Cut it out.

Summer break might be over, but summer boredom may still continue. You can adapt this activity to almost any age that is able to use scissors. I am sure you or even your kids have made a collage. Here are a few idea's to stretch the collage idea and the imagination:

Make a Christmas wish list

use only one color (do a collage of just orange cut outs or all colors)

Alphabet ( a collage for each letter including pictures)

Alphabet ( Cut out the ABC's out of the letters you find in the magazine)

shapes (how many squares can you find?)

Make an alien out of bits and pieces of pictures

A monster

Create your own animal ( this is great if you get hunting mag.)

Make a menu (Let your kids create a meal out of pictures, then serve that meal.)

You get the picture. Use your imagination and your old Magazines.

Once S'more

Every summer I cover the inside of a shoe box with foil. The kids and I then make s'mores out in the sun. We talk about reflection, outside temp., solar power and such. We try it at different times of the day so the kids can get a feel for how the temperature rises and falls. Anyway, it's mostly just for fun now, but when they are older I will help them look up answers on the Internet.

Another sideways picture. Ahhhh, I swear it was fine 2 seconds ago.

So if it is still hot in your region of the world, find a shoe box and give it a try. It works better if you let the marshmallow sit a few minutes in the sun first. It doesn't take long for the chocolate to melt.

Wet and Wild

How are you keeping cool this Summer? Besides a lot of Popsicles, we enjoyed this little ball of fun for the two days we had it before Handy Andy drove the truck over it.

I dream of getting one of these babies. I see them every time I go to Samms Club. They have them inflated and flying like water fairies along the ceiling, just waiting to grant you some water fun. I wonder if they are tough enough for adults to play too?
Handy Andy made the kids this pvc pipe sprinkler. Equipped with valves they turn on and off themselves. We got the idea from Family Fun Magazine.

The flexible tubing is great for soaking each other.

What are you best outdoor water finds this year?

The Great Outdoors

We just got back from camping yesterday. Could you tell that I was gone? I hope not. I just love scheduling posts. It took me a while to get it right.

Every camping trip we look forward to the animal hunt. My MIL buys 100+ little plastic animals and stretchy frogs and hides them in our campground for the kids.

After finding them the kids play with them, wash them and sometimes hide them again. When we get home I hide them in our yard in the morning and let the kids go out and find them. They also love to play in the tub with them.

Both kinds of animals can be found at most Dollar Tree stores. The stretchy animals can also be found at Walmart in their dollar toy section. Wouldn't they be great in a Pinata!?!

Our last day in camp, my baby SIL, found a tiny container. Inside of it was a paper scroll about 2"x 1.5' long. It hand the signature of every camper that had found it. After you signed your name you re-hid it in the campground. We thought that was so clever.

After thinking about at home, I thought it would be fun to do the same thing inside my house. I am going to use a clear film container and hide it where my kids can find it. Maybe in a toy box or a sock drawer and so on. I hope that in years to come they will be excited to visit my house with their kids and find the container and write their names and date on it. What a fun tradition that will be.

Scrappy Paper Dolls

To celebrate going dot com the Tip Junkie featured a bunch of posts about parties. One of them had a link to this post on This Mama Makes Stuff. It was an American Girl themed party and she had Kit paper dolls. I couldn't find a pattern for them so I made my own. Get all of your ribbon, lace, fabric scraps and any beads, paper or embellishments you don't need anymore and let your girls have a blast designing clothes for their own paper dolls.

My oldest daughter is 4 and she was able to do a lot of it on her own. She and her friends, ages 5 and 7, played with the scraps and dolls for over an hour. I think had they all been 6+ they would have play even longer.



This is a great summer activity.

A Sweet Summer Field Trip

Who doesn't love a summer field trip to break up their week. Be sure to put Krispy Kreme on your list. Why a donut store? Well Krispy Kreme provides a special opportunity for you and your children to watch the manufacturing process. I'll bet it's a day they will remember for summers to come. Be sure to call ahead and ask for times they will be making donuts. You may want to plan this soon because the company has been said to be struggling right now. I would hate to see such a fun and educational store to be closed.

Want to add a little more fun to your field trip? Take along a couple of books about donuts. Search your local library or do an Internet search. I found several books on Amazon.com and they qualify for free shipping.

Don't burst my bubble

I use to use homemade bubbles as a kid. Over the years that recipe and all the fun was forgotten. While reading Make and Takes I was reminded of the good times and given a new recipe. This is Marie's recipe:

1 Cup dish soap (she used Palmolive, I used Ajax and will be trying Palmolive next time.

4 Cups water

1/4 Karo syrup

Marie stored hers in a milk jug. I used a 2 litter pop bottle. I first measured everything using only water. I then made marks (1 cup, at the bottom for the soap. Then I added 4 cups of water and made the water line. Then I added 1/4 of water and drew a syrup line. Next time I will not have to use any measuring cups.

I had bought some wands at Dollar Tree. My kids loved the bubbles. I plan to buy or make a few more wands so that the neighborhood kids can join in.

Look at that. So cheap. So easy.

Story letter

My kids are having a blast making cards and mailing them to their cousins with the puzzle pieces. If you missed that post please take a look here. I started thinking about older kids. Puzzles might be to silly for some kids older than 10. Instead, encourage your child to choose 2 or 3 cousins or friends and start a story letter. Help them establish what order the letter should be sent and write instructions for all participants. Each child will add a line to the story and then mail it to the next in line. By the end of the summer you should have a pretty funny story. Make a copy of the finished product and have a book signing party.

A Puzzling Activity

Every kid, no matter what their age, loves to receive mail. This activity is meant to connect friends and family and give the kids something to look forward to. I bought package of two puzzles from the Dollar Tree. Fifty cents a puzzle, not to bad. I then got all of my scrap paper and let the kids use their creativity to make cards.

I assembled the puzzle. Then I numbered 10 envelopes per puzzle 1-10. I took the puzzle pieces 5 at a time, careful to keep them in order and placed them in the envelopes.



I wrote a little poem to go with the pieces and card.


I am excited that school is out.
So excited I could shout.
I wanted to share a bit of fun with you.
I will send mail from me to you.
In the letter you will find a puzzling thing
Just a few pieces of a picture, you might think I’m a ding a ling.
Not enough pieces you say.
I might not have sent enough today.
Save all the pieces until the summers end
And you will have enough pieces my friend.


Every week for the next 10 weeks my kids will make cards and mail them in the numbered envelopes to two of their cousins. The card making gives them something to do and hopefully their cousins will want to mail a letter back to them. I hope their cousins will be excited and will check their mailbox every day not knowing when the next pieces will come. If all goes well next year we will do the same thing for a couple of other cousins.