Some Things To Do Here Are A Few Affordable Ways To Keep Kids Occupied During Remainder Of Winter Vacation

The glow of that favorite Christmas toy is fading. The children are starting to, well, not argue they’re just expressing themselves, the little darlings.

And just now, Mom and Dad’s budget can’t handle a day on the ski hill.

What’s a family to do?

“I just think how I’m lucky to be the one to go to work,” said Marty Hare, whose wife Sheri has been home with their four kids during Christmas break.

But the Hares have been creative and active with their children during the holidays. And they say that’s what it takes to keep them and their children from going berserk.

The day after Christmas, the Hare’s two oldest children, Steve, 15, and Greg, 14, went to the Lyons Cinema to see a movie.

Meanwhile, Kalena, who was celebrating her 11th birthday, and Kim, 7, were treated to an afternoon at KidsWorld across the street from the cinema.

The opportunity allowed the kids to blow off steam while giving mom and dad the chance to get some of theirs back.

The Hares live near a big field at Pacific Park by Indian Trail. The kids often play in the empty field, but there isn’t much to do.

“They can’t go sledding outside because there’s no snow out there,” Sheri Hare said.

But at KidsWorld, the indoor jungle gym, kids are free to run, jump and throw things without having to be told to save the rough stuff for outside.

In the interest of post-Christmas sanity, read on for ideas of activities that will engage both young and old for the remaining few days of winter vacation and year around.

Walk a lonely dog: Check out the Humane Society. For dog walking, each child must be accompanied, one-on-one, by an adult. The Humane Society will be closed today but will resume normal hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday.

Apples and a warm kitchen: Make your own apple butter. Buy a bag of cooking apples at your grocery store and try this recipe for Grandma Angie’s applebutter. Best of all, this old-fashioned treat is all done in the microwave:

Start by making applesauce. Slice four cups of apples, leaving skins on. Add a small amount of water, cover and cook on high until quite soft. Then run the apples through a food mill or food processor. Even a potato masher will work. Add a third to half cup sugar, depending on taste, per cup of apples.

Add to your quart of applesauce a cup of apple cider or apple juice. Also, add a tablespoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of cloves and half a teaspoon of nutmeg. The mixture will be a little soupy, because of the liquid.

Cook roughly another 20 minutes in the microwave, stirring every five or 10 minutes. It will turn quite brown. For a good wintry feel, make sure you’re using a wooden spoon. Some people like to use 2 tablespoons lemon juice instead of the apple cider.

Or simply drive to Thackers Orchard in Veradale to buy inexpensive Red Delicious apples. They’re good for eating but not cooking. Call 926-7904 for directions and more information.

Tigers and lions and pumas, oh my! Take a trip to Cat Tales on the Newport Highway, just north of Green Bluff Road. The private zoo for endangered cats is open Wednesdays through Sundays during the winter season. It is open today. The cats are much more active during the cold weather than in the summer’s heat. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $3 per children 12 and under, $4 for students and senior citizens, and $5 adults.

Frosty fun and flowers: Visit the conservatory at Manito Park. It’s open every day from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though its closed today. “And if it’s snowing, they can go sledding and warm up in the greenhouse,” said Stephanie O’Bryne, an employee there. “Lots of times, people eat lunch in the conservatory.” Call 625-6682 for more information.

Visit the elderly: Have time on your hands? Older members of the community would love to have it.

At the Royal Park Care Center at 7411 N. Nevada, activities director Lon Page will give an initial orientation, a tour of the facility and review specific activities volunteers can participate in with residents.

“It may be anything from passing mail to residents, reading it to them (with their permission)… just being a friend to a specific resident,” Page said.

Page said many of residents don’t have immediate families living nearby.

Young people are encouraged to participate, Page said. “There are a lot of barriers broken down when people come in here.”

For more information call 489-2273.

Go find your own fish tale: Visit the Spokane Fish Hatchery at 2927 W. Waikiki Road, on the Little Spokane River. Some 3- or 4-year-old adult rainbows may be on hand for the season’s spawning, as well as eight or 10 ponds with younger fish. Call 625-5169 for more information. Or, to arrange a tour, call 328-7327.

Llamas like visitors, too: Amy and Jim Logan own the Snow Ridge Llama Farm on Mount Spokane. Call 238-4975 for directions and to make sure the Logans will be home. The Logans have 16 llamas, some of them so well trained they do tricks.

Bald eagles at Beauty Bay: Every year about Christmas time, eagles are drawn to the northeast corner of Lake Coeur d’Alene by spawning kokanee. The eagles are migrating south from Canada and Alaska. Take Interstate 90 east past Coeur d’Alene and look for the Beauty Bay-Harrison exit.

Tie on some skates: Families can go ice skating at Riverfront Park or the Ice House at Mirabeau. Call the Riverfront Park Ice Palace hotline at 625-6687 for times and costs. For Ice House hours and cost, call 928-5337. For Eagles Ice-A-Rena hours and cost, call 489-9295.

Still skating, but warmer: Skate off those Christmas cookies at Pattison’s North Skating Rink. Call 466-8133 for times and cost.

Hug a chicken, pet a pig: Joy’s Mobile Petting Zoo at Newman Lake gives children a chance to learn about a variety of animals. Owner Joy Katterfeld welcomes families, Boy Scout groups, birthday parties, even school classes. She usually asks for a donation of feed. And Katterfeld points out that, come springtime, she’ll have animal babies. Call 226-3899 for directions and more information.

Fuzzy, friendly Icelandic horses: Visit Sigurdsson’s Icelandic Horse Acres with about 70 horses, in Greenacres. “We always welcome visitors,” said Bridget Sigurdsson. Call 891-8232 for directions and more information.

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