Summer Fun

Summer Fun
Submit your summer fun ideas!!

SONGS, POEMS AND FINGERPLAYS

Bed in Summer
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me on the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

~Robert Louis Stevenson~

Barefoot Days
In the morning, very early,
That's the time I love to go
Barefoot where the fern grows curly
And grass is cool between each toe,
On a summer morning--O!
On a summer morning!

That is when the birds go by
Up the sunny slopes of air,
And each rose has a butterfly
Or a golden bee to wear;
And I am glad in every toe--
Such a summer morning--O!
Such a summer morning!

~Rachel Field~

Summer Clothing
(Sung to tune of "The Farmer in the Dell")
Oh, if you are wearing shorts,
If you are wearing shorts,
You may walk right to the door,
If you are wearing shorts.

(Also include sandals, tennis shoes, flowers, sundress, blue jeans, barrettes, etc.)

Green Leaf
Here's a green leaf (show hand)
And here's a green leaf. (show other hand)
That you see, makes two.

Here's a bud. (cup hands together)
That makes a flower;
Watch it bloom for you! (open cupped hands gradually)

Summer Activities
(Sung to tune of "Skip to My Lou")
Swim, swim, swim in a circle.
Swim, swim, swim in a circle.
Swim, swim, swim in a circle.
Swim in a circle now.

(Also include: jump, hop, skip, run, walk, etc.)

The Sun
In the morning the sun is low;
At noon he's high overhead.
In the evening he dips again
Before he goes to bed.

This is a good stretching exercise. Have children bend low to left, stretch arms up high and stand on tiptoes, then bend low to the right.

The Rain Cloud
One sunny, summer morning
(Make big circle overhead for sun)
A fluffy cloud sailed by.
(Make waving motions with hands)
When all at once he saw a field
(Shade eyes, look down)
That really did look dry.
(Nod)
"All out!" he cried, "There's work to do."
(Cup hand to mouth)
And stopped right in the sky.
(Stand still)
A million raindrop passengers
(Make rain motion with fingers)
Jumped out and called, "Good-bye!" (Cup hand to mouth, call upward)

The Seagulls Song
(This is a different version of " oh i do like to be beside the seaside")
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
I do like to be beside the sea
I do like to to soar above the seaside town
See the boats in the harbour bobbin up and down
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
There is nowhere that i would rather be
I can perch on sailing ships
Grab a meal of fish and chips beside the seaside beside the sea.
~Submitted by Jenny~

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Sailboats

Color styrofoam trays with markers. Stick a pipe cleaner in the center of the tray and secure by bending the end underneath the carton. Prepare a sail from construction paper and glue to the pipe cleaner.

Watermelon Wedge

To make a watermelon wedge, start with a paper plate half. Paint the rim green and the remainder pink. Use black paint and a small brush to add a few seeds on the pink portion.

Sunflower

Paint the center of a small paper plate black and allow to dry. Then flip the plate over and glue overlapping green tissue paper squares around outer edge of plate. Turn the plate over when dry and glue small, yellow, crumpled tissue-paper squares around the black center, covering all areas of white plate. Then glue sunflower seeds to black area of plate.

Handprint Sunflowers

Mix together yellow tempera paint and a few drops of liquid soap in a shallow pan. To make a sunflower, paint a brown circle near the top of a large sheet of construction paper. Next repeatedly press one hand into the yellow paint, then onto the paper around the brown circle. When the paint dries, glue sunflower seeds to the center of the flower. Draw a stem and leaves on green construction paper, cut them out and glue on the paper under the handprints.

Underwater World

To make a fishbowl and underwater scene, draw a fishbowl pattern on a sheet of construction paper and cut it out. Use permanent markers and crayons to draw underwater pictures such as fish, seaweed, coral, and aquarium rocks. Mix a few drops of water and blue food coloring with some white glue. Then brush over the entire fishbowl with the blue mixture. Allow to dry.

Flower Pictures

Collect a supply of shape stamps. To make the flower pictures, use crayons or markers to draw several flower stems and leaves on a sheet of construction paper. Press an inked shape stamp repeatedly onto a flower stem to resemble the petals of a flower. Continue in this manner, using different shape stamps for each flower. Use markers or crayons to add finishing touches to your picture.

RECIPES

Popsicles

pineapple juice
grape juice
cranapple juice
popsicle sticks
small paper cups

If frozen juice is used, mix according to directions on can. Fill paper cups 3/4 full of juice. Place cups in the freezer. When the juice begins to freeze, insert a popsicle stick in the middle of each one. When frozen, peel the cup away and serve.

Watermelon Popsicles

Remove seeds and rind from watermelon and puree in a blender. Follow the above recipe for popsicles.

Zippy Drink

2 ripe bananas
2 cups orange juice
2 cups orange sherbet
ice cubes
orange slices

Peel bananas, place in a bowl and mash with fork. Add orange juice and sherbet and beat with mixer until smooth. Pour into pitcher. Add ice cubes and orange slices.

Ice Cream Cone Cakes

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour scant 1/4 cup batter into each of 30 flat-bottomed waffle ice cream cones, filling scant 1/2 full. Set in baking pan. Bake as directed for cupcakes. Cool. Frost with canned frosting or made-from-scratch frosting. Decorate with candies, sprinkles, etc.

Baseball Cupcakes

Mix and bake cupcakes in paper-lined muffin cups as directed on package. Cool. Make a frosting using recipe below or canned frosting. (vanilla) Frost cupcakes and use red sprinkle or jimmies for stitching effect. (see picture below)

Frosting:
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons non-dairy creamer
6 tablespoons Crisco shortening
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Put ingredients into a small bowl and beat 3 minutes at medium speed, then 5 minutes at high speed. Add more sugar to thicken or more water to thin frosting as needed for desired spreading consistency.

Baggie Ice Cream (serves 8)

4 quart-size Ziploc bags
1 cup rock salt
8 cups half & half 3/4 cup canned pie filling, any fruit flavor
4 gallon-size Ziploc bags
12 trays ice: 16 cubes/tray
2 Tbs. granulated sugar

Fill each 1 quart bag with 1 cup cream, 3 Tbs. pie filling and 2 Tbs. sugar and seal the bag -tape also! Place the filled and sealed bag inside a 1 gallon Ziploc bag and add 50-60 ice cubes, add 1/4 cup rock salt and seal. Flip and shake the bag for 5-20 minutes or until the ice cream thickens. Remove the quart bag containing the ice cream from the salt water. Rinse off bag before opening. Divide the ice cream into 2 portions and enjoy!

Ice Cream Chant:
Shake your bag up high,
Shake your bag down low.
Shake it left and right.
Now go, go, go!

Shake your bag so fast,
Shake your bag so slow.
Shake it in the middle.
Now go, go, go!

Sailboat Cake

Bake cake mix in oblong pan, 13 x 9, as directed on package. Remove from pan and cool. Cut cake diagonally in half, forming two triangles, as illustrated in diagram below. From one of the triangles, cut a 2-inch strip parallet to first cut, for boat. Prepare frosting or use canned frosting. Frost top and sides of cake. Use peppermint sticks for the mast and sprinkle boat with colored decorators' sugar.

Ladybug Cookies

Spread red icing on chocolate wafers to resemble red on ladybug's body. Arrange chocolate chips for spots on ladybug. Put 2 M&M's for eyes.

Trail Mix

In a large bowl, add any type of cereals (Cheerios, Kix, Rice Krispies, etc.) Mix in pretzel sticks, fish crackers, small snack crackers, raisins, oyster crackers, etc. Mix well, and place in individual sandwich bags or cups for each child.

Banana Pops

5 peeled bananas cut in half
5 T. brown sugar
1 1/4 t. cinnamon

Roll each banana half in brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Wrap each half in foil and freeze. Serves 10.

Easy S'Mores

Make one of these for each child: Place one graham cracker sheet in a foil pie plate, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and miniature marshmallows. Cover the pie plate with tin foil, and label. Place outside in a sunny hot place, check after 10 minutes. They are done when the sun has melted the chocolate and marshmallow.

Goldfish Fishing

On a small paper plate provide each child with a Tbsp. of peanut butter, several pretzel sticks and goldfish crackers. Let them start fishing--dip one end of the pretzel in peanut butter and then "catch" a goldfish with the peanut butter end.

Make blue jell-o and put into clear cups to set. When partially set, add gummy worms to the cup.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

A melon-tasting feast: Have watermelon, honeydew melon and cantaloupe. Cut each melon and compare color, odor, taste and texture. Compare seeds.

A berry tasting party: Have bowls of whole, washed blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Compare size, color, shape, odor and taste.

Ocean Waves

In a clear plastic bottle, pour 1/3 of a bottle of rubbing alchohol. Fill the rest of way with two parts water to one part mineral oil and add several drops of blue food coloring. Show how waves roll in and out by gently tilting the bottle back and forth. Seal on the lid of bottle with duct tape to allow children to explore this. Small plastic fish may be added to bottle before sealing.

Muddy Playdough

Any playdough recipe or:
4 cups flour
4 cups water
1/2 cup salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons cream of tartar
electric frying pan
dry, brown tempera

Mix flour, cream of tartar and salt. Add water and stir until dry ingredients have dissolved. Add oil and heat until mixture thickens. Add brown tempera to play dough and knead to mix.

Bubble Fun

Pour a small amount of bubble solution into bowls and add a generous amount of food coloring, making each bowl a different color. Have child choose a color and blow bubbles with straw until they reach its brim. "Catch" the bubbles by placing a piece of paper on top of bowl.

SUMMER BOOKS

Summer Fun!: 60 Activities for a Kid-Perfect Summer by Susan Williamson

A Kid's Summer EcoJournal: With Nature Activities for Exploring the Season by Toni Albert

Kids Camp!: Activities for the Backyard or Wilderness by Laurie Carlson

The Kids' Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences by Susan Milord

Camping and Backpacking With Children by Steven Boga

The Kids Campfire Book by Jane Drake

Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop by Margret Rey

From Cow to Ice Cream by Bertram T. Knight

Isaac the Ice-Cream Truck by Scott Santoro

From Milk to Ice Cream by Stacy Taus-Bolstad

I Like Ice Cream by Robin Pickering

Ice Cream by Elisha Cooper

Simply Delicious by Margaret Mahy

SUMMER COLORING PAGES

Seashells

Sun 1

Sun 2

Beach

Back to Thematic Pages

Try CardFountain for all your ecard needs!

Free* Children's DVDs. Click Here!

Free Printables for Spring and Summer

·Bluebird
·Cardinal
·Meadowlark
·Goldfinch
·Duck
·Oriole
·Wren
·Bear
·Elephant
·Hippo
·Lion
·Tiger
·Kangaroo
·Giraffe
·Seashells
·Sun I
·Sun II
·Beach
·Dogs
·Rabbits
·Birds
·Cats
·Cow
·Lamb
·Chicken
·Turkey
·Horse
·Duck
·Pig
·Goat
·Rooster
·Goose
·Chickens

Access to Alphabet Soup is free to all who come and enjoy!
If you would like to support this site,
please make a donation today!

***Parents and Teachers***
Click on the banner below to find great educational sites!!

Education and family-site webmasters, join the 100 Top Sites for Teacher and Parent Resources (TAP)! Click below!

SOMETHING NEW!!

Make your pet a STAR!! Send in pet pictures and stories and I will post them!! Click on the banner below to see the PET STARS!!