CM Club - What are you all proposing to do for 6-7 weeks with 5 or more children in the rain?

[Xroads]

I wanted parks, picnics, sun cream, hats, sunglasses, woodland walks, trips to nature centres and farms and zoo's........I am not relishing the thought of doing all of that for 7 weeks in the rain, I know I can just put coats and wellies on but it's not the same is it?

Tell me about it mate! (you under this name permanently now?) I've probably got 7 most days and am now soooooo pleased I have 2 weeks off and at least it's not quite so many weeks to get through. We'll be doing lots of muddy puddle jumping, walks in the woods and soft play but I will be stuck to fill the entire time if we can't do the usual. We love our full days outdoors with picnics, ice lollies and they love it went I take them all for a splash in the paddling pool at our local country park. This weather is going to cost me an absolute fortune!!! :(

I just haven't bothered changing back lol (lazy/ busy)

I've got a total of 2 days off, that will teach me for having a holiday in feb! I've just brought some more indoor stuff to try and keep the boredom at bay a bit but we will still need to get out I've got 6 most days and dd1 who is old enough to do her own thing these days but no doubt she will be bored/ asking for money/ asking for friends to come round...............eeeek

Tis not good so much more to in in the sunnier weather

Ex cms sympathys mateys, vile and worse expensive weather but look August might be glorious!!!

I have put a massive tent up in the garden (gift from my neighbours), so there's a dry spot. Other than that it's wellies and waterproofs, but it's not the same. I am determined to fit in a trip to the beach.

I have been busy collecting boxes pots tape and stuff... this will fill one day at least... ;-)...

But really... what can you do inside apart from arts and crafts????
I have cabin fever... it's driving me MAD already... :-(

what about a play/film ( you could film the kids that are not all time so they could see take part
that you as a group could write act make costume for edit producted directed
could take all summer if do one thing a week.

How come you have so many? Seven/six kids - that's a lot, no?

No nkf. That's normal. 3 little ones, 3 young school children and however many over 8s.

I have invested into a local soft play membership. It cost me £48 a month for 2 adults and 10 children. I'd rather they released their energy there for a couple of hours than trash my house because it's too wet to do anything else. And I tell you ... keeping 10 children 0-11 years old busy indoors for the whole day is something I don't think I will manage ... 5 days a week ....

I'm really hoping that we have a bit of dry weather.

I'm taking two weeks off and have arranged mindees to come over three days for the rest of the weeks so hopefully we won't all go too crazy .

apot - wow, £48 sounds like a lot but I suppose if you go a couple of times a week with that many mindees then it'll work out to be a bargain .

I've taken on two extras for two days a week for this holiday which means that I can't fit everyone in my car for one of the days so I'll be looking for some arts and crafts stuff for older children.

longjane - ds and 2 of my older mindees often make videos on the iPad of them making up dances to various songs. It's hilarious to watch! I try to discourage it when there are too many big children here though - I fear for the safety of the iPad .

Got a week off this week to 'prepare'. Also 1 child leaves at the end of July and I'm not replacing til September.

(Worried about hiccups iPad)

Things To Do In The Rain

I'll start off with:

Painting with mud:
You need some cloth and the kids paint exactly as they would with ordinary paint - they can also try tie-dying with natural colours as well (mud, berries, petals).

Colouring Puddles:
Need food dye and spoons or droppers for this and they need to add colouring drop by drop.

Measuring Puddles:
Finding the deepest, widest
Get them to work out the best way to measure.

Weather Station:
A graduated cup or container left out and checked each day. Which was the heaviest rainfall? Get the older ones to make a big graph.

How do creatures keep dry? Get them to find the driest spot in the garden.

Splashing in puddles always goes down well with my lot

How clean is the rain?
White cloths left out in the rain, then brought in to dry. Might get a shock with this one!

Ice sculpting
One block of ice. Put it out in the rain for a bit, then bring it in. Has it melted evenly?
Add some food colouring and see what happens.

Show them that famous Singing in the Rain sequence on Youtube.
Hand out umbrellas and get them to make up their own dance.

I'm the same as HSMM and Looney - got at a minimum of 7 children most days

Great ideas Tanith - I might just have to pinch some of those...

I also get my lot baking so in effect they make their own snacks! They also like a movie afternoon - stick a DVD on and let them eat popcorn. Library is pretty good to get out of the house for an hour or so too.

Top of my 'to do' list this week is to browse my local toy library and borrow some new toys for the holidays as they get bored of the same stuff all the time.

With slightly bigger kids, say aged 4 plus, could you not help them to.make an ideas jar- like make a blue mountain (collect everything blue), bake cakes, puddle jumping, face painting, design a garden/robot etc etc. You could them seperate them into 3 tins- rainy weather, sunny weather and indoor play.
When you and the kids are running low on activities then choose one.

Great ideas thank you!