Input Please: I'm thinking about having "Kid-a-Palooza" at my house

[IdaBriggs]

next weekend with about nine nieces and nephews ranging in age from 2 to 14. I'm looking for some activities to keep them busy ALL WEEKEND LONG (Friday thru Sunday).

So far I'm thinking --

== Make Personal Pizzas (for dinner on Saturday)
== Go Swimming at Local Y (Saturday afternoon)
== Paint Flower Pots (earlier on Saturday)

-- and then my brain freezes on how to entertain

Joshua (2); Maria (3); Josh (5); Joey (7); William (8); Samantha (8); Mark (9); Tiffany (14) and Jakob (14) ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

And that is if I don't invite the three neighbor girls (6-9) to come join us.

I'm thinking KEEP THEM BUSY is the best thing; we have a running "SLAVE LABOR" thing that means they will pretty much do anything Aunt Ida asks, but it needs to be kind of on the "fun" side.

Suggestions, please? (And I've already considered "shoot myself", so "kid friendly" suggestions would be most appreciated.)

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

P.S. This started as the two youngest coming over for the weekend while their parents went out of town, and then I thought it would be a good idea to have Tiffany (14) come help with them, which meant her brother Joey (7) would want to come, and then it just kind of snowballed into a "what the heck -- let's just have 'em all!" I'm not sure how many will end up coming, or for how long, but I do want them to have fun ... I love these kids! :)

[MissMillie]

1. Well, you've got the big 3 covered

1) food
2) crafty
3) physical


Maybe a scavenger hunt w/ teams would be fun.

[RebelOne]

2. You are a brave person. My nerves couldn't take 9 kids

for a solid weekend. Good luck.

[AllegroRondo]

3. Do you have any yardwork that needs doing?

Its a great time to go to the local nursury and buy a bunch of annuals, like allysums, violas, pansies, verbenas, snapdragons. Even some veggies like tomatoes are good to start now.
Get a couple trays of plants, then let the kids either plant them in beds in your yard, or in pots for your porch. They can even plant a small pot or two to take home.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. This is a great idea. I used to do this with my granchildren and

they just loved it. I got some "strange bedfellows" in my flower beds, but even the unusual combinations of plants looked good together.

[IdaBriggs]

11. They *love* gardening; Joey & Tiffany helped me plant almost 300

bulbs last fall -- after reading your suggestion, it kind of fleshed out the idea of "painting flower pots" on Saturday, and then planting stuff in them Sunday! :)

Other than that, its probably going to be "raking and weeding" -- which gets old kind of fast...:)

[LynzM]

4. We used to do this at my grandparents' house...

Let 'em play outside, if it's an option... we had an age range of 2-14, as well, and we all sorta kept each other busy outside. Craft project? (Lots of paper, "bits" of string, pompoms, popsicle sticks, glitter, glue, if you don't mind the mess.) S'mores over the grill, or campfire if you can do that?

[Bunny]

6. No suggestions, but a question:

Have you stocked up on Valium, Ativan, and Xanax? :)


Anyway, there is the ever-popular popcorn and video night (maybe Friday?) Also, don't be afraid to schedule a little down time for everyone, too. Good luck - you have gumption!

[meegbear]

7. If you're going to Paint Flower Pots ...

I'd recommend having an alternate activity for the butch-er kids at that time.

[sasquatch]

8. Have the older ones torment the younger ones like my family did

:sarcasm:

[GirlinContempt]

9. Minigolf?

I took a 4 and 5 year old minigolfing last weekend. It was only like, $4 a kid and they had a BLAST, picked it up super easy. Often older will help the younger. Or are you thinking something in your own home?

[IdaBriggs]

10. I kind of want to avoid any driving, if it can be done, but am

obviously flexible -- Nine kids = Two Cars. Mini-golf could be fun...:)

[Heidi]

12. You're a better woman than I am

I'd feed 'em after swimming and send 'em home. :scared:

[LaraMN]

13. My kids were kept busy for an inordinate length of time by

a large bag of assorted beads and some string. My daughter is four and my son is eight, and they both loved making jewelry with it. Crafts are always good! Can you buy some little cups, soil, and seeds and help them "start a garden"? My kids go ape over the chance to grow ANYTHING!

[IdaBriggs]

18. I think I'll hit up 'grandma' for some good craft supplies -- she has

EVERYTHING. And I'm definitely doing the dirt thing! :)

[Shine]

14. How brave of you, Aunt Ida.

:thumbsup:

You've got a great plan and I'd also suggest having some fun family style movies for them to watch if you want a bit of downtime.

Good luck! :hi:

[dr.strangelove]

15. If you have another adult to help - TYE DYE

We run a Tye Dye day for our neices and nephews and friends' kids each summer. About 20 kids and four or five adults. The kids under 5 needs lots of help, but the two teens could probably supervise the 7,8 and 9 year olds. Its not expensive for the dye, and I tell each kid ot bring an old t-shirt. Passes about 2-3 hours very quickly and they get to keep something to remember the day.

[IdaBriggs]

16. Sounds like fun -- any helpful hints on doing it?

(I've never actually done it successfully myself -- I *love* the super bright colors!)

[dr.strangelove]

17. It is easy

Just go to google and search on Tye Dye techniques. You will need to buy the dye, most drug stores or hobby shops carry it. I prefer fiber reactive dye, but most small stores only carry the Rit brand, which is not as bright or long lasting. It works though, and on short notice is great.

You need rubber gloves, rubber bands, a bucket to mix the dye, squirt bottles like used for ketchup or mustard, soda ash which is available at most hobby and drug stores, salt which is used with rit dye to help make darker colors more vibrant and lots of soap and paper towels to clean up the kids.

Mix the dyes, mix the soda ash in water and soak the shirts for 5 minutes or so, then use the rubber bands to bunch up the shirts (there are web sites with patterns, but I prefer just bunching and using a rubber band, squirt with the dye, let it dry and you are done. It is very easy.

[IdaBriggs]

19. I went and bought supplies yesterday, and we are definitely

doing the tye dye thing -- only I can't find "soda ash" at my local craft store. Can I ask what it looks like? And where to find it? Thank you! :)

[wovenpaint]

23. Rit dyes don't need soda ash

I just re-read this one.....Rit can be used in the washing machine.
Take the shirts and pull up bumps using elastic bands-make them really tight (google "shibori")
Start with yellow dye and throw the shirts in the machine. Rinse and take out the elastic bands, dry the shirts and re-do with more elastic bands in different places. Throw the shirts in the machine with pink or bright red dye this time-take out elastic bands and dry again. Re-do a third time with the elastics and throw the shirts in the machine with a light or bright blue dye. Rinse and remove elastic bands-voila! A rainbow of starbursts! This will certainly use up a day or more for you-and lots of fun......take it from a fiber fanatic, lol!

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Bless your heart!

If you don't mind, I will not be coming over next weekend. :)

[IdaBriggs]

21. Awww! You are more than welcome! Bring some kids!

Who will notice a few more? :)

[wovenpaint]

22. Caution on the soda ash with children!

instead of the tie dye shirts, you could dye wool yarn (has to be wool-not acrylic) and make "god's eyes", you can use koolaid for the dye and you don't need to use the soda ash.
Watch out because SODA ASH CAN BE CAUSTIC!!! Always add the soda ash to the liquid so that it doesn't splash up into eyes or on skin. Don't add water to the soda ash powder...it causes the liquid to heat up also....so you may want to check out koolaid or even cake dyes.

For dyeing info http://www.straw.com/cpy/wisdom/koolaid.html
How to make God's Eyes http://www.caron-net.com/kidfiles/kidsapr.html

Easy and FUN for all ages!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Whoa_Nelly]

24. How about making kites?

Some specific sites:

http://www.molokai.com/kites/20kidskites.html

http://www.skratch-pad.com/kites/make.html

And many sites at this link:
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftskites/

[IdaBriggs]

25. What a great idea! Thank you! nt

:)