All Things Beautiful: Summer Fun

Showing posts with label Summer Fun. Show all posts

Summer "Bucket" List: Play Pooh Sticks

"Then he dropped two in at once, and leant over the bridge to see which of them would come out first; and one of them did; but as they were both thesame size, he didn't know if it was the one which he wanted to win, or the other one. So the next time he dropped one big one and one little one, and the big one came out first, which was what hehad said it would do, and thelittle one came out last, which was what he had said it would do, so he had won twice. And that was the beginning of the game called Poohsticks." - A. A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner, ch.6.

In the traditional version of Pooh Sticks, the participants each must drop a stick simultaneously on the upstream side of a bridge and run to the other side to see whose stick first appears on the other side of the bridge, and is the winner.

There is a Pooh Sticks Championship held every year in March at Day's Lock on the River Thames, England.

Originally posted Jul 22, 2012

Summer "Bucket List": Summer Journals

This project could be done at the beginning of the summer break or, as in our case, right before a summer vacation. I wanted them to have a place to write down their thoughts, sketch when they felt like it or a place to hold photographs and post cards along the way.

I bought them each a blank sketch book and got out the art supplies. I showed them examples from around the web (which I will list at the end of this post) and then let them do whatever they wanted.

I will also be giving each of the kids disposable cameras for the vacation and when we get back they can put their own photos in their books.

Journals to Make:

Kids Summer Paper Bag Journal at Skip to My Lou
The Best Summer Ever Accordion Album at eighteen25 (this is where the Best Summer Ever square at the top comes from)
Summer Adventure Log at Imagine Childhood

Ways to Decorate Journals:

DIY Summer Journal by Polka Dot Chair at Skip to my Lou
Map Artwork by Martha Stewart would make a lovely journal cover.
Nautical Inchies by That Artist Woman (top journal)
Kids Summer Writing: Vacation Journals at Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

originally posted Aug 2, 2014

Summer Bucket List: Potato Print Watermelon Picnic Blanket/ Tablecloth

We love to go on picnics throughout the summer and especially during the end of August when we take a lot of trips. To make that a little easier, we decided to make our own picnic blanket to bring along with us wherever we go. This can also be used as a tablecloth for a summer party. We decided to go with a watermelon print, since we seem to have that theme going this summer.

To make that characteristic watermelon slice shape, we cut a potato into that shape and applied pink fabric paint to it with a paintbrush.

We then pressed this onto a top sheet that I was willing to sacrifice for the project.

The pink was then bordered by a line of white fabric paint, or if you are using a white sheet, you can just leave a space between the pink watermelon and...

a line of green for the rind.

Because it is so simple, everyone can participate, including young children or special needs kids.

Once the pink is dry, you can dot on some black (and white, if you like) seeds. Once it is all dry, you can fold it up and put it in your picnic basket or the back of the car so you will be ready for a picnic anytime.

Originally posted: Aug 7, 2014

DIY Medieval Fantasy Camp, part 7: Approach To The Inmost Cave

In our continuing story, present your students with the task of retrieving some object that will be necessary in order to complete their task. They will have to go to a cave to visit a powerful beast, a magician or some other powerful being that possesses the needed object. Students must show their bravery and complete the task before going on.

"The inmost cave may represent many things in the Hero's story such as an actual location in which lies a terrible danger or an inner conflict which up until now the Hero has not had to face. As the Hero approaches the cave he must make final preparations before taking that final leap into the great unknown."

For this part of the Fantasy Camp, I like to make an actual cave and also touch on the symbolic cave theme. You can make a room look like a cave with brown wrapping or kraft paper. Here are some examples to look at.

Or, if you have a handy husband, you can make a cave wall out of wood and wire mesh. However you choose to do it, the point is to make the place a bit of a scary place and give them the hint that they will have to do something they may not want to do in order to get what they need to get.

Now that you have a cave, darken the room and dress in a dark costume to represent the being of your choice. In order to get the item, you tell them, they must come forward and give them reasons why they think that they are worthy warriors for the tasks to come. Have your students come forward one at a time and have them tell what they have done, what things they have worked on during the camp so far. Remind them, if necessary, of the traits of a hero that you have discussed. Take your time with this. Make it a bit scary to do, but reassuring once it is done. Make it a positive experience in the end.

"At the threshold to the inmost cave the Hero may once again face some of the doubts and fears that first surfaced upon his call to adventure. He may need some time to reflect upon his journey and the treacherous road ahead in order to find the courage to continue. This brief respite helps the audience understand the magnitude of the ordeal that awaits the Hero and escalates the tension in anticipation of his ultimate test."

You might also want to encourage other students to comment on each student's behavior that they have noticed. It is powerful for students to hear their peers assess them and note their positive traits. Either way, their fears should be recounted and how they faced them told. Always tell them that they will need these skills for the battle they will face and that they will also need to further work on their skills as the story unfolds.

If they do well in this task, they should be granted the item needed and the story continues on, with the warriors having faced their fears. They are now ready for their final ordeal.

Medieval Fantasy Literature

In the literature discussion this week, discuss what examples of the "approach to the inmost cave" the characters they have read about experience. Discuss what heroic behaviors the characters exhibit. Are they human and have flaws, too? How do they overcome them?

Summer Bucket List: Mini Mint Garden

Today we had fun planting a mini mint garden.

But not the kind you might be thinking. This is the edible kind, and no, I don't mean just the mint. I mean the whole garden.
I saw this idea at Practically Living, but I modified it a little. I started with regular pudding (the kind you cook on the stove) simply because it tastes so much better than instant pudding and I didn't add the mint flavoring to the pudding. I substituted crushed Mint Oreos instead for plain Oreos on top the pudding, before sticking in the springs of mint. For the plant markers, I wrote their initials on wooden disposable spoons instead of a popsicle stick. They look just like plant markers when they are put in the cups...

but they double as something to eat the snack with.

originally posted 6/24/11

DIY Medieval Fantasy Camp, part 6: Tests, Allies and Enemies

"The Hero needs to find out who can be trusted and who can't. He may earn allies and meet enemies who will, each in their own way, help prepare him for the greater ordeals yet to come. This is the stage where his skills and/or powers are tested and every obstacle that he faces helps us gain a deeper insight into his character and ultimately identify with him even more."

Crossing the Threshold

Now that you have a threshold built, your students will be using it each time you meet. Before they can cross, however, they must decide which hero's characteristic they plan to work on that day. It is of their choosing, but you can help your students in choosing, if they want the help. They state their plan as they walk through the threshold. Hearing other's goals also helps students build compassion and comradery.

source

Allies and Enemies

The next section of the camp's story should take a many meetings to complete. You must guide your students through a series of meetings with other peoples that live in this imaginary world. Since it is a collaboration between you and your students, I can't really write you a how-to, at least in a step-by-step manner. Your students should, however be given the task of meeting several different kinds of creatures or peoples within this world, and they must choose how they will interact with these peoples. Have as many volunteers as you can play these roles. Within these various groups should be:

Defending the defenseless One that is weaker than they are, and are, in fact, being taken over or being used by another of the groups of peoples. Your students should be encouraged to defend the defenseless, and teach the defenseless how to defend themselves.
Forming alliances Another group should be equal to your students in abilities. They have their own agenda (perhaps preparing to engage in a battle with another group, that is not the defenseless). Do your students form an alliance or decide to just stay out of each other's way.
When to trust, propaganda and not everyone is good Another group your students should meet is a group that is not always honest, if it suits their needs. They also like to spread rumors or propaganda about another group. Do your students fall for what they say, or are they able to discern good motives from less honorable ones?
Convincing others with honor They, at some point, should be led by the storyline to need to assistance of another group of peoples who have, until now, have remained segregated from the other people in the area. Can they convince them to join forces without promising something that they cannot deliver?

As your student make their way through the story that you all are making, take the time to sum up each meeting, reviewing concepts such as understanding cultures that are different from ours and seeing the best in others. Also, encourage your students to share with the group times in which they have done things that meet their goal or times in which they have seen their fellow peers doing things as a hero would.

"Now finally out of his comfort zone the Hero is confronted with an ever more difficult series of challenges that test him in a variety of ways. Obstacles are thrown across his path; whether they be physical hurdles or people bent on thwarting his progress, the Hero must overcome each challenge he is presented with on the journey towards his ultimate goal."

The Tests

At some point you need to give your students a challenge or two to encourage them to continue on with fortitude. These can be physical tests, such as an obstacle course that they must go through to meet their goal, or people or creatures that try to thwart their missions.

Summer Bucket List: Operation Rescue Super Heroes

"The best laid plans..." of moving and taking our two week vacation being abruptly put on hold left us with an entirely different set of challenges. We spent the first week or so just adjusting to a new schedule of nursing care and physical therapy. Now that we are in a new rhythm, we are looking toward new plans for the rest of the summer...or at least for the next week. We are looking for simple summer activities for the boys that don't need a lot of supplies.

It is super simple thrifty fun.
It only requires gathering plastic super hero figures and a villain...

and then setting out the clues and figures in the right places.

You could adapt it to your children's own interests and they could rescue a princess or go on a spy mission. Just adjust the clues to reflect whatever idea you've come up with.

The clues even can be reading practice for the reluctant reader.

You should have seen how excited they were to follow the clues to the next destination.

For the end of the hunt, they found their heroes frozen in ice...

and they had wonderful fun playing with the ice, breaking their heroes out...

on a hot summer afternoon.

The outcome of the game?
The heroes were rescued...

and the villain was captured by the police.

originally posted 7/14/11

source: This idea comes entirely from I Am Momma -Hear Me Roar via On {the laundry} Line.

Summer Bucket List: Fizzy Explosion Bags

Over the years we have had much fun with the chemical reaction that occurs between baking soda and vinegar. When they were young, they just played/experiment with the two, often with a package of liquid food coloring, pretending to be a scientist or a magician. As they each got a little older, they learned why this reaction occurs. Playing with this reaction never ceases to be fun, though, even if you know why.

When I saw this variation of this theme on Superheroes and Princesses, in which the goal is to make a sandwich bag pop with the power of baking soda and vinegar, I knew my boys would enjoy this as a summer activity.

You can see the already made packets on the left.

Tear a paper towel into a square that measures about 5 inches by 5 inches. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda in the center of the square, then fold the sides of the square in toward the middle, and then the opposite sides in toward the middle, with the baking soda inside. This is your "time-release packet."

Pour into your plastic bag, 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of warm water.

Now here's the tricky part. You need to drop the time-release packet into the vinegar and zip the bag closed before the fizzing gets out of control. You can zip the bag halfway closed, then stuff the packet in and zip the bag closed the rest of the way in a hurry, or you can put the time-release packet into the mouth of the bag and hold it up out of the vinegar by pinching the sides of the bag. Zip the bag closed and then let the packet drop into the vinegar. One way or another, get the packet in the vinegar and zip the bag closed.