Here you go! A nice collection of hacks that will take you all the way through summer.
I'll be here and there throughout the summer as vacations, projects and my garden come and go. Consider this my gone fishin' sign — it will pop up when my attention leads me away from the computer. Hopefully it will give you tacit encouragement to take an Internet break yourself.
Happy summer!
Summer activities
Hacks about swimming, camping, and going to the beach.
Tips for simplifying swimming with kids (at The Accidental Expert)
Summer project: homemade merit badges
Fill baby's high chair tray with water for warm weather splashing
Washing the water table is almost as fun as playing with it
Bath toys gain new life as pool toys
Old-fashioned ice crusher makes a perfect hot weather distraction
Turn the Pack n' Play into a shady hangout for baby
Mesh food covers become play tents for action figures
Cool Summer fun: Draw on the driveway with ice
For YOU: A summer of self-care in 6 simple steps (at The Accidental Expert)
Summer learning
8 fun and useful "chores" to coax your kids outside (at The Accidental Expert)
Summer camp fairs help kids AND parents make smart choices
How to combat summertime "brain drain?"
6 life skills your kids can learn this summer (at The Accidental Expert)
You can do it: grow a vegetable garden
Check your local library for summer reading activites
Summer organization and quick cleanup tips
Summer vacation: the big picture
One mom's DIY approach to summer: "structure, not scheduling"
How do you effectively work from home during the summer?
Tape combination to padlock so it won't be forgotten over the summer
Clean summer toenails with a toothbrush
Baby food stains come clean in a sunbath
Summer meals, snacks and treats
Coffee sleeve makes frozen drinks easier to handle
Frozen yogurt tubes stand in for ice cream treats
Cool summer snack: Frozen corn
Give 'em Popsicles that match their shirts
Juice box "wings" prevent spills
Summer health
Hot day? Store your sunscreen in a cooler bag
Put toddler girls into boys' swim trunks for extra sun and knee protection
Apply sunscreen to kids' faces with a makeup brush
Nightlight on a timer tells early risers when it's morning wakeup time
Low-effort summer "fashion"
Boxer shorts and cotton undershirts make cheaper summer PJs
Cornrows make for a low-maintenance summer hairdo
See also: the piles of family travel tips in the Travel/Getting Out archive.
