Keeping busy with summer reading

I've found that as long as my boys are kept busy they are usually quite happy children. As soon as the activities stop their attitudes, and my temper, flare. Sometimes they find ways to entertain themselves, but many times they still rely on me to find something constructive for them to do. They would love to spend hours outside, but with a new baby and an uncooperative Mother Nature (we've had a lot of rainy days) that isn't always possible. So lately, we've been spending a lot of time at the library.

Thankfully the summer reading program is open to kids 3 and up so both the boys have been able to participate. They get stickers for our weekly visits and will get to take home a book after the third and sixth week. There are new crafts every week and even special guests (I can't wait for next week). And of course there are books. I used to limit Nick to just 5 books and one movie per trip, but lately we've been coming home with a dozen or more books and two movies.

Today, the boys each made their own shaker as part of the reading program. First, they decorated the constuction paper. Then they glued their creations around a toilet paper roll.


They covered one end with tissue paper and secured it with a rubber band.


Then they tossed in the dried beans and mini-bells. We added glue after Zander's beans and bells went flying across the library carpet after just one vigorous shake.


They covered the other end with more tissue paper and then they got to play.


Their interest was short-lived, but that's OK. They had fun for those 20 minutes. Ben was kind enough to sleep through most of it so I could help Zander.


And then we got to go pick out our pile of books to bring home. The boys are always interested in reading, but the ante was upped this summer now that their reading (well, our reading to them) has to potential to earn them prizes. For every 15 minutes they read they get to color in a picture on their library reading log. After an hour they get to turn in the finished sheet for a chance to win prizes during a random drawing.