For some the summer offers time to bond with their kids and for other's there's nothing but time to fill. No matter which category you fit into let try to do some brainstorming with opportunities - both fun and educational - that will keep the kidlets entertained and keep you sane.

For outside entertainment, Comfort and Joy love sidewalk chalk. This is closely followed by waterpainting.  Yep, nothing technical here. I bought cheap paintbrushes at the dollar store and they paint the sidewalk with water. Oh, and bubbles. That's a good one, too.

But weather in Virginia is unpredictable and can get H-O-T so outside fun is often limited to early mornings or very short timeslots when there's a nice breeze. For inside fun, a big favorite is our local library because this also involves a short walk through our neighborhood. Our library runs a summer reading program for kids and adults with the opportunity to win stickers and prizes.

Regal Cinemas will be offering their Free Family Film Festival again this summer. Here's the information from their website: Selected G or PG movies start at 10:00am every Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theatre capacity.


And for more ideas you can look back to the posts I wrote on this topic last year. 

Of course not, you say. Horrors, no. Well, I bet you do if you actually look at the official American Library Association list of Banned and Challenged books.

So, the week of September 26 to October 3 we celebrate these books and the freedom to read. This is a great teachable moment, too, to make a point to kids of all ages that books are a luxury in many places in the world, as is reading whatever you choose. In fact, Kids off the Couch has a great post about this, too. We could get really political with this conversation and look at those countries but let's focus on ourselves and look at the top ten from the list.


1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses by James Joyce
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9. 1984 by George Orwell
10. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

We're talking classics that are part of the conversations that educated people have. I've only read 6 of the 10 on the list but I know enough of the stories of the other 4 to hold my own in conversations even if I couldn't win Double Jeopardy. If you look further down the list you'll see beloved children's stories as well as some books that we'd all probably forget that we had to read in school.

But the point is that we had the freedom to choose to read those books. No one should choose for us what books we can and cannot read, unless we are a child and need that kind of guidance. Teaching children what is appropriate for them is teaching them a kind of freedom to choose. This isn't about whether the books is good or not either. That's a value judgment and something that will differ from person to person. This is about whether we each have the right to go to our library or bookstore and pick up the book and take it home and read it. Let's make sure that we don't ever take that freedom for granted. Personally, I think this is very Cool Idea!

The kids have been home from school for a few weeks and it's getting hot outside. We've already bought a 32 oz. refill bottle of bubbles and more sidewalk chalk so it's time to begin to expand our repetoire. Summer Reading at our library begins this week so that will begin to take some of our time but here are some more ideas to keep us busy as the summer goes on.

Regal Cinemas begins their Free Family Film Festival this week - or next week - depending on your location and going for the next nine weeks. Each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10AM kids and parents can enjoy free admission for G and PG movies. Check the listings for your state/ area.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program will award kids [grade 1-6] a free book after they read any eight books and write in their journal about these books. Go to the site and download the journal and activities. Bring the completed journal to any B&N before September 7 to receive your free book.

Pottery Barn Kids stores have story time each week. Check with your local store to find out when they occur.

And if you want some great ideas for how to pair out of the house Adventures with some indoor ones log onto Kids off the Couch. Usually, there is an idea for a video paired with a learning activity. You can register for their emails and look back over the archives. There are some wonderful ideas for kids of all ages.

To check last week's staycation post Click Here.

So, here we go - some great ideas for reading, shows and additional Adventures for the summer months. I hope that everyone has a great time with their kids this summer. If you have other Cool Ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Today is Presidents Day in the US and here are a few ways to enjoy the day -

First, enjoy a nice deal from restaurant.com - use the discount code PREZ until February 19, 2009 and get a $25 certificate for $3.

Second, Kids off the Couch has some wonderful ideas for how to have fun with your kids and learn about Abraham Lincoln. There are links to the Gettysburg Address, Fords Theatre, movies and books and podcasts. There are so many great ideas that it'll take more than just one day to do them all. 

Third, it may be too late in the day to take full advantage of this but keep it in mind for next year  if you are in the Metro DC area -- Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington, has free admission on President's Day. You probably need to plan to go early to avoid the crowds but it's definitely a Cool way to celebrate the day.

The Newseum online site has a great online exhibit about Abraham Lincoln. Check it out!! You won't be disappointed. Happy President's Day.

I think, no matter your political persuasion, the Inauguration of an American President is a very Cool Thing and truly - the peaceful transfer of power is not to be taken lightly even in this day and age. I love things like this - and yes, I am a total Geek. I love Americana and I grew up in the DC area and participated in two Presidential Inaugurations. Geek that I am we're going to go to this one, too. So, unless there is precipitation falling from the sky we're planning to be among the throng on The Mall to see the swearing in.

What are your plans for the day? Do you know how to explain what is going on to your kids?

Here are a couple of Cool Ideas:

In the Washington Post on Tuesday, January 20th, there will be a do-it-yourself, Pop Up Inaugural Swearing-in ceremony that was designed by Carol Barton, author of The Pocket Paper Engineer: How to Make Pop-Ups Step By Step. To hear more about this you can listen to an interview with Scott Simon on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday.

Kids off the Couch is a website devoted to just what it sounds like - getting kids up and moving. But I love how they pair up indoor and outdoor activities in order to motivate kids and families. Go read the information for the Inaugural. It's good for adults and kids alike. There are talking points for all ages of kids. Information for the broadcasts. Be sure to register to get the regular emails. Even if you aren't in one of the cities listed you'll still get great ideas for ways to get your Kids off the Couch.

Whatever Cool Idea you choose be part of the day. It's historic and it'll be amazing in so many Cool ways.

[It shouldn't be stretch to realize that this post title is taken from the parts of the Constitution that discuss the swearing in and Inauguration of the President. If you haven't read it in awhile. Check it out. It's a very Cool Idea.]