Warm Weather Fun

make rubbings of inter-esting textures they findsuch as bark, leaves androcks. Collect unusualitems and arrange themon a sheet of dark col-ored paper. Leave out-side in a sunny spot,then come back in a fewhours to find a uniquesun print.

Play catch.

Make physical activity afun family activity. Agame of toss and catch isa great way to help yourtoddlers practice newskills. Preschoolers loveto imitate the move-ments of animals, pre-tending to hop like grass-hoppers, fly like birds orslither like snakes.School age children, witha few friends, can playgames like Monkey in theMiddle or Catch the tailof the dragon.Long, sunny days andwarm temperatures in-vite us all to enjoy moretime outdoors. Whetheryou love to garden, swimin the local pool, or getout into nature, Summeris a great time to get ac-tive with your children.We’ve selected somefamily activities that arelow on cost and high onfun. Which one are yougoing to do first?

Take a hike.

Plan a long walk to-gether. Practice usingbinoculars with your child(if possible). Allow plentyof time for observationsand conversations aboutyour child’s discoveries.Animals such as birdsand bunnies interest chil-dren, but emphasize ani-mals and plants equally.Plants are easy for chil-dren to observe, andthey stay still!

Get down and dirty.

Dress children in casualclothes so they can en-gage in messy, hands-onoutdoor play. Light-weight fabrics and com-fortable close-toed shoeswill keep children comfort-able. Don’t forget to applysunscreen and bug spraybefore heading outdoors.

Pitch a tent.

Go camping in a state parkor in your backyard. Getready before sundown.Eat dinner outside. Don’tturn on any lights. Singsongs or tell stories whileyou enjoy fireflies andshooting stars.

Cool off.

Getting wet is a great wayto cool off and have fun.Whether it’s splashing inthe pool, playing with thehose, or making mud pies,children love to get wet.Let your child create side-walk art with chalk, thenuse an old paint brush,watering can or hose to “erase”. Make popsiclesfrom yogurt or 100% juice.

Take art outdoors.

Art is cheap when you usenatural ingredients. Letchildren make thumbprintpictures with mud as theirmedium. Create a collagefrom leaves, flowers andother nature walk findings.Encourage your child to

This Issue:

WarmWeather Fun1Boogie withBooks2Fun andHealthyFingerFoods2 “I LoveVeggies!” 2

Healthy Kansas Kids

June 2010Volume 2 Issue 6

"If a child is tokeep his inbornsense of won-der, he needs the compan-ionship of atleast one adultwho can shareit, rediscoveringwith him thejoy, excite-ment, andmystery of theworld we livein." Rachel