The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{family} A Little BWF Summer Camp

Summer is here.  We’ve been finished with PreK for a few weeks now and one thing is definitely clear: my kids do not do well without some structure!  Without a daily routine, there’s been more bickering, more “I’m Bored” whining, and just a general lack of peace.  At this pace, I’d be a mad woman by August!

So I came up with a plan.  The rules were:
1. It had to be easy to implement with very little prior planning.
2. I had to use books and supplies we already own…no extra spending. (Exception: weekend “field trips” with Daddy)

Without further ado, our Summer Camp Schedule!  I included my whole plan (with links!) in the hope that it may help a fellow Mamma survive the summer with little ones too.

   
BIRDS: June 4-8
Book: Counting is for the Birds
Craft: Cheerios Bird Feeders
Craft: Birds Nests
Activity: Angry Birds coloring pages
Activity: Make our own version of Angry Birds with blocks and balls
Field Trip: Lowes for birdseed and a new feeder

ART: June 11-15
Craft: paint rocks
Craft: Introduce a new medium to work with (clay?)
Craft: Decorate an artist’s smock with fabric paint
Activity: sidewalk chalk
Activity: Hold an art exhibit at the end of the week with all of their creations/paintings/drawings

TRAINS: June 18-22
Book: Freight Train
Craft: Toilet Paper Tube Train
Craft: Printable Paintable Train
Activity: Set up train tracks around the living room
Field Trip: Ride the train at the mall

FISH/WATER: June 25-29
Book: Swimmy
Craft: Mosaic Fish
Craft: Paper Aquarium
Activity: Math review with Goldfish Counting Mats
Field trip: Picnic lunch at the beach

OUR TOWN: July 2-6
Books: Little People: Welcome to Our Town and What do People do All Day?
Craft: Build a town out of boxes (paint or cover with paper)
Craft: Draw a map of our neighborhood
Activity: Go for a walk and do a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt
Field trip: Visit our favorite places: library, bakery, etc.
Field trip: Find a park we’ve never visited before

ZOO ANIMALS: July 9-13
Books: TBD…we have a ton of animal books scattered around the house
Snack: animal crackers
Craft: Macaroni Lion
Craft: Paper Plate Elephant
Craft: Monkey Masks
Movie: Curious George
Field Trip: Visit the zoo

AIRPLANES: July 16-20
Book: The Little Airplane
Craft: Toilet Paper Tube Airplane
Craft: Popsicle Stick Airplane Scene
Activity: Make paper airplanes and have a flying contest

{gift guide} Need a Little Sunshine?

Have a friend who’s going through a rough patch?  Send a little sunshine her way!  Here are a few happy and yellow-inspired gift ideas:

{link list} 5.23.12 Edition

I love link lists.
There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a
recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things
I’ve come across this week…

1. I recently saw a couple of stools similar to these at Marshalls.  Oh my word, were they so cool.  Industrial, yet sorta old-school vintage?  Right up my alley!  I’m hoping I have a place for them in my next house.

2. Who can I send this awesome gift to?  With a little creativity, anything (within reason) can go in the balloons.  I’m thinking little notes, quarters, stickers, and small toys.  And that’s just for kiddos.  I’m sure there are many Mammas who need balloon popping as a stress-reliever! 

3. Per Grace‘s suggestion, I found these awesome Saltwater Sandals.  The price point is much better than my previous choice and I hear the quality is superb.  So excited to order once my size is back in stock! 

4. I liked this list of “Easy Ways to Surprise and Delight Your Children“.  Sometimes I get in a parenting rut, and these are great ideas to step up my game.  It’s the little things they’ll always remember anyway, right? 

5. Imagine there was a short video series that drew on the values of “working hard, being kind, helping each other, being creative, problem solving and staying positive even when frustrating things happen”.  Well there is!  It’s called Olive Us and the first episode is so sweet. Be sure to watch Ben Blair (aka Dad)’s video on the aim of the project.  I love that his hope is to show healthy family relationships…what a pro-life and pro-family message!

6. I’ll be avoiding a bathing suit like the plague this year, but the new swimwear at Shabby Apple has me envisioning my soon-to-be slim bod (HAH) next summer.  Hard to choose, but I think this one and this one are my favorites. 

7. Summer is right around the corner and for many, that means the kids are home full-time.  If you’re on the lookout for activities to do when the weather is blazing, look into Smart Bottom Kids.  Darcy has craft kits all ready to go…no planning or running to the craft store necessary!  I have my eye on the Fish Aquarium and the Window Stars for the boys.

8. Refreshing drink ideas on my must-try list: Roasted Peach Lemonade, Orange Push-Up Smoothie, and Raspberry Lemonade Slushie. 

{read along} Mitten Strings for God: Breathing and Healing

I don’t have many additional things to say about these two short chapters, but wanted to include a couple of passages because I thought they were great food for thought.

Breathing: “Over the years I have tried all sorts of solutions to the inevitable sibling battles, including forced separations, time-outs, hugs and kisses, and, at times, shouting at the top of my lungs.  Breathing together works best.  Now, before I will listen to either side of the story, before the argument escalates further, before I take any action at all to settle a dispute, we breathe together.  I kneel down and take one child in each arm.  We look into one another’s faces, we breathe long and slow and deep, we count to ten or twenty.  In the process, we always seem to find in our hearts a scrap of forbearance, a shred of forgiveness–and that is the beginning of the road back to harmony.” -page 97

Healing: “…sometimes our children are really asking for more from us than a perfunctory response, and that is when we must minister not only to the skinned knee, but to an inner need as well.  It does no good to advise a weeping child that the pain will go away on its own.  We are mothers, after all, and it is our job to do something.  And so I created the ‘hurt basket,’ a treasure chest of magical lotions, potions and healing aids.  The wicker basket, stored high on a bathroom shelf, invokes a ritual–it means that time will be taken to ease a pain, that I care, that I will do my best to bring comfort.  The contents of the basket change with the season: soothing throat lozenges in winter, an ‘itch eraser’ for summer’s mosquito bites.  But in general we are not without peppermint foot lotion, arnica gel, witch hazel, calamine lotion…and last, but not least, a truly impressive array of Band-Aids…To an adult, a Band-Aid may be nothing but a sticky plastic strip; but to a child it is a badge of honor, imbued with magical healing properties.  Be grateful and stock up.” –page 101 (emphasis mine)

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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