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  Diversions for the Quiet Times of 2020

  Table of Contents
 
Topic / Link
     Description
Happy Hour Agenda The mutually agreed upon planned events, so we're all preparing for the same thing at the same time, and everyone knows about changes and special requests
Kids Happy Hour A daily 3 country video conference featuring kids showing off their efforts in various prescribed activities, being entertained, and having fun
Adult Happy Hour ("Ahh")
 A weekly 3 country video conference, aimed at preserving parents sanity, socializing, and staying in touch in challenging times. OK, and drinking.
Time Zone Chart The master schedule, for those like Gramps, who barely know what time it is in their own city, leave alone in another continent.
Kids Activity List Things you and the kids can do within the constraints of 2020.
Suggestions Ways to help make this video stuff work, and keep the parents semi-sane.  Here's what a session looks like.
    

Happy Hour Agendas
Timing for Kids Happy Hour: 10 AM in LA, 1 PM in Ontario, and 6 PM in the UK
Timing for Adults Happy Hour:  1 PM in LA, 4 PM in Ontario, and 9 PM in the UK
Date Event Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3
Sun Mar 22 Adults Plan for 1st Kids H.Hour Try some online games (links below) Beverage break
Mon Mar 23 Kids A song we made up, or already knew Gramps: read a chapter from Paddle to the Sea Robin & Elliott read stories to Teddy & Zoe
Tue Mar 24 Kids Elliott's idea: we all do yoga   Kids reading stories,virtual dance party
Wed Mar 25 Kids a drawing/video of what we're doing in the house Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter  camera on book TBD
Thu Mar 26 Kids building project demo: lego, wood, crafts, fort... Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 3 TBD  Fort Chalfont
Fri Mar 27 Kids dress up in costume Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 4 TBD
Sat Mar 28 Kids kids get weekends off   TBD
Sun Mar 29 Kids kids get weekends off   TBD
Sun Mar 29 Adults Cabin Fever Chronicles - how's it goin, eh? Online games beverage breaks
Mon Mar 30 Kids a toy/stuffed animal scene and story Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 5 TBD
Tue Mar 31 Kids A song we made up, or already knew Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 6 TBD
Wed Apr 1 Kids Somethings about Flowers Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 7 TBD
Thu Apr 2 Kids   Dinosaurs Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 8 TBD
Fri Apr  3 Kids Space Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 9 TBD
Sun Apr 5 Adults Cabin Fever Chronicles - how's it goin, eh? Online games, if we have time after gossiping Beverage break
Mon Apr 6 Kids Toys & stuff for every letter of the alphabet Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 10  
Tue Apr 7 Kids Rabbits, bunnies and other hare-raising stories
 Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 11  
Wed Apr 8 Kids   Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 12  
Thu Apr 9 Kids   Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 13  
Fri Apr 10 Kids Easter Eggs? Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 14 Doug's Eggs
Sun Apr 12 Adults Cabin Fever Chronicles - how's it goin, eh? Online games, if we have time after gossiping Beverage break
Mon Apr 13 Kids   Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 15  
Tue Apr 14 Kids "Five" - Elliott's Birthday Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 16
Wed Apr 15 Kids Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 17
Thu Apr 16 Kids Trains? Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 18  
Fri Apr 17 Kids Under the Sea? Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 19  
Sun Apr 19 Adults   Played Quiplash and Drawful online: www.jackbox.tv  
Mon Apr 20 Kids Farms? Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 20  
Tue Apr 21 Kids Sign Language Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 21  
Wed Apr 22 Kids Poems Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 22 Poems: Elliott  Robin  Doug Teddy
Thu Apr 23 Kids Castles Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 23  
Fri Apr 24 Kids Airplanes Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 24  
Sun  Apr 26 Adults
Mon Apr 27 Kids Bees Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 25  
Tue Apr 28 Kids   Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 26  
Wed Apr 29 Kids mammals Gramps: read Paddle to the Sea chapter 27  
Thu Apr 30 Kids Cactus Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Fri May 1 Kids   Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Sun May 3 Adults  
Mon May 4 Kids Houses Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Tue May 5 Kids Fruits & vegetables Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Wed May 6 Kids Sharks? Oceans? Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems Zoom with Oliver
Thu May 7 Kids monkeys Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems
Fri May 8 Kids weather Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Sun May 10 Adults      
Mon May 11 Kids origami Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Tue May 12 Kids scarecrows Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Wed May 13 Kids Red Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Thu May 14 Kids Guitars Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Fri May 15 Kids Frogs Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Sun May 17 Adults      
Mon May 18 Kids Elephants Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Tue May 19 Kids toothbrushes Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Wed May 20 Kids neighbours Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Thu May 21 Kids Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems
Fri May 22 Kids   Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
Sun May 23 Adults   Animal book reading, and Shel Silverstein poems  
         

Suggestions for themes and activities:
Old Theme Ideas New Theme Ideas More New Theme Ideas
dinosaurs Kites machines run by water
outer space lights marble runs
movies bicycles things that balance
the jungle horses useful knots
LEGO rainbows hand puppets
farms ropes things you can do with rubber bands
colours smelly things rings
science bumpy things diggers
food slime kings and queens
exercise beavers Things that grow in our house
about our country curly things braiding / plaiting / macrame
spring rain shadow puppets
birds sailboats hats
fashion? stuff in our garden parachutes
imagination home made musical instruments clouds
     
 

 

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Kids Happy Hour

"Happy hour": a way of providing some activity for kids during the time when there's no school. Starting Monday March 23

Setting: A 3 country video conference (Nic - you're assigned find a way to do that. Done - WhatsApp group calls. Changed to Skype group calls to make PC video viewing easier),
      held daily at 6 PM in England, 1 PM in Ontario and 10 AM in California.

Theme Song:
        The more we get together, together, together
        The more we get together, the happier we'll be
        Cuz Elliott's love Marshalls, and Marshalls love Sandbrooks
        The more we get together, the happier we'll be

Activity-1: Presentation by each location, in turn, of a video, photo, or real time presentation on the topic of the day (more can be added)...
Topics:
- a song we made up
- a group yoga session
- a drawing/video of what we're doing in the house
- demo of a building project: lego, wood, crafts, fort...
- dress up in costume
- something we did in our back yard
- Us making a special meal or snack
- a toy/stuffed animal scene and story

(Suggestions for more activities to add to the list we select from are welcome.)
  Elliott's suggestion, via bathtub Skype: everyone doing yoga
  Nicole's suggestion: Get some music blasting, and have a virtual dance party
  Lindsey's suggestion: give the kids scavenger hunt assignments (Robin's list, Elliott's list)

Activity-2: By popular demand, each session will be followed by Gramps reading a story to the assembled masses.

Activity-3: Cambridge kids teach Los Angeles kids fun stuff, or dance party

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Adults Happy Hour

A 3 country video conference held on Sundays at 9 PM in England, 4 PM in Ontario and 1 PM in California. Includes parents and grandparents, and possibly booze. May turn into an online card game such as: https://www.cardzmania.com/Euchre .

Other online private games:
    https://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-online-game-website-to-play-card-games-with-my-own-friends

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Time Zone Chart

For those like Gramps, who are time zones challenged, here's a chart that might be helpful (or may just be more confusing) to help figure who's doing what, when, where.

Naturally, the U.K. went to Daylight Saving Time ("British Summer Time, or BST") part way through our happy hours. The following chart has been reworked, and all other time references have been corrected. I think. And then we decided to move each happy hour half an hour earlier for convenience, so this is a revised version of the reworked chart:

sched

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Suggestions

- figure a way to display your phone's video on a TV set or laptop. Frees up your hands to cuff kids, or balance beverages
- might want to rig up a charger connection, so your phone doesn't run out of power during the call.
- avoid a bright light or window behind your sitting spot so your faces aren't in shadows
- create a device to hold your phone solidly in the best position to include everyone in the video. Landscape orientation is best
- take some photos, or videos, so we can tell the story later of what we did in 2020.

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