Tag: activities

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Can you catch a leprechaun?

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year, so why not liven up hump day with these fun kid-tested activities? It’s easy to create a festive experience while still practicing COVID safety.

Start the morning with rainbow necklaces! Grab some yarn, tape, and your favorite colorful cereal and get those fine motor skills working. Tape one of the ends to make it easier to thread the O’s. The kids can wear, eat, and enjoy. If you’re lucky they’ll make one for you too!

Spread some joy. My kids love to leave surprise treats for their friends and neighbors. I found some inexpensive containers for them to fill with gold nuggets and printed off festive tags. It is a great excuse to hop on their bikes and get some exercise while delivering these small gifts.

The grand finale is a leprechaun scavenger hunt! The kit includes the clues, a hiding cheat sheet for the parents, and a pack of gold cookie “coins” as the treasure. The clues are simple and offer great reading and problem-solving practice. Hide the clues all around the house to get your kids running around. The sheer joy and sense of accomplishment as they find each clue will make your heart melt, and I think it makes the treasure taste even better.

Stay safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel Hunter of Celebrate You Events (@celebrate.you.events) – Party styling, scavenger hunt kit & banners

Amanda Fletcher of Cookies by Amanda (@cookiesbyamanda) – Scavenger hunt kit & Cookies

Daniela Herrera of Tulle & Tools (@tulleandtools) – Cake pops

Maribel Giraldo from Designs for You (@maribel_designsforyou) – Balloon garland

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LOVE YOU TO PIECES- A Valentine’s Collaboration

This Valentine’s Day is going to be different for our kids, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be special. What has been reinforced these past 11 months is that what our children want most is quality time with us. Here are a few fun, easy, and inexpensive activities you can do together.

First, set the scene with bright colors. We used pink, peach, white, and marigold. When the kids saw their Valentine’s craft station they immediately got excited and wanted to participate. To make it extra  make sprinkle rimmed paper cups for their juice by dipping them into corn syrup and then sprinkles.

We started with a puzzle craft. Simply spray paint the pieces different colors beforehand, and the kids can glue them onto a heart shape. I printed off small banners that said “I love you to pieces”, and then hung them up with ribbon once dry.

Supplies:
Inexpensive puzzle
Spray or acrylic paint
Tacky glue
Heart shape
Printed banner
Ribbon

The highlight for the kids was making, and then devouring, the DIY cake pops. The kits come with pre-made cake shapes, chocolate, sprinkles, and sticks. They are super easy to make and my kids loved making them! Of course, half the sprinkles ended up in their mouths or on the floor, but it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your children’s faces too.

Stay safe and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Party styling and fringe banner by Rachel Hunter of Celebrate You Events (@celebrate.you.events)

Balloon garland by Yadi Baker of Bria Styles Balloons (@briastylesballoons)

Puzzle sign and heart shapes by Crystal Aguila of Riley Black Designs (@rileyblackdesigns)

Cake pop kits by Daniela Herrera of Tulle & Tools (@tulleandtools)

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Marjory Stoneman Douglas memorial events

February 12
Day of Service and Love 

Only students and staff will be allowed on the grounds. It will be very similar to years past. This year’s seniors were freshmen when the shooting occurred on Valentine’s Day, 2018. There will be community service and campus projects, including campus beautification of Marjory’s Garden at the back of the school. There will also be a first responder’s breakfast.

February 14
Spreading The Love

10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center, 5655 Coral Ridge Dr.,Coral Springs.

Events will be outside in the parking lot, socially distanced. Masks are mandatory. Events will be centered on healing and “spreading the love” within the community. There will be arts and crafts, such as rock painting for the MSD Rock Garden, along with therapeutic activities like meditation and yoga. The families and community will have a space for grieving and remembering, with a candle lighting ceremony and benches. All clinicians will be present for individual counseling should the need arise. At the end of the day there will be a healing circle before transitioning to Pine Trails Park where the City of Parkland’s events will take place.

Pine Trails Park, 10555 Trails End, Parkland

The City of Parkland’s planned events will begin at 5:30 p.m. by the amphitheater. Social distancing and masks will be required. In lieu of an in-person service project as part of the Community Commemoration event, the City has collaborated with Food for the Poor on a fundraiser to build a home in an impoverished area of Honduras.

Therapists and the very popular therapy dogs from Canine Assisted Therapy will be available. 17 Memory Boards will be set up for people to write messages, with volunteers standing by to sanitize the permanent markers.

Spiritual Leaders will be taking the stage at 6 p.m., followed by a video presentation that focuses on the memory of the 17 people lost in the tragedy.

Virtual events
Run 4 Beigel – 5k Run/Walk
February 6 – February 14, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Parkland/Run4Beigel

NSU – 3 Years Later #MSDStrong
12 p.m., February 12
https://www.nova.edu/alumni/events/index.html

Make Our Schools Safe – #LIVEFORALYSSA Benefit
7 to 8:30 p.m. February 11
https://makeourschoolssafe.org/2nd-annual-live-for-alyssa-benefit/

Chris Hixon Memorial 5k Run/Walk
February 20, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Hollywood/ChrisHixonMemorialRun

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Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL, 22nd District)

Dear Friends!

This year, our community has faced tremendous challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of loved ones far too soon and placed millions of families into economic hardship. Many celebrations, traditions, and even daily activities have been put on hold as we isolated ourselves to keep each other safe from harm. As we all hope to return to a sense of normalcy, we must continue to follow social distancing guidelines as we try to heal from the pandemic. Although this year has been difficult for us all, our community has shown incredible strength. Throughout the past few months, we have seen heroes emerge to keep us safe, healthy, and thriving. But our work is not over. As public health experts warn of a COVID-19 resurgence, we must all continue to do our part to keep each other safe. In Congress, I will keep fighting to get Floridians the help they need to get back on their feet.

Ted Deutch

One in twenty seniors in the U.S. is a target of fraud schemes, costing them at least $36.5 billion per year. Yet, the National Adult Protective Services Association has found that only 1 in 44 seniors actually report that they are victims of a fraud scheme. Recently the House passed my bill, the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, that would help protect seniors and their families from becoming the  victims of fraudulent schemes designed to steal their assets. I was proud to work with Rep. Buchanan, Rep. Peter Welch, Senator Klobuchar, and Senator Collins to introduce this legislation that would create an office within the Federal Trade Commission charged with tracking scams, educating and alerting seniors to new scams, and establishing a more effective complaint system to ensure reports of fraud are quickly addressed by the appropriate law enforcement agency.

Recently, I joined Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Rep. Kathy Castor to release a climate report prepared by the House Oversight Committee outlining the health benefits for the state of Florida if the United States meets the goals of the Paris Agreement. The report outlines that in Florida alone, meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could prevent 101,000 deaths and 40,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease over the next 50 years. The state would avoid more than 23 million lost workdays. Collectively, avoiding these health issues would save Florida over $750 billion. I wish you and your family a safe and happy new year and encourage you to visit CDC.gov for current social distancing guidelines. As always, please feel free to reach out to our office if we can be of assistance.

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Shed those COVID-19 pounds

Food is our comfort in these trying times. It helps relieve the anxiety we feel due to the uncertainties swirling around us. What’s going to happen to school? Should I visit my favorite restaurant? Given the amount of TV / streaming content we have also consumed, couch potatoing is an activity that is gaining
momentum as we settle into new routines.

There are many activities residents have been doing to burn off those newly acquired COVID-19 pounds. Some, like me, have a bike and have gotten more familiar with their neighborhoods. Others have been running and playing tennis, as those activities allow us to keep our social distance and get our heart rate up.

However, a lot of us need some help to get a good program going. There are a lot of local pros that can help; you may have seen the Trainstation mobile gym trailer driving around in your neighborhood. Rick delivers all the gym equipment you need to your house. Harry, a kickboxing trainer from HB Kickboxing, can help you get a workout and improve your martial arts skills.

Whatever your choice is, COVID-19 pounds are another way this pandemic could impact your health long term, but there are many options to shed them. So, you can keep active, or if you need help, many professionals are ready to keep you healthy.

 

By Curiously Hungry

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Pandemic Parenting – Making it up as we go along

Think back to the beginning of the year. No one would have predicted that our children would be graduating in our living rooms; that summer camp, family get-togethers and beach days would be so oddly different.

For many, this change to a virtual existence has been difficult. Children thrive from social engagements, which makes this a time of great struggle and stress. Children’s brains develop through play and learning social skills. They learn boundaries and empathy through playing side by side with others, a scenario impossible to re-create through a video chat! So how do we fill the void for our children while maintaining social distancing?

Growing up, I had our summer ritual down pat. Days spent with family and friends, summer camp, vacation on Sanibel, school clothes shopping. It had a rhythm and regularity. This is the time to revisit your summer rituals and revamp them for COVID-19. Rituals are important for family cohesion. Resurrecting a custom from your childhood might be the answer. Unearth photo albums from your childhood and your children’s. Share stories and bring the past alive. Create a new rhythm for summer with family dinners, game time, and movie nights to help children connect with the family.

When we ask children to make a choice, they feel more empowered and in control. That’s a good thing. If we give kids choices, they have a set list of options to choose from. What they don’t have is an endless list of options you don’t want them choosing. “Are we going to the beach at 9 a.m. to beat the crowds, or are we playing in the sprinklers today?” Did you notice two choices with limits? If your child counter offers with a Disney trip, ice cream for breakfast or some other extravagance, it’s fine to pass. Just because your child wants something, it’s OK not to give it to them. Even when life is weird or stressful!

Just remember – you’re a great parent doing the best you can during a difficult time. You got this!

 

By Maria Berger

Maria Berger is a licensed mental health counselor and a registered art and play therapist. Her practice, Berger Counseling Services, is located in Parkland. Maria has been serving children, teens and families for over twenty years.

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