Backyard adventure begins with "The Never Starting Tales". Really, it does! "The Never Starting Tales" may sound unusual, but these tales are simply a collection of re-interpreted fairytales that were created to inspire families to spend more time adventure-seeking in their own back yards. These stories explore what might have happened if a character never stepped outdoors to actually begin his or her adventure? What if a character instead stayed inside, glued to that … [Read more...]
summer swim team: an absolute MUST for families
Summer swim has been a staple for our family for the last six years. Ever since Maddy joined the pre-team the summer before Kindergarten, we've spent the first seven weeks of summer camped out at the pool in the mornings and have spent our Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings at swim meets and Sunday afternoons at dive meets. We are grateful that our neighborhood pool is within walking distance from our home, and we definitely take advantage of it. But even if your family is not within … [Read more...]
beach learning: hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, ghost crabs, sand crabs & more
The beach can be difficult vacation for families with young children, there's no doubt about it. Beyond even getting there--the packing, the long drive, the daily to-and-from the beach with a million trillion supplies--being there is sometimes hard, too. Even with a ton of hands on deck, by the end of the week, the sand, the over-tired kids, the sun, the sand, the sand--everywhere!--is enough to make even the most relaxed parent a little edgy. However, I have to say that once we passed the … [Read more...]
what your kids MUST know about plants (hint: they’re a big deal)
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by BLOOM! to spread the word about its Educational Resource Toolkit. All opinions and stories are my own. Did you know that: half of the top 100 most prescribed medicines come from plants? spinach is being used to replicate human organs? simply looking at flowers and nature can improve your mood? 39% of the annual horticultural job openings are unfilled due to lack of qualified applicants? Guess what, friends? Plants are super important. … [Read more...]
eclipse 2017: free resources for families (even if you’re last minute)
Oh, how I envisioned creating this post three, four, even five weeks ago. But life got in the way. So here it is: eclipse 2017 resources for families--even if you're last-minute, like me. Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that on August 21, we'll experience a total solar eclipse. I am going to hit you quickly with everything we're doing on the big day so that you can do it, too. Grab a friend or two, a few other neighbors or families, or your students if you're back in … [Read more...]
backyard painting–with nature
Originally published June 16, 2011, I stumbled upon this post today, and it was a good reminder to slow down. No matter your child's age. We have been taking a lot of walks lately, just slow walks where we're looking closely at what's around us because I feel like we've been moving too quickly in the rush of the last weeks of school. And just like last year, when everyone started to get antsy and bickery and up and down and not too sure of what's going on because the school schedule's … [Read more...]
get kids to play outside: 4 tips for summertime playground fun
Sometimes, getting kids to play outside is no easy feat, especially in the summer. Because here in the DC Metro area, it's hot. It's hot. Hot. It's muggy. It's oppressive. When the sun's beating down, the heat's suffocating, and the last thing my kids want to do is go and play outside. But last week, two friends and I got our big kids and little kids outside, playing, and having fun. Old-school style. Free-bird, playing outdoors in the summertime. We had some … [Read more...]
kings dominion: family-friendly amusement park in the dc metro area
We did it. We took the leap. We visited Kings Dominion with our kids this weekend. And? It was awesome. My husband and I hadn't been there in years, so we weren't sure what to expect. But we were pleasantly surprised. Not only was Kings Dominion clean and totally beautiful, it was seriously more family-friendly than we expected. There was something for everyone, and my kids (11, 9, and 8 years old) are raring for a return visit--already. Need a few … [Read more...]
baseball game scavenger hunt: fun for kids during the game
I have a hard time sitting still during sporting events. I won't lie. I love the tailgating and the food and the crowds, but sometimes. . . the games seem really long to me. So we've been creative in the past with our kid-friendly learning during baseball games, and this year, we kicked it up a notch. Now that I have three readers on my hands, we can do a little bit more. Yesterday, we celebrated Spring Break at a National's Baseball Game, and we rocked out a … [Read more...]
backyard camping and reading under the stars: summer reading at its best
Summer is in full swing, and what better way to really rock it out in the summertime than by camping? Not for real camping, my friends--I'm talking backyard camping. In my book, backyard camping counts. Especially if you're not all that much of an outdoorsy family. We have been talking about backyard camping for awhile now, so I decided to surprise the kids with a tent. Not a huge tent, but a 6-person, easy-to-assemble, totally affordable tent. Because … [Read more...]
backyard chopped challenge: creative outdoor fun
Many of my longtime readers will think I've officially lost my marbles after reading this post, and maybe I have. I just think it's worth sharing because though there isn't any serious learning going on, my kids were sure using their brains for this one. And their creative juices were a' flowin'. And their bodies were moving. And there was a whole lot of laughing. And they were outdoors, unplugged, and doing just what they wanted. And really? It was so much fun. It's just a … [Read more...]
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