Looking for fun things to do with kids? Me too! Every now and then I run out of ideas of how to keep the kids entertained. So, as a modern mom, I look to the internet and type “Fun things to do with kids” into Google or Pinterest and get a whole slew of crafts, games, educational materials, etc. It’s overwhelming and I wind up wasting a half hour getting distracted by links. I’m not the kind of mom who can do the Pinterest crafts. I don’t have the patience or an artistic bone in my body.
I would also like to think that one of the reasons I fail horribly at crafts or other fun kid themed home projects is I have a unique situation. I don’t, but I want to believe that I do as an explanation for my inability to wrangle the kids into craft submission. I have 3 very young kids. Two that are the same age. And it’s just me a lot of the time. My husband can’t leave work as easily as I can and we don’t have the same days off. So in the past 4 years I may not have accumulated gorgeous craft projects, but the kids and I have made quite a few memories. And I now know what to avoid doing with the kids.
1) As fun as it may seem at the time, DO NOT allow your un-diapered 2 year old to go down your wet backyard slide into a pool. Yes, it is funny. He or she will have a blast. And they will really catch some air. But the next day they will wake up with a diaper rash burn and you will have to explain to your pediatrician what happened to get a prescription for the good stuff. And daycare. You will have to explain it to daycare. Also, you will have to carry your child everywhere. Even if you have newborn twins to carry as well. BONUS: Your biceps are really getting toned!
2) DO NOT walk away from your crew during an art project involving a box full of crayons and markers. Especially if you threw a permanent marker in the box thinking you would remember it was there. You won’t. If your daughter doesn’t decide to use it as lipstick, your son may decide that the walls look bare. If this had been a washable marker none of this would have happened. I’m sure there is a physics law about this.
3) Cooking with the kids can be great fun but DO NOT take your eyes off of them. You may later find a piece of dog food in the banana bread you made. Or in the case of one of my kids, they may be adding special ingredients from their own bodies into the mix. Snot cupcakes anyone?
4) If you take your oldest on a date to the local kiddie pool on a whim, DO NOT be dumb enough to think you aren’t getting in the water. Of course he will want you in it! And if you get in the water in your jean shorts you will be uncomfortable, look dumb and move around very slowly. And there will be another mom who is extremely comfortable in her bathing suit and laughing and tossing her kid in the water and playing peek-a-boo. And your kid WILL go up to that mom and ask her if he can play too because his mom forgot her bathing suit.
5) DO NOT go inside to pee while leaving your 3 kids and puppy outside with the sidewalk chalk. Even if you have the door open and can hear everything. Little ones are sneaky. Don’t get me wrong, sidewalk chalk art is super fun. I enjoy it especially because my kids think I can draw and it’s a great ego boost. And really, what trouble can it be? It’s just chalk. But all of a sudden the 4 pieces you had out are down to 2. You can’t find them anywhere. Until you are walking your dog around the neighborhood and notice pink and yellow masses in his poop. Chalk is non-toxic, I know, but it has to be hard to digest. In fact, I’m not sure it was chewed at all.
I’m sure you see a recurring theme in my fun with kids fails. Mom stupidity. All of the above could likely have been avoided if I would have had my children chained to me, planned ahead, or thought a little into the future about consequences. But I truly cherish each of those memories. Even if I was pretty hot when I was scrubbing permanent marker off my daughter’s face.
What are some of your fun day fails? Do you have any go to resources for realistic projects or ideas of things to do with your kiddos? I would love to hear!