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Written on July 31, 2006 by Nicole

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You Can Keep Your Kids Busy at Home Too (Tip of the Week)

I received a great tip from one of my SharpMoms. She commented on my first poll, How Do You Keep Your Kids Busy Over the Summer? and noted that I didn’t include any at-home activities. She sent me a list of how she keeps her kids busy at home over the summer and I really liked her ideas (very SHARP). So moms, I’m making them your Tip of the Week. Thanks Lisa!

SharpMom Lisa created a chart of daily activities that she calls P.E.G.E.R.S. The idea is to make everyday activities fun and teach good habits. Here’s how it works:

  • “P” stands for Pick-Up: Making sure toys, games and books are picked-up and chores are completed each day.
  • “E” stands for Exercise Your Body: There is a different activity such as swimming, biking, etc. each day.
  • “G” stands for God: This is time set aside for prayer/reflection.
  • “E” stands for Exercise Your Mind: Activities include journal writing, worksheets, art, etc.
  • “R” stands for Reading: Reading to your children, your children spending quiet time reading alone, etc.
  • “S” stands for Show Respect: Obeying parents, helping others, being kind to siblings and friends, etc.

Keep in mind that all the suggestions above can easily be tailored to fit the ages of your children. For example, Exercise The Mind might be playing with a shape sorter for a 2-year-old and it might be a science experiment for a 10-year-old.

I know my children are really motivated by charts and rewards (even if it’s just a sticker on the chart). We’ve used charts for potty training, behavioral issues, etc.

Give this system a try and let us know how it works for you.

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