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YOU TRY IT Give your child a mediumsize ball or a small stuffed-animal "egg" and see if they can balance it on the tops of their feet while slowly shuffling around. YOU TRY IT Have your child choose some blossoms in your yard or a park and see if they can guide you to them like a bee. PREVENTION FAMILY Kids may not need a ton of encouragement to act like wild things, but you can channel their energy - and teach them about the natural world at the same time - with these wild ideas inspired by the book Howl Like a Wolf !. [Extracted from the article]

For kids (and, um, adults too) this means, among other things, practicing empathy, curiosity, and persuasion. I promise your kids will find these communication skills more useful and rewarding than, say, cursive handwriting.". [Extracted from the article]

MAKE MUSIC Gather an assortment of homemade "instruments" - metal pans, wooden bowls, plastic flowerpots - and then go outside and listen to the sounds they make when the rain hits them. FAMILY TAKE A H IKE A walk in the rain lets you soak in sights, smells, textures, and sounds you'd never experience on a sunny day. Count the insects and animals you spot - the rain will help hide the sound of your approach. [Extracted from the article]

Whether you have a reluctant reader or you just want to spice up the family routine, here are four genius ways to encourage a love of books. PLAY LIBRARY Put index cards in small envelopes, then glue the envelopes to the inside front covers of your child's favorite books, or simply place them there. Your child can be the librarian and stamp or write the due dates on the index cards when you "check out" a few books (and can also give book advice and shush you if you're too loud!). [Extracted from the article]

Above, if they like, they can add challenges they're facing: Challenges are like the wind in the trees. FAMILY PREVENTION DRAW A LIFE TREE Have children draw a large tree and, on the roots, draw or write people, things, animals, thoughts, and values that make them feel loved. [Extracted from the article]

TAKE MYSTERY TRIPS Vow to take a family mystery trip once a month. Sit down this month to come up with a list of active adventures, large or small: build a snowman, hike once a month, go river tubing. FAMILY BRAINSTORM YOUR BUCKET LIST You can't get out there for quality time if everyone's saying, "I don't know - what do you want to do?". [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT Make a list of family-themed items for players to find, then give each person (or team, for large groups) a copy of the list and a bag. To play, one player on each team runs to their pile, reads questions out loud until they can answer one, then runs back and tags a teammate. To play remotely, have the teams alternate answering the questions; the team that answers the most correctly wins. [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING > TRY A PHOTO CHALLENGE Give your child a camera or a smartphone and a list of themes, then ask them to photograph subjects they're grateful for that fit each theme. AT YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERING > AT YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERING MAKE A THANK-YOU TREE For a meaningful holiday centerpiece, place a small tree branch in a vase. EVERY DAY > KEEP A GRATITUDE JAR Give your child a pretty jar or other container along with some special colored pencils or markers. [Extracted from the article]

SLAY WITH SCIENCE Few kids can resist experiments with candy, even if it means giving up some of their Halloween haul to the cause. FAMILY CALL THE SWITCH WITCH Let your kids choose their favorite candy, then set out the rest for the Switch Witch, who'll swap it out overnight for a toy. [Extracted from the article]

BUNNY BREATH Have them take three quick sniffs in through their nose, then exhale through their nose slowly. When life seems especially stressful - we're looking at you, first day of school - mindfulness breathing helps kids calm down, manage their emotions, and feel in control. ROSE AND CANDLE BREATH Ask your child to hold up a finger, then take a deep breath in through their nose as they imagine smelling a flower. [Extracted from the article]

GET STARTED Try making Adolph's Extending Grabber, far-reaching hands built from interconnected levers that open and close like scissors. FAMILY FAMILY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT "Working with cardboard lets kids experience the creative satisfaction of making something with their hands and teaches them how toys and machines are put together", says Jonathan Adolph, author of Cardboard Box Engineering and Mason Jar Science. For strength, cut the strips so the flutes in the cardboard are parallel to the long sides of the strips. [Extracted from the article]

Then get older kids in on the action to help them learn letter sounds: Call out a letter and challenge each child to do something that starts with it. They might dance for the letter D, kick for the letter K, or zigzag for the letter Z. Can't think of an action verb? FAMILY CHALK IT UP For a child who's learning to write their ABC's, draw uppercase letters on the driveway or the sidewalk with chalk and see if they can write the lowercase versions next to them. [Extracted from the article]

Whether your kids are on two-wheelers or trikes, they'll love these bike games that boost balance, confidence, and coordination. RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT Here's how to take this classic game for a spin: Have the kids assemble at a starting line on their bikes, at least five feet apart. Kids on pedal bikes put a foot down?. [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY FAMILY HAVE A CONVERSATION "I tell kids that when they feel awkward talking to somebody, they should just ask a question. As Newman says, it's much easier for kids (and adults!) to be given a couple of options than to be asked the terribly open-ended "What do you want to do?" CHEER UP SICK PEOPLE "Those who are ill often feel sad and lonely, like the world is spinning on without them, and it's so nice to teach our kids to remind them that they matter", says Newman. [Extracted from the article]

CLEAN A PARK Grab garbage bags and gloves for everyone, then head to a nearby park and pick up trash while you explore the grounds. PAINT WITH NATURE Take a hike to collect natural paintbrushes such as long blades of grass, pine needles, twigs, sticks, leaves, and reeds. FAMILY GO ON AN ANIMAL EXPEDITION Pack a magnifying glass, a notepad, and a pencil, then take a walk around your neighborhood and challenge your kids to see how many animals and insects they can count. [Extracted from the article]

Daylight savings time begins March 14, so it's the perfect opportunity to play around with clocks! CLOCK QUIZ Use this oversize activity to show your kids how to read an analog clock and explain the time change. After you explain about moving the clock forward for daylight savings time, have them jump or "spring" forward one hour on the clock (repeat until they get tired!). [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY FAMILY HAPPY ROCKS Take a hike to collect rocks, paint them with inspiring one-liners ("You rock!" SPREAD SMILES Leave a delightful small gift such as bubble solution on someone's doorstep. STI CKY NOTE SUPPORT Write "love notes" - positive messages such as "You are amazing" and "Kindness rules" - on sticky notes and post them in your area. [Extracted from the article]

ANIMAL CHARADES Write the names of 10 to 15 animals on slips of paper and put them in a bowl. The player who guesses the animal gets to go next. UNDERCOVER AGENT Tape yarn "lasers" zigzagging across a hallway or string them between chairs, then challenge your secret agents to navigate the course without setting off any "alarms" (touching the yarn). [Extracted from the article]

FOOD THE SETUP With chalk, draw a three-by-four grid. TO PLAY The first player tosses a rock onto a square, jumps to that number, then hops from square to square to create an equation that results in the number "rolled." MAKE IT HARDER On each player's turn, see how many correct equations she can complete in one minute for the number rolled. [Extracted from the article]

->STATION #2: JAVELIN TOSS Hang a Hula-Hoop from a swing set or a tree. -> STATION #4: BUCKET BALL Set out a large bucket and five small balls. The runner places a balloon between his or her knees and must race to the finish line; if the balloon pops or drops, the runner begins again. [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY PREVENTION FAMILY ABC EXPLORATION On a rainy day, give each of your kids a large bag, then see who can bring you one item that begins with every letter of the alphabet (an apple, a toy boat, a car, etc.). LEGO QUEST Indoors or out, hide 10 Legos each in red, blue, and as many other colors as you think your kids have patience for, then challenge them to find them all. Use painted rocks instead.) RAINBOW RACE In the backyard or on a walk, see who can find one item in every color of the rainbow - a red flower, an orange toy, a yellow sandbox shovel, and so on. [Extracted from the article]

FAMILY OBSTACLE COURSE MANIA Challenge kids to draw one-of-a-kind courses for other family members to navigate. TIC-TAC-TOSS With chalk, sketch a giant tic-tac-toe board on the patio or driveway. Players roll a die to determine how many spaces they move, climbing ladders or moving down snakes if they land on them. [Extracted from the article]

PLAY CRITTER COPYCAT The leader hops like a frog, flutters like a butterfly, or darts like a squirrel while everyone else follows suit. Along your path, arrange sticks, leaves, pinecones, and more into interesting sculptures, messages, and shapes to inspire other hikers as they trek. [Extracted from the article]

Play the classic hiding game, but the seeker must pick up the room he or she is in while counting to 100. Hide clues to a special reward (say, an extra book at bedtime or a trip to the park) amidst the mess in a room. Everyone must put away that number of items before the dance party resumes. [Extracted from the article]

Gather five different coins and have your child study them. Then scatter the coins and see if your kid can recreate the pattern (take a picture first to help you both check the answer!). Give your kids a minute to study the tray, then move it out of sight. [Extracted from the article]

Give winter or rainy-day exuberance a calming outlet while improving your kids' strength, flexibility, and concentration. THE SETUP: Assign a yoga pose (such as cat pose, downward dog, or warrior pose) to each number or color on the spinner. TO PLAY: Take turns rolling a die to see which activity each person will perform, then roll a second die to discover how many times it must be completed. [Extracted from the article]

Want Assist sick, to or do a traveling neighbor good and by who get raking is fit elderly, as his a family? Use some leaves to create a mandala shape or other design to leave behind a beautiful, if temporary, memento of your hard work. Instead of raking leaves into piles immediately, rake them into rows or even a complete maze for your kids to run through. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses strategies to make the holiday healthier and fun family time. Topics discussed include candy. It mentions making jack-o'-lantern pizzas using mini pizza crusts or English muffins topped with sauce and cheese. It also mentions that set a limit on how much candy children can gobble up on Halloween night.

The article offers suggestions for several outdoor games to play in summers including soaker tag, bucket dash, and splash jumping.

The article offers step-by-step instructions for letterboxing as a fun way to combine hiking and discovery.

The article reports on the use of laughter yoga to alleviate depression and reduce stress. It mentions the use of different kinds of laughter such as snorting or tittering, doing imaginary funny things like milking a cow, and the use of breathing exercises to balance energy and calm down.

The article offers few tips for developing family games, including using variety of colors, which available at home-improvement and craft stores, making of indoor hopscotch court, creating a racetrack, and for long jump make player distance with tape.

The article presents suggestions on improving fitness of family members including finding alphabet letters in outdoor areas, using fitness apps, and taking photographs of one's adventures.