Summer's Almost Over...

...and I'm taking the week off.

I will continue to post my 365 gratitude project photos and anything that I come across that really grabs my attention and must be shared, but I just feel like I need to enjoy this week by focusing on my girls and the end of summer.

However, for everyone's summertime enjoyment, I do have a guest post today from a very smart and talented man - my husband!  He wrote this last week and asked if he could be a guest blogger, so of course I said yes.  For those of you who don't know him, B is an incredibly creative, funny, talented guy, and this guest post is all about having fun on the beach with kids.  Enjoy!

The Family-Beach-Outing Minimalist: 

Seven things to do at the beach with little kids, but with little stuff

Beach Snake: Get beach towel. Choose one person to drag it around on the sand, weaving throughout the other participants. The rest of the group gives chase and attempts to dive onto the towel until the snake is ‘caught’. Alternate roles.

These two had a blast playing beach snake,
but it's usually better with an adult running, holding the towel
while kids follow after, diving for the "snake."

Sunset Beach: Get beach chairs (or towels) for sitting, sweatshirts or blankets, a pizza, and a few beverages. Go to beach just before dusk. Sit in chairs. Eat pizza. Have a few drinks. Let kids play in sand and surf. If it gets chilly, use sweatshirts. Watch the stars and/or moon come out. Tell stories while gazing.

They usually only sit for moments at a time.

Crater-jumping: Dig hole in sand large enough for child to fit into. Let them jump, roll, or slide into it. Variation: Cover hole with towel before entry.




Crab Stew: Get bucket. Fill with some sand and seawater. Let kids add items found from beach (seaweed, shells, etc) to make a ‘stew’. Stir with a piece of driftwood. Add washed-up, half-eaten crabs for an authentic ocean aroma.

Superman: Get towel. Wrap towel around child’s chest, torso, and legs to create a sling. Allow head and arms free to pose as favorite superhero in flight. Grip gathered corners of towel securely and spin. Rest thoroughly between flights.

Jamaican Bobsled: Get a ball or other round object capable of rolling. Make a sand mound. Carve a path for your ball from top to bottom using banked turns, cliffs, jumps, and tunnels. Make multiple paths for racing.




Walking in Your Footsteps: Choose a leader. Leader winds along wet beach so that footprints are clear. Followers follow on footprints. Vary the orientation of feet and length of stride for added effect.

That's all for today.  Who knows?  Maybe I won't be able to stay away, but at least I want to give myself that option if I'm just not feeling it.  But I do have a great book for Tuesday's Tales...