I'm sure I'm not the only one here wondering how to keep dd busy, productive and entertained without spending a lot of money this summer. We will be doing some organized activities, but I don't believe in overscheduling and think that boredom can be a good thing. However, I want to have a list at the ready for times when she doesn't know what to do. Hopefully you can all help add some suggestions!

1. Invite a friend over
2. Write a letter (she just got a pen pal, so this is good)
3. Read a book. We are also going to start a neighborhood "book group" with a few other girls and let them meet once a week
4. Scrapbook. I think I am going to have her start a scrapook of her own

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I try to keep a basic schedule, even though it's summer. So we still do mealtimes at the same times, bedtimes within reason etc

My kids are older, but esp when they were smaller, we'd go to the library every week, same day/same time etc Same for like, going to a different museum each week or stuff like that...it's my personality too, but I think my kids like to know to expect each day. It's flexible enough to allow for spontaneous ideas but it's still structured. I know for me, I like to get out of the house each day. Just depends on you and the kids.

I wanted all my kids to do at least one organized activity during the summer so, dd (13) has her volleyball league, ds's (8 & 9) have tennis lessons, ds (9) has Chineese lessons, ds (7) has the summer rec program, and ds (4) has the preschool version of summer rec. There will also be the summer reading program at the library and regular trips to check out books. There are also several 4H one day programs that interest my boys that they can do for $2 each. We have a new water park opening in town and I am sure we will make afew trips there (though that could get spendy) We have a soccer goal out in the yard for them to play with, they have water gun fights, basketball hoop and wading pool, as well as the swing set. I also will be doing a regular rotation of all the parks around for play variety! My art closet is stocked with perler beads, markers, crayons, colored pencils, art kits and construction paper, coloring books, glue and almost any thing else you can think of. There are video games for those rainy days. We have a pool table and air hockey table in the basement.

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I, too, keep a well-stocked art supply cabinet. We also have tons of board games and card games that are always a big hit. The kids have an elderly lady that they write letter to and draw pictures for. We visit her occassionally as well. They also participate in the Summer Reading program at the library and the 4H activities (day camps, etc.). We enjoy hiking, camping and fishing. There is a new sprinkler park in the city park. It should be fun. All of my kids enjoy baking and cooking as well. We usually work in a couple of mini homeschool sessions on biology, chemistry or home ec. They have flowers and veggies they tend to in small beds or pots. They enjoy berry picking in season, too. We have a couple of microscope sets they really enjoy. We let them practice photography with our old digital camera, too. They love that! Role-playing is HUGE with my boys. So, they really enjoy costumes! Old halloween costumes. Costumes they've put together. Costomes from mom and dad's old clothes. It doesn't matter. They make up a story to it. Sidewalk chalk is tons of fun for the younger ones, too, if you have a good place for them to use it. Swimming, water fights, skating, hula hoops, sandbox, horseshoes and jumpropes get high marks here, too. My boys keep themselves fairly busy. Of course, they know that if they get "bored", Mom will find something fun like cleaning out the van for them to do!

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Dh & I both work full time. My son will be attending summer school and in August when ss is out, he will be spending time at grandmas on mon-tues, at his dads on Weds and at a daycare center for school aged elementary students on Thurs-Fri (thurs are field trip days, usually 1 time per month) At the day care he can interact with other kids, do arts and crafts, etc.
His summer days are full. Then when Im out of work, we can go swimming together. And take our day trips (picnics) on the weekends.

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Dh works nights so I have to make sure the house is relatively quiet so he can sleep. Three weeks she has something scheduled in the mornings at the Science Station.
swimming lessons twice a week
library reading programs
Then I'm going to schedule different things each week so she doesn't get bored like:
flashcard time to keep memorizing sight words
reading time
playdoh, moon sand, paint, other craft activities
sidewalk chalk
zoo
park
splash pad at a different park
bike rides
time with friends
kitchen time with her

My kids have several camps this summer. Our library offers a lot of different programs also. They offer ballet and guitar lessons. Each meet once a week and have a one time $5 registration. My son will do guitar and my daughter ballet.

We have a local amusement/water park combination. We are buying season passes for the entire family. Season passes are only $10 more than day passes. We get them every year and more than get our moneys worth out of them. For $200 we get 15 concerts and unlimited visits to the amusement park and water park. This year all fountain drinks are included in the price of the pass.

We will be busy with the Summer School, baseball, basketball camp, swimming & the library program. For other fun I plan on going to the local swimming pool(free here). The area museum will have an exhibit on Pompeii and plan on studying that subject before we go. They kids like to do art/craft projects. I will teach them how to weave or crochet. Plan on spending time writing/journals. Working on rocket and airplane kits that they got for Christmas---Before I know it, it will be football season(starts in August) and school starting!!!!

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