One of my favorite things to do when the kids were really young in elementary school was to put together big baskets full of “summer fun” for them to see. I would begin gathering interesting, novel, and “old favorite” items in the springtime, and display them in big baskets (one per kid) waaaaayy up high on top of a bookshelf. They couldn’t reach or touch them, just look and dream. We literally called them “Summer Fun Baskets”…I know, not super original, but it worked.
This was a way I devised to encourage the kids to get through the tough part of the year when school is a bit more strenuous, but little brains want to check out. They’re tired. I’m tired. We all want to take a little break, but see the finish line and don’t want to prolong our arrival at it, either. Each week, they look up at those prized baskets to see that I have added a few more little items to them. The excitement builds, and the attitudes soar back in to the “green zone.” It was like magic, only I knew how it was happening. They knew that the more they kept on track, the sooner summer break would arrive and they would each get to open those special baskets.
I say that springtime is the perfect time to begin gathering items (and baskets!), because they tend to go on sale close to Easter. I love a good bargain, don’t you? I mean, if I can grab a clearance Easter basket for $1.00, instead of a regular priced basket, I’m going to opt for the savings every time. These Summer Fun Baskets never had large out-of-pocket expenses, but did have lots of entertainment value! I also did a lot of shopping for the items in the dollar store and Target’s Dollar Spot. But I will say that raiding the Easter clearance was a favorite…those egg-shaped sidewalk chalks? They’re perfect for little hands!!! The cookie cutters? Those are great for the homemade play-dough I also stuck into the baskets. And don’t even get me started on the Easter bubbles! So cute!!
Oh…I almost forgot!!! The odd favorite and most prized item in the whole basket that had to appear every single year???? The collection of every flavor of sugarless bubble gum I could find. Usually between 8-10 varieties. I would put the colorful packages in something fun like a pencil box, small bucket, or even a giant water bottle one year. I was not one to buy gum for the kids during the year, so any time they could get some, it was special. Santa would put a pack in their Christmas stockings, and the Easter Bunny would leave one in their baskets, but the Summer Fun Baskets had soooooo much more. Each kid got 8-10 packs of gum all to themselves. They became like currency at our house, in fact. Flavors would be traded back and forth so everyone could trade for their favorites. They would sometimes chew them all in the same week and have to go the rest of the summer without. But mostly, they learned to make summer days “Bubble Gum Days” by metering out their sticks of gum to try to make it last.
All this to say…each spring, when the going got a little tough on my young children, I knew it was time to bring out those baskets and start having items appear in them. Hmmm…I wonder if maybe I should bring them back. They’re older now, but I bet the gum will still be a hit. The bubbles, maybe not so much anymore, but it’s a thought. I might just give it a reprise. A renewal. An encore, even. *Daydreams a little…* Yes. Yes, I think I will. And lucky for me, I just saw some giant baskets on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Perfect. I’ll let you know how it went…I hope you’ll try this idea out, too! It brings joy to everyone, and that’s the point of it all anyways. Finding the Joy in everything…even in the bubble gum days.
I’ve compiled a list if you need some ideas for your Summer Fun Baskets, and if you don’t have a lot of time to shop, I’ve included some links, too:
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