Originally Posted by Meyou:
I take 7 kids (12 months, 2x2, 1x3.5, 2x4, 1x7, 1x12) to the beach at the lake 3 blocks away from my house everyday in the summer. The kids arrive between 7:30 and 8:30. The baby goes down for a nap at 8:30-10am. The kids free play between 9am and 945am while I pack lunch, pack the wagon and get all the suits ready. At 945am they pick up the playroom and as soon as they finish come get ready. Clothes goes in their cubbies and suits, hats and shoes go on and then they line up for suncreeen. The 2 year olds need some help with their suits but I just help them as I change their bums. The baby gets up at 10am, suited, sunblocked and off we go!! We're out the door by 10:10 everyday easily. We have lunch at the beach at 12:30, the kids get one last quick dip after lunch and then we walk home wet. They're dry by the time we get back and change back into their clothes and straight to bed in the dark, cool house where I've had fans running and lights off all morning. 
I love the summer and I adore that I'm close enough to a lake to go there every day with the kids. They have soooo much fun playing together and all the kids over 3 take lessons everyday that are offered at the beach. It's an awesome summer at my house.
I do find the beach alot of work to get ready and get them out the door each day but the payoff is so worth it for me. I don't mind working my buns off for that 3 hours each day when the kids have so much fun and the rest of our day is very laid back and mellow.
Nova Scotia in the summer is HEAVEN.
Are you guys able to get out from November thru March? I know you get a pretty good snow fall most years.
I wish we could do picnic lunches away from the house. Our food program doesn't allow it. We have to eat at the house.
We have a splash pad right around the corner from me but it is NOT fun. The dummies that planned out the park didn't think about shading any of the play area and it's dangerously hot for a good amount of the summer. The play area is connected to the splash pad and you can't go near the equipment from about nine/ten in the morning on.
The park is pretty baren from June thru September. It's used more in the fall, winter and spring. They put in a skating pond last winter next to the splash pad and that sold like crazy. No shade around it so it was really nice to go during the daytime.