Don't waste your summer months sitting around the house doing nothing! Here are some fun arts, crafts, and physical activities to get you moving!

1. Create your own veggie garden: If you want to save your own seeds, start with green beans or peppers -- reliable and easy to grow -- and store them in paper bags in a cool, dry place.

2. Design a clothes line fort: String three clotheslines between a tree and a tall fence. Hang  several sheets to form the walls and roof, clipping them in place with clothespins.

3. Make a birdfeeder: Start with a clean, dry plastic bottle. Have Mom or Dad cut holes about 4'' from the bottom. Fill your feeder with birdseed, recap it, and use a length of twine to hang it from a tree.

4. Summer Memory Box: Begin with an old shoebox. Cut out pictures and words from old magazines to glue on the shoebox. Throughout the summer months, fill the box with special mementos and items to share with your friends and family.

5. Make a Bug Hotel: Using an old oatmeal container, paint or draw the shutters, then use a craft knife (adults only) to cut them out with sideways H shapes. Paint the door, then cut it out, making sure its bottom edge is at least 1/4 inch above the floor inside (to keep guests from checking out too early!) Be sure to feed your guests and give them all the great comforts of home!

6. Turn off the TV and Read a Good Book! Share "good reads" with your friends or hold "Book Talks" like we do in our classroom. It's a great way to to find new and interesting titles to read!

7. Plan a Green Party and clean up your neighborhood. Rid your streets and yard of garbage. Plants new trees and flowers. Have a picnic to celebrate a job well done!

8. Make a windsock: Using an old oatmeal container, paint and decorate using an assortment of items such as beads, pasta, shells, etc...Glue or staple crepe paper streamers to one end. Cut 2 pieces of string about a foot long and tie them to the opposite side of the windsock. Tie a longer piece of string to the smaller ones- you'll hang the windsock from this piece!

9. Make a nature mobile using items found on a nature walk! Hang this on your porch or deck for a beautiful summer display!

10. After the sun goes down, play Flashlight Tag:  To begin, players should pair off and create a flashlight signal (one short and one long flash, three short flashes and so on). Partners must then separate and go to opposite ends of a large, open playing area (a park is ideal). Players are given one minute to scatter before they may begin flashing signals.  Each pair tries to reunite as quickly as possible by sending flashlight signals to partners. The first pair to reunite is the winner.

 

        Visit these sites for more arts and crafts ideas:

            FamilyFun: Summer Crafts - and More Family Fun

                            FamilyFun: Summer Recipes 

                                 DLTK's Kids Recipes

   Taking a long car trip? Visit these sites for helpful  tips:

                  Traveling with Kids - Travel Tips and Games

                            Car travel activities for kids   

Play these memory games...They sure are a lot of fun! How well did you do?

         Neuroscience For Kids - memory experiments

               Check out the Activity of the Day:

            Summer Fun for Kids - Activity of the Day

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