A Little Summer Peace! Purchased from the Dollar Tree

My daughter paints a little elephant bank purchased from the Dollar Tree.

Are you looking for activities to keep your children busy this summer?  I am, too!  So, here's what we did today . . .

It was rainy today in Chicago, so my 3 were restless and bored with their usual indoor activities.  My daughter (who likes shopping a little too much and KNOWS how much I love buying teacher stuff at this store), came up with the idea of going shopping at Dollar Tree.  At first, I said no.  The vision I have of "shopping" with 3 kids is not a good one.  Yet, after a little thought, I realized that the trip would get us out of the house AND that some guidance regarding their purchases might be to my advantage.  

My son colors a cardboard and velvet 3D car from the Dollar Tree.

And so it was!  First, we walked every toy and craft aisle in the store.  Walking around, looking at everything, and deciding on their purchases took a good 45 minutes.  Then, once we got home, everyone went to work.  My daughter painted, my older son colored and glued, while my 3-year-old played with his new toy and puzzle.  Everyone was content and focused for almost an hour!  

My older children made little animals from the clay I purchased at the Dollar Tree.  

Needless to say, my attitude toward shopping with them is much improved.  As if a great trip and some quiet time weren't enough, after dinner, they asked for the clay.  I found a great set of clay with 8 or 9 colors that I also knew would come in handy on a rainy day.  They played with the clay for another 45 minutes!  

So, if you're looking for a pleasant, rainy day, time-consuming activity, look no further than the Dollar Tree!  I thought that the time spent doing meaningful, quiet activities was well worth the $5 I spent on their fun!