Summer is here and it won’t be long before you are looking for something to do with the kids. It does not take long for boredom to set in. But don’t panic yet. Today Amy Bevins, Assistant Editor for FAMILY Magazine was on WUSA9 News Now with Peggy Fox discussing some tips on some unusual things to do with your kids in the Washington area.
1. Become a Junior Ranger
2. Introduce your Kids to Flashlight Tag
3. Pick Your Own Farms - Smile Purple
A mouthful of sun warmed blackberries yields a purple smile.
4. Kick up your Heels at Contra Dancing
www.contradancers.com.
5. Live a Little History with Reenactments
6. Start a Kid’s Book Club
7. Take Them Out to the Ballpark – A trip to the Minor League games
www.baysox.com
potomac.nationals.milb.com
www.frederickkeys.com
8. Centuries of Growth - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
9. Watch the Women Play – Washington Freedom Soccer
10. Let Them be Bored
1. Become a Junior Ranger
With 19 locations in the metro area from Rock Creek Park, Wolf Trap and the Lincoln Memorial to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and Ford’s Theater (and dozens more across the US), Junior Ranger programs teach kids ages 6-14 about National Parks through activities, games and more. Visit www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.htm.
2. Introduce your Kids to Flashlight Tag
Remember the long summer evenings playing outside until darkness fell? Give your kids the gift of summer memories by teaching them some your childhood games. Check out www.gameskidsplay.net for a list of directions to many childhood favorites.
3. Pick Your Own Farms - Smile Purple
A mouthful of sun warmed blackberries yields a purple smile. Take the kids for a memorable day at a pick your own farm and let them enjoy truly fresh fruits and vegetables. Check out www.pickyourown.org to find a farm nearby.
4. Kick up your Heels at Contra Dancing
The Virginia Reel isn’t just something your kids learn in 4th grade gym class. Try Contra dancing for toe-tapping, hand-clapping family fun. With live music and plenty of good-natured instruction, you and your kids can have old fashioned fun spinning and sashaying through timeless dances. To find a Contra dance location near you visit www.contradancers.com.
5. Live a Little History with Reenactments
Feel history enfold you at living history reenactments. As an epicenter of our country’s history, the DC area hosts a myriad of historical reenactments including the anniversary commemoration at the Manassas Battlefield Park July 17-18 (www.nps.gov/mana) and the Civil War encampments at Rose Hill Manor Park (www.rosehillmuseum.com).
6. Start a Kid’s Book Club
Book Clubs aren’t just for the moms. Gather a small group of kids, choose a book and plan some fun activities to share the story. For example, read Little House in the Big Woods and make homemade butter the way Ma did in Chapter 2. Read Hatchet and try out some survival skills. Make bread like the Little Red Hen or at night, look for bats like Stellaluna.
7. Take Them Out to the Ballpark – A trip to the Minor League games
Minor League baseball is a more affordable treat for the entire family. You get the full ballpark feel (the crack of the bat, the hot dogs and popcorn, the 7th inning stretch) at a fraction of the cost. And who knows, maybe you’ll see the next “Hank Aaron” in waiting.
www.baysox.com
potomac.nationals.milb.com
www.frederickkeys.com
8. Centuries of Growth - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
A tree older than George Washington? The National Arboretum is home to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum which features bonsai trees dating back more than 400 years. Many of these remarkable trees were being shaped and formed before our country began. www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/collections/bonsai.html
9. Watch the Women Play – Washington Freedom Soccer
This summer, Washington Freedom, DC’s women’s professional soccer team, takes the field at RFK and the Maryland SoccerPlex for the second season of the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league. www.womensprosoccer.com/dc
10. Let Them be Bored
It’s ok to let your kids be bored once in awhile. Set out craft supplies, books, and puzzles and let them discover how to entertain themselves. They might just surprise you with their creativity
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