Rainy Day Rescue

It's that time of year again... school is nearly finished, and soon the kids will be home for a few weeks.  Personally, I'm looking forward to days at the pool, trips to the park, and organized activities with other moms like the zoo and local blueberry patch.  Yes, I'm looking forward to a slightly relaxed routine and creating some fun memories with my family.

I have also learned that it's very wise to have some tentative plans and activities ready to go in case the weather doesn't cooperate.  If it turns out to be a rain-filled day -- or in case it gets too hot -- having some structured indoor activities can preserve everybody's sanity.  Here are a few of my suggestions:

• Get a jump on holiday gifts!  Use the recipe for Salt Craft Dough.  Have your kids make some home-made ornaments that they can give to grandparents and other family members.
• Help them create a scrapbook!  Now would be a fun time to take some of the pictures you've taken during some of those fun outings and create scrapbook pages.  I know that much of this can be done digitally, but it can be fun for you kids to do some cutting, pasting, and -- most importantly -- journaling.  Give them a chance to tell the story from their perspective.  Keep a supply of papers, stickers, and adhesives around so that it won't take a trip to the store to get started.
• Make watching a movie an event.  Pop some popcorn, bring out the pillows and blankets, and pick out a favorite movie.  Make the time to enjoy the movie with your kids and resist the temptation to catch up on household chores.
• Nothing warms up a nasty, rainy day like baking something together in the kitchen.  Brownies, cupcakes, or a batch of cookies can be fun... and a great way to keep up on math skills!
• If you've got the time, create a theme dinner!  How about a luau?  Decorate the kitchen or dining room, pick up some inexpensive grass skirts at the local party store, and serve something fun for dinner.  A fun dessert - make ice cream sundaes or banana splits and serve them in hollowed-out pineapple halves.

Whatever you choose to do to make a rainy day fun, keep track of the memories with pictures and notes.  And if you have another idea, be sure to share it with our other readers!

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Keeping School Skills Through the Summer

I had an interesting conversation with a dear friend the other day.  She has been a teacher for many years.  While we were talking, she mentioned that the first couple of months of the school year are spent reviewing curriculum from the prior year because kids "lose it" over the summer.  Wow.  That fact really stuck with me.  I have an elementary aged child, so I asked her what I could do to keep my child's skills up during the summer.  This is some of what she told me:

• Plan to read out loud for 30 minutes a day (I blogged about this tip from another teacher a couple of months ago).  Either listen to your child read, or take turns reading.  Either way, it will benefit them.
• Plan to review the math skills they acquired during the school year.  This is also a good time to play "catch up" if your child is a little behind.  If you aren't sure how to keep your child's math skills fresh, there are several online sites that provide printable worksheets.  There are also workbooks that help your child prepare for the next grade.  Check out books like this Summer Skills Daily Activity Workbook: Grade 2 (Flash Kids Summer Skills) to give your work time some structure.
• Elementary kids can keep up their language and handwriting skills by keeping a journal or scrapbook.  Have them spend a few minutes each day writing about their favorite activity.  Aside from helping them maintain writing skills, it will be a wonderful memory when they are older! 
• Establish a consistent time for activities.  Read when younger kids are napping.  Workbook or journal time are a great way to make sure that kids have some quiet time during the day.  Scrapbooking is a handy activity for rainy days... just remember to stock up on some supplies ahead of time.
• Remember to make it FUN!  Contact your local library branch about story times.  Younger kids can enjoy the story while older kids look for a new book to bring home.  Practice math skills by baking a batch of cookies from scratch.

Taking the time to help your kids with their school skills over the summer also gives you an idea of your child's academic strengths and areas that need help.  You will be able to discuss your observations with his or her teacher and help improve your child's skills.  Investing about an hour a day over the summer can make the next school year a great experience for your child.

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It's Not Too Late to Start a Garden!

It's hard to believe that the informal beginning of Summer (aka Memorial Day) is just a few weeks away.  It seems like the year is flying by!  If you think it's too late in the year to start a garden, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong!  You still have plenty of time to grow some of your own vegetables and herbs!  If you are a parent, this is an excellent opportunity to show your kids how things grow, where food comes from, and how to take care of plants.  It can be an ongoing science lesson throughout the summer.  If you like to cook, growing your own fresh herbs can save money at the grocery store.  I love adding fresh herbs to many of my recipes.

If you've never gardened before, I encourage you to start small.  A couple of pots or containers are all you need to grow tomatoes, peppers, or different herbs.  A flower box is an ideal size to grow lettuce, small root veggies like radishes, herbs, or .... flowers!  Basil, parsley and cilantro are easy to grow and are a great "starter plant" for little gardeners.  If you want to grow peppers or tomatoes, both work well in a large pot (at least big enough to hold 6 quarts).  Remember to also purchase a cage or a couple of stakes to support a growing tomato plant.  If you choose to grow tomatoes using one of the "upside down" planters on the market, be sure that you have adequate support.  I needed two wrought iron hooks to support the one I used last year, placing them at a 90 degree angle to each other.

If you want to grow cucumbers, zucchini, or melons, I suggest you grow these directly from the ground.  Even the busy variety of cucumbers can spread out quite a bit, so be sure that you have plenty of room.  A tilled area that measures 4x8 feet (about 1.2x 1.8 meters) is large enough to grow three vining plants (like cucumbers or melons) with wire fencing for the vines to climb.  You can also plant some faster-growing, smaller plants (lettuce, radishes, carrots, scallions, parsley, etc.) around the edges of the garden.   An expert at your local garden center can point you in the right direction.

Before you start your garden project, here are a few pointers:

1. Make sure that the area you select for your in-ground garden plot gets plenty of sunlight -- at least six to seven hours a day is ideal.  The area where you place your containers or potted veggies should get that much sunlight as well.
2. If you are container gardening, use a moisture-control soil mixture.  Containers are affected more by changes in temperature. 
3. Select seeds (organic if possible) that are appropriate for your area of the country.
4. If you are starting a garden plot from scratch, consider purchasing some topsoil and compost to enrich your garden area.  It will give the plants adequate nutrients so that they will be strong and healthy.
5. Use an organic fertilizer.  If container gardening, mix a small amount of organic fertilizer into the soil before adding seeds or plants.
6. Choose starter plants that are green and appear strong and healthy.
7. Consider planting some flowers, too.
8. HAVE FUN!

Having a garden can be fun for kids of all ages.  It gives you an excuse to go out and get fresh air and will give the kids a chance to see the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor.

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March is National Craft Month!

Hello to all of you again!  I don't know if you are a "crafty" person or not, but March is National Craft Month.  I have to be honest with you... my basement is a virtual shrine when it comes to crafting.  Scrapbooking?  Yep.  Stamping?  Of course.  Soapmaking?  Uh-huh.  Candlemaking?  Do you need to ask?  You get the idea....

My habits started at a very young age (amazing what happens when there are only 3 TV stations and a "handheld game" either didn't require batteries or had a very limited functionality).  I learned how to needlepoint and crochet when I was 6 or 7 years old.  By the time I was 8, I had a real sewing machine (which I used through high school).  I remember that one year, I'd gotten a weaving loom.  All of the family members got color-coordinated potholders that year.  I have no idea how much my mom spent on yarn for that project, but I'm grateful for it.  I've always been a visual learner and have liked working with my hands.  I could fill pages of this blog with all of the different crafts I've attempted or enjoyed at some point in my life.  Each craft taught me something new.  I still try to incorporate some sort of hand made gift for my family during the holidays.  Whether it is a beaded serving spoon or a jar of sugar scrub, I enjoy giving something that I've taken the time to make.

Making something with your own two hands could rapidly become a lost art in our virtual and digital world.  When is the last time you made something with your child?  What was it?  What have you always wanted to learn to do but haven't taken the time?

If you think you'd like to give soapmaking or even making your own body care items a try, take a look at http://www.soapcrafters.com/.  I've visited with the president of the company.  She's dedicated to customer service and has put together some very affordable kits that give you everything you need to give a new craft a try.  I've ordered from them myself and think they do a great job.  By the way, I'm not being compensated for this post -- I just think it's the right thing to pass good information along.

Who knows?  Maybe you will find something new that could help create some extra income for your family.  Or maybe you will just have a good time.  That would be ok, too.

Let me know what you like to do with your kids... new ideas are always appreciated!

Battling Cabin Fever?

After my last post, it dawned on me that while we're looking forward to Spring, we still have a few more weeks of indoor activities to conquer.  Many of us have experienced more 'snow days' than usual, and our creative juices for indoor activities might be tapped.  We love our kiddos, but there is only so much we can think of to help them stay amused when they are as sick of being stuck inside as we are.

If you have a good idea, please pass it on!  The parents that read our blog will welcome the fresh ideas and may have a few to pass on to you, too.