Community Magazine August 2006

 ”  38 Community Magazine The Shaatra Files T hose long summer days are a luxu- rious break from the rushed pace of winter, but the extended daylight hours also mean that you have more time to keep the kids entertained before bed- time. And it’s a long day. Before they’ve even rolled out of bed, they’re already ask- ing, “What should I do today?” On those lengthy days between camp and school, lo and behold, your kids suddenly crave the structured schedule that usually has to be forced upon them. Before your kids go crazy from boredom and drive you crazy in turn, prepare a master plan that will make vacation time enjoyable (or at least bearable) for the whole family. Go Professional You’re the head counselor now, so write up a schedule. You can’t possibly occupy the whole day, but if you break the hours into smaller manageable bits, they can almost occupy themselves between activi- ties. Almost. A good setup would be one activity in the morning, followed by lunch, and then a second activity in the afternoon. If you’re doing something major, there’s no need for a second activity. Tune in to the weather forecast before you make any plans, because you might want to stay indoors if the weather is unbearably hot, or it rains (you can always go dancing in the rain). Try to choose activities in which most of the kids can participate. Your older kids might enjoy taking charge and running the show – or they might opt out completely, making their own plans with friends. Go For Broke Since your wallet may be somewhat lighter after paying camp fees, you may decide not to fork over more money on expensive amusement parks or after-camp programs. There are plenty of options which can cost little or nothing. You’ll have to buy some equipment, such as art supplies or water toys – but it is money well spent. You can also go on inexpensive trips: to the library, safari, zoo, museums etc. If you are willing to spend whatever it takes, you can add these ideas to your list as well: ice skating, bowling, amusement parks, batting cages, arcades, mini golf, or ceramic painting. Go All Out Focus on getting the kids out of the house. Aside from saving the furniture, it’s great to have the kids enjoy the outdoors when they can. You can go feed the ducks at the park, but you can also just move all the activities outdoors. Bring lunch out- doors on a towel. If you have a pool, that’s great, but the rest of us can make our own fun. (Or share yours.) Water activities will probably be the choice game plan for most hot afternoons. They can play nicely in a wading pool, run through a sprinkler, or have a blast with a “high-tech” sprinkler like Mt. Tiki-Soki, which blows its top often. Older kids will get a kick out of water fights, using water guns or balloons. It can take 20 minutes to stockpile enough ammo for a three-minute water fight. You do the math. Set up a game of water bal- loon catch – which challenges players to to keep the balloon from popping. In sort, any investment you make buying water guns, pools, water balloons, or sprinklers will pay off big time. Don’t forget a plastic spigot that attaches to the hose, so they can fill everything outdoors Bubbles can keep the kids delightfully busy, especially super-sized bubbles. To make your own huge wand, shape a wire hanger into a circle, and bend in the hook. Put the bubble liquid in a large bowl, and the kids can dip and run. Try this on a windy day for a giant stream of shimmer- ing bubbles. Don’t forget sidewalk chalk, play dough, and washable finger paints as activities for younger kids. Give them ideas of what to make or draw to keep them busy. (shõ•trä) n . An outstanding homemaker [Arabic] File #49: Occupying the Lazy Days of Summer Reader Suggestions  Taking the kids to buy school supplies is a great way to not only keep them occupied, but also get them excited about going back to school. Let your children choose their own folders and loose leaf paper, and while they’re trying to decide between dinosaurs or sports, you’ll have a few minutes to figure out exactly what the teacher wants. Sarah B.  On long summer days when the kids don’t have camp, they auto- matically gravitate to video games. To get them to do something more productive, I plan a gardening project. With some inexpensive flowers and some gardening tools, the kids are busy for hours. Then, they get to water (which also keeps them occupied) and enjoy their handiwork for the next few weeks. Terry G. By Judy Chabbot