11 Awesome Ideas Of Things To Do This Summer
- Date: 2009-06-18 - Word Count: 798
Share This!
In the summer are you frazzled and tired of your kids at the end of every day?Are you counting the days until school starts? Summer can be a time to help spark your creativity and your child's creativity as well.
Hold a family meeting where kids can choose an activity they are interested in. Older children can help younger children which can help siblings bond to each other and teach them respect for each other.
Some suggestions of what to do so children don't get bored and you don't pull your hair out:
1. Plan a picnic. If you don't have a park nearby or you don't have time to travel to a park have it in your backyard. Encourage children to plan the menu and help to shop for the necessary supplies. This is a great time to talk about nutrition, help them shop using a budget and teach them how to pack.
2. At the beginning of the summer plan to let each child make a scrapbook of everything they do this summer. Or get a journal to record their activities. This is a great time to help them learn how to declutter as they will learn to keep only the most important things, that keeping everything is not necessary or important. They can take photos for their scrapbook or draw pictures of each activity. Have a family night once a week where they can share their scrapbook with other family members.
3. Have someone decorate a jar and label it "Brag jar". When someone does something nice for someone else a family member can write down what the person did and put it in the brag jar. This will encourage your kids to do things for others. Make another jar with suggestions of things they can do for others. It sounds a lot better than "chore jar". Put fun things they can do for others in the jar as well as jobs.
4. Make a list of things children can do to earn money and put the amount of money they can earn for each job. Children always need money for this and that and it teaches them responsibility and accountability for money.
5. Plan the most outrageous "Staycation" (vacation at home) that your imagination can think of. Lonelyplanet.com/destinations/ has wonderful information about other countries where you can get ideas about your favorite place you want to travel to.
6. How about putting on a play? Have the children write the play, make the costumes, create the set and send out invitations.
7. Plan a couple of hours once a week to organize clutter. Help them go through their toys and down size. Take a look at their clothes in the drawers and in the closets and get rid of what they don't wear or have grown out of. Donate them to a charity or give to other children in your home that can wear them.
8. Set up a reading program to encourage reading. With the child set a goal of so many books they will read and give a prize when they have reached their goal. They could give an oral book review of their favorite book to the family after they have read 10 books or so many pages depending on the age of the child.
9. Learn how something works and then explain it to the family.
10. Assign a different child one night a week to cook, or a lunch to fix. Encourage them to try new recipes from a simple cookbook. There are wonderful,easy cook books for beginning cooks. Twice during the summer have them make a dish that they have created. Even if it is something as simple as putting nuts in a salad the family likes but it doesn't call for nuts.
11. Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them out to neighbors and friends. Blow up 100 water balloons and have a water balloon fight.
Letting children make summer plans at the beginning of the summer gets them thinking creatively, learning new things and helps make "I'm bored" obsolete.
Marilyn is a professional organizer and invites you to visit her website www.marilynbohn.com, She is a sought after public speaker and author who is passionate about teaching ways to organize your life and how to reduce clutter. She works with women in their homes and offices. On her web site she teaches you to get rid of clutter by using her Lights On Organizing System. She provides practical information on how to declutter your home, office and life. In her blogs, articles, and videos she gives timely tips on how to clear clutter and how to declutter everything in your home and office. She is the author of a book called Go Organize! Conquer clutter in three simple steps which will be in major bookstores in December 2009.
Hold a family meeting where kids can choose an activity they are interested in. Older children can help younger children which can help siblings bond to each other and teach them respect for each other.
Some suggestions of what to do so children don't get bored and you don't pull your hair out:
1. Plan a picnic. If you don't have a park nearby or you don't have time to travel to a park have it in your backyard. Encourage children to plan the menu and help to shop for the necessary supplies. This is a great time to talk about nutrition, help them shop using a budget and teach them how to pack.
2. At the beginning of the summer plan to let each child make a scrapbook of everything they do this summer. Or get a journal to record their activities. This is a great time to help them learn how to declutter as they will learn to keep only the most important things, that keeping everything is not necessary or important. They can take photos for their scrapbook or draw pictures of each activity. Have a family night once a week where they can share their scrapbook with other family members.
3. Have someone decorate a jar and label it "Brag jar". When someone does something nice for someone else a family member can write down what the person did and put it in the brag jar. This will encourage your kids to do things for others. Make another jar with suggestions of things they can do for others. It sounds a lot better than "chore jar". Put fun things they can do for others in the jar as well as jobs.
4. Make a list of things children can do to earn money and put the amount of money they can earn for each job. Children always need money for this and that and it teaches them responsibility and accountability for money.
5. Plan the most outrageous "Staycation" (vacation at home) that your imagination can think of. Lonelyplanet.com/destinations/ has wonderful information about other countries where you can get ideas about your favorite place you want to travel to.
6. How about putting on a play? Have the children write the play, make the costumes, create the set and send out invitations.
7. Plan a couple of hours once a week to organize clutter. Help them go through their toys and down size. Take a look at their clothes in the drawers and in the closets and get rid of what they don't wear or have grown out of. Donate them to a charity or give to other children in your home that can wear them.
8. Set up a reading program to encourage reading. With the child set a goal of so many books they will read and give a prize when they have reached their goal. They could give an oral book review of their favorite book to the family after they have read 10 books or so many pages depending on the age of the child.
9. Learn how something works and then explain it to the family.
10. Assign a different child one night a week to cook, or a lunch to fix. Encourage them to try new recipes from a simple cookbook. There are wonderful,easy cook books for beginning cooks. Twice during the summer have them make a dish that they have created. Even if it is something as simple as putting nuts in a salad the family likes but it doesn't call for nuts.
11. Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them out to neighbors and friends. Blow up 100 water balloons and have a water balloon fight.
Letting children make summer plans at the beginning of the summer gets them thinking creatively, learning new things and helps make "I'm bored" obsolete.
Marilyn is a professional organizer and invites you to visit her website www.marilynbohn.com, She is a sought after public speaker and author who is passionate about teaching ways to organize your life and how to reduce clutter. She works with women in their homes and offices. On her web site she teaches you to get rid of clutter by using her Lights On Organizing System. She provides practical information on how to declutter your home, office and life. In her blogs, articles, and videos she gives timely tips on how to clear clutter and how to declutter everything in your home and office. She is the author of a book called Go Organize! Conquer clutter in three simple steps which will be in major bookstores in December 2009.
Related Tags: clutter control, how to declutter, paper clutter, clearing clutter, professional organizer, declutter your home, getting rid of clutter, organizing solutions, household organization, organizing tools, organizing products, clearing the clutter, reduce clutter, clear your clutter, organize yourself, ways to organize your life, declutter your life, home office organizer, home clutter
Marilyn is a professional organizer who works with women and seniors in clearing clutter and providing organizing tips. Visit her website www.marilynbohn.com for free organizing tips on her blogs, articles and videos. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Important Things to Know About an Assisted Living Residence in Texas
n assisted living residence is a facility designed for senior citizens or persons with disabilities - Understanding How the Probate Process Works
The probate process is required within the U.S. to settle estates of deceased persons. The time requ - Fun Ideas for the Family During the Christmas Holiday
The Yuletide season is one of the most awaited holidays of the year because it is the time for joy a - How To Find The Right Composite Decking Deck Builders
Another rising home improvement project homeowners are starting to do a lot more of is the composite - Every Home Should Have A Radiant Barrier
The most easy and successful home improvement project you can do to your House, would be to install - The Different Types Of Rain Gutters
When purchasing a house or planning to do improvements to a home, there is always one project that s - How To Get The Best Replacement Windows For Your Home
Installing replacement windows can be the single most important home improvement project you can do - Holiday Accommodation Gold Coast: Pointers For Selecting The Best
With a multitude of holiday accommodations in Gold Coast, choosing the one for yourself can be quite - Want Holiday Accommodation In Gold Coast Queensland? Get Online To Find The Best Deal In A Quick, Co
There are several ways to find holiday accommodation in Gold Coast. You may refer to travel guides t - Celebrate The Ten-days Festival Of Navratri.
Dasara known as Dussehra, Navaratri, Vijaya Dashami is a festival of triumph of GOOD over Evil. The
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Adoptees Need Support When Voicing Feelings about Birth Parents
"I feel like a mistake.""I'm not like them.""Where's my family?""Why can't I find a suitable career? - Progressive Cooking: All About 'cuisine'
The French are known for their interest in art and all that is fine. It therefore comes as no surpri - Moroccan Decor - Oh My! Make Your Home Shine With Moroccan Rugs and Tapestries.
It is said in Morocco that he who enters Fez with a rug will leave with a moneybag. This saying o - Online Criminal Background Checks-Importance & Ease
Have you ever thought your new neighbor looks like one of the pictures on the post office bulletin b - Installing A Burglar Alarm
Want to protect your home? Ready to install a burglar alarm? The popularity of the home burglar ala - Lowe's Backyard Playground Sets
Lowe's is an excellent first place to look for anyone who is looking for the best swing sets on the - How Could Short Term Health Insurance Help Me?
Short-term health insurance plans allow people to have health insurance for a limited amount of time - Watch Out For Those Stinky Skunks!
There are various species of skunks found throughout the United States including the striped, spotte - Asthma In Kids: An Increasing Epidemic
Many believe that the majority of asthma cases are confined to adults, but this is definitely an inc - Stairlifts For Riders Of Above Average Weight
A stairlift is an affordable device that is used to give people with limited mobility access to the