Yes-Day, Shadow Tracing, Movie Camp and More!
some fun in the sun before summer break ends
Hello!
I can’t believe how quickly summer is blazing by! For some, school starts in early August, so if you’re trying to squeeze in more sunny fun before then, here are some ideas to get you going. ☀️
Shadow Tracing
This one is fun because shadows change quickly so you have to act fast. All you had to do is give your kids paper and a pencil (or maybe a set of watercolors) and encourage them to trace shadows of various objects of their choosing. Other families have gotten cool results by tracing shadows of animal figurines or even of themselves. We used potted plants around the house.
You can take it a step further by painting over the sketch; my daughter even reinterpreted her rose shadow into a Marvel character!
Slow Down and Observe
Next time you enjoy a beautiful place in nature, lead your kids in slowing down to soak the moment in with your five senses and focus on being grateful for each one: the feel of the breeze, the blue sky, the smell of the grass, the sounds of birds, the taste of yummy snacks, etc.
If you pick or buy a bunch of flowers, invite your kids to study and know it really well. This sounds so obvious, but life can move so fast that sometimes we need to remember to stop and smell—and feel and stare at and sketch—the flowers.
Movie Camp
Last year I shared some ideas and printables for having a movie camp at home—specifically a Studio Ghibli camp—and this year we plan on doing the exact same thing because we love those films for their gentle pacing, attention to detail, and gorgeous world-building. Movie camp is a nice way to end your summer aMr relax, enjoy good art, inspire pretend play, and gain some inside jokes. (Catbus, what?) You should be able to stream the movies on Max; here are the G-rated Ghibli films, all of which have over a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes:
My Neigbhor Totoro (the best for the littlest ones)
Kiki’s Delivery Service
The Secret World of Arietty
Whisper of the Heart
The Cat Returns
Ponyo
P.S. I will forever brag on silicone popcorn makers; all you do is pour in the kernels, add some olive oil and salt/seasoning, stir it together, and microwave. 🙌 It’s almost just as easy and a lot more guilt-free than the packaged stuff.
Yes Day
Without spending a lot of money or making decisions for the future, what would a Yes Day look like for you? (This is a good question to ask your friends, too!)
I encourage you to pick a date on the calendar and give your kids time to plan out a Yes Day for your family. Ours is coming up soon; last year I shared a post full of tips and a play-by-play of our family’s Yes Day 2022. My kids’ plans included waking us up by whacking us with pillows, having ice cream for breakfast, having a dance party, going fishing, visiting a nearby lake, and more. We had such a good day and I can’t wait for this year’s. I hope your family gets to have one.
Personal Greetings
Over the weekend we went tent camping, and it went just as inconveniently as expected, but I loved it. It’s a cheap way to do trips and an incredible way to make family memories. I’d love to hear your tips and suggestions for how to make the whole thing run more smoothly.
I’d also love to hear what a dream Yes Day would look like for you! For me, it would include hiking with friends, wandering around a city, reading a book uninterrupted, and trying out a new restaurant if the Yes Day budget allowed…and no cleaning, absolutely zero cleaning 😉 I propose that everyone gets to plan a Yes Day for their birthday…wouldn’t that be a treat?
Anyway, I hope you get to soak up some sunshine this week. (“Sunshine” is a more pleasant way to describe warm weather than “scorching heat” 😅) And thanks for chiming in about the family wins post last week ❤️
Warmly,
Hope from Family Scripts