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Summer Chore Chart Gameboard

Summer is a time to play and have fun, but there are still jobs that must be done each day to keep parents sane and everyone healthy. Make a plan to stay on top of daily chores and skills while still having fun.

This year we added a gameboard to our summer calendar. The idea is simple. As kids complete their daily responsibilities, they move up the board and earn fun rewards.

We brainstormed fun activities we would like to do this summer and built them into our gameboard. Hint: Involve your kids in the planning and they’ll be more likely to participate!

Some of the rewards on our gameboard include:

Crepes for breakfast (We call them Norwegian pancakes.)

Stay up late

Milkshakes

Pick a book at the local bookstore

Extra/Free screen time

Movie Night

Choose Dinner

Backyard Campout

Swimming

Sleepover with Cousins

Field Trip of you choice

Snow Cones

Date Night with Mom or Dad

Choose a special dessert

Climbing Gym

You’ll also have to figure out the best way for your kids to move up the game board. You can see our rules in the photo above. Create your own rules based on the age of your children and your family goals.

For more ideas on teaching children to work, see our post Chore Charts & Beyond.

Great Gifts for Active Outdoorsy Teens & Pre-Teens

When your kids grow out of toys, it becomes harder to think of gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Here are some gift ideas that have been big hits at our house with our active outdoorsy teens and pre-teens.

Personalized Water Bottles

Everyone loves having a good water bottle. Find one in a great color and personalize it with a few cool stickers. You can find stickers for any hobby/passion on etsy.com. (Plan to spend about $20.)

Spike Ball

spikeball

This is a great game that is easy to store and haul around. It’s a favorite lawn game at our house, especially with teens and adults. (Spike Ball sets cost $40.)

Dodge Balls

A good set of foam dodge balls can be used for countless games and activities. You’ll be surprised how often you’ll pull them out. It’s a great thing to have as a youth group leader for when an activity gets cancelled at the last minute. (These cost about $50.)

Giant Sling Shot

We’ve used this giant sling shot so many times. It shoots water balloons, dodge balls, stuffed animals, potatoes, and mini pumpkins. (At least, those are the things we have shot with it.) We’ve used it for surprise birthday attacks on friends, at school carnivals, and to shoot vegetables at targets across a field. Buy two if you want to have battles or competitions with teams. (Plan to spend around $20.)

Nerf Guns

These babies are synonymous with classic fun. A Nerf battle never fails to delight the kids at our house. Everyone builds their bases/forts and the war begins. Teenagers seem to love Nerf play every bit as much as little kids. (Prices vary from $10-50.)

Hammocks

We put two fence posts in our yard near a big tree so our kids can hook their hammocks up whenever they like. So many books have been read in these hammocks! They’re also just really fun to play in. Our kids have figured out how to do all kinds of tricks twisting and turning inside. (You can find hammocks for $15-30.)

Frisbee Golf

frisbee golf

If you have a frisbee golf course near your house, you might want to try this fun leisurely sport. It’s more challenging than it looks but it’s accessible to all ages and physical fitness levels. (The set pictured above costs $20.)

Longboards

After you watch “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” you’ll know why you need one of these. Most people think they are easier to ride than classic skateboards. (These vary a lot in price, starting at $55.)

Double Dutch Jump Ropes

These are fun to take with you to any gathering. You’ll be surprised how many people have jump rope skills and how much fun it is to watch. Make sure you buy two ropes. We like the 16 ft length. ( Our set cost $24.)

Tandem Bike

We found a used tandem bike for $200. It was money well-spent. Seriously, we all love riding it. It’s just impossible to feel sad while riding on a bicycle built for two.

Pickleball Equipment

Pickleball Paddles

If you haven’t tried pickleball yet, what are you waiting for? Pickleball courts are popping up all over the country. It’s a sport where grandma, dad, and little sister can all compete. It’s really fun. You can learn how to play in a few minutes by watching tutorials on YouTube. (You can get a set of two paddles for $20 or four for $40.)

Indoor Hammock Swing

Hammock Swing gift for teens Hammock Swing- Great gift for teens and kids

Our cousins have this swing hanging from the ceiling in their toy room. You can do all kinds of cool twists and turns and dream of being an aerialist or acrobat one day. It would be a fun addition to a teenager’s bedroom. Very cool. (These start at $40 online but you can get really fancy ones for much more. Our cousins have a heavy duty version from funandfunction.com called the raindrop swing. It cost $300 but it will last forever!)

Sleds/Tubes

Tube

A tractor tube is really fun for sledding and floating. The bigger the tube, the more people you can fit on it! (I can’t put a price on this. It all depends on where you buy them.)

Wearable Blankets

My teens love these wearable blankets. There are several brands. Two of my kids have the Comfy. Our cousins have the Huggle. They wear them almost every day. (You can find these for $25-40.) After a day of active fun, it’s always good to come home and get comfy!

Card & Board Games

Check out our favorite card and board games.

Teacher or Grandma Gift: “We love you all the time!” Clocks

Love You All the Time Clock

I’ve made at least eight of these clocks for teachers and grandmas. It’s a fun personalized gift for Teacher Appreciation Week, the last day of school, or Christmas.

To make your own clock, you will need:
Clock (Mine is 12″)
12 photos (Mine are just printed at home on regular paper.)

Colored card stock
Glue stick
Scissors

Here’s the “before photo” of the clock:

Clock

Step 1: Print “We love you all the time!” on colored card stock. You may have to experiment with font sizes to make it fit your clock. You will need a large space between the words for the center (which holds the hands of the clock.)

We love you all the time

Step 2 : Remove the clock from the box. You’ll do this by unscrewing the two screws on the back of the box.

Step 3: Remove the glass from the front of the clock. You’ll do this by taking out all of the screws on the back of the clock.

Then you’ll have to remove the plastic circle that is holding the glass on the clock.

Make sure you save all the screws!

Step 4: Decide how large you want your center circle(s). I used a vase and a bowl to cut out two circles. The center circle will need to fit around the words, so find a bowl that’s larger than your type and still fits in the center of your clock. Paste the circles together with a glue stick. Find the center of the circle with a ruler. Cut a straight line from the edge to the center, then cut a nickel-sized circle in the center.

We love you all the time

Step 5: Cut out your face circles. On a 12″ clock, I found a bug spray can was the perfect size! Trace your circle on card stock to make a template.

cutting circles