Do you remember in my first post in this series I talked about what I remembered most about my childhood summer? As much as all the previous suggestions are fun, and I highly encourage you to do some of those ideas, however, my wonderful childhood summers included non of those! (except for library reading program...that was an amazing part of my childhood!) Can we take a day, or a week and do absolutely nothing?
A no activities day might include making forts in the living room, homemade ice cream in the kitchen, or your children sitting around you as you read a Little House book. Craft supplies might be gathered with no plan or purpose of looking like anything you've seen on the internet...or maybe even this planet! Sidewalk chalk and bubbles might be taken outside, or perhaps simply splashing in a small blow up pool. After a hot afternoon, a cold slice of watermelon might be the most wonderful cap to an amazing day.
Here is how to have a no-plan day work for you:
- Take away the devices
Kids will always lean towards devices if given the choice. If it's not an option, then they will just do something else. - A routine that allows for time outside
Going outside seems harder for us here in the south, during the summertime. It's hot, sticky, and there are bugs the size of Texas(okay, exaggerating here a little, but have you seen mosquitoes in the south? They seem to get bigger every year!). However, a little heat and stickiness never hurt anyone (bugs do, so where bug spray!). Just make sure your kids have plenty of water to drink. I like for us to do our playing in the morning, or evening when it's not so, because hot-afternoons are just too hot for this momma! - Craft supplies at easy reach
When I make crayons, paper and markers easy to get to, my son will simply draw on paper for long lengths of time. He loves drawing robots, trying out letters that he knows how to draw, and making cards for us. I am a little shy of a mess, so I want the paints and such to be something we pull out together on occasion, but simply being allowed to draw often helps shy away boredom - Allow your children to do chores
Your children may not appreciate this suggestion, but summer makes great training time for different chores you are trying to teach. My son is 4, almost 5 and right now his chore is to simply make his bed and straighten his room. However, I'm wanting him to start wiping down his bathroom each day, and maybe dust the living room, once school starts. Right now on our routine chart, he is starting to help clean the bathroom. This is a great time for us to get some one-on-one training to make sure he can master the chore, before I assign it to him this fall.
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