6. Plan a craft day
Remember all the things you made with your own two hands when you were in school? Think brilliantly coloured pipe cleaners, uncooked pasta, yarn, paper and crayons and yes, lots of glue. Stock up on inexpensive materials and set up a craft corner in the kitchen, then spend the day making wild and wacky creations with the kids. Check out our Kids' Crafts section for inspiration.
7. Give thanks
With Thanksgiving arriving in October, remind your children why we celebrate this holiday. Encourage them to think about all of the things they're grateful for and write them down in a Book of Thanks. Everyone in the family can contribute, and on Thanksgiving Day, pass it around and let everyone read aloud what they're most thankful for. Start a tradition by using the same book, year after year, to record the things you appreciate most in your life.
8. Have a sing-along.
Serve up hot cups of cocoa filled with marshmallows and gather everyone in a circle in the living room for a sing-along. Put on some treasured CDs or go around the circle and let everyone have a turn choosing their favourite song. Don't take it too seriously -- it should be a silly and spontaneous activity that everyone enjoys.
9. Early-bird Christmas shopping
If you get a jump on your shopping now, it'll ease the stress of cramming it all into December. Plan an outing with the kids where you can shop at a leisurely pace, without the overwhelming hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers.
10. Lawn cleanup
If your front and back yards are covered in fall leaves, get the whole family outside to help rake and gather. But before you get into the serious task of cleaning up, play tag in the leaves, or rake them up into piles and let the kids take turns falling into them and throwing them around.
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