Summertime is my favorite time of year! I love the sunshine on my face, the warm winds that blow at night and just being able to play outside until the moon comes out.
Summertime is also a great time for experimenting and playing scientist with your child. Any amount of time spent outdoors in nature can turn into a teachable moment. As Van Waffle, author of the Suite.101 article, Summer Activities for Kids points out, "... not all activities need to be structured or goal-oriented. This summer I plan to let each of my daughters spend time wandering around the park or the woods with my camera and taking pictures of anything they want to."
Activities like photographing nature can open up a world of wonder for children. Have fun asking and answering questions about nature. You can even start a Summer Nature Journal or Summer Scrap Book to record your discoveries and memories.
Look to the skies...
The heavens offer star-gazing and other celestial events which can be great family fun. Summer is a great time to see shooting stars (meteors)and eclipses.Space.com provides you with a helpful sky watch calendar. Just scroll down to find the date you wish to view the night sky and find out which heavenly bodies will be visible from your area.
My son delights in watching the Earth move by focusing on one bright star just to the left of a stationary landmark (like a telephone pole of chimney of a house)and watching with both eyes open for a while. After some time, he can see his star pass behind the landmark which is proof that the Earth is moving beneath him!
Naming constellations is another fun activity to do at night.Family Fun's Star Gazing Tips article is a great way to get started with your kids.
Hills and Valleys as Classrooms
The mountains and deserts boast rock-hounding and creature-spotting opportunities. My son and I love to go looking for bats and lizards in our local mountains. Bring empty egg cartons and collect samples of granite and other indigenous rocks in your area.
We live close to the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The summertime is great for hiking to the hidden waterfalls and shady trails in Eaton Canyon, Pasadena. Many nature parks offer moonlight hikes and have nature centers to visit. Take advantage of these often and be sure to bring your field guides so you can identify any critters you might see along the way!
Summertime is also a great time for experimenting and playing scientist with your child. Any amount of time spent outdoors in nature can turn into a teachable moment. As Van Waffle, author of the Suite.101 article, Summer Activities for Kids points out, "... not all activities need to be structured or goal-oriented. This summer I plan to let each of my daughters spend time wandering around the park or the woods with my camera and taking pictures of anything they want to."
Activities like photographing nature can open up a world of wonder for children. Have fun asking and answering questions about nature. You can even start a Summer Nature Journal or Summer Scrap Book to record your discoveries and memories.
Look to the skies...
The heavens offer star-gazing and other celestial events which can be great family fun. Summer is a great time to see shooting stars (meteors)and eclipses.Space.com provides you with a helpful sky watch calendar. Just scroll down to find the date you wish to view the night sky and find out which heavenly bodies will be visible from your area.
My son delights in watching the Earth move by focusing on one bright star just to the left of a stationary landmark (like a telephone pole of chimney of a house)and watching with both eyes open for a while. After some time, he can see his star pass behind the landmark which is proof that the Earth is moving beneath him!
Naming constellations is another fun activity to do at night.Family Fun's Star Gazing Tips article is a great way to get started with your kids.
Hills and Valleys as Classrooms
The mountains and deserts boast rock-hounding and creature-spotting opportunities. My son and I love to go looking for bats and lizards in our local mountains. Bring empty egg cartons and collect samples of granite and other indigenous rocks in your area.
We live close to the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The summertime is great for hiking to the hidden waterfalls and shady trails in Eaton Canyon, Pasadena. Many nature parks offer moonlight hikes and have nature centers to visit. Take advantage of these often and be sure to bring your field guides so you can identify any critters you might see along the way!
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