Is anyone else keeping their kids home for summer vacation?

mommy3b2c

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 8:27 am

Is anyone else keeping their kids home for summer vacation?

They are five and seven years old. I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. Ideas? Trips? Anyone would be interested to get together with us sometimes for trips? I want someone to join me but none of my friends or siblings are interested. Also, I'd like to know why everyone tells me I'm crazy when I say that this is what im planning to do this summer? Did anyone do it, and find that it was way to hard? Guess im just looking for tips, ideas, advice, and possibly a partner to do it with. Any insights would be appreciated!

Forgot to say, I am in new york.

Last edited by mommy3b2c on Mon, Mar 24 2014, 8:36 am; edited 1 time in total

33055

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 8:50 am

I do every summer and I love it. The kids love it.

I keep the kids on a schedule. They learn everyday. We have canteen, physical activity, arts and crafts, science, music, etc. We take two trips a week and one big trip at the end of summer. On Fridays I prepare for Shabbos with their help. They get to help with the cooking which they consider a privilege. (I hope they never catch on!)

We run into other families who also do this.

eli7

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 9:13 am

I saw a suggestion somewhere online to have kids make a list of activities they'd like to do over the summer. Then you can either plan them out ahead of time or keep them in a jar to pull out when they get restless. The mom who suggested this (sorry I can't remember the source) said the kids picked some very simple activities and some that were more involved, and it was eye-opening to see what they wanted to do.

Another idea for structuring the time was to have each day dedicated to a different activity: baking Mondays, trip Tuesdays, movie Wednesdays, etc.

If you google around, you can probably find more good "mom camp" ideas too.

mummiedearest

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 9:31 am

yup. I make a schedule right after pesach. one trip a week, outings every morning, and we put as big a swimming pool as we can fit in our back yard. we swim for an hour a day. I also include educational plans (we do workbooks, etc) and arts n crafts/baking. we have friends who do the same, and we get together often for activities.

flowerpower

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 9:32 am

Its doable. My suggestions are -
Make each day structured. Have the same morning routine
Write a list of all parks and free outings like botanical garden, museums....
Make a theme each week so its more fun. There are a nice handful of women here that run mommy camp every summer. Perhaps they can give you some good creative ideas.

morah

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 9:37 am

Here is a really nice story about what one kid did without summer camp: http://familysponge.com/parent.....cade/

He indulged his creative side while still making use of his academic skills. In addition to the other stuff listed, maybe give your kids some kind of summer-long project such as this, that they work on together a little bit every day.

mommy3b2c

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 9:39 am

Its great to hear that people do this and are happy. Everyone who I mention it too, gives me weird looks and tells me I'm crazy. Anybody I ask to do it with me, says no way! To all of you who say you do trips, can you give me ideas? I am willing to drive up to an hour and a half away. Or take the train to the city.

zigi

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 10:03 am

we do this, one month camp the other one camp mommy. I buy craft supplies and new building toys etc for in days. we do bike riding scootering etc also 2 trips per week. I enjoy it. I get to go places in the city.

mummiedearest

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 10:33 am

trips:

toys r us times square (we don't buy toys. we play with the toys they have on demo, and we go to the arcade on the top floor. they have a few dollars for tokens. you can ride the ferris wheel if you like.)

42nd street library/bryant park

aquarium

bronx zoo

staten island children's museum (good for little kids)

hall of science

statue of liberty/ellis island

central park (with or without zoo)

battery park

jane's carousel

beach

build a bear workshop

I can't think of any more right now.

asmileaday

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 11:47 am

I'm intrigued. Heard of this concept but I don't know anyone that actually does this. Can you do mommy camp only if you have girls because boys need to learn too? If you live in a small apartment with no outdoor play area is it doable?

PinkFridge

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:00 pm

I managed Camp Mommy oot. I think I'd have a harder time now because the library programs are fewer and lamer. And yes, we had to invest in some memberships.
It'll be great if you have some sort of informal network of other home camping parents. One year, and this was years ago, someone made an August schedule with daily activities. Yes, many cost, like mini golf, or even the state park (though it paid to get the membership), but it was nice to know that someone was bound to show up at the same place and time. (Wouldn't get off the ground now though Sad

)

zigi

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:04 pm

one year we went to all the local parks in the neighborhood. we also went to destination parks like prospect park and pier 6 with the water playground. there is also a nice park by the metropolitan museum of art. we go inside look at the armor and the decorated rooms etc. then go and play at the park next door

childrens museum of the arts is also a lot of fun.

we have a zoo membership and go to all the zoos on it

I also plan to get a brooklyn childrens musuem membership again.

if you have older kids you can visit governors island on a tour. check out their website.

the world's best mom

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:05 pm

I thought about doing this for half of the summer, but it doesn't seem like it would work for me. I have a 9 and almost 8 year old girls, a really hyperactive difficult 5 year old boy who NEEDS the structure and social setting that camp would provide, and a very active toddler. I live in the city and don't drive. The train station is a 15 minute walk, my dd has clubfeet, which will be in casts for part of the summer. Then she'll have to relearn how to walk. My almost 2 year old can't walk to the train station but I can't get a stroller up and down the 90 steps, regardless of how well dd may be walking. It is not handicap accessible.

I would have to send ds to camp, and I would be stuck in my boring neighborhood the whole time. Even taking car services with a double stroller and an 8 year old who can't walk well and a toddler who runs away would be too stressful. We have no Eiruv so Shabbos would be torturous. B"H for the country.

PinkFridge

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:09 pm

Another option is if a day camp allows weekly signups. If the kids do get to go to camp, I've been able to get away with a lot more downtime. (Especially if that week included trips to some great libraries.)

mommy3b2c

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:42 pm

zigi wrote:

Whee is childrens museum of the arts?

zigi

Mon, Mar 24 2014, 12:47 pm

http://cmany.org/ childrens museum of the arts its in downtown Manhattan. there is an exercise size ball pit and the kids can paint and sculpt and do other arts and crafts activities