My cousins (14 and 17) are coming to stay with us the last week of July and they are going to help me out with daycare that week. My 17 year old cousin and I were talking and thought it'd be fun to do a daycamp type theme that week for something different since I'll have extra hands. The kids I'll have that week will be 9 mo, 10 mo, 2-1/2, 4-1/2, 5-1/2, 6 and possibly a 3 yo and 8 yo as well.

Any suggestions of things to do that week? Since it's summer we're been taking it pretty easy and only doing craft projects when it's been too hot outside to play or if it's raining. One thing we talked about was tie-dying t-shirts with the kids that week. Obviously we'd do the babies' shirts for them!

Activities, Snacks, lunches, etc? I've been looking through my Family Fun magazines for ideas too. I wanted to check here too because all of you are always so full of ideas!

Thanks!

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I run camp-type weekly themes all summer. All of our crafts and activities for the week relate to the theme. On Fridays, we have a TGIF celebration that wraps up the week, and is a culmination of all of our activities.

For example, This week is "South of the Border" week. Craft projects are: Coil Clay Pots, Mosaic Turtles, God's Eyes, Papel Picados, Model Magic Cactus, Embossed foil art, Paper Bag sarapes, Tissue paper flowers, Paper mache maracas and a Pinata. For our cooking creation, we made baked cinnamon tortilla chips. Lunches this week are: Taco Salads, Chimichangas, Tostadas, Fajitas and Chicken Tortilla Soup.
We're learning some Spanish words ( the kids are already calling nap-time - "Siesta time" ) and reading stories native to Mexico. Everything culminates in our "Fiesta Friday" where we're going to have a fiesta of course.

Here's what's on our summer calendar this year:

South of the Border Week
Sun, Sand and Surf Week
Around the Campfire Week
Hometown Hullaballoo Week
The Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer Week
Fins and Feathers Week
Pirates of the Caribbean Week
Down on the Farm Week
Wacky Sports Week
Wings and Things Week

Sounds like you're going to have a great time with some "helpers"! Hope you have fun!!!!

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It would be very simple to do a "carnival" one day. Baby pool and some rubber ducks can be your duck pond, and create some simple games and set them up in your yard. That would be super fun

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this sounds like so much fun..... where did you get your ideas from??
I thought about doing something like this with the menu to tie into it...

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These are great ideas! Thanks for sharing them!

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It's actually not much different than the curriculum that I plan during the school year. I pick a theme and then research on-line and in my personal library like crazy to plan activities that fit. Remember, I've been doing this daycare thing for awhile - in addition to being a cub scout leader, girl scout leader and Camp Fire leader - I've literally got a spare bedroom packed full of bookshelves for my curriculum/activity books

I'm already excited about next summer when I'm going to do an "Around the World" theme - where every week we learn about a new country - and as in my "South of the Border" week this week - everything ties into that country:-) The kids will have passports to stamp each week and I'm starting now looking at garage sales for unique items for my discovery boxes:-))

Now if only I could decide on a theme for my school year curriculum this year??? I considered doing the "Around the World" - but my school year kiddos are too young.

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great can you box it and sell it to me....lol
I also write my own and am having a hard time this year. I have only been teaching for 4 years so I am still always looking for new and better ways.
I love yard sales too as this is where most of my stuff will come from. I tend to try to stay with similar themes so that I don't have to but a load of new things all the time.

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