Seasonal Fun: Summer

Sun-kissed faces and sunset races,
Sand between your toes…
Memorable picnics underneath
A tree laden with mangoes.

Garden:

Grow sunflowers planted in a circle with an opening as a doorway, or tents made with climbing beans… A living place to play! Flowers and vegetables like nasturtiums, cherry tomatoes and purple beans to pick and eat while outdoors. Make daisy or dandelion chains and mini fairy gardens.

Water Play:

Use the bath tub or paddle pool with bark, walnut or seed pod boats. Explore science with hoses, funnels, cups, coloured water and float or sink fun. In a bucket or tub wash dolls clothes and blankets or dress-up items and dry them in the sun. If you have a sandpit, recreate the beach with water, twigs and shells. Imaginative play has endless possibilities and water will entertain most children for most of a long, hot afternoon…

Craft:

Seashell windchimes using driftwood, sew buttons onto hats or dye them bright colours, watercolour painting, pinwheels, lots of butterflies. Summer is time to get messy, because half the fun is cleaning up with water and cloths, and hanging it all out to dry.

Food:

Summer food is raw and light. Fruit and water, cold quiche and salads, smoothies and ice-cream… It’s a great time for picnics – for breakfast or at sunset when the sun is not so harsh.

Family Fun:

In Australia Summer brings us Christmas, holidays, daylight savings time and festivals. It’s a time to celebrate our sunburnt country and remember our childhoods of backyard cricket and tents pitched under the clothesline. Don’t forget to take photos – good light, bright colours, and spending time together... summer memories.