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Home › Articles › Limited Time, Unlimited Fun › Send Out Summer in Style

Send Out Summer in Style

5 Fun End-of-Summer Activities

By Amy Carey

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Summer's nearly over. Soon, your family will be packing up their swimsuits and tricycles. Now is the time to grab the picnic basket, unroll the tent or break out your hiking boots. How to make the most of these fleeting summer days? If they are old enough, "Get your children's input in planning activities by giving them a couple of acceptable choices." And remember, "Plan ahead, but be willing to be flexible," she says.

That in mind, here are five ways to make some summer memories today that will last all year:

1. Pitch a Tent

Spending a night or two under the stars – even if you're only in your backyard – is a fun experience for kids of any age. If you do go away from home, whether or not you're prepared to rough it can make or break your camping adventure. Consider choosing a location within easy reach of civilization. That way, if you've forgotten something essential (like sleeping bags!), your trip isn't a total loss. Then ask friends who have camped with children what advice they can give. For example, kids tend to get dirty – really dirty – when camping, so bring lots of dark-colored changes of clothes, plenty of baby wipes (even if your kids are out of diapers), and try not to fret about dirty fingernails.

Other considerations: If your child is an infant, where will you put him down? Where will he eat and sleep? Steve Reitan, a father in Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada, started camping with his daughter when she was just 5 months old. He used a playpen to keep his baby off the ground while she played and even brought along a highchair. "The highchair was great for keeping a mobile toddler at a campsite while doing necessary things like dinner prep or setting up the tent," his wife, Leanne, says. "Our daughter could color in her chair while we [set up camp]."


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