#GNO Recap—Family Activities for a Summer Full of Fun
#GNO’S SUMMER FAMILY GUIDE
Compiled by tweets from Tuesday night’s (6.9.09) #gno chat hosted on Twitter. #GNO stands for Girl’s Night Out!
Remember, “studies show family makes a huge difference in kids soc/emo/intell well-being.” – @kathypeel
You can get free summer planning forms and ideas here: http://tinyurl.com/mkdtxe
ACTIVITIES
@MomItForward: Fav at-home activities involve things like baking, telling stories, playing the piano, watching movies, playing games, etc.
@alyandrea: At the risk of being called a dork, we bust out the disco lights and fog machine for Disco night at our house. Bust a move.
@jyl_MomIF: You know what I love to do with my kids? Build Thomas the Tank Engine tracks. I could do it for hours! 
@alyandrea: Sock fights- every pair of socks in the house are fair game for launching. Then find ‘em stashed in the couch later.
@ConnieFoggles: we love making a tent in our house and playing camping out!
@waystosave: Anoter family time idea: at the end of the day pile up on couch and tell highlights about your day
@startupprincess: my master’s thesis was on pretend play and parenting for preschool aged children love it
@amndaj: I have a plan to just give my kids a bucket full of recycled stuff and see what they do!
MAKE READING FUN
@waystosave: My oldest LOVES to read so we all read the same book then talk about it every chapter. Our likes, dislikes, etc
@myinsanity: Trying to keep up a summer tradition from childhood. Mom would read to us each day after lunch (Narnia, LittleHouse series, etc.)
@HostessTori: We are starting a family movie journal- after movie night each person writes their review (or draws, lol)
@harmonyf: mobistories.com ebooks for kids. it reads them the stories with pictures etc. You’ll have to check it out!!
TIPS
@startupprincess: I think that if you plan ideas with your kids then they’ll be more excited to participate
@kathypeel: 1Decide w/spouse to have a non-optional fam time X times a week. If kids don’t cooperate, see http://tinyurl.com/nrgcnt
@inevergrewup: Growing up we would have a family meeting where we would “vote” together on what we wanted to do as a fam
@leecg: we do family meetings once/week and everyone says something they appreciate about everyone else. even the 2 yr old does it!
@chiccraftychick: We are starting family time early with our boys so they will be used to it as they get older
@GoodNCrazy: make sure they know it’s just normal for your family to spend time together, we go bowling, YES all of us, all the time…
OUTSIDE GAMES/ IDEAS
@kathypeel: also at night spread quilts/get astronomy books/flashlight to read it look for constellations w/your child.
@denisermt: We usually go for walks together.
@startupprincess: another fun idea is to let your kids decorate their bikes/scooters/etc with streamers, balloons, etc and have a parade
@EllieFunt: http://bit.ly/IzBiv Glow in the dark rocks
@NTFFC: We love to garden and look under rocks for bugs!
@MobiMom: This summer we’re adding outdoor movie watching to our “Fiesta Friday” events.
@inevergrewup: My little girl is a future photographer, we go on “photography walks” almost every week! She just loves it
@MarieLeBaron: backyard races! Or Croquet!!! Anyone play croquet? I love it
@makeandtakes: Both. But here’s a fun recipe 4 bubbles I just posted: http://bit.ly/16Muqq
@nancy_martira: Ooh, that reminds me. The highlight of summer every year was going strawberry picking at the local berry patch!
@mrscrumley: have you ever tried light painting with the glow sticks or bracelets? big hit when we were camping. need camera too.
@MobiMom: Night games are great. We put those snap-glow bracelets on the little ones so we can find them easier.
THEME NIGHTS
@ginarau: I try to do “theme” weeks too. Visit the zoo, read about the animals, play a game or other activites. It’s a lot of work.
@startupprincess: every week we’re doing a theme, this week it’s amphibians and reptiles got books about them, natural history museum #gno
@BarbaraJones: I think having family game nights with no ‘electronics’ aloud is a good idea—makes u unplug and interact
@chiccraftychick: We also do You Tube nights and watch videos.
@banteringblonde: We are having a media free week and I LOVE IT… they are so much more peaceful
@AWelbaum: Oh wow! I am loving this idea of a diff country every month, we may have to try this
@AWelbaum: RACE CAR night!
@ADramaticMommy: Pool tournaments
@inevergrewup: You have to see what we did for Thailand http://bit.ly/12LsnA
BLOCK PARTY IDEAS & TIPS
@cheekyandswank: At another street party we all pitched in $20 and rented a big bounce house 4 the night and had a BBQ. Kids loved it.
@NewspaperGrl: new neighborhood has fun parties too. Cookie walk. Everyone bring cookies to share, have one place set up with umbrella, drinks.
@MobiMom: I agree! We have weekly fiestas in summer – multi family fun time.Firepit, BBQ, fireflies, flashlite tag… #gno #orville
@ginarau: Block party fun: ice cream socials, potluck picnics #gno
POPCORN RECIPES
@sthrnfairytale: garlic and butter popcorn mixed with pretzel sticks, skittles and drizzled chocolate.. just sayin’
@nancy_martira: Went to a hip NYC movie theater last month and they had lemon juice to pour over our popcorn. Surprisingly good!
@rockandrollmama: Oooh-about the popcorn-REAL parmesan cheese, grated fine, lil olive oil, and lemon pepper. MMM.
@emihill: My favorite popcorn is the kind my girlfriend makes w/ Golden Grahams, marshmallows, chocolate…s’mores popcorn. I eat the whole bag!
@sthrnfairytale: for kids: popcorn balls mix w/ sugar and melted marshmallows drizzle with melted choc mixed with cinnamon/sugar and dash nutmeg
@GenaMazzeo: Another good popcorn combo? Peanut Butter. I’ll admit, it’s often lunch in my busy world!
@redsolediaryjen: yeah, melted marshmellow/butter, peanuts, gumdrops and of course popcorn. mold into angle food pan. cut in slices. miss it
@suebearchicago: anyone every try homemade curry popocorn? it’s amazing and so easy. pop a bag of #Orville and add curry powder. shake it up! yumm!
@redsolediaryjen: my mom always made popcorn cake for my birthday. it was one big popcorn ball with peanuts and gumdrops. loved it!
@ConnieFoggles: in the winter try floating Orville buttered popcorn in tomato soup. Friend told me about it. Kids love it.
@ConnieFoggles: this may sound weird but I promise its good. Orville lite buttered/grated cheese/salsa. nuke for 30secs. Love popcorn nachos
@goodiesformom: Popcorn and M&Ms I would have never thought of that! sounds yummy
@makeandtakes: Okay, the best is plain popcorn covered in white chocolate, and tossed with m&ms!!! Sooooo good!
@AWelbaum: Try mixing in marshmallows, chocolate chips, and grahm cracker pieces
This photo and this photo used with permission from Flickr. The top photo used with permission from Brooke Johnson.
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