- Start some type of collection - Bugs are everywhere and once properly dried can be collected, marbles of every color and shape, coins or whatever interest them.
- Record and catalog information - What type of birds they have spotted, wild flowers or animals. There is not enough science in schools and what better way to learn than from hands on experience.
- Visit the Zoo - But don’t just walk through it and you’re done. Sit and draw the animals, figure out what they’re doing. Research where the animals came from and what do they eat. Have each child pick an animal to research and go back and visit the animal that their interested in several times. Try to come up with ways to raise money for that animal.
- Visit the Museum -
- Art museum - Have them pick one of their favorite pieces of art and research the artist. Where did they come from and what other works of art are they known for?
- History museum - Research their favorite part of history and share what information they have learned. Build a model of that part of history.
- Science Museum - Find something that interest them in this area and have them research it. Build a machine or model of their interest.
- Go to the park - Pack a picnic lunch, invite some friends and have fun.
- Go fishing - Dust off that old fishing pole and take them fishing. Learn the different types of fish that they could catch. What types of bait to use. Don’t forget that fishing license.
- Go biking - Pack a small backpack with water, snacks, and drinks.
- Go hiking - Hit those trails and start walking. Find some trails that you’ve never been on before.
- Study the architect for buildings and walk around town. Take photos or draw the different designs. Research who came up with those ideas and are those designs still used today.
- Go to your Public Library - They have many great things going on all summer long. Summer reading clubs and a great place for resources and research. And they usually have Air Conditioning on those very hot summer days.
- Work on a skit or play with your neighborhood kids. Plan out a stage and costumes and invite the rest of the neighborhood for the production.
- Go to the farmers market to see all the vendors and fresh produce.
- Do community service work - Pick up litter in a park, work in a shelter serving food, or contact someone to find out where they would need help that the whole family could get involved in.
- Visit the elderly in homes; make cards for them and fresh cookies.
- Teach them how to cook and bake. Great learning experience is measuring and following the instruction on a recipe. The greatest reward is eating what you made!
- Journals - Have them write down there thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Keep them in the habit of writing.
- Write letters to friends and family. Especially if they don’t have email and send those wonderful works of art that are usually over flowing in your own home.
- Play a game - There are many great board games and for physical games go to the Great Game List http://www.funattic.com/game_list.htm
- Clean the house or organize a room. My kids love it when we make a list of what has to be cleaned. Each child loves writing down their name next to the item that they have cleaned. The list really motivates them and your not telling them what to do. Rewards are paid for all there great and hard work.
- Plan a vacation or trip. Research together the area that you’ll be going and get feed back as to what everyone would like to see. Give them a journal and have them write down what they did that day. They won’t like doing it most of the time. When they go back the following year and read it they’ll remember certain events with fond memories.
- Start a hobby or craft - Learn how to sew, cross-stitch, paint, play an instrument, horse-back ridding, build a model car, or what really interest them.
- Go out and buy some photo albums, then gather up all those snapshots and photos that are floating around in your drawers and put them in the albums. The kids will have a great time organizing them and there’s so much out there to decorate and add life to the albums.
- Organize neighborhood olympics for the kids in the area. Put together games that different ages can play. Even babies in highchairs can have an eating contest. Host one every year and you can keep a photo album to show how each child has changed.
- Neighborhood Block Party - Every year our neighborhood has a block party. We get a permit which allows us to block off the road. Everyone brings a dish to pass, games are played (http://www.funattic.com/games.htm), we play some music and then the kids head to one of our neighborhood pools for an afternoon dip. What a great way to get to know your neighbors and learn what’s happened to them over the winter.
- Join a group - There could be parents that have play groups established, ask around. The worst thing a parent goes through is not having someone to talk to when their children are young. Many of us are usually going through the same emotions and trails. It’s a relief to know that others are having the same struggles. MOPS - Mothers Of PreSchoolers and Mom’s In Touch both run during the school year, but getting involved next season will give you contacts and friendships that will carry you through the summer.
- Learn A Foreign Language – Many libraries carry tapes, videos, books and CD’s. Teacher stores and various other stores carry all the needed items to get started. The more exposure to another language and the sooner you learn the more likely you’ll retain the information. Use various words through out the day. Besides the homeland, many languages are used in other parts of the world. Research the use of that language to see what other places use it and what famous people came for the homeland.
- Learn Sign Language – There are many Internet sites that show you how to get started. Start out with the alphabet by printing it and then go from there. You can find books in the library or you can purchase them in bookstores.
- Go pick fresh fruit – There is nothing like eating fresh strawberries or blueberries out on a farm. Later in the season you can pick peaches and apples, once they come into season. Call ahead to make sure that the farm is kid friendly.
- Mechanically Inclined Children – Find broken machines and equipment for them to take apart. Items like phones, radios and computers will entertain them for hours. To prevent electrocution, cut off the cord for those high impulse children who would try to plug it in while apart.
- Work Out Program – Start out the summer with a workout program. Some children are very active but there are many families that watch too much television or just sit around doing other things. Have a set plan, schedule what days you’ll work on certain parts of the body. Chart out your progress to help you stay on track. You can bike, walk the neighborhood together, use workout tapes, roller blade or go to the high school track and walk together. What’s good for the body is good for the soul!!
- Read together!!! Find some great books that all of you will like to hear out loud. One of our favorites is “Where The Red Fern Grows”. Keep in mind you’ll need a tissue box for the end but emotions are a good thing. The worlds greatest teacher wept and taught us so much. Reading expands their horizons and they end up with a bright future.
- Spend time together. If you had only one thing to give to your child, the greatest thing would be your time. They really need you at any age, even if they fight those hugs. Always add laughter, it’s so healing and good for the soul. If you’ve had a busy schedule send them a card in the mail, kids love getting mail. Come home for lunch a few times a year to make them feel special. Tell them that their important and don’t think that they should know it. They need to hear it!! What’s important is the well being of your children because soon they’ll be out on their own, time goes by so fast.
- Visit your state capital. Take a tour of the building, find out the history about your state and observe the capital while it’s in session. Study who runs your state, how a bill becomes a law and what connection does your state have to do with the federal government.
- Take a trip to a factory or manufacturer that offers tours. Learn how they make products, how they are distributed, how they are marketed, the history of the business and the importance of it to the community.
- Find out what there is to do in your state. You can go on-line, go to the library or contact the Chamber of Commerce to see what’s in your area. There are many neat things to do in each state if you take the time to search, you may find a hidden secret or resource.
- Go Camping – Our favorite pastime is camping. I’m sure if you’ve only camped once in you’re lifetime with your family you remember it. There’s nothing like the smell of the campfire and cooking over the fire. It’s a great time for family bonding and the memories will last a lifetime.
- Visit your State Parks - Many great resources are waiting at your State Parks. Nature trails, fishing, canoeing, sand dunes (in Michigan) and many organized events. The smell of the trees after a rain, the sound of the birds (many only found in unpopulated areas), and nature is just calling out to you to come and enjoy. Check to see what may be going on in the coming months like Trillium festivals in the spring with many other wild flowers to discover. Note: You are not allowed to pick wild flowers within a Michigan State Park. Only leave footprints, take only memories and pictures.
- Nature Centers - If you would like to learn more about trees, wild flowers, animals, civilization, and even the ice age, head to the Nature Center. They usually have volunteers with passion and the love to share what they know. Check out events like maple syrup making and other cultural events to enjoy.
- State & County Fairs - Great time for all the family. Yes, they have rides, games and food to great but they also have great learning experiences. Pick up a schedule of events to see horse pulling, riding competitions, tractor pulling, and all those 4-H events. Maybe you'll find a 4-H event to become involved in, you never know.
- Festivals - There are festivals through out the year, so check your local newspaper to see what's going on. They always have great food many times tied into a cultural event. If you have a special interest, check the Internet to see where those types of events are taking place. You might experience a parade; learn about history and new food.
- Camps - There are many camps through out the summer to experience. Some kids don’t like to leave for a long period of time, so they can go to day camps. If they have a special interest like, basketball, volleyball, theater, horseback riding or whatever, there may be a camp they can try. They even have camps for the whole family to enjoy. Check to see what is in your area.
- Re-decorate a Room - Either the kids' own bedroom, an office, the basement, playroom or whatever room needs changing. Have them layout a plan of what to do and change. You can even use grafting paper to plot out the size of the room, with measurements of the furniture with pieces of paper to scale and move them around to figure out the best layout. Teach them how to paint and clean up afterwards. You can take them to a fabric store for supplies to make pillows, curtains and decorative blankets.
- Building Site - Our city Grand Rapids, MI has many large buildings going up all around downtown. Visit those sites from afar and record the progress. Ask you kids what all they think goes into building a new building. Have them track out on paper the steps that it takes to do such a job. To build large buildings it takes permits, surveys, then contractors and sub-contractors to complete the job. They'll be amazed at the process and how many jobs it creates.
- Garage Sale - Time to take a walk through the house, basement, closets, attic, toy chest & garage to see what you are really not using anymore. I'm sure it will be hard to part with many items but think of all the new things you can get to replace them. Price out the items so that they will go away because you really don't want to put them all back. You can have stickers that will tell you whose items were sold so that the proper money will be allotted. Kids can set up a cookies, brownies, lemonade and pop stand. And for those items that didn't find a new home, you can have Goodwill or The Salvation Army pick them up. List out all the items and their values, then have them leave proof that they picked the items up so that you can take a tax deduction if you itemize.
- Grow a garden - There's nothing like growing your own vegetables, flowers and fruit. Find a suitable location that has the proper light and soil conditions. Figure out with the kids what will grow best in your area, the length of time it takes and what needs to be done to maintain the garden. The best thing to do is buy a book on gardening if you've never done gardening. Have the kids plan out their own areas if that helps keep the peace between siblings. Take turns weeding, feeding and watering. The kids will be excited when they see their seedlings poking through the ground and the best reward is the harvest. Maybe you'll have a bumper crop that you can share with your neighbors or friends and possibly sell by a roadside. Learn the value of each item you plant. You can do so many other types of gardens like a flower garden, herb garden, planter garden, and water garden.
- Explore History - Well how about asking them what they think their town used to be like 20, 30 or 100 years ago. Or have them research some of the amazing changes that happened way back then or the who's and what's that changed history. Use the Internet or visit museums and libraries for more research material on that subject.
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Thursday, July 7, 2011
Summertime is Fun-time
Summer vacations are on the way and we are faced with the question of what to do with all that time. Or more like, what do we do to entertain those kids that are so bored and they don’t know what to do. Here are some helpful ideas to fill in those long summer days.
