Activities for Days That Are Too HOT!

As a young child I am not sure I ever thought it was TOO HOT to play outside, but since I have gotten older, well, let's say things have changed a bit.  Now there are days that I am pretty sure I am going to melt.  Picture the witch from Wizard of Oz- yep, that's me!

Even my kids have days like that as well.  The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising, and no one wants to do anything.

So what's a mom to do?

Here are some ideas to keep your kids busy and you sane in those HOT summer months.

WATER PLAY-  They have waited all year to play in the water so let them.  There are so many ideas you can choose from-

• Running through the sprinkler
• Water guns and team competitions
• Water slides (you can even make your own with plastic tarps!)
• Neighborhood water balloon fights
• Carnival games with water buckets and balls- let your imagination go wild!

End their time with homemade popsicles and you will be the hero for the day!

MOVIE TIME- We limit our kids' screen time during formal school time, so summer is a time to loosen up the rules a bit.  Invite the kids' friends over and have a movie theater experience!  Set up a concession stand for kids to "buy" treats or popcorn, collect the "tickets," and turn off the lights for the show.  The heat of the day is the perfect time to relax in an air conditioned room for some quiet time.

VISIT THE LIBRARY- I know this may sound old hat to some, but the library is really a great place.  Gone are the days of mean, old librarians whose favorite word is "shhhhhhhh!"  Now there are reading programs, crafts days, computers, guest speakers, games, and even classes to take.  Libraries have always been a favorite of mine, but they seem to come even more alive in the summer.  Try it! You may even be able to locate a quiet air-conditioned corner just for yourself!

CRAFT DAYS- I admit it- during the school year, arts and crafts usually find their way to the bottom of our to-do list.  Some days we are lucky to just get the basics done.  Hot summer days are the perfect time to grab the craft supplies and a couple of kids and enjoy some craft time.  Pick a theme and explore the different ways you can create the same picture or maybe make puppets and let the kids entertain you with a puppet show.  The sky is the limit!

PRETEND CAMPING- It may be too hot to head outdoors but you can always pitch a tent in the living room or make blanket fortress and "camp."  Read by flashlights, tell stories to each other, make shadow puppets on the wall, and end the night with s'mores in the microwave.  No need to even heat up the house!

It may just be starting to feel like summer where you live, but no doubt the heat is coming.  Be prepared to beat the heat with some fun ideas and be the fun mom on the block!  At least until school starts! ;)

Blessings,

Clued In Kids- TOS Crew Review

Everyone loves a treasure hunt, right?  That's pretty much the premise of Clued In Kids! This cool little company has figured that out and made it easy for parents and educators to do treasure hunts of all kinds with minimal effort.  I LOVE the minimal effort part.

First you pick a theme.  There are many to choose from so whether planning a birthday party, a holiday themed party, or just a rainy day activity, you will be able to find one that suits your needs.  From fairies to pirates to Easter, Clued In Kids has you covered.  Since our oldest has had to become wheat free we decided to try the Gluten-Free Treasure Hunt  ($5.99) and then added the Winter Treasure Hunt  ($5.99) for fun.  All of the treasure hunts are recommended for kids as young as 4, but can be modified to fit older kids as well. Next you just print out the clues and you are ready to go (some of the treasure hunts are available as a physical product). At the bottom of each clue is the location of where you are to hide it.  Places include your closet, your bathroom and your refrigerator.  Once you have hidden the clues you hand the child or children the first clue and off they go.  Solving clues involves filling in puzzles, looking for hidden pictures, and unscrambling words.  Each solved puzzle then sends the children to the next clue.  Of course, at the end of the hunt is a hidden treasure- your choice, of course!

Fun and easy!  My kind of activity.
Let me tell you about our experience.  We actually decided to do the Winter Hunt first.  Because I am in charge of game night occasionally for a young church group, I decided this would be a fun activity to do with the group.  We have readers and non-readers in the group, so I emphasized we were a team and needed to work together.   Older kids read the clues and we tried to let the younger ones lead us to the next space.  Tried, being the operative word, of course. ;)  I also had to modify a few of the clues a little as we were in a church setting and not a house.  The washing machine became the dishwasher and I had to "plant" a pair of shoes with one of the clues in it.  Even with these modifications, the hunt was fairly easy to set up and just took a few extra minutes to change up.  I taped the modified clue over the original one. And prizes, everyone loves prizes.  We bought glow sticks from the Dollar Store and the kids seemed thrilled.  Remember, it is not about the end result as much as it is the thrill of the hunt!

As for the Gluten Free hunt, which was created in response to a life threatening health issue with the creator and her daughter, we chose to do this one in our home with my two younger kids.  The older, age 12, did not have nearly as much fun as our church group, but my 7 year old loved it.  The theme was not nearly as exciting I think, but it was informational.  If you have a child with a newly modified diet this could be a good way to help them learn information in a less threatening and scary way.  I did find that the information presented on what gluten was and how it affected one's diet seemed a little weighty for the younger kids that would appreciate a treasure hunt, but on the other hand, kids often surprise us with what they can learn and understand!  Oh, and the treasure?  Gluten free s'mores, of course! ;)

If you are looking for a fun, inexpensive way to entertain your kids, look no further.  Clued in Kids has all you need for a treasure hunt sure to thrill your kids in a form sure to make it easy for you to do so!  Enjoy! You can find Clued In Kids on social media as well-  Twitter: @cluedinkids Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cluedinkids Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cluedinkids/ 

Ordering is easy!  For $5.99, you can choose between a variety of themes to download! If you sign up for the newsletter, you will get access to a FREE treasure hunt!