Summer Fun

Last Summer, I shared my list of cool things to do in the summer and I realized, it was time to do it again for the summer of 2011!

I KNOW that we have a little over a month of school left, but it goes quickly -- it pays to plan a bit!

So far our list:

*swimming
*make Popsicles (I shared my recipe list in the recipe section!)
*library and bookstore reading programs (I blogged about this earlier)
*Going to the Dells
*A Jurassic Birthday Party for Miss Sarah
*Going to Cousin Eric's Wedding in Colorado
*Going to the Voss's cabin with my inlaws
*crafting
*Church Drive In Movie Night
*taking Miss Sarah to Florida to see Aunt Brenda &; Uncle Sam - with a visit to Disney!
*make homemade ice cream (I got a machine free from TW a few years ago and we didn't use it ONCE last summer and found a pretty cool recipe for SnickerDoodle Ice Cream to try!!)
*homemade bubbles with dish soap and white corn syrup
*summer karate lessons for Sarah
*Visit the local county fair
*a few family cookouts/pool parties
*4th of July parade
*Concerts on the square (free)
*health club 5x week (they have a GREAT kid's play area...and I have a membership credit to use up)
*Tuesday mornings at the park with her preschool friends (a Drop in thing)
*Crafty Kids thru the library
*A few citywide garage sales for bargain hunting (yet, another post)
*Go to the zoo
*Visiting our Children's Museum
*Picking Strawberries
*Checking out the blooming lilacs at the McKay Center in Madison
*Visiting the Madison Farmer's Market
*Attending the free Kid Workshops at the Home Depot the 1st Saturday of the month
*Host our Tupperware Team's Memorial Day Family Picnic

See what I mean?
It's getting to be a pretty long list...especially when we are gone for almost three weeks traveling!!
 
Again, here are some resources for your helping to create YOUR list:

Check your library for these books:
  • 365 Outdoor Activities from Publications International, Ltd.
    "It's time to go outside and discover the world! Whether you're looking for exciting nature activities, games to play with friends, or ways to improve the beauty and ecology of your community, 365 Outdoor Activities offers all sorts of hints that will help you get the most out of the great outdoors. (Mom and Dad will also be happy that you're learning something while you're enjoying yourself.) Some of these activities are simple, others are more challenging- but all of them are fun!"
  • Hopscotch, Hangman, & Ha Ha Ha- a rulebook of children's games by Jack Maguire from Prentice Hall Press
    "Playing rules for more than 250 games and sports for children of every age, including indoor, outdoor, party, travel, water, memory, and card games."
  • The Scientific Kid- Projects, Experiments, and Adventures written and illustrated by Mary Stetten Carson 
      
  • The Sierra Club Summer Book by Linda Allison
    "Summer is the time for... Dog Days Sun Catching Sun Power Solar Cooker Sun Tea Homemade Shades Icky Stickies Coolie Hats A Body of Water Frozen Bananas Bug Police Insect Zoo Animal Signs Life in the Wild Dinner on a Stick Meteors Leapers Knuckles Bones Pommawonga Liver Lids Bike Rodeo Compass Walking... And A Whole Summerful of Other Things To Do"
  • A Mother's Manual for Summer Survival by Kathy Peel and Joy Mahaffey from Focus on the Family Publishing
    "Here's help for your summer...
*when the kids whine "I'm bored"
*When you're hot, tired, and out of ideas
*When you start checking plane flights to escape home
This idea-packed book helps you turn the summer into a rewarding memory-maker rather than a harrowing ordeal. Quick, easy activities include:
*300 things to do when the kids say they're bored
*25 play ideas with a big box
*fun family games and outings
*creative ways to encourage your child to read
*special projects that enhance character growth
*silly family traditions that make everyone laugh
One you use this book, you'll wonder how you ever survived a summer without it!"
  • 1001 Things To Do With Your Kids by Caryl Waller Krueger
"Would you like to make your family life more adventuresome, educational, and enjoyable?
Now you can! This all-in-one treasury shows you how!
1001 Things To Do With Your Kids shows how to have a great time with your kids- whether they are babies, teens, or in-betweens! This family fun building guidebook offers chapters on
*indoor fun
*outdoor fun
*reading
*traveling
*learning together
*meaningful conversations
*celebrating
*love in action
*MUCH MORE!"

Go ahead, make your list and plan for a summer or fun!
:)

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