Each morning I lay out 3 X 5 cards for my kids. Each card contains a chore that needs to be accomplished. When they finish the chore, the card gets put away. They are learning the basics of time management all on their own since the only rule is...no play till your cards are done. They are also feeling good about themselves as they can see accomplishment with each card they put away! The fun in the summer has come from transforming a flower garden into a vegetable garden. They had never eaten raw peas before! They are planning next year's garden already.
Two words: SUMMER SCHOOL!!!
Enroll older ones in mini-camps. I sent my 6-year-old son
to half-day gymnastics camp for two weeks. He had a good
time and I got a few hours a day of semi-peace. (I still
have a 1-year-old daughter to care for!) Try to do a good
chunk of your work in the morning and then take the kids to
the pool or a playground later on in the afternoon. Every
now and then, take some time off and plan something really
special to do with your child(ren). (On one of our little
day trips, we went to Baltimore and rode a full-size replica
of Thomas the Tank Engine!)
I took this idea from Barney. For those hard days when there's NOTHING to do. We pull out the craft bag. It has small kits and craft items I have picked up at sales. Beads, feathers, rings of all sizes, leather and fabric pieces. Broken jewerly, bottle lids. Tubes from paper towels and more. The kitchen table gets cleaned off plastic cloth is put down and the kids go to work constructing. Glue,paper and the daily art stuff are added. This bag gets used maybe 4-5 times during the summer, more during the winter. But always as a last resort, so it isn't always out and sometimes they are totally surprised with what is in it.
My children will be happy for HOURS on end with acrylic paint and rocks (or clothespins) to paint on. Clothespins can be turned into alligators etc. with a package of little eyes from a craft department. I just put them in old clothes and send them out to the picnic table (child size).
ANY TYPE OF BUBBLE DEVICE AVAILABLE!!!
My daughter loves bubbles and she just got a bubble motorized blower machine for her birthday just like her dad's blower that he uses to blow the driveway of leaves. She loves it and uses anything for her bubbles -- baby saxophone blower, pipe blowers, wand blowers, Mickey Mouse blowers; you name it. It's always a WINNER! Trust me. Try it and you'll see.
Swim team, my seven year old got to spend two hours in the pool each day with kids his age, I spent those same two hours sitting by the pool reading work related information (most of the time) or taking a walk around the park. He was happy to be in the pool everyday. I was that he was getting such a great workout and that I was accomplishing things too. Best part, he was so tired that he never complained about bedtime and even took a nap (!!!) a couple of days each week. Overall it was a very positive experience. We will do it again.
Swimming and the park. Taking my 5 and 10 year old girls there his summer has kept us all sane. It gives them a break from home and me a break from the computer. And the best part is that I taught my youngest to swim!
This past weekend myself & my 5 year old daughter went wilderness camping and backpacking for 1 night. Her first trip. She carried a small, soft 5lb. pack w/all our food; peanuts, pepperoni,bagels, and of course the essential marshmallows. She was physically and mentally challenged,she was telling me how lucky she was that "her mom would take her to such a beautiful place" and "when I have kids,I will take them backpacking" my eyes welled with tears more then once. While she took it upon herself to go into the tent at 8:30 and quickly fell asleep, I used the time by the fire (that I made alone w/only 4 matches, yhea) to brainstorm and reflect on some aspects of my business that get neglected in the day to day shuffle. It was her first trip-but judging from the results it will not be her last. I highly recommend all women to do this w/their daughters-it was a challenge for myself and I was proud to give her that example to mirror.
I am a day care provider for 6 children, ages ranging from
3 up to 7 years of age. The kids love to take nature walks
and look for different types of trees,bugs,mushrooms,etc.
We have walks that last up to 2 hours, now that's a lot of
walking for little legs.
