School’s out for summer! by Celia Klassen Time for Tea

I have four kids, two in school. “School is Out” used to hold a different emotion for me than it does now. It used to feel like freedom and relief…and it still does…but there is still the element of ‘oh no how am I going to occupy them the whole summer without everyone driving each other nuts? So I’m going to try and cover some of that over the next few weeks. There are the obvious activities like going down to the lake, going to Indian Springs, Ross Park or Lava Hot Springs. There are two parks in Aberdeen and two in American Falls. I will try to focus mostly on things that are free or very cheap and none of them will involve screen time – because we all know how to do that!
I came across a schedule that I think sounds like a wonderful place to start:
Make it Monday: Bake, paint, cook, sew, craft.
Thinking Tuesday: Read books, do science experiments, ask someone about something you want to know more about.
Water Day Wednesday: Go to the lake, go swimming, play with sprinklers and water balloons, set up a slip and slide with a trash bag, some dish soap and a hose.
Take a Trip Thursday: Visit the library, visit the park, go to the zoo, go bowling, or if you can’t go anywhere….go on a scavenger hunt in your own back yard.
Fun Day Friday: make supper a family picnic – take it to the lake, or even just in the back yard! Set up a lemonade stand, have a tea party, have a play date with friends, camp in your back yard.
Selfless Saturday: Do something nice for someone else. Do a chore for your mom without being asked, give the dog some attention, visit your neighbor, call your grandma.
Spontaneous Sunday: My family goes to church on Sunday and it occupies our day, but those who don’t have this a day where the kids decide what to do and you go along with it, whatever it might be! You might be surprised, it might just be fun.
Let me know what problems you have during the summer, what would you like tips on? I’ll also be combining this with things to do in the great outdoors two hours or less drive from American Falls/Aberdeen.