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As the time of year approaches, we understand that while many of you are trying to stay calm, some of you, including us, are feeling little anxious about summer break.
With the chaos our little angels create in the hours around school, we can only imagine the additional havoc they will wreak during summer!
I mean whats not to adore: continuous requests for food, the phrase 'I'm bored' yelled hundreds of times daily, and some mixed martial arts-style fights to intervene in between.
Fear not Kim + Lyn are here to help! We’ve got 7 activities to try over summer break.
It’s time to train them in, create new routines and more importantly have some fun. We have created some great summer activities to do with the little ones to keep them busy and help keep on top of the organisation.
It doesn’t have to be all on you, get them involved! They could pleasantly surprise you and unknowingly create new habits for the future.
Activity 1: Arts and Crafts (Organise & Play)
Get the Kids to gather all the art supplies from all over the house.
Give them a bin to place all broken and used up items
Make the most used items easiest to access.
Give each child a shoe box or organiser to fill with the items they like to use the most
Make labels for the different sections like crayons, paint etc
Make a list of missing items like paper, pink paint etc
When It’s all done you can set a challenge like "What can you create using the supplies we have?"
Activity 2: Fashion Show (aka declutter and outfit plan)
A great way to get the kiddies clothes organised for the week ahead is to ask them to do a fashion show of what they would like to wear.
Once they have finished get them to bundle their clothes and accessories into days and place in an accessible place like baskets, stacked drawers or on hangers.
It’s a good opportunity to try on clothes to check if they still fit so keep a charity bag to hand.
Make sections in their wardrobes for activities/camps like football, dance, gym etc.
They can make labels/signs for different sections
Older children could colour co-ordinate their hanging rails and hang planned outfits together on one hanger.
You will be sure to spot the future Kim + Lyn’s during this process!!
Activity 3: Make your own Library
Gather all children's books and place them in one room.
Let them look through and sort into donate and keep.
See if they can make a rainbow with the books on the shelf or wherever they are stored.
Pick 7 books to read for the week ahead or for older children 7 chapters.
Design and make their own library card and give a sticker/stamp when each day/chapter is achieved
We think this one deserves a prize when completed!
Activity 4: Snack Attack(Because they are always hungry!)
Make a designated press, drawer or basket for snacks.
Let each child choose an amount of snacks to do them for the day.
You could have green snacks (healthy) and red snacks (not so healthy) they can make signs for the different snacks to show if they are red or green.
Maybe they get 3 green and 2 red etc
Children can use a food bag, basket or lunch box to store them (don't forget to label)
They decide when they eat the snacks but when they are gone there gone!
I mean it’s worth a try…. Chances are they will be empty by 10am on day 1!
Activity 5: Give to Get (A great habit to introduce to your little ones)
Making a trip to the charity shop fun.
Explain why we have charity shops and the amazing work they do.
Ask the kids to box up some of their toys and clothes they have for donation.
Help them choose by explaining how happy their item will make its new owner.
Allow them to come with you to drop off and as a reward for giving, give them a small amount of money to buy themselves something nice.
Teach the children the one on one out rule and always have a charity bag on the go!
Activity 6: Floor is Lava! (We can all enjoy this one)
Pick a room or designate everyone their own bedroom for example.
Set a timer.....
Get all the toys/clothes/lego/shoes etc off the floor and into their rightful place before they all melt!
Don't forget the dramatic countdown at the end and make sure EVERYONE and everything is off the floor.
We reckon you will get every room in the house done using this method they will want to "play" again and again.
This could be a quick game at the end of each day just for toys.
This is an excellent activity to do before winding down for bedtime
Activity 7: Designer for a day!
Allow your child to pick a room or area to redesign (bedroom / toy area etc)
Think about how the space needs to function (i.e sleep, homework, play or maybe it has many functions)
Ask them to draw up the layout and what they would want it to look like.
Ask them to clear the floor space and donate or discard any no longer wanted/used items.
Give them a hand to rearrange furniture, relocate items, change bedsheets etc.
This will give them a sense of ownership and pride in their own space and HOPEFULLY they keep it tidy.
Maybe you have the next Dermot Bannon on your hands!
Keep: Always put your toys and things back where they belong.
Daily: Tidy up a little every day to keep your room neat and prevent it from becoming a big task.
Simple: Make it a simple and fun part of your day.
We hope this helps a little and you might just create some great new organisation habits in your home this summer. Feel free to pass this along to a friend who could benefit from it, and feel free to share your own summer holiday tips for kids - we always appreciate hearing new ideas, especially with our five little ones at home!
Le Grá
Kim + Lyn
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This product is a life saver for homes in helping them stay organised and on-top of all the many job’s within the home. The 54 cards which include “Little Jobs” (small easy tasks that are suitable for children to help with) and “Big Jobs” (the ones no one wants to do but always give the most satisfaction when achieved).
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