by Jessica from Missouri
Ahhh summer. . .Long days and late nights, many of which most people will be spending by some body of water. Whether it’s a beach, a lake, an inflatable pool, or a bucket. You can rest assured that my kiddos and I will be there, toys and beach towels in tow.
I am a mom to a rambunctious two-year-old son, and more often than not you can find my three nephews running wild here too.
The age old question, “What can I do to keep them entertained?” comes up every day.
We do the typical backyard things, like swings, slides, balls, etc., but the inevitable “I’m bored" always comes up. So I did what any mom would do. I got creative. I turned my backyard into our own personal playground on a budget. We added game “stations."We used old hardware pieces and some string to make a tiki toss game on a tree. A cheap bag of sand and some old wood made a bocce ball court. Pebbles and scrap fabric? Bean bag toss. Bubbles? Got them. Dollar store squirt toys? You bet!
We started a garden. The kiddos love playing in the dirt and watching the progress of the plant growth. We recently picked our first strawberries, and they were so excited to taste what they had been working on for the past three months.
The best advice I can offer is to do what you can.
Whether it’s a trip to the library, splash pad, park, or even staying home in your own backyard, your kids will be more excited that you are spending time with them and having fun, than noticing where you are or are not traveling.
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Jessica.
About Jessica. . .
I am a stay at home mom of one. I love spending my days gardening, splashing around in water, managing my family zoo (my house has always got kids running around, even if they aren't technically all mine, lol), and cooking with the kiddos. My life goal is to just wake up and try to make the most of every day I have on this earth.
Want more information on this topic? wichealth.org has a free online lesson called Happy, Healthy, Active Children. Find it on wichealth.org in the Keeping Your Family Safe And Healthy category!
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