Summer time where the living is easy....

I love summer. I think it has to do with getting out of school, knowing that you get to stay out until the sun goes down and if you are really lucky, you get to stay out and catch fireflies! I love homemade ice cream, cool evenings and warm days. I could, however, go a lifetime without another mosquito bite. I wanted to pass along somethings that have worked for me in the past that might make summer a little bit easier for you and more fun for the kids.

1) Think old school. Kids love to play grown up- yes even your little boys. They can hang a sheet in the back yard and put on a talent show for the parents at the end of the day. If they have the help and the sheets of a parent, anything is possible.
Example: When I was a little girl I wanted to be a singer. My friends and I put on a show in our living room, wearing our matching Underoos!, and singing along to our parents records that we loved. They gave us instruments and paid a small admission fee- which was spent on ice cream. I don't know where those pictures are but I have the greatest memories.

2) Edible Art: There are several ways to make edible art but one of my favorites is to mix corn syrup and food coloring. It is messy and will require a hose afterward so I suggest outside play that day. It does not dry hard but it taste great and looks cool. You can also mix corn starch with water and food coloring. It doesn't taste good but it is a great sensory-especially for little ones. It is an all time favorite at our house!

3) Sponge Fights: When it is hot outside or you have just been couped up it is nice to have a release. I found that a good old fashioned sponge fight turns aggression into fun! It may start out as a fight to the death but it usually ends with laughter. The dollar store has sponges in every shape, color, size, and texture. Each team gets a bucket of water and a set number of sponges. They can make forts with sheets or be out in the open. Moving targets are always good -it also wears them out faster!

4) Scavenger Hunt: I made up a scavenger hunt last spring break. It was great because I only did places that the kids were familiar with. Next time will be a bit more dificult. The age range for our group was 2-10 so everyone can participate.
I made clues such as: "Where do you see diamonds that are not shiny?"
I enclosed a cut out of a bat and ball. The answer was our local Triple A Baseball field.
They had their pictures taken by each clue and we made a scrapbook out of it at the end. I got a photo books from the dollar store and put the clues on one page and the picture on the next. Everyone was so happy and they have asked for another one this summer. It took some planning for a couple of days before hand but it was great for us all.

We started out at the donut store- clue: I cut out the letter D-O-N-U-T-S and his them around the house. They had to bring them back to the table and figure out where we were going. We had breakfast and gave the next clue. It was the ball park. Then we went to an old English style phone booth near by. The clue do not have to be difficult. Just think about things in your area.

I hope this makes the next couple of weeks a bit more enjoyable. I will be putting together a list of things that can be done for Fathers Day next time! Love and joy to you from Camp Chaos.