Summer’s here and kids are all home from school so what’s that phrase you are about to wish your kids never learned? “Mooommm, I’m bored. What can we do?” Yes, moms and dads…you’ve entered the land of no return. See you can’t send them back to school and you can’t pawn them off on the neighbor because they are all dealing with the same thing.

IMG: sxc.hu

For now, you have been designated the anti-boredom police and you better figure something out before they drive you insane. Sure, you can pull out that box of arts and crafts, paper and crayons but honestly how long will that last before you hear those phrases again? You need a plan and a list of other ideas. Lets work together and come up with some.

Young Kids
- water play: You can get a bunch of buckets or pots and pans out and fill a pool with water and let the young ones have at it. Don’t forget to toss in a few plastic spoons so they can pretend to cook and bang away on the pots. Kids love exploring and the way the water falls. Since you do have them near the water and possibly in it don’t forget to apply sunblock so they don’t burn.

- sand play: Fill a designated area up with sand and give them a few beach toys to have their own time with. Don’t forget to toss in a few hot wheels so they can play crash up derby.

- chalk: This seems to take on a fun all on its own, some kids will draw for hours, others will write message and yet some are more creative and draw entire towns. These days Crayola has a ton of chalk tools you can buy to add to the fun, these can normally be found at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, etc.

- bubbles: What child doesn’t like to blow bubbles? Make your own or buy them, now days they even have these miracle bubbles that never pop…well they do eventually but it isn’t like normal bubbles. Plus there are all types of wands, big, small and huge or just use the bubble blower and have a little bubble party.

- swimming pool (the tiny wading ones)- Kids love swimming, mine did even when they didn’t like the bathtub and trust me I considered tossing in the bar of soap. Fill a pool up and let them play until they are all prunes or until they start to shiver. Have towels nearby so they can lay out to dry.

Middle-age Children
- bike riding: Every child seems to love the freedom of a bike, maybe its just knowing they are doing it on their own or the way the wind blows against your face even when there is none. I remember playing bike tag with my dad and some friends growing up. No matter what they decide to do, make sure they are wearing their helmets properly.

- fishing/skipping rope: I’ll never forget the look on my kids’ faces when I put that rod in their hand and showed them how to cast. Or the look on their face as they brought their first fish in….err I mean crab. Children love to learn new things and fishing is defnitely one of them, course you may discover you’ve got one child that won’t touch the worm. My papa taught me a way around that though, simply place a fake one on or a mini marshmallow. Shhh, we won’t tell no one. Skipping rope, hopscotch, soccer, etc are other games they may like to learn to play outside too.

- reading: It’s summertime and schools and libraries probably worked together to encourage your child to read so many books this summer. Why shouldn’t they right? Help them out by taking some time yourself to read a book in front of them, maybe have an afternoon of reading or a certain hour. I remember “Freshman Dorms” that was a book series I read one summer, the entire summer. You’d always catch me with those books nearby.

- playing with their friends: If their friends are nearby they’ll probably want to hang with them, in your house, their house or in the yard. This can be a lifesaver if they’ve been cooped up in the house too long and they are getting on your nerves. Plus they can finally chat about all those things they need to catch up on.

Teens
- go to the movies:  There are a ton of movies hitting the theater this summer that your teens are probably wanting to see.

- camping: This was always a favorite of ours and depending on the age may depend on the type of camping. Keep in mind there is always the front and backyard if you need a little peace of mind. Or you can take a group of teens up camping with you and give them their very own tent and lot, this way they feel they are on their own and you can still look after them if needed.

- hike:  These days teens like to take care of themselves, one great way to do that is go on a hike. Make sure they pack plenty of water depending on where they are going or how long they’ll be gone.  If they aren’t going with a buddy you may want to find out where they plan on going and what time they’ll be back or give them a cell to contact you if needed, that is if they don’t already have one.

- going to mall/beach/lake/river- you know anywhere they can escape mom and dad.

Got any other ideas to add to the list? Come on I don’t want to hear that phrase again, do you?

My teenagers - Bailey and her boyfriend, Greg - are already bored with Summer Vacation. Their break began on Friday, it’s now Sunday evening.

They are actually saying “I’m bored,” I’m not just guessing here. Bay and Greg need to find some activities, some things to do with kids their own age, because while having a board game tournament is a fun idea, it does lead to statements like, “It’s just an &^%$in’ board game, Greg!”

So far, I’ve suggested calling friends for a sleepover, but “everyone” is either out of town or sick.

Taking a walk, also not met with much enthusiasm. They feel that if you are taking a walk, there better be some sort of purchase at the end of it. So there have been a couple of walks to the 7-Eleven.

What happened to a hand-in-hand walk under the stars?  Kids are so focused on consuming anymore.

Does anyone have any ideas for this young couple?  They’ve already tried swimming, movies, board games, and looking for a Summer job.

What else is there for a teenager?  Please, I’m begging you here….

Image credit: Michelle Smith

As summer starts to heat up, grown ups pull out fans, crank up the AC and flop down in a chair. Kids? They figure out how to have fun, even when it is hot. After all, this is their summer vacation we’re talking about! So, how do they stay cool?

Photo: SXC

1. Water balloon fights - I hate picking up balloon bits everywhere and worry a bird will eat a missed bit by accident, but kids love water balloons.
2. Sponge fights - Most of the time, I convince the kids to have a sponge fight instead. They soak small sponge squares in cold water and lob them at each other like summer snowballs. A lot less clean up, since they use the same pile of sponges over and over again until they declare the fight a draw.
3. Car wash - Give those kids a bucket of water, a rag and safe soap and they’ll be delighted to “clean” the car. Of course, most of the water will end up on them and your car will still be dirty, but they’ll have a blast.
4. Paper fans - My guys love to really go all out decorating a sheet of cardstock. Then, they make accordion folds and tape one end of the folds together. They spread out the other end and they have their own paper fans that they use to vigorously fan themselves.
5. Time warp - Ever since the farm museum visit, the thought of pumping water into a bucket and then scrubbing clothes on a washboard thrills these guys to bits. They get out some “dirty” doll clothes and do their wash the old fashioned way until they are wetter than the clothes!

How do your kids stay cool during the hot summer months?

Today, Havre de Grace, Maryland had its annual art crawl. It is fun to see all the different artists, hear the musicians and feel all that creativity. An art crawl, art fair, or open studio tour is pretty common if there is an active arts council in an area, so you probably have something similar near you.

Photo: SXC

We got to enjoy a nice walk through a very charming little downtown, stopped off at our favorite bakery for some delicious donuts and enjoyed some awesome music and street performances. The whole outing came to about $10 and that was because we wanted chocolate milk and tea to go with our donuts!

Summer. To me, it starts with the Memorial Day picnic and the first swim in the pool. Then, there’s picking and eating strawberries still warm from the sun and knowing fresh watermelons are on their way. Bike riding, water balloon fights…Then there are the indoor activities, like library reading clubs and fun programs or watching free movies at the local movie theater on kids’ days. No wonder it is hard for me to choose a favorite summer activity!

Photo: SXC

So, is it just me or is summer the absolutely best season of the year?

Anyway, if you are looking for free or cheap summer fun, I wanted to remind you to check out your local library. We have a ton of programs to go to and the kids get prizes and free tickets to the fair after they read ten books. The  library hires some of the top local kids’ entertainers for summer programs and the shows are wonderful.

Kids are out of school here, sooner or later yours will be too. Are you prepared for the summer? Some of you may already have everything planned right down to the first day of school, or maybe your child is doing summer school or vacation bible school but this still doesn’t cover the whole summer. Some of you will still need to figure out what to do with them all day and how to keep the house clean with them being home. I have a solution.

IMG: Sxc.hu

Char, from Casual Keystrokes made a summer chore chart just for her kids one year that I think many will like. I like that she added her children’s pictures on this to help those that may want to argue, each child has their own chores they are expected to do.

The Charming Cards lady mentions the MomAgenda and how it has 50 tear out sheets and five spaces for chores. This would be great to write up and tape to bedroom doors or the tv set.

For me and my family we basically write out a chore list for the next day per child and hang them on the door. We give a list of chores (basically what they normally do) with one or two assignments to start off with.

Example: SoccerBoy has to do dishes and kitchen counters, then read 3 chapters of a book he picked out to read. Course I had to do a writing assignment as I don’t want them to slack off on either reading or writing and he must to a brief summary of what he read for that day. He does have the option of writing a blog entry as well, this however is more for fun because each child has a blog that they reactivate every summer and love trying to make money from google on it.

Pick chores you think your child will be able to do, here’s a list of age appropriate chores. Once all chores and assignments are done they are basically free to play or hang out with friends on the street. Keep in mind kids like to see that they will be rewarded for their hardwork so give them something they will enjoy in the end. In our case it is playing outside or video games, but only if the chores get done.

For my family the summer is just around the corner and I mean that literally. The kids are out of school, errr their last day of school is May 27th, 2009. So what does that mean for me and my household? It means trying to scramble to come up with some educational but fun summer activities.

IMG: The Life of a Home Mom

A few things are givens, I’m sure there will be plenty of riding bikes, running up and down the street, basketball and other sports and swimming. But that isn’t educational, we’ll stop by the Kansas City Zoo this summer and learn which animals hibernate and which are more active in the summer. I’ll also assign each child one animal to learn about, nothing big but some facts, etc. The older they are the more they’ll have but simple things too. Finally, there will be reading and thankfully the school supports me on this.

Our school actually sends the kids home with a bag full of books right before summer vacation. Of course they ask you ahead of time and your kids get to pick which books they like. They are provided with information about how to encourage reading and a reading log. Normally towns surrounding us have reading hour at the library as well. For us those kids that read 1000 pages get a special prize. Are your kids doing the summer reading program?

Looking for ways to entertain your kids this summer without breaking the bank? Bowling centers across the U.S. have pulled together for the first ever “Kids Bowl Free” program.It is designed to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.

All you have to do is go online to KidsBowlFree.com and select a bowling center near you – there are dozens listed by state and more are added daily. Just follow the instructions, and you will be e-mailed coupons for two free games per day all summer long. My location has restricted hours and shoe rental still costs ($1.25), but a great deal nonetheless!

Photo, Flickr, ginnerobot

Theme Day at the b5 media Health & Wellness channel centers around the topic of Summer Fun. Hosted by Lib at Healthbolt, the round-up offers some last minute, end -of-summer suggestions. 

Check out what our bloggers have to say:

At Healthbolt Lib and Liz believe you should be able to laugh a little about your health, and thus, would like to introduce you to the Laryngospasms. Enjoy.

While it’s often difficult for Alzheimer’s caregivers to plan for summer fun, Mary Emma Allen has some ideas at Alzheimer’s Notes.

At Mental Health Notes, Alicia tells us how to find free mood boosters to manage depression and shake things up in the bedroom with Sunshine Can Help Your Brain Grow Big And Strong.

Kristina at Autism Vox goes on vacation by the ocean for fun in the sun and surf, and some reflections on summers past and how her son has grown.

“So what did your family do this summer?” If you’re still thinking of a cool answer to that question, think no more! Grace from Kids Health Notes gives us FIVE fun ideas to make the end of summer memorable.

For those of you who like to use or who want to try homeopathic remedies for those itches, aches and pains that come along with summer time fun, Marijke at Help My Hurt shares a press release that outlines what types of products may be able to help you.

Summertime is barbecue time, but Ruth at Eating Fabulous recommends you marinate your meat before grilling to reduce the formation of carcinogen compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA) during grilling.

Karen Lynch at The Pink Ribbon Review wrote a post explaining Why Summer Fun is Just What the Doctor Ordered.

Kelly at Grounded Fitness shows us how to beat the summer heat and intensify your workouts with these special little water bottles.

I hope you enjoy these offerings.  What have you been doing for summer fun?

(Amazon image; click here for details)

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

AlzheimersNotes.com

Finding opportunities for summer fun (vacations, days at the beach, barbeques with friends, attending the latest movie) often seem limited for Alzheimer’s caregivers.  They’re tied to the home caring for a person they find it difficult to take out with them.  Or it requires a great deal of work to plan and accomplish, whether you’re arranging for care when you’re away or taking them along.

*Plan more backyard and at-home activities that the Alzheimer’s patient can watch (or stay in their room if they desire).  More people are aware of Alzheimer’s disease and are more accepting of someone with Alzheimer’s than when Mother and Auntie were ill.

*If you have relatives living nearby, arrange exchanges with them.  Sometimes relatives living at a distance will take the Alzheimer’s family member for a week or more.  (This also makes them realize the difficulties you face in your caregiving.)

*See if there is a daycare near you that will take Alzheimer’s patitnes.   When Mother was living with me, I was fortunate to find a local nursing home that took people for day time care.  I also was able to make arrangements for her to stay overnightthere  when I had to be away for the weekend.

*Sometimes the local senior center has daycare facilities if your patient isn’t too advanced with Alzheimer’s.

*Check with the senior center, support groups, local home health agency, your church, etc. to see if there is anyone you can engage to stay with your family member.  (Something like checking out resources for babysitters when you have children.) 

Do you have solutions you’ve found that enable you to get away...for an afternoon, an evening, or a week?

Check out these posts for more ”at-home” summer fun:

Time Travel Experiences for Alzheimer’s Households

13 Summer Projects for Caregivers, Alzheimer’s Patients & Children

Snowballs in July - An Activity for Alzheimer’s Caregivers’ Children & Grandma to Watch

Panda Picture Books

(Amazon image; click for details)

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen