Our summers at Appleseeds are pretty simple. We make use of the sprinkler and pools for a variety of purposes. The children dig and build things, have popsicles, and we do a small craft. We let summer unwind slowly, and if it happens to be a nice, breezy day, we may stay out for an extra long time, enjoying a respite from the generally humid days. This summer, I found that the children really gravitated towards car washing and city pretend play, so much of their play was built around that. Outside, we used shaving cream and sprinklers to give both large and small cars a wash. Inside, the children loved building apartments and expanding from there. First one child would build an apartment, then another would add an extra apartment on. They would fill their apartments with toys, but then find they needed to clean it up in order to invite a friend over for "dinner". They would clean it up and have a friend over but decide to go to a restaurant instead. Then a restaurant would need to be opened by another child. They'd serve food and then run out, needing to have more delivered. Another child would become a delivery person. Then, a fire would break out in the kitchen. Luckily, some children were employed as firemen and quickly put it out. After that, the electricians would come and put up some new wiring, and so it would go. It was so lovely to watch the children go with one another's train of thought.
I try to make summer a rich sensory experience, allowing for children to feel both the heat of the sun and the coolness of water, how chalk gets brighter and dissolves when used on a wet surface, the grittiness of sand, the softness of bubbles. Our crafts, though not very fancy, allow children to experience the blending of watercolors, how to hold scissors and cut, how to master the fine motor skill of picking up sequins or tiny pieces of tissue paper and stick them "just so". But another very important reason for these simple crafts is for children to understand the idea of completing a project. It will become more important as they get older to sit and work on something over a series of days and to see it to completion. Sometimes they may not like the process, but they are always proud when they've finished the whole thing.
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