Monday: Picnic in the Park. One
of the most enjoyable and least expensive ways to spend quality time
with your kids is to have a picnic. A picnic can offer the perfect
opportunity to relax, play games, and just hang out. Make it super
simple and pick up a bucket of chicken or sandwiches on the way to the
park. If you have a little more time to plan your picnic you can pick a
theme. Some great ideas: Teddy bear picnic for small children, a
piñata is a fun picnic game idea for kids of all ages, a
scavenger hunt or a cartwheel contest. Don’t forget to pack
blankets, gloves, bats, balls, and bubbles. My favorite Picnic Spots: RE Olds Park – Oldsmar John Chesnut Park – Palm Harbor Fort DeSoto - St. Petersburg Lake Park - Tampa Fred Howard Park - Tarpon Springs
Playing at the park
Fishin with the kids
Tuesday: Fishing. We are
surrounded by water in Tampa Bay and that means you are never far from
a great fishing spot. Spend day a day on the banks of a lake, a river
or on shore of the Gulf of Mexico fishing with the kids. Konrad Kaletsch has some great tips for fishing with your kids • Match the equipment to their skill and size - adult equipment is physically overwhelming and discouraging to a child. • Bring their favorite snacks, even if it's a bit more junk food than usual; this adds to the occasion being special. •
When they are done, call it quits. Adult stamina for fishing is much
different than a child. I've seen countless parents kill the enjoyment
of fishing for a child by pushing them to keep fishing longer than they
feel like it • Bring other kids - even better if they like to fish. • Bring your camera - nothing like a pictures on the wall of your two year old with a trout that's half his size. Great Fishing Spots: Sunshine Fishing Pier – Follow the link for a guide to fishing off the pier. http://www.pierfishingguide.com/
Wednesday Fossil Hunting. Florida
is loaded with fossils. One of the top sites in the country as a matter
of fact. Please be warned that once you start it is very hard to stop.
Shark teeth, horse teeth, whale bone fragments, armadillo plates, and
many more signs of life that was here long before us can be found on
any area beach. Every collector has their own way of finding sharks
teeth. Some of my best tips are: To find the best selection of teeth on
the beach start your hunt as the high tide recedes and the lowering
tide uncovers teeth that were washed ashore. Check areas that the tide
has piled up shells, which can hold sharks teeth and fossilized bone.
Thursday Sandcastle Building. What
is better than a day at the beach building castles in the sand? You can
spend the whole day next to sea creating family masterpieces. To
involve kids of all ages assign tasks: Preschoolers can collect broken
bits of shells for roofing material, sticks for walls and flag poles,
School ages kids love to dig motes and help with getting sand for the
mounds, older kids can help with the finishing touches adding doors,
windows and bridges. Keep in mind that it is not how perfect your
castle looks in the end but how perfect the day was spent at the beach
with your kids. My best tips are posted on at: http://tampawithkids.com/studio10/sandcastlebuilding.html Best Place to build sandcastles in Tampa Bay Caladesi Island State Park & Honeymoon Island State Park
Friday: Theme Park Fun! Sleep over at Busch Gardens!!! Celebrate with your family at a Busch Gardens sleepover! Explore the
park after dark from a thrilling roller coaster and world-class show to
a face-to-face encounter with animals from around the world. After a
full evening of adventure together, "sleep-in" at the secure on-site
dormitory, Mzinga Lodge. Looks so fun! Get all the details @ http://www.swbg-adventurecamps.com/adventure-camps/bgt/sleepover/index.htm
