Saving money by curtailing the vacation budget, doesn’t have to mean a summer without adventure. When the kids were young, we spent a summer at home discovering our city through the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. Each book stars Jack and Annie, a sibling duo, who find a tree house that spins them to a new location and time with each book. Throughout the summer, I found an excursion or activity that matched the subject of the book. When Jack and Annie traveled to the Cretaceous period, we went to a Natural History Museum. They met ninjas in ancient Japan; we ate sushi at a Japanese restaurant. The kids flew to old England to help Shakespeare stage a play; we attended an outdoor Shakespeare production. Revolutionary War on Wednesday perfectly compliments 4th of July celebrations. I found it a fun summer to plan. I was surprised at what our local museums and cultural festivals offer kids in the summer once I started looking for them.
There were some books with themes that I couldn’t find an excursion, but the Magic Tree House website has suggested activities for every book, plus computer activities, perfect for slow summer days. In any event, it isn’t necessary to plan something for every book, just enough to create an atmosphere of fun around reading the books. Here are some suggestions:
Dinosaurs Before Dark – Natural History Museum
Mummies in the Morning – Egyptian art in a museum
Night of the Ninjas – Shinto Temple, Japanese restaurant, Japanese grocery store
Afternoon on the Amazon – Conservatory or jungle type garden, zoo Read the rest of this entry »
Claire
Kim
