Featured Activity: Declare Today Your Favorite Holiday

Invite Your Imagination To Be Your Guide

The holidays have a magical way of inspiring hope in our hearts. As adults, this excitement is something we know well, but the power of that impact is magnified for our little ones. They eagerly await such days with uncontained enthusiasm and pure wonder, so advocating that type of joy unexpectedly will serve as a distraction from social distancing, provide necessary serotonin reinforcements and forge amazing memories that will last a lifetime. 

Recreate the magic of the holiday season in April, the joy of one’s birthday on what would have otherwise been a regular Tuesday, or dive into the Halloween costume box for a weekend of dress-up. The avenues to recreate the holidays are endless.

Also, the fact that there are so many restrictions on how we must live our lives right now makes it the perfect time to “break the rules” where we can. Nurture the innate desire for control of our own reality by inviting our imaginations to take the lead.

Additionally, we are all discovering that mixing work life and home life requires thoughtful intention, fervid creativity, and patience. There are many ways to keep your kids occupied with activities inspired by your chosen holiday. With the proper planning, you will likely enjoy longer blocks of time to focus on your work enabling you to shift the “quantity time” you are experiencing, into quality time. 

Here at happyly, we are excited to share with you that our team is Declaring Thursday Our Favorite Holiday Day! Last week, we encouraged you to “Camp-In.” For this week's activity, we urge your family to determine your favorite annual celebration.

Consult your tribe in advance, find out what they are most grateful for during these celebrations and what additions they would make if they could. Set a date and celebrate the modified holiday at some point during the week or over the weekend. 

Get Creative

Can’t reach a consensus? No worries!If you want to elevate this activity to another level, think outside of the box. Ask your children to identify things they are grateful for in their lives, and establish their own holidays in honor of those things. They can create a calendar for next month, assign each new and unique holiday of gratitude to a different day, and then write down or draw one simple way to celebrate it as a family.

Mix in your team’s official favorite holidays and look forward to waking up to reasons to celebrate throughout April. This activity should help to keep everyone excited to enjoy each day sufficiently distracted, and grateful for the little things in life. Check out this awesome homeschooling resource for extra inspiration to create your own holidays: 35 Ideas for Make Up Your Own Holiday Day for Kids.

Share 

We suggest you invite others to celebrate your chosen holiday on the selected day or take a photo of your child’s calendar creation if you take that route instead. If you’re really ambitious, just plan to do both! Share your intentions with friends, family, or classmates.

Staying connected is an important tool in keeping morale up right now, and maintaining a sense of community is essential. Inviting others to “join in” your holiday fun through pictures, FaceTime and social media will inspire them to create memories along with you!!  

What's working well for you and your family? We are excited to hear from you at share@happyly.com. 

Also, please check out the blog for more inspiration from a list of March Weeknight Meals, join as we Banish Boredom or if you are looking for family-team building at home, we recommend 100 Things: A Rewarding and Fun Family Challenge.

Take a moment to explore our list of Virtual Educational Tools and Activities as well as our Daily Schedule For Preschool and Grade School. As always, we welcome your family's highlights! Tag us on Instagram @gethappyly!