I am new to being a SAHM and I have an almost-7-yr old boy and a 10-mo old infant. Prior to the infant, I worked full-time so I wasn't in charge of daily activities for my boy. The baby still nurses exclusively while refusing a bottle and takes 2 naps per day. My older child will be out of school for the summer in 2 weeks and I can't think of anything fun and creative to do with him for the next 3 months! I really don't want to default to spending all day watching TV or playing video games. Being new to staying home, I just don't have any ideas of activities or outings we can do in between nursings and naps for the baby--and I really don't prefer nursing in public. Anybody have some ideas for home-based activities and projects or local (inexpensive) outings in the Fox Valley area that we could do? I'm looking at the St. Charles/Batavia/Geneva/North Aurora area. Thanks!!
did you hear of www.kidwinks.com. It's a site specifically for moms who live in Chicago and the burbs and are looking for fun things to do with their kids. It's mom approved too :)
~C.
You can visit Dupage children's museum. They have tons of parking, indoor activities so good year-round, and they have an area for nursing. My 2 1/2 yr old LOVED this place and you can spend hours there.
Check out the library. almost all of them run a summer reading program. they encourage participants to read age-appropriate books and they have a number of activities, free movies, story-times, some have concerts, magicians etc. also, check the park district. Fox valley Park district always has lots of summer youth programs. You can check out Blackberry Farm, Splash Country, The Sci-Tech museum in downtown aurora, you can also check out the air museum at Aurora Airport. it is open on weekends. you can look at all of the old planes that are available. Plus, there are the local summer festivals, Swedish Days in Geneva, windmillfest in Batavia, North Aurora Days, Sugar Grove Corn Boil, elburn Days, etc. All are fun, and not horribly expensive.
There is a splash park in St. Charles that both kids would like. I'm not sure of the exact location(I was there a few years ago) but I think it's 3 dollars/kid. The SciTech museum in aurora would be fun for your son.
*Bounce place(there is a ton of them around now. There are two in Aurora near the Fox Valley Mall)
*Parks
* Are there any camps you could sign your son up for through the park district. Alot of them just run for a few hours a week at a time.
There is a splash park in Geneva (in Monroe Park on the corner of East Side Drive and Geneva Drive - just west of Kirk Road). We take our 7, 5 and 3 1/2 year old to the library. On rainy days, we visit the Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles--they have a great play area there. We take walks (or drive) to different parks in the area at least once a week. At home, a slip-n-slide keeps my children occupied. We do the Summer Bridge workbooks, crafts; moon sand outside (less mess to clean up in the house). They have friends over for an afternoon that also keeps them occupied. Occasionally, we also will hit the Chuck E Cheese for lunch and playtime (good on rainy days). Is there a local park district pool you could get a season pass? With a season pass, if we only spend 1-2 hours each time we go and go several times during the summer, I don't feel like I've wasted money.
Hope this helps. Good luck! Before you know it the summer will be gone and the kids will be back in school.
