nikkistone Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I tried to take my 3 dc to see a $1 kids movie at our local theater. I think we barely lasted 20 minutes in to the movie (my sensitive kids thought it was too scary -- It was a Shrek movie). I loathe taking my dc to the pool by myself (or with a friend) because none of them know how to swim and are afraid of getting water in their faces. I've got only 2 arms and 3 dc. It's a LOT of work for not a lot of fun. It seems we can't do any of the "easy" summer activities that don't require much mess or planning. In TX, it's getting up to nearly 100 degrees each day, so playing outside for most of the day is not an option (it IS nice outside early in the morning and late at night). Frustrated!!!! :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 This is one reason we school year-round. We have class during the hot summer days and we can take off in the autumn and spring on pretty days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Have you considered swimming lessons? My kids were independent swimmers at 6 & 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Is there any chance you could hire a young teen to come with you to the pool and help teach the kids to swim? I agree that your life would be *so* much easier in the summer if they could swim well enough to enjoy the pool experience. And in the Texas heat, the pool is such a relief! City rec centers also sometimes offer swimming lessons that are more affordable than the YMCA or private pools, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Playdoh and all the cool molds and presses that come with it. Hours and hours of fun. Coloring. Water colors (and there are cool pencils that you get wet). Glitter glue (I think that is what its called). Your frig will be full of great artwork! Put cool music on while they are doing their crafts. You might be able to read a book while they do it! (Can you tell I used to live in Texas? I have two grown dc born in Texas, and I endured being pg with them through the summer....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We're in Florida.....it's VERY hot, I'm pregnant, and I just don't do hot weather. We rarely go outside. Yesterday I went to WalMart and to Publix and thought I was going to die. Between the heat, the bickering kids, my aching back, my aching feet, and aching belly muscles, I swore I'd never step foot out the door again until it cools off. Okay, so maybe that's unrealistic LOL. But seriously, we're not doing much this summer. Florida heat is one reason I school year around....we take our breaks at other times, when the PS kids are back in school, nothing is crowded, and it's not so hot. Our outside time consists of swimming in our pool for about an hour a day. But today, we are not even doing that. We have pretty thick smoke around here from some wildfires, so the authorities are telling people to try not to hang around outsides unless needed. We like the summer activities at the library, so we may try to do some of those. But once again, it is jam packed with public school kids and I really don't like feeling stuffed into the library....so we'll pick and choose which activities we do there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I third the swimming lessons. The instructors will work with kids who have a fear of putting their heads under. It will make ALL the difference in the world if your kids can swim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) . My kids are 8, 4, & 3. (Although by July the two little ones have birthdays, so they will be 8, 5, & 4). And I have been taking all of them out by myself to do activities for a very long time (my husband has always worked a lot and we don't have family around). I would have a big meeting with them, and have everyone contribute to a list of activities that they would like to do this summer. We call this our "Summer fun" list and it hangs up in the kitchen. That way when you feel like it's a good day to go do something you already have ideas ready. And then, before every 'outing' I would have another meeting. Tell them where you're going, what you're going to do, and what you expect from them (attitudes & behavior). Let them know that fun outings require the family to work together as a team, and that if they are unable to listen or obey, then you won't be able to do anything else fun. I also always bring water bottles, snacks, & wipes with us wherever we go. You can do it!! ;) Edit: I had to go back and remove "it shouldn't be so hard." Who am I kidding? It's hard!! Taking 3 kids to the zoo/pool/beach by yourself is VERY hard!! But it is possible... I guess I just feel like it's necessary. Edited June 15, 2011 by JessReplanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkistone Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks for the responses. I'm beginning to cool off now a little. We don't have much money for swim lessons right now (they're SO expensive!) unfortunately. We tried a couple of years ago with the oldest, and he was in tears nearly every day. Our middle son has been diagnosed with anxiety (one of his anxieties is bodily injury -- and swimming qualifies as a potential activity that would "harm" him) and so I'm thinking that not just any swim teacher can help him. Unfortunately the little one has "learned" to be afraid because of her brothers. I must learn to :chillpill:. Or this will be a long summer. I HAVE started doing some math with the boys (we're new to homeschooling) and that is helping take up some of the afternoon... I'll add in subjects as I feel ready to (but we won't get into the full swing of things till the Fall because of Classical Conversations) Thanks ladies. I appreciate your helpful suggestions and empathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm taking advantage of the 3 hour a day gymnastics camp my daughter's gym offers during the summer. Lots of open gym time, which basically just lets her play on a nice, indoor playground, and when she comes home, she's much more able to amuse herself. I'm enjoying the couple of week break without doing school (we're traveling the last half of the month). I think we'll both be ready to start back in July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 From my few years here on the boards, it seems that many (many) Texans school year round, just because of the stifling hot summers. They take winter vacation instead of summer vacation. You might want to start school now and then take off a month in October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I don't have a rant but I'm done with it. I'm bored and the sameness is driving my crazy! :) Fortunately this is our last week. We'll be back on 1/2 to 3/4 days for 4 to 5 days a week with taking a week off in July and a week off in August. We can get so much finished in school in only 3 hours that there is plenty of great summer day to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnsinkableKristen Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm in Texas as well and mine are 6, 5, 2 and I'm pregnant with #4 due in September - I feel your pain :) Here is what we do - They have to be outside at least for part of every day. No matter how hot it gets, they need to suck it up and play outside. We live in Texas and if you don't learn to play while it's hot, you'll never play. It won't kill them to sweat a little. So, we have an activity each morning and each afternoon. Morning ones are things like sprinklers, water guns, wading pool, bubbles, chalk, digging in the dirt, finding bugs, riding bikes along the front of the house while I watch with the 2 yo. We go to the park, zoo, etc in the mornings while its cool. Leave after a picnic lunch before it's too hot. In the afternoons, we do a movie & popcorn day, a craft day, a baking day, an errand day, and cleaning day. Or we scrap our plans and have friends over. Most afternoons, I send them outside with a popsicle right after rest time is over and they play for another 30 minutes or so. There really are so many things you can do during the summer, but some times it just requires being more proactive. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessicaLady Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We live in Austin and summer is just oppressive. Sometimes it's too hot outside even if you're swimming! I completely understand being uncomfortable going to a pool, but what about a sprinkler park? I don't care for them myself, but if I get there right when they open we can stay for a few hours and leave just as it's getting busy. Also, another option is story time at your library. Most have expanded storytimes to include school age children during the summer months. Many around me have special performances on Fridays. These are FREE! My AC is cranked down and we just hang out inside most of the summer. If we play outside/swim we're back inside by noon. Too much risk of sunburn/overheating after that (for me). J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 This is one reason we school year-round. We have class during the hot summer days and we can take off in the autumn and spring on pretty days. Ditto here. I'd love to take the kids to the lake to swim soon, but it's so darned hot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 How about getting a wading pool for them to cool off in, or set up a sprinkler to run through. Homemade popsicles or fruit slushees eaten outside while they play in the water,it keeps the mess outdoors. :iagree: We still use kiddie pools. We used to have this one, and it was big enough for us. My olders had a lot of fun with it even though it seems too young for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I used to get tired of it too. Here in GA, it's also too hot to enjoy doing anything outdoors except swimming, and we don't have a pool (but if we could afford one, we would!). EK remarked to me a few days ago that she thinks we should have school during the summer and winter when it's either too hot or too cold to go anywhere, and take off spring and fall when the weather's nice. I think she might just have something there. I wonder if anyone here actually does this? Anyone care to comment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Do you have a backyard? You could put up an inexpensive, small snap-set pool for the summer. Ours cost $15 at Wal-Mart. What about your local library? Do they have a summer reading program? Ours is the whole month of June and is packed with activities. We also do a little bit of school in the summers. The days are just so long - what's an hour of work? I like the Summer Bridge workbooks, plus the girls are finishing their math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 You've gotten some good suggestions. Some of these are repeats.... * School now & take off on days when the weather is cooler/nicer for being outdoors. * Check your library for programs. They often have storytimes, craft activities, movies, etc.... If yours doesn't, ask them if they'll start doing some of those things. * Set up a sprinkler outdoors (if you aren't on watering restrictions). * Meet a friend early in the morning at a shaded park. That way, you have another adult around (nice to have 2 sets of eyes or someone to watch the kids if you run to the restroom). * Invite a friend over for the afternoon. Serve cool drinks, the kids can all play together & you can get some face time w/ another adult. * Put in a dvd for 30 minutes or an hour. * Get some books on cd from the library & have the kids spend 30 minutes or an hour a day listening. * Eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner as a picnic inside the house. Put a blanket out on the kitchen or den floor & enjoy. * Are any local parks having outdoor movie nights? * Go to an indoor play place at a fast food restaurant. * Let the kids paint w/ water outside. Gather lots of brushes, some bowls w/ water, & they can paint the sidewalk, the house, each other, etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'm not good with humid heat. I have this annoying tendency to pass out. So, when my kids were younger, our summer days included some or all of the following: Some rules were loosened. For example, they were often allowed to watch a TV show over breakfast, which does not happen other times during the year. They always continued some light homeschooling, usually just one or two subjects, over the summer. So, after breakfast and getting dressed, we'd sit down and do 30 minutes or so of book work. I also used to choose a theme for each summer and plan some light academics and activities around that. One year, it was ancient Greece. We did read alouds and workbooks and craft projects. That would take up another hour of the day. After that, if the weather was cooperative (not raining), we'd try to get out of the house and do something for a while. At that point, we lived in apartments and a home with community pools. So, I'd take them swimming most days. If swimming wasn't an option, we might do something as simple as go to the mall for a couple of hours. Or bowling. Or to the library or bookstore. Or maybe once a month some place like Chuck E. Cheese. If the day's outing did not include lunch, we'd do that when we got home. After that, they often watched a movie. And, by that time, Dad was home. We would also sit down at the beginning of the summer and make lists of things we wanted to do and places we wanted to go. I'd try to plan one of those special outings at least each month. In the years when we couldn't afford much of a vacation, we would set aside one week during which we would do something fun and summer-y every day. We'd pack snacks and come home to sleep (and it meant we didn't need to kennel the cats), but otherwise, we were "on vacation." My kids have very fond memories of those years. It doesn't have to be expensive or difficult. I just tried to keep them reasonably busy and maintain some kind of routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I used to know every McDonalds within a 30 mile radius that had an indoor play area. Playgrounds with sprinklers Art projects at home YMCA with sliding fee scale Chuck E Cheese Free events at the library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I tried to take my 3 dc to see a $1 kids movie at our local theater. I think we barely lasted 20 minutes in to the movie (my sensitive kids thought it was too scary -- It was a Shrek movie). I loathe taking my dc to the pool by myself (or with a friend) because none of them know how to swim and are afraid of getting water in their faces. I've got only 2 arms and 3 dc. It's a LOT of work for not a lot of fun. It seems we can't do any of the "easy" summer activities that don't require much mess or planning. In TX, it's getting up to nearly 100 degrees each day, so playing outside for most of the day is not an option (it IS nice outside early in the morning and late at night). Frustrated!!!! :banghead: I bought a pool pass for this summer. When it is boiling hot outside and the kids really want to swim, the pool is so crowded they can barely move and other kids gladly jump in practically on top of them. When it is cooler outside, the pool is empty, but the deck chairs are full of teenagers making out. :glare: :001_huh: So much for summer fun poolside. I feel your pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I have not-strong-swimmers too. The girls do enjoy playing with the hose/sprinkler outside. We also have a couple of splash parks nearby with sprinklers that the kids enjoy. Sometimes we do early morning tennis at the park before it gets too hot. Library programs are good - ours has Wii tournaments and things like that. We are doing school this summer, so it saves my sanity and keeps the kids busy part of the day. They also play on the computer a lot, watch DVDs, do arts and craft stuff, listen to music, practice their instruments. We'll do a few day trips too, to mix things up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We school year round also because it's too hot to be out in the summer. How about museums? Are there any in your area that are inexpensive or have a yearly pass? We do an aquarium and 2 museums. We use money from Christmas gifts to buy our memberships. How about bowling? Most bowling alleys have cheap times in the morning. Playing in the sprinklers? Water balloon relays in the back yard? Inside: If you have room, we brought our outside slide inside ( I have a huge kitchen). If you have stairs, you can use a slide off a swingset. My friend does this. If you have a basement with good beams you could mount swings. Just a few suggestions off the top of my head. FWIW, I do extra science in the summertime because it's the one subject that gets pushed if we're running short on time. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Maybe you can buy one of those $55, 3-foot pools from ALDI and let them get used to the water in your own backyard before going to the city pool for lessons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 If there are any state parks or similar areas near you check those. One of our state parks offers amazing classes for kids that are free. You don't have to be a camper to attend the classes. If you don't like those, find a place to hike. It is easily 20 degrees cooler on the trails we have here than out in the sun somewhere. We use the hikes as a 'nature search' with field guides and such. One time we will study trees, another look for bugs or tracks, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We school year round also because it's too hot to be out in the summer. How about museums? Are there any in your area that are inexpensive or have a yearly pass? We do an aquarium and 2 museums. We use money from Christmas gifts to buy our memberships.How about bowling? Most bowling alleys have cheap times in the morning. Playing in the sprinklers? Water balloon relays in the back yard? Inside: If you have room, we brought our outside slide inside ( I have a huge kitchen). If you have stairs, you can use a slide off a swingset. My friend does this. If you have a basement with good beams you could mount swings. Just a few suggestions off the top of my head. FWIW, I do extra science in the summertime because it's the one subject that gets pushed if we're running short on time. HTH Look to www.kidsbowlfree.com to see if any local bowling centers are offering free bowling passes for your kdis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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