Our ABC's of Summer have been a big hit! I shared the idea as the feature article in the Dansie Orthodontics newsletter in July, and the idea has taken off. We were having such a good time doing our list that I wrote Dr. Laura Schlessinger and told her I thought there were other moms out there who would also enjoy coming up with a list of their own. She liked the idea so much that she made it her Email of the Day. Then her staff contacted me and said Dr. Laura would like to share my list on the air with her listeners. I was happy to oblige! My friend Jen, who's also a client of Dansie Orthodontics, has come up with a list of her own, and one of the women she works with texted a local radio station, 105.1 FM, today (July 27, 2017, 59:15) and they raved about the ABC's of Summer to their listeners. Here is the ABC List they came up with for their blog.
Our list is specific to our area and is going for practically-free-yet-physically-active activities, but each family's interests, budget, and location are unique. So here are some tips for making your own list:
1) Have a brainstorming session with the kids of all the fun things they would like to do before summer ends. They'll be able to make a great list that will probably include things like a water balloon fight, making ice cream, having a picnic. That way you'll be able to fill in your list with easy activities you might naturally be doing this summer. Then you can supplement with activities you've researched as suggested below.
2) Google parks, pools, hikes, and activities in your area. People have usually compiled lists you can pick and choose from according to the letters of the alphabet.
3) Look up your local library system. They will have calendars online for the various libraries near you and the free events they are offering. We saw Ponies doing tricks like playing the piano and painting at our library this summer. But since we already had a great "P" hike, we just chalked it up as extra fun.
4) Download the AllTrails app. Type in the name of the cities nearest you, and it will tell you all the hikes in the area. Just remember that even though the app rates a hike as "easy," don't take that at face value. Do some extra research on the hikes to find out which ones are actually kid-friendly. If it gains a lot of elevation, has really rocky or tricky terrain, or is longer that 2-3 miles, it may be better for older kids. Plus, the best hikes for kids have something rewarding at the end like a waterfall, a lake, or a cave.
5) Think of friends and family members' names. Is there someone you could visit or invite for dinner?
6) Pick and choose from this general list:
Airplanes (Make paper airplanes and fly them at the park or go to a military museum)
Badminton (Baseball, Basketball, Batting Cages)
Dogs (Visit the local shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs or work on teaching your dog some obedience skills)
Elderly (Do a service project for one of your elderly neighbors)
Farm (Visit a local farm or Farmers’ Market) or go Fishing!
Garden (Plant one) or Game Night (Play board and card games as a family.)
Home Improvement (Make something together to beautify your home)
Home Improvement (Make something together to beautify your home)
Ice Cream (Make it homemade or go for a family outing)
Jumprope Contest (Jello Wrestling would also be hilarious!)
Kid’s Movie Night w/ Kettle Corn or Kickball
Lake (The local lake is calling! Swim, fish, or canoe!)
Marshmallows (Make a fire and roast them up)
Night Games (Play steal the flag or hide-n-seek)
Olympics (Create a neighborhood or family Olympics)
Race (Make Pinewood Derby cars or Rain Gutter Regatta boats and have a race. Or try one of the fabulously fun relay races from the race link!)
Splash Park
University (See what free museums your local universities have to offer)
X Marks the Spot (Make a treasure hunt or try geocaching)
Yoga (Maybe try it in the sprinklers to give it a fun twist!)
Zoo
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