Summer's here and the time's right for doing all those things you didn't have time for during the school year... If only you could remember what they were! Try these must-do's for a completely
Dive In
Don't know how to dive? Learn! Know how to dive? Try a flip! Or a flip with a twist. Or a back flip! How about learning to
Get Published
With internet publishing, t's so easy to write a published book -- all you need is the time and some imagination. You have the time, so get your imagination moving. Write about anything, or put together a book of your photos. Write the story of your life in cartoon characters or write a bunch of ridiculous poems. When you're done, save your document as a PDF and distribute it to friends and family to read on their e-readers. Extra credit points go to the kid who gives it to his or her teacher to read in September!
Compete
Swimming, running, darts, tennis, ping pong... all sorts of challenges arise throughout the summer even if you're not at camp. Seek out a challenge, practice and start competing. Though winning isn't everything, a trophy would be a nice memento of your summer escapades. Worst case -- an epic failure gives you something to laugh about and strive for later.
Fine Tune your Funny Bone
Learn a few new jokes and practice telling them. Good joke-telling skills go a long way when you can't think of what to say in a conversation!
Seek out Good Luck Charms
If your neighborhood is overrun with patches of clover in summer and you find yourself standing around waiting for people or things to do, look down. You may just find some four-leaf clovers! To train yourself to find these elusive mutations, stare at the 3-leaf clover patches and notice the patterns. Once they are burned into your memory, stand above a patch of clover and scan it. Examine any clover that catches your eye -- chances are you'll notice any deviations from the patterns. While some will just be 3-leafers in disguise, you could find a 4, 5 or even 6 leaf clover. And where there is one, there is bound to be more in the same patch. Once you find a good specimen, immediately press it in a book between two sheets of paper and dry it for at least two weeks or it will shrivel up in less than an hour.
Create Puzzles
Doing puzzles can be fun for a while, but it can get old. Creating puzzles, however can become a great hobby. If you're a good artist or just great with a straight-edge ruler, try your hand at designing a maze. Using a pencil, define your space with lines and designate a beginning and an end point. Starting at the end and using a light touch, create a winding path to the beginning. Note that most mazes tend to stray to the right side of the puzzle, so you can make it harder by keeping to the left or forming a circuitous route. Make sure your path doesn't double-back on itself. Once your path is set, create dead ends and other branches to complicate it. Make copies and challenge your friends to solve them. For expert tips on how to create a geometric maze and a challenging reversing maze, check out expert maze artist Roxie Munro's tips.
Clear Clutter for Good
Start in your room with your clothes and desk, then go throughout the room and find items you and your family can donate or recycle. You'll be doing your family, the earth and other people a world of good... And you might even find some hidden treasures along the way.
Start a Business
Love gardening? Grab an old wheelbarrow, paint a logo on it and post up signs advertising your weeding and hedge-clipping services. Whatever your passion is, whether it's creating websites, putting photos into slideshows and burning them on DVD's, creating playlists, making crafts or baking cookies, find a way to make your hobbies and skills work for you. There's no reason to be bored when you can make money doing what you love!
Have Your Say
What would you like to add to your summer to-do list? Let us know in your comments below!