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Great! Summer is here, we can pack away the jerseys and warm shoes and slip into shorts and sandals. It is finally time to go out and enjoy the sun. With a lot of sunscreen of course!

Summer means holiday time for the children. A very long holiday. I hear my own words echo back to my from my childhood when my children say, "I am so bored. There is nothing to do." Plan a bit ahead so that this precious time with your children can be something to look forward to. Here is some of my tips for family summer fun.

CAMPING
To spend some real quality time with your children it is a good idea to leave the house and the everyday chores. What better idea than to go camping. Don't pack any laptops or I-pods. Okay maybe one cellphone for emergencies. The idea is to sit around the campfire and have a proper conversation with your children.

Daytime is for exploring the forest or a nearby river. Everybody enjoys it and you get exercise without even realizing it. To make your children feel that they part of the family, give them something to do that they are responsible for. The little ones can collect firewood and wash the dishes. Older children can have a turn to cook the food.

A DAY AT THE BEACH OR LAKE
Go early in the morning and stay until late in the evening. Pack games to keep ever body busy and of course a lot of food. For breakfast you can make bacon and eggs on a gas burner. Lunchtime you can cook hot dogs and hamburgers and for supper there is leftovers. In between everybody can snack on a watermelon or cookies. All that swimming and activity will give everybody a good appetite, so pack a lot of food.

When the children tired of swimming and building sandcastles it is time to unpack the playing cards and the backgammon board. During the hot afternoon you can read the little children a book to let them rest a bit. Make sure that you have enough umbrellas and blankets to laze away the time when it is too hot to swim.

DOING A HIKING TRAIL, SPENDING A FEW DAYS AT A DUDE RANCH OR CANOING DOWN A RIVER
These activities are for families with bigger children. Choose an outing that is lead by a qualified guide. What is nice about these trips is that the professionals take care of all the necessary details. It will be good for your children to see how well you actually can row or ride a horse. Who knows, they may even be proud of their old man.

Younger children will enjoy a day trip. According to their age you can decide if they can handle one hour or more canoing, hiking or riding a horse. My children are still small, just sitting ten minutes on a horse is wonderful for them.

DAY TRIPS
There are millions of things that you can do with your children without having to sleep over. A lot of activities are planned during the summer holidays, so keep your eyes open. The local media and other parents can give you a lot of information. Here are a few ideas.

- you can visit the zoo, little children love a petting zoo
- you can explore museums
- you can go to the movies
- spend a day at the amusement park

SPENDING TIME AT HOME
You do not have to GO somewhere to spend time with your family. Children can also help around the house and garden. You can plant out flowers in a flower bed or start a vegetable patch.
You can have a baking day and fill every cookie jar in house. They can even help with the cleaning and folding of clothes.

Give your children responsibilities. They need to feel part of the family and not just tourists that have to go where you decide. Involve them in the decision making and preparations for trips. Enjoy each other and take a lot of photos. You are making memories that your children will cherish for a long time.

Learn more about this author, Marina Shemesh.
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