Give the children an activity that can last the entire summer and maybe beyond. Starting
a collection is a good way to learn more about a topic and can be the start of a new
hobby. A good summertime activity is to begin a nature collection or book.
If your child is interested in a particular collecting genre it would be best to go with that
first (seashells, stamps, hockey cards, etc.) but if they dont and you want to introduce
them to the world of collecting here are some easy suggestions.
But them a scrapbook or make one with acid free paper and encourage them to find
things outside that are a part of nature that can be added to their nature collection. They
may decide to fill the entire book with different kinds of leaves or the same type of leaf in
different shapes and color variations.
Another option is to start a pressed flower collection. This does take time to let the
flowers dry out in a flower press or a heavy book. The heavier the book or the tighter the
flower press the quicker the flowers will dry out and retain more of their original color.
Once a child begins collecting and getting the hang of it you may be surprised by how
focused and enthusiastic they become about it. This should be encouraged, take them to
the library to learn more about collecting or the items they are collecting. If they are
interested in collecting an item that are of high-value try starting out at the smaller (and
cheaper) end of the scale. As their interest grows so can the value of items they collect.
It will make gift buying easy for relatives and friends too if they know your child has a
specific collection.