S/A Summer Care

[Pammie]

For those of you that offer s/a summer time care - would you mind sharing how you schedule/organize your summer days, and what kinds of activities you engage the kids in so that they don't make you - and each other - crazy before the end of June??

I've always offered s/a summer care (most of my clients are teachers and have the summer off - so I fill my summer roster with s/a kids), but have always done field trips (most day-long) to get us all out of the house with great adventures thru the summer months. However, this summer, I'm not trusting my 12yo van to get us safely out on fieldtrips and back anymore and as I can't afford a new vehicle at the moment, I'll be simply sticking to walking excursions (library, parks/playgrounds, pool) and activities at my home.

Any advice so that I can get myself set up to avoid problems before they happen would be greatly appreciated!!

[SimpleMom]

I keep to a similar schedule as the other days, except the kiddos get to play outdoors MUCH more. We do lots of outdoor learning, games, stuff like that. During quiet time, the SA get to take 20-30 minutes of journal/reading time on a mat and then they can play outdoors (I have total view of them from my 3 season porch when they do this), listen to music or books on tape, or watch a movie. We have lots of sprinkler fun, water balloon fights or water guns (the ONLY time I allow gun play) and find arts and crafts or other types of projects. I let the SA look for and give me ideas of what they want to do and then plan out a week or day for them with their ideas that work for the group.

One thing I don't do is fieldtrips It's just too hard to pull that off.
Some providers I know do go to the pool everyday, the library, things like that.

[youretooloud]

I haven't done school age kids for years. It's not my favorite.

But, we did a LOT of Gameboys. They had these little connectors that would allow them to sit on the couch and all play the same game together. (Pokemon)

They played Harry Potter Uno all summer long. I think I bought two or three decks of Uno cards.

They'd play Monopoly for a while, but get tired of it, but then a week or so later they'd go back to it.

I'd fill TONS of pools with water, and plastic tarps with a few inches of water, then I'd send them out to make whatever fun they could think of. Usually it turned into a big muddy mess, but I had a huge yard, so it was fine.

I bought those sand art bottles and sent them out to the garage with them, and they'd come in a few hours later with some really cool stuff.

We played "So you want to be a millionaire" type trivia games. http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Quest-Gr...1678014&sr=1-3 Or "Cash Cab". Then, I'd pay them with fake money, and they could buy snacks with that.

http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-5000-ThinkFun-Rush/dp/B00000DMER/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1301678168&sr=1-6

They'll play "rush hour" for a long time too.

Our kids are trapped inside all summer. So, we rarely go out. But, if your kids can go outside...

They like "What time is it Mr Fox". Or "Last one down"

We made foxtails. I can't remember how we played the game, but we put a tennis ball into a pair of old tights, or women's knee socks, tie a knot right behind the ball, and the kids throw it in the air. But, I can't remember what's next. (how to play it)

http://www.amazon.com/Skip-Ball-colors-may-vary/dp/B000ID32VI

Lots of jump ropes. (don't trust them.. they don't use them for jumping, but they still have fun)