Rock legend Alice Cooper memorialized the joy of the last day of school in his ubiquitous 1972 hit “School’s Out [for summer].” That sentiment was being echoed by millions of young students across the United States the past week or two as classes wrapped up and the final bell of the school year rang. But with no school to fill their days, it’s up to parents to figure out how to keep them busy and out of trouble. This can be a stressful addition to an already full schedule. Before things get out of hand, why not stretch their creativity muscles with some of the ten fun activities below. The memories they’ll generate will be cherished.
1. Broadway Babies. Have the kids write, produce and put on a play each month of the summer. Help them with starter ideas and watch their creativity flow. Check out books from the library on the subject and encourage them to have neighborhood friends join in. If your kids are tech savvy too, allow them to create their own movies.
2. Memory Makers. Get them to start a summer scrapbook. Give them a child’s digital camera or disposable camera and let them take photos of anything their heart desires. Have them work on scrapbooking all of their work each week and by the end of the summer they will have tons of memories captured and a forever keepsake.
3. Freebie Frenzy. Get on your local visitors and conventions bureau and find free outdoor movie nights, museum tickets, and other activities that don’t cost much money but will keep your kids entertained.
4. Host a Pirates Party. Gather your little Blackbeards for a pirate-themed party complete with a treasure map with puzzles, clues, and activities. Have the children dress up and, of course, make the treasure a chest of candy to be spilt. The activities can be things like bubble gum blowing, pie eating, and giant puzzles or riddles. The kids have to complete the tasks before receiving the next clues.
5. Get Global. Each week, go to the local library and check out a book on a foreign country. Learn with them about its different cultures, foods, and clothing. Declare the following day “Country ____ Day” and prepare a meal from the country, learn phrases in the native languages and try playing popular games from that nation.
6. Super Savers. Busy moms and dads may not have time to clip coupons, but kids on vacation do! Institute a coupon clipping contest for your kids and have them help you hunt for savings. Put them in charge of coupons for the weekly shopping trip on alternate weeks and keep a running tally of what was spent each week. At the end of the summer, the one with the lowest dollar amount wins a prize.
7. Freeze Time. Build a time capsule for the summer of 2008. Have your kids keep a diary or journal with their friends all summer long, take photos, make a mix CD of their favorite songs, and collect souvenirs. Then at the end of the summer have them bury it all in an airtight container. In ten years, they can dig it back up and laugh at the fun times they shared. (Just be sure to check with your local utilities first and then bury it at least 4 feet underground in a place it will most likely NOT be dug back up! Be sure to make a detailed map of exactly where you buried the treasure so you will know where to dig it up when the time comes.)
8. A Wet ‘N Wild Time! When the weatherman predicts hot and steamy weather, host an old fashion sprinkler party. They are fun, inexpensive and always a blast. Ask your neighbors or family members to bring different kinds of sprinklers, water guns, slip n slides and get some water balloons. It will be a great way to keep the neighborhood entertained and cool.
9. Kiddie Kitchen. Get a recipe book for young chefs, like Emeril Lagasse’s “There’s a Chef in my Soup” and have them create fun meals on their own. Let them do everything from setting the table, to seating their guests, to serving the food. Be prepared for a mess, but also for great pictures and a good time.
10.
Karaoke Anyone? Kids love to sing along, so on the
next rainy day when they’re locked inside, try a karaoke DVD for
kids. They can set up a stage, make costumes
from old clothes, and rehearse so they are ready to perform a
concert for friends and family members in the late afternoon or
evening.
For more ideas on getting your family Buttoned Up, visit our websie
at www.getbuttonedup.com.
