Parents Talk: RX for Summer Sanity

It’s official: summer, my favorite season, has begun, albeit ushered in with storms.

But only two weeks into summer vacation and some type of malaise has already set in. I blame TV, an easy fix for feelings of boredom. The weather hasn’t really been the best, either.

So I’m putting together a list of things to do when the children start whining about being bored or looking like they’re at loose ends and are going to become troublesome. We expect lots of visits from younger cousins, too, so the list should include activities for kids of all ages.

Here are some of my favorite keep-the-summer-boredom-away activities:

Get out of the house: An impromptu trip to the park, playground, beach or pool can be exciting, fun and easy. Grab the sunscreen and maybe some juice boxes for afterward and have the kids quickly change into suits and grab towels. You can stop at McDonald’s on the way there (if it’s getting close to eating time) and leave when you get hungry. To make impromptu trips easier I keep a picnic blanket in my car and an ice block in the freezer, ready to be grabbed on a moment’s notice.

What I like about impromptu trips is that it helps children of all ages see how they can make any situation better, as in this exchange:

“Mom, where are the sand toys?”

"Oh, darn. I didn't even thing about sand toys. Maybe next time you can grab them before we go.”

The lessons are that mom doesn’t have to pack everything and, when the kids have fun anyway, you don’t need sand toys (or balls or whatever) to have fun at the beach (or wherever).

My favorite places for impromptu trips are county parks because I can buy a yearly sticker and don’t have to worry about paying daily fees when I want to visit a beach or talk a nature walk with the children. Also pool passes are great for the same reason.

Another way to get out of the house are trips are to places I call kid-destinations: Discovery World, the zoo or the domes in Milwaukee. There are so many day trips available for families in the area. But some of those can be more expensive, though, so plan ahead.

But don't forget that simple trips like going to the library, picking out a book and staying for story time, can be fun and interesting, too.

Having fun at home: when the kids were younger, one of our favorite activities was setting up a play tent in the backyard or family room/basement (if the weather is bad). Just make sure you’re happy with what is being used as a tent – an old sheet works much better than the comforter off of mom and dad’s bed.

More at home activities: arts and crafts, if you’re the crafty type or if your kids are; chalk drawings on the sidewalk or driveway; card or board games; games of tag and hide and seek; and movie or game nights. You can even invite the grandparents to join in the fun. Bingo is a popular all-ages game. War, Go Fish or Uno can be fun, too.

Don’t forget that sometimes chores can be fun, too. Watering or planting plants, giving the dog a bath, sweeping off the sidewalk, or weeding gardens can be enjoyable, too. Added bonus is the feeling of satisfaction from a job well-done.