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Family Fun Activities
Winter is coming with shorter daylight hours and colder weather. Many of us will have extended family arriving to spend the holidays with us. For some less daylight and cold weather might seem gloomy. Actually, this is a great time to create memories with our families. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Storytelling: Funny tales about things that happened to family members form strong family ties and keep family history alive. Also, you can create your own stories. First, have everyone sit in a circle. One person starts by saying, “Once upon a time"...and then says a few things about a topic. The next person adds to that and everyone continues building on the previous person's part of the story. Imaginations are encouraged!
Board Game Night: Choose a board game that all can play. Younger family members can roll the dice and move pieces for older players. Don't forget that everyone can put a jigsaw puzzle together.
What's Growing in our Yard? Does your yard have a maple, oak, or elm tree? What shrubs are growing? Most plants are dormant in winter but you can still identify them. The library has many books on native plants. Also, the University of Tennessee Agricultural Department has pamphlets (many are free) you can request or download online. And are weeds really a bad thing? Remember what George Washington Carver said, "A weed is a flower growing in the wrong place."
What's Living in our Yard? Chickadees, Wrens, and Nuthatches are common in our area. They love to visit bird feeders. Learn how to identify them and keep a log for family members to record when they learn a new bird.
Day Trips: During the winter months many local attractions are less crowded and may offer reduced admission prices. The city of Knoxville has a skating rink on the downtown mall until January. Also, downtown are the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Blount Mansion, James White Fort, Knoxville Museum of Art, and the East Tennessee Historical Society. The Knoxville Zoo and Ijams Nature Center are open too.
*A little to our southeast is Fort Loudoun State Park in Vonore, Tennessee. This was the first fort established west of the mountains by the British. The fort has been completely restored complete with barracks, cannons, and other buildings necessary for survival in the 1700s. There is a museum that contains many artifacts and explains the history of the fort. The grounds are beautiful and accessible to all ages. There are picnic areas too. There is no admission to the fort or museum.
Winter is an opportunity for us to spend time with our families and to enjoy exploring our bigger home, East Tennessee. Happy Touring!
Lisa Styles
Assistant Principal
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