Turns out I have only two kiddos for the week, and probably none Thursday and Friday. I say probably none because the two that were supposed to be here all week this week are at grandma's and mom said "she may keep them all week I don't know". If she doesn't know by tomorrow, I am closing Thurs and Fri. Anyway I am trying to figure out how to give me more laid back days AND keep two SA kiddos occupied. Not an easy task!

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In the summer, my days could have 2-12 kids but have had a steady 6 or 7 so far....I don't have ANY set plans except for lunch and nap....my kids and I enjoy the break!

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Mine get bored and I swear they do stuff just to make me get onto them. And bicker and fight, yeah that. I swear I work so much harder with these SA kids. But they are all I have been able to get so far.

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I understand your pain I don't do SA any more for that reason. But, when I did have SA I made up a bunch of "project bags" simple science experiments, crafts etc that I could pull out. I also had a quiet reading time every day.
One summer I did geography with crafts, food, stories etc from that area. http://www.kinderart.com/multic/
Scavenger hunts. Mine always liked Maze books, where's waldo etc. games.. we played lots of games. And I would do movie afternoon once a week with a classic disney like the love bug, computer wore tennis shoes, don knotts movies etc
I still expected them to go play independently too.

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Sprinkler, and water play are a big hit for the older ones. I get those soaker balls at the dollar store and we play hot potato type games - - everyone gets cooled off. Soccer and football are a big hit here as well. I have mostly boys, but the girls love it just as much.

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In the past I had mine make obstacle courses. Sometimes w water. Sometimes not. Then they snapped pics and we had them printed. And mailed them to the kids family out of state as postcards.
Kind of like a post card show and tell.

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I only have on SA (my own 6yo) and one 5yo who heads to kindy in the fall, not sure if he counts.

If I could afford to send my dd to a half day summer camp away from here I would in a heart beat. Super wish I could. What we have done instead is make a schedule that is taped on the wall. It has activities, chores, etc. It has helped a ton. I think the structure helps us both and giving her big kids chores or "assistant" jobs as she calls them help me too!
Ex:

8-9 Free Play (puzzles, board games, legos or open ended art)
9 put napkins on table and fill water bottles
915 snack
930 - 11 outside time
930-1030 water play, bubbles, swings,
10:30-11 read, side walk chalk
11 wash up and set table for lunch
1130-12 help cook or Free play
12 lunch
1230-1 clear spot, wipe table and chairs, sweep etc.
1-2 quiet reading or journaling time
2-3 quiet electronic use (if you allow it), TV, puzzles
3 snack
315-4 Outside
4-430 wash hands and refill water bottles, clean windows
430-5 Free Play

Having a posted schedule I think helps older children especially. You can add in school work wherever you want and teacher led projects

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Thanks for the ideas. Have you checked out non-profit camps in your area? Our church camp is a non-profit. It is faith based, but due to the donations from all the churches that "own" it. Most weeks of camp are only $180 a week for sleepover camp. Not bad considering most around here are in the $500 a week range. The difference is the 60 churches all donate food items each year they ask some for cereal, some for koolaid, some for salad dressing, etc. And all the "deans" or counselors are volunteers. So is the nurse each week. They also get tons of other donations that are put to good use, because since they are a non-profit donations are a tax deduction.

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That's a good idea! - I will look up non profits next year. Unfortunately even that is too much this year. New furnace (will be paid off in August woot wot!) + lots of dental issue = no fun money But luckily we had paid for 2 one week/half day camps way back in December before the furnace broke. So she will get one mini camp in July for a week at the natural history museum and one mini camp for a week at a conservation garden. Those were her BIG Christmas gifts! So she does get something special and we both get some space from each other I just wish she could send her somewhere everyday I sound like the worst mom lol...I really am fond of her truly

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Hey she is getting more than any of my SA daycare kids! At least one of mine was old enough for the week camp session and the price at our camp is awesome! I thought for sure when I told the parents they would send DCG, but nope. I mean you drop them off on Sunday afternoon and pick them up on Friday evening. They swim, use the high ropes course, the zip line, the giant swing and depending on the camp, go off site for canoeing and other stuff. What's not to love? DD has worked there the last three summers. They pay her well, provide her with room and board. Since she is a lifeguard she has free access to the pool at anytime. She would work there for free lol. I know that our church camp tries not to turn any child away and gives out thousands of dollars worth of scholarships each summer that families can apply for. They have that money available from donations as well. The reason as a non-profit it is so cheap, is because they are basically just charging cost. DD went the the first time either the summer before or the summer after 5th grade and has gone every year since. Sometimes for two sessions. One year she went to an on camp session, then volunteered there to help pay for her Canadian session where they went to Canada and canoed and hiked everywhere they went the whole week from portage to portage. That trip was only $300. Not bad if you ask me. She was exhausted when she came back from that one!

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