Summer Fun List 2012

Well, last year we jumped on the Summer Fun List band wagon and I really liked it. It served it's purpose as a huge inspiration for those summer days when you have NO idea what to do with the kids, they are whiney and don't know what they want to do either. All you have to do is look to the list! The list that you made when you HAD those ideas, but didn't need them and when there wasn't so much pressure to have awesome days planned out before breakfast is even over. So if you have kids, I would totally recommend making a summer list! We used a large piece of paper from one of the rolls of paper used on Moos art easel. Then, because my kids are young and love bright colors, I wrote "Summer Fun List 2012" in a rainbow of colors. Below that I draw an empty box followed by the fun idea so that we can check off the boxes as we do the things listed. I used a different color for each idea to give the list an overall rainbow effect. I would post a picture, but I'm still waiting for magic computer elves to come clean up my hard drive while I'm asleep. So to get you started on your own list, I'll share a few of the gems from my list. Toots is still too little to contribute, although we do take her into account and try to think of things she would enjoy. Mainly the list is a project Moo and I do together. So here we go! 1. Moo & Mommy date - Brave in the theater 2. Park hop day (spend the day going from playground to playground in our city) 3. Get ice cream at an ice cream shop 4. Make s'mores around a real campfire 5. See a fireworks show 6. Camping in the familyroom, tent and all 7. Enter something into the fair 8. Moo makes dinner 9. Try a new restaurant 10. See the Fresh Beat Band in concert That last one is a surprise for the girls. Moo likes them, but Toots LOVES them! We think they will be really surprised when we walk into the arena and the Band walks out on stage! I think I'm more excited about the surprise than I've been about anything in a long time. So fun! So you get the idea. I also have a whole bunch of stuff on there that is "educational" like writing a letter to a favorite cousin once a week (to practice our writing) and reading 50 1st reader books all by herself (can you believe they expect you to read by the time you leave Kindergarten now? Wasn't that a first grade thing when I was in school?). I also have a TON of ideas from Pinterest for crafts and projects and just general fun things to do...can you say DIY sprinklers or oobleck? Yeah, I'm not sure I'm saying that second one right either, just forget it. Anyway, have fun and make a list! Even a little one will help you out on those days when everyone says "I'm bored!" and you can just keep adding to it as you think of things! Our list last year had so much on it, we didn't get half of it done. Our list is pretty full this year too, but I'm going to try to do something on it at least every other day to keep the summer fun! Our summer is exactly two months long so I don't know if we'll get it all done, but the point is to have ideas there when you need them - not to force yourself into a crazy busy vacation! We are almost there, only a few days left for Moo and then it's fun in the sun for this family! I can't wait!