Getting Ready for Summer at Home with Kids: The Corona Edition

I'm baaaaaack. Ok, let's be honest. I've been here the whole time. In fact, I had not actually been into a store or public building since March 11 until today. And I can't even remember where I went that day. This pandemic has definitely changed the way we live, but it hasn't changed the way we play. Just that we do a lot more of that. Close to home. And with Zoom school about to end, we're about to have even more time for play as we enter another summer of Sprout Scouts Stay-at-Home Play-at-Home Camp. Perhaps you are in a similar boat. Maybe your kids' camp was cancelled or maybe you usually spend the summers at home together like we have in the past. One thing is for sure--this summer will be different for all of us in some ways.

Summer at home with kids and limited venues (if any) for outings presents a whole new playing field. For me, the greatest challenge is the lack of social opportunity for my children and I'm still creatively approaching that one. While Zoom school has not adequately replaced actual face to face social interaction, it has provided a source of connection and comfort for the boys, especially S. He has had some Zoom playdates and even though I spent countless sleepless nights pondering how kids could have a "virtual distance playdate," leave it to a couple of kindergartners to figure that one out! Just yesterday he and his friend went on several out of this world adventures via Zoom background and landed back at home an hour later, just in time for dinner!

Setting up a summer routine has often been a source and anxiety and overwhelm for many parents whether they are already at home, work from home or work out of the home. And now many parents are in the dual role of being at home and working from home while the kids are also at home. If you want to quell your nerves a bit about that, revert back to my last post before you go and make a color coded schedule for your refrigerator (unless, of course, you happen to like making color coded schedules for your refrigerator and then get right to it!). And for those of you who are ready to jump right in, or at least dabble a big toe--here's a few tips and tricks I have up my sleeve for this summer.

Planning is NOT everything. I'm saying that and I love to plan. It's a hobby, even. But it is not the be all and end all of everything. I have a general system in place and some main anchors in our routine that keep us grounded and calm. But I am also going into this knowing that I will tweak and change things and move with my kids' interests and needs as they arise. Preparation is helpful. A schedule is not something I feel inclined to stick to, especially in this current environment. We don't have a storytime to get to at the library or an event at the museum or even a playdate at a friend's house. And in some ways that's kind of nice. Being able to move at our pace at any given moment is helpful. It's also a little disorienting after a while (like after 3 months...) so a routine is helpful. For us, that's a series of repeated events or types of activities we rotate through on a weekly basis. Some refer to that as a weekly rhythm. We change ours from time to time, but for the most part during the last few months, it's looked like this:

Mad Science Mondays --where we've explored various science topics and experiments
Library/Storytime Tuesdays -- where we "visit" our home library and the kids select books to check out (and bring downstairs) for the week and then we have a home storytime with a particular theme and related activities or a particular book and related activities
Artful Wednesdays--where we do some sort of directed art activity, project or longer term study (we recently wrapped up a month long study of color theory)
Homegrown and Handmade Thursdays-- where we do some sort of activity related to our garden, kitchen or hand crafting
Play Day Fridays-- where we delve a little deeper into dramatic play, sensory exploration or backyard shenanigans

Some days the activity is more structured and fills a specific slot of time (never too long with kids nearly 6 and under). Other days we split up activities throughout the day. Sometimes a day's activity is a one run and done type of thing (like a STEM challenge to build a tin foil boat during our Building Science Unit). Other times, it's an activity that's part of a longer study or theme--like painting vegetables on Wednesday that Peter Rabbit might like to eat during a week long study of rabbits that also included a compost tea garden experiment in our "plant lab" on Monday, an outdoor storytime featuring Beatrix Potter books on Tuesday and then a Peter Rabbit Garden Iced Tea Party for lunch on Thursday.

I don't stress if an activity or theme takes more time nor do I stress if it takes less time or even if it's a complete flop altogether. I like having the basic foundation for a flow of how we spend each day and I think it is also something the kids find calming. But there's no sweat if we veer off course or change course altogether.

We are very fortunate to have outdoor access here and the backyard has become essentially another room in our home. As we transition from the school year into summer, I envision spending even more time there with plenty of breaks to cool off indoors. It is our playroom, our dining room, our laboratory, our studio, our classroom and a source of wonder and adventure. It also provides and supplies nearly all of our summer activities--especially this year. I find it helpful to have some basic preparations in place so that we are ready to go with minimal stress and interruption. Here that looks like getting everyone slathered in sunscreen first thing in the morning before our first burst out the back door. We fill water bottles even though we're just a few feet from the kitchen. I keep a tote bag with our basic outdoor supplies that can't be kept outside hanging on a closet doorknob just behind the back door so I grab it, stash our things in a tin basin and we're ready to go.

Some of our "basics" include our nature journals, some field guides or other relevant books, and supplies for drawing/writing/documenting. I also stash in other materials as needed for activities or just plain exploration.

My rule of thumb is that just about anything you can do indoors you can take and do outdoors. Sometimes that involves a bit of creativity. Some other basics I keep at the ready are a large blanket for sitting on, an extra bin or basket for collecting any trash or dirty picnic dishes, and a towel or two for drying wet spots or hands after a rinse at our outdoor hand-washing station (which is just a bar of soap in an old section of pantyhose hanging from a garden hook, water from our jug and a cup for filling and pouring).

Get to YES. This is my mantra when it comes to parenting and teaching. The world of a child is filled with limits and "no's" and "not that way's" and "not yet's." And while those are all a healthy and realistic part of the world, when I can, I like to get to YES. It also mitigates a lot of the battles that ensue after one too many "no's" leaves a child feeling frustrated, powerless and combative. Additionally, some of the gut reactions I have to immediately say "no," can be completely mitigated when I wait and watch. So our space here is a little messier than some and my kid maybe resembles the one on the cover of I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont, but getting to YES on this particular occasion meant that Y explored mixing colors, pouring and created rather a stunning work of art in the end!

Had I immediately said "no" when he began to pour and balance tiny glass dessert cups one on top of the other, I would have completely cut off his unique and intentional exploration and completely missed this stunning result. But aside from learning to embrace the space and bless this mess, finding ways within my own limits and boundaries to support theirs helps us all to get through the day more smoothly and promotes a world of wonder and curiosity that nurtures their growing minds.

Let's PLAY! This year has been monumental. It was a first year of kindergarten for S. A first year of preschool for Y. A first year of life for C. And a first pandemic for, well, all of us. We need this summer to be a time to decompress. While there's always worry about "summer slide" and skill loss, this year there is likely even more concern for children who have been out of traditional classrooms for the better part of 3 months and will accrue at least 3 more before returning. I'm a big proponent of the idea that children learn through play and natural curiosity. So I'm following their whims this summer while sneaking in a bit of wonder. We have just begun meeting some fantastic animal friends through a little bit of imaginative play, storytelling, literature and mail.

Mail? Yes, Notes from Nature. Each week the kids receive a special delivery from an animal, a plant, a tree, a flower, a bug or a rock or maybe a seashell eager to make their acquaintance as we explore our backyard and the vast world beyond it. It began with a letter from a very friendly eastern cottontail rabbit as we learned about rabbits and hares and heard some great stories by Beatrix Potter and Thornton Burgess. This takes them into a world of whimsy but also gives them factual information of various species of flora and fauna both nearby and farther away. These adventures in science and literacy are rounded out by explorations of art, cooking/practical life skills, movement through obstacle courses and neighborhood nature walks and even math.

Math? Yes, math! But not with worksheets and definitely not inside. We just pack it up and take it with us with our "Math on the Go" Kit. I made it somewhat more with S in mind as he's really quite enjoyed kindergarten math--but today Y and I took a Counting Walk to a wooded area near our home and he collected 1 stick, 2 pansies, 3 leaves, 4 pine cones and 5 little rocks. He loves counting. He loves collecting. He didn't even know he was learning!

It will take a bit more ingenuity to meet the kids' needs for movement and socialization this summer--but one muscle that is surely going to get its workout is their imaginations. Whether it's an afternoon of playing "Harry Potter" with wands made from painted sticks, Quidditch Brooms made from fallen branches and dried grass, and colorful capes made from old tea towels--or just a half dead bouquet of cut flowers set out with their mud kitchen and some colored water before it meets its final deposit to the compost tumbler--these days are about setting up the kids for setting their own stage. They are the narrators, the actors and the audience in this show and with or without a pandemic in the background, the show must go on!

Favorite Tried and True Tips: This summer and all year round for that matter, I recall and tap into some of my favorite tools of the trade.

• Just Add Water. For just about every challenge you might face in the course of a lifetime or even one hour--water usually helps. Thirsty? Tired? Hot? Bored? Kids fighting? Dirty? Messy?Got a boat? Just add water. Yes, add a little water and an empty cup is more than half full. Add a little water and all that dirt becomes a glorious mud kitchen. Add a little water and that wilting garden, kid, husband, dirty laundry pile, comes right back to life. Water play is fun for kids (and adults) of all ages and a great activity for multi-aged groups. No pools? No problem. Even a giant bowl can make for hours of fun...

• Use what you have. This summer more than any other, we really are limited to using what we have on hand or can easily access. So we stretch our imaginations instead of our wallets a little more right now. Great souvenirs cost nothing at all if you ask my stick and stone collecting kiddos. All three of the kids are obsessed with the "recycles" bin (as S calls it). And less is more. We swap things in and out a little more frequently now that we are always home, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and something stashed away for a bit feels brand new again when it comes back to the toy shelf or sandbox.
• Don't reinvent the wheel. Novelty is lovely, but not every hour of every day needs to be filled to the brim with it. It's OK to repeat activities. Often. Each time a child explores the same thing, they have an opportunity to delve deeper and take it to a new level. We've repeated science experiments, sensory bins, dramatic play themes and art activities here over and over and over again. Sometimes it's because someone asks for it, other times I initiate it. And you don't have to overthink it all--in fact, sometimes the less thinking I do "for them," the more thinking they do for me! I've learned a lot about play ideas from watching and listening to kids, especially my own. Even when I do prepare an activity, a play setup, an art project--many times the kids will take it entirely in their own direction and I love to be privy to that. I'm even luckier if I'm invited to join them in it! And does it take a load off of me? Yup!
• The simpler things... You don't have to pull out the rolling pins and cookie cutters and icing and sprinkles and hours of labor between prep and cleanup to cook with your kids. Let them join you in choosing one recipe for the bread they will eat this week. Or have them help you make this next batch of playdough. Have them help wash and dry the lettuce--whether it's from your garden or your crisper bin. Let them help you with the dinner you're making anyway. Do kids love iced sugar cookie cutouts? Yes! But is that what they're seeking every time you hit the kitchen? No--it's really the closeness and connection and the honor in their competence even though they are small and require a step stool to reach the kitchen counter. And you can totally count that as an activity. We are putting together a binder with our favorite recipes for food and play so we have it all handy. I like to have at least one of the boys help me out on Sunday choosing and preparing one for the week ahead, but even C is thrilled to join us anytime in the kitchen for whatever task she can get her hands (or mouth) on to help with.

I'll try not to be a stranger to these parts as we slip into summer days here. It's certainly been an adjustment to go from being out and about, in school buildings and offices to being in all the time together attending classes, appointments and meetings from the dining room, the couch, the kitchen, the yard and even the minivan. It will be yet another adjustment not having kindergarten in the kitchen and preschool at the dining room table come Monday morning! But one of the many silver linings has been the opportunity to see my kids really dig deep into their play and exploring and finally feeling like I have "the time" to do all of these things I've so wanted to do with them for so long. In the meantime, I've also completely revamped my outdoor playgroup that met in parks for going on three years to a virtual group that now includes a curbside lending library of over 75 Nature on the Go Kits for kids ranging from infancy on up so a bit of that play and wonder can still reach other homes and yards. And I will aim to tweak activities and ideas I post here to work within the plethora of circumstances families are finding themselves in during these times. 

It is important now more than ever to be kind to ourselves and patient. To do our best in any moment and know that this is enough. There are no "should's" when it comes to getting through and if this blog and others like it are sources of support and inspiration, I'm sure glad to share it! But also know that the pictures and ideas you see here are representative of my own form of self care. I enjoy planning play activities and it's a hobby. If it's not your hobby, that's fine! Unstructured play led by and created by the child is inherently valuable to their growth and development. And know that plenty of that happens here as well. There are times I'm checked out on my phone, glued to my couch, sitting on a lawn chair, eating Skinny Pop out of the bag and wondering why it hasn't lived up to its name. My husband does nearly all the cooking. The laundry is never done. I haven't made a sourdough starter. I have raised my voice on many occasions and not just to sing the "daddy shark" verse in Baby Shark. May we all come out of this whole, healthy and happy! I'll be back soon to share some more about this year's Sprout Scouts Camp misadventures and until then...

Happy Playing!

Sprout Scouts Playcamp is in Session! (And How We Are Surviving Summer...)

I don't know how it happened, but summer vacation is HERE. Just like that, S graduated from preschool and visited kindergarten and Shavuos came (and went) and now we're all home for the summer... Which means, Sprout Scouts Playcamp is in session!

Sometimes, I am totally rocking this play at home with three little sprouts thing (like when I got all three kids to the botanical garden center and returned home again with the same three kids--the matching camp shirts really helped). Sometimes, not so much (like last Friday when Y stuck a piece of magenta fish gravel up his nose that he recovered from his self-directed turn-his-room-into-a-gravel-pit project from too many months ago to still have gravel on the floor and we had to go to the pediatrician to have it extracted. He was quite impressed. He asked for a shot on his way out. I hope they give punch cards for this kind of thing, like get 12 objects extracted and your 13th extraction is on the house. I am in trouble...). But we are surviving summer here, and with a little bit of planning and lot of deep breathing, humor and perhaps some additional vices, you can, too!

 Give it a feeling of formality. One of the hardest parts of that summer transition is the change from the formality of school and routine. In order to create a feeling of structure and support around us, we create a sense of formality for our time together at home. Even if it is essentially barely planned, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-skirt chaos here, we call it camp. Sprout Scouts Playcamp to be exact. We started off the adventure with t-shirts for each scout and a backpack to decorate for the older two scouts.

Decorating camp bags was a big hit!

We do not have a schedule that requires watching the clock and in many ways that is nice. In some ways, that can also lead to disaster, so having some core routines is helpful. Morning work set out on the table gives a structure to the beginning of each day. It's something we did as well throughout the school year (per S's request) and both of the older scouts quite enjoy seeing what's on the table each morning (whether or not they participate in the activity).

 These types of activities and other table time activities require some setup and preparation on my part, but are aimed to entertain with minimal support from adults. That means they can be busy at work and play and I can be busy drinking my morning coffee or feeding a hungry baby or both at the same time...

Let's Get Outta Here! I love my home and our play area and outdoor area are great places for play, learning and fun. But to be quite honest, I find it easiest with all three to get out of the house for a bit on most days. I need to see other people. Maybe even adults. And it breaks up the day for us (not to mention sibling squabbles).

We load into the van and go. If going out is your thing, too, here's a few tips to help it go as smoothly as possible:

• Dress to impress: Ok, I thought matching outfits were just cute, but honestly I'm only here now because I'm not lost in the mall and I'm only not lost in the mall because I was in an outfit my mother could easily recognize. I'm sorry I complained when I had to wear it again as a hand me down 3 years later... But having the clothing you need (and extras to change into just in case) for where you are going is very helpful. You might want to leave a change for everyone in the car (even yourself). Maybe also a towel. Be prepared for temperature and weather changes. Make sure everyone is comfortable in their shoes if you'll be doing lots of walking...
• Speaking of walking... mobility is a huge aspect of my going out with all three kids now. How will we get around when we get there? Stroller for the baby or will I wear her? Usually I need to have both options since she gets really irked when she's not happy with one. And if you're using a stroller, is the location stroller friendly? With two other kiddos, I also have to keep safety in mind. Each of them holds one hand on the stroller while we walk through parking lots and busy locations. Even getting in and out of the van is now a process of making sure the most mobile are safely in their seats or on a sidewalk as we load and unload. If you're visiting a location where your little ones can be more independently mobile, it can be helpful to station yourself at a central location and to discuss with your brood where that will be. If it's important that everyone stay in one area together, that's also a valuable topic to mention. And in particularly busy and crowded locations, it's useful to tell your children where to go if they do get separated from you and how to identify safe adults to ask for help. 
• Don't go hangry! Packing adequate snacks and water and lunches if you'll be gone that long keeps everyone happy and going. And don't forget yourself. For some reason, my kids are twenty times as interested in snacking while we are away than they are at home. It is the same food. In the same container. But now we are at the museum so they need to snack and ask about snacks and ask for more snacks every five minutes. Yes, this is annoying. Yes, I come prepared. And yes, my last mode of "preparedness" is an equally well prepared statement of "we can leave now and go home for lunch if you are super hungry." Yes, many times that is how I get us out the door with minimal children under my arm being hauled like a football...
• Silver linings: they can be hard to see, but find them... "Two of my kids are NOT crying right now." This is a statement I make a lot these days. Yup, that's my silver lining when one is throwing a massive fit or totally melting down. I'm not a mathematical genius, but those are pretty good percentiles. And know that even if folks are staring and condescendingly shaking their heads, many many more of us are quietly cheering you on--we've been there, we'll be there again, maybe even five minutes from now...you've got this!
• It's More Fun With a Friend! One of my favorite things about our summer outings is an impromptu meet-up with friends. Many families are home with kids this summer and creating a way to communicate plans through social networking or phone groups can help lure us all out of the house and into each other's company with minimal effort and no pressure.

But what if leaving the house is not my thing? That's OK! Sometimes we all like the comfort and familiarity of home and sometimes staying in is necessary either way. When we are here holding down the fort, there are a few tricks of the trade that are helpful:

Set Up for Success: Less is more. I have to always remind myself of that. It can feel like I need to go out and buy a lot of materials to keep us busy or like I need to set up a lot of toys for playing. And honestly, we do best with less. I recently did a massive clean out of our kids' room and closets (as in 12 trash bags full...) and do you know what? My boys LOVE playing in their room now. I also revamped our art shelves and writing center, swapping in a few items that had been stored away and swapping out others the boys had grown bored with. I did stock a big tote bag with some simple craft kits I had in storage. I call it my U-Pick-a-Project Bag and I reserve it for those lulls in activity where we really need something to shift our attention and mood. And if it's not a toy at all, it's automatically interesting. For the last year, my boys have followed me like puppies into the kitchen to empty the contents of our recycling bin. So...I moved the recycling to their very own recycling bin in our art & writing center. Voila! They now have easy access to toilet paper tubes and produce containers and tin cans all day long! Loose parts? Check. Craft supplies? Check. Good to go!

I think we could totally manage to make it all summer and not buy anything special aside from that plastic sweater box their recyclables are now in, but I did invest in some cheap 1 inch binders at the beginning of the season as well. These are our Sprout Scouts Journals and each of the older scouts has one. I hole punch various pages in it as Morning Work activities. S is quite into drawing and dictating and even took to writing his name independently (a skill he possessed long before he actually wanted to demonstrate it at home). This allows him a venue for working on those skills as he nears kindergarten in the fall. Y is also working on fine motor development with these activities even if his drawings and dictations are at his own developmental level. Some form of journal for the summer can be a great and inexpensive investment to keep children of all ages and stages busy (and learning).

All three Sprout Scouts now enjoy a morning routine of "reading" from our Ever-changing Book together. This photo was taken milliseconds before the tiniest scout required 4th breakfast and abandoned Morning Meeting with her mother in tow. I swapped in some seasonally appropriate songs, action rhymes and games for spring and summer and there's no need to reinvent the wheel here, either. We just fish from the pool of materials we used at this time last year. The boys will actually request to "do the Ever-changing Book" and usually between everyone's needs and attention span, we make it through a few pages at a time, so the book in full as it is currently stocked will likely keep us entertained for the summer! If creating your own Ever-changing Book is not your thing, no worries! You don't need any props to sit and sing, read and share some favorite action rhymes.

Troubleshooting Cabin Fever:

Even the most well prepared and protected campers experience Cabin Fever. They get bored or wild or start to squabble with one another. Having some tools for troubleshooting can help. One of my favorites is asking my scouts how they'd like to proceed. They can often resolve their own squabbles and even engage in an activity with some support and minimal suggestions. Having some favorites at the ready can help as well. 

Playdough is always a favorite here, so on one unexpectedly rainy Friday when we'd planned to take a trip to the science museum but had to stay home at the last minute due to inclement weather, we moved through feelings of disappointment by heading to the kitchen to make a fresh batch of playdough. When you need to shift activities or plans or just moods, even grownups can release some stress by squeezing the lumps out of warm playdough...

And Don't Come In Until It's Dark Out! Ah, how I miss those days of being tossed (with love) into the back yard for hours and hours. Nowadays, I join my little ones out there, but indeed the yard is where I long to be. And it's also a great location for messy play! In fact, any location that is not inside my house is great for messy play. What's that? Playdate at your house? Sure! We'll bring the glitter...

As it is, my apartment has increased in property value now that we can officially declare it beach front property after the installation of a sandbox in our backyard that likes to enter our home via 4 very adorable feet, 4 equally adorable hands and 2 very sneaky (and oddly sticky) little boys...

Location, location, location...sometimes we need a little change! If we can get outside, some time in the yard is great! If we can't, we head upstairs and play in the kids' room. Or turn on some music. Or head to the kitchen to whip up a batch of pizza dough for Make Your Own Pizza Night...

Just Call It a Party: I had no idea how much of my parenting would involve lying to my kids re-branding. One thing I know for sure: If you call it a party, they will come. Let's have a pajama party. A bath party. A bubble party. A Dinner Party. A Dance Party. A Movie Party. A Laundry Folding Party (Ok, I haven't actually tried that one yet...)

Here we are at our Butterfly Release Party

A little celebration can even lighten the bittersweet mood of saying farewell to the 12 butterflies we grew from caterpillars 

Resources: Use 'Em! Don't be a hero; use your resources. Surviving the Summer with Kids is not for the faint at heart. I love being home with my scouts and it's also challenging! There are some great resources to support us this summer and we are going to use them.

Libraries are incredible. Especially ours. Story times, special events, summer reading programs and contests keep us reading, learning (and sane) all summer long. S and Y are both at the stage of loving to choose their own books. We bring our Sprout Scouts backpacks and hit the stacks.

Other Humans with Tiny Humans: Misery loves company. Don't go it alone. Grown-ups need playdates just as much as kids do. And if you need some ideas on how to meet more humans with tiny humans, check out those libraries I mentioned above, meet-up groups, gyms, grocery store aisles, the parking lot at Target...

Screens for Everyone! Yup, you read that right. Sometimes I scream, you scream, we all scream for screen time. Pop in a video, it's OK. Or use that screen to peruse some websites with apps and activities for kids. Or websites with ideas of activities you can do with kids. It's not your all day long solution (at least not every day) but it is an option.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and ours is full of great parks, farmers' markets, museums, garden centers, pet shops, a zoo, a botanical garden center, playgrounds... We have memberships to some favorite locations and this is a worthwhile investment for us (or great gift idea for family members wanting to buy a birthday gift). We also make use of many free attractions like the amazing parks and playgrounds we live near. Have a list of places indoors and out that are good for your family or check out some new ones. We tried strawberry picking at a farm last summer and had an amazing time. We tried a visit to our local art museum and it was a little too museumy for a certain Sprout Scout. But be open to adventures (even flops) and you will find new family favorites along the way! Many local shops have summer specials geared toward kids. Craft stores, garden centers, bookstores, pottery painting studios, and museums are great places to check. Some programs and events may have a cover cost, others are free.

Breathe, air is free! This last tip is mostly for me, but perhaps you will find it useful as well. During the school year, life is a rush of getting places on time and maintaining order and routine. Our summers are a little more relaxed, but that doesn't mean I am. We don't need to rush, it's OK to slow down. It's OK for there to be empty space that is not filled with adult-directed activities. It's OK for not everyone to be happy at the same time all of the time. Keep a big picture mindset and don't get stuck in the moment. It's OK to start over even if you need to brew up a pot of coffee at 2PM or eat breakfast for dinner. Let the kids skip a bath night and go to the sprinkler park with some baby shampoo in the morning. Get them dressed in their pajamas for bed way too late and then instead of going to sleep, go outside and play with glowsticks in the dark. Pitch a tent in their room over Shabbos. Give in to that extra stop at 7-11 for Slurpees on a Thursday. Say yes when you can because no is exhausting for everyone. Some of my fondest childhood memories are from summers long gone by, but the joy and the whimsy are so palpable even still that it's as if they happened yesterday. Those are the memories I want my Sprout Scouts to grow with. They will be beanstalks before I know it! But growth is slow and slow is OK. Stop and smell the roses this summer; don't get stuck on the thorns.

So there you have it, we are only a few weeks in, but we are surviving the summer and you will, too. Check back here for updates and activity ideas along the way and until then...

Happy Playing!

Introducing Sprout Scouts Playcamp!

School is nearly out and summer days are shining just around the corner. For some that means counting down the hours, minutes, milliseconds... and for others, there is a bit of angst as we wonder how to fill and structure the time at home with children. Whether you're looking to fill the whole day or supplement hours at home after camp programs, our summer Sprout Scouts Playcamp is a resource I am excited to create and share with friends and family near and far. Today I will introduce our outlined themes for the summer ahead. In the days and weeks to come I will post on play activities related to each theme. Each theme will include art activities, sensory play ideas, dramatic play, science, cooking, building activities, book suggestion, family field trip ideas and more! Some will be great for indoors and others best suited for outside. Most activities will be mainly geared toward ages 0-7, however, many can be adapted and modified to work with your own family structure.

Sprout Scouts Playcamp is designed to take some of the stress and planning out of the summer ahead. I happen to love planning (sometimes that's even helpful), but I also know that especially in the summer months, things do not always go as planned. I, for instance, have been summonsed to jury duty for two weeks in June! In our southern summer heat, there's plenty to sweat over--don't let planning family fun be one of those things. Our play themes and activities are designed to be U-pick style with none of the backbreaking, bug-biting, blueberry bucket filling labor of visiting your local farm (although that is on my personal Summer Bucket List). You can use what you have, choose what you do, and decide how much and how often.

Our playcamp themes this summer will include:

Digging in the Dirt: Every great sprout starts with great soil! Explore dirt, mud, worms and composting with activities that will get you digging, playing, cooking and creating.. and maybe a little bit dirty!

Rock-It Science: Explore the fascinating world of rocks today and long, long ago. From the tiniest grain of sand all the way to the biggest boulder, we're going to play all about rocks and stones and dinosaur bones!

Creepy Crawlers: Bugs, insects and butterflies, oh my! We will be repeating our summer tradition of growing our own butterflies and learning about the wonderful winged (and non-winged) creatures that creep and crawl in our backyard and beyond.

Grow Your Own Green Thumb: Whether you have a huge backyard garden or only a single pot, some soil and a seed, we've got you covered. Explore vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and trees and even some fun ways to help care for and protect the environment as a family. Savor the flavors of the season as you try some of summer's bountiful harvest. If you've always steered clear from beets until now, they just might grow on you...

Art & Artists in the Garden: Got a budding artist growing in your home? Gain some inspiration and encouragement as we explore some of the greats who were greatly inspired by nature. Don't forget your paintbrush!

Down on the Farm: Whether you live near a farm, have access to a local farmers' market or simply dream of raising urban chickens, this will surely be a family favorite. Explore the world of farms and farm animals wherever you live!

Water, Water, Everywhere! You'll be splashing up a storm as we explore rain, pond life and water play in many forms. Warning: you may get wet!

Wind, Wind-chimes and Sounds of Summer: Sometimes the weather really blows and when it does, we make our own wind-chimes, windsocks, pinwheels and other ways to explore the miraculous melodies of summer...

Sun & the Solar System: Summer sun makes us reach for the sunscreen, but what else does can the sun do? We might as well blast off to outer space and discover more! Astronauts in training of all ages are welcome; they will be home before dinner.

A Camping We Will Go: It's time to pitch your tent, whether you're headed to an actual campsite, your own backyard or no further than your living room... Grab a stick and a marshmallow and a camping we will go!

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Long before Twitter made tweeting popular, backyard birds have been gracing locations worldwide with their sweet melodies, colorful feathers and other unique characteristics. Come get a bird's eye view on some feathery fun and check out your own backyard birds!

Stay tuned in the days to come for more information on each topic. You can also join our Sprout Scouts Playcamp page on Facebook. Summer is coming and the days are sure to be long ones, but we will be happily playing and earning ourselves some scout badges in our Sprout Scouts Playcamp! Hope to see you [virtually] there and in the meantime, feel free to revisit some of my previous Summer Survival Tips...

Happy Playing!

Think Outside the Box Thursday: Sneaking Reading & Writing into Your Summer

If your children are of school age, you're likely entering the beginning of summer vacation. Perhaps the sweet taste of pride in your children's amazing academic accomplishments is still fresh on the tip of your tongue or perhaps you've moved into the zone of wondering how you will all survive the next two months. My husband and I often talk about the challenges that a 9 month school year presents. For one thing, working parents do not necessarily follow this particular schedule and the show goes on even while the kids are off from school. This leaves families to scramble to fill those days with camp, childcare, entertainment and other means of keeping the kids out of trouble while they're out of school. For many families, this is a significant financial burden as well. For children who spend all school year practicing skills related to literacy and writing (among many other subjects), the summer is a time they may become rusty and fall out of the routine of reading every day. Certainly there is benefit to slowing down and smelling the freshly bloomed roses. Many of my friends with older children are concerned, however, that the skills their sons and daughters worked so hard to develop during the school year will be neglected and diminish over the summer. Should we give our children "homework" over the summer and ensure that they continue to work on reading and writing? My answer is always in the form of "Yes, if..."

• Yes, if it won't be a battle.  You really don't need this to be a battle every day. The school year battles around homework are challenging enough from what I hear! At least then you get to send them off to their teachers for a decent chunk of the day. Fighting with kids about reading every day can make two months at home feel like two centuries for all parties involved and can also paint a negative image around reading and writing in general.
• Yes, if it feels like fun for you both! Some kids do like worksheets and some do not. The good news is, there are a lot of low cost or no cost options out there for worksheets and less traditional ways of practicing reading and writing.
• Yes, if you can include the whole family and each be working on something. Nothing feels like more of a drag than doing work while everyone else is playing. If you can make working on something (whether it's reading, writing, math, a hobby or a project) something everyone does either together or at the same time, individually, more power to you!

So now comes the fun part: how to sneak reading and writing into your summer without breaking the bank or the spirit of summer fun. I will include some suggestions applicable to children of all ages, for pre-readers and pre-writers (generally preschool aged) and for early readers and writers (generally Kindergarten and up through the earlier grades).

For Children of All Ages:

• Libraries are the place to be over the summer! Many have very engaging kids' programming throughout the summer months that encourage reading, writing, even math, science, computer literacy, art, drama, music and more. Our library system has story times for younger ones in a variety of separate age groups as well as programming for older children. Many libraries also have summer reading programs with kid-friendly incentives. If "getting your children to read" feels like a battle at home, take it outside of the house and let a neutral party (like your local librarian) take over!
• School supplies are not just for the school year! I've said it before and I'll say it again--there's nothing more powerful than a kid with a new notebook and set of pencils, pens, markers or crayons. If worksheets are not your children's preferred method of writing or reviewing letters and site words, a blank notebook can become their (and your) best friend. Let it be their journal and whether you choose to organize prompts or activities or just let them use it independently for drawing, doodling, writing and recording, they will be working on the skills they have developed whether they realize it or not. Many children enjoy using a journal in nature or to record memories from camp and vacations. Older children might like to keep a journal with a group of friends and pass it back and forth. Many families even keep a journal between older children and a parent/parents as a means to communicate more privately. School supplies are generally discounted at the end of the school year, so now is a great time to buy!

I introduced a journal well before my little guy was into holding pens and pencils...

He grows more and more independent with it as he gets older. It will surely make a great keepsake down the line!

• Take it outside! The weather is great and you all want to be out there anyway. Set up some lawn chairs and bring your books and journals along, set up a letter or word scavenger hunt, draw/write with chalk. Make a family scrapbook of your outdoor adventures or play some great gross motor games using letters or site words as appropriate for your children's age and reading level.

For Early Readers & Writers: 

• Maximize your screen time: If screen time is a part of your routine, there are amazing apps, videos and games that can encourage reading and writing skills. Many are available on library computers for use by patrons. 
• Coloring/Activity Books are great for children (and grown ups!) of all ages who might not love "traditional" writing and reading exercises but do love to color. Nowadays you can even find great ones on sale in the Dollar Tree. Coloring in a coloring book does promote the fine motor skills and strokes/lines associated with writing letters and penmanship. Additionally, directions in activity books and the activities themselves will surely get your children reading! Coloring books are also a great activity for quiet times of the day.
• Use rewards, incentives, or friendly competitions wisely: if it works for your reader/writer, use a reward/incentive system to trade in books read or activities completed for a prize experience, book or toy. If friendly competition inspires your kids, make it a family affair and chart minutes spent reading or (for kids who read at the same level) number of books read. Again, the library is a great resource for this type of programming and they often have summer reading contests during the summer for school aged children. 
• Speaking of the library...a child who is reluctant to read may be quite passionate about something else. Whether it's a particular animal, character, sport or activity, use it to your (and their) advantage. Give your little learner an opportunity to test out the search mode of your library's computer system (or enlist the help of a librarian) and find a collection of summer reading based on your child's interests.
• Think outside of the box: Does your child like cooking? Get to the kitchen and practice reading and recipe, measuring, pouring, mixing and more whipping up some favorite recipes. Got a little scientist? There is plenty of reading and writing involved when you run some simple experiments at home. Check out some of the science posts here for ideas. Got a little engineer? Building involves a great deal of fine motor work (related to writing) and following instruction booklets to put together a particular toy or building set is a great reading activity. A child who does not love books might love magazines. A child who does not love to write might like to type and record stories, poems or even a blog. If your child has a particular passion or interest, it is likely that reading and writing skills can be connected to it and are already inherently a part of it.
• Write it in the sand. Literally. Or shaving cream. Or salt or sugar or with clay/playdough. Or on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk. Or in the mud with a stick. It doesn't always have to be with pen and paper--writing can happen in a lot of places with a lot of things.

For Pre-readers and Pre-Writers:

• Follow along our Story Stretcher series and find some great ways to go beyond the book through meaningful play activities. You can use ideas you find here, your own ideas, your child's ideas or find other great ones on Pinterest by searching your favorite book titles, authors or themes.
• Pre-writing doesn't always involve pencils. Building fine motor skills associated with proper use of a writing utensil sometimes involves practicing with pencils, markers, crayons, pens and such and other times includes cutting with scissors, working with playdough or clay, stringing beads, working on puzzles and building with small manipulatives. One of our favorite out of the box fine motor activities right now is cutting the grass with safety scissors. It might just take all summer to get our lawn mowed, but that's OK! Sidewalk chalk is another great medium for practicing letters and writing/drawing skills. Gross motor skills and larger muscle movement are also imperative to early writing. Including activities like tracing a large drawn or masking tape letter with a toy truck or car or on tip toe or by jumping/hopping/tight-rope walking are all great ways to get the whole body involved and active!

• Learning letters and pre-reading doesn't always involve books and flash cards! Playing with letter manipulatives like puzzles, magnets, foam/felt letters, blocks, stamps, cookies cutters, stickers and more are all great ways to encourage exposure to letters in uppercase and lowercase form. If your little one is into arts and crafts, you can put together your own alphabet book of letter themed crafts and pictures. You can print off coloring sheets, make collages, cut pictures and letters from magazines/junk mail, use stickers and stamps--the options are limitless! Go on a letter sound scavenger hunt in your house. Give your kids a basket and a letter and you'll all be amazed at what they come back with. (This can be a creative way to clean up as well.) Take foam letters, a ladle and some plastic bowls to the pool or sprinkler pad for some alphabet soup. 

• Talk and PLAY! Daily conversations and natural play build vocabulary, reading and writing skills without even trying. Don't be afraid to teach big words to your little kids! Reading together is great and so is playing together. Repeat after me: play is enough, it is enough, it is enough...

And for the grown-ups:

Don't stress! Play at all ages is how children (and many adults) learn. My mantra above really applies to any age in my opinion. If you can and want to do more, great! If you cannot or your kids aren't into it, don't stress over it. Find a balance and routine that works for you and Happy Playing!

Here are a few links that might be helpful:

• Here are some great free printable alphabet coloring pages
• One of my favorite blogs, "No Time For Flash Cards" has a post with a great collection of active literacy games to get you moving this summer
• There are some great free writing prompts and activities for early writers at Teachnology
• There are some great free printable sight word and phonics booklets as well as other literacy materials available for home use at Hubbard's Cupboard. Some of the materials on this site are religious in nature, however many are secular and great for use with readers and writers of all ages and stages.

Troubleshooting Family Challenges: Get BORED This Summer!

Make your own Summer Bucket List this year!
Involve the whole family to sit together &
brainstorm ideas for summer fun and activities--
however simple or grandiose those may be! If you're
looking for some bucket filler ideas, check
out my Pinterest collection here to get you started!
What's on your Summer Bucket List this year?

As the month of May winds down, the inevitable is upon us: summer is coming! For many, this means surviving these next few months without school. For children and adults alike, the end of the academic school year brings a sudden change in routine that can be concurrently unsettling and exciting. During the academic school year of 2015-2016 I founded and facilitated a peer group of Jewish parents and professionals who work with children. We met for a series of community workshops and discussions on topics that affect not just Jewish homes, but all families and perhaps one of our hottest topics (pun intended) was surviving the summer without school! This was a topic I decided to tackle and present on as a soon-to-be-stay-at-home-mom who thrives on structure and routine: two factors that are quite different when you are at home with children than they are when your days are filled with work and school.
Many families and children look forward to camp experiences whether they are day camps or overnight facilities. Many parents' work schedules do not change in the summer months even when their children's schedules do! Some parents eagerly await that last day of school as much as their children do and some approach these months with fear and trepidation. I tended to fall somewhere in both categories when school let out and my months at home approached. In addition, I knew as the summer months approached last year that I was not planning to return to work the following Fall. This was a huge change and one that I simultaneously embraced and had reservations about. I took to the books and blogs, planned what I could (as I always do!) and I realized as I researched that this topic was not unique to me at all. Many parents have mixed feelings as those summer months approach and wonder how to approach this time with their families while maintaining some semblance of sanity. Around the same time, I came across several articles including this one in Psychology Today on the benefits of boredom in children. I remembered my own summer vacations as a child. We did attend some camp programs during parts of the summer, and my mother was frequently at home during the summer months when she was teaching. However, our days were not filled to the brim with planned activities and outings. We spent a lot of time playing independently, playing with friends and playing outdoors. We had time to have fun, to get into mischief, to feel a little bored and subsequently conjure up more fun and mischief! And so my plan for surviving the summer without school was born--and now I invite you to join me and

Get BORED This Summer!

• Balance:
• Find a comfortable space between routine and schedule: having a predictable "order" of events as opposed to "sticking to the clock" is one benefit of a lighter load in the summer. Find a balance that works for your family.
• Choose a comfortable ration of structure to spontaneity: rules and limits are important and consistency is the cornerstone of childhood security. That said, a later bedtime once in awhile to accommodate a summer sleepover or free concert at the park won't destroy the boundaries you've set for your family; it may produce a slightly more tired child (and parent) the next day. Decide when it's OK to bend the rules a bit and make way for some summer surprises. 
• Organize:
• Make a Summer Bucket List--kids from about the age of 4 can be included in compiling a collection of activities to do at home, outside, in the community and beyond
• What will your days look like? Are there times for active play, quiet time, chores, screen time, outdoor activity, camp/work, etc.?
• Fill a bucket, jar or container with ideas/activities that can be pulled out when you need a boredom buster. Older children can help come up with these ideas as well.
• Realistic Expectations:
• What are your daily anchors? These are the activities you do individually and/or as a family NO MATTER WHAT that help you to feel grounded even when things get a bit chaotic. Perhaps it is your morning cup of coffee. Perhaps it is reading a story at night with your children. Perhaps it is prayer or meditation...
• Do-overs are OK: I love this one all year round--when all else fails, make breakfast for lunch (or even dinner) and start the day over. It's OK to say it in front of the kids, too! "Things are rough right now! Let's have a do-over!" Imagine what a gift you give to your children to allow them see you catch yourself in a rut or a foul mood and try again.
• Self-care: When our children act out, we have mental checklists we go through as we trouble-shoot: are they hungry? Are they tired? Are they frustrated with a task that is too difficult? Are they sick? Are they worried about something? And then we tackle how to help. Do not forget this list for yourself! Make sure you are nourished in mind, body and spirit this summer and all year round. Do things to feed your soul daily, however big or small. Children learn so much about following their passions when they see us nurturing our own. We cannot give from a place of emptiness--whether it is our stomachs or our energy levels we are talking about here.
• Experience the moment
• BREATHE
• Notice what is working and what needs to be tweaked--without judgment!

  

  This is some recommended reading
  for you this summer--it changed
  the way I looked at my time with my
  family whether I am at home or working
  out of the house, whether it's summer or
  any season of the year!

• Indulge in some slow family living, check out the book Slow Family Living by Bernadette Null from your local library for ideas!
• When something is frustrating, disappointing, overwhelming--name it!
• Do Something Different & Mix it Up!
• Get playful: Camp out or camp in! Pitch a tent in the yard or living room
• Get crafty: Don't worry if you're not crafty, your kids are! 
• Get your kids a notebook and some writing supplies for a summer journal:school supplies aren't just for school!
• Get involved: volunteer opportunities are abundant in the summer months
• Get creative: try a neighborhood camp co-op or a staycation
• Get silly: run through a sprinkler or break out the hula hoops. Blow bubbles or crank up the music and have a family dance party...
• Get OUT: check out local no-cost and low cost family activities, parks & rec centers and libraries offer a lot during the summer months

After my first school year ended when S was just about to turn 1 and I was about to stay home with him for the very first time, I was understandably nervous. I did not yet have a drivers' license, I had a husband who commuted and worked for approximately 12 hours a day during the week and I was going to be home ALL DAY LONG with a baby for the first time ever. I had all the confidence in the world when it came to entertaining other peoples' children all day long, but very little confidence in my ability to entertain my own. Luckily, what I lacked then in confidence, I had in creativity and ingenuity. I kept a list taped to the inside of my pantry door with a list of things to do "If All Else Fails." It was on the inside of the pantry door because I knew there might come a time I would need to hide inside there and indulge in some chocolate. What I learned that summer was that I was capable of being home with my son all day; I was even kind of good at it and I even liked it. Choosing the set-up of who works and where in a family is a decision unique to each family's financial and personal situation. What I do believe to be true is that what works best for the adults in the family and creates the most security and contentment is therefore also best for the children in the family. No judgment. No guilt. Whether you are home with your children more in the summer months or trying to balance your workdays with their school-free days, I hope these ideas are as helpful to you as they are to me. Feel free to peruse the archives of this blog as well if you seek play activities and ideas. I will be continuing to post as well--in fact, we are gearing up to wind down our homeschool year here and enter into another summer of Mommy & Me (PLUS ONE) Camp.

And I'm introducing this year, for the first time a "Story Stretchers Play Camp!" We will be playing together and exploring multi-sensory activities based on children's literature. I am busy compiling a list of themes, books, authors and characters that interest S and compiling activities for both boys to enjoy. I'm looking forward to plenty of time outdoors in parks, splash pads and our play-garden. I'm eager for story times at our local libraries. I'm even looking forward to a little bit of boredom... And when the mood strikes, we will have some great play and learning activities at home that take us beyond the book into a world of play, creation and imagination! Hope you'll join us for the ride and until then...

Happy Playing!