If you are a stay at home mom...?

Question

What are you doing with your kids this summer? Do you have it all planned out, if your kids are not in any sort of summer camp? I don't want my kids to be stuck on t.v. all day. What do you suggest? I have a seven year old and one year old. My sister in-law says she is doing home school, but that sounds boring and I can't imagine her kids just sitting there all day doing school work.

Answer 1

Plan special days! Take them to the beach, park, water park, camping, camping in the yard. Cook fun snacks with them, do crafts outside so they can get messy, plant in the yard, Go to the movies once in a while, have them make food for you, let them be creative. Go on picnics, Play water games, play sports with them, invite their friends to join in so they dont feel smothered as well. Take this chance to become a child again. No homeschooling, they have earned their summer by going to school all year let them have it, as well as you!

Answer 2

We are very laid back in the summer time.  We go and do lots of things but it is not structured.  One week I might have a few things planned but if they don't all happen I don't stress.  We are fortunate enough to live 15 min. from the beach so that is something we do every week but other than that I plan trips to the zoo, bike rides, hikes, etc.  I find it helpful to have the car loaded with things like a case of water bottle a change of clothes for everyone,  a first aid kit and some small snacks like granola bars.  Then getting out the door isn't such a big deal.  Good Luck and have a great summer with your kids.

Answer 3

GET OUT IN YARD, PLAY GAMES, GO TO PARK.  BEST OF ALL TURN THE TV OFF AND KEEP IT OFF.  I DO IT WITH MY 7 YR OLD.  IF HE TURNS IT ON, PUNISH HIM AND UNPLUG THE TV

Answer 4

We have gone swimming at our local aquatic center, and at grandma's. But not a lot of other things yet, I am just enjoying time home though they are starting to nit pick each other terribly. I have 7 & 9 yr old girls. We are actually separating  their rooms. Up until now they have shared a room by choice well now my 9 yr old wants her own space, which I understand. So we are painting and re-doing the 2 rooms we currently have as a sleeping room and play room into 2 rooms. It is going to be a lot of work but also a lot of fun. We are now just arguing over paint colors LOL

Edit: I usually start back on school routine, bedtime etc. about 2 weeks prior and other than reading that is when I start the school work, not all summer. Unless they are stuggling in school which mine are not.

Answer 5

lots of things we going swimming either here at home or at the pool

some days I set up the slip & slide

oh one day I had crafts we make homemade bird food

had the kids find pine cones in the yard

then took peanut butter had the kids spear that on with a popsicle stick and then roll them in birdseed hang them off of branches

we take walks

side walk chalk

water balloon fights

go to the park

we play ball games in the yard too

jump rope

have a number party

give each kid a number and they have to go find that many things in the yard like: 4 pinecones, 10 rocks, 15 leaves

lemonade stand now this is fun

sprinklers are always fun too

email me and we can chat about tons more if you need more ideas

Answer 6

take them to the pool

Answer 7

Have a schedule where you do something every day:

Monday can be take a walk day around a new area of your neighborhood or walk to a friend's house for a play date.

Tuesday can be a day to visit the library or read a new book.

Wednesday can be a day to help you cook a meal or clean a room in the house.  Turn on the radio and dance or make up silly songs while you do it so she knows sometimes work has to be done but it can still be fun.

Thursday can be a fun day with swimming (or, if you don't have a pool, make your own slip-n-slide with a tarp and some dishwashing liquid) , reading, putting on a talent show for the parents, etc.

Friday - do something different each time like paint your nails and play dress up, visit a museum, go picking wild flowers, paint a piece of pottery, visit people who have no family in a nursing home, volunteer at an animal shelter, learn a new song, etc.

Try to do fun things but you needn't spend a lot of money.  A schedule like this allows them to still eat lunch, take a nap, watch a favorite tv show or two but still entertains them and keeps the summer fun.

Good luck!

Answer 8

i got my kids in sports and we take walks go to the pool . my son invites friends over and rides bikes things like that.  my son really like the water guns

Answer 9

I have my 6 year old in a park program. 10 in morning till 3 in the afternoon. they do activities and he goes swimming in our town waterpark. This goes to Monday thru Friday. My four year old stay home with me. We watch kids show together. We cuddle more likely we clean together. We go to store. He get some mommy time. Right now I can't stand this heat I am pregnant and heat makes me sick. I usually take them to zoo.  They go visit grandma she takes them outside. We take walks in late evening. Tonight I order pizza and watch a movie together.

Answer 10

I'm a nanny and we play with the hose alot, go swimming, play video games, sleep until 11! I have rules just not sure what they are yet! LOL

Answer 11

We live in the great northwest where....well the weather doesnt always agree with the seasons, LOL. I have 3 kids, 7, 2 and 11months. I live in a cul de sac and there is a tree house and rope swing in the woods RIGHT behind my house so my 7 yr old plays with the other 5 million kids. I usually hold him inside with me until about 10am (after lunch and chores are done) then he is free until lunch, then free again until dinner, then free again until about 8:30. I also babysit a boy his age twice a week so he has someone new to play with. As for the little ones, we go outside, i have a pool i take them in, we color, blow bubbles, teach sister how to walk (lol thats our new thing) And of course on nice days we all pack up and go to the beach and enjoy a new scene, nature and the water.

A little home school can be made fun, like the older one you can have him read menus if you go out to eat, or signs while driving. The younger one you can go to the park and ask "whats this" then explain. It doesnt have to be stuffy structured "school"

Lastly, Check local newspapers and website, there are usually tons of FREE activities all over, Here we have "concerts by the park" on thursday nights, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the local theater they have free movies for the kids (i will give the website) and the library has a reading program where the kids read so many hours and then get to pick out a free book. So check your local community center, downtown area, and local websites.

Here is the movie link:

http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/fami...

Answer 12

There are so many things you could do that will keep kids busy during the summer!

My 11 year old is in several summer camps this year, and she is really enjoying those - she will be going to 2 Vacation Bible Schools too, which she loves.

One of our favourite activities is a visit to the park - take a picnic and do a "treasure hunt" - make a list of items you would like your daughter to find, such as a bird's nest, three different leaves, take a magnifying glass and a jelly jar and have her look at pond water close-up.  You could have her collect wild-flowers and make a nature table when she gets home with all the things she has collected.

If you live near the beach you could have your seven year old collect shells and when you get home, wash and dry them, paint them with clear nail polish and make a display of all the different kinds she found, arranging them in size order, or making patterns with them.

Your visit to the park can involve taking note of all the different types of animals you see - squirrels, types of birds, how many dogs you see.

To make it more interesting you can go to the library ahead of time and select books that are about animals, birds, seashells, wild creatures, fishes, trees and flowers - the library may also have videos on those subjects, so your child can watch the video before or after you go.

It might be nice if you take one of your child's friends with you to the park as kids like to do these activites together or you can make it fun by saying "see who can find the biggest leaf" or "see who can find a Maple leaf or an Oak leaf" and show them an example in a book.

This is how we home-school, not sitting at a desk!  My 11 year old has never sat at a desk in her life!

I try not to call what we do "home-schooling" as I prefer the term "Child Centered Learning"