Spend an afternoon at the park with your kiddos mapping the area. Preschoolers might tell you where to put things, and older children might want to draw their own. Then combine them into one map. On your next visit, have each child suggest where to visit first. Color code each child's suggestion and you can rotate who gets first choice. Sharing is better!
After a summer of rain, your basement might need more than a simple sweep-up. Accumulated moisture can leave an undesirable aroma. Baking soda (non-toxic for pets and children!) can be used to absorb much of the smell. Sprinkle it around, and in a few days, sweep or vacuum. Repeat as needed!
Here's something to keep your kids' brains tuned for math. Have them look for patterns around the house. Colors. Shapes. In the kitchen ... even flavors work: sweet, sour (or yummy or yucky). Practice moving things from set to set. Something "yucky" might also go in the "red" set with Legos or a favorite book. They will be working on set theory without knowing it! Einstein beware!
How are cuts of meat labeled? Here's the lowdown. Prime is highly marbled (meaning fat laced throughout the meat) for better flavor. If you go with Choice, you'll have less fat so might need to braise it (coat with butter or juice while cooking). Select is the bottom rung, still tasty, but may lack the intensity of flavor in Choice or Prime. Ask your butcher if you're unsure how to best prepare the cut you choose.
It's likely time for the first frost. Be sure to get your spring bulbs in the ground before the cold takes you by surprise. If you're in the South, you might have a couple weeks leeway, but you Northerners need to get on the ball! Happy planting!