Keeping active children engaged during family gatherings can be challenging at times. I am grateful for the fun, uncomplicated activities found on various child-related internet sites.
Thanks to my daughter for this fun, easy activity for Thanksgiving. I apologize for not knowing to whom the credit goes. But thank you!
We cut out ‘feathers’ from colored paper, put them all about the house. The children ‘found’ them and taped them to the drawn Turkey we taped on the wall. It was fun, but did not last very long.
My daughter drew the Turkey on paper and taped to the wall.‘Feathers’ were strewn all about the house.Helping the children tape on feathers.Lots of fun finding the feathers.Our turkey was feathered quickly!It did not take long, but was fun!
Do you have special holiday activities? Please share!
I hereby accept the job to HAVE fun and BE fun at G n’ G’s Cousin Camp. By_______________, Camper.
This pledge needed to be signed by each camper in order to gain entry into the Cousin Camp Bill and I had prepared for them this past week.
I posted the signed pledges on the bulletin board for all to see—–just in case one forgot. One can never tell with kids in ages ranging from 15-8.
Signed pledges posted on bulletin board.
This pledge is mostly is for fun, but in a way also a reminder of their part to play in the success of our camp. If there is anything these young people can learn at family gatherings is that it takes work on everyone’s part for us to enjoy each other and have joy and success.
The ‘good’ life and a fun camp do not just happen. Only chaos happens. Everything else in life is effort, grace, humor and forgiveness.
Enough lecture, onto the fun!
Our neighbor graciously granted permission to the boys to fish a dinner from his pond. They were so excited at that idea their parents said they could hardly sleep the night before camp.
It was a terrific fish fry. The boys cleaned and prepared the fish. Bill cooked it.
Play time with Buster and HoneyPie were exciting for them. HoneyPie kept a close watch on our eldest g’son for frisbee time.
HoneyPie ready in a second for frisbee.‘I’m ready when you are’—HoneyPie.
Our DIY project fit my requirements exactly; easy to make, can be enjoyed by all, and gets used up. What is it? Beeswax candle making.
Was a perfect day to do our project outside.Everyone enjoyed it, even Buster.
They did have to ‘do some time’ though. For one-half hour we worked weeding one of my messiest gardens. Hurray!
Many hands make light work.
The BIG surprise was an Escape Room—Escape from Mordor. Though a bit of artistic license was taken with the storyline, it was a huge hit! Thanks mostly to our son who played Gandalf and made it all the more terrific!
Gandalf ready to start escape room.They had one-half hour to escape.They found the ring and a prize for each. Congratulations! They escaped from Mordor.
The final day of camp held a couple more activities for them before meeting their parents and camp was over.
Did they fulfill their pledge ‘have fun’ and ‘be fun?’ Yes, indeed so. We just may have to do this again sometime—once Bill & I recuperate!
I grew up in the tourist industry. Memorial Day through Labor Day started and finished the busiest time of year for us. It was tourist season, summer time, school break, taking folks through the caverns, working in the campground, and best of all taking tourists on horseback trail rides through the mountains where we lived at Endless Caverns in New Market, VA. Could not get better than that for me.
I have used this reasoning to help understand my sadness at the end of summer and beginning of fall. The season is over, everyone has gone home, it will now be quiet I would think to myself. For years we rented the horses for our livery and they too had to leave. This only added to that empty feeling inside.
We sold the caverns way back in 1976. One would think I’d be over that feeling of summer being over. Guess that’s not going to happen. What I have learned is to enjoy the remnants of summer fun and family visits as I work to get things back in order after all the family visit fun.
As I was cleaning up after three weeks of great family times, I found myself taking photographs of all the evidence of the fun we enjoyed together. It made me smile and filled my heart with thankfulness.
Can you can see what I mean with these fun, silly photographs? All the evidence of family summer fun?
Loads of dirty laundry.Beds that need remaking.A little garden posy for guests.Flyers from places we visited.Little memories purchased.Left over wine.Photos of the visits.
I hope as this summer winds down you too have some remnants of family fun around your house as well. Good by summer, fare thee well and…
one_local_gal 