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1. Block the sun. Sunlight is great; but too much exposure can be dangerous.
Cover the kids with generous amounts of waterproof sunscreen -- SPF of 30 or
greater -- 30 minutes prior to any sun exposure. Be sure to reapply it every
30 minutes for maximum protection.
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2. Take a hometown vacation. With gas prices soaring, summer vacations may need
to be spent a little closer to home. Check out your hometown’s restaurants,
museums or parks together as a family and pretend you’re tourists for a few days.
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3. Keep active. Keep the kids up and moving with some fun games such as badminton,
swimming or soccer. And, of course, never underestimate the power of a good
old-fashioned game of hide and seek or catching fireflies at dusk.
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4. Pick some produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are aplenty during the summer
months. Gather the kids to visit a local farm or check out the local farmers
market. With so many delicious choices this summer, your kids may actually
eat their vegetables!
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5. Stay hydrated. Enjoying the summer heat can sometimes lead to dehydration.
Be sure to keep plenty of filtered water on tap and instead of letting the kids
grab for sodas, enjoy some healthier treats such as juice spritzers or frozen
fruit juice popsicles.
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6. Start a reading club. Don’t let those brain cells get lazy during the summer.
Reading is a great way to keep your kids’ minds active. Gather some of your
children’s friends for meetings to discuss fun summer reads. If food is involved,
turnout will be much higher -- guaranteed.
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7. Record some memories. Make this a summer to remember. Arm the kids with a
video camera to make family movies. Or, take still pictures and create an online
scrapbook that you can share with friends and family.
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8. Breathe easy. Hot, summer weather forces us to keep our doors and windows shut
tight, trapping allergens and airborne molecules in our homes and in our lungs.
Keep your home’s indoor air healthy by installing a whole-home air filtration
system, such as AccuClean from American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning.
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9. Go around the world. Take a trip around the world without leaving your own
home. Pick a different country or culture each week. Read books and create maps
of the area. Wrap up your week of study by creating and enjoying a traditional
meal from the region.
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10. Have fun. Don’t over schedule your summer. Instead, use summer vacation to
lighten your family’s load, kick back, and enjoy these long, golden days.
Memories are created, not scheduled, so start creating some today.
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