All posts by Lee Ann Steyns

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About Lee Ann Steyns

I am an enthusiastic baby sign language instructor and mom of two kids that both started out being fussy, colicky babies. The ease and grace I managed to attain using sign language with them ignited my passion to share this incredible tool with other families. I've been teaching basic American Sign Language vocabulary to over a thousand families in the last 14 years, and I can't wait to teach you!

One Fun Thing

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One of our bucket list items this summer was to visit local tourist attractions that we normally don’t have time for during the school year. Have you been a tourist in your own town?

We had started the tradition a few years back to choose one fun thing to do as a family before the summer ended. Over the years we had done bike rides, pool visits to soak up the last of the sun, evening ice cream shop visits, little stuff like that. Several years ago, our daughter started begging us to go on one of those red trolley tour buses… oh, brother. My husband and I are not keen on tour buses and we found ourselves saying, “Oh, yes, sure, one day we’ll do that!”. And yes, we managed to distract her and not do that for quite a while, but finally the jig was up, and it was her “one fun thing” end of summer wish.
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So off we went, and we had a blast! We learned tons about our city, so many exciting things we had no idea about at all, and we caught the bug for being a tourist in our own town.

Flash forward to this year, and we decided to embrace the not-so-sunny weather this week for our “one fun thing” before summer ends. We hit the UBC Botanical Garden and Greenheart Canopy Trail, a new local destination for our family.
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It was a great place to go to on a cloudy day because the trees protected us from moisture (okay, yes, I mean rain!) and the cultured trails took us through all sorts of wild forest growth. We could let the kids run and play without getting lost easily. There is a paved path suitable for strollers:
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This path leads to the more formal cultivated gardens -an Alpine, Carolinian, Food, B.C Native Garden, and a very cool labrynth -that you access through this cool tunnel:
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We didn’t spend much time in the formal gardens, but my kids ran back and forth through this tunnel a few times listening to the echo as they ran yelling at the top of their lungs,
“ECHO! ECHO!.. Echo!… echo!… echo…”

There’s also a woodchip path which leads you through all sorts of glades and more wild forest areas.
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Following the woodchip path leads you to the Greenhart Canopy Walkway which is a suspended trail system which allows you to literally go up into the trees and walk 75 feet above the forest floor.
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So, because we were now those people who liked guided tours, we waited at the trail entrance to meet the free forest guide:
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(It’s entirely possible we might have played leap-frog here).

The guided tour was fantastic! We got to listen to an enthusiastic university grad student who also had helped build the walkway tell us about the treetop trailway, forest history, the first nations’ uses of local forest materials, and lots of cool facts about the trees of this coastal temperate rainforest including western red cedar, western hemlock, Douglas fir, grand fir, and red alder. We learned that some of the trees we saw were over 400 years old, and some were thought to be close to 1000 years old at least!

I was fascinated hearing about the Taiwanese “Coffin” tree (a relative of the redwood tree which also grows in BC) whose wood is so hardy and resistant to rot, it was used for making coffins. It also has remarkable needles whose extra-thick coating of protective sap allows the massive trees to withstand the hot & sunny climate of Taiwan -the needles look green on sunny days but show blue on cloudy days due to its protective sap. We got extremely close to these enormous trees in the first part of the walkway, and because it was a dull day, we could touch and feel the sticky, visibly blue needles.
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You can see the Taiwanese coffin trees’ needles close up in the top photo above, and then how the trees look blue-er than the surrounding greenery shown in the bottom pic.

My kids were thrilled to traverse the swingy walkways (slightly more than my husband and I were, mind you) and we all loved the incredible balance of adventure and learning. We didn’t make it through all of the gardens, but we plan to return soon. The forest is an incredible place to visit all year around. (Please note: the canopy trailway is best suited for bigger kids aged 5 and up, in my opinion. It is quite swingy and a wee bit tippy.)

So there’s this year’s “one fun thing” before school starts and we ticked off visiting a local tourist attraction (without getting too touristy) from my family’s summer bucket list, too! It was very fun and a great way to tackle a less-than-stunning summer day. I was proud to learn that the Greenheart Conservation Company which built the walkway is a local Vancouver company. They design, build and operate conservation-based canopy walkways and other nature-based attractions around the world. Canopy Walkways are the among the finest examples of the global trend in sustainable and responsible tourism:

“Construction is as non-invasive as possible using the patent pending ‘tree hugger’ suspension system. The tree hugger uses no nails or bolts or intrusive fasteners of any kind, using instead, a variable tension system to provide the least amount of infringement or impact on the trees.”

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What one fun thing are you planning this weekend?

Click here to see the ASL sign for TREE

Cloudy Day Playdate

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I’m not the only one thinking about good old fashioned free play and unscheduled activities for our kids, this summer, and I loved reading about Peekaboo Beans’s Pop Up Playdates currently happening in my Vancouver. They are organizing outdoor playdates at local parks and playgrounds and inviting families to come out and PLAY! Fantastic idea.

Speaking of playdates, this week my family invited my Very Inspiring Friend and her kids over for a playdate on very a cloudy summer morning. Our 5 kids together all range in age from 6-11 years, have known each other since birth and all get along really well, but we live about 30kms away from each other, so our visits are never frequent enough. The kids immediately scurried off to begin playing and the moms hunkered down in the kitchen to drink some much-needed caffeine. We shared stories of the summer as small boys dressed as superheroes/ninja’s crept by us under the table, styrofoam nerf pellets soared past the kitchen door, and teeny, tiny pocket doll outfits pleaded for our mom-hands to help them get even tinier dresses on over the disproportionately large doll heads interrupted us sporadically, but for the most part, the playdate was fairly quiet and relaxing for all of us. We ate some lunch, and the kids went outside to paint some rocks. The moms wandered into the living room (which, incidentally, is a designated no-toy room in my house -every other room in the house ends up hosting toys at some point, but I try to keep one oasis in the house), and we were enjoying the quiet beauty of a tidy room when the 2 big girls walked in looking for us. They had finished their rock painting and didn’t know what to do next, and being 11 meant that they were kind of interested in what we grownups were talking about, so they quietly slid into the living room and sat down with us. Then the boys came in too, because they heard that the girls were in there, and before we knew it, all 5 kids were in the living room looking at us moms.

So, usually I implore my kids to go play and leave the adults alone during playdates, but suddenly a spontaneous game of Froggy Murder started (Froggy Murder is a circle game where one person is a silent “murderer” who looks at the other people in the circle and surreptitiously sticks his tongue out at them to “kill” them. Another person standing in the middle of the circle is the “detective” who tries to watch and guess who is murdering the other frogs. You might remember another version of this game called “Wink Murder”). My son loves these circle games he learned to play at school, but which never work at home because there’s usually only 4 of us. But 5 kids & 2 adults can totally play circle Froggy Murder, and we ended up remembering a few more games of the same ilk. We were playing together for over an hour before it became time for them to go home. The guessing games were definitely an unexpected highlight on a dull, cloudy day. Both myself and my Very Inspiring Friend enjoyed the game-playing, and we realized that our kids are reaching a lovely stage in their lives -able to play with their friends without much interference or refereeing, and also super fun to play with all together as a family of all ages.

Given that I’ve dedicated this summer to thinking up good old fashioned activities to occupy our days and nights for a less-structured summer, I honestly don’t think it would have occurred to me to try that kind of game-playing otherwise, so I’m glad a spontaneous froggy murder suggestion came out and got us started. I guess just being open to unscheduled fun allowed for it to unfold that way. My Very Inspiring Friend continues to inspire me, and I’ll be adding that to my summer bucket list under “Cloudy Day Activities”.

What games do you play as a family? Did you play together while you were growing up?

Pick a Sign (but not just any sign)

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I often get asked, “What signs should I teach my baby?”

Easy beginner words like MILK, MORE, ALL DONE, MOMMY, and DADDY are an easy start, but some parents aren’t sure what signs to pick next. Don’t worry, there are endless ways to incorporate American Sign Language into your daily lives, and choosing your first round of signs is easy!

I find a two-fold approach in choosing signs is always successful: some for you and some for baby. In other words, pick some signs that are routine-based, and also pick some signs that reflect what your baby is interested in. Remember, sign language is the bridge between communicating with your pre-verbal baby until they can speak, so pick signs that help name what’s happening in your day (routines) as well as what your baby wants to talk about (the fun stuff).

So signs like DIAPER, EAT, BATH, BED, UP, etc, are great choices for describing what’s happening or about to happen –everyone loves to know what’s happening next, even babies. Spend time talking about and naming what you’re doing, and your babies will soon learn your natural routines and feel calmer and more included in the daily schedule. I’ve always said, “Happy baby, happy family” (sigh), and I still believe that’s true.

And also pay attention to what your baby is telling you! Do they love a particular TOY or object in a BOOK you always have around? Do they giggle when they see DOGS outside on your strolls? Do they tap at the FISH tank in your house? Do they stare at certain colours, toys, anything? Then name it! Sign it! Discuss it! This is your chance to connect deeply with your babies because they will know you are noticing something they want to tell you, and you are responding. Bam! That’s communicating! You are an awesome parent and an outstanding communicator.

My daughter, Ella, noticed BIRDS while we were on neighbourhood strolls. I, of course, did not notice BIRDS; I was staring straight ahead, viciously sleep-deprived most days and barely picking up my own feet, but my baby was mesmerized by birds in the trees. She was always watching them flit around above us and listening to them chirp away. I hadn’t really noticed how much Ella loved watching birds until I saw her craning her neck to still face the trees after I had turned the stroller around to head home from the park.

I finally realized she was pointing at the birds and I had a mini-AHA! moment. I promptly taught her the sign for BIRD and started talking about those birds: “Hey, I see all the BIRDS! Look at the BIRDS! How many BIRDS do you see?” Her response was almost feverish, and a truly triumphant look came upon her face. She knew I knew what she wanted to talk about! And so began a massive daily dialogue about birds: birds in the trees, birds up high, birds down low, birds by the pond, birds in books, birds chirping outside every morning. I could visibly see how much she wanted to tell me about the birds, and it was fantastic. I’m guessing your baby will be feverish about something around you, too. Keep an eye out, and you’ll find your next sign.

Successful early communication with babies involves some mindful decisions about what to say, but it’s not tricky. Think about the words that will help you name your daily routines, and also be very aware of what your baby is interested in. These words will quickly become your arsenal of vocabulary to work on. It will build naturally as your baby grows, and as you make more routines and do more activities together. Always say the words aloud to your baby as you sign them, and repeat often to maintain context.

Oh, and please allow me to introduce you to our family’s new pet bird, Lucky!
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Lucky was rescued from a nearby alleyway by friends who couldn’t keep her. Both my kids are thrilled that we adopted a bird, but it’s especially cool to pull a favourite word from my daughter’s first roster of signs into her life as a big kid.

What does your baby want to talk to you about?

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To sign BIRD in American Sign Language, tap your index finger to your thumb a few times, like the beak of a bird.

Mid-Summer Bucket List (Weighing In)

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Okay, I have to admit it. It’s no longer the beginning of summer, but, indeed, the middle. Smack dab in the middle. So it’s time to look at the summer bucket list my family made at the beginning of summer and take stock. Creating and using a family bucket list has been truly changing. It’s added some good, helpful structure to our days while avoiding over-planning, of which I had been guilty. Last summer, I could add up the days on one hand that we stayed local and did unstructured, unplanned things. And I could also tell you, it kind of sucked always driving to booked locations, back & forth-ing to summer camps, hauling equipment and packing backpacks. I don’t remember having a ton of spontaneous fun, and more importantly, neither do my kids. So I got inspired, changed things up, and refocused this summer’s activities.

Here’s an updated list of what we’ve already done & crossed off:

• Watch a movie in the backyard (on blankets!)
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• Paint rocks
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• Jump in a lake
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• Make s’mores over a campfire
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• Go on a day hike
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• Roll down a grassy hill
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• “Fish” off the back deck
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• Make a lemonade stand
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• Learn how to skip rocks
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• Wade barefoot in a cold creek & build some dams & bridges
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• Bury ourselves in sand
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• Plan a beach party with friends
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• Join the public library’s summer reading club
• Have friends over for a summer sleepover
• Have a water fight in the back yard -sponges, shooters, & a bin of water
• Make homemade backyard relay games (the kids are in the backyard doing wheel-barrow races through a homemade obstacle course with the neighbours’ kids as I type this!)

Here’s what we haven’t done yet:
• Wake up and watch a sunrise
• Make a meal only from ingredients gathered at the farmer’s market
• Look up at the stars laying on blankets
• Write our names with sparklers
• Fly a kite
• Bake some treats & have an (iced) tea party
• Go to an outdoor movie
• Visit some local tourist attractions we never usually have time for
• Try a new sport
• Ride different local transit -the Seabus, skytrain, Aquabus etc
• Bike around the seawall
• Make homemade popsicles
• Make a summer photo slide show
• Paint our faces, and arms, and legs
• Play showercap shaving cream cheesies tossing game and other silly games
• Paint each other’s toenails
• Play the cloud game on the grass
• Blow bubbles in the bathtub
• Explore 3 new playgrounds or parks, make obstacle courses
• Watch a sunset together

Granted, I think the “Still To-Do” list may be longer than the “Done” list, but my initial goal of identifying simple but often-forgotten fun things to do together has already been met only half-way through the summer.

So, to me, from here on out, the rest is gravy!

Stay tuned…

What simple, local, or spontaneous things are you doing this summer?
(There’s still lots of time!)

Beach Blanket Birthday Party

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My family and I are ticking off quite a few items on our summer bucket list, and it’s incredible how the list has really made this summer unfold differently than our normally busy, scheduled summers. I’m loving the “unplanned-ness” of our days and spending time doing activities that focus on good old fashioned, local, natural, spontaneous fun.

And in that spirit, late last week I put the call out to nearby friends to meet at the beach for a dinner picnic. It’s a week of birthday celebrations: I’m celebrating not only 10 years of teaching my baby sign language classes, but also my actual birthday -2 great excuses to get together, play in the sand, relax, and have cake!

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The turnout was great -luckily quite a few people were still lurking around the city on a sunny July weekend and could immobilize their troops at the last minute. The kids ranged from almost 2 years old to late-teens. We all met at a local beach and set up blankets and beach chairs, soaking up the late afternoon sun. Yes, my poor beach umbrella is on its last legs, but it still managed to provide some welcome shade from the intense heat (recognize that blanket?).

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Everyone packed their own dinner picnic, so no one had to prepare any big dishes to share, just their own meal. I brought our family’s dinner, a bucket of cut up watermelon, a sheet cake from the grocery store, and that was it!

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The kids played soccer, batted at tennis balls and built sand castles; the older kids kept watch on the younger ones while the adults chatted and shared stories of their summers so far. This was exactly how I remembered growing up -gathering people, eating food, and playing together with no schedule at all.

At one point, as I sat on my blanket and looked all around me, I took note of everyone relaxing and enjoying each other, and felt so incredibly happy to be surrounded by loving friends and family this summer. I’m not an experienced party-thrower, but I’m realizing this summer that a little bit of effort and mindful UN-planning can yield a lot of joy. (And nope, I did not wear a skirt to this party!)

Want to try it? You don’t need a lot of notice or fancy plans, just send a quick email out and see what happens…

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No Skirt, No Service

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I woke up this morning realizing that exactly 10 years ago today, I had taught my first baby sign language class at Cambie Community Centre. My daughter was just a year old and I had been creating a curriculum to teach my own baby sign language classes, which would allow me to make my own schedule instead of returning to my previous full-time job designing & teaching kids’ recreation programs.

You should know that I am one of those people who likes to plan, prepare, and practice when I teach. I have shelves full of binders and folders of my teaching notes. For this new venture I had written up everything I was going to say, every sign I was going to teach, every song I was going to sing during the hour-long class, and even some anecdotes to share. I had 11 pages of notes and 10 flashcards. I was ready.

Because it was the middle of July, the temperature outside was soaring, and despite wearing a lightweight summer dress and the room’s air conditioning roaring, I was in a full sweat by the time I’d set up the floor mats for us to sit on. Well, perhaps I was a bit nervous, too! I ducked into the bathroom quickly before class started and spritzed some water on my face, patted at myself with some paper towel. I attempted to remain calm but my heart was racing as I walked back to the class.

Soon, mommies pushing strollers and carrying babies started to amble into the room and I directed them to sit down with me on the mats. There were 14 of us sitting in a circle, nervously chatting about the age of our babies and how hot it was outside, waiting for the instructor to begin. Oh, wait, that’s me!

Two things suddenly occurred to me at that moment: one, that the light-weight summer dress I had carefully chosen to appear polished but casual and approachable, while also to stay cool, was indeed the exact wrong thing to wear. It is not easy to sit cross-legged on the floor in a dress so I sat up and folded my knees under me; two, where exactly were my flashcards and notes? Uh, flashcards? Notes? Do you mean the ones I had left in the bathroom? Okay. I’m hooped and my knees hurt.

Never mind, carry on, Lee Ann! I managed to launch into some warm up songs and taught some signs and answered questions about how sign language works and will sign language deter baby’s verbal speech, all while my legs fell asleep. I told the story of how my daughter first signed EAT. We were having so much fun playing, singing and signing! The babies were bouncing and the mommies were giggling. I didn’t notice that the tingling in my legs had stopped altogether, but I knew I couldn’t actually move them so I stayed in that folded up position.

At the end of the hour, we reviewed the new signs and I threw in a few extra action songs to fill the last couple of minutes. I couldn’t stand up to say goodbye as my legs were completely cramped and stuck under my body, and I probably looked a little silly sitting there waving as everyone packed up and left the room. But the smile on my face was ear to ear. I did it! And it was super fun! I love my new job.

10 years later, I still apply a few things I had learned in that first class:

  • Don’t use flashcards and notes -just follow the class handouts & improvise.
  • Don’t ever wear a skirt or dress teaching on the floor, no matter how hot it is.
  • One hour is too long for parents & babies to sit, too (45 minutes is way better).
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff!

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Photos by Signing Babies mom, Susanne, of Bubblegum Photography

Why I Do What I Do

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To me, so much of the beauty of early communication with your baby is about ending the constant guessing games and being able to act on what you know -because they can tell you! As humans we all just want to be understood. And how beautiful is an exchange between you and your (non-verbal) baby where you know exactly what they want and can act on that expressed need? That’s what made me passionate about sign language. That’s why I started teaching classes to new families.

Many people ask me why I started teaching baby sign language. I always answer that it came from a personal passion for sign language, which is absolutely true. But, honestly? It was also kind of a fluke. I had worked with kids of all abilities when I taught preschool before having my own kids, but I’d never heard of sign language for babies until I became a parent myself. One of my best friends who was bravely blazing the trail of parenthood a few years ahead of me suggested looking into baby sign language as a fun activity to do while on maternity leave. So I looked it up and found a class and I tried it. The class got me out of the house, I met some other new parents, and it was fun. I learned quite a few signs, and for many months it remained a fun, light-hearted activity within my long days and nights as a new parent. Until the morning my daughter signed EAT.

At the age of 10 months, my daughter noticed a piece of pasta underneath our kitchen table. She pointed at the pasta, looked at me and signed EAT, and then dove under the table to go eat it! I was ecstatic to see her very first sign, clear as day. We celebrated and I started clapping and cheering, “Yes, EAT! EAT!”, even though I was a teensy bit appalled because I realized that noodle was from last night’s dinner. Oh well. I still considered it an outstanding victory in parenthood after months of not really knowing what the heck I was doing most of the time.

Her first sign was a day I’ll never, ever forget.

We signed and said EAT at every meal– “Okay, let’s go in the kitchen and get your breakfast, time to EAT!” or “Mmm, mommy has some apples, let’s EAT!”. Mealtime happened many times a day, every day, so there was lots of repetition, and I would also sign it when I was eating, even if she wasn’t joining me.  EAT was a natural first sign because I had practiced it with her a lot, and boy, was it nice to know what she wanted! Once she was able to sign EAT, it meant she could tell me when she was hungry or just wanted to talk about food. Prior to that, she and I could only play guessing games, which often ended in tears for one of us (and sometimes both of us). But all of a sudden, well before she could say the words for EAT, or MILK, or HUNGRY, she could sign them. WOW.

Sign language is the bridge between what our babies can tell us with their bodies before what they can tell us with their mouths.

I started teaching sign language classes because I became so passionate about what sign language can do for both babies and parents –the possibilities are endless. I still use sign language with my big kids everyday. My background in creating and teaching preschool programs allowed me to build a curriculum based on what I had learned in my first sign language class and also incorporate my own personal experience as a parent forging a path of greater communication with my family.

And so, my love for sign language really started as a very personal story of the pull I felt as a new mom who couldn’t stand not knowing what my baby wanted and why she cried. And my classes became what they are today –my passion. I’m so thankful I get to share this passion with you.

HATS (not) Optional

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HAT in ASL www.growingsigns.com

I love hats!

In summer, I know wearing a hat is the best way to protect myself from overheating, sun exposure, and glare. Same goes for winter, but for warmth and keeping dry (hats also really help on days when my hair could use some extra TLC but there’s no time to give it any).  But my family hasn’t always shared my same enthusiasm for wearing hats.

My first baby was born in early springtime, and by June, the rays of summer came hot & heavy upon us as we strolled and took in summer fun around town. Besides always using the stroller’s built-in sun shade, I remember popping lots of cute bonnets and brimmed hats into my diaper bag for her. By August, as she got older & more dextrous, I remember lots of cute bonnets and brimmed hats being tossed out of the stroller -she did NOT like wearing a hat.

Every time she’d pop her hat off, I’d pop it back on and sign HAT. Every day, over and over. Sometimes I’d try really roomy hats that I’d hope she wouldn’t feel being stealthily put on her from behind…no good. But I kept trying. HAT. We wear our HAT. Mommy’s putting on her HAT. Here’s your HAT.

The following summer when she was one, I found myself repeating HAT a lot: Let’s put on our HAT! Even though she was talking, I’d realized that it really helped to use signs along with my verbal words for commands or, shall we say, emphatic statements. One day, after weeks and weeks of relentless hat tossing (why do babies never tire of some things?) and HAT signing (well, I’m pretty stubborn too), I was almost blown off my own feet. As we were leaving the house for our daily jaunt, the sunlight almost blinded us through the open door: “Mommy, I need HAT!” Wait, what? She was reminding me!

Now, I keep hats for all of us by the front door and back-ups in the car. My kids know wearing their hat is part of being outside, and thankfully, you can find cool-looking kids’ hats everywhere now. Luckily my son has been more amenable from a young age to wearing a hat and doesn’t fight me on it (there’s other battles, don’t worry).

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Yesterday, our family strolled down Fourth Avenue in the blazing sun and took in the annual Khatsahlano Street Party music festival, all in our straw hats.

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Don’t give up if your baby resists your efforts to wear a HAT. Try signing HAT every time you see hats, wear hats, pick up hats, put on hats. As I’ve realized is true with all parenting efforts, including teaching signs: consistency and repetition are key. And it helps if you wear a hat, too!

How to Sign HAT in American Sign Language

The American Sign Language sign for HAT is tapping at the top of your head with a flat hand to indicate where a hat is worn.

Sugar Rush

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I have active kids –as newborns neither of them ever sat placidly in their bucket seats while my husband and I enjoyed a quiet dinner in a restaurant. Or while we sat anywhere in public, actually.  I’ve gotten used to their activeness and my kids have grown into lovely, lively small folk, but I have realized that sugar in any format is a surefire way to turn them into dizzying, whirling dervishes. Processed sugar in pre-made snacks and treats is the absolute worst for them, so we tend to avoid candy altogether.

But now that they are both of school age, I realized that it’s fairly unavoidable to control all of their sugar intake myself, and depriving them of sugar and candy could potentially lead them to have issues with sweets. Instead I’ve worked on teaching them how to spot brightly-coloured toxic culprits disguised as goodness, and how to make decisions on their own intake of sugar. But, I’ve also made more allowances…

Like today –Slurpee Day! Once a year, the convenience store 7-11 has a “celebration” which corresponds with the date of July 11th – and slurpees are free for all day. I remember walking to 7-11 as a child and putting a mish-mash of flavours like root beer and cream soda into those paper cups, and I decided that this is a good enough reason to let my kids have some slushy memories too! Every July 11th, in the height of summer, we harken the doorway of 7-11 to have our one free slurpee. Then we go to the biggest, most cumbersome playground I can find so my whirling dervishes can go nuts.

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Blankets on the Grass

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photo(1)[9]My husband and kids & I sat around the table for lunch about a month ago on a rainy June day and talked about what we wanted to do this summer when the skies finally turned blue and the days were long. Before that, during a quick mommy getaway, I had had an aha! moment realizing it was time for our little family to start having more simple, local adventures and natural world discoveries this summer, not scheduled skills camps.

When I was growing up, we didn’t go to daycamp or bike camp or even swimming lessons. Summer was free-play with a capital “F” –hot days spent running through sprinklers, or building forts in the backyard, and playing massive games of hide-and-seek with the neighbourhood kids for hours after dinner.

My kids needed some of THAT!  So it was time to make a summer bucket list to identify and write down some things we had often forgotten to UN-schedule in the summer, like laying on the grass to watch clouds or stopping to pick berries at the side of the road. But also some local fun around town while we had time to explore our city’s forests and beaches with the rest of the world.

Here’s our family’s list we starting compiling that rainy day, and we are still adding items now that summer has started –that’s the spontaneous part! Today we made this big blanket & pillow nest in the backyard as the sun was high in the sky and enjoyed it until the bugs came out this evening. Every list has to start somewhere…

  • Wake up and watch a sunrise
  • Watch a movie in the backyard (on blankets!)
  • Make a meal only from ingredients gathered at the farmer’s market
  • Look up at the stars laying on blankets
  • Write our names with sparklers
  • Paint rocks & leave them in an unexpected place for someone to find
  • Fly a kite
  • Bake some treats & have an (iced) tea party
  • Go to an outdoor movie
  • Have a sleepover with friends
  • Pick berries, eat berries, pick more berries!
  • Wade barefoot in a cold creek
  • Visit some local tourist attractions we never usually have time for
  • Try a new sport
  • Jump in a lake
  • Ride different local transit -the Seabus, skytrain, Aquabus etc
  • Hike in Lynn Canyon
  • Join the public library’s summer reading club
  • Bike around the seawall
  • Make homemade popsicles
  • Make a summer photo slide show
  • Paint our faces, and arms, and legs
  • Play showercap shaving cream cheesies tossing game and other silly games
  • Make creative s’mores over a campfire
  • Make homemade backyard relay games
  • Paint each other’s toenails
  • Have friends over for a summer sleepover
  • Play the cloud game on the grass
  • Blow bubbles in the bathtub
  • Explore 3 new playgrounds or parks, make obstacle courses
  • Have a waterfight in the back yard -sponges, shooters, & a bin of water
  • Roll down a grassy hill
  • Plan a beach party with our friends
  • Watch a sunset together

I’ll keep posting more items as we add and tick them off the list. What’s on your summer bucket list?