Summer Bridge Activities and other ideas please?

Question

To make a long story short, my Husband is going to be in jail for a year, possibly more and I am very concerned about my 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter. They are both bright and to help keep their minds off of Daddy, I want to fill as much time as possible with learning. They are both very hands on learners so we will be doing alot of field work. We live in Ohio, in the country and I am at a loss for things for them to do outside. My husband is the one who handles this type of thing.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

*****My husband is not going to jail because of drugs or alcohol. He did not kill or injure anyone, or owe back child support****

Answer 1

1. Take walks - take your time and talk about things you see and talk about life.
2. Catch bugs, put them into jars, identify them and learn a LITTLE about them. Maybe check out books or videos from your library about bugs so you can identify them as you see them.
3. Go birdwatching; find out first what birds are in your area and look at pix of them on the internet so the kids can identify them when they see them. Maybe set up a birdfeeder - make one - and then the kids can see the birds a little closer.
4. Get balls in a variety of sizes and do things with them: throw them, catch them, kick them, nudge them with your feet, throw them up as high as you can or throw them as far as you can, see if you can hit a tree trunk, roll them with sticks, bounce them on a particular spot, bounce them to each other to catch.
5. Play tag. Do it in different ways, such as, if someone tags you then you have to freeze till you count to 10, or till you point out something blue, or whatever it is your kids know.
6. Invite a friend or two over and have relay races. At the age of your kids they probably will not want to compete - just have kids take turns 'seeing if they can do' various things. Carry something in a spoon, dribble a ball, etc.
7. Play hide and seek.
8. Start a club.
9. Plant a small garden or take care of a flower garden. Even lil kids can weed.
10. Do yard work together.
11. You can do a LOT with sidewalk chalk if you have a place to use it.
12. Set up an obstacle course.
13. Roll a hula hoop and have your kids jump through it as it comes by them.
14. Ring around the rosy
15. Put water in buckets and 'paint' the house or fence.
16. Put shaving cream on an outside table and draw in it.
17. Spray each other with the hose. Spray the hose sorta low and have them jump over the water, or spray it higher and see if they can go under w/o getting wet.
18. Watch ants work after learning a little about them.
19. Make paths through the woods.

Also, don't forget that the kids have a MAMA who needs to be cared for, too. I know that you will need to make lots of plans for the kids,but you need to make plans for your own survival, too. Try to have mothers over with their kids so you will have someone to talk to. Join a mother's play group. Go to parks. Go to a church that has children's programs. Accept help when offered. Keep up with relatives and old friends. I know it will be hard without your husband there, but you can do it, and this will not be forever.