what do you do to pass the time?

[truckerslady]

I was just wondering how many of you are stay at home moms here? I'm sure there has to be more then just me lol. We have 3 kids, 2 girls ages 11 and 7 and a son that just turned 6. I'm looking for ideas to keep us busy this summer while daddy is gone during the week. I have a lot of work that needs done, we just bought a house last year, but I dont want to spend the entire summer working on the house. The kids are getting tired of staying home all the time but with gas prices like they are , I cannot aford to go somewhere everyday. The closest park is 30min away. Any ideas?

[jnk2001]

Have you tried one of those slip and slides, a Walmart pool, or water guns? they help pass the time. and maybe the park a couple times a week? and before you know it, it'll be a month gone and you'll wonder, isn't it time for school yet? :?

[madii'swife]

Arts & Craft stuff is always fun, especially with those ages, a touch harder (or maybe just messier!) with my 3. We color (for Daddy sometimes, he has more than he can fit in the truck of their artwork), stickers are cheap. If you have a newspaper close to you their end rolls are usually cheap, gives you big surface area of paper to make artwork on the floor (if you have somewhere thats not carpet) possible.
We homeschool and don't let out for the summer so that takes up part of my time still year-round. I also have an active toddler running around creating havoc which keeps both me and his sister busy.
One of the other things I want to do but haven't is get a laminated map from Walmart and post it so they can track where Daddy is all the time. The idea would then be to dig into the history/culture/attractions of wherever he might be. Makes it real to them, and fun for us
Parks and zoos are good too, if you have them close. I'm fortunate usually as my backyard opens up into a park. The issue here this summer has been how wet it is though, as its currently a lake/river back there.
My only other thought right now would be to see if you have a SAHM in your neighborhood, or close to you, with similar aged children to do playdates. I know yours are a touch old for them sometimes, but it might give you and them company.
Eeeekk, sorry for the book!

[Ridge Runner]

Yahtzee!!!! It will also help your kids learn to count and multiply ( 1 thru 6 anyhow ). ( May also count toward school time ). The map thing is a great thing to do. ( Counts toward school time too ). A small garden ( flowers, herbs or veggies ) can be easily done with a shovel and a lot of sweat. ( Once again, Earth Science ). Build some bird houses or feeders. Many plans out there to build those from 2 liter bottles and such. ( I ain't even going to say it again :P ).

We have a chain here called "Hobby Lobby". I can go in there with $20 to $30 dollars and find enough stuff to keep them busy for weeks. They will probably find some new things to make for dad to take on his truck.

That is just a few things off the top of my head.


Ridge

[RedRaven]

Not knowing your home environment, or if you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area.

I can offer a few suggestions... Fishing is always fun, whether you have done so yourself, and can teach it to the kids, only you know... But, fishing isn't expensive, a tin of earth worms, a few child sized fishing rods, and your set for an entire day... Pack up a picnic basket, or cooler with drinks, and sandwiches.

It's good for kids to be out in nature, and learn about the natural world. It will give them the chance to be outdoors, get fresh air, and learn about nature, not only from fishing, but, seeing other wildlife that may appear as they are trying to catch fish... Then they can share their fishing stories with their dad when he get's home... Maybe take the kids swimming as well, if there is a near by lake, or pond, they can swim.

If you have safe trails near by, you could take the kids bicycling. If you have a bicycle for yourself of course, and there are attachments now for small children that can go on the back of an adult bike for the youngest child to ride, and or cycle with you...

You could have fun being creative, have a backyard camp out pitch a tent, and sleep out with the kids in the back yard, make smores, and tell stories... Watch the stars at night, and teach them the different constalations, or look for shooting stars...

Buy, or find large boxes left over from large appliances like refrigerators, and let the kids build their own cabins, castles, or forts out of them that they can set up in the yard, and camp out inside them... They can use child safe paints, or crayons to color, and decorate them... You can cut any windows, or holes they may want to have in their version...

If you have a good size tree in your yard, maybe you, and the kids can work together, to build a tree fort, not to high off the ground of course... There may even be kits you can buy now to build one... Or, if you have a sturdy tree hang some rope swings...

Games that were fun to do outdoors when I was young, were kick ball, dodge ball, redlight greenlight... Even just jumping rope...

When I was little I liked exploring the woods, and seeing the local animals, squirrels, song birds, chipmunks, the occasional ground hog, jack rabbits, or even turning over flat stones in fields, and finding snakes... These are things both boys, and girls can do, and enjoy...

You could have a nature treasure hunt, pick a list of animals native to your area, and asign one to each child, then take them out in the yard, or to a nearby forest, and see if they can spot one of them... Then they get a treasure (reward) for finding them...

Imagination is a great thing our society forgets to offer kids these days, with all the electronics... They actually have more fun, exercise, and have a better time sharing in activities they can do with you, and at the end of the day they will be worn out tired, and will sleep well at night...

Crafts they could do paper mache', using balloons, and make masks, they can then paint, maybe even use toward their Halloween costumes... Or, using cardboard, and construction paper, they could make their own versions of their Dad's truck, and trailer... To show their Dad when he get's home...

There are all kinds of great things you can do to not only keep your kids entertained, but have fun doing as well... :wink:

[truckerslady]

those are all great ideas, since daddy didnt get to come home this weekend we have been trying to keep busy so that this week will fly by in hopes of seeing him next weekend. as soon as it cools down we are going fishing. we are within walking distance of the wildlife management area where they stock trout. I think we will take a picnic lunch. keep the ideas coming.

[cclarke1268]

I was just wondering how many of you are stay at home moms here? I'm sure there has to be more then just me lol. We have 3 kids, 2 girls ages 11 and 7 and a son that just turned 6. I'm looking for ideas to keep us busy this summer while daddy is gone during the week. I have a lot of work that needs done, we just bought a house last year, but I dont want to spend the entire summer working on the house. The kids are getting tired of staying home all the time but with gas prices like they are , I cannot aford to go somewhere everyday. The closest park is 30min away. Any ideas?

My wife belongs to a message board called www.atruckerswife.com, not to draw you away from this board but while this board seems mostly for the drivers that board is for the REAL BOSS, the ones that do all the work and put up with us