Like Doug I remember my childhood well and am also still a really big kid (my nephew will give me a reference if needed). I lived in a rural community in Northern Ontario... so we had 4 distinct seasons, each with their own set of adventures. Autumn would bring about a massive amount of stuff you could do with piles of leaves. Winter would bring sliding, snow ball fights and fort building. Spring was fun with mud and river making time. While summer, was about exploring, "hunting" and fort building.

We use to roam the woods, fields and streams of the area in packs, getting into mischief and having adventures.I could go into detail, but I'd rather offer a tip... an important tip that kids should all know to help maximize their fun. Got your magic markers out? A younger sibling. That's the secret. Doesn't have to be yours... could be another one of the pack's sibling. No listen... it's true. Younger siblings are the cornerstone of good fun, because they can "test" stuff before you try it first.

I know it sounds cruel, but it's your responsibility as the big brother to help toughen them up a little. And since your Mom says you need to take them with you, why not help them build character by allowing them to:

- climb that new tree-fort-ladder/climbing-tree/really-big-rock to see if it can hold weight?
- try-out the new really big jump at the bottom of the hill with a sled/bike/skateboard/old-tire?
- test the structural integrity of new snow-tunnels/tree-fort-floor/rafts
- run and get you and your buddies a drink/snack/random-tool
- play the villain (that no one else wants to be) in any various of good guys vs bad guys -plus you can always give them the crappy gun/sword/stick/power

Think about it... the possibilities are endless. My little sister played the role for years... and she's a her way to becoming a doctor. All because I helped her build character.