This is a sweet and simple way to encourage your children and help them to know they are special and loved. Get an envelope for each child and print his/her name on it. Have everyone write words about each person on slips of paper and “deliver” the words to the proper envelopes. At the end…
Author: mackenziechester
Hello! It's so nice to meet you here. My name is Mackenzie Chester, and I am a writer and homeschooling mother of seven children. My passion in life is finding meaning in the everyday and building a family culture around being creative and making things. I hope you will find some inspiration on these pages if you feel the same.
Treasure Hunt, Creative Family Idea Box Day #13
Kids are natural treasure hunters! Get outside, take a walk, find some woods or look in your own backyard for natural treasures. Anything can be a treasure! Be inspired by your children’s natural curiosity and wonder. Find something to photograph or bring home. Draw your treasures or write about them in a journal, or tell…
Things I Like, a Sensory Snapshot (Creative Family Idea Box Day # 12)
You might be surprised to find out what your family likes! Fill out this sensory snapshot for a peek into some of the lesser-known likes of your children. Have them write (or have little ones draw) as many things as they can think of. (If your children need some motivation, set a timer, choose one…
Invent a Holiday! Creative Family Idea Box, Day #12
Did you know every day is a holiday? Well, it is. Why not try inventing your own holiday, with its own customs, symbols, special foods and drinks, sayings, and traditions? Who knows, it may become a family holiday that you celebrate every year! Click the image above and print out the Invent-a-Holiday Handout for each…
Poetry Delivery Project, Creative Family Idea Box Day #11
This short, sweet, simple poetry project will help those you love to know you are thinking of them from afar. Choose a poem, read it aloud, and send it via text or email to a friend or family member. Allow each child to choose his/her own poem to send. (Even the youngest children can choose…
Backyard Sensory Scavenger Hunt, Creative Family Idea Box Day #10
This scavenger hunt is for kids who like to touch, smell, taste, make noise, turn things over, run around and explore! Spring is the perfect time to get outside and experience the beauty of nature with all five senses. So let’s do this together! Click the image and print out a copy for yourself and…
Create-a-Flavor Popcorn Contest, Creative Family Idea Box Day #9
Dump the spice rack and contents of your pantry onto the kitchen table, make a huge bowl of plain popcorn, and create your own flavor. This was so much fun! I was really surprised at the creativity and spirit of adventure that this little challenge brought out in my children. (I even had one…
No-Stress Paint Party, Creative Family Idea Box Day #8
You know why I love watercolors so much? Because it just doesn’t matter how big the mess is. If there are any spills, it is just water! There is no reason painting can’t be a regular part of a child’s life. Surprise your children with a paint party! Set the table with brushes, watercolors (even…
Family Journal Time, Creative Family Idea Box Day #7
I love journaling. It is truly the heartbeat of everything I do creatively and has been my whole life. Nearly every good idea I’ve ever had my whole life is scribbled down in a notebook somewhere. Today I’d like to introduce you to the idea of Family Journaling. Gather around the table with some paper…
Free Doodle and Activity Book, Creative Family Idea Box Day #6
I am so happy to share these fun doodle and coloring pages with you! I had to hide these drawings, because my children kept asking me if they could have them. I told them they would have to wait till morning, and I would print them all out their own books. I have posted 5…
Dinnertime Storytelling Game, Creative Family Idea Box Day #5
You are five minutes away from a dinner full of family stories that you have likely never heard! This is a super-simple Storytelling Game that you can play at your next meal. Just click the Storytelling Game image, print it, cut out the words and put them in a bowl. During your meal, take…
Milk Jug Paper Dolls, Creative Family Idea Box Day #4
I have had a lifelong love of paper dolls. But they are so easy to tear!!! Here is a fun idea for simple paper dolls made from an old milk jug. Get creative! Make people, animal, houses, cars, and whole villages out of these plentiful, sturdy jugs. They are sturdier than cardboard (we’ve made paper…