Need ideas to occupy the kids when school is out for the summer!!!!

I know how you feel~ when summer vacation starts, the big kids don't understand that the little ones have a schedule and the do mess it all up! I purchase those beads that are in a big bucket for the bigger kids. They put the beads on the mold~ it takes them a while~ and then I iron them for the big kids. They love making them and will spend tons of time entertained by them. You can purchase them at Walmart in the craft section. I have always called them bucket of beads, but don't know the proper name. For all kids, I take a table outside and put shaving cream all over the table. The kids like to fingerpaint with the shaving cream. Sprinklers are always fun for the kids on hot days, followed by lunch outside like a picnic. If you need fundraiser ideas, do a fundraiser search. They have tons of ideas on the net.

The older kids can do things like paper machete things like that. It is a good way to teach them how to recycle. Take lots of different shaped containers, from milk cartons to balloons blown up. Have them paper machete and then paint their creations and build a city or something. You can also have them make them into pinatas for the littler kids and fill them up with fun stuff (even if some of them are just confetti) You might have a mystery one that is filled with treats and the others are filled with confetti or balloons or something small, cheap and fun! Get them back to nature as well. Find places they can go where the woods and scenery is basically left alone. Have them do a scavanger hunt for certain things. (For instance you might have one group go out and find items found in nature naturally (not that humans put there). You can have them make milk-carton boats and have races. Paper airplane contests, that sort of thing will keep them busy as well. Instead of just how far they can fly you can add a "most creative design that flies", "Most beautiful creation" that sort of thing instead of just the same old how far it flies contest (or as well as the same old how far it flies contest).

Have you thought of the sidewalk chalk? They can be outside and draw to their hearts content and it washes right off.