It’s a new year, and while the problems of the last year aren’t entirely behind us, it’s hard not to feel like better days are just around the corner. After months of just trying to survive, it’s time to thrive! Check out these family fun ideas to try out this year, and make some special memories with your loved ones. 

Make Some Memories with Family Fun Ideas

Get out and about.

With all of the pandemic restrictions in place, it’s easy to get lazy and just stay home all the time. While you certainly shouldn’t be engaging in any high-risk activities that could expose you or others to the coronavirus, it’s well worth the effort to override your hermit tendencies and get out of the house. There are safe ways to enjoy the local community, whether that means curbside pickup from your favorite neighborhood restaurant eaten at a park picnic table, visiting an outdoor attraction like a nature center or historical site, or maybe just getting out for a stroll to window shop or wave hello to the neighbors. 

Make celebrations special.

While COVID-19 has put a damper on in-person parties, it’s still important to celebrate special occasions with the ones you love. Make celebrations special by getting creative with virtual parties, socially-distanced outdoor shindigs, or even a drive-by birthday parade. 

Play tourist in your own backyard.

When you live somewhere, it’s easy to lose sight of all the things that make it special. They just blend into the landscape after a while. But instead of waiting for the next time you have out-of-town visitors to show around (after all, who knows when that will be!), why not plan your own “staycation” and create an itinerary of fun things to do in Lockport? Put your tourist glasses on and look around. Have you and your kids seen all of the major sights around town? Lockport has a ton of history to explore, from the Lockport Caves to the Erie Canal to the architectural gems of downtown. 

Move more.

Last, but not least, make it a point to move more this year! Adults and kids alike can benefit from not only the physical health benefits but also the mental health benefits of regular exercise. It’s much easier to resist the lure of Netflix when you find fun ways to be active, like roller skating, hiking, etc. 

When you’re looking for an active thing to do with your family, Rainbow Skateland is the perfect destination. Our expansive skating rink offers a weather-proof indoor activity that lets you burn off some energy and stretch your legs, no matter what the weather is like outside.  With affordable admission and public skate sessions, your crew will be having so much fun, you won’t even realize that you’re getting a full-body workout!

The transition from one year to the next is an exciting time, and most cultures all over the world have some sort of celebration or tradition to mark the new year. If you’re looking for ways to make New Year’s fun for the whole family—yes, even you, parents—then check out these creative New Year’s traditions for kids! 

Celebrating and Starting a New Year: Family Traditions to Try with Your Kids

Make a family resolution.

Making individual new year’s resolutions is fairly common, but do you ever make family resolutions? These are some examples of great family resolutions to keep in mind throughout the year, but poll your family and see what they say, too!

• More quality family time. 2020 was all about quantity because so many of us were stuck at home most of the year. As the COVID vaccine rolls out and people go back to work and school, it will be important to maintain those family connections with quality time. You can put this into practice by setting aside family time in which everyone unplugs and does something fun together, whether that’s Taco Tuesday or a weekly Family Fun Day at the skating rink. 
• Be more active. Americans are very sedentary overall, so why not pledge as a family to be more active in the coming year? Don’t just expect your kids to line up for a turn on the treadmill; make exercise fun by doing different activities together like roller skating, hiking, or cycling. 
• Give back to the community. Community service can take many forms, but whether you’re volunteering together at the local food bank or helping an elderly neighbor with yard work, giving your time to help others can bring you closer as a family and instill values that will help your kids throughout their lives. 

Choose a “word of the year.”

If the pressure of an official new year’s resolution sounds intimidating, why not choose a family “word of the year” instead? Choosing a word together to be your inspiration for the year ahead can also help your family grow and strengthen your bonds while working towards individual and family goals. For example: 

• Adventure
• Balance
• Relationships
• Calm
• Sustainable
• Strength
• Compassion

Make a time capsule or vision board.

Another fun-yet-meaningful way to mark the end of one year and the beginning of a new one is to create a time capsule! You could create a box of items from all family members, with letters to your future selves. Alternatively, you could work together to make some scrapbook pages highlighting what each member of the family was most excited about at the time. Next year, you can all look back at it and marvel at how much some things have changed while others have stayed the same. 

In the same vein, you can also have a “vision board” party with your family. Cut out pictures from magazines or draw your own to illustrate what your hopes and dreams are for the coming year.

If your child’s birthday falls on or near a major holiday, it can be a bit of a downer. And according to researchers, those whose birthdays fall during the winter holidays are the most dissatisfied with their birthdays. Fortunately, with a little planning and creativity, you can prevent the birthday blues and give your kid a memorable, fun, and happy birthday! Keep reading to learn how to celebrate winter and holiday birthdays right. 

How to Avoid a Birthday Bummer

There are many reasons why winter and holiday birthdays can feel like drawing the short straw. If a birthday falls on or near a holiday, people are more likely to forget it or be busy on the day. It can be challenging to have a birthday party at all when so many people are busy or out of town. But in addition to the scheduling conflicts of holiday birthdays, there’s also the issue of “combined” birthday gifts that also double as Christmas or Hannukah gifts. Kids with birthdays that fall from mid-November through January can easily feel like their birthdays are overshadowed by Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and other celebrations. Not to mention the fact that many people are emotionally, socially, and financially tapped out after the holidays, so they may not have the money for the types of gifts and parties as they would at another time of year. Winter is also cold and flu season, making it more likely that guests will wind up missing a celebration due to sickness. All in all, it’s no wonder that most people surveyed say they think mid-June is the perfect time for birthdays!

Make it clear that you’re celebrating their birthday.

One simple way to keep a smile on your birthday kid’s face is to use birthday paper and birthday themed paper goods and decorations for your celebration. As tempting as it may be, don’t reach for that convenient roll of Christmas-y wrapping paper. Instead, use birthday paper or get creative with butcher paper, craft paper, newspaper—really anything that doesn’t have Santa, elves, or trees on it. 

You don’t need to take down all of your seasonal decorations, but consider swapping out the centerpiece of your dining table, adding balloons around the room, or making a “Happy Birthday!” sign or banner.

If you are planning a party near a major holiday or during the holiday season, mail invitations early and consider inviting more guests.

Giving people more time to plan is a great way to ensure better turnout for your child’s birthday party. Mail invitations at least 5-6 weeks before the party, and consider even inviting slightly more people in anticipation of the inevitable no-shows. 

Move your child’s celebration to their half-birthday.

(Disclaimer: Talk to your child, and don’t do this unless your child is OK with it.) While it may be unconventional, one thing some families do is to celebrate the winter baby’s birth on their half birthday! This can be great if a child wants an outdoor activity like swimming. 

No matter how you decide to celebrate your kid’s birthday, we hope you make some great memories. Book your Lockport birthday party online now!  

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Nothing worth having comes easy,” and Thanksgiving is a perfect example of that! There’s so much to do—cleaning, cooking, decorating, more cooking, wrangling the kids, and yes, even more cooking—so it’s important to make the prep as easy for yourself as possible. We can’t wash your dishes or cook your casseroles, but we do know how to keep kids entertained! Check out these fun Thanksgiving activities for kids to keep the youngsters happy before and during the holiday weekend.

Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

Take over the tablescape.

There are tons of cool Thanksgiving craft projects out there for kids, but some of the best ones do double duty as an activity and decor for your family feast! Little kids can go to town with (washable) paint, crayons, and markers on pre-made place cards or tags with each person’s name already printed on them or written by an adult/older sibling with a metallic paint pen once they’re dry. To prevent muddy colors and keep everything looking festive, limit the colors you put out to a particular color scheme, like all warm colors (red, orange, yellow), all cool colors (green, blue, purple), or your own mix (orange, purple, green). f you have teens or tweens with an artistic streak, they can even practice some fancy hand lettering for the names. 

Another good way to keep kids busy while also contributing to Thanksgiving is to task them with creating a centerpiece for the table. They can hunt around your yard for pretty branches, leaves, pinecones, acorns, and greenery, then arrange their natural objects in a vase, basket, etc. Older kids will love rummaging through your candles and decor to curate a tablescape, but for younger kids you can give them “vases” made from upcycled containers like tin cans (make sure there are no sharp edges), plastic jars, or even yogurt tubs. 

Get crafty and creative.

If the combination of a nature scavenger hunt and craft project appeals to your crowd, the kids can also get started making some cool holiday gifts for family and friends. Creating dried botanical wall art is actually super easy and looks surprisingly elegant. Collect funky old picture frames from the thrift store, or let them collage leaves onto a small panel or canvas with glue. Another fun nature activity is to do rubbings of leaves with printer paper and crayons. They’ll love seeing how the different vein patterns of the leaves show up on the paper. 

The internet is just chock-full of fun holiday gift projects for kids, so start exploring and see what your kids are interested in! They can make gifts for grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, teachers, coaches, and friends. 

Skate off some energy.

Last, but certainly not least, make sure the kiddos get some physical activity in during the Thanksgiving break! Shoot some hoops in the driveway, kick a soccer ball around, play tag, or come out for one of our roller skating sessions at Rainbow Skateland. Roller skating is an awesome mood booster and a heart-healthy way to get some exercise. It can even help kids improve their balance, agility, and stamina!

We’re keeping it as safe as possible here by requiring masks, enforcing social distancing, and increasing sanitation frequency, and limiting capacity. Stay well and we hope to see you for some post-Turkey Day fun!

Kids’ birthday parties are simple, right? Some cake, some balloons, some sugar-hyped kids running around like crazy… What could go wrong? Well, as most parents know, a “simple” kid’s birthday party is anything but! If you’re wondering what the etiquette is for drop-off birthday parties, check out this birthday party etiquette guide for parents. 

Should you drop your kid off at a birthday party? 4 factors to consider:

Age

Parents are expected to stay with small children throughout a party, as they require more individual care and supervision, and are more likely to experience separation anxiety. The general wisdom is that kids 5 years old and younger should be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Is your child mature enough and comfortable enough to be dropped off?

Of course, we all know that kids are unique individuals, and they don’t all mature at the exact same pace. Some 5 year olds may be perfectly happy to be dropped off for a party, while a more reserved 8 year old might have a hard time. In addition to your kid’s comfort level and social skills, it’s also important to evaluate how “street smart” your kid is. Can you trust them to be safe, avoid foods they’re allergic to, follow the rules during the party, etc.? 

How well do you know the host?

Dropping your kid off at a birthday party isn’t just about trusting your kid… It’s also about trusting the family hosting the party. How well do you know them? How familiar is your child with the host’s home and the other kids who will be there? If you don’t feel comfortable just dropping your child off and leaving, you can always hang around a bit to make sure both you and they feel good about it before you leave. Helping your child find the bathroom and pointing out an adult they can go to if they need to call you can help settle their nerves.

Do you have other kids to take care of?

Another factor to consider when deciding whether or not to drop your child off at a birthday party is whether you have other kids to take care of. You definitely don’t want to surprise the host with extra guests, especially if the younger kids are going to want to participate in cake-eating, or be disappointed if they don’t get a goodie bag! And of course, never, ever, drop additional kids off without a clear invitation to do so. 

How should you handle drop-offs at your child’s birthday party?

Planning your child’s birthday party can be easy… IF you know how many guests you’re expecting! The best way to ensure that your child’s birthday party goes off without a hitch is to communicate, communicate, COMMUNICATE. In addition to the usual date, time, and location info, state clearly whether or not you want parents to drop their kids off on the invitation. If you’re hosting a laid-back affair where parents are free to hang out and bring their other kids too, include that information and any additional details, like purchasing skating or bounce zone admission. 

Parents want what’s best for our kids, and that includes a great education. Whether your kids are A+ students or need a little extra help to succeed in school, you can have a big impact on their academic performance—and it’s easier than you might realize. Keep reading to learn how to help kids succeed in school, and see how many of these tips you can implement in your family’s routine!

Helping Kids Do Well in School

Be involved and aware.

Working and taking care of your family is a lot to handle, and no one can give 100% to everything at all times. However, one thing you can do to help your kids in school is to stay engaged and aware of what’s going on with their class. That means attending back-to-school meetings, open houses, and parent-teacher conferences as much as possible. If you absolutely must miss these important opportunities to check in with your child’s teacher, try to catch up another time, either in person or via email or phone. 

It’s easier than ever before for parents to stay in the loop of what’s going on with their kids’ schools, thanks to technology. Bookmark the school website so you can always access important information like the school calendar, upcoming standardized testing, or field trips. You can even do things like add money to lunch accounts online, making it quick and simple. 

We’ve all experienced a lapse in communication as parents (Although if you haven’t, please share your secrets!), so rather than relying on your kids to know what’s up at all times, familiarize yourself with school policies and the class syllabus. 

Create an optimal learning environment.

We all know that there’s a lot more to being a high-level athlete than just what happens on the field between the start and end of the game. Succeeding at a sport requires dedication and can extend to everything from diet, to exercise, to what time to set the alarm clock. Similarly, your kids need you to support their learning at all times, not just during school hours. Some of the most important ways to do this include: 

• Making sure they’re well-rested. Sleep plays a huge role in health as well as cognitive function, so it’s vital that you make sure your kids are getting enough sleep. They’ll feel better, be less cranky, and be more alert during class if you set a reasonable bedtime and stick to it. 
• Feeding them breakfast. Breakfast is important because it gives your kids the energy they need to concentrate and participate in class. Research has shown that kids who eat breakfast are less likely to miss school, and the benefits of breakfast include improved memory and attention span. 

Getting them moving. Another important factor is exercise! It’s so important to demonstrate healthy activity to your kids by staying active and encouraging them to do the same. Whether it’s taking a walk after dinner or visiting our skating rink, incorporating fun ways to move can have both mental and physical benefits for students.

Cleaning up after kids is a challenge at the best of times… And if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that 2020 has not been the best of times! With everyone being stuck at home so much, it’s not surprising if you’re feeling that your house is messier than usual. Not to mention the fact that your kids are probably bouncing off the walls! Fortunately, we’ve got some ways to keep your kids occupied without making a mess in your house. Check out these mess-free kids’ activities and let the good, clean fun commence!

At-Home and Mess-Free Kids’ Activities 

Little Kids

Learning fine motor skills takes time—but in the interim, things can get pretty messy. However, you can keep your little ones engaged and entertained without a huge cleanup with a little preparation. Here are some easy things to do with little kids that don’t make a mess. 

• Freezer bag “finger painting”
• Color sorting. Use colorful craft pompoms and a divided tray or plate.
• Packaging-palooza. Let your kids walk around on bubble wrap, or make a box fort from all those Amazon boxes. Just make sure there’s nothing that could be a safety hazard in them, like plastic bags. Once they’re tired of their box fort (or you are) it can easily be broken down and recycled. 
• Contact paper art. Cut geometric shapes out of colorful contact paper and let your child go to town arranging them on a window, glass door, or even the fridge. 
• Water painting. A Buddha Board or this magic water painting paper can keep some kids entertained for hours. The best part? Since it’s just water, there’s no risk of ending up with a new “mural” on your walls or a stain on your carpet!
• Tape race track. Lay a “race track” on your kitchen floor with masking tape so your kids can drive their toy cars around it. Once they get tired of it, you should be able to simply peel up the tape without damaging the floor. 

Big Kids

Older kids with a little more know-how can have a blast at home too, without getting sucked into TV, video games, or social media. To head off those complaints of “I’m BORED” at the pass, write these ideas on popsicle sticks and place them in a jar somewhere central in your home. Kids can go pick an activity when they’re feeling restless and don’t know what to do.

• Create a marble run. Let them raid the recycling bin to find cardboard tubes and boxes. With some tape and a little creativity, they can build their very own marble run to send marbles through the course. Choose different colored marbles and let them race!
• Try origami. Origami is a great non-messy art form because all you need is paper. You can find packs of small, colorful papers for scrapbooking or origami at craft stores, or just use construction paper. 
• Play a board game. If you have multiple kids who are old enough to pay attention, board games can be an excellent way to burn a couple of hours. Look for cooperative board games to ensure that it’s a fun experience for everyone. 
• Read a book. Bonus points if there’s a cozy hammock or reading nook where your kids can hunker down and get lost in a fictional world.
• Write letters. Let your kids choose some fun stationery and set them up with a little mail station where they can write to grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, or teachers. Teach them how to address an envelop and put a stamp on it, then place it in the mailbox and put the flag up for the postal worker. 

The 2020-2021 school year is anything but typical, thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, just because it’s an unusual and challenging time, that doesn’t mean that your kids can’t still have a successful school year! As families figure out how to navigate the “new normal” with Lockport’s 2-1-2 model, we hope these back to school tips will help you and your kids make the most of the situation.

Clever Back to School Tips

Get the facts.

With such an unusual year, it’s more important than ever to keep your kids’ school information close at hand. These are some quick links you can bookmark to help you stay on top of things:

• Lockport City School District Calendar
• Lockport City Schools Lunch Menus
• School Bucks (loading cafeteria funds, etc.)
• Lockport Parent Portal
• School and Staff Directory
• Bus information and forms

Stay organized.

There are a lot of moving parts to this school year’s plan, with two cohorts of students attending in-person on some days and distance learning from home on others. That means you’ll need to be organized in both the online and “IRL” (in real life) spheres. There are plenty of great scheduling and task tracking apps for parents that can help you keep things straight digitally. Here are some physical organization tips to try as well: 

• Create a “command center.” There are tons of ideas out there to help you customize your own version, but basically, this should be a place to help keep school forms, mail, to-do lists, etc. easily accessible so you can find what you need, when you need it. 
• Family cubbies are another clever back to school organization tip that can either be combined with your command center or located separately in a more convenient area like your entryway or mudroom. They don’t have to literally be cubbies, either. Some families use cubbies or lockers, others have a basket labeled with each child’s name, and others use a row of labeled hooks or some combination of everything!
  The point is to give each kid a place to put their bookbag, lunchbox, coat, shoes, etc. By always placing their stuff in the same area when they come home from school, they’ll be better able to keep up with their stuff and you can avoid those “Where’s my [insert item here]?!” panic moments in the mornings.

• For those virtual learning days, it’s crucial to be organized so your kids don’t spend half the day asking you where school supplies are or getting distracted by things around the house. If your kids have their own desks, that’s perfect. Make sure they are stocked with pencils, erasers, notebook paper, crayons, glue, scissors, index cards, a calculator, etc.— whatever they need for school should be all in one place in their desk drawers or nearby. A small shelf or cube organizer works great if you need space for multiple kids’ supplies, or you can even set each kid up with their own super cool rolling cart of school supplies. Rolling carts or individual caddies for each child’s supplies are also great if you’re dealing with limited space. The kids can simply do their work at the kitchen table, and then the supplies can be put back into their caddy or cart and put away to clear the table for meals. 

Streamline everything.

Last, but not least, you’re going to want to streamline as many things as possible in your family’s routine. The school supply hack above is an important one, but there’s another major area you can streamline as well: School lunches! 

Once your kids are in third or fourth grade, they can pack their own lunches with minimal guidance from you. Make it easy by placing each type of lunch component in its own bin. For example, a basket of juiceboxes and another of snacks (granola bars, chips, crackers, raisins) in the pantry, plus bins in the fridge for things like fruit and veggie snacks, string cheese, yogurt, etc. Label the bins so your kids know how many of each item to pack in their lunchboxes. This not only saves you time, but also gives your kids some choice and control. You can’t whine about not liking your lunch if you chose it yourself, after all!

We love getting to host birthday parties for all ages here at Rainbow Skateland, but due to the pandemic, many folks have been forced to celebrate at home. While we can’t wait to party with you in person again soon, we don’t want anyone’s special day to go by without some acknowledgment. If you’re planning an at-home birthday party, try some of these cool, creative, and best of all, easy DIY at-home birthday party decorations! 

How to Decorate for an At-Home Party

There’s been a lot of bad news lately, but here’s some good news: Decorating for an at-home/virtual birthday party is way easier than decorating for a normal party. Instead of decorating your whole house, all around multiple rooms, a cake table, a gift table, and even your front yard, you can focus all of your attention on one thing: The wall behind wherever you’ll be virtually partying with your friends. Limiting your birthday party decorations to the wall immediately behind where you’re sitting means less waste, less cost, and less hassle. Check out these virtual birthday party decorating ideas, and don’t be afraid to put your own spin on them. 

Hang a backdrop. 

There are tons of affordable photo backdrops out there, and you don’t have to be a professional photographer or have special equipment to use one! Just order a sparkly photo backdrop and pin or tape it to the wall you’re decorating. It can either stand alone providing shimmering ambiance, or you can use it as a base and layer other decorations on top of it. 

Typically you can find almost any color of glitter or metallic backdrop on Amazon, but there are also backdrops with scenes like the beach or a castle, so you can definitely find something to match your theme. You don’t even have to limit yourself to an official photo backdrop, either! Don’t be afraid to use a colorful tapestry, table cloth, or sheet in the same way.  

Use balloons.

Balloons are a birthday party classic for a reason. They’re super affordable, colorful, and just plain festive. Blow up a bunch of balloons in your favorite colors (or go for the whole rainbow!) and use painter’s tape (or any non-damaging tape) to tape the balloons to the wall. 

Want to get extra trendy? Buy the infamous letter balloons that you’ve probably seen everywhere and spell out the message of your choice. 

Use what you’ve got.

You don’t necessarily have to spend money to create a cool party backdrop; just go “shopping” around your house! You might find items you can use in a new way, like party streamers or ribbons. Do you have a cool wall covered in posters? A corner of your yard with jungle-like plants? Whatever you’ve got, a little creativity can transform it into a unique, festive backdrop. And if all else fails, there are always virtual Zoom party backgrounds!

Routine. The word brings to mind words like normal, standard, run-of-the-mill… Maybe even boring. But when it comes to kids, routine is actually fantastic! Having a set routine can help your family function better, feel better, and even spend more quality time together. So, ready to learn why routine is good for kids? Strap in, and let’s go!

What a Routine Is (And What It’s Not)

Having a routine doesn’t necessarily mean doing the exact same thing every day. Just because you eat off the same plates for every meal doesn’t mean you’re eating the same food. Consider your family’s routine sort of like a place setting. You can serve up different activities every day, but the overall structure—when to wake up, when to eat, when to play, when to get ready for bed—that stays the same. 

Waking up and going to sleep at the same approximate time every day not only anchors a body’s circadian rhythm but can also improve the quality of that sleep. Better quality sleep means more energy and just feeling better in general. That’s important for everyone, whether you’re going to work or school. 

The Benefits of Routines for Kids 

There are too many benefits to name, but these are just a few reasons to get your kids into a routine: 

Better Sleep

We mentioned this above, but really think about it: How would better sleep affect your family? Do any of these sound good to you? (Spoiler alert: We know they do!)

• Going to sleep more easily. For your kids, that means fewer rounds of “one more story” or “one more glass of water.” For you, that means no more scrolling on your phone until the wee hours!
• Better mood. Who wouldn’t want their own personal rays of sunshine to be less grouchy in the morning?
• Better cognitive function. Better and more sleep literally helps our brains work better. It can affect everything from reaction time while driving, to the ability to focus on tasks, to short-term memory for your kids’ pop quizzes or your weekly staff meeting. 
• Less dependence on substances. This one’s all for you, grownups. If you feel like you can’t function without your morning coffee, or you can’t go to sleep without a nightcap, try adjusting your own bedtime and wakeup routines to ensure that you’re getting enough high-quality sleep. You may be surprised how much better you feel!

Feeling Secure

Here’s another major reason to get your kids on a routine: Because it makes them feel safe and secure. When people feel safe, they can be more confident, competent, and present. This is especially important for younger kids, who are still learning that even though Mom or Dad leaves in the morning, they will come back in the evening. According to Jean M. Thomas, M.D.,

The more secure toddlers feel, the more they can focus on things like learning, exploring, and playing.

Establishing Good Habits

But routines aren’t just for little kids. Even teens and adults can benefit from a regular daily structure. If you’ve always wanted to be the person who has a “gym habit” or reads multiple books each month, sticking to a routine that prioritizes those things is how you’ll do it. 

Having a routine can also help you set realistic goals and stick to them. And for teens, a routine can be a helpful way to break the cycle of marathon social media-scrolling sessions on the couch, which are now widely accepted as being bad for mental health. 

When making a routine for your family, remember to budget time for fun! Whether it’s roller skating at Rainbow Skateland or having a movie night in the den, quality time together is what it’s all about.