Soooooooo…..this summer we opted out of camps and organized sports to simplify our summer. Insert your own personal scream of horror here…somedays I concur! :):):)
It was a personal choice because we are so scheduled during the year that we (maybe a little selfishly) just wanted to get back to the basics of a simple summer with simple summer kid-friendly activities!
And….this is where I usually get, “well, yes, but you are home and don’t work in an office.” Yes….that is true….but I do work from home which can be even more challenging. Thankfully my kids play well together and are pretty good at entertaining themselves.
So, how are we accomplishing this without driving each other crazy or having too much together time? Well, I suppose we are scheduled…and kind of not! Each week we plan some activities, but we also leave time for some good downtime. Yes, the kids get to watch some TV, but didn’t we all do that as kids? They also take time to read books….which has been pretty amazing! One reads well, and the other is just learning….so, when you put them together, my older son is working on reading with my younger son! They are having a blast, and it is educational to boot!
We are also taking the time to do the things we can’t find time to do during the school year…trips to museums, rides on the DART train, hiking on our trails around town, reconnecting with old playmates, and having a LOT of playdates and swim time!
Basically, how this seems to work best is a combination of scheduled activities and non scheduled activities. I am allowing my boys to tell me what they want to do, and I am acting like the facilitator. I provide the supplies, and they run with it!! It has been so fun to see what their little imaginations can do!
These are three fun activities that don’t require much prep, and most of this stuff you will have at your home. If not, we have linked items that reasonable and that you can easily afford!
play school
My youngest starts Kindergarten this fall, and his big brother has taken it upon himself to teach him how this all goes down…in the most literal sense. They have played school a few times now, and it runs from 8 am – 3 pm. They took a side table that we use as a nightstand in our guest bedroom, and made a makeshift desk. My oldest created a nametag, too!! He created worksheets appropriate for an incoming Kinder kid….it was all so very detailed, and it made us super proud….and pretty darn excited. Needless to say I got a lot of work finished on those days! At one point, it was time for recess, and I looked outside to find my oldest (the teacher) sitting on a bench watching my younger son play….oh my gosh….these two!!
At another point I peeked in to find my younger son actually reading and my older son smiling with a hand on his shoulder….these are the moments, my friends!….where I just stop and watch and thank God my these kids.
My kids simply asked me for the tools to make this happen. Pencil, pencil sharpener, paper, stopwatch, workbooks, reading books, etc!
My younger is working on his reading, and we are loving the Bob Books series!
play pirates
We were recently in Mississippi visiting my mom, and she has an incredible book all about pirates! The boys love playing with it and recreating some of the scenes and activities….and of course the sword fights!! Click on the image to purchase your own Pirateology book!
So, they asked her for supplies to make eye patches, flags, scarves, vests, swords,…..and even a crow’s nest! She took a black re-usable shopping bag and cut it into eye patches! Then she gave them a toy rain stick which was turned into a mast. A shoe box became a crow’s nest! And leftover Mardi Gras beads became the treasure….which they buried all over the house and then drew maps to find it again!
It was so fun and easy, but if you don’t wish to find sticks, fabric, eye patches, and swords, here is a great “pirate kit” just for your little ones!
bunch o balloons
One other quick activity we have done lately other than swimming, playing, and just kicking the ball around has been to pull out the Bunch-O-Balloons! So, so, so much fun…and it is pretty cheap entertainment! Target has been running specials on their Bunch o Balloons packs. This also makes a great gift for summer birthdays!! To purchase, click on images below!
Stay tuned for more of our summer activities!!
