11. Battle bugs or weeds as research projects. What a
great way to practice troubleshooting and potentially
solve your most nagging nuisances. Challenge older kids
to solve your ecological challenges by researching and
experimenting with natural solutions they track down on
the Internet. Keep a log of the results. Give rewards for
problems solved.
12. Measure and mix. Put the kids in charge of desserts for
the summer. Make sure they create some healthy choices
like fruit pops or sorbet as well as delicious baked goodies
like pies, cakes, and cookies. If they get carried away, let
them have a neighborhood bake sale.
13. Go multi-media with books you read together. Take
turns reading out loud or check out audio books from
your local library to listen to before dinner or before bed.
Once you finish the book as a family, watch the movie
together. Compare and contrast the books and the films.
See sidebar for suggested books that have been made into
movies.
14. Keep a “How I Spent My Summer Scrapbook.” Choose
a blank-page, over-sized book with ample pages for
writing, collaging, collecting, and embellishing. Set aside
time to work on “summer books” for a half hour every
day at whatever time of day works best. Let kids decide
whether or not to keep it private or share the results with
the family.
15. Sign up for BrainPop. This educational website has
over 1,000 short animated movies for kids ages six -
seventeen, making it the perfect substitute teacher for
your kids over the summer. Best of all, they can pursue
topics that interest them. Check with your child’s school
library to see if they have free access to BrainPopJr for K -
Third Grade. Otherwise, a subscription is money well spent
on entertaining enrichment.
16. Tackle a big creative project. Choose one that takes
planning, creativity, and involving others like putting on
a puppet show, writing a play, or making a movie. Let
your child approach the project in his or her own way, and
only offer to help if you are needed. Invest a little money
in your child’s creativity and their imaginations will be
buoyed by your patronage.
17. Visit friends and family around the world. Start with
a list of friends and family you know all over the globe.
Then once a week, take an hour to really explore that
destination via Google Earth and by researching online
information. Expand your geographic horizons further
by video-calling your friends or family and informally
interviewing them about the area where they live. Post a
map on the wall and stick a tack in each location you
visit virtually.
20 | F L A G L E R parent M A G A Z I N E