My
husband has a favorite saying: "Only boring people
get bored." Well, for the month of July, I think he's
right!
National
Anti-Boredom Month
* Create a Family Fun
Jar! Brainstorm as many fun
activities as possible. Write the ideas on small index
cards and place them in a jar. Decorate the jar with wacky
stickers or painted designs. Whenever boredom starts to
rear its ugly head, just head for the jar!
* Be a tourist in your
own town! Bring along a camera and visit local points of
interest such as museums, monuments, parks, the zoo, etc.
 *
Compile an "Our Town" scrapbook! Save mementos
from your tourist day (ticket stubs, pictures, cardboard
coasters from restaurants) to create a memory book the
entire family will enjoy.
* Collect items for a
Dress Up Box! Gather hats, purses, scarves, old Halloween
costumes, shoes, wigs, costume jewelry and other fun
outfits, and place them in a trunk or cardboard box.
Decorate the outside of the box. This is sure to be
a rainy-day favorite.
National
Hot Dog Month
* This is an easy one: Grill hot dogs--or make chili dogs!
Invite the entire family over for a potluck feast. Supply
the hot dogs, and ask them to bring one side dish each.
* Experiment with different toppings for your hot dogs. Do
you usually play it safe with mustard and relish? Try
chunks of pineapple instead!
* Teach young children the words to the Oscar Mayer song!
Even though the song is for bologna, they also make hot
dogs. Besides, it's just a fun little song.
National
Purposeful Parenting Month
* Every single day, tell your children "I love
you."
* Make a special family photo album. Place picture doubles
into a small album that your child can take along to
sleepovers or to the babysitter. It will help them feel
connected to you.
* Designate a Talk & Listen Chair in your home. This
is a neutral zone where children can feel comfortable talking
to you about their feelings.
National
Ice Cream Month
 *
Host an old-fashioned ice cream social. Don't forget the
root beer floats!
* Cover the kitchen table with tubs of ice cream, syrup in
every imaginable flavor, bananas, cherries, chopped nuts,
and all of the kids' favorite toppings.
National
Tennis Month
* Play a game of Balloon Tennis! This is a great game for
toddlers. Glue a wooden paint stick to a paper plate to
form the racket. Blow up a few balloons (no helium).
Gently tap the balloons with your racket. Tennis anyone?
 *
Make silly tennis heads! Push 4 thumbtacks into a tennis
ball to form a base, so it won't roll over. (Younger
children should set the ball on top of a small cardboard
tube once the ball is decorated, instead of using
tacks.) Use a marker or fabric paint to draw a nose,
mouth and the eyes. Glue yarn on top for hair.
* Help small children practice hand-eye coordination by
sitting on the floor and rolling a tennis ball back and forth to each other.
National
Picnic Month
* Weather permitting, spread a blanket beneath your
favorite tree and enjoy a peaceful afternoon picnic.
* Keep a small blanket or quilt in the car at all times.
Whenever you have a spare hour or so, visit a drive-thru
restaurant and stop just about anywhere for a quick
picnic.
* Don't let the rain stop you! You can enjoy an indoor
picnic on the living room floor anytime; rain or shine.
National
Literacy Day (July 2)
* Read a great book together!
* Write a book! Interview your children, or let them
interview you, and then help each other write biographies!
* Grab a bucket of sidewalk chalk and write messages and
silly stories on the driveway.
Independence
Day (July 4)
* Make U.S.A. sun visors! Cut the inside out of a paper
plate, leaving the rim intact. Color the rim with red
crayon. Cut a visor shape from blue construction paper,
and glue the visor to the rim. Cut star shapes from white
paper (or use stickers) and glue them onto the blue visor.
 *
Celebrate the holiday with your very own spirit stick!
Wrap red, white or blue crepe paper around a pencil or cardboard tube. Glue streamers to the ends. Sparkly star
stickers are also a nice touch.
* Decorate your bicycle, wagons, skateboard, roller
skates, helmets and even pets for a neighborhood Fourth of
July parade!
* Wrap up the day's festivities with a night of fireworks!
Have a great time, but remember safety first.
About the Author:
Deborah Shelton is the author of The Five Minute Parent:
Fun & Fast Activities for You and Your Little Ones.
Visit
The Five Minute Parent for fun rainy-day activities,
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ideas,
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http://www.fiveminuteparent.com
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