Summer Activities

Several weeks ago Alex wrote about summer classes and programs for her 4-year-old. I've been looking into activities for mine here in Nacogdoches. For those of you who live elsewhere, your city may offer similar activities.

The Nacogdoches Public Library hosts a variety of summer programs for kids. These are things like puppet shows, yoga for kids, musicals, and plays. Last summer a local chemistry professor presented "Chemistry is Fun." It was like a magic show using chemistry. When we start homeschooling I'd like to re-create some of the things he did. Our library also has story time in English and Spanish. I've been thinking of taking Olivia to the Spanish story time. Young children pick up languages so easily - this would be the perfect time to expose her to it.

Our Recreation Center also offers a variety of activities for kids, including twirling, t-shirt workshops, painting workshops, dancing, drawing, sculpting, swim lessons (starting as young as 6 months), and gymnastics. We're signing Olivia up for gymnastics and she'll have her first class today. She's really looking forward to it. This will be her first experience with any kind of class.

Although we don't have a zoo, Ellen Trout Zoo is just down the road in Lufkin. If you want to travel a little further you can visit Caldwell Zoo in Tyler. I took the kids there Friday and met up with my mom, sister, and niece. They have two white tigers that are just beautiful! Olivia likes animals and going to the zoo. I wasn't sure how Jesse would react to it, but he had a good time. The first thing we did was watch one of the workers feed the penguins. Jesse walked up to the glass and watched them swim around. He laughed and squealed at them. Olivia and Jesse also particularly enjoyed the tigers and snakes. We'll be visiting Cameron Park Zoo in Waco in August.

Before you know it, it'll be time to pick blueberries and peaches. Olivia loves picking fruit...and eating it! Jesse loves eating fruit, too. We've been enjoying the blackberries. We haven't picked enough to make a cobbler, but we've picked enough to eat out of hand.

I'll be watching for more things for kids to do. If you've got some other ideas, I'd love to hear them.