5 Ways For Kids To Play Outside This Summer!

Welcome, welcome Summer! Come on in! We love you, adore you and always are eager for your visit!

Our children love you, too. Thank you for the cool temperatures and gentle rains this Spring. I know we will have fun this year.

Here's what our Children will do. 5 Ways For Kids to Play Outside This Summer:

1) Make Getting Out There - Outside - a habit early. Sometimes I just say, "Grab your Crocs!" and it's as simple as that - we're off.

Keep flip flops and Crocs by the door. And Go Barefoot if you're running in the grass! Breath fresh air! Lots.

2) Play in the Rain! I grew up doing this so you can't say it's "weird." Remember "weird people don't think they are weird." Right!

Seriously, I was always known to play in the rain. In fact, our neighbors would say they knew I was home from college because I was out turning cartwheels in the rain ... Often with a sister or by myself, if need be. Yea, I didn't think it was weird either.

It was pretty down right fun and liberating and it sort of shaped who I am. This boy mom loves the outdoors and you know our Tigers do!

"Here's to the crazy ones; the misfits , the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes;

To the ones who see things differently .... You can't ignore them.... Because the people who are crazy enough to THINK THEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD DO!"

Let your kids experience that whether, like I was, they are raised on two acres to run on or if you run in the park, go! Do it!

3) Find a Reason - water the plants and your child! (see a theme!) Check the mail, visit a neighbor. The pool. A Creek. Get out there.

4) Let them eat Ice Cream outside - preferably while chasing Fireflies, or watching a sunset or shooting star.

5) Find Parks - all of them. Map out the ones or all of them that you want to visit. Experience outdoors differently at each one.

Just enjoy the fresh air and being with your child. Even though we all relax in the Summertime, keep safety first safe water, stranger danger awareness, all of it. Be careful.

Live a life that says "Health is the thing that makes you know right now is your favorite time of year!"

Happy Summer y'all!

Warmly,
Carolina Mama

Boredom Tip Summer Bridge Activities Books & Giveaway

Summertime, year-round - Anytime! Check out these amazing books....



My Tiger busy at work and it's Summer! That's right!


Whether you are on a traditional, year-round, homeschool or private track, you will be impressed with the Summer Bridge Activity Books! After all, we're in the middle of summer and look what the Tigers are doing - Summer Bridge Activity Books! Really! Guess what books were in their backpacks for our recent trip? Summer Bridge Activity Books! Here you see Tiger B who dove right into the books as soon as I handed them to him.

We love that these are clear, colorful and simple to read do on their own. There is a great variety in each book and motivational help like stickers and much more fun! So my biggest tip for vanishing summer boredom is Summer Bridge Activity Books. Offer them early and often to your child if they are looking aimless or like they've got a little too much time on their hands. I guarantee you, you'll both be happy.

One lucky reader will receive a set of Summer Bridge Activity Books for your child - any child age PreK through 8th Grade is eligible.

Leave a comment telling me why your child could use one of these awesome books! And check out "Works For Me Wednesday" for more Tips and Fun.

Twitter the Giveaway and enter yourself a second time. Good luck! Someone will be very happy.

Warmly,

Summertime Lego Camp At Home ;)

Anyone else having "Lego Summer Camp" at home! I know there are major lego camps and competition and all that jazz. Here at Carolina Mama, we've got our very own Lego Camp going on. Every day is different, every day is creative, and the creations are something I would have never imagined in my childhood mind as I played in my custom made, two-story Doll House in the Easy Bake Oven with my three sisters. I'm OK with that. Don't feel deprived. And just for good measure, our older brother had his literal Pig Pen where he raised pigs for Future Farmers of America just at the end of our land by the Creek. It was storybook I tell you. The hours we spent outdoors.

This morning I was a little bit amazed at one of the Moms arenas in which I write, the talk was about "are you kid sick?" Seriously meaning sick of the children being around. Yikes. We all have our moments but really. That is one thing this blog is not about "mommy whinning!" I want to be real and anyone who knows me, knows that I am as authentic as it gets. However, my version of transparent or authentic is not whining about the life God has blessed me with and that includes my children.

Do we have challenges? Yes. Do we have our moments? Yes. Do we have to stay creative? Yes. And the list goes on, in a nutshell, we're human. However, I choose to see my children as the little blessings that they are.

Do I sound unrealistic? Too Pollyanna? What are you doing with your children this Summer for your day-to-day? We love the lazy days of Summertime. And I welcome your conversation on this. I think good conversation leads to solutions to say 'whinny' days , or challenging times. So let's talk.

Warmly,