[Tea] "Back to Summer" parties and more!

Welcome to "Tea with Julie," a weekly missive by me, Julie Bogart. My wish is to give you food for thought over a cup of tea to enhance your life as an educator, parent, and awesome adult. Glad you're here. Pinkies up!
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Cincinnati, June 13, 2020

Hi Friend,

Summer is especially welcome with its relaxed schedules, a hospitable outdoors (at least in most places), and new energy for activity. And let's face it: after months of being housebound, bursting from your living rooms into the sunshine sounds pretty good right about now.

Use this momentum in your homeschool.

Prepare the setting

A fresh supply of writing/drawing/painting materials will help keep writing alive for your kids. Suggestions:

Pencils and pens, markers and pastels, even paints
Paper of various sizes, shapes, colors, and with and without lines
Book of poetry
Clipboards
Crate or basket to hold it all

To invite kids to draw/write outside, try creating the following setting:

Take pillows from indoors and put them in the corner of your deck, under a tree, next to a planter or bench. Add a blanket for coziness. Make sure some potted flowers are nearby. Then bring the crate of supplies outdoors. Add a little CD player of music and perhaps a pitcher of ice water and voila! A writing/drawing haven! You might find yourself sneaking out for a bit.

Plan a "back to summer" party!

Pick a date and time. (My bias: daytime is great to take advantage of the wonderful blue skies and sunshine.)

Items for activities (pick and choose)

Blow up beach balls
Small wading pool (even if you have older kids – good for splashing and reloading water guns and water balloons)
Croquet set
Badminton net, birdies, and racquets
Beach towels to sit on
Cheap sunglasses hanging from tree limbs
Pails and shovels can hold party favors
Nail Polish for pedicures
Balloons for water balloon fights (get the right kind – they are their own type of balloon)
Nerf Water Guns
Wear water-worthy clothing (bathing suits or t-shirts and shorts)
A Sprinkler

Water games

Fill a bucket with water by racing across a preset length of yard, using a teaspoon to carry the water. The most water at the end of the predetermined time limit wins. (Do this in teams, line up and race.)

The traditional Water Balloon Toss is always fun! Pair the kids, have them face each other, and on the count of 3—toss the water balloon to the other person. Step back a pace, toss again, on cue. Keep going until one pair is left without a broken balloon.

Water Limbo: A parent holds a hose with a long powerful stream and kids make their way under it without getting wet. The stream of water is lowered each round. You’re out if you get wet. Last one dry, wins!

A free-for-all water fight is always awesome (save til last). Kids can use water guns, balloons, scoopers like measuring cups or big pitchers.

Non-water games

Not all the games have to be water related. Use the croquet and badminton sets, provide magnifying glasses to hunt through the yard looking at bugs, bring a huge bunch of flowers from the store or your yard and provide tiny vases. Suggest kids trim the stems and make little floral arrangements to decorate the yard. Other ideas:

Water colors and paper with an easel
Sidewalk chalk
Face-painting station with designs
Basket of dress up clothes
Popsicle-finishing race
Music to dance to
Fizzy drinks with little umbrellas in them

Preparing a party is a great summer activity. You’ve got planning, keeping to a budget, shopping, setting up, execution, and clean-up. These are wonderful skills to teach your kids and to experience together. Plus, really fun.

I know we are still in a pandemic, so be careful too! You can party with just your family or a few close friends.

Warmly,

P.S. Catch up on all the “Tea with Julie” emails here!