The first day of my children's summer vacation finds us sitting down to write up some summer wishes, dreams, and goals. Things like... What do you want to do this summer? What do you hope to accomplish? In the past, the list included things like 'ride my bike 10 miles in one day,' and 'make dog treats and sell them.'
As my children grow older, their dreams and goals evolve, reflecting their new interests, their emerging maturity, and my own influence, too. Additionally, their answers reflect a growing adolescent sarcasm and I try not to dismiss even those answers, wrapping them up into our projects, as well.
This summer, our list includes weekly spelling practice and a heavy focus on writing and grammar. Both of my children have a strong desire to write and I am more than happy to oblige them in this passion!
Recently, we discovered the magazine, Stone Soup, and my daughter has yet to put it down. It is a magazine for young writers and illustrators----I should have known she would immediately love it! Many libraries carry this wonderful magazine and it's worth checking out.
My daughter recently facilitated a family drawing night that revolved around one of our favorite books, The Little Prince. While she read the book to us, we each illustrated our own planet/astroid (as in the book). It felt very peaceful to listen to my daughter read to us while we all quietly slid our pencils along paper, creating our own worlds. I envision much of our summer revolving around related activities-----afternoons spent using our imaginations and creativity...
Try it!... While reading The Little Prince, ask your children what their own make-believe planet would be like? What would it look like? What would it be like to live alone on a planet? Or with one other person or creature? Who is that creature and what do they look like? For older kids, what was the author trying to convey with each new planet and its inhabitants? Who was your favorite character and why? Can you draw him/her? I'd love for you to share...
More resources...
* A Guide for Grown-ups: Essential Wisdom from the Collected Works of Antoine de Saint Exupery.
