OK, so I’m having a little trouble getting plugged back in to my daily schedule.

Vacation has a way of zapping your rhythm, which is a good thing when your rhythm is go-go-go. But, it sure is tough to jump back into the thick of it all for a bit afterward.

We hit the Lazo Marsh this morning for a a pine cone hunt that ended up to be a seriously good time. I figured I’d return with more enthusiasm.

I was wrong:)

The good news is that it only took the tiny person about 24 hours to get back to her normal self after a week in the land of no rules at grandma’s house. She had so much fun and grandma is wonderful. Poor kiddo, having to return to the land of mommy and daddy is such a bummer.

Anyway, a lot of moms and dads have been asking me lately to give them a short list of some of the really excellent rainy-day craft and activity idea books I have discovered.

So, I thought I would oblige in a Top 7 format. They aren’t listed by rank, just seven great ways to come up with cool seasonal ideas to keep the family going on those days when sleeping all day sounds like the best kind of fun:

1. I love Usborne Books. They are among the most user-friendly and family-minded out there in terms of plugging us into cool things. The most fave in our house is the Summer Activities book that has about a million craft, cooking and activity ideas with great instructions.

2. Getting learning in to the mix, I am also a big fan of Incentive Publications, which puts out great tools for teachers and parents including the Patterns, Projects & Plans series that gives you ideas, projects and ways to structure learning for each month of the year. They rock.

3. I have been super impressed by the free teaching kits offered by the Canadian Forestry Association. While definitely for a school-aged crowd, these kits (order here) give parents an excellent tool to help kiddos begin to really learn about the incredible landscape around us. Plus, they come with cool maps, lots of great learning tools and ideas for adventures. You can’t go wrong.

4. Speaking of free, the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Wild Education program also offers parents the chance to order a whole whack of guides for plugging your family into the outdoors. From posters and maps to booklets and curriculum guides, the amount of great ways to come up with things to do is really pretty amazing.

5. I have recently found myself favouring books by the “Queen of Crafts” Kathy Ross. She’s got craft ideas for just about any season, learning adventure or imagination. She even has a page of free crafts on her website – a great way to test drive her style.

6. I am a HUGE fan of Green Teacher magazine. The Winter edition, available for free download on the Green Teacher website, has some great ideas on how to get into imaginative play with your kiddos. It’s also an amazing resource at any time for keeping kids learning about the environment, stewardship and nature.

7. Finally, the Canadian Junior Green Guide by Teri Degler is packed full of great ways to inspire your kiddos, keep them being creative and get them thinking about the world. It’s an older book, published in 1990. But, I really like the ideas it offers up.

That’s a bit of what’s in our house, making the rainy days a bit less gray.

Hope your weekend was great!