Crafty Mama

The dreaded time of year for some parents is when kids are out of school for Summer vacation and they need care and entertainment 24/7! I think we can all give a standing ovation to the teachers and school staff who care for our kiddos from September to June every year. We don’t know how you do it, but we are eternally grateful and hope you enjoy YOUR well-deserved Summer vacation!

As a single working mama, I had no choice but to send my kiddos to full day Summer Camp. I found some wonderful camps throughout the years, and they will even tell you that it was really beneficial to go into the woods and “eat a pound of dirt” each Summer! They remember camp fondly and I remember happy (DIRTY) tired kids every afternoon.

If your Summer does not include full day camp, then you are in the position of finding something to do with these small freeloaders EVERY DAY for the next 8 weeks! Like coming up with what is for dinner isn’t hard enough??

Never fear…CRAFTY MAMA is here with some great (and of course, AFFORDABLE) ideas to keep your kiddos happy this Summer!

Outings are usually #1 on the list of ‘to do’s when it comes to Summer vacation, but balancing the outings with freebies is really the key to an affordable but fun season. We always planned a Water Wizz day every Summer with a group of friends. We gathered 2-4 families and their kids and planned a full day of fun at the iconic water park just before the Cape in Wareham. Water Wizz typically puts tickets on sale early in the season, so plan accordingly. This year, they have a whole page on their website with deals! Specials – Save On Water Park Tickets – Water Wizz If you are planning more than one day at the park in the next 8 weeks, the season pass is WELL worth it! Tips for your day: Go for the cabana. It is worth it’s weight in gold when you have a sun-whipped little one or just need a place to all gather for lunch. It served as a meeting spot when my kids got older and even allowed for some cover on those rare rainy days that we still went to the park. Pack a lunch, but remember NO GLASS containers or alcohol!

Another day that always made its way onto our Summer calendar is a day at Plimoth Plantation! Plimoth Patuxet Museum (otherwise known as Plimoth Plantation) is a living history museum that tells the story of the historic events of America’s founding story: the arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620. Historical reenactors, hands-on exhibits and beautiful scenery make this a ‘must see’ for you and your kiddos. The great thing is there is a groupon deal for tickets right now!

‘Staycation’ activities are also a must if you want to stay on a budget this Summer. I am blessed to have kids with wild imaginations! Some of the elaborate games they set up were: Carnival, Chopped, Supermarket, and Bowling Alley! The amazing thing is my kids used every-day items around the house and made them into an imagination wonderland! Go ahead…give your kids a sleeve of solo cups, a bag of ping pong balls, some pool noodles, a couple empty boxes and some markers and see what they come up with!

I think having an ‘imagination station’ is crucial for younger kids. This doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. Look first in your recycle bin! Empty oats containers make wonderful drums, colorful cereal boxes have great images to cut out for funny collage characters, and tin cans can make wind chimes! Imagination stations are CRUCIAL on bad weather days during Summer break, believe me!

Some basics to stock in your imagination station: Glue, String or Yarn, Scissors (safety scissors for the little ones) crayons and markers, acrylic paint with brushes or sponges, colored paper, glitter (if you dare), old magazines, flyers, boxes (anything with great images and colors on them)

Add some Dollar Tree items to the imagination station: pool noodles, small orange cones, wooden shapes to paint, BIG rolls of paper, ping pong balls, solo cups, storage containers, beads, foam shapes and pipe cleaners. Raid the arts and crafts area of dollar tree!

Here are some challenges for your kiddos to make out of the imagination station: a boat that FLOATS, a wind chime, a piece of jewelry, a silly sun hat, an obstacle course, a bowling alley, a carnival game. The sky is the limit when you let your kids’ imagination loose (and maybe give up on the clean kitchen for the day). Start a Pinterest board to reference when you just can’t think of something for your kids to make. We all don’t need to have something completely planned…I let Pinterest inspire me all the time!

On those sunny Summer days, get OUTSIDE with those small room mates! Don’t forget the sunscreen! I like something designed to be sweat-proof, and I think that as handy as spray sunscreen is, a base of lotion is essential so you don’t miss any spots!

If your yard is big enough, I think a small inflatable pool is a lot of fun for kids. This pool even has solar lights to make a little after-dinner cool down fun! Make the pool a part of that obstacle course challenge mentioned above!

Getting out in nature is free, and kids love to burn off energy at parks, splash pads and hiking trails. Make a list of your local spots and keep it on the fridge. Have one kid pick where the destination of the day will be and help plan what to do there! Have your kiddo pack the snacks, the waters, and maybe come up with something you all have to find when you get there! (example: a red bird!)

Making snacks to bring on your adventures or enjoy when you get home can involve the whole family! Have each person pick one item to add to your special family secret recipe trail mix! Create new flavor combinations by freezing juices and fruits together in pops! Teach your little ones your mom’s secret potato salad recipe…believe me, time in the kitchen will create lasting memories.

Summer vacation doesn’t always look like an expensive week on the Cape or a cruise to the Caribbean. Sometimes Summer looks like grass stains and popsicle lips. Sometimes Summer is full of smiles on a budget and memories that last a lifetime.