Summer Play Book

Well summer is almost here.  Eli only has 2 days of school left.  This is my first summer with 4 at home.  I will admit, I'm a little scared!  It's gets SO hot here in the desert.  These boys NEED to be active.  The heat really makes that difficult.  And now that we've added an infant to the mix, it's also tricky logistically.

So I MUST have a Summer Play Book!  Last year I made a "Summer Bucket List".  It was a great idea & I certainly had good intentions.  We didn't get to nearly as many of the activities as I would have liked.  I wasn't feeling the best.  Turns out it was because of that unannounced player that we didn't yet know about! :)

This year I KNEW I needed try again.  My boys excel when they know what the plan for the day is!  In fact, they are a little OCD about it (they get that from their father).  Chaos ensues when they are left to their own devices for entertainment.  In addition to keeping my sanity, I want these boys to have fun!  I want to make lasting memories for them and create special traditions.

Most of these activities/day trips are free or cost very little.  That is a must!  The boys absolutely love doing crafts and anything hands on.  Most of these activities I've found on Pinterest.  So I thought I should at least TRY some of the things I've pinned.  I'll admit I spend WAY too much time on Pinterest.  But I figure what else can I do while feeding a baby?  :)  I've also included several day trips around town. (I'd love to have a few more ideas if anyone has any suggestions.)

In addition to our Summer Play Book, we are signed up for our church's VBS and Harkins Summer Movie Passes.  We'll also take trips to the pool, splash pad, parks, and take advantage of our sprinkler system.

So check it out!  I hope you find something you'll want to add to your summer list!  I'd love to hear what you have planned for the summer!  So please share your ideas.

Disclaimer:  These are in no particular order & I am certainly not delusional enough to actually believe we will accomplish all of these! :) If you are unable to get any of the links to work, please let me know & I will update them!

Summer Play Book-2013

Glowing Mountain Dew
Glow Sticks in Bubbles
Monster Straw Painting
Monster Cookies
Scorpion Hunt
Foam Bookmarks
Fry an Egg Outside
Homemade Bread & Butter
Lava Lamps
Bottle Cap Stampers
Rock Candy
Slime
Fondue Party
Ice Cream in a Bag
Popsicle Stick Bracelets
Finger paint name print
Cement Stepping Stones
Water Transfer Experiment
Crayon Hot Rocks
Tempe Beach Park
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Bouncy Balls
Make it Rain
Organ Stop Pizza
Desert Breeze Park
Salt River
Homemade Bubbles
Simon Says Art
Make Popsicles
Dirt Pudding
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
Fountain Hills
Casa Grande Ruins
Write & Illustrate a book
Origami
Balloon Ping Pong
Disney Theme Movie Night
Make & take Treats to the church office
Watch Despicable Me 2
Watch Monster's University
Library Summer Reading Program
Toy Track Painting