Summer Bucket List Ideas to Help Kick Off Your Summer

Here are 25 summer bucket list ideas for you and your wee ones.

1. Try a new fruit.
2. Plant seeds.
3. Make a mud pie.
4. Catch fireflies in a jar and let them go on their merry way after an hour or so.
5. Make sponge bombs.
6. Swing on a tire swing.
7. Watch a movie outside.
8. Read books together in a hammock.
9. Sell  lemonade together.
10. Stay in pajamas all day.
11. Decorate driveways, sidewalks, etc. with chalk.
12. Make popsicles.
13. Be in a parade for the 4th of July.
14.  Hang a hummingbird feeder in your front yard.
15. Pitch a tent and sleep in the backyard together.
16. Go fishing.
17. Visit the zoo.
18. Go berry picking at a local farm.
19. Make a scavenger hunt.
20. Take a magnifying glass and explore your backyard.
21. Grow a butterflies from the Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden.
22. Finger paint.
23. Blow bubbles.
24. Learn something new like hula hooping, skating, riding a bike without training wheels, etc.
25. Roll down a hill.

Thank you for stopping by ViBella Inspirations and please feel free to add to the list.

Cheri

Little Van Goghs Could Win $500 from Gymboree

Gymboree is hosting a Design-A-Bag contest.  If your little artist's artwork is selected, he/she will win a $500   gift card.  Here are the official rules below:

Have your little artist color a special holiday-themed place, scene, memory or anything that inspires them about the holiday season.

GUIDELINES:
• Have your child create the artwork within the box on the template.
• Artwork must be flat.
• No 3-D elements, such as: cotton balls, macaroni, popsicle sticks, etc.
• Artist must be 12 years of age or younger.

HOW TO SUBMIT:
Return, postmark or email completed and signed artwork by 6/16/12 to your local Gymboree store (excludes Gymboree Outlet); or, mail to: The Gymboree Corporation, Attn: Design-A-Bag Contest Committee, 500 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105; or scan artwork and email to: Design-A-Bag@Gymboree.com.

SPECIAL NOTE for emailed submissions: If selected as the winner, original artwork will be required to produce the bag.

No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and Canada (except Quebec), except Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Military installations in foreign countries 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited. Contest submission period ends 6/16/12. See Official Rules for details at gymboree.com/designabag. Please read our Privacy Policy on our web site at gymboree.com.

***You can copy and paste the link below to view the page and you will need to fill out a form and mail, e-mail, or return the artwork to your local Gymboree store.

http://www.gymboree.com/media/GYM/html/promotions/12gym_6683_DesignABag_template_web.pdf?Port=Email&ad=052212_FAB_Starts

Good luck to you all!  Please let me know if your child wins.

Cheri

Miss Smith Under the Ocean Book Review

Every kid dreams of having a teacher like Miss Smith.  Miss Smith carries a mysterious and incredible storybook with her.  When she reads from her incredible storybook, book characters come out of the book and sometimes the class gets transported to different lands.

Miss Smith's ordinary name belies her appearance.  She has bright tangerine hair that sticks straight up and she likes to wear a black leather jacket with pins of her favorite bands like The Clash and U2.  

She takes her class to an aquarium and the kids get to meet Moby Dick, a mermaid, Captain Nemo, pirates, and many other amazing characters.  Will the kids escape unscathed from the wild hodgepodge of characters and the chaos that ensues from combining them?  

The Irish author and illustrator, Michael Garland, writes with wit and illustrates with equal talent and stunning detailed artwork. Michael Garland's Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook won the California and Delaware State Reading Awards.  This book will keep you and your child entertained and engaged throughout the whole story.

Thank you for stopping by ViBella Inspirations and happy reading!

Cheri