GET OUT AND THIS WINTER
When we think of getting outside to play, summer comes to mind. With its warmth and abundant sunshine, there are lots of opportunities to get outdoors. But winter offers tons of fun too if you know where to look. Here are some of our favorite ideas and activities around Hancock County for kids just like YOU!
TRY OUT ICE SKATING
Ice skating at an indoor or outdoor rink is a fun way to test your balance and endurance. Make sure to wear your mittens and snow pants for some extra padding in case you fall! Greenfield’s Main Street has an outdoor rink at Courthouse Plaza this winter that you and your whole family can enjoy.
TAKE A QUIET HIKE
Visit one of Hancock County’s nature preserves to see how animals behave in the wintertime. You might even be able to see signs of animals hibernating. Some of our favorite stops for winter fun include Thornwood Nature Preserve and Beckenholdt Park.
HAVE FUN SLEDDING OR SNOW TUBING
Flying down a hill on a sled or tube is a great way to have fun with your family and friends. Riley Park in Greenfield has a great sledding hill. If you want something really big and more challenging, Koteewi Run Seasonal Slopes are a fun place to try snow tubing!
ENJOY A WINTER PICNIC
Summer isn’t the only time of year you can have a picnic! Bundle up, call your friends or family, bring a thermos of soup or hot cocoa and spread your blanket in the backyard or your favorite park to enjoy some fresh air and natural beauty!
MAKE A WINTER MANDALA
Wintertime brings a lot of interesting nature finds, like sticks, berries, pine needles and more. Can you collect the ones you find most interesting and create a mandala or beautiful picture on the ground? When you are done, have your parent snap a photo!
BUILD A STICK FORT
With all of the trees dropping their leaves, it is easier to find large sticks in wooded areas. Have your friends or family help you gather a whole bunch and begin making a stick fort together. You can lean the sticks against a tree OR tie a few together to act as a frame, filling it in with other sticks as you go.
ROAST S’MORES ON A FIRE
S’mores aren’t just for summer camping experiences. If you have a backyard, ask your adult if you can have a campfire. The warmth of the fire on a cold winter night will make those treats tastes extra sweet.
SELF-CARE FOR KIDS
Self-care means having some routines in place that help you to feel your best in both your mind and body. Kids need self-care just like adults do, but it will look different for everyone. We all have things that help us to relax and unwind or make us feel joyful and happy. Can you think of anything that you really look forward to daily or weekly?
Creating a list of things that help you take good care of your body, work through any emotions in a healthy way and get enough rest is the foundation of great self-care.
Self-care
involves taking care of your body, naming your feelings, and taking breaks. Here are some ideas to get you started:
DEEP BREATHING
Breathing deeply into your belly helps to calm your mind and body. This can be helpful not only in times of stress, but before bedtime, at the dinner table, when you are waiting for the bus or when you feel nervous about a test. Breathing into your belly is a great form of self-care for both your mind and your body, and helps you feel refreshed!
DRINK MORE WATER
Did you know that your body is made up of 60% water? It helps in every aspect of your body’s functioning, including blood flow, heartbeat, muscle movements, fighting off viruses and more. Drinking water might seem boring, so if you have a hard time give it a bit of flavor with sliced cucumber, strawberries or lemon. Very fancy self-care!
CALL ON YOUR INNER GOOFBALL
Kids are supposed to have plenty of time to get silly, but there are a lot of spaces where it isn’t appropriate (like in math class or at your sister’s graduation). But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring out your inner goofball at the right times! Ask your adult to help you find some “silly” time each day, where you can act out, get loud and be completely goofy. A good belly laugh is a great way to relieve stress in your mind and body!
GET PLENTY OF REST
Your growing body needs plenty of rest to stay healthy and strong. When we feel overwhelmed or stressed, it can sometimes interfere with our ability to sleep or relax. Make sure you are sticking to a healthy bedtime routine and getting enough sleep every night. That means no screens leading up to bed and a nice quiet wind-down time. You can also incorporate more rest throughout the day. Lounge on the couch with a book or with your eyes closed, find a cozy hammock in your backyard or cuddle with your favorite stuffed animal.
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE (AND PETS!) YOU LOVE
Connection is a great form of self-care and is so important for our bodies and minds. Think about what types of connections make you feel best. Is it laughing and playing a game with friends? Cuddling with your parent after school? Talking to your grandma on the phone? Meeting new people by joining a club? Include on your list those connections that leave you feeling great!
MOVE IT!
Any type of movement or exercise you enjoy is a great form of self-care. Whether it is dancing, climbing trees, playing soccer or jumping on the trampoline, staying active will help you to have a healthier heart and lower your stress.
GET OUTSIDE
Your body has an amazing natural clock called a circadian rhythm. One main piece of it works when your eyes take in sunlight and send signals to your brain about what time of day it is. From there, your body can make just the right chemicals to keep you awake, make you feel hungry or help you fall asleep. Too much time indoors or looking at your computer/ tablet/phone screen can throw off this rhythm. Therefore, getting outside is a great way to reset and breathe in some fresh air!
JOURNAL OR COLOR
Getting your feelings out on paper through writing or drawing is a great way to express yourself. Grab paints, markers, colored pencils and paper and go to work bringing your insides to the outside. This selfexpression can be especially helpful for big emotions like sadness, anger or fear, and can help you learn healthy ways to feel your feelings.
CLEAN YOUR ROOM
That’s right, we said it. Your parents aren’t wrong about having a clean room…it helps your mind and body to feel better when you are living in a clutterfree space! If cleaning feels overwhelming, do it a tiny bit at a time. Maybe just start with organizing one shoebox full of old Pokémon cards and move onto the next project when you are ready!
EAT A HEALTHY SNACK
You know that eating healthy is a great way to keep your body in tip-top shape. But did you know that it is important for your mind as well? Your brain is a supercomputer and that takes a lot of energy. Everything you eat goes into fueling your brain so it can keep growing and learning. Make sure you are feeding it lots of healthy fruits, vegetables, fats like those found in nuts and fish, protein and whole grains!
MAKE YOUR OWN EYE PILLOW
If you are trying to take better care of yourself by resting and taking breaks, it is nice to have something to help you feel a bit more relaxed. An eye pillow is a super easy craft that will add some weight onto your face and eyes and block out light, all helpful in winding down. If you want to make your own eye pillow, just grab your grown-up, follow our instructions and you will be kicking back in no time.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
• A square of fabric large enough to be folded in half and cover both eyes with some extra material along the edges to allow for a seam
• Rice (if you would like a heavier pillow) or flaxseed (for a lighter weight)
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Dried lavender flowers (optional)
• Funnel (you can make one with paper!)
• Straight pins
• Needle and thread or a sewing machine
• Scissors
1. Begin by folding the square in half and straight pinning the sides together, leaving one of the shorter sides open.
2. Using your needle and thread or a sewing machine, sew around one of the short edges and the long edge so you have a rectangle with one side still open.
3. Mix lavender flowers (if using) and rice or flaxseed in a bowl.
4. Set the funnel in the opening of the rectangle of fabric and pour rice mixture into the pillow. Do not fill all the way to the top, instead leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pillow empty.
5. Hand sew the remaining edge of the rectangle using a needle and thread.
6. Test your eye pillow to make sure there are no holes.
7. Enjoy!
These make a great
or party favor for
and friends!
EAT THE RAINBO W:
An Easy Guide to Healthy Eating
You probably already know the importance of eating plenty of healthy foods. Adults everywhere seem to be obsessed with vegetables. Even though it can be annoying sometimes to eat the broccoli on your plate at dinner, it is still important to eat those fresh fruits and veggies. But, do you know the WHY behind it? As a curious kid, we want to give you the facts so you can feel empowered when you are eating the right foods for your body!
WHY DO I HAVE TO EAT MY VEGETABLES?
Your body is so busy growing and doing amazing things for you every day, but sometimes it is hard to remember that. Every time you encounter germs, your immune system activates to fight them off and protect you. When you want to run and play with your friends, your heart beats faster to make sure more blood can travel to your muscles. While your teacher is talking about math or spelling, your brain is working hard to make sure you can remember their lesson.
The foods you eat every day are really important in supporting your body to perform all of these amazing tasks. Kids who eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh foods have immune systems, hearts and brains that work even better. Feeding your body what it needs to thrive is just as important as brushing your teeth, moving your body, playing with friends, being kind to others and all the other stuff you do to help you grow into an amazing kid.
A FUN WAY TO GET THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES YOU NEED
But now here are some FUN facts…scientists have discovered that the different colors you see in fruits and vegetables can do different things to help support your body in growing big and strong. For example, foods that are red like tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries have a compound in them that is good for your heart. If you look around in the grocery store, you will see a whole rainbow of different colors and each one can help you in a different way.
So, here is the challenge from your friends at Boomerang: When you wake up tomorrow (and the day after that and the day after that) see how many rainbow colors you can eat throughout the day! Now, this doesn’t include things like candy or packaged snacks where food dyes can create artificial colors. We are talking beautiful, bright fruits and vegetables! Here is how each different color helps your body:
RED foods like tomatoes, red peppers, cherries and strawberries help your HEART.
ORANGE foods like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots and oranges help your EYESIGHT.
YELLOW foods like bananas, lemons, pineapple and ginger help your body HEAL CUTS.
GREEN foods like cucumbers, kale, spinach, broccoli and kiwis help you FIGHT GERMS.
BLUE and PURPLE foods like blueberries, blackberries, plums, eggplant and grapes help your BRAIN.
Which fruits and vegetables are your favorite ones? What is your favorite color to eat? Can you think of at least one food from each of these color categories that you can put on your plate tomorrow? And, most importantly, what will your parent say when you ASK for more colorful fruits and vegetables?
Now that you know the science behind it, you can help them understand why it is important to eat the rainbow!
RAINBO W VEGGIE PASTA
RECIPE:
Eating every color of the rainbow is a great way to make sure you are getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need to stay strong and healthy. This is an easy recipe to make with a grown-up’s help AND you can throw in whatever vegetables you want!
Here are some ingredients we like, but try your own combination of veggies, too!
• 1 package of your favorite whole grain pasta
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup green beans
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 can white beans
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmesan for topping
DIRECTIONS:
Ask a grown-up for help with the stove!
1. Bring water for pasta to a boil and cook as per package instructions.
2. In the meantime, heat oil in a saucepan and sauté diced onion and bell pepper until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
3. Add green beans, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and continue to cook until all vegetables are tender.
4. Add white beans, lemon juice and parmesan cheese to the vegetable mixture. Combine pasta and vegetables in a bowl and toss.
DOLLARS & SENSE:
LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY
Do you get an allowance? What about money from relatives on your birthday? Do you like to spend it right away or would you rather save up for something you want? Learning to manage money early and thinking about these questions is an important part of growing up. In fact, it might even mean you are more confident about handling money as an adult! But where should you start right now?
GET FAMILIAR WITH SOME MONEY-RELATED WORDS
When we use the term “managing money,” it just means figuring out what is best for us in terms of saving, spending, investing and even donating. Everyone manages their money a bit differently and kids your age will have access to different things depending on your family’s values. But, no matter what your plans are, here is some vocabulary that you should become familiar with: CHECKING
A bank account that checks can be drawn from. Nowadays, many people don’t use checks, but debit cards are used in a similar way. DEBIT CARD
A type of banking card that allows you to make purchases, which will be withdrawn from your checking account. SAVINGS ACCOUNT
A type of bank account that contains money but also draws interest.
Money a bank pays you for keeping your savings there.
A plan that you make to keep track of your money and where it is going.
LOAN
Something that is borrowed, often money, that needs to be paid back with an added amount of interest.
DEBT Money that you owe someone that needs to be paid back.
CREDIT Allows you to buy something without having to pay for it right away. INVESTMENT
Something you spend money on, which you believe will earn you more money in return.
CREATE A BUDGET OR SET GOALS
One of the first things you can do to start managing your money is setting goals for yourself. Is there something you have wanted for a long time that you would like to save money for? Do you want to set a goal with your whole family that you will all work toward? Are you interested in saving a certain amount of money so you can learn more about investing? Your goal will be unique to you, so think about what you would like to do with your money that would make you feel really happy.
Once you understand your goal, write it down. Then, you can start making a budget for yourself. As a kid, your budget will likely be simple since you probably don’t need to pay for your housing or other things yet. You can split the money you get into three categories: spending, saving and donating.
OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT
There are lots of options for kids who would like to start a bank account. First, you will need an adult to help you get a debit card. Then, you and your grown up can decide which one is the right choice for you. These cards may have monthly maintenance fees or minimum balances required, so make sure to read the fine print. Some wellknown options for helping kids get started in the world of financial independence include: Greenlight, GoHenry Debit Card, Chase Kids, Modak, and GBC Bank.
Once you open a bank account, you will be able to add spending money. Your savings can be held in another account or you can keep cash in a piggy bank or jar, depending on the amount of money you are aiming for. The larger the amount, the safer it will be in the bank. Your adult can show you how to withdraw money from the bank, manage your money online and make purchases, all important things to know!
SPENDING
This is the money you will spend on things you want this month, such as candy at the movie theater or maybe a birthday gift for a friend. This money is in your account for spending on anything you would like.
This is the money you will set aside toward your goal. For some, their goal may just be to increase the amount of money they have available in a savings account. For others, there may be a specific item they would like to purchase.
This is the money you will set aside to donate to a charity, if that is something that interests you.
Depending on your goal, your savings or spending will likely be the largest categories. If it helps, you can have an adult help you with creating a spreadsheet and even using a calculator to help keep track. Check out our example below!
WHAT’S YOUR GOAL?
Write it here!
Let’s pretend you have $50 right now, and you get $5 allowance every week. How would you budget your money and how long will it take to achieve your goal? Fill out the chart below for practice!
SPENDING
SAVINGS
DONATING
Totals:
Just because you are a kid, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to manage and grow you money! In fact, it can be really fun and empowering to see your savings grow and reach goals or make purchases that feel good to you. Good luck and happy investing!
