Fun for kids

When I first arrived in SE Asia, Maggie was still very young. At the same time, I was always looking for ways to provide her with some stimulation. We were busy adjusting to our new place, and learning the language, but I always wanted her to be a priority. She has brought us such joy form the very beginning...what a gift our children have been! Her precious little smile and antics were such a gift our first year overseas. I always knew that life would be different overseas, but when I got here there were a variety of factors that really hit me. I never expected there to be nice parks, playgrounds, or libraries, but I kept asking myself, "What can I do with her?" I kept asking at meetings of other moms like me, "What are some ideas for activities for small children/preschoolers?" I was hungry for information, and I heard a few really neat ideas. But for the most part, the responses I heard were something like, "Well, there are a lot of great books and web sites out there." That is true! There are a lot of great books and web sites out there...but in our country, there was no reliable system of internet and almost no access to English books. I was so hungry to hear from a panel or pool of moms on ideas for stimulation/play/creativity for young kids. So, I thought I would share some of the things I have learned in this blog. I would love to hear your ideas, too.
From the very beginning, I learned that building happy memories into our family's experiences was going to be very important for us. I cannot express what JOY our family has been given on this journey Dad has had for us. Still, I realized that I didn't want to become worn out because I looked back and thought, "We never do anything fun anymore," or, "I haven't been on a vacation in three years." We may not have extravagant vacation plans or entertainment budgets, but we have learned how to ENJOY what IS available to us and how to build HAPPY MEMORIES. There have definitely been trying times living overseas...but there is so much joy in being able to look back at the blessings we have experienced as a family and just sit back and be thankful for them all.
So, I wanted to share a little about creating SWEET MEMORIES, and I hope to learn from many of you who are willing to share your ideas, also!
On this blog, I want to share ideas for crafts and fun memories for small children which are:
-cheap
-simple
-do-able with materials found mostly in SE Asia
-honoring to Dad, who brought us here
We use many of these ideas in home school, SS, and in fun times with kids around us or other third culture kids we know. I believe in building a strong family unit, but also using the strength that Dad gives our family to reach out to the world around us. May He bless you as you also seek to build sweet memories with your family and those around you!