Backyard Fun: Popsicle Chalk, Bird Houses & Active Play + Giveaway

It’s been a loooooong few days.  My husband has been on a three-night, four-day bike ride with friends, and I’ve been home with the boys, trying to work and trying to play with them.  It’s been stressful, it’s been messy, and it’s been FUN!  We’ve been cooking ribs, winning tee-ball game balls, lunching with friends, playing with the pup, and having some big-time outside fun.  There’s been a lot to do, but we’ve had a pretty good time doing it, if I say so myself.

Because I had so much work to do this weekend (have you noticed all the blog posts on Mom Favorites today?), I wanted to make sure that yesterday the boys and I simply got to play.    Since it was a beautiful day, we wanted to play outside.  I’m hoping that this is just a glimpse of all of the fun that summer has in store for us this year.  If so, it’s gonna be grand.  PS – if you wanna make the DIY Popsicle Chalk, make it a day ahead of playtime!

Here are some of the highlights – activities that I think you’ll enjoy doing with your kids this summer!

Building Bird Houses: http://www.tweettweethome.us/

I picked up these bird houses in a gift shop while on vacation in Sonoma late last year, and they’ve just been hanging out in our craft box for the last six months.  The kids had an absolute blast assembling these, but even more exciting??? Checking to see if they have any inhabitants!  The boys have thoroughly been enjoying staring at the trees as birds fly by.  They simply cannot wait for a bird to make one of their houses a home.  Graham even suggested making a few couches and beds out of construction paper to put inside.  Sounds like a good activity for quite time, dontcha think?

Active Playing with Ogo Sport Toys: http://www.ogosport.com/



Graham and Will pretty much enjoy any activity that involves hitting.   This was no exception.  We pulled out the OgoDisk RAQ set that I had been sent to review a while back, and you would’ve thought Santa Clause had come to town based on the excitement level!   I had the boys practice their swing for awhile, then I turned them loose to hit the ball around the yard.  I love it when I can sit back and let my boys play together in the yard.  They are so stinkin’ cute.

Take Chalk Up a Notch: Popsicle Chalk, recipe below



Graham freaks out at the feel of chalk.  It must be genetic, because I feel the exact same way.  When I saw others come up with ideas for DIY chalk, I thought this might be my chance to find a way for all of us to be able to tolerate the activity of painting on pavement.  The frozen popsicle chalk recipe that I adapted from a few recipes I came across was so easy to make and used ingredients I already had on hand.  Oh, and the boys thought it was awesome.  (Note: it works best after slightly melted and on black pavement, although it showed up on the sidewalk too.)

How to: Slowly stir 1/2 cup water into 1/2 cup of flour into a disposable cup.  Repeat the process for as many colors as you’d like to make.   Stir in a teaspoon of dish soap into each cup, then a squirt or three of washable tempera paint.  Stir again, then pour into Popsicle molds.  Place in freezer until frozen through.  To pull the pops from the molds, run under hot water.  Then play, play, play!

Wanna get in on the fun?  Enter to win your very own Ogo Disk RAQ set by entering the Rafflecopter app below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today marks the last day of Backyard Games Week, which was 5/19 – 5/26.  For more great ideas on backyard fun, check out the posts from fellow bloggers here!

*I was provided with an OgoDisk RAQ set to facilitate my review.  All opinions are of course my own.