Alumni is over and although it was wonderful, it is taking my wife and me several days to recuperate. Between all the responsibilities of set up for events, the golf tournament, the fantastic parade, great banquet and dance at the Elks, these two alumni are dog tired this week. We also had our family in which was wonderful and a big help when it came to getting people where they needed to be and clean up at the Elks. Hats off to the Alumni Association and its officers for their organization and dedication to the spirit of the SHS community that still roars in this valley! Job well done! Now, let’s get some rest before we crank up Cabaret Extravaganza in 2023.

When our grown kids were in this weekend, we talked a lot about making sure our grandkids spent time outdoors this summer. Both Leo and Fallon love summer and the opportunity it provides to participate in summer camps, but it is expensive for families to plunk money down especially if you have two or three kids for which to pay. Add the price of gas to drive them there, and you quickly price yourself over the family budget for the month.

So, what is a family to do to get exercise for your kids and not break the piggy bank? For some good ideas I went to my wife, Mary Ann, who has an extensive background in early childhood education. She spent 20 plus years at the YMCA in Grand Haven working with their Learning Tree Preschool and Young Fives program. She also is certified in body safety education not only for children, but also adults. She offered up some fresh ideas. Hopefully, some your family can use this summer.

First, let me remind you why it is so important to get our kids outdoors and off screens. New research is concluding that time outside in nature can counteract some of the negative impact of being inside on screens. An online article published by Frontiers in Psychology suggested that a combination of outdoor time and time on screens may produce the best learning environment. Basically, what they say is nature helps to balance the demands screens place on kids’ attention. We have noticed firsthand how too much screen time alters our grandkids’ moods and personality. Bottom line let’s get those kids outdoors and in the sunshine!

And now here are a few ideas you can use for your own free family fun out of doors.

1. Create an obstacle course. Challenge the older ones to help with a set up that the younger ones can participate in, too. Things to use are hula hoops, cardboard boxes to climb through and pool noodles for tunnels. Tunnels are really easy. Put a pen in the ground, stick one end of the noodle over the top of the pen, bend the noodle and stick another pen in the ground to anchor the opposite end of the noodle. Line several up to make a longer tunnel to climb under or jump over. And with King’s Corner in Sistersville, we have a ready supply of great cardboard boxes on demand. Throw in some markers to decorate the box, and it becomes an art project, too.

2. Go on a Frozen Dinosaur Hunt. This is a favorite of every three and four-year-old in the country especially on a hot day. Again, recruit the older kids with the preparation of the activity. Inexpensive supplies you need are balloons, small toy dinosaurs and your freezer overnight. Open the neck of the balloon and carefully push the toy dinosaur inside. Fill the balloon with water about 1/3 full and tie ends. Place balloons in freezer overnight. In the morning make a nest of twigs, leaves, dried grass and any eggshells from breakfast. Take the eggs out of the freezer and peel off the balloons. Place the frozen dinosaur eggs in the nest you built and let the fun begin. Kids will enjoy handling the cold eggs or putting them in buckets of warm water to watch them melt. It is a cool and fun activity for the family on any hot summer day.

3. Build a Putt-Putt Hole or several. This one Leo and I will do with the help of his nana for sure. Use recycled boxes from cereal, crackers and oatmeal to set up interesting obstacles to putt through and around the hole. Make numbered paper pennant flags to mark the start of the hole and a matching flag for the end. Kabob sticks work well for flags. Build ramps from cardboard or scrap lumber. Decorate the cardboard “castles” and “monsters’ that will be the obstacles to putt through. Cut boxes or build tunnels from large Duplo toys. Don’t forget to add hazards like bowls of water or cookie sheets filled with sand. Pool noodles or extension cords can mark the boundary and empty tin cans on their side make the perfect hole. Make it as simple or elaborate as you want.

Hopefully one of these fun ideas can trigger some outside fun at your house, and we didn’t even talk about all the outdoor fun activities for the dark. Something as simple as a walk around the block with a flashlight or head light is adventurous at nighttime for the whole family. Star gazing is another favorite especially if you have a trampoline for relaxing. If not use a baby pool filled with pillows and blankets. Add some popcorn and it is a party

I’ll be back on course next week with a roundup of camps coming to the area for the summer, but the Tycon Knights Youth Football and Cheer Camp is coming up quickly. So here is the information you need. The camp runs June 21st, 23rd, 27th, 28th and 30th from 6 to 8 p.m. It is for ages Pre-K up to 6th grade and happens at the campus of the TCHS field. You can find them on their Facebook Tycon Knights Youth League page. This is a great camp and best of all it is free for all participants.

If you have a camp you would like highlighted in the Press Box, please send the information to me at rrutherford@tylerstarnews.com. We will help get the word out for you!