Here are just a few of my suggestions for keeping 5 boys sane during the summer or should I say Mommy sane. LOL!
1. We always have one of those big blue pools. This is our second one. Read here. This is worth every penny and then some. I have a smaller pool for the little ones.
2. Get some good family movies. I am very selective in regards to what my children watch. In fact, I rarely let them watch TV. Movie selections here.
3. Have read a loud time each day. Always leave off at a good point so they will beg you to read it tomorrow.
4. My boys love building model cars.
5. Study a different country and cook something from that particular country. View this book here.
6. Puzzles
7. Book Basket Time ~ we set the timer for 15 minutes after lunch. They are only to read the books in the basket. We homeschool so I usually put some sort of books of topic that we are studying and tons of nature books. My boys have learned so much from this special time.
8. Set up a blog just for your kiddos. Amy suggested this brilliant idea.
9. Purchase a typing tutor. We use Mavis Beacon. There are some freebies floating in cyberspace.
10. Make them do chores. This is a life skill. So many people grow up not knowing how to do the simplest thing. My children must complete their chores before free time.
For tons and tons of other ideas, visits We are that family.
We always had those big blue pools, too! And they never seem to last much past a season, do they? But they were so worth it when the kids were younger! (Well, not really young–old enough to be in a big pool.)
I tried to plan one ‘big’ activity each week–like a visit to the local planetarium or game farm. And I tried to throw in a few craft or science projects. Wish I’d thought about the learning about a country and cooking idea–we didn’t have the internet back in the 80s when mine were young! That sounds like such a fun idea!
Oh! And I almost forgot–my kids always joined the summer reading club at the library. They had a lot of fun with that one!