Works for Me Wednesday: The Mom-I'm-Bored Edition

This weeks' Works for Me Wednesday is the annual "Mom, I'm Bored" edition in which bloggers are asked to share their ideas for preventing summer boredom from setting in with the kiddos.  I've shared my ideas in the past here and here, but I didn't look at those lists, so that I could feel like I was sharing new, inspired, fresh ideas.  So, if you go look at those lists and see the same ideas I'm sharing here, you'll just confirm for yourself the pitiful memory that I've already confessed to having.

So, here we go...my fresh, inspired, 2010 ideas for staving off summer boredom:

1.  Make snow cones!  A friend gave us a snow cone maker a couple of years ago and the kids love it.  It's simple enough that they can all operate it themselves, so I don't even have to listen to "Mom, would you make us a snow cone" fifty times a day.  We buy the syrup at Wal-mart or Target.  I learned last year, though, that you want to stock up because they only sell it during the summer and apparently snow cones are good any time of year -- but best on a hot summer day.

2.  Design t-shirts.  I bought some fabric markers a year or so ago and the kids had a blast decorating old t-shirts.  We haven't had the markers out in awhile, so there should be some renewed interest when I drag them back out this summer.

3.  Create!  This is a great time of year to pull out all the arts and crafts supplies and let imaginations run wild.

4.  Get wet.  We're fortunate enough to have a dear friend with a pool, but we still only go swimming once a week or every other week.  When we don't go, though, the kids love to pull out the sprinkler and play in the water here.

5.  Take field trips.  Summer can be a great time to explore places in your own town that you don't get to during the school year.  Historical sites, museums, nature trails, and more can be great places to spend some time in the summer.  Our city is doing a walking tour once a week this summer.  You might call your city hall or Chamber of Commerce and see if your city is offering anything similar.

6.  Explore hobbies, new or old.  One of the things on my summer to-do list is to spend some time on my long-forgotten hobbies.  Kids will probably enjoy doing the same.

7.  Go see a movie.  Movie theaters around the country offer free summer movies.  Check your local theater.

8.  Play board games.  This can be a great time to reconnect with your kids over a board or card game.  Some of our favorites are: Aggravation, Uno Attack, and Pictionary.

9.  Go bowling!  Many bowling lanes are offering free bowling for kids this summer -- and a reduced rate for parents.  Check your local AMF lanes for details.  Now, if I could just find us all bowling shoes since that's the most expensive part.

10.  Go to a ball game.  Minor league baseball games are an inexpensive and fun summer activity.  We didn't make it to a game last year, but I'd love to this year.  We always have fun.

What are some of your kids' favorite things to do during the summer?

This post is linked to Works for me Wednesday.




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