A Summer-Fun or Back-to-School Day
Last weekend Ray and I enjoyed a wonderful time with our daughters and their families. The grandchildren come up with many of their own ideas while they simply enjoy being together and playing together. However, as I have written about before, for the last several years, I have planned some organized activities, too. This was our activity door for the weekend.
I posted 13 activities. One way that I know that the grandchildren like this idea is that they come to me to ask when we are going to do such and so. As you can see from the star stickers we added when we completed something, we got to ten of them. I decided to wait on the family tree until the whole family is together, and we simply ran out of time before we got to English country dancing and charades.
One key to the success of this plan is that I am okay if we don’t finish everything. That’s a decision that comes in handy when homeschooling, too.
With school starting back for you very soon or in a few weeks, I thought you might enjoy having a summer-fun or back-to-school day with your own children or a group of children. Alternatively, you might like to choose one of these activities per day for the first week of school.
Lincoln Logs
I bought our first set of Lincoln Logs for $1 at a garage sale around 1979. Through the years, we have added three more sets, none of which was $1 :). The last time I played with Lincoln Logs with our grandchildren, we made preparations for this activity. We put all of the one-notched logs in one container, the two-notched in another, the three- and four-notched in another, and the plastic people, ladders, roofs, etc. in another. At Lincoln Log time last weekend, we divided up the various sizes into three piles, numbered the piles, and then drew a number for which pile each team would use. Each team worked together to build structures in their section of an area rug. Together we completed a frontier town. Ray took pictures and designated “awards” for each team. The 9-year-old and 11-year-old granddaughter team won Tallest Structure; the 7-year-old granddaughter/8-year-old grandson team won Structures Covering the Largest Area; and the 4-year-old and 6-year-old grandsons and Little team got Most Rebuilt Structure.
4-Letter Words
We had 12 people ages 4 and up. I wrote the number 1 on four small pieces of paper, the number 2 on four pieces, and the number 3 on four pieces. Each of us drew a number. The ones were in one group of four, the twos in another group, and the threes in another. The game is simple and non-competitive. A group of four chooses a four-letter word and then each team member uses his or her body to form that letter. The other teams guess what the word is. Examples of some of our words are: WORD, BEST, FOUR, and LOVE. We mixed the groups up for each round by re-drawing numbers each time. I read about this idea online and we thought it was fun.
Teddy Bear Relay
We divided into two teams of six each. The teams stood in two single file lines. At the head of each line was a laundry basket filled with teddy bears. At the word “Go,” the team member at the front of each line grabbed a teddy bear and handed it over his head to the next member who passed it between his knees to the next team member who handed it over his head to the next and on and on until the last team member placed it in an empty basket at the end of the line. As soon as the first player handed back one teddy bear, he or she grabbed another one and passed it down the line. When the basket was full at the end of the line, players passed the teddy bears back up the line in the same pattern until the original basket was again filled with teddy bears. This is especially fun with a mix of short children and tall adults.
Ball Toss
I gathered bouncing balls of various sizes from one that was four inches in diameter to a large exercise ball. The children simply stood in a circle and tossed a ball randomly to other children in the circle. Players left the circle when they failed to catch it. When the last player was out, the tossing began again with the next size larger ball. It was simple, but the children enjoyed it and experienced the skills necessary to throw and catch balls of different sizes.
Other Group Activities
Adults and children joined in a game of Red Rover. The children enjoyed breaking a piñata and riding on riding toys through “streets” marked with sidewalk chalk. Playing dress-up is always a given when more than one family of grandchildren arrive at our house. I love the outlandish outfits they put together. This time they found some wigs. Three of our grandsons looked like 1964 Beatles look-alikes, albeit in 8-year-old, 6-year-old, and 1-year-old versions. They were hilarious. The children also had a parade. They wore dress-up clothes while marching single file and playing toy musical instruments. The parade has also become a popular standard activity at Notty and Little’s house.
Concert
I think this was my personal favorite activity. Present this weekend were two grandchildren who are taking piano lessons, two who are taking violin lessons, one adult who has recently begun cello lessons, and Ray and I who began guitar and mandolin lessons in January. On Friday night, we enjoyed a family concert where each of us who are involved in music lessons played one to four songs. Everyone was entertained and each of the music makers enjoyed a friendly and encouraging audience. It was very special. I expect this to become another regular activity.
Two of the grandchildren who are not in music lessons decided to perform as well. Both quoted pieces they have memorized. This reminds me of something that is important to remember during group activities. It is important to plan activities that use a variety of skills. In the best planned family activities, every person has an opportunity to shine at some skill, so that all are encouraged and applauded.
Therefore encourage one another
and build up one another,
just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11