There's Nothing To Do

We're approaching the 4th of July, so most of you have been out of school for.... about a month?


And you're bored already, right? Because while you might say you hate school, once you're out there's "nothing to do." For instance, you couldn't do these:

• Learn to cook or bake, and then make something for your family or friends
• Try a new sport or learn more about one you think you aren't good at

• Take a walk.
• Take pictures, maybe with an old film camera. See how creative you can get: take pictures close up, try for cityscapes, notice the odd thing on the ground, try making videos.
• Get a book or find a source online about another language and learn to say 10 sentences in that language.
• Learn all the words to three songs.
• Pick a new word from the dictionary every week and learn it:Pronunciation, meaning, origin.
• Volunteer someplace---and be creative, find a business or organization that's not necessarily looking for a volunteer but you find it interesting, go in, introduce yourself, and see if they'd like some free help.
• Give yourself a reading challenge: Three books a month? Five?
• See if you can lose 5 pounds-research the healthy way to do it
• Build something. From whatever. Make it up.

• Set a goal of walking a certain number of miles per day, week, month, or for the summer. Keep track and see if you got it done.
• Do you know someone who's a good dancer? Ask if he/she will teach you the moves.

• Start tracing your family tree: Ask questions of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Write down what you learn. Get names and dates. Make a chart, and do some research. Here's a good free resource: https://www.familysearch.org/ask/partners/myheritage

• Visit the library and see what treasures it holds. They sometimes have free classes, too...
• Try a no-social media day: Could you do it? What about leaving your phone behind as you go about your day?

We interrupt this can't do list to give props to your local library...…. Did you know they offer..

• Gaming activities
• Storytime for little ones, including an evening family story-telling
• STEM activities
• Cooking activities
• Bike fix-it clinics
• Exploring outside activities
• Graphic novel design activities

-All at a cost of exactly 0 dollars, which is pretty hard to beat.. Go to the library websites and check it out:  Anoka County- https://www.anokacounty.us/1758/Libraries and Hennepin County: https://hclib.org/




Here are links to various summer ideas for all ages.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/summer-learning-resources-matt-davis

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/simple-tips-for-summer-math-learning

 https://www.tynker.com/parents/#/ts/courses/learning-paths/advanced-languages  *Tynker has a fee

 https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/family/online-activities-keep-your-kids-busy-summer

 https://www.education.com/resources/

https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml 

Free online games for high school age https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/10-great-free-games-for-high-school-students

But of course, these are all things you couldn't do. Because.. you're busy??

Summer Bucket List 2.0

Here are some ideas to keep your brain functioning and your days less boring for Summer 2017:

 

• Make an entire meal for your family: Plan it, make it, clean up afterwards. If you already do this, try something new.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood and see how many different types of trees you can recognize.
•  Press some flowers--just put them under something heavy, or between the pages of a thick book, and wait
• Make a fairy garden without buying anything:

• Try to take an unusual picture every day for a week. Or two weeks. A month?
• Or, take tons of pictures all summer and then make an album or collage right before school starts-there are photo apps with a collage feature. Share with friends you haven't seen since the end of this school year.
• Fly a kite
• Visit your library. Get a library card if you don't already have one.
• While at the library, find a book that has an interesting title or whose author has an odd name. Read it. Did you like it, or not? Why?

• Re-read something you liked a while ago. Or exchange favorites with a friend.
• Built a blanket fort, or a cushion fort. Maybe build one outside.
• Clean your room. Put up some cool decorations you make yourself. It will shock your parents.
• Think up a great Halloween costume: you have lots of time--but how awesome would it be if it was all ready?!!

• Dance.
• Learn origami.  http://www.origami-instructions.com/simple-origami.html

• Try your hand at making paper. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-handmade-paper-604163
• Measure the rainfall in a rain gauge all summer. Keep track of how much rain we get in total from the last day of school until September 1.

• Write something on the sidewalk with chalk, to brighten someone's day.
• Look for minnows in a lake. Watch how they behave.
• How many rainbows will you see this summer? Try to get a picture of each. They fade fast.
• Go to a free outdoor concert--Look for free concerts available by looking up your city website.

For example, these free concerts are held at the Coon Rapids Dam, Pavilion 3: https://www.anokacounty.us/941/Summer-Concert-Series

 

Do one good deed every day without asking anything in return:

• Give someone a smile.
• Open a door for someone
• Before the end of the school year, say thank you to a custodian for keeping your school in order.
• Pull some weeds
• Put something away even if you didn't get it out
• Pick a flower from your yard, put it in a vase, set it out to enjoy
• Leave a dollar somewhere for someone to find

• Call your grandparent just to talk for a while
• Buy lemonade from a kid's lemonade stand
• Go up to someone shy in a gathering and start a conversation.
• Sit quietly with someone having a hard time
• Share a snack with someone
• Post something positive on Facebook

What's on your summer bucket list 2017?

 

 

 

 

 

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