It’s a new year! It’s also starting to actually feel like winter outside in the Greater Richmond area. Your children are likely exhausted coming off of the holidays. They are also probably having a hard time getting back into a regular schedule after so much time off for travelling and festivities. Finally, with so much excitement during the holidays, it will still be important to find excuses to have fun with your children to help them appreciate the spark that any day can hold. Check out these activities to keep your family close, healthy, and entertained.

Support our Sports

Take your child to a local sporting event. This will get you all out of the house and also get your children interested in being active. Having them run up and down the stairs of these local stadiums may be activity enough for the day!

-University of Richmond Basketball Games (Link to: http://www.richmondspiders.com/)

-Virginia Commonwealth University Basketball Games (Link to: http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/mbkb/index)

-Virginia Union University Basketball Games (Link to: http://vuusports.vuu.edu/index.aspx)

Race To Protect Children

Join Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) in the 4th Annual Race to Protect Children. This is a family friendly event in Short Pump’s West Broad Village. There is a kids 1-Mile Fun Run and plenty of room for runners and walkers alike for the 5k. Your children can have fun dressing up for the “Power of Blue” costume contest, which will name a winner with the best and most creative all-blue outfit. There will be a family festival after the race at Dave & Buster’s, which is another great family friendly aspect of the event. Learn more and register for the race here: Join Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) in the 4th Annual Race to Protect Children. This is a family friendly event in Short Pump’s West Broad Village. There is a kids 1-Mile Fun Run and plenty of room for runners and walkers alike for the 5k. Your children can have fun dressing up for the “Power of Blue” costume contest, which will name a winner with the best and most creative all-blue outfit. There will be a family festival after the race at Dave & Buster’s, which is another great family friendly aspect of the event. Learn more and register for the race here: facebook.com/#!/events/324630827558352/!

Local Farmer’s Markets

One of the keys to staying healthy is eating fresh foods. You can’t get more fresh than at local famer’s markets. Your children can see food , touch it, talk to the farmer’s themselves and more. Making a point to visit a farmer’s market every week or once a month is not only a great way to support the local economy, but it’s an easy tradition to keep and an ideal learning opportunity for you and your child.

Winter Farmer’s Markets:

Byrd House Market

Tuesdays, 3pm - 5 pm, Behind William Byrd Community Center at S. Linden Street and Idlewood Avenue

Farm to Family Indoor Market and Bus

Call for hours: 804-767-8570, 2817 Mechanicsville Turnpike

Huguenot-Robius Winter Market

Saturdays, 10 am - 2 pm, Inside the Great Big Greenhouse

Lakeside Indoor Market

First Saturdays, 9 am - 12 pm, 6110 Lakeside Avenue

My Manakin Market

First Saturdays, 9 am - 12 pm, Enzo’s Italian Chophouse, 26 Broad Street Road, 804-314-9141

South of the James Market

Saturdays, 10 am - 12 pm, 3411 Semmes Avenue (Playground of Patrick Henry High School)

Incredible, Edible Veggie Bowls

This recipe will have your kids putting the fresh vegetables you buy at the market to good use. They may also really enjoy eating them if they have fun making them. Check out this recipe from www.kidshealth.org!

Ingredients:

1 green, yellow, or red pepper, washed

1 bunch of celery, washed

1 carrot, washed and peeled

your favorite salad dressing

Utensils:

knife (you'll need help from your adult assistant)

cutting board

Directions:

Cut the pepper in half (from side to side). Clean out the seeds and gunk from the inside. Now you have two pieces. One will be your pepper-shaped bowl.

Cut the other half of the pepper into skinny slices.

Cut the carrot into skinny sticks about 4" long.

Cut celery into skinny sticks so each one is about 4" long.

Put a little salad dressing in the bottom of your pepper bowl.

Put celery sticks, carrot sticks, and pepper slices into the pepper bowl.

Now you've got a portable veggie treat! You can pull out the veggies and eat them with a little dressing. Then when you're finished with the veggies, it's time to eat the bowl

Musical Play Time

This option is for children under 10 years old. Story time with Mr. Beatman is held at the Playroom in Chester. We sing, dance, and read along with the master storyteller & musician as he brings classic songs to life. Everyone from babies to grandparents love this event. Free with Play admission ($6 for children who can walk and free for babies and crawlers who are not walking). 10:30-11:00 a.m. The next one will be held Friday, Jan 13. Check out this video clip of a crowd favorite. Check out the Playroom here: www.playroomparty.com!

Buttons Make Fun

Use your extra buttons (or you can usually buy them a craft store) for these three great crafty games from www.familyfun.go.com!

Bookmarks

Bookworms of all stripes will love these bright place markers. Simply cut lengths of ribbon (12 to 14 inches long should fit a standard-size hardcover book), then attach buttons to the ends using tacky glue or a glue gun. A few of the decorating options: sandwiching the ribbon's ends between two buttons; stacking smaller atop larger buttons; and grouping several small buttons in a pattern.

Tiddle a Wink

This Button Skee-Ball game is an update of tiddlywinks. To make the target, use 2-inch-wide poster board rings 28, 21, 17, and 8 inches long, secured at the seams with double-sided tape. Attach printed point values (or simply write them on)and assemble the rings as shown, securing them with more double-sided tape. Cut out a felt launch pad. Players take turns using a large button to flip 10 small buttons toward the target. The player with the highest total score wins.

Jazz up a window

A button mosaic becomes a cheery sun catcher when it's sandwiched between layers of clear Con-Tact paper. To make one, cut out a square of Con-Tact paper, remove its backing, and lay it sticky-side up. (If you like, slide a drawing beneath the square as a guide.) Place buttons on the square to create a shape, leaving at least a 1-inch border on all sides. When you're done, cover the mosaic with a second Con-Tact paper square. Smooth the edges with a cotton swab and cut out the mosaic, leaving a -inch border on all sides. Stick your creation to a window with glue dots or tape.