SAHMs/Summer ideas for kids who don’t want to go to camp
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Anonymous
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I have 10 and 13 year old DD’s. Each one is doing a week of camp but are lukewarm to the other options or the ones they want aren’t offered this year. What should we do this summer? We have a pool membership and will do that several times a week, plus 2 weeks of vacation and visiting family.
I’m getting a little panicky about a summer of Tiktok and YouTube. Ideas? I found this so much easier when they were younger - so many more activities geared at younger kids. |
Anonymous
| My only hope is that there will be other kids in the neighborhood without plans. |
Anonymous
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At that age, put the research/brainstorming on them. Tell them there won’t be any TV/Xbox/screens from [time] to [time], so what would they like to do?
You are happy to book tickets, do the driving, order supplies or equipment, whatever. But they gotta come up with X many ideas. |
Anonymous
| 7 weeks of sleep away camp. Sign them up. No computer, phone, or TV in sight |
Anonymous
Do you happen to know how much 7 weeks of sleep away camp for 2 cost? Or is money not an issue in your family at all? |
Anonymous
| Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job. |
Anonymous
They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail. |
Anonymous
NP. My daughters are the same ages, and I’m also not sure what the heck we’ll do all summer!! I am going to see if my 13 year old can possibly do a counselor in training at a camp. It’s unlikely for us, but worth trying. I am most concerned about my 10 year old who more easily gets sucked into screens. The problem is they used to do things “together” and I’m finding it more difficult to find one thing that they both can do! |
Anonymous
| Do they like animals? It won't take up the whole summer but there is always lots of work with rescue and foster organizations - you could volunteer once a week (or even every other week) to walk dogs, or snuggle/play with kittens who need socialization, plus a bit of good hard work (cleaning up poop and folding mountains of laundry). |
Anonymous
No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you. |
Anonymous
LOL. I'm sure neighborhood families will trip all over themselves in a bidding war to hire her 4th/5th grader, FFS, to be a mother's helper 5 days a week, just so her kids can avoid being summarily dismissed for two months by their mother to get them out of her hair. Yup. That will definitely happen. 
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Anonymous
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This summer might still be tough due to covid. I don’t think you can just leave it up to them to figure out things to do on their own but you can help them brainstorm.
Find a craft at Michaels/hobby lobby Swim team Vacation bible school Tour Mount Vernon Hike Great Falls Hike Huntley Meadows Watch planes at Graveley Point & bike the trail there Minigolf Harpers Ferry National Arboretum Learn to eat crabs at Cantler’s Riverside Inn in Annapolis Tour dairy fam/get ice cream at South Mountain Creamery |
Anonymous
| Last summer I had my kids pick two hobbies they wanted to try and I got books and supplies for those. |
Anonymous
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I like schedules and routines so I'd have a plan like Mon/Wed pool, Tues hike, Thurs museum or something else in DC, Friday kids pick.
Will they have friends who also are not in camp? At that age mine still liked their camps and their friends were all at camp too so that would have been an issue. |
Anonymous
Money likely isn't super tight if you SAHM of middle schoolers. If finances allow, it is a great option. |