101 Days of Summer Fun

With Memorial Day weekend only a couple of days away, it was time to plan the summer and the activities we hope to do.

After looking at weekly themes on Pinterest, I decided on the following schedule for our family:

Monday - Make Something Monday. This can be something we build, a craft project, or a new recipe we try.

Tuesday - Take a Trip Tuesday. This is the day that we will go to a park, take a hike, see a movie, or go on an outing.

Wednesday - Wet and Wild Wednesday. We'll be going swimming, doing something water-related in the backyard, or heading to a water park on these days.

Thursday - Thoughtful Thursday. Thursdays will be days to try science experiments, volunteer, or visit the library.

Friday - Fabulously Fun Friday. We'll be doing something we found on Pinterest that interests us.

Saturday and Sunday. These are free days. We can do whatever we want...and it doesn't have to fit into a theme.

This is a tentative schedule dependent on weather and our energy levels. We may see something different than we had planned and do that instead. But at least this is a starting point.

MAY

Day 1 - Saturday, May 24 - Go to the St. Paul Farmers Market. Go to St. Croix State Park in the afternoon with the dogs.

Day 2 - Sunday, May 25 - Immigrant for a Day at Gammelgarden Museum

Day 3 - Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day - Make a silverware holder for a backyard picnic.

Day 4 - Tuesday, May 27 - Take a short hike and have a picnic at Big Marine Park.

Day 5 - Wednesday, May 28 - Go to Lake Alice at William O'Brien State Park.

Day 6 - Thursday, May 29 - Do the Mentos Soda Pop Drop. 

Day 7 - Friday, May 30 - Make an apple-printed canvas tote bag for visits to the farmers markets.

Day 8 - Saturday, May 31 - Go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market in the early morning.  Go to the Canine Carnival at the Wildlife Science Center OR Discover Aviation Day at Blaine Airport mid-day to the afternoon.

JUNE

Day 9 - Sunday, June 1- Get a trampoline. Go to Fort Snelling State Park.

Day 10 - Monday, June 2 - Make beef and broccoli over rice.

Day 11 - Tuesday, June 3 - Go to French Regional Park and have a picnic with grandmother.

Day 12 - Wednesday, June 4 - Make a backyard water garden.

Day 13 - Thursday, June 5 - Do a science-related 4-H project for the County Fair next month.

Day 14 - Friday, June 6 - Make some of the candy and treats for the Candyland project for the 4-H County Fair theme project. Go to the Chisago City Farmers Market. 

Day 15 - Saturday, June 7 - Rhubarb Days in Osceola, Wisconsin. 

Day 16 - Sunday, June 8 - Celebrate Whitsun by making a snack.

Day 17 - Monday, June 9 - Finger print art.

Day 18 - Tuesday, June 10 - Como Park Zoo. Go to the Forest Lake Farmers Market. 

Day 19 - Wednesday, June 11 - Make a sprinkler using PVC pile that has been drilled with holes and put into a square shape.

Day 20 - Thursday, June 12 - Make a fairy garden.

Day 21 - Friday, June 13 - Make a dog agility chute.

Day 22 - Saturday, June 14 - Go to the Mill City Farmers Market with a Backyard Beekeeping focus.

Day 23 - Sunday, June 15 - Wannigan Days in Taylors Falls.

Day 24 - Monday, June 16 - York fudge peppermint patty cookies.

Day 25 - Tuesday, June 17 - Pick strawberries and/or go to Abdallah Chocolate Candies in Burnsville for a tour.

Day 26 - Wednesday, June 18 - Play some water games in the backyard. Go to the Scandia Farmers Market for an ice cream social. (Ice Cream stamp)

Day 27 - Thursday, June 19 - Learn about Canada and do some Canadian activities.

Day 28 - Friday, June 20 - Make a tin can grill and then make lunch on it.

Day 29 - Saturday, June 21 - Summer Solstice - make a sun cake. Go to the Afton Strawberry Festival and Afton State Park. Visit Marine Log Cabin on the way back home. (Ice Cream stamp)

Day 30 - Sunday, June 22 - Create a backyard beach.

Day 31 - Monday, June 23 - Make a vertical garden with succulents.

Day 32 - Tuesday, June 24 - Go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market, Walker Art Center, and Midtown Global Market. Make midsummer strawberry meringue layer cake.

Day 33 - Wednesday, June 25 - Go swimming. Go to the Lindstrom Farmers Market on the way home.

Day 34 - Thursday, June 26 - Make a density column and multi-color rose.

Day 35 - Friday, June 27 - Make a pool noodle obstacle course.

Day 36 - Saturday, June 28 - Go to Art Soup in Elk River (a community festival) OR Pet-a-Palooza at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. There's a community band concert at William O'Brien State Park in the evening.

Day 37 - Sunday, June 29 - My birthday. Had thought of going to Harkin Store in New Ulm (one of the Minnesota History Center sites) for the Afternoon of Leisure event. However, with a puppy that may change what is possible.

Day 38 - Monday, June 30 - Sophia's half-birthday. Make a half-birthday cake, half-plates, and so forth.

JULY

Day 39 - Tuesday, July 1 - Go to the Bell Museum.

Day 40 - Wednesday, July 2 - Hook up the hose to 20 liter bottles with holes. Go to Wild River State Park.

Day 41 - Thursday, July 3 - Make a biodome. 

Day 42 - Friday, July 4 - Make fireworks cookies with Pop Rocks. 

Day 43 - Saturday, July 5 - Go to the Stillwater Farmers Market, and then head over to the Gibbs Museum and James J. Hill House in the later morning.

Day 44 - Sunday, July 6 - Fly a kite.

Day 45 - Monday, July 7 - Do a backyard rope bridge.

Day 46 - Tuesday, July 8 - Pick blueberries. Also do the Christmas Crafting in July class. Leave for Grand Marais. Stop at Jay Cooke State Park on the way to see the suspension bridge.

Day 47 - Wednesday, July 9 - Go on a day-long horseback ride on trails along the Gunflint Trail. Experiment with essential oils and mosquito repellent that day. Go kayaking after that.

Day 48 - Thursday, July 10 - Go zip lining. Also go kayaking and motor boating on Gunflint Lake.

Day 49 - Friday, July 11 - Go on a shorter horseback ride along the Gunflint Trail. Go on an afternoon sailing trip for about 1 1/4 hours. Drive to Silver Bay and go swimming and enjoy the indoor water park. Make a rock mandala in the evening.

Day 50 - Saturday, July 12 - Go rock climbing at Tettegouche State Park in the morning. Go sea kayaking on Lake Superior in the afternoon at Split Rock Lighthouse. See Enger Tower in Duluth. Go swimming in the evening.

Day 51 - Sunday, July 13 - Go to Hay Lake Museum and Erickson House (Ice Cream Stamp). Also make homemade pizza.

Day 52 - Monday, July 14 - Make molasses horse treats.

Day 53 - Tuesday, July 15 - Go to the Minnesota State Capitol and see the LEGO version of the Capitol building made with 75,000 bricks.

Day 54 - Wednesday, July 16 - Bring 4-H projects to the County Fair. Use cooling mists to handle the heat.

Day 55 - Thursday, July 17 - Make a fruit solar system. Go to the Hugo Farmers Market.

Day 56 - Friday, July 18 - Celebrate Olivia's half-birthday. Make a tarp throwing game and a natural play area outdoors.

Day 57 - Saturday, July 19 - Visit Stone House Museum. (Ice Cream stamp). Do archery at William O'Brien State Park.

Day 58 - Sunday, July 20 - Pick up projects at the County Fair.

Day 59 - Monday, July 21 - Make Olive Garden salad dressing.

Day 60 - Tuesday, July 22 - Go to Mill City Museum.

Day 61 - Wednesday, July 23 - Make a water pinata. Go to the Scandia Farmers Market.

Day 62 - Thursday, July 24 - Go to the book club for Children of Green Knowe and learn about/make a topiary and have an English tea. "Travel" to Mexico to learn about the food and culture in the afternoon.

Day 63 - Friday, July 25 - Make an insect hotel.

Day 64 - Saturday, July 26 - Go to the Marine on St. Croix Farmers Market. Make an ice cream sundae with sea salted caramel.

Day 65 - Sunday, July 27 - Play a game of lawn bowling.

Day 66 - Monday, July 28 - Make glow-in-the-dark bubbles.

Day 67 - Tuesday, July 29 - Bring open class projects to the County Fair.

Day 68 - Wednesday, July 30 - Go to the County Fair and see how we did. To cool down in the afternoon, put a tarp under the slide and put a sprinkler on it.

Day 69 - Thursday, July 31 - Experiment with solar cooking and see what's the quickest method.

AUGUST

Day 70 - Friday, August 1 - Go to the White Bear Lake Farmers Market. Celebrate Lammas by making bread and using local honey.

Day 71 - Saturday, August 2 - Go to the Alexander Ramsey House and do the "Time Capsule for Kids" program.

Day 72 - Sunday, August 3 - Do chalk games on the tar.

Day 73 - Monday, August 4 - Make flower fruit bites.

Day 74 - Tuesday, August 5 - Go to the Bakken Museum. In the afternoon go to the Marine Mill and get the Ice Cream stamp int the library.

Day 75 - Wednesday, August 6 - Go to the aquatic park in St. Louis Park.

Day 76 - Thursday, August 7 - Do the exploding craft stick reaction.

Day 77 - Friday, August 8 - Make a toss game with cans.

Day 78 - Saturday, August 9 - Go to the St. Paul Farmers Market (for major canning/food preservation items). Go to a drive in movie.

Day 79 - Sunday, August 10 - Do active hopscotch.

Day 80 - Monday, August 11 - Make a biosphere.

Day 81 - Tuesday, August 12 - Go to the Minnesota History Center.

Day 82 - Wednesday, August 13 - Go to the water park at Wild Mountain.

Day 83 - Thursday, August 14 - Do the book club for Dragon of the Lost Sea at Gammelgarden in the morning. In the afternoon, learn about Iceland - the food and culture.

Day 84 - Friday, August 15 - Go to the Chisago City Farmers Market. Make strawberry lemonade.

Day 85 - Saturday, August 16 - Go to the Oliver Kelly Farm and do The Useful Art of Pickling activity. Go to Spelmanstamma at Gammelgarden in the afternoon.

Day 86 - Sunday, August 17 - Make a pie.

Day 87 - Monday, August 18 - Make taco pizza.

Day 88 - Tuesday, August 19 - Go to Love Tree Farm in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, for Pizza Beyond the Pond.

Day 89 - Wednesday, August 20 - Go to Bunker Beach Water Park in the morning and the Scandia Farmers Market in the evening.

Day 90 - Thursday, August 21 - Go geocaching.

Day 91 - Friday, August 22 - Play the glow in the dark ring toss.

Day 92 - Saturday, August 23 - Make homemade bagels.

Day 93 - Sunday, August 24 - Go to the Woodbury Farmers Market. Do a random act of kindness.

Day 94 - Monday, August 25 - Sew some geometry cards.

Day 95 - Tuesday, August 26 - Go to the Forest Lake Farmers Market and/or go camping in a camper cabin.

Day 96 - Wednesday, August 27 - Play a game of growing wet sponges at a bulls eye.

Day 97 - Thursday, August 28 - Experiment with ways to cook on a rocket stove.

Day 98 - Friday, August 29 - Make an ice cream sandwich cake.

Day 99 - Saturday, August 30 - Go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market. Make crescent roll taco dinner.

Day 100 - Sunday, August 31 - Go to Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area during the day; and have a family board game at night.

SEPTEMBER

Day 101 - Monday, September 1 - Make peach cheesecake ice cream.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Throughout the summer, I'd like to pick fruit at The Berry Patch (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), Covered Bridge (blueberries), Natura Farms (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and grapes), and Pleasant Valley Apple Orchard (strawberries and apples).