Make a Big TO DO Out of Summer!

Even at thirty-something years of age, I still love summer vacation. It is so exhilarating, that season of long days of sunshine, cool splashes at the pool, the crack of the bat hitting a baseball, and, of course, regular doses of ice cream! However, an exceptional summer takes a little planning. Otherwise, September will come and you’ll find that you and the kids have spent the last three months in front of the television set. Life is so much richer than that!

Instead, brainstorm all the things the FUN things - that you and your family would like to do with your precious leisure time. Then, post the list on the fridge for easy reference and a reminder to get out and enjoy the season. Plan to have fun? Now, that’s my kind of to do list!

So, gather the kids around the table, dish up some ice cream, and think and dream of all the creative ways you could spend your lazy summer days. Here are some great ideas to get you started.

1. Enjoy the pick of the season. Make farmers market a weekly ritual and introduce your family to the pleasures of really fresh food. Besides KC's own City Market, the cities of Olathe, Overland Park, Parkville, Liberty, Shawnee and Independence all host markets. Farmers also gather to sell their produce at Zona Rosa and in the Brookside neighborhood. Vendors usually offer free samples, so don’t hesitate to taste before you buy. Think of fresh berries, peaches, tomatoes, summer squash, and green beans. Some markets even sell farm fresh eggs, freshly-baked breads and meats. You’ll have the makings of a fantastic dinner and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the market.

For even fresher fruit, go straight to the farm to pick berries, cherries, or peaches. Our family has great memories of olallieberry picking, complete with toddler faces smeared with berry juice. A fair amount of sampling happens in the field. Take sunhats, sun screen and a picnic and make a day of it. There are a number of great farms near the Metro area where you can pick or purchase fresh summer peaches and berries, including The Berry Patch, Emerald Farm, Vaughn Orchard, Weston Red Barn Farm, Lawson Brothers, Pome on the Range, Crickets Farm, and Fieldstone Orchard. Check out PickYourOwn.org for a farm near you.

If you’ve got a little spot of dirt in your backyard or even space for a few pots on the deck, grow your own fresh fruits and veggies. The kiddos will love to water and weed. Chances are they will actually eat the zucchini if they’ve grown it themselves.

2. Go swimming. Water seems to be an important factor in fun and relaxation. Check out the hours and conditions at your local pools, beaches, and lakes, and consider purchasing a seasons pass. Make it part of your regular afternoon routine. Take some munchies and drinks, or some cash for the snack bar. Sit back, splash about, and catch some rays.

Don’t forget to make swimming lessons a priority for the non-swimmers in your family. Review water safety with those who are more experienced. While you’re at it, consider the possibility of Mom, Dad and older children enrolling in a CPR/First Aid class to make summer safer.

3. Create a homemade water park. You can have a splashing good time at home. Invest in a Slip n Slide, a few wading pools, water guns, water balloons and a few hoses and you’re good to go. Make sure you invite some friends and neighbors to join you. Provide lawn chairs and iced tea up on the deck for parents and let the kids have some wild, wet fun. Or better yet, don your goggles and join the kids. What memories you’ll make getting wet together!

4. Get your daily or at least weekly dose of ice cream. Try all the different local spots for great sundaes and shakes: Angie's Italian Ice and Frozen Custard, Balsano's Gelato Cafe, Bills Frozen Custard, Cold Stone Creamery, Culvers, Custards Last Stand, Dairy Queen, Dippin Dots, Foos Fabulous Frozen Custard, Maggie Moos, Murray’s Ice Creams and Cookies, Sheridan’s, The Sweet Guy in Parkville, Twisters, and Winstead's. I never knew there were so many choices! I know what my family and I will be putting at the TOP of our list! Make a list of all the places to try and then give everyone in the family a score card to rate the different frosty establishments near you. Be a little out-of-the-ordinary and deliver awards to your favorite ice cream joints at the end of the summer. You can be sure to bring a smile to the face of at least one ice cream-scooping teen.

If the budget doesn’t allow for going out every week, stock an at-home sundae bar. Ice cream sales are abundant at the grocers throughout the summer, so take advantage of the good deals. Try different brands and flavors. There are plenty of low-fat options, too. Investigate different toppings. You can even try making your own! Anything cool and sweet is bound to hit the spot at the end of a hot day.

5. Take 'em out to the ballgame. Whether you are a regular Royals fan or simply love to watch a crowd of little league kids play, enjoy a good game of baseball, the sport that epitomizes summertime. Check out KCRoyals.com to see how your kids can join the 2007 Blue Crew Kids Club. For a small fee, your child will receive a multitude of benefits including a ball cap and 2 game vouchers. KC is always dreaming of great things from the boys in blue. Join the fan base now!

Another big ball option is to watch the Kansas City T-Bones, our very own minor league, in action. Visit their website at TBonesbaseball.com for schedules and details on their Lil' Chops fan club. Whoever you choose to root for, pack up some peanuts and Cracker Jacks and head out to the field.

6. Record the memories. Remember to take pictures of all the fun things you do as a family. If you own a digital camera, teach your kids how to use it responsibly. It’s a great way to let them try their hand at photography, but without the expense of developing rolls of film that may be blurry or poorly centered. If you’d rather, disposable cameras are a handy option as well. The pics the kids take will offer a kids eye view of the event, a fun perspective to look at.

Regardless, take lots of photos and, as a family, compile them into a scrapbook of the summer. Invest in scrapbook supplies and gather everyone around the table to cut, paste, and journal your memories of a fun summer together.

Whatever you put on your list, remember to savor the moments with your children. The days pass quickly. Enjoy the sunshine and fun times with the ones you love make a big TO DO out of summer!

Jessica Fisher and her husband live in Olathe and enjoy all the fun things that summer brings in the good company of their four sons and baby daughter.