- Make a cute toilet paper roll snowman, an egg carton snowman, or a cupcake liner snowman.
- Create a snow globe.
- If we don't have enough snow outside, make some snow(dough) for inside. (It's not cold to play in!)
- Decorate the house with paper snowflakes.
- Create ice art to hang outside. Clip some greenery, berries or other plants from your backyard and lay them on a small plate with a lip. Add a loop of twin over the edge. Arrange your design then cover it with water and freeze it. Once it's frozen, lay the cold plate in a tray of warm water for a few seconds to pop your ice art off the plate. Hang it outside where you can admire it.
- Make a scrapbook. There's no denying it: 2020 was a year to remember. Commemorate the past 12 months by putting together a scrapbook or photo album. It's a great way to get creative and look back on all the incredible memories you made.
- Write a silly bucket list of all the things you want to do or try in 2021 and then get started! Like, collecting 2021 stickers...or maybe just 21. Or how about trying 21 new foods?
- Record a family podcast on your phone to send relatives and friends.
- Missing summer? Have a beach day indoors! Turn up the heat, put on your swimsuits, lay out your beach towels, make some homemade popsicles or buy your favourite ice cream, put on a summer-themed movie and make your own indoor beach for the kids to play in.
- Use some pillows and blankets and make a fort in the living room.
- Build an obstacle course out of couch cushions or cardboard boxes.
- Make a bird feeder.
- Build a bird house.
- Listen to the birds in your neighbourhood and learn a new bird call.
- Create nature-inspired Valentines cards using items found in nature. Attach a cool rock to a card that says “You Rock, Valentine.” Tie a couple of twigs together to a card that says “Let’s Stick Together.” Or create cards that are little envelopes/pouches for wildflower seeds.
- The Region of Waterloo Library has virtual programs, online access to favourite newspapers and magazines, and links to online resources for entertainment or research.
- Parent & child yoga from our friends at the City of Cambridge.
- KidsAbility has complied a great list of activities to support families during COVID-19
- The rare Charitable Research Reserve has shared a list of activities, experiments, games and workshops.
- Follow Early Years Info Waterloo Region on Facebook and Twitter for activities for young children.
- Help the Waterloo Region Museum literally write history! Share your experiences of life in Waterloo Region during the COVID-19 pandemic with written accounts, artwork, or video recordings by emailing them to helpusmakehistory@regionofwaterloo.ca with the subject line “Writing COVID-19 History”. For more information, visit: https://www.waterlooregionmuseum.ca/en/whats-on/help-us-make-history.aspx#
- Waterloo Region Museum has a list of activities that will bring the museum to you at home
- Nature At Home activities from Grand River Conservation Authority.
- Kids Corner - police themed activities for kids from our friends at Waterloo Regional Police Service.
- Fire safety for kids with Sparky School House.
- 8 Fun Pencil and Paper Games
- 10 Kid-Friendly Card Games
- Fill glasses with water and make music (parental supervision required)
- Jumpstart - check out their fun ideas to keep kids active at home and for fun tips from their partner programs, including ways to stay connected and engaged with Jumpstart Athlete Ambassadors.
- Safari At Home activities from African Lions Safari to keep your little monkeys entertained.
- Toronto Zoo is bringing the zoo to you through links to resources, live cams, videos and more.
- Design an indoor mini putt course. Use different objects throughout your home to make this as challenging as possible. For the holes use plastic cups on their side to hit the ball into. If you don't have a golf putter think of different ways to play with either a hockey stick, your hand, foot etc. Keep score and see who can complete the course in the least amount of shots!
- Start a week-long fitness challenge – indoors and out – jump rope, sit-ups, pushups, etc. Team up, kids versus adults to see who has the muscle!
- Make a giant floor maze
- Attach a retractable net to your dining room table, and presto: table tennis! (Watch out for chandeliers.)
- Ultimate Boredom Buster: 101 Things to Do When Kids Are Bored.
- We may not be able to travel the world right now, but we can find out about people in other countries and visit the world from home. Choose a new country to visit, virtually, every day. Learn the things that are special about the new places you 'visit':
- What animals live there?
- What is special about the place and its people?
- What do they eat?
- Which continent is it?
- Identify its location on a map
- What is its climate like?
- Flag
- What other interesting facts did you learn?
- Build a time capsule: Pick and create things to put into a time capsule; put everything in a shoe box or a container and put it somewhere safe in your home. Open it up in a year, 5 years, or 10 years.
- Plan a garden (for the spring/summer). Start seedlings inside.
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- Winter Scavenger Hunt
- Go for a walk in your neighbourhood or take a hike on one of the many scenic trails in North Dumfries. Be a wildlife detective while on your hike and don't forget to dress for the weather! Remember to keep 2 metres/6 feet apart from others while out for a walk. Enjoy one of these 10 hot chocolate recipes to warm up after your walk.
- Go outside and identify snowflakes. Afterwards, watch this video by Environment Canada's scientist Dr. Diogo Costa, who explains the life of a snowflake and the wonders of snow.
- Make a winter obstacle course. You can replace hula hoops, pool noodles, and other “props” with colourful snow paint.
- Build a snowman and challenge your neighbours to build one too. See who can build the biggest, funniest, or most unique snowman.
- Make backyard maple syrup candy. All you need is clean, fresh snow and some maple syrup!
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Blow ice bubbles! For those with little ones, blowing and chasing bubbles in your front or backyard in the snow is a great way to get outside and stay active. They’ll enjoy the activity, running around, fresh air, and watching those beautiful bubbles freeze and stick to the snow.
- Do a little snow painting in the backyard
- Take cake pans, muffin tins and plastic containers outside and use as molds to build a snow sculpture.
- STEM Skier Challenge: Set up a “Winter Sports Ski Challenge”. Work with your kids to plan, design, and engineer a skier (from aluminum foil or other material of their choice) that can stand on skis (popsicle sticks) and make it down a slope! Not only will this get kids thinking outside the box about physics, engineering, elements, and design, but it’ll keep them interested, engaged and outside for hours!
- Enjoy one of these activities in your backyard or at any of our parks or greenspaces (remember to practice physical distancing at the parks from others outside of your household):
- Have a winter picnic
- Build a snowman, snow sculpture or snow maze
- Make snow angels
- Have a snowball throwing competition or see who can roll the largest snowball
- Add a snowy twist to your favourite summer sport. Whether it’s soccer, baseball or football, keep warm by running around in the snow. Don’t forget to use a brightly coloured ball so you don’t lose it!
- Fly a kite! You can fly a kite in any season and winter is a great time. Winter winds can be chilly, but they also make it easy to fly kites to great heights. Plus, in the dreary weather, the splash of color high in the sky is a beautiful contrast to the gray-white background.
- Make ice moulds and suncatchers.
- Use heavy cardboard to create oversized yeti footprints in the snow. Cut the feet out and attach them to the bottoms of your kids’ snow boots. Head outside and let them create their own yeti tracks in the snow.
- Potato sack races: a classic game with a few old pillowcases equals endless fun.
- Make ice cube sculptures.
- Make nature confetti from leaves.
- Historical Walking Tours right here in North Dumfries. Remember to keep 2 metres/6 feet apart from others while your family is out for a walk.
- Play flashlight tag.
- Bundle up for a night of stargazing. Learn about and find constellations.
- Listen for owls. Owls are very active in winter months, making it the perfect time to listen. Most owls are nocturnal, so you’ll need to find a time and a place to safely get out in the evening for your adventure. Owls use their voices to establish territories and attract mates in the dark.
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Beef Pot Roast - Crockpot (submitted by Andrew McNeely, CAO)
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless blade roast or beef brisket
- ¾ cup red wine
- ¾ cup sodium reduced soy sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- ½ tsp. thyme
- Ground pepper
Directions
- Prepare the liquid/marinade the day before and place roast in fridge with the liquid.
- Place in crock pot and cook on low for 10-12 hours.
- Remove roast from crock pot and slice meat ½ hour before serving.
- If desired, thicken some of the liquid with cornstarch (on the stovetop).
- Place meat back in crock pot with the slightly thickened liquid to keep warm until the rest of dinner is ready for serving.
Cornbread (submitted by Lee Robinson, Director of Public Works)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 1/3 packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 8 or 9 inch square baking pan.
- Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in large bowl.
- In medium bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and honey together until completely smooth and thick. Then mix in egg until all combined
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until all combined. Avoid over mixing.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is gold brown and the center is cooked through. Use a toothpick to test. Edges should be crisp at this point. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Creamy Carrot Soup (Submitted by Mayor Foxton)
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 large onions chopped fine
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions:
Wash and scrape carrots and cut into thin rounds. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Put vegetables in large sauce pan and add boiling water, Bouillion cubes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika. Bring to boil, turn down heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp. Melt butter in another saucepan, add onion and cook gently stirring for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and milk and stir to blend. Return to moderate heat and cook stirring constantly until boiling, add vegetable mixture along with thyme. Bring back to boil, turn heat to low, cover. Simmer 5 minutes then stir in parsley and serve.
Split-Pea Soup With Ham (submitted by Michelle Poissant, Recreation & Community Services Coordinator)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 carrot, chopped (1/3 cup)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped (1/3 cup)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups baked or deli ham, chopped
- 1 cup dried split peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- salt and black pepper
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the broth, ham, split peas, and thyme to the saucepan; season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until the peas are tender, 55 to 65 minutes.
Thai Butternut Squash Red Curry (submitted by Heather Strassburger, Revenue/Interim Tax Collector)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil (or any oil really)
- 1 large shallots, chopped (or 2 small)
- 2-2 ½ cups diced butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
- ½ tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
- ¾ cup vegetables or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit for vegans/vegetarians)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
- basmati rice, crushed cashews/ peanuts, cilantro, lime wedges for serving
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and saute them for 5-6 minutes or until they just begin to get golden. Add the butternut squash and grated ginger, stir to coat with the oil.
- Add the red curry paste, yellow curry powder and stir until all the butternut squash is nicely coated. Continue to cook the curry paste for 2-3 minutes or until it's fragrant. Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Let the sauce come to a simmer before covering. Lower the heat and allow the squash to cook all the way through, about 12-18 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can easily pierce the butternut squash with the tip of a knife. Stir in the baby spinach and allow it to wilt.
- Serve with basmati rice topped with crushed nuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Notes:
Kale can be used in place of the spinach in this recipe but keep in mind you'll need to add it in earlier so that it has enough time to wilt.
Macaroni and Cheese (submitted by Councillor Pam Gillespie)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Directions
- Cook macaroni as per package, drain.
- In saucepan melt butter, remove from heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth, stir in milk gradually. Bring to boil, stirring; reduce heat. Simmer about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, stir in cheese and macaroni. Pour into 2 qt. casserole, sprinkle some more grated cheese on top. Bake at 375F for 15 – 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Meatballs (submitted by Mayor Foxton)
Ingredients
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup of rice
1/4 cup of milk
2 Tbsp of diced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
Directions
- Mix and shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.
- Cook over medium heat turning occasionally until brown about 20 minutes or cook in an ungreased baking pan at 3:50 for 20 minutes.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Follow above instructions.
Mix in skillet: 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 can of pineapple chunks, 1/3 cup vinegar. Heat to boiling stirring constantly, reduce heat, add meatballs, cover and simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Chicken & Stuffing (submitted by Lisa McLinchey, Accounts Receivable/Revenue Clerk)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half
- 4 slices of swiss cheese (any cheese works)
- 1 box of Stove Top stuffing
- 1 can of cream soup (chicken, mushroom, celery)
Directions
- Place chicken breasts in a large casserole dish, sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Put a slice of swiss cheese on top of each breast, then add the Stove Top stuffing (dry mix) evenly over the cheese.
- Spread soup over all and bake at 350F for 1 hour.
Makes 4-6 servings
Chocolate Chip Cookies (submitted by Councillor Pam Gillespie)
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. instant coffee
- 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions
- Cream shortening and brown sugar.
- Blend in egg and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
- Drop from a teaspoon onto the cookie sheet. Bake at 350F 12 – 15 minutes
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