SHARK BITES – Adventure’s in Summer Vacationing: “Oh… the Fun of It!” Part I
I’d be shocked to find out that you were the only one on earth, who has never seen a National Lampoon’s Vacation movie— especially, the original. If you’ve seen one or all, then you know how hilariously funny and absurd they are. One has to wonder sometimes… were the writers peeping into to our families windows… getting a glimpse into our chaos we call family life? Regardless of where their ideas came from, we can probably relate, or top what we saw on the big screen I bet!
School is just about to end for the 2014-2015 calendar year. That means a whole lot of energized little ones, tweens, and teens are wanting and needing to release that said energy relentlessly on you!
One or two things can happen here. You can… how do I say politely…. umm… PANIC! Or, you can hit the ground running! Literally! That’s right. Literally! At least, start off the summer fun with the little ones.
When that last bus pulls up and unloads your kid(s) from pre-school, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade etc… be there to greet them, and challenge them to race you back to the house. You’ve officially allowed the summer fun to begin! Now, catch your breath. 😉
Now, that they have thrown all their belongings down in the hallway, that their teacher ever-so graciously waited until the very last day to send home, which includes the plant that died in transit, you can motion to the little one(s) that if they hurry and wash their hands, they will have a surprise waiting for them in the kitchen. You again become ‘mom of the year’ when they see that big bowl of ice-cream and chocolate syrup waiting for them!
If you are a parent that is the “chauffer” of the family, and you are picking those adorable noise makers up… treat them to an ice-cream cone from a local fast food chain, before settling at home. You’ve officially, allowed the summer fun to begin! Now wipe their faces and the car seats! 😉
Unfortunately, the tweens and teens don’t want to be seen with mom or pop. It’s so like… cliché mom… as eyes roll— (flashback to my younger years). So, you kind of just let them come home “as usual”. Just “greet them” with a good old-fashioned platter of pizza bites or cupcakes. No matter the age, it is sure to put a smile on their face, as they walk to their rooms and lock the door. You’ve officially allowed the summer fun to begin! Well… at least when you get this cry from the hallway —–> “MA”!!! Can I have $20 bucks to go to the movies?!! 😉
Well… that is just the first day of summer vacation. You officially have “XX” amount of days until the 2015-2016 school year begins. In case you want to know “EXACTLY” how many glorious days to bond with your off-springs… Click here and look for your state to give an actual exact count.
Now, that you have picked yourself up off the floor… what are you planning on doing to occupy their time for all the remaining days of summer? Have no fear… I have some GREAT ideas for you! 😉
Okay… now that you have had time to gather in the reality that time is approaching fast, you can now look into making some sort of daily plan regimen, to help you keep your sanity and give your child(ren) an awesome summer of fun!
Where to really begin?: Have a computer… Will Google.
Yes, Google is truly our friend in this type of situation. There are massive amounts of information to overload you in help to keep summer days eventful. I found a little treat that can give you 160 ideas from The Crafting Chicks. I think I can safely say… this should cover summer!
So, as you can see… there are an amazing amount of things for your “to do list”. The question at hand now is… where do you begin? You, as a parent know, we sacrifice all the time for our kid(s). This summer will be no exception!
Outdoor Activities: Let’s Get Them OUT of the HOUSE!
If you’re not the type of person that likes the outdoors, but sacrifice the heat and bugs for the sake of happiness it brings your child(ren)… perhaps think of types of outdoor activities that are good when the sun is going down, or at night, like catching butterflies or fireflies/lightning bugs). If you can handle the heat… the neighborhood pool (if you don’t own your own), is a great way to get some Vitamin D from the sun, while frolicking in the water with your kid(s). Just don’t forget the SPF for your skin and lips!
Local Parks and Recreation:
Here is another place to enjoy daily activities set up by your state. Simply take the kid(s) to go play in the park, feed the ducks, and/or simply have them just run off some of that energy desperately needing to burn off. If your family is feeling adventurous… try camping. You can get back to me on that one though! 😉 If you go to Recreation.Gov and type in your city or state, you will be able to come across a host of locations to visit this summer. Gas up and hit the road!
Picnic Time!:
There’s nothing like the nostalgic weaved baskets filled with all kinds of cold cuts, fruits and drink boxes to have a picnic… just about anywhere outdoors. You can have weekly backyard picnics, pull the hatchback down and set up inside your car while you plug in the big screen TV in the garage for a movie night “out”, go to the park, or even rotate days with your neighbors. Be creative and just have fun with it!
Make Lemonade Out of Lemons!:
A child should experience at least once in their childhood, the joy of making and selling lemonade for profit. Tell them you’ll match whatever they make in sales, and that it will be used for the ice cream truck, or buying movie tickets at the local theater. Make sure any permits needed are taken care of, and take lots of pictures for a SUMMER SCRAPBOOK to be an on-going project throughout the summer.
As you can see, there are many things to do or create, and ideas to be imagined and fulfilled. Have fun in whatever you choose to do. The most important part of all of this is to make memories. 🙂
Stay tuned for next week’s continuation (Adventure’s in Summer Vacationing: “Oh… the Fun of It!” Part II (Indoor Activities)
Sharky wants to know:
What is your fondest childhood ‘outdoor’ experience with your family during summer vacation?
~Sharky
What is “Shark Bites”? Shark Bites is a money-saving tips series here on FreebieShark that aims to help you and your family get the most out of your money. “Shark Bites” posts are both educational and straight to the point. Just another way FreebieShark is helping you save!
