Summer Fun—Day 74: Cool off at Killen's Pond Water Park

If you live in the Maryland-Delaware area, you can chill out with the kids on hot, sunny days at Killen's Pond Water Park in Felton, Delaware.

This water park is part of the Killen's Pond Delaware State Park, which also a campground conveniently located in central Delaware. It has a 66-acre millpond, which was established in the late 1700s. Before the pond was created, the Murderkill River and surrounding hardwood forest were sites of several Native American homes and hunting camps. Killens Pond became a state park in 1965.

The water park has three sections, the main pool, a baby pool, a tot lot, as well as several slides. The Main Pool features The Mushroom Fountain, The Floating Lily Pad Fun Walk and Underwater benches. The

Baby Pool has a Zero-depth entry, Underwater bubblers, Two frog slides and Two shooting ground fountains. The Tot Lot contains The Climbing Platform, Tunnel Slide, Water Curtain, Pipe Waterfall, Rope Pull Fountains and the Spray Fountains. There are also Four 54’ Slides and One 12’ Slide.

The facility also has lockers, changing rooms, showers and a concession stand.

The  water park is open daily from mid-June to mid-August. The current hours are:
Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Weekends: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Labor Day: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The current admission is:
Monday– Friday
Under 48”: $6 per person
48” and over: $8 per person
Saturday-Sunday + Holidays
Under 48”: $8 per person
48” and over: $10 per person

For more information, visit the Killen's Pond Water Park website.

If you don't live in the Maryland-Delaware area, look up Water Parks in your state to keep cool on hot summer days.

For more summer fun ideas, check out the other 100 Days of Summer posts.

August 4, Summer Fun—Day 70: Take a Local Cruise

If you live near a body of water such as a river or bay, you can usually find a day cruise you can take for a pretty reasonable price.

The Chester River Packet Company, for example, which are what these pictures are of, offers Cruises on the Chester River, with historic views of Chestertown, Maryland (Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties). Rates usually range from $20-40 per adult and less for children 12 and under. Cash bar is also available for beer and wine.

For more details, look on their website or if you live in another area, look for what cruises might be available to you

Summer Bucket List: Make Sand Dollar Cookies for a Trip to the Beach

source

I wanted to make these cute sand dollar cookies from delicious inspiration, but I knew I would have to leave this until the morning we left for the beach, and I didn't have the time to make the delicious dough, so I decided to make a quick version using Pillsbury's Ready To Bake Sugar Cookies.

The only problem was that these cookies are very small, and I could not fit five almond slices on the cookies. If I were to make them again and was pinched for time, I would try a roll of Pillsbury's Refrigerated Sugar Cookies in a roll.

Whatever sugar cookie dough you decide to use, you will also need some... 

egg whites

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

sliced almonds.

After you have your sugar cookie dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the circles of raw sugar cookie dough with the egg white, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar and press 5 almond slices into the center of each circle. Bake for 3-4 minutes, then take the sheet out and press the almonds in again, making slight indentations in the circle. Place the sheet back in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, about another 7-10 minutes, or as directed on the cookie directions. 

Now you are all ready to pack them in a sand pail and take them to a picnic at the beach!

sources:

• Tuesday Morning Blog
• Sugar Pies
• Delicious Inspiration

Originally published Aug 28, 2014

Summer Bucket List: Cucumber Boats

We spent a lovely Saturday afternoon sailing cucumber boats.

 Have you ever made one? They are so simple to make. Slice a cucumber length-wise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Traditionally they are filled with flowers or other found natural items, but my kids decided to make their own sails out of wooden chopsticks and paper.

 You will also need a place to sail them. A stream is the ideal place.

 Once you have made your boats to your satisfaction, (and you can be as creative as you like)...

 just set them in the water and watch them float.

 Sometimes they will float away and you can't retrieve them.

 But other times, they get stuck on rocks or get washed ashore. If that happens, you can get them and set them sailing again.

 Sometimes you get to set them sailing again and again.

 It is fun each time you sail them. 

 You never know how the currents will take them. It is fun to see where they go each time.

You can also make them out of zucchini or other squash. It is a great use for squash when you have too many.

links:

• Discover and Explore at Fantastic Fun and Learning

Originally published Aug 5, 2012

Summer Bucket List: Make Eric Carle-style Collage Art

We all enjoyed looking at Eric Carle books. If your kids are small, they might be currently looking at them, but I find even older kids enjoy making Eric Carle-style collage art.

Remember the marbled paper we made?

Well now you can put it to some use with this project.
 Just pick up any Eric Carle book and look at his unique collage style.

 Then begin cutting...

and let the gluing begin.

Here are the results of my kids!
The marbled paper became maps of enchanted lands, giraffes munching on lunch, lobsters, fire breathing dragons, birds tucked in the holes of trees, lions stretching in the Savannah sun...

Alex's lobster

almost as if by magic.

Originally published Jul 6, 2012

Summer Bucket List: Make Baby Bel Umbrellas on a Rainy Day

This activity would be perfect for one of those summer rainy days. If today is not rainy, switch this with another activity and save it for a rainy day.

All you need are Babybel cheeses and straws.

Be aware, however that if you make these, your kids may play with their food!

This idea comes from Cute Food For Kids.

This was originally posted Aug 6, 2011

Summer 'Bucket" List: Go to a Local Cultural Store

Going to a local Mexican Grocery that opened recently was on our list of things to do this summer.

 The kids all enjoyed looking at all the interesting and different things that were for sale there.

 The owner showed us a tortilla press...

 and lasso rope...

 and try on hats.

And what did we buy? 

An assortment of Mexican candy...

 a brown sugar cone...

 some cactus to grill...

and an assortment of sweet breads.

A trip to any ethnic market would be equally fun, such as an Asian market. Do you have any specialty groceries near you?

originally posted: Jun 25, 2013

Summer "Bucket" List: Strawberry Fizz

They went so fast, this is the only picture I could get!

This refreshing drink is good during strawberry season, but I decided to make it this week for some summer fun. The recipe originally came from The Redwall Cookbook by Brian Jacques.

1 quart strawberries, hulled

1 cup strawberry ice cream

4 teaspoons - 4 Tablespoons sugar, depending on how tart the strawberries are

1 cup seltzer water

Combine the strawberries, ice cream and sugar in a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate for one hour.

Stir in seltzer water and serve immediately.

originally posted Jul 29, 2013

DIY Medieval Fantasy Camp, part 8: Ordeal

"The Supreme Ordeal may be a dangerous physical test or a deep inner crisis that the Hero must face in order to survive or for the world in which the Hero lives to continue to exist. Whether it be facing his greatest fear or most deadly foe, the Hero must draw upon all of his skills and his experiences gathered upon the path to the inmost cave in order to overcome his most difficulty challenge."

This is probably the least academic of all the weeks of this camp. By now your students have earned the right to blow off some steam and have fun!

Now that your students have experienced a battle, it is time to challenge them even more. Invite as many people as you can to further the story that has been unfolding. What alliances have they made? What decisions have they made regarding defending their own group as well as defending the defenseless?  However the story is going, you must follow it, with, at the same time, encouraging honorable actions

source

You should be at the point of the big battle or big negotiations. This is the point of the climax of the story.

The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure

At some point in the battle many of the heroes will "die." They will then be lead (by a mythical figure or angel) back to the Cave of Judgement, where they justify their actions and are encouraged to be more honorable or congratulated for their honor and bravery. They will be "resurrected" back to continue the story next week.

"Only through some form of "death" can the Hero be reborn, experiencing a metaphorical resurrection that somehow grants him greater power or insight necessary in order to fulfill his destiny or reach his journey's end. This is the high-point of the Hero's story and where everything he holds dear is put on the line. If he fails, he will either die or life as he knows it will never be the same again."