making books

Making books with children is a perfect activity for a rainy or really hot summer day.  You can make a fairly simple book by stapling multiple pieces of paper together.  A simple sewn book can be made with the directions at this page.  Here I blogged about a book that tells how to make mini books, too.  Once you get the book made, the possibilities are endless.  You can make books together or alone, as detailed or as simple as you like.

Summer Supper

Summer Supper by Rubin Pfeffer with pictures by Mike Austin is a picture book that may impress adults more than children.  Pfeffer wrote a story in which all words begin with the letter S.  A family plants a garden, cares for it, and has a summer party.  The text is concise due to all words beginning with the same letter, but children beyond preschool can enjoy this story.  Teachers could use this book when the class is focused on the letter S or when doing a unit on gardens or teamwork.

nature walks

Nature walks are a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your children while feeding their curiosity and wonder about our world.  With younger children, look for signs that animals have been around or listen for nature sounds, regardless of whether you can see what is making the noise.  Give older children a checklist and mark off the things you see.  Whether you live in town or the country, this can be done by walking around your neighborhood.  If your children enjoy this, try to go the same route at different times of the day to see the difference in animal sightings.  For a longer walk, drive to a nearby park or trail and take along water and a snack.

Bunny's Book Club

Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro and illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss is a book I enjoyed.  Bunny loves stories.  During the summer, Bunny listens to the lady from the library when storytime is outdoors.  Once fall comes, he can't figure out how to still enjoy stories.  He sneaks into the library through the book drop so he can get books.  Soon, Porcupine and other friends accompany him on his nightly trek to the library.  One night, the librarian comes in while they are there, and explains to the animals that they need library cards if they want to use the library.  This book is for preschool and elementary students, and any adult who loves books would likely enjoy it as well. 

visit new places

If you want to enrich your child's summer, you can make a list of five to ten places your family hasn't visited yet, then go to each place.  It doesn't have to be far away or expensive.  There are many state parks, bike trails, museums, and other attractions that could be an opportunity to learn something new.  If you and your family are library fans, you could visit other libraries.  You could also go to a new restaurant.  A few places on my list for the summer are the governor's mansion, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Northland Arboretum.  If you live in Minnesota, here are more destinations for you to consider putting on your list.

Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul
Forest History Center in Grand Rapids
Lake Itasca State Park near Park Rapids
Minnesota History Center in St. Paul-it is free Tuesday afternoons from 3-8
Munsinger and Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud
Voyageurs National Park near International Falls
Walker Art Center and Minnesota Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis-it is free on Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 and the first Saturday of the month from 10 to 3

If you are ambitious, you could also make a book to document the places that you visited this summer.

Alphabet Boats

Alphabet Boats by Samantha Vamos and illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke is a picture book you can share with readers of many ages.  Though the text is short, it is written to expose young children to higher level vocabulary.  Letter B is for barge, g is for gondola, and y is for yacht.  If you have a child who likes boats, or teach children and have a unit on transportation, this book is worth looking for.  The author has also written two more similar, Alphabet Trains and Alphabet Trucks.