Let Them Be Boys!

Boys will be boys, and so they should be, but because God made me a girl I find it a bit more challenging coming up with fun things for Ben to do. I can think of a million things that sound fun to me (and the girls) but it has always been a little bit more difficult coming up with exciting things for Ben. It is a blessing that I grew up in the middle of two boys and have a vast knowledge of Star Wars, GI Joe's, Indiana Jones, Bugs, Dirt, Rubber band Guns, etc. I have noticed that our culture seems a little bit more "feminine friendly" these days. Boys are left on their own, usually in front of the TV or playing a video game, simply because society has taken away almost everything that used to be so exciting for them. We are told that it's okay for our boys to be girls. We expose our boys to a debase culture and wonder why they are left confused about sex, love, and their masculinity. Okay, I'll climb off my soapbox! Honestly though, I hope and pray that our son grows up to be a godly man with awesome memories of a fun filled childhood.

Anyway! Here are a few fun ideas for boys!

Ben's Fun Stuff List:

Playing Star Wars or Indiana Jones to the movie soundtrack. (You can download almost any soundtrack off of the internet. The kids love this even though they have never seen the movies!)

Making swords, guns, etc. out of cardboard and foil. We have also made whips by braiding felt together...no matter how hard he swings, no one gets hurt!

Archeologist Digs...give him a magnifying glass (dollar store), an old make-up brush, and have him dig for treasures (that you have buried) in a sandbox or dirt pile. (ideas for treasures: shells, polished stones, a treasure map!)

Take it Apart...find something like an old radio, keyboard, phone at Goodwill, give them some goggles and a screwdriver and let them try to take it apart.

Cool Costumes...Goodwill has some of the best dress-up stuff for boys. We found an old black Karate jacket for a few dollars a couple years ago and Ben uses it all the time. You can also find army jackets, old cameras, wallets, etc.

Read a Classic...Aaron's mom gave us a treasury of great books that Ben and I love reading together, Robin Hood, Call of the Wild, Treasure Island.

Don't underestimate the power and potential of a cardboard box. Give them some markers and see what they come up with. we have had everything from spaceships to pirate ships.

Outside! Take the time to invest in them a love of the outdoors....let them get dirty! (We even got Ben his first swiss army knife in Austria...hopefully he still has all 10 fingers by the time he's 12!)