Here are some fun things to do with your kids. Some of these are pretty good.
I know these have been here for along time but these do not change. They are still good ideas.

Make an "Idea Box" for times when your child says "I'm bored!". Start with a tissue or shoe box and let your child decorate it. When you come across an idea that strikes your fancy, write it on a slip of paper and place it in the box. Send them running to the idea box when they say they are bored. You can start by using some of the ideas listed below:

*Find a construction site and watch the trucks and tractors

*Hide a kitchen timer and have your child search for it by listening for its ticking sound

*Make a fishing pole with a stick and string.Tie a magnet on the end and fish for paper clips

*Use sidewalk chalk to draw a city complete with roads. Use toy cars and trucks on the roads

*Play hopscotch

*Make a sponge garden. Soak a sponge in water and place it in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with alfalfa or rye grass seeds. Keep it moist and watch it grow *Create a mosaic by cutting construction paper into zillions of small pieces and gluing them to a sheet of paper to create patterns or scenes

*Make frozen fruit juice cubes in an ice tray

*Spray paint two-litre bottles and use for bowling pins. (Put a little water in the bottom of each one to weigh it down.)

*Make a bird feeder by rolling a pinecone in peanut butter, then in bird seed. Hang from a tree with string

*Have your children create books about themselves. They might want to include their birth date, handprints and footprints, drawings of themselves and their families and a story about themselves. These are wonderful keepsakes

*Read and act out one of your child's favorite stories

*Make a mystery bag by placing familiar objects in a pillow case. Ask your child to close his or her eyes, feel the objects in the bag and pick out the item you name

*Hide a small toy in a room. While the children look for it, give them clues such as, "You are hot" when they are close, and "You are cold" when they move away

*Put a sheet or blanket over a table and make a tent, doll house or secret hiding place. It's also a great place to take a nap or have a picnic lunch

*Soak a stalk of cut celery in a glass of food coloring and a little water. Watch what happens the next day. (You can also use Daisies for this experiment)

*Write crazy commercials and perform them for each other.

*Make a volcano. Mound dirt six to ten inches high and then clear a hole down the middle of it. Put 2 teaspoons of baking soda in the hole. Pour in some vinegar and watch your "eruption"

*Save pennies in a jar. When the jar is full, use the money for a family outing to the ice cream parlor *Picnic at a different park each week

*Lie on a blanket in the backyard at night and look at the stars

*Dress up and serve dinner by candlelight once a month

*Have a sock fight. Roll socks into balls and throw at each other

*Have a scavenger hunt *Have a smile contest. See who has the biggest smile; measure them with a ruler

*Have a family car wash. Wear bathing suits and be ready for sponge fights and water squirt wars

*Go on a long bike ride. Map your route before you leave, choosing new and interesting destinations each week

*Plan a special bake day and discuss what you will bake

*Look at Me! Have your child observe you for a minute. Leave the room. Return to the room, having changed a small detail in your appearance. Can they guess?

*Fill a tin can with a very small hole in the bottom with colored water and attach the can to a tricycle. The child rides until the "gas" is gone

*Let your toddler use a dustpan for a snow shovel - right size, right height

*Fill a spray bottle with water and food coloring and "paint" the snow

*Let your child finger paint with shortening on cookie sheets

*Play the "message game" at bedtime: draw letters on your child's back and have him or her try to decipher them

*What's Missing? Place a group of common objects on a paper plate and give your child a few moments to study the collection. Ask the child to turn around and then remove one of the objects. Ask "What's missing?"

*Find a quiet moment and call a family pow wow to talk about what happened that day. Who has a funny story to tell or something new to share. A pow wow is also a good time to give someone a compliment or to tell what's bugging you on a day when things don't seem to go right

*Take your child(ren) on a "mystery ride". Don't tell them where you are going or when the mystery ride will occur. Go to the beach for a picnic. Visit a children's museum. Go to the mall or a toy store and give each child $5 to spend any way they choose. Visit a grandparent or cousin. Bring them to a movie they've been wanting to see. Head to a lake or park. Just make when and where a big surprise!

Articles

Teaching Kids About Money
By: Ken Canfield

Do your kids think money grows on trees?

Before your kids are gainfully employed, it may not seem vital to teach them about money. But, all you have to do is think about how our society seems to revolve around money and you realize that you can never start too early.

If you want to save your children from the agony of worshipping the almighty dollar, you'll want to begin early to put money in the proper perspective. Instead of simply giving your children a weekly allowance and then letting them try to figure out good stewardship on their own, teach them the basic principles you want them to value.

Marriages crumble from the pressures of aggressive bill collectors or they split because spouses can't agree on what to do with their money. We need to talk with our children about money and model the right attitude about it. Our goal is not to scare them -- but to help them gain a positive outlook about money, and to teach them healthy stewardship habits.

Today I'll cover five basic abilities that your children need to learn in relation to money: They are to earn diligently, spend wisely, save consistently, give cheerfully, and receive graciously.

Earning money gives your child a sense of worth. Even young children need to know they can make a valuable contribution. They have marketable talents. Even if the current market is only in your kitchen or backyard. Help your children know the satisfaction of earning their keep and help them realize that nothing is free except God's grace.

Second, one of the greatest delights for a child--and for many adults I know--is to spend money. But we need to make that connection between earning and spending. Earning it yourself makes spending it more enjoyable. And when it's their money, they get the final call on what they purchase It's amazing how fast kids learn the difference between a wise investment and a waste of money when they're spending their own hard-earned dollars.

Of course, on our list is saving. Consistently saving money -- even if it's just putting away a little bit each month. My kids love to examine their bank books. They marvel at how their accounts have grown as a result of their modest, but consistent savings plan. If your child learns to save something each time he gets some money, he has learned a valuable lesson--and, I might add, a lesson which many in this generation have lost.

Give cheerfully. Several months ago, my son Joel came and asked for money to see a movie. My immediate response was the dreaded teaching mode. He'd have to learn to budget his allowance like everyone else. "Joel," I said, "I already gave you your allowance this week. What happened to that?"

"I put it into the offering at church," he said.

"All of it?"

"Yeah, all of it," he said.

You know what I did next? I gave him the money for the movie -- plus some extra for popcorn. What father can refuse to reinforce a generous child? It only makes me eager to give more and more.

Finally, teach your children to receive graciously. Just as earning has a direct connection to spending, our joy in giving is multiplied because we know the pleasure of receiving.

For some of us, receiving is uncomfortable because we don't like to show our needs or weaknesses. But our children need to learn that using the phrase "Thank you" demonstrates strength, not weakness. After all, receiving a gift means someone considers you important enough to give it to you.