Growing up I was a total home-body. I was constantly two steps behind my mother and was quite content not going anywhere -except my room...I loved being cooped up in my room!
One year I got the bright idea to go away to church summer camp with one of my friends. It was only a week long so I thought I would be okay away from my mom. So not the case. Two days in and I had called home collect so many times that I think my mother was almost ready to come get me instead of watching the phone bill climb sky high. To say I was homesick to the extreme is an understatement. It was horrible.
Although our kids are still pretty young I have thought about summer camps. Will they want to go away to one? What will it cost to have four kids gone at one time? Will I be able to handle them being away from home? Will they be able to handle being away from me? A few days ago I looked up a local camp to see what the price for a two-week stay is -$2150...do you hear me...TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS...FOR ONE CHILD!! That's a TON of money for four kids...
So I did a little searching around on Google and Pinterest for some ideas of having summer camp at home. Okay, so it's not the real thing and maybe a little silly...but it sure sounded like a good idea to me. I threw the idea out to the kids and they loved it and couldn't wait to start!! In true camp fashion, we have a schedule that includes all the fun things you would want to do.
Our Summer Camp at Home will go through July -Monday thru Friday. For each activity the kids complete a day they will earn .25 and get paid on Saturday morning. The kids will tithe 10% first, then save 50%, and can spend what's leftover. At the end of July the kids will have enough money to buy their own ticket to the water park.
Without any more rambling, here is what our camp includes:
Morning Schedule:
8:00-9:00 - Breakfast, kitchen, and dining room cleanup
9:00-9:15 - Get dressed, brush teeth, make bed
9:15-12:00 - Individual/Group activities
*Individual/Group activities:
a. Bible Study - Done from kid's devotional.
b. Read -20 minutes -We are signing up for our library's summer reading program so this time will be used to read their books to themselves.
c. Writing -1 page in their journal -They can write about whatever they want but they have to use correct capitalization and punctuation.
d. Skill Practice - 20 minutes -Typing, a sport, drawing, piano, foreign language, etc...
e. Home Job - Each kid is assigned one chore to complete from our weekly cleaning list.
f. Physical - Time outside -riding bikes, playing sports, outside games, etc...
g. Extra - Choose 1 activity to do for remaining time (if there is any) -play board game, online educational games, animal research, computer/video games, etc...
The above activities are to be completed by themselves with the exception of the Bible study with little to no help from mom. This is time for me to get some cleaning done, blogging, my own Bible study/quiet time, or whatever I want to do!
Our afternoon schedule doesn't include a whole lot so that we aren't pushing it to burn-out! Afternoon activities will be done together -parents and children.
Our afternoon schedule doesn't include a whole lot so that we aren't pushing it to burn-out! Afternoon activities will be done together -parents and children.
Afternoon Activities:
12:00 -1:00 - Lunch, kitchen, and dining room cleanup
1:00 -2:00 - Quiet/Nap time followed by:
Masterpiece Monday -crafts, learning about artists, researching/completing lap books for different countries.
Tasty Tuesday - Cooking/baking -with kids being 90% in control.
Wet 'n Wild Wednesday - Go to the splash pad at the park, go to the lake, water sprinkler fun, etc...
Thoughtful Thursday - Do something kind for someone/volunteering.
Family Fun Friday - Kids can have friends over or we go somewhere, movie/homemade pizza/popcorn
There is a look at what we are doing this summer! I believe we are going to have a great time. Drew starts a new job this week that will require a lot of traveling so I'm hoping this summer camp at home will sort of take the kids' minds off of him not being at home.
What do you think about having Summer Camp at home?
What are your plans for this summer?
I sometimes link up with these places...check them out for some awesome inspiration!!
I sometimes link up with these places...check them out for some awesome inspiration!!
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All content © My Blessings at Home 2012.
I found you from A bowl full of Lemons. What a fantastic idea! I've wanted to do this for a while, but thought my youngest was too small. Well in a month she turns 5, so perhaps starting in a couple weeks we will begin Summer Camp!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting! Our 4 that are doing it this summer are 6,(2)8,and 11...The idea is for them to do the morning activities without my help but of course if they need it I'm there! Hope y'all have a great time!!
DeleteI enjoyed reading about your summer and wish my teenagers were little still ;-) I did things like this with my children when they were little to give structure and a good summer. Once, we made a submarine out of a huge cardboard box and they painted it. They had so much fun in it the rest of the summer.
ReplyDeleteI was that child who went to summer camp when I was 9. I was sooo homesick that I came home after only two days and never went again!!
Thanks! Our kids would love making something like that and painting it too! We might have to do that!!! I so tried to come home from my camp too...but my parents wouldn't let me...I did end up having fun though!
DeleteGood for you for making a plan that works for you and keeping that faith growth alive...your enthusiasm shines through! I am a new visitor, enjoyed reading!
ReplyDeleteMichy
I have been doing just the same thing (getting ideas from pinterest, blogs, etc.) and I don't think it is silly at all. In fact it is brilliant! We've done camps in the past (just half day and with a target interest, dance, etc.) but this summer we're trying to stick to a budget so my kids will have summer camp with mom...thank you for sharing your schedule and ideas- I think I'll borrow some of them too. *oh- stopping by from bowful of lemons. :)
ReplyDelete