random stuff in my head:
been working this week on being a good momma, some deadlines, and some 2peas stuff. and laundry. but do i really have to say that? its a given.
i got some new tank tops (singlets for you aussie readers) and a new bathingsuit from Modbe this week. love the quality of the tops, and that they are so long-for a tall lady such as myself. the bathing suit is awesome too. a long tankini top that easily covers my belly. i also love the website-LOVE the colors and the illustrations. very inspiring. the owner told me that the designer from the scrapworks ethan kate collection is their web designer. love it.
speaking of web design, im pretty sure i found the designer for my photography website. i will still be keeping up with my blog, but i really feel the need for something more profesh as well.
i am now the owner of an iMac!!!!! my uncle michael gave it to us at mckennas party. so thoughtful and generous, that guy. but this house is total anti apple (well jeff is) and so this is a big step. havent worked on an apple computer since elementary school in the computer lab. i have no idea what im doing. but ill tell you this much-the 20 inch widescreen is rocking my world. im sure ill be following in cathy’s footsteps and posting crazy alien faces of my family soon enough….
my new favorite place to shop online: alloy. hip stuff that isnt too expensive. and they have big girl sizes.
i am struggling with how to entertain my kids during the day, without letting them depend too much on video games and TV. we have two new rules. TV off at 9am and video games only during naptime. this is a huge step at our house. i would love to hear how you guys entertain your kids without having to be on top of them to help with an activity. games around and inside the house are best for us. help me! i have never been a "play with my kids" kinda mom, and i dont really plan to start, but i feel like i need to teach them better ways to spend their time. i really want to make an effort to cure total technology zombie-heads. bring some magic back into their lives.
Oh, Tara…I could kiss you for sharing the Modbe link!!! Totally cool clothes that I can actually afford. Love it!
Enjoy your new computer. I haven’t seen an apple since Middle School either! LOL!
Hey there Tara!
Had to share my startegies for the kiddos — I give them a list of things they need to do everyday. Each has about 10 things on it, so it is a good amount of time filler, especially for the feet draggers. Also – totally saves me from being the nag. The list includes:
– Read for 20 minutes
– feed the animals
– practice piano
– 2 worksheets
– clean your room
– work on dog training* (my girls have been in 4H and learned how to train their dog to a leash, sit, stay, etc.)
For extra motivation, they earn a dollar for finishing the list without needing a reminder. Reminders cost a quarter each. (we settle up after 2 weeks)
We went to severely limited TV about 3 years ago. It was TOUGH at first. Now they get 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour in the afternoon. They can choose to play on the computer instead of TV.
You could include stuff they really like to do also, like play basketball for 30 min or something like that. Helping you around the house is a good one too — fold laundry, clean the living room, etc.
**the worksheets are from the “Summer Bridge” series, recommended by my daughter’s teacher.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159441730X/sr=8-4/qid=1151687344/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-6076336-8695018?ie=UTF8
Good luck and have fun!
Jen
Kid ideas: I’ve never been a play with my kids kinda girl either, and I’ve had little ones for 22 years now(YIKES!) With my guy I’m finding the following ideas work wonders:
1) he’s content to play by himself a bit in the morning,which gives me blogging and waking up time
2) Then late morning we head out to do something together. Go to the free local pool, bike ride, play at the park, something active where he has my full attention. We do that for an hour or two.
3) Then back at home he’s more settled. I suggest building a fort, listening to books on tape from the library, legos or crafting with me. Another fun thing is to hide something for him to find and give him clues. Since you have more than one, you are set. You hide the object the first time, then you are off and they can take turns hiding it after that.
4) Chores together is great too. I can’t spend the whole day entertaining, but we can be together working side by side. He LOVES to clean the bathrooms with me, especially if I give him a spray bottle(of water) to use. He whines about helping with the laundry, but he’s good at it.
5) If he starts whining about being bored, I suggest he find something to do, or I will have him clean his room. He’s always good for an hour at that activity, if he should not come up with something on his own.
6) Then, late afternoon we again head outside for even a brief bout with sidewalk chalk or a quick nature walk. I find after every physical outdoor time I gain a couple of hours of content boy time. Plus, I enjoy the change of pace.
Hey Tara…summer with the kids home. I can only imagine. Sarah is still in preschool year round for half a day since I still have Ruby home (thank goodness for preschool year round).
Anyway, my idea is this…
Why don’t you take all the kids (if they don’t have one already) and get them a library card. If they do, then just take them once a week to get books. Then do a book club kind of thing, where they need to read their books and then one day during the week you all have a picnic or special lunch and talk about what they read. Anna could just draw a picture from her book, since she can’t read yet. Of course you’ll have to read it to her, but after that you could get her to do the pictuer. Sarah does this and it keeps her occupied for a good long time. Books seem to be the number one way to get the kids off the tv. We do some computer games too, but not much yet since she’s only four. What about having the kids scrap something from their summer vacation? You get them started…have the older onces help Anna…so you can chill or do whatever for a bit. I’m like you, I’m not a play with the kids person. I have always wanted them to play independtly…learn to enjoy being with “themselves”. I was like that as a kid. So was my husband. We never got bored because we so enjoyed being alone and just doing our thing. I hope my girls are the same…as my oldest comes in and says “boy this kitchen is messy.” Ok, gotta go, my conscience is home! Good luck…let us know how it goes.
i know how you feel and I only have one child. Working mommas cannot be there waiting hand and foot AND bring in the dough. No No No.
Get the kids to make their own treasure hunt in the garden and house with real treasure (ok, candy!!!) at the end of the trail. Let them build a den with old dust sheets and clothes horses or perhaps from the washing line (do you guys dry your laundry outside? I dunno, I guess you all have dryers)
Get them to write you a story for bed time – they will LOVE that. Give them water squirters and water the plants at the same time.
Pasta and string make great necklaces.
cheapo paint and pasta make great collages.
Send them on a nature trail around the street looking for bugs, leaves (not flowers… no nono. Mrs Jones would have a fit if wee miss dolly went beheading her prize dhalias!)
But seriously, Tara, I think we all despair too much about letting them play outside in the street and thats the BEST place for kids. I was made to play outside as a kid. My mum didnt intereact much as she was so busy. I never felt bereft of her love. We made our own fun. I guess we all worry too much about the dangers even our own neigbourhood can bring.
As long as there is sunshine and as long as the air is fresh – making them play out is not cruelty to children!
I’m not sure I’ve ever commented on your blog Tara, although I’ve been a huge fan and lurker since I found it 6 months ago! LOL! But your last question really made me want to comment. I really enjoy summers, some days are tough but over all I think we have a good routine. Like you I refuse to entertain my kids every second. I have 2 school age 10 and 7, one 4 year old and a 1 year old. We don’t have cable/sateilite so TV vegging really isn’t an option. LOL! We opted to get fast internet instead! haha So my kids live on the computer and video games or watching DVDs. The rule in our house? We keep track of their minutes they read and they can play on the computer/video games just as long. You’d be amazed. hours. I mean hours they spend ingulfed in books. Quiet, peaceful reading. So nice. I also have a craft box, that is full of papers, markers, paints, beads, felt, glue and tape, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners. pompoms lots of goodies like this . That they can pull out when they feel the need to be creative. They just throw everything back in the box or in the trash when they a through. It is something they can all do unguided by me! We are lucky and have a nice park, zoo, museums, and childrens garden all within 10 minutes. I have family passes to those as well as the pool and we do 2 things a week. Sometimes we ALL just have to get out of the house! Even if it is to wash the car! Have fun, and good luck! -jacque
Tara!
Enjoy your blog…check it out every couple of days!
Not sure if you remember me from, oh, about 7 years ago on 2peas! Time flies!
Anyway, same problem here in my house. One thing to occupy their time was to purchase some workbooks for each grade level in different subjects from the parent teacher store. Math, reading comprehension, mazes, dot to dots, word games, matching, picture searches.
I ripped pages out of the books, compiled different packets stapled together for each day with a worksheet for each subject. Then I stuffed the packets in a folder for each of my boys to be able to open and have something to do.
Also, I gave them some project for a little internet research. I included some local history, American history and trivia.
HTH!
Tara-
I can’t tell you how releived I am to know that I am not a “get down and play with my kids mom” but still consider myself a great mom.Thank You. As far as non-screen activities, we do the library and log all the books, comic books, magazines they read in a journal, I supply them with the materials and its up to them to do the reading and the journal entries. After so many entries/book read we do a small treat, lunch out, ice cream cones etc. Also, I am a fan of letting my kids get bored so they are forced to use their imaginations and not rely on me to entertain them. Also, we complete a workbook called SummerBridge reccommended by the teachers to keep up their learning through the summer. They also do this on their own while I am scrapping at my table. I know none of these ideas are revolutionary but they do pass the time and keep them away from the TV and video games. I have gone so far as saying “You may not watch TV, or play video games until you have used your brain creativly for at least 30 minutes.” Sometimes it works, sometimes I listen to them whine for 1/2 hour before I cave.
Hope this helps you, good luck!
Rochelle
I just bought a Modbe swimsuit last night. I got the pink top and bottoms. Can’t wait for them to ship. I love it! Their website is very cool.
I too wasn’t a play-w/my-kids mom, and it seems like once they’ve weaned themselves off tv & videos, they learn how to play again :). Having lots of self-directed play things helps, and with it being summer, outdoor toys or forts, or imagination producing things helps too. I liked how my girls adopted our retired wooden truck canopy as their play house, and would use toy dishes, shovels, blocks of wood etc. to create elaborate meals, & other pretend home stuff. Bikes, scooters, etc. and a safe place to ride was also great (an old lady once came to our door to complain about my daughter almost running her off the sidewalk tho…so watch out for those old people!!) Books saved my life many times, since my oldest loved to read, and my youngest did too once she got into some of the bigger books that could grab her attention for a while. When they were little & not yet reading, the books that came with tapes (or probably cd’s now) that read to them & they could follow along would hold my oldest daughter for hours :). (at 22 she still reads constantly & has piles of books checked out from the library & is a library volunteer so she doesn’t have to pay fines ever!) Teaching your kids card games is a good way to keep several busy—it’s pretty surprising how quick they can pick up on games you might have thought were beyond them. Hope some of these help—I remember well the days of summer when my kids were younger.
By the way, congrats on the mac—I switched in Feb, and it was a bit frustrating having to relearn some things, but after that initial slow-down, I’ve almost caught back up to speed I think! My husband still is on the windows program but it’s because of his sign business–he’d need too many new software changes to get his sign programs changed, and his vinyl cutting maching switched…but maybe some day!
Just real quick, this is a wonderful “keeping kids entertained” sort of site. Definitely worth checking out…
http://www.magicalchildhood.com
Thanks for the tips on the websites. . .I am an amazon as well (just ask MGA aka Grace) and am always looking for new clothing outlets for my length & girth. :)
fab links :) thanks..
Do your kids like art? My 10 year old daughter love to draw, color, paint, you name it. I bought her a color by number picture that came with colored pencils and a key to follow along. She has been plugging away on that all morning.
I like to keep arts and crafts stuff around for her just because it is something she can do without me being there with her every single second. Plus she is creating something, which is always a huge ego boost for her.
You could have your kids sit around making pictures with crayons, water colors or whatever, then hang them up on the walls of your house and pretend it is a museum. Everyone gets to see all the art work, and the kids will have a blast doing it.
anti-apple?! i didn’t think you could live in california and be anti-apple!!!
but i’m glad you have turned away from the darkside and come to mac-land where everything is perfect and happy.
1. just put a sneeches t-shirt in mycart at alloy
(hubby thanks you for a heads up on that site)
2. macs rock
3. JD and i just talked about re-planning out our days with the kids this summer – like lets sit down and figure out what we want to accomplish….i know it is more than keep them occupied and less than me provide soemthing to hold their attention all the time…my juggeling isn’t so good
kellicrowe
Oh wow Tara, i have the same problem right now. All I hear is either “Where is my gameboy?” or “I want to do something fun!!”
I would love some tips!!! I try to spend at least 20 minutes or so a day playing a board game or reading books together with the kids. The time spent playing with them really makes them feel special. I’m going to try your tv off by 9 rule!! :)
Nicole
Tara- thanks for the modbe link. Never knew they existed and they’re only 1 hr. from my home! I just spent QUITE a bit of money – but LOVE the modest shirts and SWIM wear! YEAH! Advice for games – ??? – I’m stumped as well. Maybe a lot times for outside time and then reading time inside. Let me know when you figure it out! :0) Can’t wait to see your new site!
Oh, Tara. I so know how you feel about the playing with your kids thing. I have little ones, and I do the best I can, but I have a 6 month old, too. So, I’m looking forward to hearing some suggestions from people. Good luck!!
Hey~ I do not know where you find these awesome sites- do they just come to you in some dream and you look thim up :) ? I love the unique style and affordable prices on these site.
I just wanted to let you know that what you said in your last paragraph- total hit me and I thought I was reading about myself. When I had my first child 4 years ago- I was totally inslaved to her- did everything for her and didn’t leave her side…now with three children and creative side come out from being dormant, I too am not a “play with her kids” kind of mom- yes at times, but not all day! I have been feeling aweful about this, thinking how unfit I was- when my husband is home- he directs all of his attention towards them and they love it. That being sadi, I am glad to offer these tips (may not work with you since each kid is different) Play dough- this intertains my kids for a long time. I don’t just give them a tub of playdough, but playdough tools and other gizmos0 they love that. Even a fork from the kitchen drawer adds new interest. Every once and a while we will go to Michaels and get Sculpy clay so they can make something and then I will take a 10-15 minute break to help them bake their creations- I tell them they have to create for a while so they can make just the perfect thing.
Another thing they enjoy are puzzles- do not ask me why, but my 3 year old can sit for 1- 2 hours working on a puzzle that has 50 small pieces- and he puts them together- I will pop-in every so often to help or just see how he is doing.
They also love to draw and create- so I will give them a stack of stickers, markers, pencils and paper and let them go to town- they love glue sticks too..so I give them things to glue onto the paper. They have a ton of fun!
I hope this helps…I know it helped me to see someone that does such fantastic work and sometimes seems “perfect” also struggles witht he challenges of motherhood!
Thanks Tara!
Smiles,
Tawnya (T too)
Tara…WOW..good for you on the kid thing but it’s hard, isn’t it?!?! I am not a work at home mom and I tried it for a year when my daughter Lorelai was born and now I think unless they are sitting at the screen, both my kids hate the computer because it took up so much of my time.
I think you have to know your kids really well to entertain them all day. I thought and would like to think I know mine but we were just all home together Monday and Tuesday and that’s not so much the case.
I tried board games and they get into it but then they either want to play that same game (because one of them is always winning) or they want to pull out every game.
I wish I could help you! Good luck. If I think of anything new I’ll pop back and I’ll let my friends know you’re look for advice too.
We have to entertain them also? I was not told this before having kids ;). We do alot of arts and crafys around here. My kids are little though (4,3 and 1). The site http://www.familyfun.com always has GREAT age appropriate ideas! Check it out.
Thanks for the shopping links!!
i am thrilled to hear you say that you are not a “play with my kids kinda mom.” that is so me…..just glad to hear others admit it also!!
reading lots of books
eating lots of bowls of fruit pieces
playing chess (self-teaching set)
playing connect four
neopets magazines
putting together massively big puzzles
coloring with new crayons and new markers
drawing and writing cartoons
etc.
hth!
AS a mother of four I like to think of myself as a facilitator and I’m not into the playing either (except games). I like to do an hour of “table time” where kids do puzzles or legos or playdoh. With the puzzles, they each do their own or two can work on a jigsaw while the younger one gets a stack of wooden puzzles. Playdoh is also good for the picnic table (easy clean up). We have a water table outside and it’s amazing how my older kids get into playing with that stuff. Lately I’ve been using the phrase “go play” all the time which is sending my three upstairs to do whatever as long as it’s not TV. I’ve found that they are actually playing with their toys and having fun – imagine that! The upstairs is always trashed, but oh well! I have a newborn so she’s not in the mix yet but will be soon enough. A group of my friends had a big talk about this recently — how no one “entertained” us when we were kids. We just played — Barbies, games, pretend, dolls, chase, kickball, hide and seek, outside stuff and NO computers and very little TV because there was only one channel with kid shows! I’ve got a new movement around here called “go play” and it seems to be working pretty well. I do have to referee at times and suggest things, but it’s time to pull out all the stinking toys we all have and let them get used!
Thanks for the Modbe link – just checked out their stuff and loooove it!! No advise on the little ones as I don’t have any myself. Just wanted to wish you a great weekend and say that I can’t WAIT to see your website. FUN stuff!!
Hey Tara,
It can be hard getting kids to self-entertain. My boys did a lot of playing w/legos & construx… good inventive play. Also wooden trains and playmobil sets, they built their own worlds with the combination of those toys.
I also kept a good variety of kids music/ activity cassettes & portable player so they could put on fun music to listen to while they played. (the library used to be a good resource to try different tapes out)
I used to also let them earn video time by reading… an hour of reading for an hour of video. This worked well for a period of time too. Good luck in your quest!
I have a two year old, but am watching 9 and 7 year old girls for the summer. We have Library Day on Thursdays, and Art Friday on Fridays. We also are documenting our summer for their parents in a scrapbook that they are doing totally themselves! Of course swimming a ton and Parks, picnics and zoo! Good luck. I am not a good player either….
Ok, I’m not a parent but I just took care of my two necies ages 5 and 7 this past week. We always did somekind of outdoor activity in the morning, and because we live in Texas said indoors in the afternoon. Loved this website for indoor activities http://www.crayola.com/. Got a ton of ideas for them. Then around 7:00pm when it got cool outside, we would go ride bikes or some kind of outdoor activity.
Hope that helped.
Sara
Good new rules! We have a rule that our kidlets only get an hour of TV and/or video games during the week for summer (when school’s in it’s zip during the week), but I’ve been a slacker about enforcing it lately. Some of the things they do to occupy themselves without mom or electronics are crafts, board games with each other, read, etc. I also have a favorite line when they cry bored, “I am not your entertainment committee.” I’ll play a game or two with them each day, but I do have other things to accomplish during the day, and they need to occupy themselves. Of course, the threat that if they really need help finding something to do, I have a list of chores, usually motivates them to be self-entertaining for a while, lol.
we go to the pool — I have two kids though so i don’t know how it would be with more ??? — we go almost every day for about 3 hours — it is great excersise for all of us and we have so much fun
thanks for the Modbe and Alloy links off to check them out
Hi Tara-
It was such an honor to meet you at CKU last week. I’d send you the photo, but I look awful (you look cute, as always). Ideas for the kids: I went to Target, bought one of those XLARGE inflatable pools and put our slide in it. They play at least 2 hours in that thing every day. Perfect because its so HOT and also tires them out so they take GREAT naps!
I also rotate my kids toys. I only let them play with 3 at a time & the next day- 3 different toys. Sometimes it seems if ALL the toys are out, they get bored more easily. Hope that helps a little. I’m enjoying all the other responses, too!
ah…i got a new macbook yesterday too (our macs must be twins ;)
aren’t they just great!!!
anita
x
I love the modbe site, but can’t figure out how to order online. aaaccckkk! So cute. Thanks for sharing. My kids are loving chalk these days. Hours and hours of cheap fun (and some great messy kid photos).
you guys are awesome. i am printing this out and reading it by the pool later. :)
cant wait. thank you so much!!!
crazy. the other day i was thinking..”she has such cute clothes. i wonder where she shops?” I’m also glad to know there are other mom’s out there who aren’t “play with my kids” kinda mom’s too! i feel so bad sometimes, but i guess it’s somewhat normal.
Hi there T…..got four little kiddos myself and I do love to play with my kids but run out of stuff too…have gotten lots of good ideas from other posts but here is my 2 cents for ya :)
given them paper lunch sacks and send them out on nature walks…my kids call them nature bags….
pools
bubbles
going to the park
going to a book store for reading and craft time
craft box
scrapbooking box (LOVE this one…my girls come up with amazing things!!) kinda all my cast off stuff ya know??
andddddd…if you do play dates with people it is always cool to have them over and pick a new craft each time to to…..you know, you have all the stuff for a craft one week, then another mom brings craft project and supplies another week……..
good book is little hands, big ideas….good for kids 8 and under i think?? hope this helps….awesome question and great ideas from so many…you ROCK!! T
SHRINKY DINKS!!! We got some at Joanne’s and the kids loved them. I forgot how fun those things are!
Also, those little plastic beads that you put on shapes and then iron so they stick together? Know what I’m talking about? The official name is “Perler Beads” — also from Joanne’s. Hours of entertainment. We’ve got hearts, butterflies, and flowers floating all over the house.
Good luck during these long months!
Jen
Oh yeah, two more things…I go to the dollar store and get plastic lizards, worms, rats whatever they have lots of and hide them all over the yard — count them first. Then the kids have to find them but no prizes are awarded until ALL are found (which sometimes takes a long time). YOu can give one jelly bean or skittle or peanut or whatever per toy found. Then you keep all the junk and do it again or in a couple days. It’s also great for when you have other kids over -whenever I do it they seem to love it. While they are hunting you can get something done or older kids can hide the stuff too. Another thing I’ve done recently is no TV if your room is messy. It seems that whenever they go in to clean they just end up getting involved in some kind of play which ends up killing a lot of time! Good luck!
Tara, I’m sure your local YMCA or YWCA probably has daycamps available for your school age children. Is there a museum in your area? Ours has week-long summer camps on many different topics. My city is nowhere near as large as the area in which you live and there are summer opportunities everywhere for children. Our local newspaper even published a special section that listed the many camps, etc., in the area. Universities and colleges often have summer camps for children. Most of the opportunities are very reasonably priced and the kids have a great time!
I don’t have kids your age yet (just a 9 month old!), but I used to teach preschool. Two really fun kid idea websites that I love are: kiddley.com and familyfun.com. Both have a ton of ideas for kids- crafts, games, field trips, recipes, etc. Good luck! Keep us posted on what works for you :)
Hi Tara! I am no expert on keeping kids entertained – but I have employed many of the techniques the other ladies have mentioned and they all work great. Another one is the water hose. If you don’t have a pool – put their bathing suits on them and sit in a lawn chair with your Mac and just watch them play for hours! Wear them out in the morning so they will nap after lunch. Other “handsoff” activities could be clipping certain words or pics from magazines, sorting the unmatched socks in your dressers, stringing their own necklaces and bracelets (buy the cheap beads at Hobby Lobby some even have letters and the plastic string), buy them disposable digital cameras and let them put together their own “album”, buy some small terra cotta pots and seeds at Target or WalMart and let them grow their own flowers of veggies, and/or give them each a laundry basket and let them go through their “stuff” and pick out some things they can “live without” and take them to Goodwill or some other place and let them donate their “old” stuff to other kids to enjoy. Hope some of these ideas work for ya! Lori
I love the modbe suits. The website is too cool. :)
Welcome to the land of imac. You’ll wonder why you were so anit-mac before. I love mine. I got it a year ago, and have had nothing but love for it.
I have a 6 & an 8 who are easily bored too. I try to take it one day at a time. One day i will let them watch tv, another day none. They played with their Dr Dreadful lab thing this week, as well as a craft day. It’s better when I stay out of their way. That way I don’t control their play, and I don’t get crazy when i see the mess they have made!
Try to mix it up. Beach, movie, library, friends, swimming. But things you enjoy too.
I so know what you mean about tops long enough… and jeans.. don’t get me started on finding jeans long enough to fit me… like hello… some of us out there do have really long legs.
My boys are 9 and 5 and fortunately entertain themselves pretty well. Would you believe when they are on holidays from school they actually play schools? Go figure…
Our TV is off at about 10.00am and then I am lucky that they go off and just do a lot of imaginative play. My 5yo is really into Dr Who at the moment so he is constantly on adventures in his Tardis. We have a few days out here and there catching up with friends and going to the park etc.
well.. it’s hotter than hades here in Houston, so we’re at the neighborhood pool for a few hours everyday. I can’t imagine a better set up. The kids get exhausted, we all get a good tan, and the mommies get to chill at the side of the pool while the kids swim their hearts out! Don’t know if that’s an option in your neck of the woods..
Can’t wait to see your site. I know it will be awesome. I updated mine recently (working late nights for about a month) and highly recommend paying someone large sums of money to do it for you! ha ha..
ok…I don’t really feel like looking through 46 comments, but if you find the magic trick to keep the kids busy, pass it on? :)
Tara,
My kids age 7 and 10 just discovered “Club penguin” on the internet. The kids in our neighborhood have gone completely nuts over it. I was SOOO against it at first but it has won me over. You might want to check it out.
To tell you the truth I am not much of a play with my kids person either……so we got them one of those pools that you just blow up the ring and then fill up with water. That thing is like Heaven Scent! The kids spend hours out there. And fortunately they can all touch the bottom so I don’t have to worry too much. I just leave my back windows open and constently count heads. Of course two can swim just fine and Kelly has arm floaties on just in case. But I agree on the TV and video games. You don’t want them to spend their summer zoning out on that. Everything else that I can think of make messes and I don’t know how you feel about that kind of stuff.
Take Care,
jenn smith
Oh, I love that picture of my sister. She looks good. Its been forever since I’ve seen her.
I think that I am a ‘play with my kids’ mummy, but really I’m not – so I depend alot on resources such as the following link. That way I can find games for the 4 yo and still spend my entire day on the web… ;-) Hope it comes up with some activities for your kids too.
http://kiddley.com/
Bonus is – one of the authors is a fab crafty mum and has another site Loobylu, but she just had a baby and isn’t posting at the moment (naturally!).