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LLMom Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 19 2005
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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Let's brainstorm ideas for cheap entertainment/recreation for this summer. I know since we live 20 minutes from anything, we will not be able to run into town whenever the kids want to do something. What kinds of things are fun and cheap?
Here are a few of my ideas:
backyard pool or slip and slide
puzzles (large ones for the olders)
board games (we hardly ever get to these during the school year)
Please add on.
__________________ Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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PDyer Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Ohio
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 6:21pm | IP Logged
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Yard games like cornhole, bocce, etc. Build your own cornhole game platform
Water guns or water balloons
Neighborhood bike rides
Sidewalk chalk - drawing and hopscotch
hang a swing from a tree
I used to love frisbee...
__________________ Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
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Michaela Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Washington
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 6:24pm | IP Logged
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We will be outside most of the summer. It's about the only time of the year we are dealing with rain or cold.
At home:
sprinkler
bubbles
$1 hoola hoops
jump rope
chalk
bike, scooter, skateboard, skates
walks
swingset
picnics
we are considering purchasing a pool
assemble tent (someone could use long sticks and a sheet to make an inexpensive teepee)
away from home (gas)
free movies at theater
outdoor music/performances (usually free)
fishing
enjoy the free outdoors/nature hikes
the lake (10 minute drive for us)
the pool (@ high school is a five minute bike ride)
Playground the price of gas for
__________________ Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Michaela Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Washington
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 6:24pm | IP Logged
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PDyer wrote:
Water guns or water balloons |
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Not sure how I forgot about those!! Thank you.
__________________ Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Kristie 4 Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 8:05pm | IP Logged
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I have been seriously considering a trampoline.
We do lots of biking, parks, wading pools (walk to and drive to), water guns, the occasional sprinkler (have to pay by the litre however), skipping rope, but the best will be the treehouse we are in the middle of!
__________________ Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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Philothea Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 15 2006 Location: Virginia
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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Here we like:
Kiddie pool
Water guns
Sidewalk chalk
Sandbox and sand toys
T-ball
Bikes
Red Light Green Light
Hide and Seek
RC helicopter
Tot Lot (we live in a subdivision)
Climber (for when we're too lazy to walk to the tot lot)
"Painting" with paintbrushes/rollers and water (this only works with littles)
Kicking a soccer ball around
Going for walks
Finding caterpillars, ladybugs and/or rolie-polies and keeping them overnight
Playstation 2 (for when it's not nice outside)
Playdoh (ditto)
Movies (this, too)
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lapazfarm Forum All-Star
Joined: July 21 2005 Location: Alaska
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:18pm | IP Logged
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catching fireflies, laying in the grass and imagining pictures in the clouds, bonfires and cookouts, tubing down a lazy river, eating watermelon and spitting the seeds...
__________________ Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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erika Forum Newbie
Joined: May 09 2008
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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When I was a kid I always turned the back yard into an obstacle course.
Oh, and catching June bugs was always fun. We could play with them for hours as they buzzed around in circles on their little strings!
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guitarnan Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Maryland
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 10:27pm | IP Logged
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Littles love a sand table (basically a big Rubbermaid container of sand, raised to a height where they can reach in while standing). I've seen "rice tables" as well, but with rice prices rising, sand is probably cheaper.
You can also make a water table (same concept) and put a lid on it at night to keep mosquito larvae out.
Another fun thing is to give littles big paintbrushes - like the ones you paint walls and trim with - and a bucket of water and let them "paint" the sidewalks, driveway, etc. Harmless fun!
__________________ Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 10:35pm | IP Logged
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My dh plans a "summer olympics" in the backyard for the kids each year - all participate and are very competitive (swimming is done at our neighborhood pool) We have "medal ceremonies" with their favorite songs playing etc.
This year we will be watching the Beijing Games and doing a unit study too.
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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LucyP Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2007
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 4:32am | IP Logged
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Well, my little man enjoys playing in his sand pit or paddling pool, but also being given a bowl of washing up liquid and water and a cloth, and he gets to work "cleaning" stuff.
Lol - it's cheap and it works for hours!
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asplendidtime Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 14 2005 Location: Canada
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 11:31am | IP Logged
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I made a list of 25 things then dh added to it.
Some things were:
plant a sunflower house
camping in our back yard
campfires (we have a fire pit)
swimming at nearby lake
daytrip for fishing w/ picnic
visit farmers market
visit a local farm
eat suppers outside
pick-your-own gardens
have an exotic food night
plant a veggie garden and watch it grow
Kiddie pool
Mountain Daytrip
picnic at a local park (it has ponds)
make jam
pick our own veggies and blanche and freeze
paint rocks
camping
fill a baby bathtub for playing boats, that is fun!
visit a new river
visit a new pond
family game nights
hiking
__________________ Rebecca~Mama to
Noah 17,
Katie 16,
Mary 14,
Tim 13,
Jonah 12,
Josh 10,
Zoe 9,
Will 7,
Peter 6,
Laura-Mae 4,
Emily-Joy 2,
Genevieve & Gabriella 1
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Mary K Forum All-Star
Joined: May 14 2005
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 1:51pm | IP Logged
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set up tent in backyard
volleyball
soccer
swingset
chalk
wading pool
sandbox
chasing butterflies
picking flowers
drawing
stories/music outside
sprinkler
me: rocking my little one (EDD 7/16) on the porch swing
God bless,
Mary-NY
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Anne Forum Pro
Joined: May 21 2007 Location: Tennessee
Online Status: Offline Posts: 368
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Posted: May 14 2008 at 11:17pm | IP Logged
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All of these ideas are wonderful I can't wait to get started.
Here's a few ideas from outside the box!
Visit your local fire station: Our fire fighters just love to show off the equipment. If your lucky you can go on wash day and help out. Bring goodies to share.
Also try this out at the bank. You can call ahead and get a tour. They sometimes let them go into the vault!
Go on a behind the scenes tour of your favorite resturant.
Take a tour of your Vets office/Animal Hospital. We did this during the school year and the kids saw everything no blood of course They also gave the kids treat bags as we left!
These should all be free and if you are in walking distance all the better
__________________ Anne in TN
WIFE to Brett (91)
MOM to Rebecca(97), Catherine (99), Grace (99), Stephen (00) & 2 Angels in Heaven.
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