Beat the Heat with these Summer Outings for Kids Surviving a heat wave with young children is no easy task! Here are 16 of our favorite Summer outings to stay cool when the weather is HOT:
Developing Storytelling Skills with a Mini Sandbox
July 19, 2013 by
Here’s a quick and easy way to work on developing storytelling skills with your preschooler using the sandbox, or in this case, a mini-sandbox! Clara was very lucky to have received this mini sandbox kit from a friend for her birthday, and she has spent many hours happily playing with this!! You could easily make […]
Sandbox Social Skills
July 17, 2013 by
There is a park near our home that has a spectacular public sandbox. Public sandboxes are fun places to play and learn because the high quantity of children and sand-toys present many opportunities for preschoolers to develop life-long social skills. As parents, we sometimes forget that our children are not born with social skills. Children […]
How to Make Cloud Dough
July 15, 2013 by
Summer is a great time to get outside and play in the sand and water, but those aren’t the only sensory activity opportunities! The warm weather makes it easy to take a variety of activities outside, and that typically means less mess and more fun! So today we’re sharing a video tutorial on how to […]
Fossil Hunting at the Creek
July 5, 2013 by
Summer is hot and the water in the creek is cold! We had fun cooling our toes while hunting for fossils! The rocks in the creek we visited were predominantly shale and limestone. Mixed into the bunch were some incredible fossils! I explained to the boys that fossils were impressions of the remains of creatures […]
Family Beach Movie Night
July 3, 2013 by
We’ve been having a spell of rain here lately, but that didn’t stop us from having a FUN family beach-themed movie night! If we couldn’t get to the beach, we decided we could find a few ways to bring the beach to us. The kids had SO much FUN with this and it was really […]
5 Must Follow Pinterest Boards for Summer Learning
July 2, 2013 by
Are you on Pinterest? Looking for some inspiring boards to follow for plenty of Summer learning activity ideas? Here are five of our all-time favorite Pinterest boards you’ll want to add to your “must follow” list to help foster your child’s love of learning throughout the Summer months and beyond! 1. Inner Child Learning — Educational crafts […]
Passport to Imagination
June 28, 2013 by
Early last week, I took the kids to visit Michael’s craft store for their Passport to Imagination program. It was a big hit!! Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from now until August 2nd 10am-noon, Michael’s is hosting 2 kid-friendly craft projects inspired by countries around the world for just $2 per child per visit. It’s […]
10 Ways to Stay Cool with Water Play
June 27, 2013 by
If you find yourself stuck in a heat wave this Summer, it may be a good time to try some water play ideas to stay cool, and keep the kids entertained without the use of batteries or screens! Some tips to keep in mind — Avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day, […]
Bubble Science
June 26, 2013 by
Every kid has a fascination with bubbles. There’s just something enticing about them. We recently spent an afternoon playing with a bottle of bubbles, which led to lots of discovery about the science behind bubbles. Here’s a few of the fun concepts we learned as we explored bubbles. Does wand shape effect the bubble? […]
Around the Web: Sidewalk Chalk
June 23, 2013 by
There are so many ways to learn and play with sidewalk chalk. It’s great for play prompts, open-ended play, and educational activities. This makes it a must-have in the summer, and we know you’ve been stocking up! Are you looking for creative ways to use your stash? If so, you’ll want to stockpile these 10 […]
5 Tips for a Great Sandbox All Summer Long
June 20, 2013 by
One of my kids’ favorite summer activities is to play in the sandbox. Even my nine-year-old can spend long periods of time playing in the sand. In fact, recently, when I added some new sand to the box, my 4 yr old exclaimed, “It’s just what I always wanted!”. I love how something so simple […]
The BEST Outdoor Summer Toys for 2013
June 18, 2013 by
Summer time means lots of active outdoor play time fun! Here are ten of our favorite outdoor toys for Summer to keep the kids entertained for long periods of time without the use of batteries or screens. Yay for creative outdoor play!! 1. Zing Air Huntress Z Bow (shown above) — New for 2013! Emily […]
Sponge Bombs for Summer Fun and Learning
June 17, 2013 by
The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, and that can mean even more time spent outdoors. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a way to sneak in some learning and beat the heat? I think so too! So I’m excited to share this simple craft that can accomplish both of those […]
Let’s Build a Fairy Garden Table!
June 10, 2013 by
This fairy garden table is a never-ending project for the kids this Summer! I love that this space provides: 1. plenty of inspiration for imaginative playtime fun, 2. learning opportunities about various plants, and 3. fresh herbs for our Summer recipes! Oh, and it is absolutely adorable!! We started with a simple elevated garden bed […]
Summer Reading Resource Share
June 10, 2013 by
Last week, I shared a video with tips for making summer reading fun for your kids, and this week we’ll explore the topic even further. Recently, Amy from Teach Mama and the community managers from the We Teach forum got together and hosted a Google+ hangout all about summer reading. But don’t worry if you […]
2013 Unplugged Summer Pact
June 9, 2013 by
I’m so excited to share that I have just signed the Unplugged Summer Pact, sponsored by our friends at Michael’s®. What I love about this pact is that instead of going completely screen-free, the pact calls for 2 hours of dedicated screen-free time every day this Summer, and 2 hours a day is definitely do-able! […]
101 Free (or Low Cost) Things to Do with Kids this Summer
May 22, 2013 by
Not sure what to do with the kids this Summer? Are you putting together a Summer bucket list? Need some fun activity ideas to do with the kids that are free or low cost? Here’s a list of over 100 FREE or cheap activity ideas to help inspire you to make the most of your […]
