| All of us have come across the same problem | | | | and renting a boat and riding around the |
| from time to time...isn't there anything to | | | | lake. |
| do that doesn't cost money? | | | | |
| | | | Do your kids enjoy NASCAR? Then take them to |
| There are a lot of things for you to do with | | | | the stock car races and let them guess which |
| your kids that you may have overlooked in | | | | car is going to win! |
| this hurry-up world of ours, and it's only | | | | |
| natural that after you read this you will | | | | Go to rummage sales or flea markets and look |
| wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. | | | | for treasures. |
| So, just chalk this up to a re-learning | | | | |
| experience and revisiting your youth!! | | | | Have a family rummage sale and get rid of all |
| | | | of the clutter around the house and let |
| Do you remember those summer nights when you | | | | everyone make some money. |
| and a bunch of your friends would play | | | | |
| kick-the-can, red light-green light, or ghost | | | | Check with your local library for summer |
| tag (with the flashlight). Do your kids (or | | | | programs. |
| the neighborhood kids) know how to play these | | | | |
| games? | | | | Use this free time to teach your children |
| | | | skills you don't have time for during the |
| How about a hike thru a Park or Kettle | | | | school year such as sewing, knitting, |
| Moraine and just for fun, pack a picnic lunch | | | | cooking, and other homemaking skills. Boys |
| and stop near an old tree and rest awhile. | | | | and girls can learn to repair things around |
| | | | the home, as well as carpentry skills. |
| Go swimming at an inland lake or Lake | | | | |
| Michigan. | | | | Visit the local police station, fire |
| | | | department, post office or dairy farm (make |
| Build sand castles. | | | | sure to call ahead to set up an appointment. |
| | | | |
| Have a neighborhood fry-out and everyone | | | | Keep a summer scrapbook and or journal. |
| bring enough for their own family and a dish | | | | |
| to pass. | | | | Make a dress-up box for little ones with some |
| | | | of your throw away clothes, don't forget to |
| Have a bon-fire in the back yard and tell | | | | add jewelry, hats and shoes, then let them |
| ghost stories. | | | | put on a fashion show for you and their |
| | | | friends. You can try this with older kids to, |
| Set up the camping tent in the back yard and | | | | just hang up some sheets, give them a camera |
| rough-it at home. | | | | to use and a box of old clothes and let them |
| | | | make a photo album of their fashions. |
| Have a scavenger hunt with all of the | | | | |
| neighborhood kids, but make sure that they | | | | Teach the kids how to tie-dye a shirt or hat. |
| only go to the houses of people they know. | | | | |
| | | | Start a Childs garden, let them pick out what |
| Go to the park and play baseball, Frisbee, | | | | they want in their garden, dig it up and |
| volleyball or tennis. | | | | plant it. Kids love to see watermelons and |
| | | | pumpkins and have a contest who will have the |
| Enjoy a day at the museum and learn about the | | | | biggest. You might also have a flower garden |
| County that you live in. | | | | with each child having a different color of |
| | | | flower. |
| Do you remember when you used to enjoy going | | | | |
| horseback riding? I better you never took the | | | | Kids enjoy things they can do with adults, do |
| kids! | | | | alone or show off to their friends, expense |
| | | | isn't always a factor in ways of having a |
| Go Roller Blading, bike riding or for a long | | | | good time, it's the simple things in life |
| walk. | | | | that we forget the easiest. Have a great |
| | | | summer doing things the fun way!! |
| How about going to one of the inland lakes | | | | |