You’ve pulled on a lot of hats this year haven’t you? Forget being a parent—you’ve also been a substitute teacher, snack maker, tech support, playmate and much, much more, all while acting as the family MVP—most valuable protector. That’s a lot of extra invisible jobs.
You’ve more than earned family time to celebrate. Not sure what to do? Here are some ideas for a fun, yet relaxing, day with your favourite people.
6:30 a.m.: Before the kids are up, get a jump-start to your activity-filled day by applying Microban 24 Sanitizing Spray on your hard surfaces. It works around the clock, just like you, to keep your family safe from 99.9% of bacteria for up to 24 hours*, even after multiple touches. This way you’ll come home to a clean space that gives you piece of mind.
7:30 a.m.: Now that the kids are awake, fire up the Cocomelon playlist to inspire some bedside bouncing. Or if you prefer something more relaxed, pull little ones into bed for a family cuddle or tickle fight.
8:30 a.m.: Noah wants chocolate chips, but Ella’s asking for strawberries and whipped cream. Make pancakes together and let everyone choose a topping for a fully loaded pancake bar.
9:30 a.m.: Time to pull on some shoes and head outside. Typically, mudrooms can be a little worse for wear, but luckily, you’ve already applied Microban 24 Sanitizing Spray, so you don’t have to worry about reapplying until tomorrow—even if you’re in and out of the mudroom all day. Now you only have to focus on getting the kids ready and out the door! Arm each kid with a bag and look for a new-to-you walking path or forest to let your littles collect all the sticks and rocks (and pine cones, wood chips, leaves, etc.!) they want.
10:30 a.m.: You packed a ball, right? Look for a clearing and pull out that ball for some family games such as catch or soccer. Or even easier—have a kicking or throwing contest to see who can send the ball farthest.
11:45 a.m.: Why not fill hungry tummies with a backyard picnic? But forget anything fancy—make this a snacky picnic. Grab a blanket and a variety of ready-prepped snacks: packaged crackers and string cheese, pita chips and hummus, easy-to-grab fresh fruit, water bottles/juice boxes, a box of brownies or bars and more. Put out as much as you reasonably can because half the fun is laying out the assortment and picking out which snack to try.
1 p.m.: Time to head back home! Once you’re back inside, and after everyone washes their hands, now would be the perfect time to sit down together and play your favourite board game, do a jigsaw puzzle, or even do some arts and crafts, but if your kids are having a hard time staying awake after having a busy morning, a nap is always a good idea.
3:30 p.m.: Have a quick snack to recharge (ants on a log, anyone?) and have things get a bit more physical inside with a game of The Floor is Lava or classic hide-and-seek if everyone prefers. Then take turns building obstacle courses for each other and finish your afternoon off with a dance party. Don’t forget the tunes!
5:30 p.m.: After a fun day of family adventures, who wants to cook? Support local and order some of your favourite takeout—you deserve it!
7:30 p.m.: Once the littlest kids are in bed, cuddle up on the couch with some popcorn with your big kids and enjoy a movie. Can’t decide which flick to try? Pick a number, find the family-friendly section of your favourite streaming service and watch the movie ranked in that number’s position.
9 p.m.: It’s bedtime for everyone—including you, if you’re tired. But if you’re not, make sure you do something relaxing like taking a bubble bath with your favourite bevvy—any tidying can wait for another day. Plus, that Microban 24 you used earlier today? It’s still working to provide long-lasting bacteria protection for you and your family.
To sanitize: Looking to wipe down high-touch areas such as railings, light switches and doorknobs? (Think about how many delivery people grab your front door handle!) Microban 24 Sanitizing Spray works best on non-porous, non-food surfaces like these that need the extra sanitizing. The spray also tackles 99.9 percent of bacteria for up to 24 hours*, even after all those multiple touches from pint-sized (and adult-sized) hands. It is also approved to initially kill the virus that causes COVID-19**.
To clean a dirty bathroom: If that shower is looking a little mildewy, Microban 24 Bathroom Cleaner handles bathroom problems such as mildew and soap scum. And it continues to work on preventing those problems for seven days*** when you’re back at your desk or out with the kids.
To clean up pet messes or household spills: Your kids forgot to let Bruno out into the yard again when he had to go to the bathroom. Microban 24 Multi-Purpose Cleaner works for non-kitchen hard surfaces like floors that need wiping up following pet accidents.
Before you tackle mess, read through the instructions on the bottle first to see how long you have to let the spray sit to sanitize before using your microfibre cloth to wipe it down. Have more cleaning questions? Check out Microban 24’s website for answers.
*When used as directed on hard non-porous surfaces, effective for 24 hours against Staphylococcus aureus & Enterobacter aerogenes bacteria. Microban 24 does not provide 24-hour residual virus protection.
**Microban 24 Sanitizing Spray and Multi-Purpose Cleaner kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in 5 minutes on hard non-porous surfaces. Microban 24 does not provide 24-hour residual protection against any viruses.
***Effective against Aspergillus niger.
The post How to have a fun-filled day with your family appeared first on Today's Parent.