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s our spring slowly slips away and the beautiful days are getting longer, I am reminded that summer is fast approaching and warmer weather is upon us. Many parents ask me if I have any fun and age-appropriate ideas and activities for summertime adventures for their families. I am always excited to share my experiences and ideas with them from my past 35 years in my rewarding field of early childhood education, as a past StrongStart BC Facilitator and especially as a parent of a very busy and curious son. As every parent knows and has shared with me over the years, keeping children “entertained� with fun and exciting activities, other than screen-time, can be challenging when school is out for the summer. Fear not! I have included 25 great ideas and activities for how to prevent “summertime boredom� and to keep children occupied and engaged in great adventures and experiences while the “heat is on�. 24 BCPARENT CA s SUMMER
Fun Summertime Activities and Adventures to Experience over the Summer Months By Brenda Fisher-Barber Find objects in the house that begin with the letters of the alphabet and then go outside to do the same. Print them on a piece of paper. Rainbow Explorers. Go outside and find things/items for every colour of the rainbow. (Do you remember ROY G. BIV? Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.) Send a Smile. Write a letter/postcard to someone you miss and mail it to them. Add stickers and be creative to “make their day� upon reading it. Bubble Fun. Blow bubbles on sunny and rainy days. Make your own bubble wands and use creative tools to make unique bubbles. Visit https://www. icanteachmychild.com/invent-yourown-bubble-wands-from/
1. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt.
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5. Make your own liquid sidewalk chalk. Mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup
of cornstarch. Then pour it into muf-
fin tins or small cups. Then, add food colouring to make the colours you would like. Visit https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/health/family-friendlyfridays-liquid-sidewalk-chalk-recipe/ 6. ABC Painting. Paint the letters of the alphabet, names of family and friends and messages with your homemade sidewalk chalk. 7. Print Outside. Print the numbers 1 to 10, your name and other fun words in the sand with a stick you find on a nature walk. 8. Literacy Campout. Read a book inside a tent, homemade teepee or fort with a flashlight. 9. Rock Fun. Make patterns in the sand or dirt using pebbles and rocks found on your Nature Walk. 10. Bake Together. Bake delicious cookies for home-made ice cream sandwiches. A favourite from my childhood (thank you Mom).