2014 Summer Bucket List

It is getting to be that time of year again.  The kids are finishing up with school and if you are like me, you’re wondering what am I going to do with them all day long?  Last year my family started a new tradition of doing a summer bucket list.  I came up with it by myself and told the kids what we were going to do each day.  While my kids enjoyed this I could tell that they wanted to be involved more.  This year I decided to let help pick what to put on this list. Each day they are going to take turns choosing what we are going to do.  They loved this idea so much and cannot wait to start working on checking things of our list.  Below is the list that my kids and I came up with.  Hope you enjoy and find some inspiration for your own family.

SUMMER BUCKET LIST 2014

1.     GO TO THE ZOO

2.     GO TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK

3.     HAVE A PICNIC

4.     PLAY RED LIGHT/ GREEN LIGHT

5.     PLAY HORSE OR PIG

6.     HOPSCOTCH

7.     WATCH THE SUNSET

8.     EAT ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST OR DINNER

9.     MAKE PLAY DOUGH  recipes are from Motherhood on a Dime

10.                          MAKE HOMEMADE POPSICLE recipes from tipnut

11.                          FLY A KITE

12.                        CATCH LIGHTENING BUGS

13.                         GO STAR GAZING

14.                         PLAY IN THE RAIN

15.                         SPOT SHAPES IN THE CLOUDS

16.                         MAKE CAMPFIRE FRUIT AND SMORES CONES from kids activities Blog

17.                         GO CAMPING IN OUR BACKYARD

18.                         BUILD A SAND CASTLE

19.                         HAVE A WATER BALLOON FIGHT

20.                         GO TO A BASEBALL GAME

21.                         GO BERRY PICKING

22.                         GO ON A HIKE

23.                         VISIT A FARMERS MARKET

24.                         DIET COKE AND MENTOS ERUPTION found at Science Kids

25.                         DIY SLIP AND SLIDE from Inner Child Fun

26.                         DIY BUBBLES from Homemade Bubble Solutions

27.                         HAVE AN OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT

28.                         MAKE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

29.                         MAKE LIQUID SIDEWALK CHALK from smashed peas and carrots

30.                         HAVE A FAMILY GAME NIGHT

31.                         GO ON A TREASURE HUNT

32.                         RUN THROUGH THE SPRINKLER

33.                         MAKE SOLAR SMORES from Spoonful

34.                         GO SEE FIREWORKS

35.                         DIY WATER BLOB from Clumsy Crafter

36.                         GO TO THE MOVIES

37.                         MAKE TRIPLE BERRY NO-DRIP POPS from Kraft Recipes

38.                         MAKE A TOILET PAPER BIRD FEEDER from Homeschool Antics

39.                         GO ON A SCAVENGER HUNT

40.                         MAKE A MILK JUG BALL CATCHER found on Lakeshore Learning

41.                         DO AN ICE EXCAVATION ACTIVITY found on Gluesticks

42.                         GO BOWLING

43.                         WATCH THE SUNRISE

44.                         MAKE AN OUTDOOR TENT FORT

45.                         MAKE A BACKYARD WATER PARK

46.                         MAKE TRAIL MIX

47.                         GO TO THE PARK

48.                         PLAY MINI GOLF

49.                         VISIT A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

50.                         SWING IN A HAMMOCK

What are you doing this summer?

Thanks for stopping by!

Christina

Stocking Up for Summer at the Dollar Store

    Summer is quickly approaching and the kids will be done school soon.  Princess finished school last week.  Depending on what you have planned to do with your kids this summer, it can become quite expensive.  That is when I turn to my trusty Dollar Tree.  Now you may not be able to get everything, but you can still get a decent amount of stuff.   They have everything from picnic supplies to pool noodles, and arts and crafts supplies.    A lot of what I got coincides with my Summer Bucket list here.  Here is what I was able to get on my trip on Sunday to the Dollar Tree.

                          Water Balls - these are great for in the pool or for water fights.

                                                Water Guns - another fun item for water fights.

                   Water Blasters - These are like water guns, but much easier for little ones.

Water Catchers

             Fishing Fun - I plan on putting the fish in our baby pool and letting the kids have fun with it.

Kites - I know there is only 1 in the picture, but the package came with 2 kites.

Bug Kits

Craft Sticks - The package says craft sticks they are actually just popsicle sticks.

Safety Scissors

\

Pooh's Number Match

Crayons

Scribble Pad

Glow Sticks - These came in fun shapes, but they have regular glow sticks there also.

 

That is what I got on my most recent trip to the Dollar store.  Where do you go to stock up for summer?  I would love to hear from you!

 

 

 

Christina

 

6 Things to Do with Kids to Celebrate Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day here is a list I came up with of 6 things you can do with kids to celebrate Earth Day.

1.        Take a walk with your kids, take a trash bag with you and pick up trash while you walk.  For older kids you could turn this into a game and see who can pick up the most.

2.       Have a nature scavenger hunt.

3.       Plant a garden, or flowers.

4.       Read a kids book about Earth Day.  There is a bunch of books at Amazon.com

5.       Make an Earth Day craft with your kids.   One idea is take a paper plate and give your kids blue and green markers or crayons, and let your kids color and draw their version of Earth.

6.       Print out an Earth Day Activity Packet at Spoonful.com

These are just some ideas of things you can do with kids to celebrate Earth Day.  I am sure there are lots of other things you could do as well. I hope you enjoy this list. 

Happy Earth Day!

Christina

DIY Bubble Wands

      So today I was cleaning out our porch.  Princess came out and asked if she could blow bubbles.  I went inside and found her bubbles and wand.  She started asking for her fancy shapes bubble wands.  I knew I had thrown these out awhile back, since they where all broken.  So I started thinking about what she could use in place of them.  That is when I thought of cookie cutters.  I ran in and brought them out to her and they work great.   So next time you are looking for a fun different way for your kids to blow bubbles, try your cookie cutters.

Run Away Pepper Experiment

 

 

 

 

This afternoon the kids and I did another Science experiment. We did one called Run Away Pepper. It is a surface tensions experiment. All you need is water, pepper, and dish soap.  My kids enjoyed this experiment. But for them it was not as exciting as the baking soda and vinegar one. It is still one that I would recommend trying with your kids. I found the information on the Kids Science Experiments blog. They have more information on their site. Below is a picture of the experiment before and after we added the soap. Hope you enjoy!

Sorry!  I know it is hard to see the pepper.



 

After

2013 Spring / Summer Bucket List

  Today is the 1st day of spring.  Warmer weather is just around the corner.  And with the warmer weather Schools let out for summer.  And then comes the time were you are left looking for things to do to entertain the kids. Below is my personal Spring / Summer Bucket list.  I hope to be able to do as many as possible with my kids.  Feel free to check out the links or do some of them with your kids.

 1. Go Swimming at the Beach        

 2.Camp Out in Our Backyard         

 3.Build a Fort in the Backyard           

4.Make Homemade Popsicles

  5.Go to the Park          

 6.Have a Water Balloon Fight         

 7. Have a Homemade Water Park Day (Water Blob, Homemade Slip and Slide, Shaving Cream Slide, Sensory Pool, Baby Pool, Water Balloons, and Water Guns.)          

8. Fly Kites     

 9.Make Homemade Ice Cream   

10. Go Playground Hopping      

11. Build a Sandcastle

12. Go to a Free Movie at a Park         

13.Have a Backyard Barbecue

14. Collect Seashells at the Beach         

15. Have a Family Game Night

16. Catch Lightening Bugs        

17.Eat Breakfast Outside

18. Try a New Fruit        

19. Go Berry Picking         

20. Dance in the Rain   

21.Spot Shapes in the Clouds    

 22.Make Homemade Bubbles    

 23. Plant a garden       

  24.Make Trix Krispies          

 25. Make Sun Tea

26.Make a Summer Fruit Pizza     

 27.Have an Outdoor Picnic Games

28. Go to a Farmers Market         

29. Make Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

30. Have a Drive in Movie Night       

31. Freezer Banana Pops

32. Fizzing Sidewalk Paint    

 33.Make Fruit and Smore Cones

34. Make a Water Blob    

35. Water Balloon Target Practice

36. DIY Sidewalk Paint   

 37.Make Solar S'Mores    

38.Sponge Painting   

39.Sidewalk Water Painting   

 40. Ice Cube Painting   

 41.Outdoor Bean Bag Toss         

42.Make Homemade Play Dough     

43. Ice Overflow

44. Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches    

45. Diet Coke and Mentos   

46. Homemade Volcano    

47.Homemade Slushie Floats    

 48. Ice Cream in a bag    

49. Glow Stick Lanterns

50. Frozen Watermelon Pops    

 51.  Frozen Excavation    

52. DIY Slip and Slide     

 53. Bubble Snake   

54.  Outdoor Photo Scavenger Hunt

55.  Make Summer Sponge Bombs      

 56. Make a DIY Water Slide

57.  Play a Fishing Game in the Baby Pool      

58.  Make a Summer Tent     

 59. Go Fruit Picking

60.  Make Camp Fire Food        

61.Triple Strawberry No Drip Pops

62.  Baking Soda Painting         

63. Faded Sun Prints               

64. DIY Slip and Slide        

 65.  Dancing Raisins