by Laura Falin posted in Life

We started summer with such optimism. Sometimes I think I'm even more excited than the kids when summer gets here. I have all these plans to hike and swim and do art and read books and take road trips and do all the things!!!!!
And then, right about now every year, I burn out. I'm so done. I don't wanna do "Camp Mom," or mark hours on our reading log or check things off a Summer Bucket List. While I'm on it, didn't bucket lists start as a list of things we wanted to do before we kicked the bucket" When did they become lists of fun activities to do with our kids" It's creepy, right"
Sorry. The heat's making me cranky.
So I've got a few suggestions for things to do with your kids that don't require hard work like going to the store or thinking. Things you can do with stuff you have in your house. Things that will keep your kids busy for longer than you'd guess, allowing you to chill out of a few seconds (figuratively, I mean. I can't help the actual heat.) We can do this.

1.) Salt Painting
What you need:

Table salt
Crayola or other watercolors (they can be old, cracked, sad-looking -- you're going to submerge them in water)
Water
Elmer's glue or other school glue
Cardstock/thick paper for painting
Paintbrushes

Instructions:
Make your own liquid watercolors. Have the kids use glue to "draw" pictures on paper. Shake salt over the glue until the glue is covered. Shake off excess salt (we like to shake it off ...