A week away from home at summer camp is a brave thing to do.  So, the care package {or as Big W calls it- “care mail”} is a great way to send your kids a little love at camp.  As this is my second year to send care mail, I thought about it carefully before sending it off !

Here are the items my camper will be receiving mid-week:

A white pillowcase for his cabin mates to sign with neon Sharpies.  It is the same pillow case I sent last year, so the new signatures will just be added on!  I love the idea of sending it every year.

A deck of cards, an extra disposable camera, and a Dot to Dot game pad.  Hopefully this will add to the in-cabin entertainment.

Temporary tattoos.  Each set is cut into individual tattoos and placed in a sealed bag. I sent along a washcloth so they could easily apply them.

Electronic 20 questions game/20Q!  I sent the 8 ball last year and it was big hit!  Hope this one is just as popular.

Contraband.  No food items allowed in care packages.  Candy isn’t food, right? Either way, it makes the boys happy.  {You have to break the rules sometimes!}

Ever send a care package?  What items did your kids love?

Also, the first care package I sent and a grown up press-on tattoo.

My kids are obsessed with the snack shack at the pool.  Since we have been at the pool everyday, I decided to work their obsession to my advantage.  We have a standing agreement.  They may purchase candy if they take and pass my daily food challenge.  I have shared before that my kids don’t eat a large variety of foods.  The daily food challenge will hopefully broaden their horizons and their ability to try foods they don’t ordinarily eat.  It is working beautifully!  So far they have successfully met the challenge of eating green grapes, bananas, turkey, granola, and yogurt and pepperoni pizza.  Scary that these are food my kids wouldn’t eat,right?  However, they had decided these were foods they didn’t like and that was that!  There has been some disappointment and failed challenges.  They couldn’t stomach snap peas and wouldn’t even go near cucumbers.  No big deal, they miss the snack shack for a day.  Well, it’s no big deal to me.  I giggle because it is a huge deal to them.  I look forward to the next challenge!  And so do they.

What great ideas have you used to convince kids to try new foods?

{image via}

A bit of 4th of July hangover for everyone?  Summer kicking your butt?  Kids complaining they are bored?  Give them a challenge!

Have them make something useful with all those LEGO pieces that are scattered throughout your house.  You know the ones.  The pieces that once belonged to a set that has long since been destroyed by a little sibling or an ill -fated drop.  The ones that lurk in the night waiting for you to step on them!  The bane of your existence.  Don’t want a LEGO kitchen caddy?  Here are 51 other LEGO challenges to keep them busy!

Are your kids not into LEGOS?  Check out all my ideas to keep summer minds active and creative.

And as a little teaser…..the trailer for the LEGO movie coming out next year!  [This is BIG people.]

{LEGO image via Lisbet Spörndly for Houzz}