Challenge Kids with Summer Fun from Cwist

9:29 PM

I am a cwist ambassador, but all words and opinions are my own.

Finding ways to motivate my boys to explore on their own and learn to entertain themselves is not always easy. They seem to think my one lot in life is to entertain them 24/7. Also, my 11 year old has dyslexia and will shy away from learning activities that involve reading of any kind. To help avoid the "I'm bored" blues even on our camping trip this summer, I plan to enlist the help of Cwist!

{What is Cwist?}

"cwist - kids’ challenges with a twist - is a parent-educator collaboration that provides an interactive library of educational, community service and outdoor challenges that help kids make a healthy connection between the things they want and the effort it takes to get them."

{How Does It Work?}

Basically, you can setup a parent account on cwist and then you can add your children to it. There are over 500 cwists, which are step-by-step tutorials and learning activities that you can choose from. Cwists are so much more than a quick craft though, they are interactive learning that really gives in-depth looks into a subject and provide plenty of instruction. The cwists are in almost every area, from physical activity to academic learning. Some of the ones we can't wait to do on our camping trip are:

Make Your Own Totem Pole
Make Animal Cracker Pins
Nature Art
Time Capsule

See how in-depth they are?

Choose a cwist, assign it to your child and they can create a "wish." You can choose from the wish items on the site, or you can make your own, such as extra TV time, a trip to the movies, etc. I love this feature because the boys are always asking to go out to eat, and I want them to know what work is needed to earn these things.

After choosing a wish, they can compete the cwist or several cwists and work toward earning the reward. What a great incentive to get learning. So, if you are trying to find a way to keep your kids entertained this summer and show them what it means to "earn" something, be sure to check out Cwist! Also, check back soon for review of some of the activities the boys have done with cwist and how it has worked for them.

Kathleen

Kathleen is a homeschooling mom of four boys with a serious case of the Wanderlust bug. Her love of travel extends to her children, and has resulted in the family visiting 48 states to date, and traveling nearly a third of the year. She is the owner of LifeWith4Boys.com where you will find information on Family Travel, recipes, reviews, lifestyle and more.