Link n learn - Summer 2014

Link and Learn - Summer 2014

Our summer edition features fun links for weeks of:    

Learning Building Exploring Playing

How to use this booklet Each page of the summer edition includes a short description of the featured activity and why it’s fun!

Look in the upper left corner of each page for the indicator that tells whether it’s a website or an app.

Then just click on the featured link and start planning your next adventure.

Have fun and enjoy your summer!

Shadow Puppet App Download this free app before you start your summer adventures, so you can document and share all the fun you’re having. This app helps you to create narrated slide shows and movies with the pictures in your camera roll, save your completed projects or share on numerous social networking sites. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shadow-puppet/id700902833?mt=8

Letterboxing Letterboxing is a clue driven treasure hunt to a hidden box, each box contains a journal and a rubber stamp, to use for stamping your own personal journal. Letterboxers usually have a signature stamp they carry with them to stamp in each boxes journal. The Boxes are hidden in all types of public places, hiking trails are the most popular, but they’re also known to be hidden at other outdoor public locations like shopping centers, playgrounds and historical sites. This is a great outdoor activity for families and friends. The website also features a kids page, and an ideas page with suggestions for creating your own stamps and Journals. Don’t forget about the history page, this popular activity originated in England during Victorian times and was a practiced regular pastime.

Click here:

http://www.letterboxing.org/

Picnicking There’s no better time than summer for packing a picnic. This website features 50 fabulous ideas for creative picnics, including breakfast picnics, indoor and outdoor suggestions, movie picnics and more.

Click here:

http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/50635/kids-picnic-ideas

Curious This website is THE place to learn something new. With 24 categories and countless video lessons you could learn something new every day. Cooking, crafts, software, sports, exercise, languages, games, music and more, the list is endless. Lessons range from less than five minutes to half an hour. Appropriate for all ages, a great family activity for indoors or out! http://curious.com/learn

Climb a mountain

There’s a couple websites for this adventure, the first is a blog post about “Why everyone should climb a mountain” that leads with a quote by Edmund Hilary..

”It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves” See the full article here http://www.becomingminimalist.com/climb-amountain/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+becomingminimalistcom+%28beco mingminimalist.com%29 The second website is the 4000 club, a New England club that lists all mountains in New England over 4000 ft. While we don’t have any of these mountains in Connecticut, we are within day trips of many of these mountains located along the Appalachian Trail in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. A family friendly activity! Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch and bring your shadow puppet app to document this adventure that just might change your life. http://www.amc4000footer.org/

Local Library

Your local library is a hidden secret for adventures! Not only do you have access to stories in print or e-book downloads that can take you all over the world, but you can also visit many local attractions free or at a discount just by checking out your ‘museum pass’ with your library card. Most all public libraries offer this service and it couldn’t be easier, or more fun for rainy or sunny day adventures.

For Ledyard library museum pass lists, see this link. Or check your local library website. http://www.ledyardw.lioninc.org/services/museum-passes/ For downloading ebooks on your computer or e-reader device download the Overdrive app and browse the shelves from the comfort of your own home: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/overdrive-media-console-library/id366869252?mt=8

Now you’re Cooking!

Summer is a great time to try new recipes. Fruits, vegetables, farmers markets, orchards and farms are all in season.

Learning about local food and how it grows, nutrition and how to prepare a meal are all great skills for families to learn together. From farm to plate you can plan entire days around this wonderful activity.

Start by reading a book about your chosen food source, visit a local farm or farmers market to pick your item then head home and prepare it together. Here are some great sites for finding local farms, markets and how to cook with kids. Don’t forget to document your fun with your camera or shadow puppet app!

Fun packed website for recipes, activities, videos and more: http://heykidsletscook.com/ Video channel for cooking with kids:

https://www.youtube.com/user/HeyKidsLetsCook Free APP for exercise and nutrition guidance:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eat-and-move-omatic/id522849906?mt=8 Farmers Market Finder for Connecticut:

http://ctnofa.org/FarmersMarkets.htm

READ! I’ve never read a New York Times bestseller that I didn’t love, their picks are always a winner! The best thing about reading is that you can do it anywhere, it’s not just a rainy day activity. Whether they’re in digital or print form, books are portable so you can bring them to the beach, in a tent, up a tree, on a boat, train or raft, they really can be read anywhere. See the NY Times Bestseller lists for adults and children here:

Childrens http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/books/review/notable -childrens-books-of-2013.html?ref=review Adults: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/books/review/the-10best-books-of-2013.html?ref=books

Make a top ten list! (or just discover one in your own backyard)

What are your favorites? Do you really like pizza, ice cream or pancakes? Or maybe it’s shopping: antiques, toys or books? Maybe it’s adventure: roller coasters, beaches or hiking? Try making your own top ten list.

Document your findings, take pictures and rate your experience. A great family activity, designate a copy writer, photographer and navigator and head out on your adventure. Can’t think of a list? Start with the top rated places in your own state. A fun activitiy for adults too, travel with family or friends to find your favorite restaurants, wine or art trails, See Connecticut magazines top places here: http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/September-2013/Best-of-Connecticut-2013/

Summer is a great time for kids to volunteer, with no classes and time to spare, it’s important for kids to realize their good fortune and help others. There are many ways to give and not all of them involve being an official volunteer for a specific organization. This list of ideas and links will inspire you to join a local organization, start your own or just pay it forward on your own time:

#1 – Do One Nice thing: If you’re the spontaneous type or even just busy during the summer, consider helping out with small projects in your own family. Make a list of ideas and let your kids choose, this site has so many good ideas from donating DVD’s to children’s hospitals, loading up gumball machines with quarters as a surprise to the next customer, writing letters to troops, the ideas are endless. See the website here:

#2 – Volunteer Match: This is a great go to site to search opportunities in your local community. Search by zip code or by subject, choose from: Youth, arts, technology, and more. http://www.volunteermatch.org/?l=Ledyard%2C+CT#

#4 –APPS for volunteering – This site has links to many apps to help you connect with a volunteer opportunity. From formal organizations to pay it forward daily tasks.

Download these apps here:

#3 – Can’t find what your looking for?: Create your own! There are amazing kids out there helping out communities in their own way. Summer is a great time to get a project like this started. The following websites are inspirational examples of non-profits created by and run by kids.

Kids helping kids: http://www.kidshelpingkidsct.org/

http://appadvice.com/applists/show/appsfor-volunteering

Alex’s lemondade stand: http://www.alexslemonade.org/

http://www.doonenicething.com/

Comic Strip Maker

Fun for adults and kids, document all your summer activities in comic book form, using your own pictures select your layout, graphics, and conversation bubbles to tell a story in comic book form. Save the finished project as a picture to friends, post or even print.

A fun, creative and colorful way to share your adventures. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/strip-designer/id314780738?mt=8

Summer is a time to have fun and make memories. I hope you’ve enjoyed this publication and all the Link and Learn flyers from the entire year. Keep experimenting with technology and rethink the way perform routine tasks, adventure and learning are healthy foods for your brain!

Have fun and enjoy your summer!