Summer of Fun!

Parents guide
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Geo-Caching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online. For more information and the location of a cache near you visit http://www.geocaching.com/ Salt Water Taffy cup water 1 cups light corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt Flavoring and coloring as desired*

*(1 teaspoon vanilla or desired amount of peppermint extract, lemon extract or other flavorings; a drop or two of red, yellow, green or blue food coloring.) Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a heavy non-reactive saucepan, and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise heat and cook quickly, about 20 minutes, without stirring. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to brush down the sides of the pan to keep the mixture from crystallizing. Watch the boil carefully so the taffy does not burn. When a candy thermometer reads 265 degrees, remove the pan from the heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, flavorings and colorings and stir gently. Pour the taffy in three pieces onto a cookie sheet that has been generously buttered. When it is cool enough to handle, but still warm, have the kids rub butter on their hands, partner up, take a lump of taffy and pull and stretch it. (Don't allow the taffy to become completely cool or it will harden and become difficult to pull.) As they stretch out the taffy, twist it into a rope, bring the ends together, grab the loop and stretch it again. On the last few pulls, keep the strand smooth and not twisted. Lay the taffy strand down on a buttered sheet of waxed paper. Lightly rub butter on a pair of kitchen scissors (a job for an adult) and cut the taffy into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces. Wrap each piece of candy in small squares of waxed paper and twist the ends. You can get creative by pressing together two thin strands of different colored taffy, pulling them once together and then cutting them into pieces for a two-toned taffy. Or come up with different ways of rolling up a strand of taffy in a different colored piece of taffy to experiment with different patterns. Homemade Bubbles Get out a disposable aluminum pie plate. Pour 1/2 cup dish soap into the plate. Add 1 1/2 cups water to the plate. Measure 2 teaspoons of sugar into the water/soap mixture. Gently stir your mixture. Go outside and blow bubbles!

Alphabet Around Town Take a camera and walk around your neighborhood or around downtown. Have the kids take a picture of each letter of the alphabet. On street signs, shops signs, cars, churches, etc. Non-Toxic Homemade Play-Doh 1 c. Smooth Peanut Butter 1/2 c. Honey 2 c. Nonfat Dry Milk Preparation: Mix together the peanut butter and honey first. Add half of the dry and mix; then continue to add a little at a time until it feels soft and playful! Use less than 2 cups of dry milk if the clay seems to be getting dry. Paper Mache - Add water to Elmers white glue until runny. - Blow up any size balloon and tie off. - tear pieces of newspaper into 1 inch x 8 inch strips. - Dip each strip in glue solution, covering all sides, and press onto balloon, smoothing wrinkles as you go. - When balloon is completely covered set aside and let dry for 24-48 hours. - Use a pin to pop balloon. - Decorate exterior with markers, paint, tissue paper, etc. Be gentle so as not to crush the sides. Bird Feeder 1. Find a large pine cone. 2. Tie a three to four foot piece of yarn around the top of the pine cone for the hanger. 3. Mix two tablespoons of peanut butter with two tablespoons of margarine. 4. Spread the peanut butter and margarine mixture onto the pine cone. 5. Pour some bird seed onto a plate or shallow dish and roll the pine cone in it. 6. Place the seed-covered pine cones in the freezer for about an hour or until it is firm. 7. Hang it outside in a tree! MYO Board Game 1. Use large piece of white poster board as the base for your game board. 2. Help children draw a path with a beginning and end and spaces to move along. 3. Have children use markers, glue, glitter and any other craft supplies to decorate their game board. 4. Grab a set of dice and play the afternoon away! Make a Terrarium 1. Select a glass container. Large jars, compotes or aquariums are all excellent choices for building a terrarium. Make sure to clean it well with hot, soapy water before you start. 2. Next you want to create the terrarium's drainage layer. Layer about an inch of large pea gravel in the bottom of the container. If the container has a narrow opening, create a funnel with the paper, then pour the gravel through the funnel and use a chopstick to move the gravel into place. Add a inch layer of ground charcoal over the gravel. 3. Pour 2 to 3 inches of fresh potting soil over the drainage layer. Use a sterilized soil mix. The soil and drainage layer should take up about 1/4 of the terrarium container's space.

4.Select small plants that all require the same type of care. For example, use all tropical sun-loving or all drought-tolerant plants. Never mix plants with different growing requirements. 5. Think about how you want to place the plants within the container. Taller plants should go in the back of the jar and shorter ones in the front. Dig planting holes in the soil with a chopstick or your hand if it fits through the container's opening. 6. Remove the plants from their containers. Trim off any yellow or brown foliage. Remove any extra soil from around the roots, then tease the roots apart gently, and place the plants into the planting holes. Cover the roots with soil and gently firm the soil around each plant. 7. Water the terrarium after all the plants are in place. Use a funnel to wash the sides of the terrarium as you water. 8. If you created a tropical terrarium, you have the option of covering the jar with a lid or glass dish. This step will seal the environment and create a miniature rain forest. Just be aware that sealed terrariums are at risk of overheating if placed near a sunny window. Skip this step if you used drought tolerant plants, such as cacti and succulents, as it will create too humid of an environment for them. Homemade Pretzels for kids to Shape 1 package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) 1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees) 1 teaspoon honey 1 1/3 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt Directions: Remember to Wash Your Hands! 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, add honey and let set for a few minutes. 3. In a large mixing bowl, measure flour and salt. 4. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and stir until ingredients are combined. Dough will be crumbly and flaky. 5. Knead dough on counter top or dough board until it forms a smooth ball. Add a little flour if dough is sticky. 6. Divide dough into 12 pieces about the size of a walnut. 7. HAVE CHILDREN WASH THEIR HANDS THOROUGHLY. 8. Roll each ball into a snake and then make a pretzel, letter or fun shape. 9. Place pretzels on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. 10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Marshmallow Towers - Gather toothpicks and mini marshmallows - Have children assemble towers/homes/buildings using the marshmallows for joints and the toothpicks as the sides of structure. - See who can build the tallest tower, the straightest tower, etc.