Braving the "home while I work" front

2chatter

There will be a few days this summer where the two oldest will be present during working hours. It's not a lot of time, it's mostly before camp, etc. BUT I don't want them glued to the TV or immersed in craft projects that inevitbly result in a giant mess or "mooooom, I need heeeelp".

Any experience with awesome, fun workbooks? Great interactive websites? Reading that's FUN and not a typical book but helps with reading (DD has to write 4 book reports each six weeks and is a little burned out on reading).

Ages are 5, heading into K and reading to me/her teacher (books like Bike Hike "Ted took a bike hike. Mom gave him a lunch." (finished 30 books this year in PreK)

and 9, heading into 4th grade, tested at 5.6 on ITBS FWIW on levels. Prefers to read well under her reading level (she would still be reading Rainbow Fairies if I would let her). Favorite subject is social studies, then science. AWFUL at spelling and thanking god we don't have spelling tests for three glorious months.

ETA paragraphs, very sttrange original format

Iblamethebeer

I don't know what 5.6 on the ITBS means, but if she likes social studies would she read the American Girl books? They come with really interesting social history stuff at the back, and I remember them being easy reads in upper elementary school. What about just taking them to the library and letting them pick a few books each? I'm thinking the (adult) science section would have some cool giant picture/graphic-heavy books about space or the human body or animals of the world or whatever that would be fun for a 9 year old to flip through and wouldn't necessarily feel like "reading." You also might be able to find some anthropology stuff that would be interesting. I know when I was a kid (and liked history) there was one "historical costume through the ages" book that I checked out like every other month and just paged through and read captions. Can you also just let her loose on google earth to explore? I think they have, like, google street view of the galapagos islands now.

nosoup4u

Do you have a yard? Can they just play on their own outside or inside?

2chatter

In the mornings they complain because of the heavy dew in the backyard.  DD slipped off one of the climbers and fell, so then she was hurt AND muddy.  I was thinking this time might be a shot to get them a little fun educational stuff without forcing that into the evenings after work and dinner. 

groovygrl

Maybe I am  weird, but it's summer, why do you feel the need to force academic activities on them during those couple of days if they're apparently (I have no clue on that score thing) doing fine academically?

What do they like? music, art, acting, creating things, physical activity, etc?
That might help w/ ideas...