Joyful Moments

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. ~Camille Pissarro

Looking for ideas to make Joyful Moments in your home? Here is some inspiration!

~our Joyful Moments over the years

~fun baths: tea time, bubble baths, clothes bath, rubber toys, washable crayons, wading pool and sink baths

~bed time: hammock stories, sheet parachute, pj walk, star gaze, tent with strings of lights and old sheets

~scouting: tracking, wind direction, animal tracking, letterboxing, geocaching

~camping: at a site, with a group, in backyard, or in living room

~play in rain: in summer with suits or clothes, play in raincoats and wellies in spring and fall, go puddle jumping, make mud pies, and clay bowls

~winter and snowy days get out with snow suits and boots, sledding, ice skating, building snowmen, drawing in the snow, making snow forts, skiing, snow boarding, snowshoeing, snow painting, snow tubing, snow castles, make snow angels.

~meal time fun: play one good thing (kids tell about one good thing that happened that day), let kids choose meal, joke night, pj dinners (that happens a lot around here), dessert first, use fine china, challenge night, eat everything with straws, all yellow food, etc., party dinner, eat under the table, indoor camping dinner, have a surprise guest

~ parties for no reason-dinner parties with balloons and streamers, teddy bear parties, tea parties, dessert smorgas board style

~exploring: go for a nature walk, fossil or arrowhead hunting, caves, junior ranger programs, archaeological sites, waterfalls, parks, ghost towns, rock climbing, bird watching

~collecting: rock, fossil, flint, bug, flower

~projects: candle making, model building, robotics, wood kits, oobleck

~museums: art galleries, living history museums, historical society, children's museums, science center, natural history, nature center, aviary, observatory, planetarium, arboretum, wetlands, botanical gardens

~rough housing: pillow fights, wrestle-we play "I'm the winner!",

~foods: special breakfast, root beer floats, morning “coffees” or afternoon teas, bake cookies, make candied apples, bento boxes, dry ice-cream dots

~out-to-eat: ice cream shops, restaurants with patios, go on a restaurant hop-stop and get one thing from different places, go to bakeries, themed restaurants, ethnic restaurants

~plan something special for Poppa: posters, candlelight dinners, cards, hugs and kisses, plan a show, make his favorite meal, do recitations, foot and neck rubs

~outdoor games: hide-n-seek, tag, dance contests, water fights, play Frisbee, bad mitten, ball, running games, water balloons, squirt guns, blow bubbles, and play in sprinkler

~out and about: carnivals, fairs, farms, hatcheries, nurseries, festivals, concerts, ferries, parades, fireworks, bowling, miniature golfing, train rides, zoos, aquariums, fun center, beaches and piers, musicals, farmer's markets and roadside stands, orchards, roller skating, library programs, swimming, ballets, petting zoos, orchestras, symphonies, children's theaters, plays, go-carts, fishing, state and national parks, rodeos, and Lego parks

~family time: charades, sing-a-longs, joke contests, popcorn and movie, puzzles, puppets, plays, have a reading session with books, warm cookies and cold milk, jacks, marbles, board games, twister, and yo-yo 

~family bonding: take a class together or create a family collection: coins, stamps, postcards

~family trips: fishing trips, hiking trips, bike rides, sailing, train rides, river tubing, canoeing, waterskiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming,  and boating.

~backyard: bubbles, play in mud, have playground marathons, picnic, treasure hunt, lie in hammock, watch the clouds, rocketry, model airplanes, garden, outdoor art

~autumn: play in leaves, go to a pumpkin patch, go to fall festival, go to a fair, climb trees, fly kites

~crafting: needlework, stamping, draw, paint, origami, mask making, ceramics 

~holiday: visit holiday displays, make gingerbread men and houses, string cranberries and popcorn.

~Our  summer Bucket List 2011, Bucket List 2012, Bucket List 2013 and Bucket List 2014