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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New England
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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:
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HE SAID I HAD TO CHOOSE...
HIM, OR THE ANIMALS...
WE MISS HIM SOMETIMES...
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