Summer FUN thread - contribute please

[Star*]

THought this may be a fun place to put things like craft ideas - % off ticket to places, coupons, etc.

I saw this and I"m going to try it - just looks like something fun to make....

http://www.ehow.com/how_4869961_super-bouncy-ball.html

 

[totoro]

That is cool! Thanks

I am always looking for something to keep these 2 busy
**********************************************************
My cool project
Yesterday we found rocks... that were special to us and shaped perfectly round or ones that had fish like tails

We then took tempura paints and painted them like fish... we used the brightest colors we had and made them as unique as we could.

We also took some of the perfectly round ones and completely painted them and then painted hearts on them or designs on them.

After they dried we brushed them with Modge-Podge. THis made them shiny and glossy!

They are beautiful!!!
I will try and post pictures.

 

[Jungleland]

What a cool idea! I want to make bouncy balls too!!! Great summer projects for those looooooong hot summer days. We love to collect rocks and paint them. Forgot about the Hodge Podge. We used a shallack (sp?) spray last year so that we could decorate the yard.

Keep the ideas flowing, need lost of ideas for the summer months and keeping kidlets happy and busy!

 

[klmno]

Nada, Nada, not for me!! I did plenty of crafts and school projects with difficult child and I am meeting new people this summer. Period. And working. LOL!

 

[AnnieO]

Pinwheels - use a straw, a straight pin & milk jugs so they're waterproof.

Mud pies are always good!

I love going to the library during the summer. Cool and quiet. And free.

Also, I set up a sprinkler in the yard, watch the kids jump thru, and read while I listen to music...

I also used to love butcher paper and markers. Washable ones of course!

 

[DammitJanet]

Dont forget the bubbles!

Also one thing my boys adored was shaving cream and cheap plastic table cloths.

 

[Lothlorien]

Race to fill up buckets with water.

1 xtra large bucket filled with water
smaller buckets with equal amount of sponges

Have the kids dip their sponge in the big bucket filled with water and race to fill up their smaller bucket. Whoever fills their bucket the fastest wins.

 

[Hound dog]

Water balloons. cheapy waterguns.

Oh, and sidewalk chalk. Kids can do artsy......or make a 4 square circle or hopscotch. Bubbles are also a big hit around here.

I used to do lunch bag puppets with the kids and paper bag masks on rainy days.

Oh, and bike parades are fun for the kiddos. We used everything from xmas tree tinsel and garland to streamers ect. Kids can get very imaginitive with this one.

 

[mrscatinthehat]

Traditional Play Dough

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 cup flour[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 cup warm water[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 teaspoons cream of tartar[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 teaspoon oil[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1/4 cup salt[/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]food coloring[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time. [/FONT]

Then what I did was have the kids make hand and foot prints in it and then baked it so It was hard. I used to do this when I baby sat so the moms and dads could have something special from there kids.

 

[Hound dog]

Mrs C thanks for that recipe. We can never find it when we want it. easy child and Nichole will have fun making this for the grands, and I'll pass it on to K as well.

 

[totoro]

I like the scavenger hunt. I will hide a bunch of stuff around the house (if it is too hot, like now) or hide stuff outside, in the a.m.
I then give them a list of things they need to find and either give them clues or do the hot and cold.
I have a prize at the end.
Something little, dollar store or something like that.
The girls usually work together.

I hide things like a feather, rock that they will notice, ball, toys etc.

 

[nvts]

Man! I **** as a mom - I'm just trying to make sure that I don't yell every hour of every day!

Beth

 

[totoro]

I am yelling the whole time I am doing these projects!!! LOL

 

[KTMom91]

Story hour at the library.

Cooking with Mom...hard on Mom, but fun for kids.

Painting birdhouses, boxes, etc. from Michaels. Then hang them outside.

Coloring pages. Either the velvet ones that you can only a bit of at a time, or smaller ones off the Internet. Hang them up. Change every few days, as new masterpieces are created.

Choose a topic and do some extra reading. I was in first grade today, and we were talking about sharks. The kids couldn't visualize how long 21 feet was, so we laid out 21 pieces of paper on the floor. They were most careful not to mess up our hot pink shark when they walked by.

Container gardening. Either flowers or veggies.

Dance with The Wiggles, or whoever is popular now. My baby is 17, so I'm a bit out of the loop.

If you make the dough with several different colors, you can make beads and string them for a pretty necklace for Mom.

If you don't put in food color, you can make Christmas ornaments and paint them when they're cool. Use half a paper clip pressed into the dough for a hanger before you bake.

I love these kinds of projects!

 

[witzend]

Links to free stuff like kids' meals, ice cream, etc.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30966335/

 

[Hound dog]

Beth

I was a stay at home mom. These types of projects saved my sanity in the summer. Most especially the rainy day projects.

Oh, and I forgot one of my kid's favorites......sock puppets.

Then there is making popcicles in the freezer, I noticed at walmart they have the syrup that makes them really yummy.

 

[witzend]

Then there is making popcicles in the freezer, I noticed at walmart they have the syrup that makes them really yummy.

Those must be for the rich people. We could never have afforded special popsicle syrup! Freezer popsicles are supposed to be hard as rock koolaid, right?

 

[1905]

Go to the Crayola website, look under lesson plans for teachers, take your pick. Of course you can use whatever supplies you have at home, not just Crayola.

 

[Andy]

In the past, I have made a list of Summer Fun activities so when I see boredom coming on, I consult my list.

Outdoors:
Make an obstacle course (to walk/run for younger - bike for older)
Sidewalk chalk
Butterfly nets
Scavenger Hunt list
Bubbles
Sprinkler
Horseshoe type games (even one person can do those)

Indoors:
Painting projects
Playdough
Make a fort under the kitchen table
Large poster boards with markers or paint to decorate
(give a subject such as designing a zoo)
Give cardstock and art supplies to create cards
Bake cookies or cakes or ect.

 

[therese005us]

Wow! when we take a long break - and 3 weeks is my limit - it's so full of catching up stuff that there isn't time to be bored. It's just a pleasure not having to run to this or that extra curricular activity. Sleep in til 5am, or just read a book!
Just enjoy having time together doing whatever turns up. Do they really get bored?

When my children were young, 'bored' was a dangerous word... it usually meant an extra chore to do!