#38 Do a Science Experiment

Okay, I must admit upfront that this is more like a science activity than an experiment.  We did NOT follow the scientific method in any way, shape, or form.  In fact, I almost didn't do this because the teacher in me was critiquing the lack of hypothesis, variables, etc.  But then I remembered.  This is a SUMMER bucket list!  This is the only time of year where my 6-year-old will not be inundated with Common Core Standards, SAT 10 testing, and teachers who are preparing for TEAM evaluations.  No evaluator will be walking into my kitchen unannounced to see if I've met the 72 indicators on the TEAM rubric.  This is about allowing my children to be kids.  This is about living life to the fullest and having good old-fashioned family fun!

So, we got down to business and made some Oobleck.  If you're not familiar with oobleck, click HERE.

Lennon LOVED the Oobleck.  He played with it for at least 3 hours and then some more the next day.  Even Dennis played with it.  If you've never made Oobleck before, I highly recommend it.  Even if you don't have kids, it's fun for all ages.

#16 Go Paddle-boarding

I owe a huge "Thank You" to my friend, Heather for taking me on my first paddle-board excursion.  I have been wanting to do this ever since I first saw someone using a paddle-board on the quarry at Ijams Nature Center over a year ago.  It looked so easy and fun!

I can now confirm it's tons of fun, but not exactly easy.  At least not at first.  When we arrived at the marina, Heather demonstrated how to get on the board, how to paddle, and how to turn around.  It still looked pretty easy.  There was nothing left to do but try it myself.

Suddenly, it did not seem as easy.  As soon as I had my feet on the board, the board started wobbling and I felt sure I would fall in.  I spent at least 10 minutes standing on the board and clinging to the dock while my legs shook and the board wobbled.  I have to commend Heather for not laughing at me once the whole time.

When I finally got up the nerve to let go of the dock, it was only to paddle about 10 feet to the next dock, where I would again hold on for dear life.  I think I personally touched every dock in the marina.

Eventually, I discovered that I could keep my balance enough to venture out a little further and paddle continuously for more than 10 feet.  Once I found my sea legs, paddle-boarding became fun and relaxing.  And I didn't fall in once!

Thanks again, Heather!  I am already planning my next paddle-boarding experience. :)

#10 Cook over a campfire AND #17 Camp out in the backyard

We did both of these on the same night, so I will put them in the same post.

#10  Cook over a campfire

 You may be wondering what vegetarians cook over a campfire.  The answer (for us, anyway) is HOTDOGS!  Veggie dogs to be exact.  Our kids love them and they are easy to cook.   We camped out on the 5th of July, so we had 4th of July S'mores too.

#17 Camp out in the backyard 

When I was a kid, my parents had a Volkswagon camper.  While we never camped out in our yard, we rarely stayed in hotels while traveling, we stayed in KOA campgrounds.  I remember campfires, and S'mores, and hotdogs, and flashlights, and ghost stories.  If it was a really good KOA, there was swimming and a playground.  This was family camping in the 70's and 80's.

What's changed?  Well, portable technology, that's what.  The camera we had out to take pictures for this blog prompted an unprecedented (in our family, anyway)  family selfie session.  With Lennon as the main photographer and director.  He has a fondness for "duck face" selfie's as you will see for yourself in a moment.

Before you begin lamenting about what the world is coming to, I must admit that I haven't had that much fun or laughed that hard in a long time.  Who knew taking ridiculous, embarrassing photos of yourself and your family could be so much fun?  We had at least as much fun as I did as a kid in the KOA campgrounds.

You know what's not so much fun?  The next morning, around 5 a.m., discovering that our neighborhood has not one, not two, but MANY roosters who feel it is their duty to wake me up with their incessant crowing.  It was maddening!  I hate to admit it, but for a few minutes I seriously considered giving up vegetarianism, stoking up our campfire, and going rooster hunting.  Instead, I went inside and started the coffee-maker.

#8 Decorate for the 4th of July

I was torn about this one.  I wanted the boys to participate in the process, but I also wanted the decorations to be aesthetically pleasing.   We ended up compromising.  The boys placed window gels on the door in any way they wanted, while I decorated the back door and arranged a center piece for our dining room table.  You will notice a piece of paper on the front door above the window gels.  That was added at Lennon's insistence.  He wanted a sign on the door to remind people to close it (he has seen this somewhere else recently).  The sign was dictated by Lennon and says:

Warning!

Make sure this door is closed! 

Because sometimes Sandy might

 get out of her cage and be

in front of the door

and Maisy might chase her out

and we wouldn't have pets.

Sandy is my classroom hamster who is home visiting for the summer.  Maisy is our cat.  How the process of decorating the door prompted this note is beyond me.  I am constantly amazed at the workings of a 6-year-old mind.

The back door

Dining room table

Front door

#6 Catch Fireflies

Last year was the first year Lennon tried to catch fireflies.  Unfortunately for our little flying friends, getting fireflies into his bug jar unharmed proved to be very difficult for him.

So this year, I was the official jar-holder while everyone else was "hunting".  You will be relieved to know there were no casualties.

 We had a little help from Aunt K and her canine companions, Gabby and Wiley.

Lennon was very good at catching them and much better at gently placing them in the jar.  He was very excited after catching his first one. 

                                                

After it got fully dark, we took the jar out into the woods and let them go.  Some of them didn't seem to want to leave us.

#42 Make Homemade Play Dough

As a kindergarten teacher, I make homemade play dough at least once a year.  However, the boys have never helped me before.

The first task was to talk Lennon out of wanting brown play dough.  Watching my kids play with what looks like poo was just not what I had in mind.  We settled on orange and began to mix.

I must say I like the texture of homemade play dough far more than the store bought variety.  One batch makes plenty for a family of four.

We all had a blast creating with play dough.  The boys even made masks for their faces (Hey, I wonder if play dough is good for your complexion?)

The best part of making play dough?  We had a full hour of peace and cooperation in our house.  That's 60 entire minutes without one pinch, punch, kick, scream, taunt, plea, threat, or "I'm telling Mommy!"  I don't know about your house, but in our house that's priceless!

If you, too crave an hour of peace you can find a good play dough recipe HERE

#4 Have a Water Balloon Fight

Well, I think this may win the award for the fastest activity on the list.  We filled up 50 water balloons, thinking we had plenty for an epic water balloon battle.  As it turned out, 50 water balloons take less than 5 minutes to hurl at each other.  Then, all that's left are fifty tiny bits of rubber to find and pick up.

Dennis was hands down the winner of the battle.  Lennon, River, and I ganged up on him to no avail. Every water balloon I managed to hit him with just bounced off and exploded on the grass.

We did not take pictures during our brief war, as we were too busy hurling balloons at each other.  We did get a couple of before pictures, though.

#40 Blow Bubbles

I remember standing on my back porch and blowing bubbles for hours as a kid.  It never got old.  It still hasn't. :)  At least not for Lennon and me.  River just threw the bubble wand and ran off...