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Feature/General
Theme Days for Summer Fun!
By Amy Heesacker
May/June 2007
With a 5‑year‑old
who enjoys building things and a 2‑year‑old whodelights
in knocking them down,how
can I entertain,engage and enrich them both during summer vacation
without exhausting my patience in the process? In a desperate
search through the parenting resource section of the Athens‑Clarke
County public library I came across a remarkable book that may
be the answer to my question: The Absolute
Best Play Days by Pamela
Waterman. The book includes 52 "Theme Day" activities,
each with ideas for various ages that make it easy for you (or
your babysitter) to plan a day of fun. The book inspired
the ideas below so even if you don't get your hands on the book
you can get a glimpse of the possibilities.
Astronomy Theme:
- Draw outer space
using chalk and black construction paper. Older
kids can use books on space to draw actual constellations and
poke holes for flashlight/closet planetariums.
- Build and decorate
a space shuttle for playing and reading using a refrigerator
box - younger kids love painting large surfaces.
- Older kids
can make launchable rockets. Tape a plastic
straw along one side of an oblong balloon, run a string through
the straw tying each end of the string to different locations
in the room/yard, inflate the balloon and then let it go and
watch it speed along the string. Younger kids can chase
after them!
- Try walking/jumping as if you were on the moon (floating)
and then on Jupiter (heavy). Older kids can create/run astronaut
training obstacle courses with gravity changes.
- Investigate the astronomy section in your library's children's
area or look for these titles: Why the Sky
is Far Away: A Nigerian Folktale by Mary‑Joan Gerson, Min‑Yo
and the Moon Dragon by Elizabeth Hillman, Arrow
to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale by Gerald McDermott, Tinker
and Tom
and the Star Baby by
David McPhail
- Make star‑shaped sandwiches and cheeses
or a rocket ship dessert with a halved banana, a chocolate bar
cut into triangles and canned whipped cream for exhaust.
- Take
a field trip to the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta to visit
their planetarium
(http://fsc.fernbank.edu/).
Restaurant Theme:
- Make and decorate
napkin rings out of cut up paper towel tubes and design construction
paper placemats that can be laminated for future use.
- Children
can name the restaurant then decorate a sign with a logo. Use
a chalkboard/whiteboard to write/draw daily specials.
- Younger
kids can make menus by pasting magazine pictures on paper while
older kids write out prices and practice making change.
- Take
turns playing customer, waiter (paper pad for orders, tray for
serving) and chef (paper chef hat, Acook@ real/pretend food).
- Have
children assemble their own snacks from ingredients that you
lay out:
- Pizza place: English muffin/pita, sauce, shredded cheese,
and meats or veggies
- Salad bar: bowls of shredded lettuce, croutons, raisins,
veggies, and dressings
- Sub shop: sliced rolls, meats, cheeses, veggies, salt/pepper
and dressings
- Dessert shop: ice cream, cookie crumbs, candy, sprinkles,
topping sauces
- For outdoor fun older kids can set up an outdoor café with
hanging 'lanterns' while younger kids make mud‑pies
or sand‑cakes. Everyone
can participate in an egg‑in‑a‑spoon walking
contest to test the waiter's balance.
- Check out the cooking section in your library's children's
area or check out these titles: Curious
George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop by H.A. Rey, Dinner
at the Panda Palace by
Stephanie Calmenson, Alphabet Soup by Scott Gustafson, Victor
Vito: Two Polar Bears On A Mission To Save The Klondike Cafe! by Laurie Berkner
- Set up a tour with your favorite restaurant!
Etc.
Consider developing activities around these other themes:
- Theater/movies
- Bugs/butterflies
- Maps/traveling
- Geology
- Flowers/vegetables
- Detectives
- Castles/royalty
- Carpentry
- Dragons/fairies
- Sewing/knitting/weaving
Source: www.amazon.com/Absolute‑Best‑Play‑Days‑Everything/dp/1570713952
Amy Heesacker holds a doctoral degree in Counseling and Developmental
Psychology. She is a part‑time assistant professor
at the University of Georgia and lives in Athens with her husband
and their children, Javi and Isa.
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