I came across a new website I'm excited about: www.pinterest.com. It's like an online bulletin board/bookmarks file where you can post pictures and links from websites that match an interest of yours.
I found it through a link to someone's bulletin board called "100 days of summer." It was full of fun ideas to do with kids. So now I'm really inspired to have even more fun activities for the kids to do. I was already planning several "field trips" (I can call it that since I homeschool, right?) to parks/museums/etc, but these ideas are for crafts and activities that I hope will help me spend more time at home having fun with the kids.
However, I'm not supermom. I'm not going to have a fun activity for every day of the summer. I'm not even going to try! So how about "The Ten Weeks of Summer"? Each week can have a theme with a few ideas, and if we have a crazy day I can just procrastinate our special activity to the next day. We'll see. And maybe I'll even remember to take pictures so you can see how it goes!
The Ten Weeks of Summer
Week One (June 6-12): Summer Kickoffs. Sugar Grove Nature Center & Morton Public Library Reading Program "Midsummer Knight's Read"
It's always good to start your list with something you can already check off. We enjoyed a lot of fun games & free treats at the library last Monday, and Tuesday we went to the Sugar Grove Nature Center (near where my cousin Jenny got married!) for a walk & craft. It was SO HOT! So we enjoyed a treat at Culvers for lunch. My mom and brother Derek have been visiting since Monday so that's made the week special (and productive for me!)
Week Two (June 13-19): Father's Day/Pick Strawberries
We're making some things for Father's Day, but I can't tell! Ssshh! Friday is a "Mad Science" lunch activity at the library. Then on Saturday we plan to pick strawberries locally, and make homemade strawberry milk.
Week Three (June 20-26): Castles
The theme for the summer reading program is knights/princesses/castles/etc. So this week we're going to watch "The Sword in the Stone," which was one of my favorite movies growing up. Then we'll make castles out of legos, building blocks, lincoln logs, etc. I also bought two of those suncatcher crafts you can melt in your oven. I have fond memories of making those with MY mom!
Week Four (June 27-July 4): Fourth of July
Fourth of July weekend we're planning to go to St. Louis to visit Isaac's sister's family and his parents! Yea! So we're going to make a Fourth of July craft to take with us. Hope, if you read this, don't show it to your kids so they can be surprised! :)
Also, there's a BINGO activity at the library this week!
Week Five (July 5-10): Last Day of School!
This week should include our last day of homeschooling (we've taken several weeks off here and there). We'll celebrate with homemade donuts and a yarn ball craft. Good use for all that leftover yarn from knitting projects!
Week Six (July 11-17): Water play
At the library this week is another brown bag lunch activity, this time with a visiting fire truck! We'll also make ice cube boats to float in our wading pool, and these sponge balls to throw at each other!
Week Seven (July 18-24): Sky
The air show is this weekend, so our theme is the sky! We'll make enormous homemade bubbles (at least I hope they'll be enormous) and enjoy some rainbow jello.
Week Eight (July 25-31): Animals
4-H Fair, anyone? And I'll take the plunge into HOMEMADE meatballs to eat while watching "Lady and the Tramp."
Week Nine (August 1-7): Pirates
No, we're not going to watch Pirates 4. We're going to make eye patches to get into the spirit for some fun treasure activities! I want to try my hand at decoupage and make treasure boxes for the boys to keep their special items in, then have them dig, squirt, and pour their way to treasures frozen in an ice block. I also hope to make some kind of treasure hunt activity with a map.
We also hope to meet up with family in Springfield for a day trip!
Week Ten (August 8-14): Kick up your heels, it's the last week of summer!
This is the week we look forward to all year...the annual Whiteford Family Reunion! (my mom's family) This year we're so excited to be getting together at Grizzly Jack's waterpark, near Starved Rock! Should be awesome.
Next Monday we plan to start a new school year! Sam will be in first grade, Caleb in preschool. So let's play some board games to finish off the summer. But with a twist: your playing piece will be a picture of yourself that we made on Shrinky Dink paper! Then when we play Candy Land, we can lick some homemade lollipops.
Whew! Do you think we can make it? Are you inspired to try any of these activities? Just keep in mind...
...it's important to make plans so we can make the best use of the days God gives us. But they're still just PLANS - I need to remember to not be married to my plans and let God direct my paths. Here are some verses to consider:
Proverbs 16:1-3
1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORDweighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
Ephesians 5:15-17
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Colossians 3:23-24
Comments