What to do with the kids in summer? Try Camp Gigi

By Kristen Spoon
Associate Editor

Well, it’s summer time again. And what to do with our kids? I happen to have 10 grandkids and most of them live right here near me. I love to spend time with them! What a blessing to have them so close.

Every year I try to come up with fun things to do with them. Some of their parents work as far away as Irvine and need some help during the summer. That’s how Camp Gigi was born.

Now don’t get the wrong idea. I work full-time and am out and about myself. But the grandkids are old enough now that I can put them in the car and they can go on my daily adventures with me. We actually have several of our grandkids help us with Menifee 24/7, doing things for the paper. Some of them organize the office. Some of them actually throw the newspaper. A few of them are learning how to be photographers, and we have one that has written a junior reporter’s edition online edition. No one gets away from hard work in this household! Ha!

We moved to Menifee five and a half years ago. We knew nothing of what’s out here to explore. So that’s when I came up with Camp Gigi. I set up a calendar of things to do with the grandkids. I did a lot of research. Boy, are there a lot of things to do. My list changes every single year.

I generally mix up my list and try to have home time, craft time, a day away, and one fun day. I tried to put into the calendar a fun get-away and a couple of sleepovers. To tell you the truth, I have done a totally cost-free calendar in the past; the ideas are out there. The Internet is just fabulous for that.

This is just this year’s calendar, filling 63 days until school stars again. And we don’t always keep to it. We use it as a guide. Sometimes the kids want to swap items, and that’s totally OK to. I just don’t let them bundle up all the cost-involved things together.

So friends, here you go. I hope you enjoy the sun and surf. Go and make those summer time memories!