Summer is not quite over, being that it is only mid-August, but the school year begins soon, effectively spelling the end of long lazy summer days for most kids. Try these nine family activities for an exciting end to your summer.

1. Make a memory book. Have everyone in the family get together and make a memory book or scrapbook. Collect photos from your summer or other scraps and artwork that would fit into a book of memories. This will give you a lasting memento of the good times you had over the summer.

2. Have a splashing good time. The summer usually means a good time around water. Throw a pool party or play around in the sprinklers. Have a water balloon fight with your family. Involve water while you still can, before the cold days of winter arrive.

3. Make summertime recipes. Pick out your favorite summertime recipes and make food and drinks with your family. Start with drinks like iced tea and lemonade, or pick another family favorite that you associate with summer. Then, make summer treats or throw a barbeque.

4. Throw a summer party. Get together with your family and throw an end of the summer bash for all of your friends. Your family can plan the party together, cook the food and make decorations. Take lots of photos of your party so you can remember the good time you had.

5. Go to the zoo. Summer is a great time to enjoy the zoo during your free time. Go to the zoo with your family one last time before school takes away much of that free time. It’s also a great way to learn about many different kinds of animals.

6. Play video games. Video games can be fun for the whole family. Some game consoles even have games that’ll get the whole family active. Choose a sports game, a family board game or a racing game and compete against your family for an exciting time together.

7. Go to the beach. The end of the summer might be one of your last opportunities to hit the beach this year. Wear sunscreen to protect your skin. Bring plenty of towels and beach toys. Build a sand castle with your kids. Bury one of your family members in the sand.

8. Get ready for school. Enjoy getting ready for the school year with your family. Find the fun in shopping for clothing and school supplies. Get the whole family involved. Allow your kids to make some of the clothing decisions and to pick out some of their favorite school supplies.

9. Relax at home. Enjoy some quiet time at home before the craziness of the school year starts. Order takeout and talk around the dinner table. Rent some family friendly movies to enjoy while you beat the heat together.

Pick one of these, or come up with your own end of summer activity ideas. The most important thing is that you take the time to enjoy your family. The end of summer can be an exciting time for your family to bond and experience priceless memories.

Mom, It’s Too Hot!

Kids… gotta love ‘em. But sometimes they can make you want to pull your hair out, as every mom knows. In the winter, it’s too cold to go outside. In the summer, it’s too hot. What’s a mom to do? Actually, you can encourage your kids to get outside and enjoy some simple summer exercises by making them fun and a family fitness event.

The joy of summer fitness activities is that you really don’t need a lot of equipment, planning, or preparation. You can always go for a long walk on the beach, a hike in the woods, or a few laps around the block.

Or take a swim. If you don’t have a pool in your backyard, take a trip to the lake or beach if there’s one nearby. Or drop by a community pool. While it’s not as private as your own home, you can have a lot of fun and still get in some good exercise swimming laps, racing the kids from end to end or side to side, or just jumping around in the water doing your own thing.

Other water exercises are great for summer. You can stay cool while getting in some family fitness time. Consider water skiing and build up those leg muscles, water volleyball, or underwater scavenging contests where everyone takes turns swimming to the bottom of the pool to find a “lost” object.

Dust off the bicycles and take a long ride around town, or strap a picnic lunch on the back and head over to the park for an afternoon playing on the swings and merry-go-round. Don’t forget the monkey bars, which are great for building the muscles in your arms and developing strength, or the slide which is just plain fun!

Dig out your old hula hoop and teach the kids to use it. Remember how much fun you had swinging and swaying to keep that thing from hitting the floor? That’s a tremendous way to exercise your whole body! And the kids will love it, too. They’ll not only have a blast laughing at your antics, but of course, they’ll want to prove they can do it better so the whole family will get a great workout.

Frisbee is a fun way to spend an afternoon as well. If the kids aren’t home, or aren’t interested, get the dog involved. They love chasing the disc, and many of them are better than humans at catching it.

Like to skate? In-line skating is good exercise for everyone in the family. Skates are relatively inexpensive, you can even find them at yard sales at times, and some communities offer rentals places, so check around. If your town has a bike trail or greenbelt, chances are you can find other skaters enjoying the ride and getting some good exercise in the process.

Whatever you like to do, summer is a great time to be outdoors, playing with the kids, and having fun—all in the name of family fitness! Sure, you’ll sweat, but why pay a gym for that privilege when you can sweat for free in your own backyard or neighborhood?

There was a time not too long ago when families didn’t have to go out and buy equipment to become fit. Time was spent rolling in the grass, playing in the yard, or jumping around on the floor instead of watching television or getting hooked on computer games. While it may seem those times are past, it’s not too late to remember when family fitness was naturally fun and look for some ways to make it that way again.

• Put on some old play clothes that you don’t mind getting grass stained and spend some outside family fitness time with the kids. Play in the yard. Grab a football and toss it around, or get out the mitts and baseball and play a game of catch. Volleyball, badminton, or tennis are excellent ways to enjoy the outdoors, and the workout you get will rival anything you’ll find in the gym.

• Teach your kids how to do a somersault. Somersaults are simple for even very young children. In case you’ve forgotten how, you simply have your child stand on a flat section of grass and lean over slightly with arms outstretched. He or she then places their hands on the ground, and tucking the head in close to the chest to prevent injury, they just “roll” forward landing in a sitting position. Children can also turn a somersault from a sitting position once they get used to “flipping” over. It’s very similar, just remind them to not let their heads touch the floor to avoid injury.

• Another great outdoor activity is turning cartwheels. Little girls, especially love this (but boys do, too!). Cartwheels are a basic gymnastics move and many children are able to do these at an early age as well, though they do require a little more coordination that somersaults. Turning cartwheels is great for strengthening the upper body and developing skills needed for later gymnastic efforts including handsprings or walk-offs. Allow plenty of room for turning a cartwheel. While a front to back cartwheel is common, side-to-side cartwheels are more popular so you can start with those. The method for doing cartwheels is lowering first one hand, then the other, then lowering one foot and then the other. Think of the spokes of a bicycle. You’ll become that wheel with your arms and legs the spokes. For the best results, keep your arms, legs, and back straight and strong as you turn. Cartwheels may take some practice, but even if children can’t turn them fully, they’ll have fun and get lots of exercise playing in the grass and rolling around on the ground.

There are hundreds of ways to play outdoors with the kids and get in a great workout at the same time. Just remember all the fun you used to have as a child and give your own children a taste of the same simple pleasures. You’ll be building family ties, strengthening the bond with your children, and helping them to develop healthy living habits at the same time. Nothing could be better than that!

It is so important to keep our children’s brains engaged over the summer months, so they don’t lose their place in academics. Studies have shown that children fall three months behind in the learning progress they’ve made when they don’t do anything in the summer to keep up. Staying academically active in the summer doesn’t have to be dry and boring, though. There are many creative ways to keep the wheels in your child’s brains rolling!

1. Have a themed dinner night for family and friends. Pick a theme, like maybe the 1950s or even carnivals, and have everyone dress up according to your theme. Find coordinating foods for your theme to serve to everyone. And most importantly, have lots of books on hand about your theme. After dinner, everyone can take turns reading all of the books together.
2. A great way to bring new life to old books is to have a book swap party. Invite some friends to gather up old books they no longer want and bring them over. As everyone comes in, take their books and set them all up on a table so they are easy to browse. Have your guests gather and mingle in the living room, but, set the books up in the dining room. Once everyone has arrived, file into the dining room so that everyone can choose some new books to take home.
3. Children can get together with a small group of friends and write a storybook. They can do so in a round robin way, where each child writes some and then passes it to the next for their turn. Or they can collaborate as they go along. When they are finished writing the story, they can work on some illustrations. They might even have fun finding pictures in magazines to use for the illustrations. They can put it all together with some cardboard pieces for the book cover. They will probably need your help with that part, as it will be hard to cut. When it is all done, they can take turns keeping the book each weekend to show grandparents and whoever else they would like to show it off to.
4. And of course, don’t forget your public library’s summer reading program. It is a great initiative to keep your kids interested in books. They can choose their own books to read for the programs and that is a big deal. It is not only fun for the child, but, it really helps to keep their desire to read going strong. The child who is always told exactly what to read sees it as nothing more than a chore. The library’s programs usually all have prizes for certain numbers of books read – and then main prizes at the end of the program. And a lot of the programs have a kick-off party and a party for when it’s over, too.

So many kids fall behind, just from the gaps that happen over the accumulated summers. It can be really hard to catch up when school starts back up in the fall and by the time the child reaches middle school, they may be several grades behind in reading alone. We don’t have to make kids’ summers all work and no play, but, keeping their brains in operation is imperative for them to keep up in school.

It is time to head back to school and there are thousands of web sites with free coloring books and printable coloring sheets to print and color in. Here are just a few to help your children look forward to going back to school.

Back to School Coloring Printables

• Back to School Printables – Pencil, Book and Apple Coloring Page (free download): Pencil, book and apple picture, a free coloring page sheet for back to school announcements, classroom crafts and teacher printables.

• First Day of School Coloring Pages: Free Printable First Day of School Theme Coloring Worksheets.

• Back To School Coloring Pages and School Coloring Pages: Back To School coloring pages and School Coloring Pages to print for your kids – great at the start of a new school year, or anytime.

• Printable Back To School Coloring Pages: School Coloring Pages, including Boy with Books, Back to School Doodle 4, Back to School Pencil, Back to School Doodle 3, Back to School Doodle 2.

• Welcome Back to School Coloring Page: Cute Jan Brett welcome back to school printable coloring sheet.

• Back to School Coloring at kids-n-fun: Free printable coloring pages about going back to school, kids-n-fun.com The website with loads of printable coloring pages.

Letters and Numbers Coloring Pages

• Letters and Numbers: Alphabet Coloring Book, Numbers Coloring Sheets: Printable alphabet letters coloring pages and birthday numbers coloring sheets.

• Alphabet Coloring Printables: Alphabet coloring pages are one of the first art and learning activities for preschoolers. Alphabet coloring pages and bubble letter printable sheets are a wonderful resource for artists and teachers. Designers, crafters and homeschoolers use letter outlines, monograms and alphabet letters for arts projects.

• Alphabet Coloring Pages: Alphabet Coloring pages. All ABC coloring pages are printable.

• Alphabet Worksheets: Learn to recognize, read, and write letters of the alphabet. Dozens of free worksheets for learning the ABCs. Includes uppercase (capital) and lowercase letters.

• Alphabet Paper Chains to Color, Cut and Paste: Alphabet Paper Chains is a free coloring page craft that teaches little kids the alphabet.

How to Throw an Excellent End of Summer Party for Friends and Family

When the summer comes to an end, it means that returning to work and school is right around the corner. Sometimes the transition back to work can feel like you’re leaving fun behind. Instead, celebrate the end of summer by throwing a huge party for all of the people that mean the most to you.

It’s popular to throw parties around major holidays, but you can turn the end of summer into your own holiday. With some careful planning, you can create a great time that all of your friends and family will remember forever.

Time to Barbeque

The summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. There are many activities that can get everyone moving and socializing. Consider throwing a barbeque for a casual event that everyone will like.

Find a great place for your barbeque, and then fire up the grill for some hamburgers and hotdogs in the sun. If you have a large backyard, you can have your party at home. The beach or local parks are also perfect locations for your summer bash.

Pile On the Snacks

The fun can begin long before the party does. Involve your children and friends in creating delicious appetizers and snacks for your party. Have everyone’s favorite sweet and salty snacks on hand for a party that lasts all day. Your children may enjoy adding some fancy summer themed decorations to your snacks and treats.

Remember to include healthy snack choices. Provide some delicious, healthy alternatives for anyone who has been working toward fitness goals during the summer. You can start by preparing a fruit salad. Buy a full watermelon and hollow it out like a bowl. Cut up your favorite fruits and fill your watermelon bowl with the fruit.

This “bowl” method is also an excellent idea when it comes to serving bread with dip. Hollow out a loaf and serve your dip directly from the loaf of bread.

Special Activities

People will enjoy just mingling at your get-together, but playing specific activities can make your time together even more memorable. If there are plenty of children at the party, create games that excite and involve the children. That way, everyone is sure to have a good time.

Keep the summer theme in mind as you plan your activities. Water balloon fights are always a summer favorite. You can also prepare some sports themed games, relays and races.

If you have a lot of time to plan, you can even create a scavenger hunt. Have your family help you to come up with some great clues to include in the game. Provide prizes for the winners that also have a summer theme.

Decorations

You’ll also want to spend time thinking about the decorations for your party. Decide on a specific theme for your party or stick with a general summer theme.

You can make your decorations at home or purchase them from a party supply store. You can also involve the children of the neighborhood in an arts and crafts project that keeps their mind active and their bodies out of trouble during the summer season.

At the end of your party, thank your guests for coming by providing them with a small gift. If you take time to plan and draw on the creative resources of your neighbors and friends, your end of summer bash will certainly be a day you’ll all remember for a long time to come.

Every child loves summer vacation. They’re free from schoolwork. They can wake up as late as they want to. And, they are free to hang out with their friends on weekdays. Summer vacation is truly the most exciting part of every child’s year.

Every summer vacation, though, must come to an end. You can avoid an abrupt ending and a house full of cranky children if you start the back-to-school preparation process a few weeks before class starts.

Utilize the tips below to minimize the sting of going back to school on your children.

1. Adjust their sleep schedule. Wean your kids into a school-ready sleeping schedule by making them fall asleep an hour earlier each week. Continue cutting back their bedtime until their sleeping patterns match those they’ll maintain throughout the school year.

2. Assign homework. It’s true that kids dislike homework. But it’s important to keep their minds sharp. On the Internet, you can find many places that offer free downloadable worksheets for children of all ages to complete outside of school. Websites like www.teach-nology.com, www.abcteach.com, and www.lessonplanet.com provide a wide variety of options. Keep it lighthearted. Try to assign fun homework assignments and be lenient in deadlines. After all, it is summer vacation and your kids deserve to spend some of their time relaxing. One assignment per subject that is due at the end of the week is plenty.

3. Tighten curfews. If you’re like most parents, you likely extend your children’s curfews throughout the summer. A few weeks before classes begin, be stricter about the time your children need to be home and which days they can go out with their friends.  Allow your children to keep their summer curfew active on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday through Thursday, implement a “school-ready” curfew. This will mentally prepare your children for the new set of rules that will be in effect during the school year.

4. Make the change exciting. To your children, August is just the beginning of another boring school year. However, as a parent, you can’t help but marvel at the speed your babies are maturing! Help them see what you see by reminding them of all of the opportunities that will soon be available to them in the new school year.

Be firm about your decisions when preparing your kids for the change of going back to school. Most children are resistant when you first begin to implement these changes. However, after about a week or so, most children begin to accept the new routines.

Remember to take your children’s feelings and desires into account when designing your routine for getting ready to return to school. Kids have unique needs, and it’s important to let them know that their opinions are valuable. Be willing to give in a little and you’ll often receive a great deal of cooperation in return.

By implementing these changes, you’ll prepare your children well for going back to school. When school begins, it will be less of a shock to your children and the transition to a new daily routine will be an easier one for all.