Letterboxing

Letterboxing is a fun family activity.  It is really similar to geocaching except you are given clues to find the hidden item instead of GPS coordinates. 

Also, letterboxing is about collecting stamps--like the kind you use ink and notepad.  Each letterbox has clues that lead to a hidden container that should contain a stamp and a little notepad.

{A letterbox we found.}

 The idea is that once you find a letterbox you leave your stamp in the letterbox book (indicating that you actually found it) and then use the letterbox stamp in your own stamp book for you to keep and remember.  (If you're a little confused by my explanation, visit the links below for more detailed instructions.)  

To start letterboxing, you will first need a stamp book.  This is for collecting the stamps that you will find at each letterbox.  You can have one stamp book for the whole family or you can have one for each child, whatever works best for you.  I like to use sketch pads (the stamps look really nice on the blank paper) and then cut them in half so I really get two stamp books from each sketch pad.

Next, you will need to buy or make a stamp.  This stamp is going to be your "signature" that you use when you find a letterbox.  Here again you can either have a family stamp or individual stamps.  There are los of tutorials available online that show how to make your own stamp.  This can be fun because then you're stamp will truly be unique and one of a kind.  

You will also need to buy an ink pad so that you actually use the stamps (most letterboxes don't include an ink pad, plus you don't know how used the ink will be once you find it).

Once you have those three things--stamp book, stamp, and ink pad--you ready to find your first letterbox!

You will find the clues for the letterboxes on these websites:

www.letterboxing.org  

and

atlasquest.com.

 When you go to these websites, simply enter where you live or where you are going to see if there are letterboxes in that area.

Once you pick a letterbox and have the clues, you are ready for the search!

I love letterboxing because sometimes they are hidden in locations you've never explored before.

{A beautiful waterfall we found while letterboxing}

Plus, it feels like a treasure hunt as you try to decipher the clues. 

If you like geocaching or outdoor activities, then you are sure to love letterboxing!

Pressed Flower Bookmarks

Before I get started with today's post, I wanted to remind you that today is Free Slurpee Day at 7-Eleven (because the date is 7/11). So, go and get yourself a free, refreshing slurpee!!

Now onto today's post...pressed flower bookmarks!

Last week I posted about our family picking wildflowers (read about it here).  Well, I saved the wildflowers we picked and made them into pressed flower bookmarks! They turned out so cute! Here's what we did.

First, to press the flowers we wrapped them in plastic wrap and set them under a heavy book for an entire day.

{Wildflowers being pressed in plastic wrap}

The next day I cut out pieces of card stock for the bookmarks.  You can make the bookmarks pretty much any size you would like.  I made enough for everyone to make their own pressed flower bookmark.  To decorate and label the bookmarks we used regular, washable markers.  Then we carefully placed the flowers on the card stock and laminated them.  You could use a little piece of glue or adhesive to keep the flowers in place if needed, but I recommend only using a little. 

This was an easy and educational craft.  And now it is a fun momento from our summer vacation.  We had enough flowers to make a few extra to give as gifts to grandparents.  Homemade gifts can be some of the most precious.

{Tuesday's Tip} Stop & Smell the Wildflowers

On the way home from our vacation a couple weeks ago, we were driving through a canyon and we kept seeing lots of wildflowers.  Finally we had to stop and take a closer look at the beauty around us.  We went on a short walk and examined the flowers and wildlife.

Later, when we got home, I pulled out our book on wildflowers so we could discover more about our flowers.  I like using everyday events as teaching opportunities, especially during the summer when school is out.  It makes learning fun and interesting for me and my kids!  What have you been learning about this summer?

While we walking around seeing the wildflowers,  I had everyone pick a few and saved them in a bag for another little craft I'll be sharing with you. Here's a sneak peek:

Outdoor Snacks

My family just took a camping trip to Yellowstone. It was so fun and a much needed break. An important part of any outdoor activity is having good food and water that will keep you and your kids energized and happy.

 

 Here are a couple easy snacks ideas for when you pack for your own hiking or camping trips. Plus, most of these you can have your kids help you pack or prepared. 

{Homemade Trail Mix} Trail Mix is a great outdoor snack. It is easy to put in separate baggies and lightweight to carry. It doesn't require any utensils and usually isn't very messy.  Plus you can get some much needed protein and nutrients to keep your energy up while your enjoying the outdoors. The other fun part is that you can make it however you want!

I was able to use a lot of things that I already had on hand except for the nuts.  I had mixed nuts, craisins, raisins, dried strawberries, and M&M's. I put each of the items in a separate bowl and let everyone make their own bag of trail mix.



{Water & Apple} Whenever you're playing outside, you should bring water with you. We invested in a Camelbak for everyone in our family because we use them so much.  But any water bottle will do. Then grab an apple and your set! The other nice thing about the Camelbak is that you also store your apples and trail mix in the bag so your hands are free for hiking.

{Hot Cocoa & Popcorn} Another one of our favorite snack is hot cocoa and popcorn. After a long day of hiking, this is a fun bedtime snack to help your body relax. We have used campfire and a camp stove to heat the water for the hot cocoa (or hot apple cider) and cook the popcorn.

 

On our last camping trip we used the Jiffy Pop and it was so yummy! You have to be careful when holding it over the fire, if you get to close you could burn yourself. But it was fun to watch the popcorn grow and was so good to have a warm treat.

What are some of your favorite camping snacks?

Nature Scrapbooks

A couple weeks ago we went on vacation with my family.  Altogether there were 10 adults and 8 kids.  Of course we planned some activities for the kids to keep them busy and entertained.  We made Nature Scrapbooks as our craft and the kids loved it!  Here are the supplies you'll need to make your own scrapbook:

 Supplies:

2 brown lunch bags

glue sticks

yarn

scrapbook paper (4-8 pages)

paper cutter

 {Step 1} Fold the 2 lunch bags in half vertically. These are going to be the pages of the scrapbook, so there will be 8 pages including the front and back cover.

{Step 2} Cut scrapbook paper to fit the length of the lunch bag. I cut the paper smaller than the paper bag so that it would leave a border around the edge. We cut 3 longer lengths (approximately 4.5" x 10" each) to cover the "inside" scrapbook pages, then cut 2 smaller squares to cover the front and back cover (approximately 4.5" x 5" each).  We mostly used colored card stock that didn't bend quite as well so the books didn't lay flat when they were done.  So, it may be easier to work with thinner paper.

{Step 3} Glue the scrapbook paper to the lunch bags, covering each side.  After you've glued on the paper,  you may choose to make each page look distressed by rubbing a little ink on the edges of each page.  We didn't have time to do this for our nature scrapbooks.

{Step 4} Cut a length of yarn.  Place the 2 lunch bags together and tie the piece of yarn around the middle crease.  This will bind your scrapbook pages together.  We tied the yarn into a bow on the outside of the scrapbook.  You could also use ribbon.

{Step 5} Decorate your scrapbook pages any way you like!  

For the nature scrapbook, the kids decorated with animal stickers, leaf rubbings, and nature samples they found outside. 

To preserve their pressed flowers and leaves, we wrapped them in plastic wrap first then glued the plastic wrap on the page. 

It was fun to see how different each of the books turned -- they were so cute!! And the kids were proud of their books when they were all finished.

These simple scrapbooks are so cute and versatile.  The openings of the lunch bags actually created little pockets where you could slide a surprise picture or bookmark.  These scrapbooks would make a very cute Father's Day gift made with love from the kids or a good way to display your child's artwork.  Either way, this is a great summer project that will keep your kids busy for hours!

{Tuesday's Tip} Junior Ranger Program

At most of our national parks they have junior ranger programs.  They vary a little, but generally the kids get a packet of stuff they need to finish while in the park.  If they finish everything they get a badge.  It is very fun and great way to keep your kids learning during the summer (and while on vacation).

Another fun thing to do while you are visiting national parks is to attend ranger lead programs and hikes.  Most parks have programs on native animals, plants, stars, rock formations, etc.  They are fun and informative, and make your trip a lot more meaningful because you are able to really appreciate your beautiful surroundings.

We are getting ready for vacation to a national park next week and I'll be sure to share some pictures when we get back. 

What fun things do you have planned for this summer??