make it extra special, you can find some tips for throwing a movie party here.

9) Have an indoor concert, karoke party or dance contest - Isn't singing and dancing a great way to spend an afternoon... and burn off some energy?  If you are looking for some great music for younger kids, you can read about some of our favorites here.

10) Get outside - Is there anything better for kids than playing outside? (And if you should be fine if you are in your yard away from other people.)  

Depending on the weather where you are, you might want to check out some summer activities here and here or some winter activities here.

How are you coping with all the Coronavirus / Covid 19 precautions and protocols? I'm trying hard to keep my kids entertained... and not focused on the news. These are anxious times, and it's tough for kids of all ages to understand what is going on. I hope some of these ideas help you to help your kids manage their anxieties and have some fun.

Stay safe!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the ideas you can find here.

How you can challenge yourself (and your kids) to learn something new

I am a big advocate of life-long learning... but sometimes it's a struggle to find the time to learn something new. So for March break, I decided to challenge my boys to learn something new, and I decided to challenge myself too. With some literary inspiration from DK Books*, my boys are going to learn to cook/bake a few things, and I am going to learn a bit of embroidery and knitting. You can read more about my "learn something new challenge" (and our book choices) below.

*Disclosure: I was given these books (at no cost) by DK books in exchange for my truthful review. I have also included Amazon links in this post. If you purchase one of these books using my link, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you!


My plan is to have each of my boys choose a recipe from the cookbooks I ordered for them, shop for the ingredients, and follow the recipe (with only a small amount of supervision from me). The boys can serve their creations to the family, and when they have all completed their recipes, they can choose something for me to make for them. Fun, right?

These are the two books I chose for my boys: 

1) Bake It: More Than 150 Recipes for Kids from Simple Cookies to Creative Cakes! 

2) Kids' Fun and Healthy Cookbook Canadian Edition

I have been wanting to get my boys cooking more, and I think this "learn something new" challenge is a great way to do it.

I think my boys will enjoy following the recipes in these books (with their simple instructions and pictures).

These are the two books I chose for me.

1) The Knitting Book: Over 250 Step-by-Step Techniques
2) Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide to More than 200 Stitches

I have all four of our new books sitting on my coffee table, and as soon as we have the time, my boys and I are going to work on completing our challenges. I believe that you can learn new things at any age, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Vacation Photo Gallery Wall

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best one, and today I am sharing an easy decorating idea with you. I have always been a fan of hanging family photos as artwork, but creating a vacation photo gallery wall is my new favourite DIY.

Since my husband and I have had our boys, we have taken a few major family vacations. During our trips, I always make a point to get a special photo (of the five of us) commemorating the trip.

Recently, I decided to frame them all, and hang them in our hallway. I even added a little label with the year of the trip (so that we don't forget).

Note: My hallway is too narrow to get a "front on" picture of my gallery, so they don't look straight... but they actually are. lol

This little "family trip" gallery wall was easy and inexpensive to put together, and it brings me great joy every time I walk by it. My boys are loving it too!

I can't wait to add a new photo to my gallery when we travel to Florida again this May.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more family travel ideas here.

10 Books that you are going to want to take on your next Vacation

There is nothing like a reading a great book when you are on vacation. For a vacation book, I love an easy read that I can't put down, don't you? So today, I am sharing 10 of my favourite vacation books (in no particular order). If there is a book on this list that you haven't read, I highly recommend clicking the link and ordering it from Amazon today! 

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links, so if you order using one of these links, I will receive a small commission (at NO extra cost to you) that will help me to continue to provide free content on this blog. Thank you!


1) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 
(click the link above for more details)

2) Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman
(click the link above for more details)

3) Educated by Tara Westover
(click the link above for more details)

4) The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
(click the link above for more details)

5) The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
(click the link above for more details)

6) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
(click the link above for more details)

7) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
(click the link above for more details)

8) Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
(click the link above for more details)

9) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
(click the link above for more details)

10) The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
(click the link above for more details)

Have you read any of these books? What's next on your reading list? There really is nothing better than a good book... especially when you are on vacation. Am I right?!?

I'm looking for a book for my next vacation. Leave me your recommendations in the comments below. Thanks!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

5 Non-toy Gifts That Kids Will Love

As the holidays approach, let's get real... our kids do not need more "stuff". When my kids need something, I buy it for them, so showering them with toys and gifts on their birthdays and at Christmas makes no sense to me. Today, I am sharing some great "non toy" gifts that kids will love!

1) Money - Since my kids have been little, they have been having "toonie" parties. Instead of gifts, we ask guests to give the birthday boy a two dollar coin. The guests spend less on a gift, we don't end up with more toys, and the birthday boy can use his birthday money to purchase something he really wants. 

Money in an education fund or foreign currency for an upcoming trip are great ideas too!

2) Amusement park tickets - My kids love our local amusement park where they can drive go carts, play mini golf, and grab an ice cream. A gift certificate to pay for an afternoon of fun is a wonderful gift idea!

3) Tickets to a live event - Tickets to concerts, sporting events, and live theatre make wonderful gifts... and wonderful memories. Take a look at upcoming events in your area, purchase tickets, and wrap them up. Event tickets make fantastic gifts!

4) An ice cream date - An ice cream date involves a sweet treat and time spent together. I love the idea of giving kids gift cards to their favourite ice cream restaurant or stand with a promise to take them out on a special date. It's inexpensive and fun!

5) A movie date - Who doesn't love a great movie with someone special? Movie gift cards attached to a box of popcorn make a simple and fantastic gift.

I love all these non-toy gift ideas, don't you? What's your favourite? This holiday season, consider gifting experiences. Kids (and parents) love it!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

How to Save Money on Halloween Costumes

Kids love dressing up, and they often have very specific ideas of what they want to wear for Halloween. Over the years, I have loved helping my kids fulfill their visions, but I have never wanted to break the bank on something they are only going to wear once. Today, I am sharing my best tips for saving money on Halloween costumes.

1) Get crafty - Making costumes yourself is awesome because it saves money AND you end up with unique creations. The best thing is... you do NOT need to be super crafty. I have OVER 20 ideas (that require NO sewing) on my blog here. (e.g. I made this Ninja costume using black shirts and red duct tape!)

2) Buy second hand - Search "buy and sell" sites, ask friends, and visit second hand stores. There are a lot of fantastic deals to be had!

3) Shop at the Dollar Store - The dollar store has tons of masks, wigs, accessories, etc... It's a fantastic (and inexpensive) place to get inspiration and purchase what you need to pull together a wonderful costume on a budget.

4) Use what you have - Sometime you don't need to spend ANY money on a costume. With a little imagination, you can create a costume using what you already have in your home. For example, my son used a t-shirt he had to create this simple Clark Kent costume. We grabbed glasses, a dress shirt, and a tie from his closet, and we were good to go! You can also recycle old t shirts into costumes. You can find "use what you have" inspiration here.

5) Take advantage of "after Halloween" discount - If you really plan ahead, you can stock up on "after Halloween" clearance items and save them for the next year. 

How do you save money on Halloween costumes? Have your kids picked their outfits yet? I love these ideas for saving money on Halloween costumes, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more easy and inexpensive Halloween ideas here.