Too Busy For TV

Lately, as the weather has taken a cooler turn, my kids and I have had the joy of going outside more without worrying about sweltering heat. It's amazing how much fun kids have just running, playing, digging and being outdoors. Lately, there have been more and more times where a whole day will go by and we haven't made any "deposits" in our TV account. I see it like this: TV, for me, is used as a chance for my kids to relax a bit and take a break from a long day of hard play and/or a chance for mommy to have a little quiet time. Sure, there are plenty of ways to keep them occupied but sometimes, TV is the answer. I allow my kids no more than two hours a day and honestly, most days we rarely hit that quota. Between reading, drawing, outdoor time, playing in their room, doing puzzles...etc., it's easy to forget about TV altogether. And the more I just let my children "be", without feeling like I need to plan their entire day, the better they play. It seems the less I meddle, the more they come up with things to do on their own. Yes, most of my day is spent sitting cross-legged on the floor playing or sitting at the table doing projects with my kids but as they get older, they are becoming more independent and playing better together. At first, it kind of freaked me out. I've had moments where I think "ummm...what do I do with myself??" but I quickly find a project, a pile of laundry or my very favorite...a  good book!! So let your kids be kids and give them time to find things to do when the boredom bug bites. The less TV they watch, the more time they will have to learn, play and explore!! What are your favorite activities to do with your kids?