BT Forum

take them on a hike/picnic! Even if it is just in your local park, there's a lot to be discovered.

REI has a great online kids adventure journal that you can download and print out for them. http://www.rei.com/family-adventure

(disclosure: I work for REI, and I am not speaking on behalf of the company).

How about swimming in the local park? Who doesn't like that?

Got a blue tarp and some dish soap? You've got an instant waterslide.

Como zoo is always great, and it's free. Science museum. There is a nice city waterpark in Richfield. Just a few ideas.

ummmm - do you have a wii or PS3?  Seriously, I am not 7 or 11 but I may have that mentality.  Everyone we've had over loves Rockband/singstar etc.  My mom got a really cool dance game for the Wii that at our last family event everyone was playing including the 50-year old women and had a blast.

Why not just hike on your favourite trails instead of spending the $ on bikes ... and you could pack a picnic? Add a scavenger hunt or something ....

TWILIGHT MOVIE MARATHON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GO TEAM EDWARD !!!!!!!!!

Crafts
Bike riding
Hiking
Swimming

Just some of the things my 7 year old enjoys.

my daughter just turned 11.  she is really in to pedicures/manicures right now.  many of our neighbors have younger girls and they come over to have their nails done.  for her birthday a couple weeks ago she had a slumber party and that's what the girls did...their nails.  not sure if all girls enjoy this but sure is popular with my daughter and her friends.

Hikes - we usually go hiking up and down a creek near our neighborhood.  My wife uses the REI passport to get ideas for local hikes.

Swimming
Science centers/museums - especially the hands on type;  my kids like to take their sketch books with them to draw what they're seeing.

Zoo

Do the craft/painting project in bathing suits then break out the hose and soap and have them wash themselves and your car. Kids that age love washing cars.

Indoor stuff: make jewelry. Some string and a few beads and girls that age are good for a couple hours.

Build a garden.  If you have the space and the time to take care of it, they might love doing it.  And you can reap the benefits of some veggies or herbs.

I always liked to cook when I was that age too.  Maybe some easy recipes for no-bake cookies would work. 

You could have them make a "Summer Adventure Book", i.e. it would be a journal/scrapbook of all the cool things you did together this summer. 

FIFY...

Do  you need any lawn work done?  Kids love mowing lawns, picking up branches, weeding, etc.  I like to make a game out of it for them.  I call it, "work for food and bathroom privileges".   They may snarl and moan, but you'll know they are actually having fun.

I have a 7year old and our weekends - when not going to a gallery, museum, zoo or movie - are generally spent doing arts & crafts (painting, bead work, anything involving glue is fun!), hiking & long walks, going to a local wading/swim pool, and lately we're in to games.  She just learned Monopoly and is a shark so a game may last a couple of nights.  Yatzee (sp?) is a challenging one too for that age.  You can get badminton nets/rackets really cheap and set up at a park.  Also we're addicted to that game (name slips me) where you put the paddles on your hand like a catcher's glove - the ball is like velcro and sticks to the paddles - again cheap at dollar stores.  Mini golf is fun too.  A night at a video arcade? 

Have fun!!

Fruit kabobs are no fail   Good idea.  My daughter has started "cooking" (reads the directions to me and licks the spoons!)

My niece and my daughter, both 9, (along with my sister and I) are going to have a "cupcake war" contest.  They are super excited about making different cupcakes and of course eating them.  If you nieces are Girl Scouts, that could count toward a badge.