Some might already be on summer break while others are “patiently” waiting for it to approach. If you’re like me, you’re most likely working during the summer because of bills, bills, bills! That doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun, right? And of course, if you’ve been on this blog for a while, you know that I love presenting learning opportunities into the mix! Here are five helpful ideas to keep your mind and body engaged this summer!
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My fiancé and I are both from Alabama, and one can probably imagine the deep elongated sighs every time we see that our home-state has made the news about something less than positive (normally involving state laws). There is however a lot of rich culture in the state, many that even I wasn’t aware of until my mom recommended a walking-tour for us to do.
Because I had mostly just “explored” my home normally within the confines of an automobile, I didn’t know that our town had hidden murals sprinkled downtown! Many were commissioned to document historical moments within the town itself. History has always been my least favorite subject, but this tour was actually fun because it was like being a part of a storybook as the history within it unfolded through the tour lead.
Check around to see if your town or a neighboring one has a tour scheduled. You’ll be surprised what hidden gems are just around the corner from you!
Okay, I openly admit that museums bored the living daylight out of me as a kid.
Storytime! My dad took my sisters and me to our downtown museum and that day just happened to be the scavenger hunt day! While dad took our little sister to go play in the toy bin, my older sister and I went art hunting! We were at this darn list for over an hour, and I remember that it was because we couldn’t find this one particular art piece that had something to do with a freakin’ frog!
Sigh. We zigzagged up/down/left/right and in circles until we FINALLY found this blasted painting! Feeling triumphed, we rushed back over to the front desk to trade in our finds for the prize! This lady gently took our sheets, smiled sweetly, and went, “Oh, there’s no prize! This was just for fun!” I’m not sure what monstrous glare I shot this woman, but she immediately snatched two stickers from somewhere behind that desk and tossed them at us as if they were on fire! It took me a few years after that to warm back up to museums (and scavenger hunts)…
Over the years, I have found that many museums have become more interactive! There is a huge experience difference between multiple “Don’t Touch Me” signs and a “Climb On In and Press Everything” signal! Go to Google and simply search “Interactive Museums Near Me.” I can honestly say that history is a lot more fun to learn whenever we’re actually allowed to push the pretty red button!
Storytime! Years ago, my high school hosted a voluntary field trip to go see a play in Montgomery, AL. Sign up was open to all juniors and seniors who were interested in this learning opportunity if there was room after the AP students, so I signed up as soon as open enrollment began. I waited until we were well down the road to turn to my friends and ask, “So what the heck is Othello?” Apparently, my loud mouth asked the question way too loud because a bunch of brainy students were staring at me aghast! One of my friends finally snaps through and goes, “If you’ve never read Othello, why did you come on this trip!?” “Because it got me out of school! Duh!”
I have to admit, this initial exposure to theater definitely ignited a curious interest in the art. Yes, we have the luxury of Netflix at our fingertips, but there is something special about watching a live performance! The synchronization of the music, lighting, character changes, and so much more within a condensed time-frame deserves its own blog, but for now, let’s just focus on a few of the highlights.
What makes theater fun is the customized energy it provides! With TV, cameras can zoom in to capture subtle expressions. With theater, that’s not happening unless we just happened to remember to grab our binoculars on the way! These people are having to express themselves to the MAX for the people in the back to see! Plus, for those who had the sense to read the original play beforehand (unlike me), there’s also room for impromptu jokes that just adds to the insightful enjoyment!
Quick poll: Do you spell it as “theater” or “theatre”? Feel free to leave your answer in the comments below! ?
Imagine if your favorite cartoons came to life and had the most random cross-overs in the history of entertainment. That’s what an anime convention is like! Maybe you’re not into anime but love comic books and vintage entertainment! There are conventions for that too! Looking for events specifically for family and kids? Convention time!
If you’re more into professional or creative gatherings, there are conferences for like-minded individuals to be able to network and share ideas! Workshops are also amazing if you are interested in learning a specific skill like carpentry, coding, painting, etc. Each of these events are many times added spontaneously to a schedule (sometimes due to the cancellation of something else). Just remember to constantly look up what’s going on in your area!
I had a friend reach out to me about this learning opportunity for the kids! Regardless of if you are a parent, uncle/auntie, older cousin, a friend who don’t mind babysitting young ones, I’m sure that we have all heard within a few days of summer the declaration, “I’m bored!” We could just give them the Netflix password…or…we can give them an opportunity to have fun AND prepare them for the future within our ever-advancing Digital Age.
One thing I personally wish I had more of in school was hands-on projects. I barely remember the stuff I was told to just read from the assigned books. On top of that, I only retained the information long enough to pass the test! It would dump out right afterwards as if my brain was equipped with its own trash disposal unit.
What’s interesting about the GSK Science in the Summer program is that it allows kids to have fun and personally engage with real-world projects connected to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education. Kids have an opportunity to explore their interests at a very young age! In turn, can actively apply what they learned to their normal classes. And the best part? The program is FREE! The program is only provided in specific cities though, so check here to see if there’s a program near you and to learn more about this amazing opportunity for our young future leaders.
This is a very small list of ideas! What are some other things that you enjoy doing during the summer? Have you ever participated in the activities listed above? If so, what did you learn or did you enjoy it? Please share your stories in the comments.
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And as always, remember to just live your life one story at a time.
Take care,
Kyndall Bennett from Kyrabe Stories
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