There is lots of inspiration this time of year for Family Fun Inspiration. Besides hearts and subtle signs of spring on the way, February is also Black History Month, Presidents’ Day and depending on the year, Lunar New Year. The following list of inspiration are ideas I’ve collected the last several years that our family partakes in. I hope it inspires you.
MAKE
Valentine’s Day and Winter crafts
- Design and create cards
- Cotton ball heart painting from Sunshine Whispers.
- More crafts to celebrate love and friendship
- Snowflakes out of various mediums
Nature-inspired crafts
- Heart designs with seashells, rocks and more
- Peace paintings on rocks
- Hummingbird food for our winged friends
- “Stained glass” out of tissue paper from PBS Parents.
- Hibernation den – think blanket forts!
- Silhouette profiles from Design Dazzle.
- Sun ray pictures; prisms to catch the sun
- Season collages
Eats
- Cheesy fondue for family fun night
- French toast on a stick
- Berry yogurt parfaits
- Brownies
EXPLORE
- Children’s museum on a rainy day
- Winter hikes at local state parks
- Park play dates
- Tea parties
- Road trips
LEARN
Black History Month
- Teaching Your Child About Black History Month from PBS Parents
- Watch one of PBS’ programs on Black History, Culture & Educational Resources
- 5 Things Not to Do During Black History Month, provides some quick, easy-to-follow guidelines for giving your home school lesson plans more depth. (LearningforJustice.org)
- Host a book club featuring a novel about Black History
- Check out one of these books on the Coretta Scott King Book Award lists
- Read article: 10 Unsung Black Heroes You May Not Know
- Learn more about the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s North Star Project.
- The Museum also has a program “Talking About Race” (for parents and teachers) and a related further resources page.
- 10 Black Scientists that Science Teachers Should Know About from PBS Teachers
- Kid-friendly videos: Visit We Are Teachers for this biography-centric playlist. Common Sense Media also offers a curated list of videos and podcasts on Black History for families.
Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year
- All About the Holidays – Chinese New’s Year from PBS LearningMedia
- Celebrating Lunar New Year With Family Traditions from PBS KIDS
- If you’re in the Seattle area, where to ring in the year of the Dragon (2024) for kids and families from ParentMap
- Festive Lunar New Year Activities for Kids and Teens from Common Sense Media
- Great kids books for Lunar New Year from Common Sense Media
- Learn more about the Lunar New Year celebration from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
- Panda Express has a kids club that features a wide array of activities that celebrate Asian culture including Lunar New Year
Presidents Day
- All About the Holidays – Presidents Day from PBS LearningMedia
- Who Was Series three book collection on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln
Nature
- How animals and humans adapt to the Winter season
- Start learning about the plants we’re going to have in the garden
PLAY
February offers a wealth of themes to explore with your homeschoolers! Here are some engaging learning games categorized by age group:
Preschool/Kindergarten:
Valentine’s Day Bingo: Make your own bingo cards with Valentine-themed words or pictures. This reinforces vocabulary and visual recognition. Valentine’s Day Bingo for kids
Color Sorting with Conversation Hearts: Sort conversation hearts by color, practice counting, and learn about different shades of pink and red.
Grades 1-3:
Black History Month Memory Game: Make cards or (see this set on Amazon) featuring famous African Americans (think Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou). Flip cards face down, take turns revealing, and learn about their contributions.
Presidents’ Day Charades: Act out different presidents (Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt), and have others guess. Discuss their historical importance and interesting facts. Here’s a handy card game from Amazon.
Grades 4-6:
Geography Scavenger Hunt: Hide clues around the house related to different countries or continents. Solve the clues, learn about diverse cultures, and practice map skills. The World Game on Amazon.
Valentine’s Day Mad Libs: Create silly stories using Mad Libs templates with Valentine’s Day vocabulary. This encourages creative writing and parts of speech identification.
Grades 7-12:
Romantic Literature Escape Room: Hide clues within excerpts from classic love stories (Romeo & Juliet, Pride & Prejudice). Solve puzzles, analyze literary elements, and work together to “escape.” The Do-It-Yourself Escape Room book on Amazon.
Black History Month Debate: Research and debate the impact of prominent figures or events in Black history. This hones critical thinking, research skills, and persuasive communication.
Cardboard City Challenge: Build a miniature city out of cardboard, incorporating historical or scientific themes. Discuss architecture, design, and historical periods.
Bonus:
Incorporate February birthdays: Celebrate historical figures born in February (Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony) with themed activities or research projects.
Adapt classic games: Turn any board game into a learning experience by adding trivia questions related to February themes.
Remember, the most important aspect is to tailor these games to your family’s interests and learning goals. Have fun exploring and learning together!
What’s your family like to do in February? Let me know in the comments below!
