The Fun Box

My friend Sandy started a "Summer Fun Box" with her kids this summer. I thought it sounded like a great idea and late the first night after Sandy had mentioned it, I made one for my kids: Sandy let her kids in on choosing the activities, but I just filled the box with my own ideas. Once I started thinking of things, the ideas kept coming. My kids get so excited to pick the activity out of the box (usually the night before) and wait with great anticipation to hear me read what the activity will be. Once the activity is revealed, they usually jump up and down and exclaim things like "yippie!" and "hooray!"

So far this summer we have done several activities. Most are not that out-of-the-ordinary, but since it came out of the "Fun Box" the kids thought it was special.

We've:
1. Played a board game.
2. Visited the Rochester Art Center.
3. Picked "stickers" at the dollar store (although M got a bracelet and K got a car in lieu of stickers.)
4. Had a "toy" wash.

5. Visited Quarry Hill and gone hiking up a ridiculously steep trail to get to the quarry.
Then hiked back down.
Then realized that there was a gently-sloping trail that was a much easier way to get there. Sigh. (This is not that trail, but I like this photo of them on another gentle trail!)

5. Eaten dessert first (before supper). (I gave them an ice pop...they thought it was great and it didn't spoil their supper.)
6. Played at different local parks.
7. Made pretzels.
8. Gone for a walk downtown.
9. Fingerpainted.
10. Rode bikes around Silver Lake.
11. Gone to the airport to watch airplanes.
and (today)
12. Write and mail a letter to a friend.

Tomorrow we will be having Mickey Mouse-shaped eggs for breakfast. (I got egg-shapers last time Craig and I went to Orlando.)

Obviously we don't do the Fun Box every day. We don't draw on the weekends and we didn't draw while we were on vacation. The Fun Box has been cancelled a couple of times due to naughty behavior. But, for the most part, it's been (so far) a FUN activity to help make each day special in some little way.

So, thanks for the idea Sandy!