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16 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2020 By ERICA HIGGS via Adventures of Abby Girl E very week in my blog, Adven- tures of Abby Girl, we give you a new place to try with your family. However, sometimes there is no place like home. It's especially true when the flu and viruses are concerns. So, how can you have an adventure at home? Read below tips on family activities to do at home. Make art. On January 1, we took down most of Abby's artwork, but kept some pieces that were ex- tra special or dated. The rest went in trash when she wasn't looking. Sometimes we take pictures first and then you can turn them into an awesome coffee table book without the clutter of papers. So, on days when we are hid- ing out at home, we create art to replace the art we took down. Abby has full access to everything but the scissors. Turn to your supply cabinet for craft paper, paint and other supplies. One idea is to pick a famous artist and encourage your child to paint in that style. Another thought is to grab a can of black chalkboard spray paint, then tape off and spray the inside of door of cabinet or any place in house where your child can use it. This has stopped the potato people from drawings on our walls. You can also decorate boxes and sail a ship, rocket to moon or skid down the racetrack. Abby loves box- No Place Like Home: tips on family activities to do at home Have an adventure by going nowhere es. Again, use those art supplies and decorate the box or boxes and then have lots of fun using your imagina- tion. Build forts. Some of my best memories as a child are of building forts over the dining room table. Abby likes to make a fort with her home-school desk and FaceTime her friends in private. You can also use flashlights and make shadow puppet shows. Of course, I check in often to see what she's up to. Bake. Baking might not be friendly on the hips, however, it's a great experience to have with chil- dren. It's also educational without them realizing it. Clean the house. Make a game out of cleaning and get some housework done. We are always so busy adventuring that it's nice to have a day to clean up the tornado damage. I clean a lot with vinegar and water so it's safe for Abby to clean alongside me. Go outside. If you have green space, go outside and let your kids run off their pent-up indoor energy. Ever seen a child get in an argu- ment with a bird? Abby did in our front yard. Watch a movie. There's nothing like snuggles, popcorn and a good movie on a day when you don't want to go anywhere. With so many people cutting cable, it's time to pull out the old DVDs to find new movies to watch. Abby's recom- mended videos are currently the original Annie or Cowboys N' An- gels. Don't watch television? Then read together. Her favorite book is the children's medical encyclopedia, though she's not thrilled with the lack of information on the human foot. Play a game. Abby Girl loves Candy Land and Go Fish. Playing games is a great way to connect with family. Hide-and-go-seek is also super fun and sometimes we even make up games with our own rules. Dress-up. It's amazing, the characters you can be and plac- es you can go with clothing and Erica Higgs' daughter, Abby, has fun at home with chalk and chalkboard, including practic- ing writing her name.