Monday Family: Five Things We're Doing This Summer

Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 06/04/2007 - 12:02pm.

Ideas for activities with your kids this summerUnschooling Life has some really good thoughts on this subject already today, and if I were smart I'd just point to it, but I'm going to forge ahead with my plans anyway. Eye-wink

For us homeschoolers, especially unschoolers, summer is easy. It's just more of the same, floating along and enjoying our days together. But for those of you out there who school, summer is often a long expanse of potential boredom or TV captivity.

The main rule, speaking of TV, is to limit summer TV and computer/game system use. We do this year-round (we don't even have a game system), but if you're not used to having your kids around a lot it's easy to let them just vegetate in front of a tube. God knows I have. But don't succumb! Be strong!

Here are some things we'll be doing that may give you ideas for having fun together with your kids.

1. Build a solar oven. We'll be doing this in the next few weeks and will post about it. This is a great project with a practical application, and you can do it for very little dough.

2. Plant a string bean teepee. Ours isn't ready to photograph yet but when it is, you'll see it.

3. Plug in to your library and parks department. Locally, ours hosts all kinds of activities for kids. We're planning on spending a lot of time at the wading pool of our local park, which coincidentally happens to be quite close to the library.

4. Make jam. When our food forest matures we're going to be doing a lot of canning just to keep up with the fruit, but we also just love our own jam. It's been a couple of years since I was well enough to can, but this year is my year to get back into that kitchen, and the girls will be helping. Children can hull strawberries and do other prep work depending on how old they are, and if you have u-picks nearby they're great at picking berries. Ours eat a ton of jam, and it'd be nice to have some non-corn syrup'ed stuff for their sandwiches, curries and yogurt.

5. Finally, let them be bored. It's good for them. As long as they've got a library card and possibly some interesting guides lying around, they'll come up with their own ideas for things to do.

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jennye's picture

We may still sign up for our

Submitted by jennye on Mon, 06/04/2007 - 5:01pm.

We may still sign up for our summer library program, at least it's free. Library is so hard for me, I can never remember to take books back on time. LOL! Yes, I gather before I leave, but then leave the bag at home, don't remember til I get to town, and by then it's too late and will have to do it next week. LOL! What annoys me is that the preschool stuff is on Wednesday and ages 8+ is on Thursday.

Ok, so Library is a maybe, as is swimming lessons. The pool/city park is in town (26 miles one way) and I just don't know if I want to do that every day for 2 weeks. I will set up the wading pool in the backyard for a little cooling off. Will see how long it will be before the dog tears it up.
we planted a garden, check. I hope for some squash in about 2 weeks to fry up.
The movie theater in town does a free show on Thursdays at 9 and 11:30. We may be able to squeeze in library with that (library program is at 10:30).
I don't let the kids veg too much infront of the TV or PS2. That would be me. LOL! But, DS4 and I are GOING to beat Star Wars Battlefront II this summer.
Camping is our big thing. We got a new camper, and are going to San Antonio to see the Alamo, Lonestar Brewery, and the Riverwalk. Then off to Corpus Christi so my kids can see the ocean for the first time. Will also try to go to the lake once, the mountains at least once.

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