Summer Fun Without the Waste

Summer has officially begun for me and my kids, which means it's time for me to get on my game face. My kids are extremely sweet, considerate, peaceful people. Just not with each other. We have a few family trips planned, and a couple camps lined up, but all it takes is one kid being bored for one minute before a raptor-hyena cage match breaks out. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a lot of value in kids experiencing boredom. Boredom is where creativity and deep thinking begin, and I intentionally schedule a lot of down time both during the school year and the summer. However, I also enjoy having activities ready to go that take minimal planning, require almost no stuff, and are of course, waste free.

At home-

1. Digital audiobooks from the library-

These are my absolute favorite things ever. Downloading audiobooks from the library is free, there is nothing to be lost or broken, and no trips to be made for pick ups or returns. My kids will catatonically listen to audiobooks for hours, as if they were staring at a screen, but with none of the negative side effects. I'm able to download the books directly to my phone, then play them through the speakers in our car or in the house. I also read to them, or they read to themselves, from ebooks and paper books, both of which can be borrowed from the library. This way we are surrounded by literature in many formats, enjoying multiple books at the same time, all without spending a penny, using up resources, or creating any waste.

2. Playdates-

I decided last summer to designate Wednesdays for playdates. This gives me a couple days to do the scheduling, while nicely breaking up the week for all of us. When each of my kids has a friend over, everyone gets along, they usually play outside, and everyone is good about helping clean up. Also, I do a minimal amount of driving, as most parents do the drop off and pick up. For snack, I put out a big bowl of cut up watermelon, which doesn't take much time to prepare, and all scraps are composted.

3. Reviving what we have-

Although I have cleared out a ton of old, unused toys, we still have plenty of newer, unused toys laying around. I have learned, however, that if I directly suggest playing with any of these things, I will immediately receive the stiff arm. Before the end of the school year, I made a list of all the toys/games/activities that I know the kids enjoy, but rarely touch. Without saying a word, I pick 2 things from the list, set them up in a prominent place, and walk away. 

Resistance is futile

These arrangements took less than 15 minutes total and resulted in over an hour of independent happy time from both kids.

4. Wrestling-

My son enjoys physical play and my daughter does not. This is the source of most of their fights. My daughter received a fairly large gym mat as a Christmas present a few years back, so I frequently drag it into the middle of the room, give my son a look, and say 'Let's go.' This is a fun source of connection for the two of us, while allowing him an outlet for his natural desire to play rough. It also opens the door for my daughter to see that roughhousing can be fun, and provides a way for her to practice being physical with her brother without getting angry.(fingers crossed)

5. Family movies-

My husband and I were huge movie buffs before we had kids. After kids, the ability to sit for 2+ hours alone on the couch disappeared as quickly as a full night's sleep. We are now at a point where we can enjoy movies with the kids on the couch too, and the selection of movies is equally entertaining for us all. Renting movies digitally, again, leaves nothing to be lost or broken, and nothing to be physically rented or returned, although it does cost money. However, non-digital movies can also be checked out for free from the library, or potentially borrowed from friends.

Outdoors-

1. Geocaching-

This is an activity that we can do just as a family, or with friends, and allows us to explore many previously unknown areas of Gainesville. As my kids weed through their ever-present baskets of small, useless crap, we collect the higher quality pieces in a small bag that is always ready for geocaching. I usually pack our water bottles and a few package-free snacks in a backpack, the kids grab our geocaching bag, and we're off.

2. Creek trips-

Gainesville has many places where creeks and streams are accessible within beautiful park areas. My daughter searches for sharks teeth, my son likes to build rafts from sticks, and I pick up trash. I bring a small container for collecting the teeth and a reusable bag to hold the trash, but sadly, there are usually plenty of plastic bags floating around in which to place whatever I gather.

3. Fruit picking-

Gainesville and its surrounding areas have many pesticide-free farms where we can pick blueberries and strawberries. The kids enjoy eating some of the berries as they go, but they tire quickly from the labor. I love how this allows them to experience the amount of work that goes into the food we eat, naturally teaching them to appreciate what we are given. After weighing and paying for the fruits of our labor, I place them in my own containers instead of accepting the plastic bags many places distribute.

4. Riding bikes

We're still working on losing the training wheels with my younger one, but I'm hopeful we'll soon be able to take short trips to the library, playground, and to get ice cream.

5. Playgrounds

I take them, they play.

Please share below any of your own summer activities that involve zero/minimal waste, with or without kids. If you are unable to comment, email me at zwjourney@gmail.com and I will post your response.

I am going to try and keep blogging during the summer, but my posts might be few and far between.  I am now fully aboard the train to crazy town, where my days constantly fluctuate between spending quality, memory-making time with my kids, and staring in mind-numbing bewilderment at the walls (serious hat tip to all those who homeschool). If I'm not showing up here very much, I'll either be out back with the kids creating a rocket ship from re-used boxes and repurposed engine parts, or I'll be hiding in my closet, desperately clutching my phone with one hand, while stuffing unpackaged candy in my face with the other.

Happy Summering!!