Monday, July 6, 2009

100 things to do in summer: my list

I saw a list of 100 things to do in summer on someone's blog--so sorry I can't remember whose! I clicked through from someone else's links list. Anyway, this mom listed 100 possibilities for kid-oriented activities for her girls, and I was so inspired I decided to create my own, only with my little boys in mind. I found it was easy to think of 100 things and now I feel much more organized in my head with things to choose from (my other summer list, here, was more self-focused. But as any mama with young children knows, there's so little time for all of that!).

Here's what I came up with:
1. go to the library
2. go for ice cream
3. go to the park
4. play in the wading pool
5. run through sprinklers
6. make freezer jam
7. choose a recipe from a children's cookbook, then make it
8. learn to knead bread dough
9. make baked beads
10. make shortbread, "the easiest cookie"
11. make "potions"
12. make ice treasures
13. have a sensory party
14. celebrate midsummer
15. grow sprouts
16. have a fondue night
17. make green smoothies
18. try sardines
19. make bean pictures
20. do an herbal foot soak
21. make an herbal infusion
22. go to the beach
23. go to the children's museum
24. make homemade noodles
25. make fingerpaint
26. make cornstarch "goop"
27. make "color bombs"
28. make felted beads
29. make bread dough sculptures
30. make dream pillows
31. make coffee filter butterflies
32. sleep in a tent
33. make flowers from buttons or egg cartons
34. make an indoor fort
35. make an outdoor fort
36. climb a tree
37. play with water
38. make colored rice
39. get read to
40. go to storytime at the library
41. make peanut butter playdough
42. make a fresh batch of regular playdough
43. make finger jello
44. make popsicles ("ice lollies")
45. make cut-out cookies in whimsical shapes (like woodland creatures, for example)
46. go for a picnic
47. go for an "outing" in the backyard--pack the wagon with snacks, art supplies, and a quilt--pull it to the back corner of the yard, or the "oak knoll" as we call it
48. make a nature journal
49. make homemade bubbles
50. make stickers
51. lean finger knitting
52. have a tea party with the stuffed animals
53. fold a newspaper hat
54. make sewing cards
55. make a weaving, using an old strawberry basket as the base
56. make homemade paste
57. cut and paste things
58. make "flubber"
59. paint rocks
60. paint with watercolors, maybe outdoors
61. experiment with modeling beeswax on a hot day
62. ride trikes and wooden doggies
63. go to farmers market; get a tamale; listen to the music there
64. draw straight lines with rulers
65. do crayon rubbings
66. play in the sand
67. play school
68. play fruitstand
69. have a real lemonade stand
70. play hopscotch
71. play four-square
72. jump on the trampoline
73. put on a "show"
74. play "memory"
75. hunt for treasure
76. pick ripe tomatoes
77. make trail mix for an outing
78. make a rainbow in a pouch
79. learn to tie knots
80. make popcorn
81. make paper birds
82. make streamers on sticks
83. play ring-around-the-rosie
84. play "ride on mama's horsey"
85. make salad people
86. look at the clouds
87. make "scotch pancakes" (from Nigella Feast) for tea
88. make a "telephone" with string and paper cups
89. have a mother-son outing--go for smoothies
90. play with buttons
91. draw maps of our area (our living room, our yard, the bedroom, etc.)
92. have a weekly game night
93. make a cereal necklace
95. make a diorama for the dinosaurs or the wooden animals
96. make little buildings from cardboard boxes
97. make a wax paper crayon melt--hang it in the window
98. color pasta and string it onto yarn for necklaces
99. make an egg carton caterpillar
100. go on a "color hunt"

17 comments:

fuzzymama said...

I LOVE this list....thanks so much.....a great reminder that a little planning goes a long, long way.

Our Green Nest said...

I love this list! :)

Ce said...

So many great ideas in one convenient spot -- thank you for that!

I know that on some days, I just don't want to think too hard about filling the hours. A list to quickly refer to would solve that problem (and, fortunately, most of these activities require just a little bit of time invested or simple items we all probably have around the house anyway).

periwinkle said...

this list is amazing , you are an awesome mother and I hope I can do at least some of these things with my boys . You inspire me to be a better mother - thank you

periwinkle said...

me again -- have a look at the birds here http://cariadincrete.blogspot.com/2009/07/naughty-blogger.html these would be a good thing to make with the boys ?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great ideas! We've been in sort of a rut this week as far as activities go so I know my daughter will be happy to try some new things! Have fun!

gardenmama said...

You are a sweet mama, I love your list!
Have a wonderful Summer Mary Beth!

Elaina said...

I love how in touch you are with your inner kid. I also like seeing the Kids Kitchen Takeover book in the photo - because I originally found your blog by googling that very book title!

bylittlehands said...

We made a similar list "The ABCs of Summer"

http://bylittlehands.typepad.com/by_little_hands/2009/06/the-abcs-of-summer.html

Enjoy!

Pussnae said...

Lots of great ideas. I think my favorite is have a fondue night!

Andrea said...

What a fun list!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the ice treasures link - my 3-year-old will love it, and I think the older kids will get a kick out of it too!

Carrie said...

I'm just able to quickly glance at the blog these past few days. As I scrolled down I totally read No. 34 as "indoor fart." A perfectly reasonable activity for two young boys, though I was surprised to see it on your list! Can't wait to come visit.

Unknown said...

Love this list! Thanks for the inspiration!

steadymom said...

Wow - you are going to be busy! Sounds like it will be a memorable season!

Jamie

Unknown said...

I printed this list out long ago, and the kids LOVE it. Funnily, I had just thrown it away a few weeks ago, and today my 6 yr old asked -- where is that list of 100 things to do when you're bored?! (It's a rainy day here today). So I looked it up here, printed it out again, and was inspired by it to make the kids a fun lunch that they ate in a tent set up in the bedroom. You should write a book, because your ideas really help put me in a creative parenting state of mind - and I'm sure it would help others too. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you! Have a great weekend.

Mary Beth said...

Thanks, Elaina, for checking back in. You've inspired me to check my own list for inspiration! Funny how that works . . .