8 Fun Things to Do With the Kids This Summer

Summer time is coming which means that school will be getting out for the summer. For a stay at home mom, this could be exciting because the kids will be home to play or, if you're like me, you may not know what to do all day to keep the kids happy and entertained. I've come up with a list of things that are cheap and easy to do that could keep the kids entertained for a little while.

(This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links which means that if you purchase something from one, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. )

1. Water Balloons- On a really hot day, have a water balloon fight. Stores are now selling super easy to fill water balloons that tie themselves. You could fill them up over two different laundry baskets and place them on either side of the yard or outdoor area and have at it.

2. Chalk- Our backyard is fenced in with a wooden fence. I know that some parents will not like this idea, but I let my kids write on our fence with chalk. The kids have the whole area to make stories or draw and it can easily be washed clean with a good rainfall of a hose. If you would rather not let your child draw on the fence, sidewalks work too. 

3. Jump Rope- I remember spending so many hours outside with a jump rope. It was even better if It was a long one and we could take turns with jump rope rhymes. 

4. Gardening- One of my favorite things to do in the summer is gardening. I made a raised garden bed on the other side of our fence in our driveway. You can always put one in your yard (which is more sensible), but our dogs like to dig up things, so it's away from them. My kids love to garden! They love being able to water the garden and once the vegetables or fruits are ready, the kids feel proud to pick them. This is also a good way to get them to eat healthy foods. They want to eat what they grow. Another plus: It's a great learning experience.

5. Go to the park- If you're brave enough to take the kids, they could spend all day there. I usually take the kids either early in the morning or a little bit in the afternoon when the park isn't as busy.

6. Pitch a tent in the backyard- This will provide shade for you too. The kids will love running around in there and can run in and out as they please. Then, when it gets dark, you can decide if you want to sleep out there for the night.

7. Have a picnic. Set a blanket or table cloth outside and eat outside. It's different from what the kids normally do and it will feel special to them.

8. Crafts- The last idea is just plain old crafts. You can find many that you can do outside like building a bird feeder or even paint something. I like to tie dye clothes as well. It's fun to do it outside because you don't have to worry about dying something you don't want to. This is a craft the kids and I did yesterday- it may not look pretty, but they had fun!

Haha- I really needed the right kind of paint brush for the words.

Related Post- 10 Learning Crafts to do with kids

I hope that I gave you some new ideas for playing outside and keeping busy during the summer. What other ways to you keep you and the kids entertained?

Related Post- Build a Summer Schedule

Raising Our Children- Accountability Between the Parent and School

This post will probably be viewed as an unpopular opinion. I believe that after a while, there is only so much that we as parents can do when it comes to raising our children. It isn't going to matter how consistent we are with our children if the school or teachers aren't on the same page.
 
As a child, I was very strong willed. I didn't like to be told what to do or how to do it or when to do it. However, as a child, I didn't dare speak out too much in school because I was given a detention. If I was given detention I knew that I was also going to get in trouble at home for embarrassing my parents, so I tried to keep that at a minimum since I got in trouble at home often enough for being strong willed.

Happy Mother's Day

I was the first child that my mother carried. I guess I should say that I was one of two. My mom carried two of us in her womb for months before miscarrying my twin sister when she (my mom) was 17 years old. Because another baby can't live in the environment that was made at the passing of another, I was born shortly after. On April, 8th 1987, my mom became a mother.

Why Does My Kid Need To Use Tablets In Class?

I remember the day that my very first child was born. He was born on a Wednesday and he was just perfect. My family came to visit us and surrounded us with love. The youth group that I volunteered with made a card for me, my husband, and the new baby and made the trip to come see us in the hospital. A few days later, my family on my husband's side came to meet our new joy for the first time. The world was just perfect.
   
Our little boy was the best of both my husband and me. He was kind and funny, gentle to his baby sister. When I went to work full time, he was always a hit with the kids in day care and a favorite of the day care workers. His memory is out of this world and his imagination will get him famous one day.
   

My Kids Will Only Eat Chicken Nuggets

My kids are such picky eaters. I suppose that it might just be a natural part of being a kid; I mean, there were things that I definitely didn't want to eat as a kid and if I had it my way, I would have only eaten at Mc Donald's.

I remember one fond afternoon when my uncle was watching my sisters and me. He had made us all hot dogs (which I didn't like) and a fly had landed on it. I had just watched a documentary on flies that said that they threw up on your food every time they landed. Yeah... I didn't eat that hot dog so I found myself in the corner, where I fell asleep and woke up when my parents got home. From what my mother-in-law tells me, my husband was also a picky eater. Maybe it's genetic?

The Start of Something New- The Hesitation of Getting Back Into the Workforce

I have been surrounded by working women my whole life. My mom has worked my whole life, both of my grandma's have worked their whole life, and so did I... That was until my husband had gotten a new job and we moved closer to the Chicago area. I was very pregnant with my third child at the time and my husband and I both decided that the cost of childcare for three children was more than we wanted to pay. So I stayed home with the kids.

It's been five years since we moved and now my youngest will be starting kindergarten this fall. There is nothing holding me back from working again. My husband has been very successful at his job and if I decide to work, childcare for a few hours a day won't be too strenuous.What could possibly hold me back?