Moms find unique ways to entertain their little ones
What three words strike terror into the hearts of mothers everywhere during the summer?
"Mom, I'm bored."
After nine months of the school routine for many families, Monday begins the first full week of summer vacation.
While many businesses and colleges offer classes and camps for children, those on limited budgets need to dig a little deeper to find creative ideas to keep the little ones busy during the hot summer months and on rainy days while cooped up inside.
Sharon Limback of Cranberry Township has an ulterior motive when it comes to planning fun things for her children to do. She opts for productive and entertaining ideas.
"One of our favorite things is to hold a 'bike wash.' We get out the hoses and buckets of soapy water and bring out the bikes," said Limback.
"Not only does it cool the kids off and let them play with water — something all kids enjoy — but you have clean bikes when you are done," she added.
This water fun is also useful for lawn furniture that has wintered over outside or gardening tools and yard toys.
Food fun is also a favorite at the Limback home."For snack time, one day have the kids wash their hands and then give them a large bowl. Ask them to pour in a box of cereal, raisins, M&Ms, nuts, sesame sticks and mix it all up for a healthy trail mix," said Limback. "Then they can snack while they fill up Ziploc snack bags for later," she added.For Gail Macdonald of Moon Township, rainy day fun was a memorable part of childhood."My mom was confined to her bed, but she'd get us all to make works of art — which we'd place on the floor around her bed. While we were off creating she'd be sitting quietly in bed making awards for our works of art which she awarded after the collection was complete," Macdonald explained."To make it more fun and take care of snack time, you could even hold an artist's reception for the kids with brownies and punch."Brandi Fleeger of Connoquenessing Township utilizes her driveway for summer fun."The kids will use objects from the garage and the house to make an obstacle course in the driveway. They and their friends will drive the course on bikes and riding toys," she said. "It keeps them busy and they can change it whenever they get bored with it.""Barnes & Noble (bookstore) has programs for kids all the time. My daughter goes to the American Girl Club the third Saturday of the month. They read, learn about the period in time that the book covers, play a game, do a craft and have a snack. It lasts at least an hour and a half and is free," she said.Rachel, Esther and Issac Young, ages 8, 6 and 4, love to go window shopping in downtown Butler — and it doesn't cost a cent."We enjoy heading downtown to browse the antique shops and find the items that are mentioned in some of the books we read," said Heather Young of Butler."We often find items that we are not sure about and have fun trying to surmise their intent and use. We use them as a free museum, as long as we manage to come out without buying anything," she added.Taking to the outdoors is Michelle Pfeifer's remedy for the summer blues."We head out to local parks like Alameda to go on hikes or picnic in playgrounds. It is enjoyable for all the kids ages 7 down to 15 months," she explained."This summer we are going to start making a nature notebook to record some of the things we discover on our hikes."
For Lynn McDonough, who works as an interior designer from home, having daughter Kelsey and son Reed occupied during the summer months is crucial. Kelsey and Reed will be going to seventh and fourth grade in Mars, respectively."They swim a lot, but there are times when they need projects to keep them busy at home," said McDonough, who opts for craft projects. "We have found those no-sew pillows and blankets that you make with fleece are fun and easy-to-do projects and can make great gifts," she said. "We also like to tie-dye outdoors during the summer."Last year Kelsey and Reed both tried their hand at painting furniture."You can acquire inexpensive pieces of furniture at flea markets and garage sales and give kids acrylic paints and let them make their own creations. When they are done you have a craft project that is practical. Stools, chairs, kid tables are all things that can be used," she said.Nora McChesney's secret weapon against summertime boredom is a "busy box." Her children will be going to sixth, fourth and first grades and kindergarten next year."I keep a box that is filled with pipe cleaners, beads, buttons, string, yarn and all sorts of other fun craft supplies. When they need something to do, I pull it out and all four kids, regardless of their age, can find something in there to do or to create," she explained."Playdough fun is more fun for moms when it is taken outside," said Kris Fetter, who reserves this special fun for the summer when the mess can be made outside.Last summer, Lezlee Shulik's son from South Butler Primary turned their driveway into Butler."My son and the neighbor kids took chalk and created the town of Butler on our driveway. Then they ran errands all over town on their bikes. We had kids ages 8 to 13 that enjoyed 'driving to Butler,'" said Shulik.Lori Campbell, who has one child at Northwest Elementary and one at Butler Junior High School, likes to trade kids during the summer."A friend of mine and I will trade off during the week. She'll take my kids for a day, which frees me up to get things done and I will do the same for her," she said. "We also make use of renting videos at the library for a dollar, especially for rainy days," she added.Denise Tabacchi sends her kids to camp at Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church.Their program is free for kids ages 5 to 14."Their program is fantastic and I have placed my children in for several years and they love it. It runs Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to noon for six weeks starting June 19 through July 27," Tabacchi explained."You drop off your kids and they can participate in a well-supervised day camp program with lots of indoor and outdoor activities," she said.Several of the moms also mentioned participating in the summer reading programs at local libraries. Many of the library programs offer coupons for free summer treats and events for meeting a reading goal.Some moms also said that vacation Bible schools are a super way to keep the children having fun with others and at the same time getting a couple of hours to accomplish things without having the little ones underfoot."Having fun with the kids and keeping them busy makes the summer easier for us and them. Making memories is important, too, because they grow so fast. They are grown before you know it," said McChesney.
