Families at Home | Willamalane Park and Recreation District

Home Classes & Programs Childcare Families at Home

Enjoy read-along stories in English and Spanish, sing and dance with us, get creative with coloring pages of your favorite parks, find tips to keep your kids active and learning new skills, and lots more.

Our team hopes you enjoy these activities as you stay healthy and safe.

Families at Home is sponsored by

Activities

Three Flower Card Crafts

Ultimate French Toast Breakfast

Obstacle Course for Kids

Building a backyard obstacle course can be a fun way to spend time with family! Some ideas for obstacles are:

• Balancing on wood planks
• Kicking, throwing, or batting balls toward a goal
• Weaving through cones or other freestanding objects
• Hopping on a chalk hopscotch course
• Riding a bike for a short distance
• Navigating a backyard play structure

Compete against each other, or see if you can best your own time!

A Quest to Create the Ultimate Pizza

Download the full instructions (pdf)

"Can't Stop the Feelin'" Dance Routine

Science Experiment: Dancing Drawings

Sing-along: "Old MacDonald"

Science Experiment: Make Your Own Pop Rockets

Story Time

"The Giving Tree"

"The Princess and the Pea"

"La Princesa e El Guisante"

"Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes"

"Coat of Many Colors"

"El Abrigo De Muchos Colores "

"We're All Wonders"

Sports

Passing Routes! This activity is always fun because of the fast-paced, high-energy output exerted. It teaches great footwork and being ready to catch a ball quickly.

How it works: Start by standing still and waiting for the person throwing the ball to say “HIKE” or “GO.” When they say one of those, you decide the type of route you want to run and then GO! Some examples include Slant, Flat, Post, Curl, and many more. When running the routes, be sure to go fast and hard. Pretend that you are trying to shake someone off of you so you can get open to receive the ball. Remember to keep your hands ready!

What do I need? You can do this with or without the ball. If you decide to do it without the ball, you won’t need a partner and you can just learn the routes by running them fast and hard! If you do it with a ball, you will need a partner to throw it to you. Make sure you have good shoes that are laced up so you don’t trip or hurt yourself. Also, make sure you have plenty of space!

Around The World! This game is a fantastic way to put up some shots and challenge yourself at the same time.

How it works: Starting on either side of the basket within lay-up distance, shoot and try to make a basket. When you make a shot, move onward to the next designated spot. If you miss, you have a second chance to try again from the same spot. If you miss on the second try, then you have to start from the beginning again!

What do I need? You will need room to map out various shooting spots, a ball, and a basketball hoop, or something similar to a basketball hoop like a garbage can or a big box. Try this DIY basketball hoop idea. Please remember that the basketball courts in local parks are currently closed. You can do this activity by yourself or compete with your family!

H.O.R.S.E! This slower-paced game is an opportunity to compete and practice your shots. Trick shots are encouraged!

How it works: One player decides on a spot from which they'd like to shoot. Then they shoot however they want — and if they make it, the next player has to make the same shot from the same spot. This can get challenging when the first player successfully shoots a trick shot! If the first player misses, the second player chooses the next spot and shot type.

When one player succeeds and the other player misses, the unsuccessful player earns the first letter, H, in H.O.R.S.E. When a player misses five times, spelling out H.O.R.S.E, they are out of the game. (You don't have to use the word HORSE - you can spell out any word you want!)

What do I need? You will need a partner, a ball, and a basketball hoop, or something similar to a basketball hoop like a garbage can or a big box. Try this DIY basketball hoop idea. Please remember that the basketball courts in local parks are currently closed. You will also need creativity for some awesome shots!

Basketball Drills
1. Dribbling one hand at a time: Begin by taking a basketball and encourage your child to dribble with their dominant (or favorite) hand. Have them count out loud and get to 3 successful bounces, then move up to 5. After they show they can control the ball and dribble 5 times, have them switch to their non-dominant hand and repeat the previous steps.

2. Shooting to a wall: Using a marker, such as a cone or chalk line, mark a spot about 3 feet away from a wall or small hoop. Have your child stand behind the marker and, using their dominant hand, shoot the ball up to the wall at an arc. Be sure to have them arc the ball so they don’t get confused between a shot and a pass.

3. Passing to a partner: Start by standing about 5 feet away from one another. If you do not have a partner, you can use a wall. Then, while taking a step forward and having both hands on the ball, push it towards your target and aim for the ground right in front of your partner! This is called a bounce pass.

4. Catching: Using a small ball, have your child throw the ball up in the air to themselves and catch it. This will teach them to always keep their eye on the ball and to be ready with their hands. After they’ve tried a few times, have them throw it up higher each time!

5. Follow the leader: This is a fun drill to teach your child that in basketball you are always moving! Have your child follow you while you run, skip, and walk. You can utilize cones or other markers to practice running in and around the cones quickly.