summer workshop.

The kids have been eagerly anticipating summer workshop since the snow started melting, so it was with great excitement that it began again last week. (To read more on summer workshop go here.)

This year the following super-exciting activities are included:
1. math page or handwriting practice page
2. time with mommy (they get to choose an activity for us to do together for 10-15 minutes, like play a game or read a book or do a little craft
3. do chore
4. write a postcard to someone you love
5. ride bike around the circle twenty times
6. fill one bucket with weeds
7. i have a happy family (I give them a little activity to do with one of their siblings--like yesterday I had Cam get a paper bag for Ava and take her for a walk around the yard to gather little treasures)
8. summer challenge (we have a summer community calendar that has activities listed on each day, like look at the clouds and see what shape they make.) and I think I'm going to incorporate the party favor checklist (see post below) on this one too
9. practice violin or piano
10. keyboard for ten minutes (remember how I was a slacker with having my kids do keyboard, well now we need a little practice. luckily Cam's teacher compiled all their keyboard worksheets together, so they use those to practice)
11. make fifteen baskets (in the basketball hoop outside)
12. Read four pages from the book you are currently reading (when they complete a book, they earn five extra dots)
13. do a puzzle for five minutes

Once every 1-2 weeks we have a workshop store where they can buy things with their dots. I usually have a few things stocked up that I have found around for screamin' good deals.

The very best part of workshop is how drastically it cuts down on the "what can I do--I'm bored" routine, which I adore (the cut-down time, not the bored routine.)