My daughter is looking forward to some lazy days of summer as well as some busy days at summer camp this year. It is amazing the variety of camps available in the Ohio Valley. Check out our camp guide to see what might be a good fit for your family. Even if your children have the opportunity to stay home with you, a family member of another caregiver this summer, camps are a great way to expose them to new experiences, keep their mental juices from drying out and provide them with fun forms of physical activity.
I am curious to see how my 6-year-old daughter Emma does with the swimming at the The Linsly School day camp, where she will attend for two weeks in June. My friends and I found it interesting that Linsly has one of the most affordable day camps in the region! The best part is they get to swim every day - with instruction. I heard from mothers whose children attended in the past that they sent their kids in as non-swimmers and they came out "swimming like fish." Emma can swim, but not real confidently. I hope this will do the trick!
One thing about which I always worry when Emma is at camp is sun safety. One camp she attends in particular, the Children's Museum's Camp Cranium, involves a lot of outdoor play on a playground and swimming in the afternoons at the Kiwanis Fresh Air Farm in Valley Grove. I was thrilled to be able to include Sandra Gordon's Test Your Sun Safety IQ article in the 2012 Summer Survival Guide. The has all the up-to-date information available from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Food and Drug Administration on all the changes to the labels and formulas this season. I did pretty well on the test, but a few things surprised me! One rule I know from learning the hard way: Re-apply, re-apply, re-apply!
Our Summer Survival Guide new product roundup and rainy day games pages feature some fun and unique items we think you'll enjoy. Many of the products also are part of our Summer Survival Guide Giveaways. See below for details. Two items in particular that should send you scrambling to your smartphone or computer to enter the contest are the Ju Ju Be diaper bag in Lotus Butterfly and the cool new medical ID bracelet. The ID bracelet winner gets to choose from any of the styles, up to $50.
I hope you and your families have a memorable summer, full of fun, learning, relaxation and adventure!
