| "I'm bored!" "I have nothing to do!" "What | | | | decorated cookie before you could eat it. |
| should I do now?" | | | | Another great idea, which I usually use at my |
| | | | children's birthdays, is to buy store bought |
| Are these some of the things you are hearing | | | | cookie dough, in the refrigerated section. I |
| or have heard from your child or children | | | | usually take a chocolate chip cookie dough |
| this summer? Are you running out of things to | | | | and a sugar cookie dough, and press them down |
| do? Here are some fun activities that you can | | | | on to two pizza baking sheet. I spread the |
| do with your kids. You can even have your | | | | cookie dough to the edges of the baking sheet |
| kids invite friends and do these activities | | | | until it looks like a pizza. Then bake it. |
| together. | | | | After it is cooled, I have my child spread |
| | | | the frosting of their choice and then |
| But first, here is something to think about. | | | | decorate it with different colored sprinkles |
| A girlfriend of mine had a very good | | | | and colored icing (from the store and in the |
| suggestion that will prevent your child from | | | | ready make tubes). He has a blast. We then |
| complaining about being bored. She sends them | | | | add candles to it. Another great idea, is to |
| to the refrigerator and taped to the door is | | | | buy fancy molds. I have, for in-stance, the |
| a list of chores that she has written down | | | | football stadium Nordicware mold. After the |
| for them to do, when they complain that they | | | | cake it baked, they like to sprinkle |
| are bored. Needless to say, her children | | | | different colored sprinkles in the inside of |
| never complain about being bored. | | | | the stadium to look like fans in the stadium. |
| | | | |
| As a self confident parent, if you are | | | | 3) Create memory books. You can buy |
| looking for some things that are actually fun | | | | inexpensive or expensive photo albums. You |
| to do, here are a couple of great activities | | | | can give each child their own or share a book |
| or ideas: | | | | and make a family album. Next have your child |
| | | | cut out their favorite pictures from |
| 1) Do a craft project together. This is one | | | | magazines or give them copies of their |
| of my favorites when my kids were younger. | | | | favorite photos. Use acid-free glue, double |
| You can buy a craft kit or make up your own | | | | stick tape, or special double sided photo |
| project, if you are crafty. One of the | | | | stickers to stick the pictures on to their |
| projects my kids liked to do was to cut out | | | | books. Then decorate the pages with acid-free |
| paper snowflakes. Another one was to figure | | | | stickers, markers, stamped images, or cut |
| out different ways to fold airplanes and find | | | | outs. Another great idea is to make dream |
| out which way flew the best. We would also | | | | journals or wishing boards. You cut out |
| paint wooden cut outs (that I had purchased | | | | things that they want, from weekly ads or |
| from a craft store), for instance, | | | | magazines, and paste them onto a poster |
| gingerbread men during the holidays. There | | | | board. You can have them cut out pictures of |
| are all sorts of kits that you can buy from a | | | | people that they want to be, for instance, a |
| craft store, like Michael's Arts and Crafts | | | | singer, a dancer, a football or basketball |
| or JoAnn's Fabric store. Another very simple | | | | player, a golfer, a doctor, etc. or cut out |
| idea, that I used to do when we had a play | | | | pictures of their dream house, etc. They can |
| group and it was my turn to host, was to take | | | | cut out places that they would like to visit. |
| a walk. We would pick up leaves, flowers, | | | | The possibilities are endless. Or you can |
| etc. We then bring them back and paste them | | | | make a book with a spiral bound notebook and |
| on a page to make a picture. We have also | | | | decorate the cover or buy a notebook binder |
| bought the kit to make permanent plates, | | | | and decorate the cover. Then have your child |
| cups, and bowls. After you order the kit, | | | | write down their favorite jokes poems, or |
| have your child draw a picture (or if they | | | | memories. You can even copy the jokes or |
| are very young, you can write their name, | | | | poems and then cut and paste them into their |
| date, and trace their hand) with their | | | | books. You can make autograph books. You take |
| markers on a special piece of paper. You then | | | | a book and dec-orate it. You then have their |
| send it back to the company who will mail it | | | | friends or relatives write little notes to |
| back with their artwork on a plate or bowl. | | | | them or you can start writing little notes to |
| (For pictures on a cup, the picture is | | | | them on a weekly or daily basis. You can |
| inserted after it is drawn and is not sent | | | | write down your wishes, dreams, or special |
| in.) In fact, to this day, we still use those | | | | memories of them down. |
| plates for our meals. | | | | |
| | | | Anyway, these are just a couple of fun |
| 2) Bake cookies or a cake. My kids loved to | | | | activities that you and your child or |
| help me stir the dough and then when the | | | | children can do with you or their friends |
| cookies were done baking, they got to frost | | | | that will help foster their self confidence |
| and decorate them with sprinkles. A fun thing | | | | and yours as a self con-fident parent. Have |
| to do is to make up a story about your | | | | fun!! Have a great summer! |