It’s June and Time for Summer Fun

“It’s June and Time for Summer Fun” by Linda Martin Andersen

“A Writer’s Playground”

A place to find wordplay, writing, and monthly calendar activities for kids and those young at heart.

Think:  What does the word “June” bring to mind? SUMMER.  School’s out for summer, summer camps begin, summer reading, and hot summer sands and summer vacations at the beach. 

Other things we remember in June include:  Father’s Day, D-Day and Flag Day.

Special Days in June:

• Drawing Day or Pencil Day:  1  Do you doodle on paper?  What do you usually draw?  What  books have you read with characters who draw?  Which ones would you recommend to friends?  What do you wish you could draw?  Look for drawing books that can teach you steps to take. 
• Do-Dah Day (Salute to Silliness):  4  Have you ever had the “silly giggles?”  Have you ever had someone come up and ask, “What’s so funny?”  When you tried to explain, the person just didn’t get it.  Have you ever said, “You had to be there?”  What was the silly thing?  Share it in the comment section.
• Hot Air Balloon Day:  5  Have you ever taken a hot air balloon?  Have you ever watched one soar?  Have you read books with hot air balloons in the story?  Consider reading Newsgirl by Liza Ketchum.  It’s a fun middle grade historic novel.  This link provides an interview about the book by its author.  http://www.lizaketchum.com/books/newsgirl.htm

• D-Day:  6  What is this?  Ask someone who loves history if you do not know.  What museums have exhibits on this topic in your area.  Consider visiting. 
• Upsey Daisy Day:  8  What does this mean?  How will you celebrate?  Ask your parents and grandparents if this is one they know.
• Corn on the Cob Day:  11  Do you prefer your corn on or off the cob?  What is a corn cob pipe?  What nursery rhyme talks about cows in the corn?  In what season are corn stalks used for decorating?  Have you ever gathered corn in the field?  Have you ever shucked corn?  Have you ever cut corn off the cob for freezing?  What other memories do you have that include corn?
• Flag Day:  14  What flag is flown on this day?  Why?  If you could design a flag for your family, church, neighborhood, or school, what would it include?
• Father’s Day:  16  What do you call your father?  What do you call your grandfather?  What other names for father do you know?  Which is your favorite?.  What other ways is Father used?  For example:  Father Time.
• World Sauntering Day:  19  What is sauntering? What other words can substitute for sauntering?  These are synonyms.
• American Eagle Day:  20  Have you ever watched a web cam of an eagle’s nest?  Research facts about eagles and share them.  What bird almost became America’s symbol instead of an eagle?  Who recommended the other choice?
• Summer Solstice (Summer):  21  What will you do this summer?  What will you read?  What sports will you play?  What will you study?  Where can you learn more about summer solstice?
• Great American Backyard Campout:  22  Where have you camped out?  Who was with you?  Are you a member of an organization that camps out, like Boy Scouts?  Have you ever cooked over a camp fire?  Tell about one of your experiences.
• Let it Go Day:  23  What does it mean to “let something go?”  When have you been told this or used the expression yourself?  What is bothering you that you will let go today?  Will you call and apologize and make it right with the other person?
• Pink Flamingo Day (Lawn Ornaments)”  23  When you hear the word “Flamingo” what state comes to mind?  What do you know about flamingos?  What other colors are there?  Why do you think pink plastic flamingos have become popular lawn ornaments?  Do you know someone who has one?  Why?
• Log Cabin Day:  30  Research famous people who lived in log cabins.  Name a television show where the characters lived in a log cabin.  Have you ever stayed in one?  Were you on vacation, hunting, or hiking?  What was your favorite thing about the cabin?  Did it have running water?

Special Weeks in June:

• International Clothesline Week:  1-8.  What is a clothesline?  Who do you know who has one?  Who do you know who has a clothes rack for indoor drying?  Have you ever run through clothes on the line?  Name a story, television program, or book that mentions a clothesline.  Have you ever “hung clothes on the line?”  What happens if they get wet? What happens if the clothes are still wet when the temperature freezes?  How do you dry clothes at your house?
• Rip Current Awareness Week:  2-8  What is rip current?  What is the danger?
• National Flag Week:  9-15  What country or countries recognize this day?  Name a favorite flag.  Tell why it’s a favorite.
• National Automotive Service Professionals Week: 9-16  Who is your favorite auto mechanic?  Have you ever helped repair a car?  What is a “shade tree mechanic?”
• Duct Tape Days:  14-16  What have you seen created with duct tape?  What have you made with it?  Would you wear or buy something made from it?  Here are images you might enjoy.  http://www.ducttapefashion.com/
• http://www.cleveland.com/avon/index.ssf/2013/05/avon_heritage_duct_tape_festiv_4.html

• Check out the selection of crafts and fashions in books.

• Watermelon Seed Spitting Week: 27-30  What festival activities have you participated in?  Do you like salt on your watermelon?  Do you eat it with a knife, spoon, fork, or just your mouth?  How does the juice feel when it dries on your skin?  Why?

June is…

• Audio Book Appreciation Month   What is your favorite time to listen to a book?  Do you listen while traveling in a car?  What are your favorite books on audio?  Why?
• Country Cooking Month  What do you call country cooking?  What country do you mean?  What country cooking foods do you like?  Which would you not eat?
• National Camping Month  What kind of camping have you done?  Summer camp, Boy Scout, Girl Scout, Dance camp, Music camp, Cheerleading camp, Church camp, Basketball camp, etc.  Have you ever pitched a tent?  Cooked on an open fire?  Told ghost stories by the camp fire?
• Skyscraper Month  Search for skyscraper trivia.  What is the highest building in your town?  How many stories?  How old is the building?  What movies show skyscrapers?

*Thank you Brownie Locks.com for June celebration information.  For more June observances check out: http://www.brownielocks.com/june.html

Thank you for visiting “A Writer’s Playground.” Please come again soon.  Bring a friend. 

Copyright © 2013 Linda Martin Andersen