What’s summer without backyard barbecues, 4th of July fireworks, melting Popsicles, pool parties and long-anticipated family vacations? Oh, so much more! Fill your child’s summertime dance card with this head-spinning assortment of creative, educational and exhilarating activities. Not only will you fight off boredom, you’ll create plenty of new memories while relaxing and playing together as a family!
- Tend a garden. Together with your child cultivate containers of herbs, tomatoes or peppers. Take a digital photo each day to track the progress of the plant’s growth. Have your child put the photos in order in a journal and write down any observations. Together, prepare a meal using your child’s homegrown produce.
- Sleep outdoors. Chris Starnes, an Olathe mom of three, says her family loves to camp. They look forward to hiking, biking and swimming and a break from electronics. Want to take your family? Starnes suggests downloading a camping checklist from the internet and reserving a site at a state park. “State parks are cleaner and well-patrolled and there are usually activities for the kids at some point during the day or weekend,” she says. “Go where there is a playground. And, don’t camp too far from restrooms––think evening or middle-of-the-night trips!
- Stare at the stars. On a clear night, direct your family’s gaze toward the heavens. Try identifying a few of the 88 different constellations, many of which are named after mythological men, women and animals. Or cool off in the Gottlieb Planetarium, located in Union Station’s Science City. Is your child interested in learning more about the characters dotting the celestial night sky? Read D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire.
- Build and fly a kite. “The experience never fails to fill adults and kids with wonder every time they fly a kite,” says Sean Beaver, president of the Kansas City Kite Flying Club. Kite flying is an inexpensive and relaxing activity. Look for kite flying events, festivals and kite making workshops throughout the year on www.KCKiteClub.org. Also, check out the American Kite Association website, aka.Kite.org, which provides educational resources, including the history of kites and the science and math behind kite flying.
- Pick berries. Bring summer home in a bucket of berries. Try blueberry or blackberry picking at the Berry Patch in Kansas City, MO, or peach and blackberry picking at Gieringer’s Orchard in Edgerton, KS. Blueberries are usually ready for picking between mid-May and mid-August, and blackberries between July and September. Call ahead to make sure berries are available and ready to pick. Celebrate the fruits of your labor by baking muffins or enjoying berries over homemade ice cream!
- Cook up a story. Area farmers’ markets offer an assortment of colorful, seasonal produce. There’s no better time to taste locally grown foods and experiment with new, wholesome recipes in the kitchen with your child. In addition to practicing math skills, give cooking a literary twist that will delight even preschoolers. Read a book like If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Joffe Numeroff and make pancakes together. An older child who likes The Little House on the Prairie series, might enjoy The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Classic Stories by Barbara M. Walker. Got a Star Wars fan? Check out the Star Wars Cookbook: Wookie Cookies and Other Galactic Recipes by Robin Davis.
- Tour a working farm. Show your child how our foods make it to grocery store shelves. Shatto Milk Company, a working dairy farm north of Kansas City, offers tours by appointment and schedules themed events. Learn how milk is produced and bottled, milk a cow, see where the cows live and what they eat, and maybe bottle feed a calf! Sample assorted flavors of milk, like root beer, cotton candy and orange cream.
- Chase fireflies. Fireflies like grassy, humid areas near ponds and lakes, as well as treed areas and fields, away from urban lights. To attract fireflies to your garden or yard, try turning off your home’s exterior lights. If you capture any fireflies, put them in a ventilated jar with a wet paper towel to keep the jar humid and allow the fireflies to breathe. Due to light pollution and insecticides, firefly populations have decreased. Be sure and let them go after you’re done admiring their flashing lights. To learn more about fireflies, visit www.Firefly.org.
- Bird-watch. Learning about birds local to the area helps children appreciate and build interest in their natural surroundings. Purchase or make a bird feeder to attract birds to your backyard. Use a local bird guide and listen for different bird songs to try to identify the birds visiting your yard. Check out the Kansas City Nature Coalition website, www.KCNature.org, for ideas of area venues and parks ideal for bird-watching.
- Plan hometown field trips. New experiences help kids learn, grow and feel a connection to their community. Check out the multitude of museums on topics that might interest your child and explore historical landmarks. Tour the Money Museum at Kansas City’s Federal Reserve Bank, experience frontier life at Mahaffie Stage Coach Stop & Farm, observe wildlife at the Kansas City Zoo or head to an amusement park like Worlds of Fun or Legoland. In a community the size of Kansas City, there’s no shortage of adventures!
Freelance journalist Christa Melnyk Hines and her family officially have a full dance card this summer!