Most kids love to build things. They also like to participate in contests. This summer outdoor activity combines both and is simple and fun. Building their own sailboat and then watching their creation in action can make a child feel good about him or herself. It also is fun, provides fitness, and exercises creativity and thinking skills.

Toy sailboats can be designed by the child and parent. Another choice is to search the internet for free toy boat building instructions. Many hobby and toy stores also sell ready-made kits that simply need to be assembled. Judging by the child's age and experience, parents can decide which is best.

For more fun, the project can be made into an event with family and friends. Set up a building area in the local park or your own backyard. Each child should have the necessary supplies to complete his or her boat building project. Parents can decide whether all the kids will do the same project or whether they will each choose their own way to build their boats. Be sure to have snacks and refreshments, as the kids will be working hard.

Once the boats are built, they can be taken to a local pond, creek, or stream where the kids are allowed to race the boats. Determine a starting and finishing point. Be sure to watch which way the water current is flowing. That is the direction the boats will need to go. Determine a signal to start. When the kids see or hear that signal, they must drop their boats into the water at the starting point.

The kids will enjoy running alongside the water bank to keep up with their boats. Don't forget that kids should have appropriate footwear when running. You may see them cheering on their on boat, hoping it will beat the rest to the finish line. This provides great exercise and healthy competition. One or more kids may get disappointed if they don't win. It's all part of learning and growing. Prizes or award ribbons can be given to the winners for first, second, and third place.

Oftentimes, when thinking of waters in Upstate New York, many will think of the Niagara Falls, but there are many more natural waters to explore. Meaning "long lake" in one of the Iroquois languages, Skaneateles Lake contains the most clean water of all the Finger Lakes. In fact, this water is so pure that the city of Syracuse, as well as other areas use it unfiltered.

Just in case you are wondering how to say Skaneateles, it is commonly pronounced "skinny atlas," but the correct and preferred pronunciation is "skanny atlas." Regardless of how Skaneateles is pronounced, its pure and beautiful waters are a major attraction to sailors. The calm water flow, as well as the beautiful scenery, adds to the ambiance of a relaxing and scenic sail on the lake.

Rent a boat or bring your own. There are a couple different areas to launch your boat from, including Skaneateles Town Boat Launch and NYS Public Boat Launch. If you are more comfortable with someone else doing the navigation and steering, try the boat cruises. In addition to the boat cruises, try the mailboat. It delivers mail to cottages in the Glen Haven area along Skaneateles Lake, but also carries passengers.

While sailing at Skaneateles Lake, be sure not to miss the many historic landmarks that line the lake. If nature is your thing, Carpenter's Falls can be viewed inside of a nature preserve off the lake. Another great spot is the New Hope Mill.

Before heading out for sailing on Skaneateles Lake, be sure you've got your life vest, sunglasses, windbreaker, and non-skid boat shoes. Some other important items include sunscreen, a sunhat, insect repellent, food and a nautical watch. This is by no means a complete list. Be sure to follow nautical safety precautions.

Also, remember to check the weather before going sailing. Upstate NY can have some pretty cool and windy days. The best time for sailing in Upstate NY is probably summer or late spring. Otherwise, the lake could be frozen or the weather just too cold.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skaneateles_Lake

http://www.skaneateles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=63

An overview of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program for kids that will make a visit even more memorable.

All Americans, especially kids, should visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their life. As vast as America is, with all its natural wonders and beauty, you'd be hard pressed to find any other spot in this amazing country that is more likely to take your breath away. Adults as well as kids tend to be equally overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this extraordinary spectacle, but the park extends a special privilege to children that is not granted to their parents. If you are really looking for a destination spot your kid will never forget, take advantage of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program. Heck, this program is nearly as memorable as if your kids were to come across Bobby and Cindy Brady still on the lookout for their little Indian buddy. Your rugrats may not leave for home with a flashlight filled with baked beans but they will take home a really cool iron-on badge and a certificate, as well as, a trip they are not likely to ever forget.

It is ridiculously easy for you to turn your trip to the Grand Canyon into an opportunity for your kids to becomes Junior Rangers. It doesn't cost anything and you can pick up all the information at visitor centers. The actual requirements for getting those stinkin' badges vary according to age, but in general the idea is to get the kids to consider the vast beauty and history of the Canyon on a more personal and reflective level. This is accomplished through noting specific observations and writing down impressions. The Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program also includes attending various programs led by official park rangers throughout your visit.

The more adventurous kids are urged to become Phantom Rattler Junior Rangers. Kids aged 4 to 14 must ride down into the canyon by mule and attend the Phantom Ranch at the bottom in order to achieve this level of Junior Ranger. Just a typical visit to the Grand Canyon is certainly going to be memorable, but if you really want your kids to come home from that big crack in Arizona with a memory that they will never, ever forget, be sure to look in on the Junior Ranger program.

Daily nature walks can be a fun and educational way to get that exercise in for the kids. Children naturally enjoy exploring. Whether it is for a physical education class of 30, or a parent with a couple kids in tow, this is a great opportunity to get those kids moving.

Daily nature walks can be a fun and educational way to get that exercise in for the kids. Children naturally enjoy exploring. Whether it is for a physical education class of 30, or a parent with a couple kids in tow, this is a great opportunity to get those kids moving. It can be supplemented as part of the daily routine or even used by itself. Either option will bring healthy benefits.

Many schools are using nature walks as a combination between a science lesson and physical education, which I think is a great idea. We do something similar at home. Some schools have great areas to explore, such as ponds, trees, or grassy fields. For schools that don't have much nature, this can be done in a neighborhood walk or a walk to the neighborhood park. Nature is all around us and is easily found.

Walking is great exercise for the heart, as well as the legs, arms, and abdominals. It is often a total body workout. To add even more exercise and fun to the walk, teachers and parents can instruct the children to move like certain animals. For instance, the children can put their arms together, swaying them back and forth like an elephant trunk. They can even jump like kangaroos, hop like frogs, "fly" like birds, or sprint like cheetahs.

Another fun way to incorporate exercise into a nature walk is by having children climb a tree. Be sure to keep safety in mind, of course. Also, if this is a class field trip, be sure all parents are aware of any activities to be done, in case of any health issues. From the tree, children can either look for creatures that may be in or on the tree or they can look down from the tree to see if they can observe anything they couldn't plainly see from the ground.

Before taking my children on a nature walk, I like to be sure we have certain supplies with us and all the children have on their sunscreen. Water is one of the most important things to bring along. Bringing along plenty for each person helps to ensure no one gets dehydrated or exhausted from the heat. One liter of water per person is probably a good amount to bring on a nature walk that lasts up to an hour.

We also like to bring along a spray bottle filled with water. We keep it on the mister setting. The spray mist helps keep everyone cool, especially if it's a hot day. Just be careful not to keep it too cold because if a child is too hot or suffering from heat exhaustion, the child can go into shock, caused by going from one extreme temperature to the next. We like to just keep it room temperature. Some other items to bring along on a nature walk are trail mix (a lightweight and healthy snack), bug collection containers, microscopes, tweezers, plastic sandwich bags, binoculars, and cameras.

In the last post, I mentioned some of the fun ways parents and schools are promoting physical fitness in kids. One of those creative and innovative exercise options is an artificial rock climbing wall. I wanted to add more on that physical fitness option in particular because I feel it's a really great choice.

Since kids are constantly growing, their muscles need to be strong. Rock climbing helps build those muscles because the child is holding up the entire body with the arms and legs and even the abdominals. Adding a rock climbing wall to a child's physical routine has many benefits. Not only that, but it's like a game to kids. In fact, many games can be invented to use with one or it can be used without games. Either way, the kids still find it fun and it's still a great workout.

One game I think is fun is having the kids race to the top, following safety rules, of course. Once they get up there, have them race back down. Kids seem to never get tired of racing. This race is not one most of the kids do everyday, so the kids seem to take to it right away because it's so different. This can be played on mini-sized rock climbing walls located at parks or even on the giant ones found in rock climbing gyms.

Another fun thing to do is to place flags on various points of the rock wall. Use lightweight flags and something that is easy for the kids to pull off because of safety issues. Choose a different color for each kid. The goal is for each kid to collect all of their flags. This can be a contest with a winner or just a fun activity. Either way, the kids will get some fun, as well as a great workout. For a more challenging game on the larger rock climbing walls, mix the flags up all across and around the rock wall.

If your child's school does not have a rock climbing wall or is not visiting one, suggest one to the gym or physical education teacher, principal, and other staff. Most schools are at least open to suggestions. Even if the schools cannot build one, they may be near one that will be easy access to the students either during or after school. Also, if the school cannot or will not give access to a rock climbing gym, for whatever reason, remember that parents can also take the kids to the rock climbing gyms. Since artificial rock climbing is growing more popular, they are fairly easy to find. Whether your child does this at school or on your time, be sure to have access to the right gear, such as hiking boots and climbing equipment. The artificial rock climbing gyms will likely have everything your child needs. But, if you decide to put one in your own backyard, be aware of the safety rules and equipment required to protect your child.

Physical fitness is important for children. It helps them gain strength in the bones and muscles, which is good for growth. It also can help fight obesity by keeping the body in shape. Kids already get some exercise in gym and PE classes at school, but as a parent, I realize they still need more. Parents should be actively involved in promoting physical activities in their kids, creating some type of opportunity for exercise every day.

I have noticed that many public schools are getting more active in promoting physical fitness in children, which is great news. One thing I've seen some schools do to get kids moving is to add a rock climbing wall to the school gym or playground. They are accessible during recess, as well as on certain days during gym or physical education class. The kids seem to really enjoy these rock walls and it's a great total body workout.

School playgrounds are actually a good source of exercise as well, offering a range of physical movements. Adding other things to the outdoor play area, such as a tether ball pole, basketball court, and volleyball net add even more fun and exercise. Some schools even allow the children to use bicycles, inline skates, and skateboards in a designated area. With this type of play growing in popularity, I have even seen some schools with bicycle and skateboard ramps.

Many museums also have an interactive physical health section where children can visit to learn more. Schools can take a day trip and teachers can center a lesson around this. Some of the museums even offer lesson plans or guided tours of these interactive exhibits.

Another thing I have seen schools do is to have a free play time at least once a week during gym or physical education time. They will have assorted things available to play with, like gym scooters, fitness balls, a rock wall, rope climbing, and many other items. These create physical activities that are disguised as fun to the kids.

Making gym and physical fitness fun is a great idea. In fact, that's what we do in our household. Active kids are healthy kids, so we are sure that the kids get their dose every day, in addition to what is offered at school. Dancing is a fun and versatile family activity that is also great exercise. Some schools are also incorporating dance into the curriculum of the core subjects for added physical and mental benefits.

Our kids also like to play many of the classical games that children don't seem to play as much of anymore, such as "Red Rover", "Freeze Tag", and "Dodge Ball". Bike riding is another regular family event that we have found to be very fun and beneficial to the physical health of the children. It's great to do any time of the day, but especially after dinner, one of the best times to burn some of those calories!