School's out and the kids are ready to play!

There is so much to do that’s practically in your own backyard!

Summers can be a challenge when trying to cram all of the important essentials in before August rolls back around. Between the summer camps– basketball, soccer, baseball, gymnastics, church– well the list goes on and on; and don’t forget those family vacations, it doesn’t take long to fill up a calendar. But likely, you’re going to have a few open days to enjoy some of the local flavor and fun activities just minutes away.

First, let us suggest a few fun things to do right in your own backyard. How about a garden? It’s the perfect time of the year to plant vegetables and it really doesn’t require a whole lot of space to provide kids the opportunity and joy of seeing something grow over a short period of time. It gives them something to take ownership of and can be a very fulfilling exercise for the whole family. All you need at a minimum is a 6 ft. by 6 ft. area and a few seeds. Or if you want to see faster results, you can always go with several pint-sized plants. Just visit any of your local garden centers or nurseries and tell them what you have in mind. They can help you determine specifically what to plant and how to grow them under the healthiest conditions. There are so many fruits and vegetables that grow naturally well here in Texas. How about some tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, carrots, peppers, squash, strawberries, green onion, even sunflowers make for a beautiful garden accent. And your kids will have fun watching them grow taller than they are!

Another fun thing to do in the Dallas area is a visit to some of our wonderful museums. Whether it’s art, dinosaurs, Texas history, you name it; there are many great venues within a short drive in some cases. Even a little closer to home, (right here in Plano) we have some of the best parks and cultural exhibits in Texas. With the recent opening of the Trails at Legacy, your kids can re-live what a cattle drive was like. Now if your children are in to a little bigger creatures, then Glen Rose has some of the largest ones on record. It’s just a short drive south of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and would make a nice day trip for the whole family.

There are a number of state parks that offer overnight camping facilities and all the amenities you need to have an enjoyable time. Just visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ to learn more about some of the possibilities just a short drive away.

Children have always been fascinated with blowing bubbles. And what better way to enjoy the outdoors on a summer day. Here’s a suggestion, how about a bubble blowing party! But before we can have a bubble party, we better know the text book definition of a bubble. David Winsemius, from the The Mad Scientist Network defines “bubbles as films of a solution stretched around some kind of fluid, usually air. The film that is easiest to make is a soap (or detergent) in water solution. The film has thickness and an inside and an outside. Soap and detergent molecules are long thin molecules with many hydrogen atoms that attract each other. They have an electrically charged end that is attracted to water. The soap bubble surfaces have the soap or detergent molecules arranged so that they line up side by side. In the middle of the film is a water and soap solution."

So now that we know the chemistry behind a bubble, the rest is pretty simple.

Materials Needed:

• 2/3 cup – dish detergent (Dawn and Joy work best)
• 1 tablespoon – glycerin (available at food or drug stores)
• 1 gallon of water

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, pail or container. Allowing the solution to sit or age for 24 hours will increase the life of the bubbles. You are now ready to make some awesome bubbles. All you need are a few tools to help shape and size the bubbles. Standard bubble blowing wands can usually be purchased at any store that retails bubble blowing soap, but again you can create your own tools.

Some examples are:

• Shaped metal coat hangers make larger circular bubbles
• Floral wire can be shaped into circles of any size
• The end of a funnel can be dipped into solution and blown out

Invite all the neighborhood kids over for lots of fun in your own backyard. For real inspiration, send your kids to http://www.worldslargestbubble.com to check out how cool bubble blowing can be. Enjoy your summer and encourage your children to use their imaginations in a constructive way.