Summer Activity Ideas

I made a list of all kinds of fairly simple things that I could do with the kids or things that would be fun or maybe not so fun, but necessary. I thought it might be fun to do these things over the summer that involve using things we have around the house or planning an event or trip that will be low cost.  I typed up the ideas (3 pages worth), cut them apart, folded them in half and put them in a jar.  I've since thought of some other ideas and written them down and added them to the jar.  We pull one or maybe two activities from the jar most days at 9:15 am.  Then we do what it says that day.  We started on Memorial Day and everyone rotates through pulling an idea.

These are the ones we've done this week.
Monday (Jeff):  Dollhouse/Action Figures - I put the dollhouse in the gameroom and got all the dolls and accessories out and got out Kent's action figures.  They've been having a blast playing with something that hadn't been out in a while.  It looks kind of funny to see several of Kent's action figures sitting on the purple couch in the dollhouse.

Tuesday (Clark):  Have ice cream - I served the kids chocolate ice cream for desert at lunch.  The littles were quite messy, but it was a fun treat for everyone.

Wednesday (Felicity):  Everyone give Mommy a hug and tell her "I love you.' - They all did this and I enjoyed the extra hugs and kisses.  I returned their hugs and I love yous immediately.  Then they wanted to pull another idea from the jar.  Kaomi pulled an idea out to plan an activity, but as the day went on I realized that this week the idea wouldn't work well as it involved some other people we know who wouldn't be available.  I explained this to the kids and we put it back on Thursday Morning.

Thursday (Kaomi):  Choose a missionary and write a letter to them.  Since Kaomi's pick yesterday didn't work, I let her pick again.  - Everyone thought of a missionary to send a letter to and the letters/drawings will be going to 4 continents.  This was fun.  Everyone had their own idea immediately of who they wanted to write to and we didn't have any doubles or fighting.  Everyone wrote to someone they know, which makes it even more fun.  Kent chose someone we have had to our home several times.  Katy chose a child who used to live in our neighborhood.  Kaomi chose someone she knew from Sunday School and Felicity chose a teacher she had at childcare.  I added a short note with each of the kids notes.

Friday (Katy): Have a concert - each person sings a song or plays the piano, guitar, etc for everyone else.  Everyone decided what they were going to do and let me know so I could make a program for the evening concert.

Our program looked something like this:
The Sears Family Concert
Master of ceremonies:  Kent
Felicity and Clark:  The B-I-B-L-E, Kent - Little Spider Spins a Web (Piano), Kaomi and Clark - Jesus Loves Me (Singing with Tambourine and Bells), Katy - Waltz (Piano), Mommy -  Summer Moon (Piano), Daddy -  It Is Well With My Soul and Indescribable  (Guitar/Vocal)

We ended the evening with brownies.

I forgot to take pictures, but Jeff recorded it.

The kids all enjoyed it and wanted to put the idea back in the jar so we could do it again.  I told them we would wait until we finished the other ones then we will put it back in the jar.  I think it will be something we do again, even if it isn't something we pull out of the jar.

I'm planning on writing each week about the activities we do from our jar.

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