Cleaning Cards

 

Using these cards as my inspiration, I made my family some detailed cleaning cards so they can effectively help me clean our house.  They've been great.  "Go clean your room" can be a bit overwhelming to a kid.  Now, my boys have the chore broken down into manageable parts.  And the room actually gets (mostly) clean!

The Bored Board, Revamped

Last summer, I made a Bored Board for my boys. This year, though, it needed a little tweaking.  We've got rather scheduled days this year, as we have many goals we're working on and quite a few doctor's appointments (for being healthy boys, these guys sure have a lot of specialists...it makes for quite a few check ups every year).   So, I wanted a spot to put a daily schedule.

So, I rearranged the pockets, and made space for a clear sleeve to slide in a daily schedule.  I make a week's worth at a time in Excel and slide the whole week in at once, pulling out a sheet after that day has passed.  

The pockets and "tickets" are a little different this year, too.  During the "blank" spots in the schedule (there's generally one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one after dinner), they can choose a ticket from one of the pockets.  I color coded them for morning (where trips to the zoo and the museum go), afternoon (paint, draw, build a blanket fort, etc.), evening (there's a Camp Out in the Backyard one in that pocket!), and "school time."  

I'm one of those "mean moms" who makes their kids keep up on their school skills during the summer.  They get quiet reading time every afternoon (this replaces nap time in our house when a kid stops napping every day.  Hey, Mom's gotta have a break, right?!).  And, they've got a spot in the schedule to brush up on writing and math skills.  So, they get to choose from various math computer games, and things like "make a list," "write in your journal," and "write a letter."

I'm also adding some chore cards to the board.  This is the summer my boys learn how to cook, clean, and do laundry!  I have a feeling this is going to be a fun, and productive, summer!

The Bored Board

I always have some sort of schedule for my kids during the summer. Otherwise, things delve pretty quickly into spending the entire day in pjs. Everyday.

This year, I jazzed it up a bit and decided to make a fun board to put our schedule and fun activities on.  Of course, the minute I decide to do it, the craft blog world explodes with a zillion summer board ideas!  :)  So, I'm sure you've seen similar things around lately, but this is my take on the summer activity board. 

I found a big frame at Salvation Army for cheap and painted it yellow.  I have a thing for yellow.  :)  I framed a piece of regular poster board.  Then, I used a cute font to make a title (my kids think the title is funny and fun to say--success!) and printed it out and taped it to the posterboard.

I then made some library card pockets (though I made them just a little bigger than the template I found--which I can't seem to find anymore to link to.  Just google them.  There are a ton out there.).  I went through my scrapbook paper stash to find some paper that coordinated with the frame and the colors I used for the title.

Then, I made little "tickets" to go in the pockets.  I started out making elaborate circus-ticket themed "tickets."  Yeah, that went out the window real quick.  Not enough time.  So, we have a circus font printed on plain white cardstock.
The green ones are ones my boys can choose any time they're bored.  They don't need any permission, they can just go do it.  I have fun ones and chore ones.  (Didn't your mom ever tell you, "Well, if you're so bored you can help do the work?"  Mine did.) 

The yellow ones are pretty much for anytime, too, but they have to ask permission first.  The red ones are bigger activities (ones that require more advanced planning on my part than pulling out the craft supplies or something).   

In case you're interested, here are the rest of the activities on our list--the ones that didn't get photographed:

Stargaze

Make popsicles

Play Twister

Play with Playdough

Build a fort

Play Frisbee

Play with bubbles
Have a lemonade stand

Play charades

Sing a song

Play I Spy

Camp in the backyard

Go to the zoo

Go to the museum

Have a picnic

Go on a hike

Have a movie night

Wash the car

Make dinner

And, of course, we have the daily schedule.  No times, though in the past I have sometimes scheduled a little more strictly (up and dressed by 8!).  This year's rule is that they can sleep in as late as they want (unless we have an appointment or something), but once they're up, they have to get dressed and make their beds. 

It's been a busy beginning of summer, so there hasn't been much chance to get bored yet, but my boys think The Bored Board is super-cool and can't wait to do all the activities in it!  Me neither!