I started on my menu planning journey by making a master list of all the things I could think of that my kids eat. Now when I have to make a menu, I will just pull one thing from each section of the list, add sides, and be ready to go off to the store. One of the hardest things- decision making- already done!
Now this isn't a food blog, so I am not going to post recipes or links or how-to's, but I will share our master list with you. I will be adding to it as we try new things and decide if they are "list worthy" or not.
Our basic week goes like this-
Sunday: Breakfast for dinner
Monday: Croc pot meal
Tuesday: Mexican (we use that term pretty loosely)
Wednesday: Italian or pasta (again, pretty flexible definition)
Thursday: Chicken or beef (usually some sort of casserole)
Friday: Pizza night
Saturday: Other, anything that we want to eat that doesn't fit in the above plan
And here is a copy of our "meals my kids will eat" list. Some things are healthier than others. I wish there was more variety in some areas. Some are like that because I just don't know how to make some things. Other areas are smaller or left out because my kids just won't eat some things (like beans). You can tell it is unedited because I left in the things like Hamburger Helper and frozen pizza instead of substituting something more interesting like veggie burgers or roasted asparagus or something. So, keeping the above disclaimers in mind, here is our menu planning list!
Meals my kids eat:
Chicken: Chicken noodle soup; Chicken spaghetti; Chicken taquitos; Chicken enchiladas; Chicken salsa tacos; Grilled chicken; Chicken alfredo; Chicken patty- marinara sauce, bbq sauce, plain; Chicken drumsticks; Creamy chicken pockets w spinach and tomatoes; Mandarin chicken salad; Chicken salad sandwiches; Chicken stove top casserole; Chicken and rice bake; Chicken wraps; Chicken nuggets –scratch or frozen; Chicken tenders – honey bbq, marinara, crackers, cereal, buffalo, frozen; Chicken lasagna- frozen; Chicken breast w seasonings or gravy;
Baked chicken w/seasoning
Mexican: Beef tacos; Chicken salsa tacos; Taco salad; Beef taquitos; Nachos; Beef enchiladas- rolled or layered; Rice and chicken quesadillas; Cheese quesadillas; Bean burritos; Bean dips w Spanish rice; Soft tacos w beef or refried beans; Breakfast burritos; Chicken taquitos; Fajitas- chicken or beef; Homemade tortillas; Taco casserole; Fried bean roll ups; Crescent roll taco ring; Chicken and cheese enchiladas
Italian: Lasagna-scratch; Lasagna roll up; Frozen lasagna- white or red; Spinach pasta toss; Spaghetti; Chicken alfredo; Stuffed shells/manicotti; Chicken gnocchi soup; Chicken Parmesan; Ravioli (frozen); Tortellini (frozen) with red or white sauce; Hamburger helper; Lasagna pasta toss
Pizza: Traditional toppings; Bbq chicken; Chicken alfredo; Cheeseburger; Taco; Can crust balls; Cheese breadsticks; Rolls ups; Calzones; Bread dough roll up or braid; Monkey bread pizza bites; Bread sticks; French bread pizza
Chinese: Stir fry- chicken or beef; Noodles; Fried rice; Teriyaki rice bowl; Frozen meals; Spring rolls;
Beef: Beef and barley stew; No water beef stew; Meat balls-bbq, spaghetti, meatloaf; Meatloaf; Hamburgers; Chili; Sour cream noodle bake; Pot roast; Beef stroganoff; Hamburger stew; Bbq beef sandwiches; Steak; Steak kabobs; Shepherd’s pie; See Italian; See Mexican
Other: Hot dogs- plain, pigs in a blanket, chili dogs, beanie weenie; Corn dog muffins; Fish sticks; Baked potatoes w ham, cheese, broc; Grilled- cheese, turkey, ham, pbj; Chef Boyardee; Canned soup; Soup in bread bowls; Sausage and potatoes; Scalloped or augratin potatoes with ham; Pork chops; Tuna/chicken helper meals; Chef Salad w/ eggs, ham, turkey, cheese; Cheese and crackers plate; Sandwiches- rolls, bread, bagels, pitas, tortillas, waffles, English muffins, croissants
Breakfast: Eggs and veggies and ham crescent braid; Oven pancake; Pumpkin pancakes; Oatmeal apple pancake; Skillet apple pancake; Waffles; Eggs; Potato casserole; Broc ham egg quiche; Crepes; Eggs in a nest; Cinnamon rolls; Scrambled eggs- cheese, ham, sausage, veggies, etc; Fried eggs; Pancakes- fruit in or on top; Rice pudding; Oatmeal; Baked French toast; French toast; Muffins; Coffee cake; Cereal; Frozen waffle sandwiches; Yogurt w fruit and granola; Smoothies; Egg/ham/cheese muffin; Bagels; Biscuits and gravy;
Sides: Hush puppies; Rice a roni; Pasta roni; Mashed potatoes; Smashed potatoes; Steak fries; Sweet potatoes- casserole, fries; Rice- butter, cheese, salsa, etc; Couscous; Gnocchi; Macaroni and cheese- box or scratch; Cottage cheese w fruit; Garlic bread; Rolls; Boxed pasta salad; Mozzarella sticks (frozen); Cheese bites (frozen)
Fruit/Veggie: Steam in bag veggies w/ sauce; Corn on the cob; Steamed fresh or frozen veggies- corn, broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, acorn squash, green beans, carrots, cauliflower; Fresh veggies for dipping- celery, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower,peas, cucumber; Zucchini strings; Fried squash or zucchini; Salad- greens, shredded carrots, diced tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, add dressing, cheese, and croutons; Baked apples; Applesauce; Fruit salad; Canned fruit- peaches, pears, oranges, pineapple, etc; Fresh fruit- apples, pears, pineapple, mango, peaches, nectarine, banana, berries, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, kiwi, grapes, plums; Frozen berries in yogurt, cereal, smoothies, pancakes, or just eaten; Fruit or veggie kabobs w/ dip.
Now you know more than you ever wanted to about our family's eating habits. It is a start right?
Here is our menu for this week.
M- chicken spaghetti, salad, bread (Pioneer Woman Cookbook)
T- Taco Salad, fruit or melon wedges (Taco Supreme from Mels Kitchen Cafe)
W- lasagna rolls, salad, bread (copied from a meal brought by my friend Kathryn after I had a baby)
T- hamburgers, curly fries, fruit salad
F- pineapple chicken sandwiches or corn dog muffins (idea from my friend Sue)
S- beef and barley stew for church picnic (recipe ripped from a parenting magazine years ago) (and I'm really nervous about this one, I usually sign up to bring watermelon or cupcakes, things I can't mess up)
S- French toast bites
So far, one week into my meal planning adventures, and I am doing well. Grocery store this morning took an hour and 15 minutes, but I figure that is good enough for having all 4 kids with me. And I spent $165, with $200 the before discount total. Could have done better saving. Next time.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Menu Ideas
One of the areas I really wanted to get back on track and organized was our eating habits and more specifically my cooking habits. I always fall off the wagon in various degrees when we come upon a crisis. We end up eating out or prepacked processed food way too much, and our budget and health suffers for it.
My latest excuse list for why I haven't been planning and cooking regular, healthy, and inexpensive meals:
Child birth
Moving
Husband working late
Babysitting extra kids
Summer vacation
Not bad, right? Except it started 6 months ago and now it is time to get thing back on track.
This area is a challenge for me for several reasons.
First of all, I hate grocery shopping. It is one of my most dreaded homemaker chores. I tend to put it off as long as possible, and when I do go I try to shop for as long as possible. This tends to result in a cart overflowing with food, accompanied by a crying child or two, who have been shopping for too long and told "no" one time too many times.
After surviving the trip through the check out, loading and unloading the car, and putting it all away, I am $200 poorer and have to figure out where to store 2 weeks worth of milk. I cook it and serve it and my kids eat it (sometimes) and about two weeks later we are again out of food. So I have to do it all over again- with nothing at all to show for the previous week's effort. In my task/result oriented brain, this is a huge waste of my time and resources. So we order a pizza and call it dinner and I don't have to worry about it.
The other reason is that I have never considered myself a good cook. My husbands always replies that he has always eaten what I put in front of him, that I have never served him something "inedible." Since this is coming from a man who had to eat mystery meat and poop mushroom goulash in Russia for two years of his life, and was happy living off ramen noodles and tater tots when we met, I don't really think his opinion counts. My 6 year old who gags on grreen beans or the 9 year old who bursts into tears at the sight of chili, those opinions matter. Because the whole reason I am cooking is to make food that they will eat. So I have had to do some teaching myself how to cook, with the help of some food blgs and some friends. My mom did her best, but I seemed to have tuned out everything but how to make spaghetti for 15 people (but my toddler hates spaghetti) and chocolate chip cookies (sorry Mom, someone else is going to have to carry on your cooking legacy).
Finally, I hate having to decide what to make. I often find myself staring into the cupboards at the rows of cans and boxes and wondering what in the world I can do with tomatoes and pasta and frozen chicken that will turn it into something healthy that my kids will eat, in less time than it takes for the baby to wake up from her nap. I usually come up pretty short.
So I have challenged myself to turn meal planning, shopping and cooking into something I can view as productive, enjoyable, and worthwhile. And if the food is good enough for my kids, helps me lose some baby weight, and makes dad happy, that would be great too!
I developed three measurable goals for myself, to satisfy that task-oriented college girl who still demands to be heard once in a while:
1. Make a menu plan. A week of planned meals that I will have the ingredients to prepare, planned around our schedule to I will also have time to prepare them. Croc pots and salads on days we will be out late, more elaborate meals on our stay at home days, and try a few new things to expand our list of meals. And I won't have to stare at the fridge and wonder what to make, I will already know.
2. Make grocery shopping a happy time. Ok, maybe happy will be a stretch, but I think I can make it more enjoyable. Challenge myself to get in and out in an hour instead of two or three, to save a certain percent by shopping sales or using coupons. I will not become obsessed with couponing but am willing to adjust things to use the food that is on sale. My starting goal is 30% off at the checkout with sales or coupon discounts.
3. Cook good food. I am going to try one new recipe each week untilI have a solid stash of go-to meals that are yummy to everyone and easy for me to make. Food blogs and tutorials to the rescue. My kids are pretty good at trying at least a bite or two of new foods, and I rarely force them to eat things I know they hate. Limiting take out to once a pay period (because I am also realistic) and increasing our fruit and veggie servings to two at each meal plus snacks should also help us to feel healthier and maybe even shed a few pounds.
So there it is. My three steps to better meals. Next, my attempts at menu planning!
My latest excuse list for why I haven't been planning and cooking regular, healthy, and inexpensive meals:
Child birth
Moving
Husband working late
Babysitting extra kids
Summer vacation
Not bad, right? Except it started 6 months ago and now it is time to get thing back on track.
This area is a challenge for me for several reasons.
First of all, I hate grocery shopping. It is one of my most dreaded homemaker chores. I tend to put it off as long as possible, and when I do go I try to shop for as long as possible. This tends to result in a cart overflowing with food, accompanied by a crying child or two, who have been shopping for too long and told "no" one time too many times.
After surviving the trip through the check out, loading and unloading the car, and putting it all away, I am $200 poorer and have to figure out where to store 2 weeks worth of milk. I cook it and serve it and my kids eat it (sometimes) and about two weeks later we are again out of food. So I have to do it all over again- with nothing at all to show for the previous week's effort. In my task/result oriented brain, this is a huge waste of my time and resources. So we order a pizza and call it dinner and I don't have to worry about it.
The other reason is that I have never considered myself a good cook. My husbands always replies that he has always eaten what I put in front of him, that I have never served him something "inedible." Since this is coming from a man who had to eat mystery meat and poop mushroom goulash in Russia for two years of his life, and was happy living off ramen noodles and tater tots when we met, I don't really think his opinion counts. My 6 year old who gags on grreen beans or the 9 year old who bursts into tears at the sight of chili, those opinions matter. Because the whole reason I am cooking is to make food that they will eat. So I have had to do some teaching myself how to cook, with the help of some food blgs and some friends. My mom did her best, but I seemed to have tuned out everything but how to make spaghetti for 15 people (but my toddler hates spaghetti) and chocolate chip cookies (sorry Mom, someone else is going to have to carry on your cooking legacy).
Finally, I hate having to decide what to make. I often find myself staring into the cupboards at the rows of cans and boxes and wondering what in the world I can do with tomatoes and pasta and frozen chicken that will turn it into something healthy that my kids will eat, in less time than it takes for the baby to wake up from her nap. I usually come up pretty short.
So I have challenged myself to turn meal planning, shopping and cooking into something I can view as productive, enjoyable, and worthwhile. And if the food is good enough for my kids, helps me lose some baby weight, and makes dad happy, that would be great too!
I developed three measurable goals for myself, to satisfy that task-oriented college girl who still demands to be heard once in a while:
1. Make a menu plan. A week of planned meals that I will have the ingredients to prepare, planned around our schedule to I will also have time to prepare them. Croc pots and salads on days we will be out late, more elaborate meals on our stay at home days, and try a few new things to expand our list of meals. And I won't have to stare at the fridge and wonder what to make, I will already know.
2. Make grocery shopping a happy time. Ok, maybe happy will be a stretch, but I think I can make it more enjoyable. Challenge myself to get in and out in an hour instead of two or three, to save a certain percent by shopping sales or using coupons. I will not become obsessed with couponing but am willing to adjust things to use the food that is on sale. My starting goal is 30% off at the checkout with sales or coupon discounts.
3. Cook good food. I am going to try one new recipe each week untilI have a solid stash of go-to meals that are yummy to everyone and easy for me to make. Food blogs and tutorials to the rescue. My kids are pretty good at trying at least a bite or two of new foods, and I rarely force them to eat things I know they hate. Limiting take out to once a pay period (because I am also realistic) and increasing our fruit and veggie servings to two at each meal plus snacks should also help us to feel healthier and maybe even shed a few pounds.
So there it is. My three steps to better meals. Next, my attempts at menu planning!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Camp W- Weeks 3-5 and Summer Reading Tips
The second installment of the Camp Wannalaffalotta by Mom summer survival guide. Click here for part 1 and a sample brochure.
A bit about summer reading. Most kids will come home from school with some sort of summer reading game to fill out for school the next year. Some older kids will even have a stack of books they are supposed to read over the summer. My daughter was given an assignment to read at least 10 books and do a diorama book report on her favorite to turn in the first week of school.
I know that some kids just don't like to read, and summer is a good time to learn how to read for fun or to read for a reward instead of homework. For kids who already love to read, summer is a good time to read all of the "just for fun" books they haven't had a chance to get to during the school year or to explore new areas of interest. I read to my kids at various time during the day and in the summer I read an advanced chapter book to my older kids while the little ones are napping to start their rest time. This summer we are reading the "Dealing with Dragons" series by Patricia Wrede. It is a good series for my mixed age group, with dragons, magic, wizards, knights, and princesses, but doesn't have the scary or violent parts that are in so many other popular fantasy books right now.
I don't use reading time as a reward or punishment at our house or reward my kids for reading a set amount of pages. In our house reading is just something we do, like taking naps or eating dessert or picking up your shoes off the floor or playing outside. If it isn't so easy for you, you might want to devise some sort of your own incentive chart at home, giving points for minutes or pages read in order to earn a reward of some kind.
In our house the biggest challenge is keeping track of all the lists for the many programs they are enrolled in. I found it easiest to just use the summer reading log we got from the library (or two or three of them) and keep a master list of books read for each kid. Then I transfer the titles into whatever reward form we are getting ready to turn in.
The easiest programs to participate in are ran by national bookstore chains, Borders and Barnes and Noble. They both have forms you can get in store or online, where you just list the ten books you read and turn in the form to the store to get a free book. They let three of my kids, ages 2,6, and 9, participate so we will end up with 6 free books.
The best program is probably ran by your local library. They will have some sort of form to fill out with weekly or monthly small prizes like stickers and bookmarks then a goody bag at the end that usually has a free book and coupons for all sorts of stuff- kids meals, donuts, ice cream cones, bowling, baseball games, mini golf, etc, depending on the local sponsors, and toys like Frisbees or balls.
Besides the reading program, libraries usually pull out all the stops when it comes to summer programs and there is bound to be something cool happening there all summer. In our county my kids can go to story time- usually different age groups from infant to teens-, craft time, language classes, book clubs, and parties. They also have all sorts of visitors- characters like Cookie Monster or Pooh, Polynesian dancers, magicians, animal shows, petting zoos, clowns, puppets shows, baseball players, and authors.
You might try the library next to yours- most libraries within the county or state have a loan policy that lets you check out and return books to any branch, not just your local one. You might have a bookmobile stopping near you, another interesting way to find a good book. You can get DVDs, music CDs, and audio books. Some have a digital library that you can get books for your computer or nook and audio books for your mp3 player or ipod. And if they don't have the book you want, just tell them and they will go find it for you- from their shelves, when it gets returned if someone else has it right now, or from another library in the state or county.
I figure if a kid spends all that time in a library, he or she is bound to stumble upon something they love eventually!
Besides hanging out at the library, here is what we did for Camp W for weeks 3-5.
Week 3-5: Settling into a summer routine
Some things we did:
Join a local 4-H horse club for a camp and barn sleepover
So after all that, I hope you are getting ready to go to the library! More to come, of course.
A bit about summer reading. Most kids will come home from school with some sort of summer reading game to fill out for school the next year. Some older kids will even have a stack of books they are supposed to read over the summer. My daughter was given an assignment to read at least 10 books and do a diorama book report on her favorite to turn in the first week of school.
I know that some kids just don't like to read, and summer is a good time to learn how to read for fun or to read for a reward instead of homework. For kids who already love to read, summer is a good time to read all of the "just for fun" books they haven't had a chance to get to during the school year or to explore new areas of interest. I read to my kids at various time during the day and in the summer I read an advanced chapter book to my older kids while the little ones are napping to start their rest time. This summer we are reading the "Dealing with Dragons" series by Patricia Wrede. It is a good series for my mixed age group, with dragons, magic, wizards, knights, and princesses, but doesn't have the scary or violent parts that are in so many other popular fantasy books right now.
I don't use reading time as a reward or punishment at our house or reward my kids for reading a set amount of pages. In our house reading is just something we do, like taking naps or eating dessert or picking up your shoes off the floor or playing outside. If it isn't so easy for you, you might want to devise some sort of your own incentive chart at home, giving points for minutes or pages read in order to earn a reward of some kind.
In our house the biggest challenge is keeping track of all the lists for the many programs they are enrolled in. I found it easiest to just use the summer reading log we got from the library (or two or three of them) and keep a master list of books read for each kid. Then I transfer the titles into whatever reward form we are getting ready to turn in.
The easiest programs to participate in are ran by national bookstore chains, Borders and Barnes and Noble. They both have forms you can get in store or online, where you just list the ten books you read and turn in the form to the store to get a free book. They let three of my kids, ages 2,6, and 9, participate so we will end up with 6 free books.
The best program is probably ran by your local library. They will have some sort of form to fill out with weekly or monthly small prizes like stickers and bookmarks then a goody bag at the end that usually has a free book and coupons for all sorts of stuff- kids meals, donuts, ice cream cones, bowling, baseball games, mini golf, etc, depending on the local sponsors, and toys like Frisbees or balls.
Besides the reading program, libraries usually pull out all the stops when it comes to summer programs and there is bound to be something cool happening there all summer. In our county my kids can go to story time- usually different age groups from infant to teens-, craft time, language classes, book clubs, and parties. They also have all sorts of visitors- characters like Cookie Monster or Pooh, Polynesian dancers, magicians, animal shows, petting zoos, clowns, puppets shows, baseball players, and authors.
You might try the library next to yours- most libraries within the county or state have a loan policy that lets you check out and return books to any branch, not just your local one. You might have a bookmobile stopping near you, another interesting way to find a good book. You can get DVDs, music CDs, and audio books. Some have a digital library that you can get books for your computer or nook and audio books for your mp3 player or ipod. And if they don't have the book you want, just tell them and they will go find it for you- from their shelves, when it gets returned if someone else has it right now, or from another library in the state or county.
I figure if a kid spends all that time in a library, he or she is bound to stumble upon something they love eventually!
Besides hanging out at the library, here is what we did for Camp W for weeks 3-5.
Week 3-5: Settling into a summer routine
Learn to cook a simple meal (taco salad at our house)
Make cookies for grandpa
Go to the library and sign up for the summer reading program
Visit a local ice cream parlor. We are trying a new one each month then will vote on a family favorite!
Visit a local farm- this creamery gives free tours and let you bottle feed the calves!
Sneak into grandma's house while she is at work and clean it like crazy, leave dinner in the fridge, then run away fast before she gets home!
Take free Spanish classes at the library every day for a week
Visit an indoor bounce house (Monkey Joe's where we are)
Take a piano lesson from an older cousin
Swim in Aunt L's pool
Have a sleepover with cousins- ride their neighbor's horse, pick berries, and do free summer bowling
Have a sleepover with Aunt T and have a board game and movie party
Go to the park and have a picnic- simple picnic is throwing your regular lunch in a bag and eating it outside at the park!
Have a squirt gun/water balloon fight
Make lemonade or kool aid popsicles
Visit the bookmobile
Splash in a summer rain stormJoin a local 4-H horse club for a camp and barn sleepover
So after all that, I hope you are getting ready to go to the library! More to come, of course.
Camp W- week 1 and 2
We have been very busy having fun and learning new things this summer! I would love to say that the lack of blog posts here is a conscientious decision to blog less and mother more, but it was really a result of lots of chaos and no time or energy left over to write. And my brain is feeling the effects! Now that things have calmed down a little I am back to writing and reading and using an expanded vocabulary again and feeling much better!
Here is an update of what we have been doing in our corner of the woods. Maybe there is something here you can use for your family this summer as well! Nothing takes much advance planning, most are inexpensive or free, and all are lots of fun for lots of different ages-in our family we range ages 5 months to 9 years and we usually have an extra cousin or friend or neighbor kid thrown in the mix as well. And they require minimal adult involvement, as it is usually just me wrangling the kids around while dad works during the day.
A bit on scheduling. Routines save my sanity and are good for kids, too. They like knowing what to expect and what to do next. Our daily routine: breakfast, dressed, and chores done by 9 or 10. This keeps things from falling completely apart and the kids know if they get their chores done now I won't bug them about them the rest of the day. Outings and fun until lunch before it gets too hot. Rest time with naps for the under 5 crowd and reading time for the older ones. After rest time we have indoor adventures, free play at home, swimming, or craft projects in the hot afternoon. Then dinner followed by chores and a slightly later bedtime routine. My kids are still the first ones to go to bed on our block, but I think they are the happiest! We limit after dark activities to once a week so they get to stay up for fireworks, lightening bugs, campfires, or sleepovers, but still get the rest they need to be up with the sun and running around all day!
Every week we hit the library for story time, summer reading check-in, and to get a new stash of books and movies. We are also exploring all the local parks by picnicking at a new one each week. We also do an extended family visit to a grandparent or aunt and uncle. Anyway, that's the basic schedule we work off.
Here is what we have done for the first weeks of our summer vacation at Camp Wannalaffalotta!
Week 1: Welcome summer vacation!
Get a crazy haircut!
Go to the lake/beach/river anywhere to swim.
Have an end of year/graduation party
Visit a local landmark (LDS temple for us) and meet an old friend
Make a train out of the dining chairs
Plant some flowers
Climb a tree
Week 2: visiting friends, an away from home stay vacation
We met some friends at a relatives house for a week of simple stay at home fun, except neither of us stayed home, so it was more exciting for the kids. We stayed at "grandma's" house out in the country. It was much cooler there so the kids spent most of their time outside playing on the lawn doing nearly forgotten but important things such as chasing butterflies, catching lightening bugs, following frogs, playing tag, working in the garden, and eating outside.
A few other highlights:
Wild life in the sleeping quarters- boarding with a hunter is exciting!
A swimming pool. Kids don't need much water to be happy!
A fire pit for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs
Berry picking, whatever is in season!
Homemade lemonade
The local playgrounds
A nature scavenger hunt. I just made up the lists as we were heading out the door and handed out empty jars for collecting specimens. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something to direct their exploration after the novelty wears off, to avoid boredom or mischief making!
Some homemade fun, courtesy the Daring Book for Girls- kool-aid hair dye, cookies, friendship bracelets and more
Fireworks, for the night after it has rained all day to avoid fire danger
A week-long slumber party with friends and lots of pillows!
A cool bubble machine, so you don't hyperventilate trying to keep 7 kids happily popping!
Yummy home cooking from someone besides mom, they always eat so much better when someone else is in the kitchen!
Next weeks will include some summer reading tips and our at-home summer routine activities. Stay tuned!
Here is an update of what we have been doing in our corner of the woods. Maybe there is something here you can use for your family this summer as well! Nothing takes much advance planning, most are inexpensive or free, and all are lots of fun for lots of different ages-in our family we range ages 5 months to 9 years and we usually have an extra cousin or friend or neighbor kid thrown in the mix as well. And they require minimal adult involvement, as it is usually just me wrangling the kids around while dad works during the day.
A bit on scheduling. Routines save my sanity and are good for kids, too. They like knowing what to expect and what to do next. Our daily routine: breakfast, dressed, and chores done by 9 or 10. This keeps things from falling completely apart and the kids know if they get their chores done now I won't bug them about them the rest of the day. Outings and fun until lunch before it gets too hot. Rest time with naps for the under 5 crowd and reading time for the older ones. After rest time we have indoor adventures, free play at home, swimming, or craft projects in the hot afternoon. Then dinner followed by chores and a slightly later bedtime routine. My kids are still the first ones to go to bed on our block, but I think they are the happiest! We limit after dark activities to once a week so they get to stay up for fireworks, lightening bugs, campfires, or sleepovers, but still get the rest they need to be up with the sun and running around all day!
Every week we hit the library for story time, summer reading check-in, and to get a new stash of books and movies. We are also exploring all the local parks by picnicking at a new one each week. We also do an extended family visit to a grandparent or aunt and uncle. Anyway, that's the basic schedule we work off.
Here is what we have done for the first weeks of our summer vacation at Camp Wannalaffalotta!
Week 1: Welcome summer vacation!
Go to the lake/beach/river anywhere to swim.
Have an end of year/graduation party
Visit a local landmark (LDS temple for us) and meet an old friend
Make a train out of the dining chairs
Plant some flowers
Climb a tree
Week 2: visiting friends, an away from home stay vacation
We met some friends at a relatives house for a week of simple stay at home fun, except neither of us stayed home, so it was more exciting for the kids. We stayed at "grandma's" house out in the country. It was much cooler there so the kids spent most of their time outside playing on the lawn doing nearly forgotten but important things such as chasing butterflies, catching lightening bugs, following frogs, playing tag, working in the garden, and eating outside.
A few other highlights:
Wild life in the sleeping quarters- boarding with a hunter is exciting!
A swimming pool. Kids don't need much water to be happy!
A fire pit for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs
Berry picking, whatever is in season!
Homemade lemonade
The local playgrounds
A nature scavenger hunt. I just made up the lists as we were heading out the door and handed out empty jars for collecting specimens. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something to direct their exploration after the novelty wears off, to avoid boredom or mischief making!
Some homemade fun, courtesy the Daring Book for Girls- kool-aid hair dye, cookies, friendship bracelets and more
Fireworks, for the night after it has rained all day to avoid fire danger
A week-long slumber party with friends and lots of pillows!
A cool bubble machine, so you don't hyperventilate trying to keep 7 kids happily popping!
Yummy home cooking from someone besides mom, they always eat so much better when someone else is in the kitchen!
Next weeks will include some summer reading tips and our at-home summer routine activities. Stay tuned!
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