3 Tips to Avoid the Trap of Multitasking and Missing the Moment

Investing in the Things that are Important - Photo by Joonas Lyytinen

Multitasking is a skill in which many people in our society excel. Take, for instance, the parent who can cook a meal, help with homework, and check email all at the same time. Or the employee who can impress clients and the boss through displays of amazing efficiency and innovative thinking while driving in rush hour traffic. Just because we are in the vicinity does not mean that we are present in the moment.

Although technological advances hail the potential to save time, how much time do we gain to enjoy the priorities in our lives? Many of us find it easy to do so many things at the same time that we fail to appreciate the moment and the other people in our lives with whom we are sharing those moments. Here are a few tips to ensure that more of our moments have lasting meaning:

Time Management for Parents - Photo by dhester

#1 Cut the Fluff on the Calendar

Many of us find it tempting to overextend on a regular basis, turning us into people who are constantly moving at breakneck speed and rarely have time to enjoy the journey or even the destination. Has our lifestyle become so expensive that we have replaced living with merely existing?

If our family is our priority, should we schedule time to be with and focused those we love? If our faith is high on the list, do our commitments agree? If we seek to be true friends, how much time do we invest into those relationships?

Some of us tend to fill our schedule with other people's priorities or involve the kids in so many activities that none of those activities are enjoyable any more. The kids will likely learn how to schedule their adult lives by watching us. What are we teaching them?

Tips for Connecting with the Family & Unplugging - Photo by Paolo Neo

#2 Unplug

It's okay...really. Electronic devices are sort of like dust and dirty dishes. If you ignore them or turn the switches to off, they will very likely be waiting for you when you are ready to pay attention to them again. Do we need to talk on a cell phone while driving down the road? Is Call Waiting necessary? Do we truly need to watch and read every post on social media sites? Is it necessary to be available or in front of a screen 24/7, even while eating or sleeping?

Scheduling time to disconnect electronic devices can free the rest of the schedule for connecting with people in face-to-face interactions. If we are in the business of teaching our kids to interact and engage with others, it stands to reason that we should give them ample opportunity to practice. Picture this as an investment in the family's future.

Will the decision to unplug be popular and met with great enthusiasm by the ones you love? Maybe not initially...but the potential benefits may far outweigh the risks.

Engaging in Activities that Really Matter - Photo by Chief Journalist Rick Chernitzer

#3 Beware of iWMT

It's the greatest and latest craze that has overtaken much of the world. The iWMT promises to bring us freedom from numerous tasks and connect us with people we didn't know we even wanted to be around. It can consume us with worry or turn completely absorb our time to the detriment of everything around us. Yet, engaging in it is often what people regret when they check the rear view mirror of their lives.

What is iWMT? I'm Wasting My Time.

Even if we believe we deserve more, it matters not how old or young, rich or poor, brave or timid, intelligent or intellectually challenged we are...we are each given 168 hours each week (unless we're changing the clocks up or back an hour). We might try to sleep faster, but that line of thinking eventually takes its toll. Multitasking only goes so far. If we take an honest look at what we do, we may discover that we may be wasting large portions of it.

Choose wisely. Consider a long contemplated risk. Learn to play an instrument. Further one's education. Befriend someone who is lonely. Adopt a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy a sunset or gaze at the stars. Write a book. What can we do that might make a difference ten, twenty, or more years from now?

Additional articles:

• How to Connect With Kids
• Doing the Right Thing Because it is the Right Thing to Do
• Katrena's Collection of Free Scavenger Hunts

Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #11 – Snow Fun!

Free Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Snow Day

Today the meteorologists are predicting several inches of snow where we live. Of course, we had to stock up on important things just in case we are snowed in for a few days. My kids all agreed that I needed to create a snow-themed scavenger hunt as we prepared to hunker down. I agreed, so here it is! This winter-themed rhyming scavenger hunt is perfect for a snow day with the kids!

This treasure hunt includes:

• 10 rhyming clues
• answer sheet for solving the clues
• 10 letters that spell the hidden message
• Suggestions for hiding the clues

Directions:

1. Print and cut out the clues and hidden message letters. Click on each image below to enlarge and then select file-print.
2. Place one letter with each clue - scramble the order if you want to give the kids an extra challenge.
3. Hide clues #2-10 in the location for the previous clue.
4. After the kids have solved all clues and found the letters, have them assemble the letters to spell the hidden message.

I hope you enjoy this snow-themed scavenger hunt. Once the hunt is completed, you might want to try cutting out paper snowflakes or color hexagons to create wild snowflakes, make a special treat to eat, or read books with winter themes.

Additional articles:

• How to Make a Digital Photo Scavenger Hunt – So Quick and Simple
• Free Printable St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt
• Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #6: Heart-Themed Treasure Hunt

Find more of Katrena's scavenger hunts, printables, and articles at Wildflower Bouquets.



Rhyming Clues for Treasure Hunt

Winter Themed Scavenger Hunt



Snow Themed Indoor Scavenger Hunt

Fun Indoor Activity for Snow Days

Important Note to My Readers

THANKS TO MY READERS!

I want to thank you for reading the Wildflower Bouquets blog! I seek to provide timely, practical, and helpful information for many different people and write this blog because I enjoy writing and want to share my resources with others.

It has come to my attention that some other web sites are copying all of my blogs onto other web sites. This practice helps people who plagiarize and hurts independent bloggers like me. I do not charge people to access information on my blogs - they are free of charge for anyone to browse on the Internet. Advertisers enable me to provide this free service.

I would love for any reader to continue to visit my blogs regularly. Feel free to share the URLs for any of my articles on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or other social media sites.

Here are the direct URLs for all of my sites:

Fit Tips 4 Life focuses on fitness at:
http://fittips4life.blogspot.com/

Wildflower Bouquets offers scavenger hunts, printables, & family-friendly articles at:
http://wildflowerbouquets.blogspot.com/

Travel NC With Kids gives tips for traveling in NC with children at:
http://travelncwithkids.blogspot.com/

Love 2 Travel With Kids offers tips for family travel in and out of North Carolina at:
http://love2travelwithkids.blogspot.com/

Student Survive 2 Thrive provides resources like practice tests, flash cards, & tips at:
http://studentsurvive2thrive.blogspot.com/

Thank you again for taking the time to read my articles and I hope that each of you finds my free online resources to be helpful and inspiring. Feel free to email me at katrenaallison@gmail.com any time if you have questions, ideas, or just wish to send me a message.

Katrena Allison

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #10: Popular Characters

Katrena's Free Indoor Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is full of possibilities for learning and fun! The ten rhyming clues give hints for where to find the next clue as the kids think of the missing word with three choices for printable prizes at the end.

Each clue alludes to popular characters one might recognize from nursery rhymes, stories, or comic strips. You might continue the fun by identifying each character and reciting the nursery rhyme or story after completing the hunt or after solving each riddle.

Directions:

1. Click on the images below to enlarge and print.
2. Keep clue #1 and hide remaining clues in the area hinted at in the previous clue (for example, hide clue #2 where you would look when solving clue #1, etc.)
3. Give player(s) clue #1 – when they solve the riddle, encourage them to look for the next clue using the hints in clue #1.
4. Repeat until all riddles are solved and prizes are found.

Readers might also wish to see:

• Free Star Printables – Encourage a Kid to Shine!
• Doing the Right Thing Because it is the Right Thing to Do
• Free Books and So Much More at the Local Library

Find all of Katrena's scavenger hunts, games, printables, and articles at the Wildflower Bouquets site map.

Here are the clues:

Free Treasure Hunt Riddles

Here are the answers to the riddles:

Fun Things to do Inside

Here are the printable prizes:

Activities for Snow Days

I created this hunt on a snow day. The kids are out of school and bored. Scavenger hunts can encourage problem-solving skills, imagination, teamwork, and can be a great boredom buster. I hope you and your family enjoy this scavenger hunt! Thanks for visiting my site.

Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #9: Civil Rights



Free Indoor Scavenger Hunt by Katrena

Brave people of all colors and cultures all over the world have made numerous sacrifices by acting on beliefs that people should be free, that nobody has the right to own another human being. Many risked their lives, their livelihood, and/or their societal status for those beliefs. Some lost their lives and many felt the pain of losing family or friends at the hands of those who did not share the same beliefs.

This indoor scavenger hunt highlights ten people in the United States who became famous for their efforts in working toward civil rights. They were not islands; they enlisted the help of many others who provided any number of resources to help these people, and people still work toward breaking down barriers today.

I have included several resources with this scavenger hunt, including a word bank and also scrambled word clues for the names to help players who might not be familiar with these American human rights activists. Although this hunt is designed for home use, it can easily be tweaked to a classroom setting with or without the hunt. Teachers might wish to have ten students read one clue each as the class votes for who they think matches each one – then you might provide the scrambled words sheet so that students can check their answers.

You might consider reading some books highlighting civil rights before playing this game. Here are a few related picture books that my kids have enjoyed:

• Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
• Sojourner Truth's Step Stomp Stride
• Henry's Freedom Box
• Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman

Those who enjoy videos might wish to watch:

• I Have a Dream Speech
• Abraham's Emancipation Proclamation Hoedown by Schoolhouse Rock

Directions:

1. Print and cut out clues #1-10.
2. Print the letter code and cut out each letter or word.
3. Print the answers, word bank, and scrambled answers as needed.
4. Hide clues #2-10 and a letter in each of the locations provided in the hunting tips. Hide letter code in order or scramble the order for a bigger challenge and give the players two "freebie" letters at the beginning.
5. Give clue #1 to the players and the game begins!
6. As players correctly answer each Who am I question, tell them where to search for the next clue and letter.

I hope you enjoy this scavenger hunt and find it to be informative and educational. Visit my Wildflower Bouquets blog to see more scavenger hunts, printables, and articles. Readers may also wish to read:

• Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #8: Under the Same Sky
• Old Salem Tour of African American Church and Graveyards
• Smile! Free Printables that Say Smile

Free Clues for Treasure Hunt

Free Clues for Scavenger Hunt

These answers are designed for the person leading the scavenger hunt.

Scavenger Hunt about Civil Rights

 

You might offer these scrambled words to help players select the correct answer:

Scrambled Word Answers for Scavenger Hunt

 

These hunting tips are designed for a treasure hunt in the home setting, but you can easily tweak to a classroom setting.

Civil Rights Scavenger Hunt

 Here is a word bank list of famous Americans who were activists in civil rights. This might help players who are unfamiliar with the various people described in the clues.

Famous Americans who Fought for Civil Rights

 These letters can be hidden with clues #2-10. Provide two "freebie" letters at the beginning. Hide them in order or scramble the order for a challenge.

Scavenger Hunt Freedom for All

Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #8: Under the Same Sky

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #8 Under the Same Sky

I recently received a nice note from an 11-year-old who requested that I develop scavenger hunt #8. Although I live in the United States, this reader is playing my Wildflower Bouquets games on the other side of the globe! That has inspired me to create a scavenger hunt that reminds us that we are all under the same sky and that we all call Earth our home.

Aizaz, this one is for you. I hope you like it!

This hunt includes ten rhyming riddles with a celestial theme. As each riddle is solved, the leader can give players a hint where to look for the next clue. I hid each riddle inside a folded letter found in the last graphic on this game. Suggestions with several options for hiding the clues make this scavenger hunt great for home or school. The letters might be hidden in order or scrambled to add another challenge level for the players to spell the terms at the conclusion of the game.

This hunt involves basic astronomy terms. Because the riddles rhyme, younger kids may be able to guess some of these, or you might take the opportunity to learn more about our sky together. Here are a few web sites that you might wish to study before attempting this treasure hunt. Some of the terms are easy, but others might be a bit more challenging!

• NASA's Planetary Fact Sheet (Hint: Pay particular attention to the number of moons)
• MoonConnections Moon Phases
• Starry Night Constellation Pictures

Directions:

1. Click on the images below to enlarge.
2. Choose file-print to print the images.
3. Hide each riddle in the locations designated below - you may wish to fold each inside a letter spelling the hidden message or you might exchange a letter for each solved clue.
4. After all riddles are solved, players can assemble the letters to spell the secret message.

Here are the ten riddles for my Under the Same Sky scavenger hunt. You may wish to fold these inside each letter to spell the secret astronomy term:

Free Rhyming Riddles for Treasure Hunt

Here are the answers to the rhyming riddles:

Indoor Scavenger Hunt Rhyming Riddle Clue Answers

Here are suggestions for hiding places for the riddles that might be used at home or in school, or you might play the game again and choose other options for hiding places:

Fun Scavenger Hunt for Home or School

After the player(s) solve each riddle, offer a hint for where to look for the next riddle.

Free Astronomy Scavenger Hunt

Print and cut these letters or you might make them larger by cutting a piece of colored construction paper into ten pieces and writing each letter on a piece. I folded these around riddles #2 through #10 and placed the last one where players would look after solving the last riddle. Younger players might wish to name each letter. Scramble the order that players find each letter to make this treasure hunt more challenging.

Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Astronomy

Readers may also wish to try:

• Katrena's Good Hygiene Scavenger Hunt
• Free Star Printables – Encourage a Kid to Smile!
• Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #4 With Alphabet Code Clues

Scavenger hunts are a fun, unique way to learn all sorts of concepts as simple as letter recognition or as complicated as astronomical terms. Parents, teachers, babysitters, and many others might utilize scavenger hunts to break the boredom of staying inside. I welcome feedback in the comments section below and hope all of you enjoy this latest game.

Favorite Versions of Christmas Songs – Music to Remember

Great Music for the Christmas Season - Photo by imelenchon

Music is one of the most memorable parts of the Christmas season for me. For as long as I can remember, I've played and listened to music. Sometimes I just want to sit back, close my eyes, and transport myself into the rhythms.

I have some personal favorites that I'd like to share with you, and I have provided a link to each one below. These are familiar Christmas songs with versions that pull out all the stops with their unique renditions. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Little Drummer Boy by Pentatonix

This Christmas song has a special place in my heart because my dad and I used to play it together. This version is a cappella with some great beat boxing and a beautiful view behind the singers. One would expect a traditional drum, but the human voicebox can create some pretty unusual and unique rhythms as well.

Sugar Plum Fairy on a Glass Harp

If one were to play this without any video, most would be hard pressed to name the instrument being played. With a table lined with glasses partially filled with water, this duo creates a magical moment of music.

Carol of the Bells (for 12 cellos) by ThePianoGuys

This group pushes the limits and stretches the imagination through their choice of instruments and unusual settings. They also stretch the limits in how they play the instruments. A broken string does not hold them back – they just celebrate the moment and don't miss a beat.

Wizards in Winter by Raleigh Ringers

Those who are musicians will appreciate the difficulty of this piece with numerous bell changes and many sixteenth notes throughout the song. I only recently learned about this group and am quite impressed with so many of their pieces. They infuse some of their songs, such as The Grinch, with a bit of humor that keeps the audience watching to see what they will do next!

O Holy Night by Celtic Woman

This Christmas carol calls for top talent, and these ladies rise to the occasion with crystal clear voices that are unique but blend beautifully. Celtic Woman captures the audience's attention from the first note through the end of the song.''

Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

This version combines the voices of children with an orchestra that takes each song into new heights. I love the peaceful feeling of this carol created with the sounds and sights.

Silent Night by Jackie Evancho

This young girl has been gifted with amazing talent, and I'm so glad that she has chosen to share her voice with the world. You don't break world records and reach platinum on mediocre music.

What Child is This by Lindsey Stirling

Many people that I know name What Child is This as their favorite Christmas carol. It seems only fitting that Ms. Stirling would choose to play this song in a minor key outside where nature tends to play in minor keys as well.

Mary Did You Know by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene

Some of my roots dig deep into country music. Buddy Greene is an amazing harmonica player, and the haunting words capture this mother's heart. This newer Christmas song combines hope with the hindsight of those who have a human's glimpse of what that Baby accomplished.

Hallelujah Chorus by a Flash Mob

I would have loved to have been shopping there that day! This group does a nice job of pleasantly surprising folks in the mall. It is fun to simply see the reactions of the many people who happened to be at the right place at the right time.

12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser (original 1998 version)

A lot of people find this song to be annoying and cannot wait for all twelve of those days to be done. However, this version throws in some unexpected twists and turns. I won't be the spoiler. Trust me – I think even those who are not big fans of this song will get a kick out of this one.

I wish that Landfill Harmonic will create a Christmas collection. These children who play instruments made from recycled garbage are creating hope along with their music – many kudos to those who are helping to make that happen.

Additional articles by Katrena:

• Famous Christmas Movie Quotes Trivia Game
• How to Keep Christmas Meaningful and Special for Your Family
• Nativity Scenes Showcase Birth of Jesus for Christmas and Advent
• Name That Christmas Carol Trivia Game

Visit the Wildflower Bouquets site map for free scavenger hunts, money-saving tips, printables, articles, and more.