Outdoor Activities: Hole in One

Recycle your wreath into a great game!

Submitted by
Kayla Chong

Reincarnate your holiday wreath for target practice. Hang it from a branch, hand your kids some beanbags or snowballs and let them have at it. (Maybe if you give them something to aim at, they'll stop throwing things at each other!)

Old holiday wreath:
Make sure not to tell the kids your plans for the wreath until the holiday decorations come down. You don't want them chucking snowballs at your wreath the day before your holiday soiree!
Rope or ribbon:
Have Junior save a long piece of ribbon from one of his gifts. (We'd ask you to do it, but hopefully all of your gifts came in small packages this year!)
Small beanbags, wiffle or tennis balls or snowballs:
If you've had a white winter, go with the latter option. If not, beanbags or balls will work just fine.
Throwing arms:
Your kids'.
Pitching mound:
Any clear area about 10-feet from the wreath. (Make the distance shorter for younger kids. Toddlers can literally stand right in front of the wreath and toss the balls in as you coo over how brilliant they are!)
Catcher:
Unless you put your foot down, this will probably be you, but try to encourage them to collect their own balls after each round.

Ask your kids to help you take down the holiday decorations. Maybe they'll be more cooperative with this task if they know there's some fun at the end!
Tie a rope or strong ribbon onto the top of the wreath and hang it from a low branch.
If it's snowy out, have the kids make a big pile of snowballs. If you live somewhere where winter temps barely dip below 70 degrees (we're jealous!), break out the small beanbags or Wiffle or tennis balls.
Pace out about 10-feet for the mound and get your little pitchers up there!
Ready, aim, fire! Have the kids toss the balls through the "strike zone" (otherwise known as the hole in the wreath.) If they can pitch mean sliders or curve balls, don't count your millions yet, but with a few years of practice, they might just be headed for the big leagues!