“There is life in a stone. Any stone that sits in a field or lies on a beach takes on the memory of that place. You can feel that stones have witnessed so many things.” – Andy Goldsworthy

Rocks, stones, and pebbles. From collecting them, to throwing them into a pond – kids of all ages are fascinated by rocks.

For lots of unique, creative activities you can do with rocks, read our Rock Ideas – perfect for creative thinking and summer learning.

Let your kids express themselves with artwork on the driveway!

Here are our favorite recipes for making sidewalk chalk, sidewalk paint, and sidewalk spray paint. All three recipes are inexpensive, and clean-up easily with water!

Just in time for Father’s Day, today we are going to create driveway art devoted to Dad – what a surprise he will have when he gets home from work today!

Get outside and get crafty on your driveway!

Sidewalk Paint

Painting the driveway and sidewalk is so much fun with this paint! The paint covers the surface easily, and provides a fast way to create large designs.

What You Need:

• Box of Cornstarch
• Food Coloring
• Cold Water
• Plastic Storage Containers (recycled margarine tubs work well)
• Paint Brushes, a variety of sizes

What You Do:

• Add 1/4 cup Cornstarch and 1/4 cup Cold Water in a small plastic storage container, and mix well. (HINT: Make sure not to add too much water – the paint covers better when it is just slightly thick).
• Add 6 to 10 drops of Food Coloring, and stir into the cornstarch mixture. Continue adding drops until you reach the desired color.
• Repeat the above two steps for each color of Sidewalk Paint you would like to make.

Tips:

• You may want to use a large bowl and mix the cornstarch and water together all at once. Use equal parts cornstarch and equal parts water. After stirring, pour the mixture into individual containers and add food coloring to achieve desired individual colors. If your paint looks to runny, add just a little more cornstarch to the mixture.
• Encourage your kids to experiment with different sizes and types of paint brushes. Dip a brush into the paint, then “spatter” it onto the driveway for an interesting affect.
• Try painting with Sponges. Cut the sponge into a variety of shapes, dip the sponge into the paint, then “stamp” the paint onto the driveway.
• Recycle cardboard boxes and make stencils for your kids to use. Just draw your shape onto the cardboard and cut it out – instant, disposable stencil!
• The paint will appear translucent when you first apply it, but as it dries, the colors become much more bold.
• We recommend you rinse out your brushes and dilute any left over paint outside. It is not recommended that you rinse your brushes or paint cups out in the sink.

Sidewalk Spray Paint

This Spray Paint is fun to use on the driveway and sidewalk, and cleans up easily with water. Spray painting designs allows you to create interesting effects, and works well with stencils. This paint can be used to paint snow and sand, too!

What You Need:

• Box of Cornstarch
• Food Coloring
• Warm Water
• Plastic Spray Bottle

What You Do:

• Add 4 tablespoons of Cornstarch to 1 cup of Warm Water in a bowl, and mix well.
• Add 6 to 10 drops of Food Coloring, and stir into the cornstarch mixture. Continue adding drops until you reach the desired color.
• Carefully pour the mixture into a small spray bottle, and shake to mix well.
• Repeat the above steps for each color of Sidewalk Spray Paint you would like to make.

Tips:

• Make sure to shake the spray bottle before using the paint. This will help prevent the paint from clogging in the nozzle.
• Try using a squeeze bottle with this paint – what a fun way to create some interesting squiggles!

Sidewalk Chalk

Good, old-fashioned sidewalk chalk is always a lot of fun for kids of all ages. This recipe allows you to make any color you want!

What You Need:

• Plaster of Paris (quick-setting is preferred)
• Powdered Tempera Paint
• Glitter (optional)
• Water
• Clay (for making molds)
• Ice Cube Tray (for use as a mold)
• Toilet Paper Tube (for use as a mold)
• Duct Tape

What You Do:

• Prepare your chalk molds so they are ready to be used. For large pieces of chalk, we like to use a toilet paper tube that has been taped shut on one end with Duct tape. For slender pieces of chalk, we use a special ice cube tray that makes long, thin ice cubes (the kinds of ice cubes that are intended to be put into water bottles). For unique shaped chalk, we use clay to create a mold.
• Mix together 1 cup Plaster of Paris, 1 cup Water, and 1 tablespoon powdered Tempera paint in a plastic bowl, stir well. The amount of plaster and water you need will depend on the size of your mold. Check the directions for mixing the plaster to make sure you have enough water, then adjust the amount of tempera paint until you get the color you desire.
• If you would like, sprinkle a little glitter into the mixture and mix well.
• Spoon or pour this mixture into a prepared mold.
• Repeat the above steps for each color of Sidewalk Chalk you would like to make.
• Allow the chalk mixture to dry thoroughly. The length of time it will take to dry depends on the type of Plaster of Paris (quick-setting or regular) and the size of your mold.
• When the chalk mixture is dry, carefully remove it from the mold.

Tips:

• After drawing your pictures on the driveway or sidewalk, dip an old paint brush in water and paint the water over your artwork. This gives an almost water-color look to your art.

Need Ideas to Get You Started?

Need a little inspiration on what to paint on your driveway or sidewalk? Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Paint a mural of a make-believe amusement park.
• Paint greetings to guests. It’s also fun to decorate a driveway for birthday parties with a special message to the birthday boy or girl.
• Play “Shapes”. Have each person draw one simple shape somewhere on the driveway. Then have everyone get up from their shape and move to the shape on their left. Using this new shape, encourage your kids to think of things they can draw from it. Be imaginative! A variation of this game is to have each person draw only one new element at a time, then rotate to the next shape. When everyone has had a chance to draw something on each shape, stand back and admire the team effort of the completed artwork.
• Paint and draw a magical land, complete with rivers and life-size bridges to walk over (don’t forget a troll under the bridge!).
• Draw roads for kids to ride their bikes on. Include stop signs and parking lots. Don’t forget a park with bike trails!

For indoor chalk fun, make sure to check out our Sugared Chalk idea!

What is our fascination with water?

Children of all ages love to dabble and play in it; even adults are inexplicably drawn to it. Maybe it’s our desire to try and control one of nature’s most powerful elements.

Well, now there’s a way you can easily control water and bend it to your will, all in the comfort of your home, with the Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic Deluxe Set!

This set is a self-contained construction kit that lets kids learn about fluid dynamics in a fun and easy to use manner. The pieces fit together well, and the water elements are very easy to clean. Building structures with the girders is a lot of fun by itself! There are almost unlimited combinations possible, which makes this a set your kids won’t tire of quickly like other sets. Incorporating the water elements into the structure makes kids think about spacial relationships and structural integrity too, since their designs need to support the various holding tanks and valves.

The base and lid are an ingenious design that we really like; the base tray holds water, and doubles as the foundation for the girder structures. Plus when play time is over, all the parts fit in the base tray, the lid snaps over the top and the entire set can be neatly stored without worrying about lost pieces.

Since the entire set is self-contained within the base tray, it can be used virtually anywhere, outdoors or indoors. We use the set on our kitchen table, but we highly recommend setting the base on a kitchen towel and having a spare towel handy to place various wet water elements on, while experimenting with different configurations.

The manufacturer recommends this set for ages 10 and above, but with proper adult supervision, younger children can enjoy the set, too. There are small parts that present a choking hazard for very young children, so supervise youngsters carefully.

For a fun, educational toy to keep kids busy this summer, try the Hydrodynamic Deluxe Set!

Accessories Available:

• Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic Spare Tanks – Expand your set with spare tanks!
• Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic Pipes and Valves Kit – Add more pipes and valves for even more fun water play!
• Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic Industrial Building Kit – Set up an office for your water set!
• Girder and Panel Hydrodynamic Roadway Kit – Add roads for small vehicles.

Years ago, when my kids were very young, I started a storytime tradition with our family that has become our “Story Blanket”.

I have a large old quilt that my Mom made for me when I was little, and it is the blanket we always sit on when reading or telling stories. We spread the Story Blanket on the floor or in the grass, then our family piles onto it – sitting or laying down, whatever is comfortable. Sometimes we even read by flashlight under the Story Blanket!

Sometimes I read books to my kids, sometimes they read to me. Sometimes we make up fantastic, adventurous stories together. Sometimes I tell my kids stories about me, when I was their age, and sometimes they tell me stories about things they have done, or dreams they have for their future.

The time we spend together on our Story Blanket is cherished by all, and is a tradition that we still carry on to this day. My boys are now ages 7 to 11 and are very active young kids. However, even though they like to be active, they still enjoy a little quiet time together with Mom on the Story Blanket.

It’s been overcast, and we haven’t seen the sunshine in almost a week where we live, but today looks like a perfect Story Blanket day outside! Lazy sunshine, big poofy clouds against a clear blue sky… and a brand-new book series to begin!

Go ahead… find a special blanket and create a Story Blanket tradition for your family! Summer is a great time to start.

Here is our Story Blanket list of books we’ve read and enjoyed recently:

• The Melendy Quartet, Books 1-4 – The four Melendy children live with their father in a worn out but comfortable brownstone in New York City. There’s 13-year old Mona, 12-year old Rush, 10-1/2-year old Randy, and 6-year old Oliver. The four children create the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club – and go on some creative adventures! This series was written in 1941 and remains a timeless tale of childhood adventure.
• Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo (Book 1) – Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. “Lev”) lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change as he learns about a secret gateway bridging the real world and the world of Foo – a place created at the beginning of time, in the folds of the mind, making it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. Sparks imaginations!
• Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret (Book 2) – Join Leven Thumps, Clover Ernest, and Winter Frore, as they journey across Foo to free Geth from his existence as a toothpick and restore him as the rightful heir to the throne. It won’t be easy. Foo is in chaos, and Leven must overcome several adversaries and survive the Swollen Forest to save his friends and keep hope alive. An exciting sequel to Book 1!
• Leven Thumps and the Eyes of Want (Book 3) – If you are willing to have the courage, you’re invited to join the adventure. Travel to Sycophant Run, survive the Waves of the Lime Sea, and discover a new gateway to Foo. But beware: the true threat to the dreams of mankind lurks beneath the soil. Just as exciting as the first two books!
• Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra (Book 4) – Gear up for the most unFoogettable escapade yet! Get ready to ride a Wave, release a Longing, find the Invisible Village, travel by rope, wrestle in chocolate, and, of course, dream the impossible! Join Leven, Winter, Geth, and Clover on this most unFoogettable adventure yet!
• Five Children and It (Book 1) – To Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother, the house in the country promises a summer of freedom and play. But when they accidently uncover an ancient Psammead — or Sand-fairy — who has the power to make wishes come true, they find themselves having the holiday of a lifetime, sharing one thrilling adventure after another. Originally published in 1902.
• The Phoenix and the Carpet (Book 2) – This popular sequel to Five Children and It is full of wit and magic! It’s startling enough to have a Phoenix hatch in your house, but even more startling when it tells you you have a magic carpet on the floor. Conceited it may be, but the Phoenix is also good-hearted, and obligingly accompanies the children on their adventures in time and space – which, magic being what it is, rarely turn out as they were meant…
• The Story of the Amulet (Book 3) – Magical fantasy and misunderstandings combine in this classic time-travel adventure. When Cyril, Robert, Anthea and Jane rescue the magic sand-fairy from a pet shop, they have no idea of the astonishing adventures to come!
• The Enchanted Castle – An entrancing combination of magical fantasy with real-life complications. Gerald, Cathy, and Jimmy wake a beautiful princess from her hundred year sleep in an enchanted garden. It’s really only Mabel, the housekeeper’s niece – but the garden really is enchanted, and the ring she slips on really is magic! The children find themselves in some funny, some awkward, some frightening and some absolutely magical situations before everything gets sorted out. A classic story for all young adventurers!
• The Mysterious Benedict Society (Book 1) – ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES? Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children – Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance – succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete.
• The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Book 2) – The fabulous foursome readers embraced as The Mysterious Benedict Society is back with a new mission, significantly closer to home. After reuniting for a celebratory scavenger hunt, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are forced to go on an unexpected search – a search to find Mr. Benedict. It seems that while he was preparing the kids’ adventure, he stepped right into a trap orchestrated by his evil twin Mr. Curtain.
• The Willoughbys – Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Following the models set in lauded times from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfyingly maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son, too.

Do you have a favorite book that your family enjoys reading together? Post your favorites in a comment – we’d love to hear what you’re reading!

The beginning of summer is usually marked by the arrival of noisy, crawling, flying, creeping bugs. What better time than June to get outside with your kids and explore the secret world of bugs!

Take Fireflies for example (also known as Lightning Bugs)… Seeing a Firefly up close at night for the first time, holding it in your hand or in an observation jar, watching their bodies blink on and off – is a memory most adults keep forever!

Here’s our tips for observing these backyard bugs:

What You Will Need:

• Bug Catching Net
• Container or Observation Jar with air holes
• Open Field or Lawn where Fireflies gather
• Small Flashlight (optional)
• Comfortable Evening

What You Do:

• Let your child sneek up on the Fireflies and carefully net them.
• Help transfer their catch into an observation jar.
• Let your child hold the jar and watch the light show! Count how many times the light blinks on/off while you count to 60 seconds.
• Only the male Firefly can fly, flashing his courtship message to wingless females waiting in the grass. You can lure a male Firefly to you by imitating the flashing of a female Firefly in the grass. Hold a small flashlight close to the ground and turn it on for one second. If a male Firefly flashes twice nearby, wait two seconds, then turn on your flashlight again for another second. Keep repeating this flashing sequence until the male Firefly is near you. Sometimes you can even coax him to land right on your hand!
• Make sure to release any captured Fireflies after observing them.

Want More Information About Fireflies?

Here is an excellent resource for learning about Fireflies and how they produce light:
Tufts University – Firefly Flashes

Join the Museum of Science Firefly Watch Program and help count the Fireflies in your neighborhood.

Educational Products for Observing and Learning About Bugs

Here is a selection of educational products to help your children explore their backyard and learn about the bugs, birds, and beasties that live there:

Mini-Beast Insect Observation and Identification Set – Catch insects, watch them, identify them, and keep them with this savings pack.

Worlds Best Bug Viewer – Get a close up look at the insects that live in your yard with this magnifying viewer.

Megalens Magnifying Glass with Tweezers – Use the tweezers that store in the handle of this magnifying glass to hold small creepy crawlies while you observe them up close.

LaQ Beetle Construction Kit – Build a beetle, a ladybug, a butterfly and more with this unique building construction set from Japan.

Professor Noggin’s Insects and Spiders Trivia Card Game – Test your knowledge of insects and spiders with this fun card game!

A Golden Guide to Insects and Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America – Identify the insects that live in your backyard with these detailed field guides.

Featured Products for June – An entire list of fun, educational products featured for this month’s theme of “Bugs, Birds, and other Beasties”.