Summer Boredom Busters Week 4: 7/22-7/26

I've still got a few more Boredom Buster ideas to inspire your Summer activities! There are so many fun activities you can do at home for little (or no!) cost - but result in hours of fun for the kids. We also miss out on lots of great opportunities in our communities, such as discounted attractions or free weekly events. Luckily, I'm scouting them out for you - so read on!


If you are hitting a Summer rut, check out this week's ideas, as well as the ideas from Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3.

Week of 7/22 - 7/26

Family Movie Night

It's the simple things that end up having the best results, don't they? We hustle and bustle for the big undertaking of day trips or fill our Summer days with tons of activities just to keep busy. But what about just relaxing as a family? I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SIT BACK AND RELAX AS A FAMILY. There. Now you have no excuse. Pick a movie, pop some corn or grab some homemade popsicles (see below), and snuggle up on the couch for some on-screen entertainment. This activity is a freebie. And I love freebies. 

BONUS: If you have access to a projector, tack up a white sheet and watch the movie on the sheet screen for an "At-Home Movie Theatre" experience!

Make Your Own Popsicles

Oh, Popsicles. You are the soul of summer. On a hot summer's day, grabbing some cold sweetness on a stick just hits the spot. They were always a good choice when the ice cream truck came around, chiming through the neighborhood. Sure, you can buy them in grocery store by the box. But have you ever checked the ingredients or nutrition information? SUGAR. High fructose corn syrup. Artificial color and flavors. And other not-so-good for you stuff.

Spare your kids the ensuing sugar rush, and make your own popsicles at home!  This way, you are able to control what goes into your pops, how healthy (or unhealthy) you'd like them to be. Popsicles can be as simple as pouring low-sugar apple juice or freshly-squeezed orange juice into molds and freezing them. I have an entire Popsicles Pinterest Board if you need inspiration. It's  a great way to infuse fruits and veggies for picky eaters (make a Green Smoothie then freeze it in molds, baby!), and kids always think things taste better when they have a hand in making it!

Also, if you don't have a good popsicle mold (every one I buy ends up breaking), check out my tutorial on how to make popsicles in dixie cups (Hint: there is a bonus Nutella Popsicle recipe at the end of the post)!

Popsicle Stick Bracelets

Since you'll already have popsicle sticks on hand, this next craft will be the perfect follow up. I came across these Popsicle Stick Bracelets on Pinterest, and HAD to try them out. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I was pleasantly surprised it was relatively easy. I recently won a bunch of washi tape from Downtown Tape, so Chica and I decorated her bracelets with all the fun washi tape patterns I received! You could cater the decorating for a boy, too. Just use your imagination! 

Note: when I soaked the popsicle sticks in the boiling water, I soaked 5-10 at a time. Many of them never got pliable enough and would splinter or snap. So be prepared to lose a few sticks in the process. 

Thanks to MollyMoo this fab craft!

Free Kids Crafts at A.C. Moore

I like crafting. But even more than crafting, I like free crafting. In the beginning of the Summer, I enjoyed a fun blogger's night out with A.C. Moore. There, they shared with us some of their upcoming promotions. And I was delighted to learn that ALL SUMMER LONG, A.C. Moore offers a free kids craft project every Wednesday between 1pm-3pm. These Summer Fun Wednesdays are offered at ALL A.C. Moore, and are great for ages preschool and older.  This is an awesome way to beat the heat and have a little fun in the process!

A.C. Moore is generally found on the East Coast, so if you do not have an A.C. Moore available to you, check out your local craft store. They might have something similar for you to participate in!

Make Homemade Flubber

I'm a science geek at heart, so we take every chance we can to do fun science experiements at home. I love that these science adventures are not only educational, but usually messy and fun and sometimes mind-boggling.

I stumbled upon this Homemade Flubber pin on Pinterest, but the pin didn't lead anywhere. With a little detective work, I found the original post on Live Craft Eat. And now I cannot WAIT to concoct this with the girls!  I'm not sure who will have more fun with the Homemade Flubber: ME or the KIDS!

Thanks, Live Craft Eat for this fantastic project!

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Where will your adventures take you to this week? 

What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? 

I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!) 

Summer Boredom Busters Week 3: 7/15-7/19

Can you believe that we're halfway through Summer? We've had lots of stuff on the calendar, as well as plenty of time to relax at home. With the rain and the heat, it's been very helpful to have Summer Boredom Buster ideas on hand. We've had a few weeks of back-to-back open days, as well as a few stormy days and heat waves. It's awesome to pull an idea out of the Boredom Buster bag when we're stuck indoors or in need of a new adventure.

If you are hitting a Summer rut, check out this week's ideas, as well as the ideas from Week 1 and Week 2.

Week of 7/15 - 7/19

Kids Bowl Free

Another great Summer Freebie!  Last week I mentioned the Regal Cinema Summer Express, which offers $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  This is a fantastic way to get out of the heat and enjoy some family friendly movies. 

AMF Bowling Centers are offering an equally exquisite deal: KIDS BOWL FREE. 

Heck yes.  Sign your kids up for the Summer Unplugged program can bowl two games per day, every day, all summer long from open until 8pm! A great way to save money, as well as enjoy some family fun out of the heat!

For more information, click here.

Slip n Slide Park

I feel like Slip 'n Slides were all the rage in the 80's when I was growing up. Which may explain why I am obsessed with getting one for my girls. You see, these colorful plastic sheet with a stream of water running off it from your hose may have been hot stuff back in 1985. But I never had one. I'm not even positive I ever used one as a kid. Possibly ever.

So as we've been planning Chica's 5th birthday party that is in a few weeks, we've toyed with the idea of having a Water Party. Essentially, we want to buy a bunch of Slip 'n Slides (as well as a few of those dollar store plastic pools) and place them around the yard so the kids can just go to town sliding, slipping and swimming. 

Because, seriously? One Slip 'n Slide is clearly not enough.


DIY:  For $20-$30, pick up a few Slip 'n Slides and a plastic pool or two. Fill up the pools, soak the slides, and let the kids run wild in the back yard!  This will be a perfect activity for this week, as we are anticipating another heat wave (ug).

Visit An Aquarium

Aquariums are an amazing world of undersea adventures for landlubbers. My kids are always mesmerized to see the colorful fish, the amazing creatures that live in the deep. Many towns are accessible to an aquarium, but if you are more remote, consider making a day trip. Trips to aquariums are educational (you may be nurturing a budding marine biologist, you never know!). And the best part? Most aquarium exhibits are indoors (read: air-conditioned) during these brutally hot Summer months.

I've shared about my adventures to our local aquarium, the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. It's a winning trip for kids of almost every age. And BONUS for locals: I'm giving away a Family 4-Pack of tickets to the Adventure Aquarium for another day - so be sure to enter!

Go to a Farmers Market

There is nothing more satisfying than supporting your local community. Farmer's Markets are becoming more popular, and rightfully so.  With disease and obesity on the rise, families are working to make healthier meals and to be more involved in reading labels. We want to know what is going into our bodies. We want to know where our food comes from. And what better place to get to know your food than from the farms and farmers they come from?

I have had the honor to be the blogger and social media specialist for one of my local farmer's markets, The West Chester Growers Market, for several years now. I have come to have a deep appreciation and respect for our local farmers and artisans. I do my best to frequent as many farmer's markets during the week that I can. Farmer's Markets offer so many wonderful products and locally-sourced produce. There are often local musicians playing, and some even offer children's activities. It's not only a great way to support your local community, but to be involved with teaching your kids about healthy living and sustainability as well.

If you are local, you can check out all the BUY Fresh, BUY Local Southeastern PA listings. Here is a list of our local markets and the days/times they are open for business:

West Chester Growers Market 
Saturdays 9am-1pm

Kennett Square Farmers Market

Fridays 2pm-6pmm 

Downingtown Farmers Market

Thursdays 3pm-7pm

Malvern Farmers Market 

    Saturdays 9am-1pm

East Goshen Farmers Market

Thursdays 3pm-7pm 3pm - 7pm

Oxford Village Market

Tuesdays 12pm-6pmpm 

Coatesville Farmers Market

Saturdays 9am-1pm 1pm 

Anselma Farmers and Artisans Market

Wednesdays 2pm-6pmpm

New Garden Growers Market

Saturdays 9am-1pm - 1pm

Phoenixville Farmers Market

Saturdays 9am-1pm -

For more info on local farm fresh markets, click here for national listings.

Summer Science Experiment: Make Ice Cream!

About a month ago, Chica and I attended a Wegman's Cooking With Kids class. Many Wegmans offer these fun workshops once a month (so check with your local store for the next one!). Each class has a theme, and gives kids ages 4 and up the chance to learn to cook something. Last month's workshop was  themed "Ice Cream," where we concocted various ice cream treats. One of the activities was making our own ice cream in a ziplock bag! It was very fun for me, as I used to do this same ice cream making activity at a Summer Science Camp where I was a counselor. Kids love it. It's simple and educational (you can discuss how salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, allowing the cream to freeze into ice cream).

It's a great experiment that you can do outdoors on a nice day or in your kitchen if the heat is too much. Here is the basic recipe, but you can throw in whatever "add-ins" you want (think chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc):

Enjoy!

Where will your adventures take you to this week? 

What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? 

I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!) 

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Summer Boredom Busters Week 2: 7/8-7/12

Last week's Summer Boredom Busters post was a hit! I'm hoping you found some new ideas and inspiration on fun things to do with your kids. I'm going to do my best to have a new list each week so we can go into each week armed with some new ideas. 

Here are 5 more ideas for making most of your (and your children's) week!

Week of 7/8-7/12

$1 Family Movies

It's been hot as a boy band in Philly, and it doesn't look like it will be letting up soon. Nothing beats the heat like sitting in a nice cool movie theatre enjoying some cinematic entertainment, amright? I know for me, I often pass on taking my kids to the movies because it's costly. And since they are so young, I can't guarantee they'll sit still through an entire movie, which would make a $10 ticket a total waste. Well, then let me tell you about the Regal Movie Express. HELLO!  $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! (And part of the proceeds go to the Will Rogers Institute). All the movies are family-friendly, with most of the films being specifically geared toward younger kids. Check out the schedule for your local theatre - there are a few theaters in most states! Our local Regal in Downingtown should be on Week 5 of the schedule, so this week Coraline and ParaNorman are on the schedule. That might be a bit too "scary" for our girls, so we might opt for next week's The Lorax or Big Miracle.

Reading Nook/Fort

Courtesy alannageorge.com from her post
http://www.alannageorge.com/2012/07/11/summer-day-camp-hula-hoop-hideout/ 

I came across this super cute idea on Pinterest, and had to try it out! My kids love forts, and this canopy-via-hula-hoop idea seemed perfect (and, if I might add, somewhat princess-y, which is always a plus for Chica and Bug). We attempted it last week, and it did not come out nearly as pretty - but the girls LOVED it. And really, that's all that mattered, right? You can get cheap shower curtains at Kmart or Walmart (or you may just have one lying around), and hula hoops are literally $2 or $3. We had to cut our hoop, then duct-tape it into a smaller hoop so the shower curtain could cover more area. We have exposed beams in our screened porch, so we set it up there with twine we had lying around. You could string it up with ribbon or any kind of string you might have.  Check out Alanna George's post for more instruction.

Pick Your Own Fruit

Fresh fruit. Does it get any better than fresh fruit?!  Well, actually yes, it does. Fresh fruit you pick yourself. We are lucky to live near several local orchards who have the option of PYO (pick-your-own) produce during the various growing seasons. I take my girls to the same orchard my mom took me to as a kid: Highland Orchard. As a kid, we would pick peaches in the Summer, apples in the Fall. Now, I take my kids to every opportunity that Highland Orchard offers! Last month we picked strawberries with friends. During the Summer we'll pick blueberries and peaches. In the autumn we'll go back for apples and pumpkins. I am hoping to make it over this week, as blueberries and black raspberries just came ripe for picking.  This is a quick schedule of their harvests. Check out what PYO orchards are local to you on PickYourOwn.org.

Make Fruit Crisp

Now that you've picked your own fruit, it's high time you make some delicious homemade Fruit Crisp!  If you can't get to orchard to pick your own, try to hit up your local farmer's market and support your local farms!  I love fruit crisp. Borderline obsessed. And it's a little less intensive than making a homemade pie (although I am a pretty fantastic pie maker), which allows your kids to help you make the top crumble part. Get those kids involved in kitchen endeavors, people! During the Summer, I opt for making peach crisp or blueberry crisp (or, in the wise words of Joey Tribiani: Put your hands together. A peach-blueberry crisp would be divine). I have a very simple fruit crisp recipe that can be adapted for any kind of fruit or season: Steph's Fruit Crisp Recipe. Apologies, as the post is from years ago when I was a new blogger, so it's not terribly pretty. Also also, warning: it is a very butter-laden recipe. You can cut back on the butter, but I will say it does make it truly delectable. It's a treat, right? 

Visit a Science Museum

School may be out for the Summer, but that doesn't mean the learning can't continue on. And luckily, there are kid-friendly science museums all around the country that make science pretty darn cool. Also? They are air-conditioned, which is a bonus option for uber hot days. Three of my favorite local science museums to take kids to are the Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly, as well as the Delaware Museum of Natural History.  Each of these museums has fantastic kid-centric attractions (including dinosaurs), and you can really make a day out of visiting each one. Pack a lunch and have a picnic or adventure to a new cafe for a day of fun!



Where will your adventures take you to this week? What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!)

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Summer Boredom Busters Week 1: 7/1-7/5

I'm a schedule kind of gal. I don't mean to say that I have a strict schedule and that every minute of my day is planned out. But I have a routine. I like having routine. During the school year, there is a gentle, familiar rhythm to our life that I find comforting. It's nice to know what is coming, what will happen next. 

Summer throws all ideas of schedule out the window. Chica is off school, and any daily or weekly meetings/activities we normally do are on hiatus until the Fall. My life is particular thrown off-kilter as Hubby, who is a high school teacher, is on "Summer Hours." This means he has a few part-time jobs he works, but otherwise he is home. 

So, Summer is an adjustment for all of us.

While I enjoy the freedom and fun that Summer brings, it helps me to have a few ideas each week for things we can do. It gives us something to look forward to and keeps us from being lazy bums. This Summer, I've tried to think of one interesting thing to do each day: an activity, an errand, a trip or an adventure. 

Starting today, I'll post 5 ideas each Monday. Some may be crafts. Some may be recipes to try. Some may be places to visit. But the posts are meant to inspire, especially if you are hitting a rut of Summer Boredom. And it's good to keep kid's minds sharp, even if school is not in session.

Bust that Boredom, I say!

Here are my ideas for this week:

Week of 7/1-7/5

Make Granola

My friend Kate alerted me to this fantastic granola recipe. We made some a few weeks ago and I could not get enough of it!  The hint of coconut is what really makes this recipe special. Kids will love that they can eat something that they helped create. This is great in a yogurt parfait or over ice cream. Sometimes I would just sneak handfuls when the kids were looking (and maybe thrown in a few chocolate chip morsels as an extra special treat. SHHH).

Source: The Crafting Chicks
http://thecraftingchicks.com/2011/06/paper-lantern-kids-craft4th-of-july-style.html

Paper Lanterns for 4th of July

I came across this cute Patriotic Paper Lantern craft on Pinterest, and it seemed easy enough for both Chica AND Bug. Also? It looked only minorly messy, which in my book is a huge plus. It's always fun to have a craft or recipe to do in conjunction with a holiday. And since we have a wedding to attend at night on July 4th, this is something I could easily do with the girls that morning or even the day before. 

Visit a Local Garden

We are lucky to live near Longwood Gardens, one of the most amazing gardens in the entire nation. We have a membership, so we frequent there often. There are so many great exhibits to explore and Longwood offers lots of family-friendly special events. You may not be local to me, but Find A Garden is a great resource to find a "Happy Botanical Garden" in your area. 

Go to the Library

I know, I know. It's a simple thing. But don't we often overlook the simple things? We've come to really love the library as of late. Both girls are old enough to enjoy time at the library, and Chica is old enough to take books home. I've been reading a lot too (did you see my Summer Reading List?), so we've actually been making weekly trips to return read books and check-out new ones. If you are scratching your head as what to do today, consider a free trip to your local library. You may be surprised how much fun you have!

Grill Pizza for Dinner

This has been my favorite weekly meal for a while now. I discovered the joy of grilling pizza a few months ago. Since then, we've been grilling up pizza once a week. The kids love trying new toppings, and Hubby and I challenge ourselves to create a new gourmet pizza each time. Here is my How to Grill Pizza post (complete with recipes and a how-to video). It's not only tasty and keeps the kitchen cool, but it's a fun activity you can do as a family.

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How are you keeping Summer Boredom at bay? 

What activities do you have on the agenda this week?  

Do any of these suggestions suit your fancy?

I'd love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment - and share more Boredom Buster ideas to inspire the rest of us (who knows - they may even be in one of the upcoming Summer Boredom Buster posts!)