Tip—Declare a No-Screen Day at your house and plan fun activities for a little parent-kid time.

It’s easy to let kids slide into a habit of watching TV or playing electronic games in the summer time. You can combat this by planning some fun activities to do with your children. The novelty of playing or working on projects with you will draw them into the activities. The fun they have will motivate them to continue on their own. You can plan a day of three or four activities or do one a day for a week. A little planning on your part will make for lots of fun times (and even some learning) and forestall a marathon of Hannah Montana reruns.

Tools—-The following activity is drawn from the Historical Activity Guide, which accompanies the story A Horse’s Tale: Ten Adventures in One Hundred Years. It’s great fun to read one of the stories in the book and then follow it up with one of the accompanying activities.

• Read: Uncle Twin Star’s Gift from A Horse’s Tale. In the story, Elsie and her mother go berry picking on the tribe’s berrying grounds. Take your child to pick whatever kind of berries grow in your area. If it isn’t berry picking season for you, go to a store or farmer’s market and buy some. Then make fruit leather.

  Fruit Leather

  Ingredients: 1+ cup of berries, fresh or frozen, sweetener (optional)

  1. Explain to your child that drying fruit is one way to preserve food. In past times, if people didn’t preserve food somehow, they had little or nothing to eat during the winter.
  2. Pick over the berries. Wash, if necessary. Mash the berries. You can use a bowl and fork, or a blender or food processor. Blend the berries and sweetener (if using) to taste. The mixture should have the consistency of a heavy syrup.
  3. Spread the fruit to dry. Cover a cookie sheet with plastic wrap and then spread the berry mixture on it thinly.
  4. Put the cookie sheet in a warm, dry place—preferably in the sun. Cover loosely with cheesecloth to protect from flies, if necessary. It will take three to four days. (Fruit can also be dried in the oven on the lowest setting—around 100 F).
  5. Eat the fruit leather! Any leftovers can be rolled up and stored in a dry place or the freezer.

You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Historical Activity Guide edited by Elizabeth Crary, M.S.

E-mail this page to a friend