Enjoy the following crafts, recipes and links.
Activities
Easy ways to get WET
There are lots of great ways to get wet. Sprinklers and sprinkling toys or even just the hose. Make a water slide by draping a hose over your playground slide. The kids love it! Or just create games to get the kids to run through the water. How about a wet version of "I Like People Who". This version would have the kids taking turns being the caller. The caller says, "I like people who are girls" or "who are wearing green" or "who have a T in their name"... (you get the picture, right?) Those people who fall into the callers group must run through the sprinkler. Or make up a game of your own (hey, I just did it, so can you!) Remember, the whole point is to get wet and have fun doing it!
Water Balloon Toss
water balloons
faucet to fill balloons
bucket or large tub to hold the filled balloons
First, make sure you fill enough balloons for every two players to have a balloon (plus some emergency extras). Carefully place the filled balloons in a bucket or tub. When you're ready to play, have everyone find a partner. Players should form two lines with one partner in each line. The 2 lines should face eachother so that every player is directly across from their partner. Start with the 2 lines about a foot apart. Count 1, 2, 3! On 3, everyone in line 1 should throw their water balloons to their partners in line 2. Anyone whose balloon breaks must leave the game. Everyone else then takes 1 step back (try to keep the lines straight). 1, 2, 3! Line 2 throws the balloons back to their partners in line 1. Play continues like this until only one team remains. A fitting ending would be to give an extra balloon to the survivors (so that they each have one) and let them victoriously burst their water balloons on eachother!
Water War
Arm yourselves with water guns, spray bottles and the like. Don't forget that you also need protection! Make shields out of cardboard or use garbage can lids. When we have a water war, it's usually in the mountains (when we're camping). We use those super soaker water guns and everyone, young and old, gets in on it. We have ambushes and strategy, allies and targets. Make sure you have lots of room to play and no dangerous obstacles.
Ice Pool
LOTS of ice
wading pool with water
cups
This is a good way to get cold quick! However, you'll have to be fast or else your ice cubes will melt. Players should surround the wading pool. Each player needs a cup and bare feet. When you're ready to start, pour a large bag of ice into the pool. The original way that we learned to play had players trying to lift as many ice cubes out of the pool with only their feet and putting them into the cups. The most filled cup in a set amount of time wins. However, here in California (with the temperature over 100 degrees), we found that the ice cubes were melting WAY TOO FAST! As a result, we changed the rules: whoever is the first person to get an ice cube into the cup with only their foot wins! (Choose the best set of rules for you) Hey! When you're done with this game, you'll have a VERY cooooool pool to wade in!! (original source: Family Fun Magazine)
Sprinkler Relay Divide the children into relay teams. They run through the sprinkler carrying a paper or styrofoam cup and catching the water. They give the cup to the next team member in line. When the cup is filled with water the children in that line sit down. (source: Helena - Family Day Care List Ring) Make a Rainbow
garden hose and nozzle
Your garden hose needs to be capable of producing a fine mist. You should have your back to the sun when you turn on the water. Hold the hose upward so you get a good arc (you're trying to simulate a gentle rain). The kids should see a small rainbow in the spray (the kids need to have their backs to the sun as well)......Kids might need to move around a bit to find the right spot! After everyone's seen the rainbow...they can run through it! (source: Stephanie - Family Day Care List Ring)
Arts & Crafts
Watermelon Fans
sturdy paper plates
green and black paint
newspapers
red construction paper
scissors
glue
1. Spread the newspapers out on your workspace. Have the children paint the paper plates with the green paint.
2. Using an object about the size of the inside of your plate, trace a circle on the red construction paper and cut it out.
3. When the green paint is dry, glue the red circles onto the plate. (the effect will be of a red circle, surrounded by green)
4. Have children dip their finger in the black paint and press their finger onto the red circle. This will make the watermelon seeds!
5. When everything is dry, they will have a great summer fan to use in the heat!
Great Sites to visit
Boy Scouts of America - Family Fun - This page has lots of goodies: Scout tips and famous sayings, quiz games on knots, weather & state flags, and translators for Semiphores and Morse Code. You can enter a Name, word or phrase and it will be translated for you! Or, if you've been knocking yourself out trying to decipher that code YOU just got, it can translate to English for you!
Pack 114's Camping Library - Check out their ideas on games, activities, recipes & crafts.
CampNet America - Everything you need to plan a camping trip! There's a campground and RV camp locator, National and public parks, log cabin rentals, camping forum and recipes, supplies & manufacturers, and more. There are also links to an online route mapper, weather, and on-line first aid. Too much for one visit!
U.S. National Forest Camping Guide - Find information and pictures on 68 National Parks and over 600 campgrounds.
Clipart from Red House Graphics Page
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