Would you like to shop on our site for free this summer? Here’s a great opportunity for you! Participate in our 50 Days of Summer and you’ll have a chance to win a gift certificate.

WonderBrains is hosting a contest in conjunction with our “50 Days Of Summer Fun” extravaganza on our weblog! One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the WonderBrains store, to be awarded in August at the end of our “50 Days” journey. That’s $50 to use on gifts, back-to-school items, anything you want at the WonderBrains store! So, how can you enter?

• You must have a blog to enter. Don’t have a blog? Well, now is the time to get one!
• Copy the code below to add our “50 Days” button to your blog. Your button may be in your header or sidebar of your blog, but it must be there and must stay up for the duration of the contest.
• Write a post, advertising this awesome giveaway we’re having, and link back to this post. The more, the merrier!
• Leave a comment on this post, letting us know you’re done. And that’s it!

Winner will be announced August 15th here on our weblog. Check back each week for ideas and activities to keep you and your kids having fun this summer, and be sure to share your own ideas with us here as well!

Happy Summer!

Here’s the code. Just copy everything inside this box and paste it into the appropriate location on your weblog:

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Welcome to our Independence Day edition!  Fourth of July in the States will be celebrated this week, so we’re finding things around the house to get ready for it!  Join us!

MONDAY:  Time to decorate!  My kids are placing small flags along our driveway today, and we’ll have a few extra to share with our neighbors.  We are also making streamer holders for later in the week (see Friday).  We are covering empty paper towel rolls with construction paper, and we are taping several lengths of red, white and blue streamers to the inside of one end of the roll…viola!  A streamer holder!  My kids can decorate the rolls however they see fit.  We’re reusing our paper towel rolls, making something for an activity later on in the week, and spending some qualtiy time together - what could be better?

TUESDAY: We’re cooking today, getting ready for Friday’s celebration!  I’m putting my kids in charge of dessert, partly because they love to be in the kitchen with me and partly because I’ll be less likely to eat it all while I’m working on it with them around.  I’m doing something simple this year, simply for time’s sake.  I’m taking the pre-made roll of sugar cookie dough from the refrigerated section of my grocery store and rolling it out.  We’re cutting stars from our dough this year (I have about three different sized star cookie cutters).  Once we get the cookies baked and cooled, the kids are going to decorate them.  I am using premade frosting, although making your own would be nice (no time this year for me!), and we’re simply using sprinkles on those.  You can go all-out by using decorator bags and tips, different cutters, or even take it a bit further…why not teach your child how to make Great-Aunt Sally’s secret apple pie this year?  Or, how about making some cupcakes and decorating those?

WEDNESDAY: Strike up the band!  Yeah, yeah, I know I am asking for trouble, but what kid doesn’t like to make a bit of noise?  We’re making our own musical instruments today, from a shoe box guitar (rubber bands across an open shoe box), tin can drums and a plastic bottle pipe.  My older son loves to fill plastic bottles with varying amounts of water to get the different tones and then create his own melody.  Its fun, and it keeps him busy for a long, long time!

THURSDAY:  I scream, you scream - yes, its time for ICE CREAM!  We’re gearing up for the weekend by making our own ice cream sundaes today, complete with whipping cream, cherries, sprinkles and syrups.  Everyone gets to make his or her own.  Extra points to those that can create an object out of their sundae! 

FRIDAY:  Everyone loves a parade!  Find out if your community will host a parade today and be sure to join in!  If there isn’t a local parade, why not make your own?  Decorate wagons, bikes, scooters and trikes with balloons, streamers, flags and ribbons.  Invite the neighborhood kids to join in and have your own parade!  Be sure to use your streamer holders and wave them proudly!

Goodness knows that my older son is a schedule-kid.  He thrives on routine and repetitiveness.  He also has a tough time handling transitions or change, typically when he isn’t prepared for them.  Here are some tips we use to make transitions easier.

1. Time is on your side - I always prepare my son for a change by letting him know it is coming in a matter of time.  For instance, I may tell him that we are leaving the house in four minutes to go to school, and he knows that he needs to be getting ready.  I sometimes have to give him a countdown (three minutes, two minutes, etc), especially if he is really involved in something else.  However, he has enough sense of time to understand the concept.
2. Routines really work - by keeping our routine each morning and evening relatively the same, we eliminate many of the factors that could lead to a breakdown.  My son knows the “order” of the morning: breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, comb hair, etc.  Even during the summer, we try to stick with the routine to simply make our day start out on a good note.
3. Put some fun in the task at hand - with my younger son, we hold lots of “races” - races to brush our teeth, races to pick up the trains, races to get dressed.  He loves to do anything that resembles a game, so making it something simple yet fun is so much better than simply putting the toys away.
4. No room for backtalk - arguing about a transition or a task is simply not allowed in our house, and that goes for adults as well as children.  When the arguing begins, I simply state, “You have two choices: do what I asked you to do or sit in that chair for three minutes to get ready to do what I asked you to do.  Which would you like to do?”  My child still has a choice, but in the end, he will complete the task!

I have several friends who will tell me over and over that their child simply does not respond to time-outs.  I always ask about their time-out when they tell me this, and more often than not, I find that the concept of “time-out” is simply misunderstood and not used effectively.  Follow these steps in order to provide a positive learning experience for your child through time-outs.

• Make sure the spot for Time Out is the same spot each time.  If that is not possible, at least be sure that it is removed from activity and other people.
• A good rule of thumb is to allow one minute in time out for each year of your child’s life.  For my three year-old, that’s three minutes, but for my eight year-old, who rarely gets a time-out, that would be eight minutes.
• Use an egg timer or a digital timer.  That way, the child can see how much time remains.  As a mom, I’m totally unreliable to keep track of the time myself without the aid of a timer.  I have too many other things going on!  Using a “third party” timer is a great way to make it a neutral issue.  If the child chooses to leave time-out before the timer goes off, simply put them back in time-out and reset the timer.  If leaving time-out becomes an issue, put them back in time-out and sit with them until it is over.  Do not interact with them, though.  Simply be a presence.
• Sometimes children will test the limits and refuse to go to time-out.  Give your child a choice: sit in time out on his or her own or have time added to their time-out.  Give them about 30 seconds to think it out and make a choice.  If they still refuse, guide them into time-out and stand by the commitment to add time to their tenure there.
• Time-out will not eliminate tantrums.  Many children will throw a tantrum in time-out.  It is a way to get attention, albeit in a negative way.  Do not give in to the drama.  Simply ignore it and it will pass.  Threatening them to stop or lecturing them on their behavior is what they want (negative attention), so do not reward their behavior in such a way. 
• The main goal of time-out is to give children a chance to regain control of themselves.  If they are not in control of their emotions at the end of their time-out, simply tell them that the timer has gone off and once they calm down, they may come out of time-out, but not before then.
• Always talk about the event that put them in time-out AFTER they are finished with serving their time.  It is important for children to understand why they were put there and how to avoid going back in the future.

Here’s to another week of fun stuff for you and your family!  We hope this week’s slate of activities inspire your own creativity and ideas…enjoy!

MONDAY: It is blazing hot here in the South (and pretty much everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere), so let’s make some homemade popsicles!  Use paper cups for the popsicle part, and fill them about 2/3 full with your favorite juice - orange juice works really well, and kids even get into simply freezing water as well.  Cover each cup with foil, and stick a popsicle stick in it (if you don’t have popsicle sticks, you can use plastic spoons, but slip them through the foil from the bottom first before putting them in the cup!).  Set them in the freezer for a few hours to harden, then peel off the paper cups for a yummy summer snack!  Want something a bit different?  Mix up some Jell-0 and freeze it for popsicles!  You can add chopped fruit as well for a bit of nutrition!

TUESDAY: It’s Bubble Day!  We’re going out on the back patio to blow some bubbles.  And, we’re making our own solution!  Here’s my favorite bubble recipe:  3 parts Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent, 2 parts corn syrup (yes, corn syrup!), 16 parts water.  Using this recipe, you can make enough for a small container or plenty to fill a small plastic wading pool!  And yes, I’ve done that!  The key is to make this solution ahead of time and let it sit overnight for the best bubbles.  Find all sorts of objects for your bubble-blowing.  Our favorites include strainers, coat hangers (plastic work best), funnels, and even a small, plastic harmonica!  When we filled the wading pool with solution, we used a hula hoop to create MASSIVE bubbles.  You can even place a child in the middle and pull the hula hoop over them to create a kid in a bubble!  Older kids LOVE this, too!

WEDNESDAY:  Don’t forget to visit your local library today!  We’re going to take our favorite book today and make a movie of it.  My kids LOVE using my digital camera to make movies.  Or, simply film your child reading or retelling their favorite.  Once they get the chance to watch themselves, they’ll want to do it again and again!  Can they tell the story in a funny voice?  Want to dress up in costume?  Invite some friends to help out as well.

THURSDAY: Time to do some exploring outdoors!  Today, we’re going on a nature hunt in our own yard.  We’re finding interesting leaves and other objects that are good for making rubbings.  I’m also including coins and a couple of shape cut-outs I have from my scrapbooking stuff.  Then, we’re going to make rubbings of our objects.  Simply place the objects flat on a table, place a piece of paper over it, then rub the side of a crayon across the paper to create a rubbing of the objects!  Experiment with different sides of leaves to find out which “side” makes the best rubbing!

FRIDAY: We’re going to the zoo today!  My kids love the zoo, even in the heat.  No zoo close to your house?  Why not visit a pet store instead?  Or, call your local animal shelter or humane society and find out if they have a special visitation time.  Get out and visit our furry (and scaly) friends!

For the past week or two, I’ve published little snippets of discipline strategies as ideas or even reminders for us all.  With summer here (and school out), I’ve found myself needing to re-evaluate our “game plan” at home and set some ground rules.  Being consistent and clear in directions, and providing meaningful and effective consequences can establish the groundwork for a good, solid relationship with your child.  It is equally important to give your child plenty of praise.  Catching them being good, and letting them know about it, can be just as effective, if not moreso than many other forms of discipline.

There are several ways to show children that their behavior is exactly what is expected.  The easiest and most direct way is simply by telling them.  “Thank you for putting your dishes in the sink” or “I like the way you cleaned up your Legos without being asked” lets the child know that their behavior is on the mark and you, as the adult, have noticed.  Children will want to hear this again and again, and so the positive behavior will repeat as often as you acknowledge it. 

In addition to verbally telling a child about their good behavior, adults can also provide a physical “reward”.  Hugs, a pat on the back, high-fives or even a nudge can be just the thing to let a child know they’ve done the right thing.  In our house, these work especially well with our eight year-old, who doesn’t necessarily want to bring the attention of others to how proud his mom is!  We have a secret “squeeze” that we share when I want to compliment him, yet I don’t want to completely embarrass him in front of his pals.

It is okay to reward your child with other things as well.  Perhaps a walk together through the neighborhood, reading a book together, or even taking a special outing is just the way to show how proud you are of your child.  If your child spent the afternoon cleaning their room, why not enjoy it together with a board game (now that the floor is clean!) or a book together?

And, while material rewards shouldn’t be used all the time, they can be beneficial, especially when a new behavior is being learned.  Our three year-old has struggled with himself over potty training until we introduced Pez.  While I’m not big on food as a reward, the cute dispensers are perfect for him, and he only takes one candy per potty-trip.  It has been a HUGE incentive to getting him on track in the bathroom!  Another idea might be to keep a chart of successes, and when a behavior has been achieved a certain number of times, the child can earn a small toy or special treat.  Our older son had a hard time learning to stay in bed, so we kept a bedtime chart.  Each night that he stayed in his bed, he earned a sticker on his chart.  After ten stickers, he was rewarded with a trip to the Dollar Store, and after 100, we bought him an extra-special toy.  By then, the behavior of staying in bed had been learned and we were ALL much happier!

Look for the good in your child and let them know about it.  Praising a child for their good behavior is a great way to reinforce things you want to see in them again!

On a lighter (scented) note… have you ever wondered how they make cosmetics and perfumes? The Creative Cosmetics kit explains the “Science of Skin Care.” Not only does this kit explain skin, nail, and hair care, it gives a broad “foundation” of dermatology and the chemistry of oils, gels and lotions. Your kids will get to create their own formulas with the cosmetic bases and natural ingredients you purchase from your local store. Kids learn hygiene and safety are essential for proper skin care, as well as how to apply their creations to their lips, eyes, face, and body. Learn the basics of beautiful, radiant skin!

The Art of making Scents has a very long history. With the Perfume Science kit, kids can experiment with countless fragrance combinations and make their own scents. The kit contains scents that are used in high-quality designer perfumes. Learn the biology of smell, the chemistry of scents, the fine fragrance industry, and the history of perfumes. With the Perfume Science kit, you can even learn how to extract fragrances from plants! Best of all - every one of the products contained in the Creative Cosmetics and Perfume Science kits were never tested on animals.

Ever heard of Willy Wonka, Milton Hershey, Forrest Mars, or John Cadbury? Whether these names are real or not - these Candy makers all share one likeness: they were experimenters and innovators. The Candy Factory includes instructions, recipes, scientific explanations as well as a lot of different tools used to make candy. Learn the chemistry of crystals and the biology of taste. Explore the origins of chocolate and sugar. Mmmmmmmm, yummy and fun!

When kids hear the word “summer”, their heads are filled with visions of swimming, trips, lazy mornings in jammies and playtime - all the time.  The last thing on their minds is anything school-related.  But, summertime can be a great time to keep up those academic skills as well.  And, all it takes is fifteen minutes.

In our house, we set a timer each morning for fifteen minutes, and during that time period, we find something school-related to do.  For our first week home, we kept a journal of our caterpillars and eventual butterflies that we hatched.  We spent fifteen minutes each morning, reading and learning about their development, recording observations in a spiral notebook and drawing sketches of what we saw.  It was an amazing science lesson while still making it fun for the kids (by the way, I did it with them - why should just the kids get to have fun and draw pictures every day?).

Some mornings, we take out my son’s old math workbook from school and find a page or two to complete in order to keep our math skills up.  We alternate math work with our piano practice.  Piano during the school year is a 30 minute-a-day schedule for us; in the summer, I cut my son back to fifteen minutes, every other day.  It gives him a break from the regular routine while still giving him the opportunity to keep his skills sharp. 

Other academic activities could be incorporated this way: reading (my son is an avid reader, so I don’t have to prod him each day to read, but a timer and fifteen minutes would work well for many kids), writing (writing letters, filling out a shopping list for Mom, making a birthday list), measurement, and even art can all benefit from a bit of practice over the summer.

By the time my son’s timer goes off, breakfast is ready and our day begins.  Fifteen minutes a day is all it takes.  And, that fifteen minutes flies by!