Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn never had a playdate set up by their moms


what to do?
what to do?

each day after school there is this little riddle

this is the era of the "over scheduled child"
but... if there is no scheduling... then there is no activity
the kid these days will rush for a "screen" like a junkie goes for the needle

what should we do today?


when I get my younger son Grant from school I try to do something that is entertaining to him

something active
something entertaining


often I try to enlist one of Grant's friends to join us on a mini-adventure
it is easier to corral my boys with one of their friends then just my boys alone
plus... it is more fun for the kids to have a kid to share the adventure with

much of our post school activities involve walking the dog

there are all sorts of small pockets of woods with hiking trails in Washington DC
I try to mix it up
I try to keep it fun

I also try to let the kids have a say in what we do and where we go


just as it is important to "stop and smell the roses"


it is important for me to allow the boys to do some of the things they want to do

third grade boys like to swing on the swings
so... if we pass a playground and there are swings
I will usually oblige the boys in a little "swing time"

but...

I also need to keep them moving
these hikes often involve a drill sergeant approach
calling to the boys and the dogs to keep moving

before it was removed... the rope swing was often part of our routine

http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/search?q=rope+swing

here Grant and Gareth migrate from swing set to swing set with a hike on a branch of The Glover Archebald in between
an afternoon well spent