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School supplies are going on sale and we just about have reached the half-way point of summer break for this year.
Parents in every home are scrounging around for new ideas to keep the kids busy, productive, or entertained - without blowing up the budget or the house!
So we decided to come up with our own short list of suggestions and projects to do with the kids, keeping them busy (and somewhat productive) as we count down the days to the school bell ringing once again (whether your kids are homeschooled or attend school - it's always nice to get back to a routine).
Playing Indoors Together
When our boys were younger, one of the big deals around our house was that indoor play could not be noisy (for the most part - they are boys!); noisy play time belonged outdoors (regardless of the temperature in the Texas heat). Besides the obvious attraction these days of video and computer games, here are a few fun (inexpensive) ideas for indoor play:1. Set up a tabletop tennis set and play rounds of games (in the dining room, living room or game room - wherever you have a decent sized table).
2. Make your own play-doh and have each person make a dough animal for a zoo set or recreate their favorite vacation spot.
3. Build a fort (or castle) out of sheets, blankets, and furniture with pillows; add plenty of entrances and exits for fun playtime.
4. Define a time for Nerf gun battles and let the fun begin! (Of course, I always dreaded picking up all the darts afterwards, finding them in every nook and cranny of the house for months - so this year we traded Nerf guns in for simple laser guns that didn't require extra accessories such as vests, battery packs, and glasses - and it was fabulous!)
5. It's always fun to pull out a favorite card game, board game, or jigsaw puzzle - depending on the likes and interests of your crew!
Doing Projects Together
Since my husband and I are both generally project-oriented, any time off of regular responsibilities sparks a desire to be productive with a project - whether in the house, the yard, or the garage. While it's great to have the kids help us with projects we are trying to get done (and this teaches them good team-building, responsibility lessons), summer time is a great time to let them come up with some desired projects of their own or casually suggest ones they could both learn and enjoy. Feel free to keep these simple since you probably don't want to add to your "to-do" list any more than necessary.1. Paint new flower pots for the front or back porch.
2. Plant a few garden plants that they can help cultivate, watch grow, and eat after harvesting.
3. Organize their playroom or closets (this also helps them learn to organize, prioritize, and value their belongings); keep it fun with great music, some small colorful baskets or containers for organizing smaller items, and maybe even a treat when they're finished. (Strawberry lemonade, anyone?)
4. Make a meal - let each child pick a meal they would like to make and help them run through the process of planning ingredients, prepping, and making the meal for the rest of the family (letting them pick the meal they want to make keeps it from feeling like a chore - and you can make it fun with favorite music while you plan and cook, and teach them some great life skills).
5. Create a family cookbook (either for your immediate family or for extended family in preparation for a family reunion or the holidays) - let the kids help gather up and pick out favorite recipes, scan them or take pics of them to upload and save to your own digital cookbook so you can share them, find them when you want them, and let the whole family enjoy wherever they are.
Playing Outdoors Together
Okay, seriously, in the dead of summer in the Texas heat - there isn't much fun to be had outdoors it seems (unless you can spend your time in the water). However, we do have a few ideas that won't break the bank or your spirit!1. Corn hole game
2. Water gun fun - get some healthy running around in while staying cool with the water stream (from your gun or your opponent's)
3. Kiddie pool - if you don't have a large one; recycle water afterwards and have kids use buckets to water the garden or landscape bed plants
4. Late night flashlight game of tag or firefly catching contest
Do you have other ideas to add to the list? We love to hear your suggestion and comments!
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