Games, boiard games, card games, make cookies, rolls, pizza, teach him to paint, draw, have him help in the garden, take him to the library, do you have access to a swimming pool? That's good in hot weather, take him to the park, take a walk, show him different plants, take him to a museum, hunt for polly wogs, catch butterflies make a butterfly net, show him how to make somemores over your outdoor grill, tell him about your grandmother and your parents...
The list is endless, with an 8 year old there is always lots to do!
Linda C

I took my grand children to the airport to see the planes come and go. It's harder to do now because of the security problems. I also drove them by Boeing so they could see all of the planes there. It was summer here so I took them to the zoo. There was a place where you could pay and ride a camel or a Clydesdale. The little one chickened out and wouldn't ride, but when he saw the big planes he said, "lets hop on, lets hop on". I told him we can't go and leave mom and dad here, he said, "yes we can, let's hop on." A picnic in the park and sit while they play on the playground equipment, take bread for the ducks.

My grandchild is not 8 nor a boy but I think the park idea is great. There are sure to be other kids there that he can play with and use up some of that energy.Walmart has inexspensive, small ,blow up type wading pools , add some action figures or water toys. Then maybe he will be ready for some quiet activities like baking and decorating cookies or cupcakes. I have two grown sons now and when they were that age they enjoyed doing that, especially the decorating part. One container of frosting divided into how many food colorings you have and spoon into baggies and nip a tip. Also different toppings.Take pictures, you know only too well they don't stay young. Since he actually wants to be there, he obviously enjoys your company, include him in some of the things you are interested in, as well as small chores that he can help out with, those will be memories he will keep with him.

* Make a fort out of blankets, chairs, etc. Have a picnic inside the fort. It's a great place to read books, too.

* Do you have access to any old radios, electronics, etc.? Let him take those apart and try to figure out how it works.

* Go to Radio Shack or somewhere and get some kits and built a radio, or a robot.

* There are lots of simple science experiments that can be done cheaply and fairly easily. For example, we built a device that tests whether or not a substance carries an electrical current, and let my kids test all kinds of things.

Because you say you wear out, and I can sympathize with that, you probably need some things he can do without you for a little while, just to give yourself a break. Perhaps you can get him to put on a puppet show for you. The nice thing about that would be that he'd have to keep it a "surprise" until the show. He could write the script, make the puppets, rehearse, sell you a ticket, etc. Be sure and get him to set up the video camera and tape himself.

My son and his friends loved to build things. They built an amazing shelter out of branches lashed together. They also loved to shovel mulch. If you have access to scrap lumber and tools, perhaps there is something you two can build together.

If you can find an enormous dirt pile somewhere, kids love to play on that. They also love to climb on big rocks.

Your grandson is very blessed to have you in his life.

I have a 6 year old grandson who lives with me, and summer can be a trying time! I have picked a theme for each week. Example: Paper week: doing origami, researching the pulp and paper industry on the net or betteryet, at the library, making ojects out of paper mache, visiting the local newpaper for a tour, and possibly going to a pulp and paper mill in a nearby town. Music week: playing the piano (he already takes lessons), trying to play the same song on the guitar, making a poster with the clefs, staff, and names of the notes on the lines and spaces; taking in free band concert at our local park, harvesting the garlic whose variety is :music"; packing up some the the garlic and goinhg to visit his music teacher who doesn't teach in the summer. Cooking week: learning about measuring cups and spoons, how to read a recipe, doing a cookie marathon including a gingerbread house, visiting alocal bakery for a tour, doing a make-your-own-pizza night with doungh from the bread machine that he will make, and then everyone can add ther own toppings; we are also doing a "get ready for the fair" week where together we will prepare an entry for just about evey class that he is eleigble for, take our bikes to the fair grounds to register, take our entries in on the appropriate day, and, of course, go to the fair.

He will be pretty well ready to go back to school, and I will be pretty well ready to have him go! We DO have a l;ot of fun.

Jak1, you are amazing! I tried to do similar things with my kids when they were little in the summer. We did pretty well with it, but it was exhausting. My kids and I had a lot of fun, but I always felt like cheering when I saw that big yellow school bus roll up to the bus stop the first day of school! God bless those teachers.

I took my 7 year old grandson to LaBrea tar pits; we saw the tar, skeletons, the museum, etc. the following weekend, I was able to scatter old fossils and some coins & marbles in the yard and let him dig for them. We made sandwiches and deviled eggs. He mashed the yolks and got to decide what to add, and put the mixture back into the whites. We made dip for carrots. Kids love to play with water or water the plants. when we get the two year old twins and their sister we can make houses out of big appliance boxes and draw on them. Thats good for hours if you add a kids table and plastic plates and cups for tea time. You serve the bears and the dolls. the girls also like to play with cars and trucks that I keep here. Indoors you get a set of lincoln logs or leggos and its available to play with.