Encourage your kids to be physically active today!

Today’s guest post comes to us from Lisa Griffin from SameDayPapers.com, and she writes on the topic of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. With today’s ease of access to technology, iPads, Kindles and other tablets, it is easy for us as parents to hand them to our child and let them entertain themselves while we prepare dinner or just while we are relaxing and winding down from the day. However, too much time on those sorts of devices or too much time indoors, for that matter, are not a good thing. In this article, Lisa offers up some great ways to introduce your child to physical activities that they will come to enjoy throughout their lifetimes. In fact, my kids are often on their devices too much right now and this article couldn’t have come at a better time for me and my family.

Thank you for the great guest post article, Lisa.

Enjoy.
– Will

8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active

If you want your child to develop healthily, physical activity is necessary. Like other useful habits, the habit of working out is best formed from early childhood. We offer you eight ideas on how to motivate kids to exercise and spend more time outdoors. These recommendations are suitable for kids from three years-old to adulthood.

1. Limit the use of devices

First in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is limiting time on devices. Even if your kid really likes to spend time watching the cartoons, playing phone or video games, this pastime should be limited. For example, you can set the time that they are allowed to spend in front of the screen, and the time when they should do something else, for example, take a walk in the fresh air.

2. Take time for active rest

Today, many children are overwhelmed with various tasks: homework, extracurricular activities, English lessons. Because of all these extra-duties, it’s easy to forget how important physical activity is. Therefore, allocate at least one hour a day and devote this time for the child’s stroll, run or play in the fresh air. On weekends, you can spend more time on physical training.

3. Buy toys for outdoor activities

Next in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is when buying toys, think of outdoor play when selecting your toys to purchase. If your mind is occupied with how to encourage children to exercise, try to buy your child not only toys that can be played at home, but also those that are designed for activity in the fresh air. On the one hand, the child would be interested in trying a new toy, and on the other, it would be an extra reason to spend more time outside. It is important for the kid that the parents spend time with him or her. Walk in the evenings. In the warmer seasons and on weekends, spend more time in the fresh air. Play football or volleyball together. You will show the child a good personal example, and secondly, you’ll spend more time with him or her. By the way, if your kid does not succeed, your support will be useful and encouraging for him or her.

4. Domestic help is also physical exercise

If the kid wants to help you clean the house, let him or her do it. Of course, not all tasks can be assigned to a small assistant. At the same time, cleaning is also one of many physical activities for kids at home. Cleaning the house or helping out in the garden, or even washing dishes is something that little assistants do well. In addition, in this way, from an early age, you can introduce your child to domestic duties that are essential to daily life and is one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. Not all activities need to have play at the center of the activity, but cleaning the house can have playful elements as a part of it. For instance, a race to see who can sweep or dust the fastest can always be fun.

5. Praise the child

And, do it not only for the result but for trying. Even if your kid does not do everything how it should be done, praise him or her. Even if, helping around the house, the helper has littered more, than cleaned – praise him or her. If you are willing to get any proactive behavior from the kid (in sports or help in the garden), praise him for any action and their initiative to help as one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active.

6. Plan an active vacation or weekend

Next among our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is getting outdoors as a family on weekends or during personal time off (PTO) for a family vacation. In Summer and other warm seasons, arrange excursions into nature. And if hiking with an overnight stay in the tent is not suitable for everyone, then travel by the whole family to the river or the forest is not difficult at all. Your child will rejuvenate to a greater degree outdoors than at home in front of the computer or iPad, and he will have more energy to play sports. Further, he or she will come to appreciate the outdoors and find a love for outdoor activities when the entire family takes part in these kinds of activities.

7. Find a fun activity

Next and an important part of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active list is to choose a sport that suits your youngster by age. Such that the kid can enjoy the activity. It can be swimming, team sports,gymnastics or even riding a bike. If necessary, consult a pediatrician – he or shee will help you choose what the child needs at their given age at that time as an age-appropriate activity. Although, it’s important in physical activity that is not be too much and overwhelming or too exerting and demanding on your child’s physical abilities. If your kid is tired and has absolutely no desire to take a walk, let him or her stay at home. If your kid does not participate in a team sport, it may be worthwhile to take a break for a while or choose another type of physical activity. After all, the health and well-being of your child are the most important.

8. Be a role model

Most of all, children take cues and learn from their parents and when developing healthy habits, it is no different. Therefore, if you are willing to motivate your kids to exercise and be physically active, be a personal example. If you do exercises every day, do not doubt that your child will do the same. If you walk a lot in the fresh air and get pleasure from it, keep staying healthy and do not doubt that your child will also love walks.

We hope you find this this list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active inspiring and adopt some of them for your own family. If you could add anything to this list, what would you add to our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active? Leave us a comment below.

About the Guest Post Author

Lisa Griffin is a physical therapist and a freelance writer at SameDayPapers.com. She is entrepreneurial, energetic and enthusiastic, loves and knows the business of physical therapy, and is an avid runner and exerciser.

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Get the scoop on traveling on vacation with kids

Today’s paid guest post comes to us from Kiley Morrow, a content strategy writer from Beaches.com, and she shares the pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Kiley writes about some of the great benefits from spending time with your kids and creating treasured memories, but she also sheds light on some of the things that might not be the most fun, like dealing with excess baggage and bored kids. Overall, Kiley covers a wide array of pros and cons you should consider when thinking about vacationing with your children.

What are some of your stories while vacationing with your kids? We’d love to know. Share your comments with us below.

Thanks for the great article, Kiley!

Enjoy.
– Will

Pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation

Traveling with your entire family is incredibly fun, but things can get a bit stressful sometimes. And when you add kids to that equation, some parents will feel dread, while others will be excited about all the activities they can do together.

Yes, it is challenging and you have to multitask throughout the day, but making good memories your kids will fondly remember is more important. Being well prepared and knowing all the difficulties you might face is crucial.

So here is everything you need to know before you pack up your bags and head out for a vacation with your kids.

Pros of taking your kids on vacation

Spending quality time with your kids

First, in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation is spending time with your kids. Being a parent is a full-time position. You have to take a proper care of your kids and you sometimes forget to actually have fun with your youngsters.

If you are a working parent, you might feel even more disconnected from your kids. This can change during a vacation because you will have plenty of time to hang out with them and try different activities that will bring you closer.

You will be away from your work during the vacation so focusing on your family and kids will be easier. Forget about the deadlines or work related stress and live in the moment. Your primary goal should be reconnecting with your kids and making the trip unforgettable for everyone.

A new experience

Taking your kids on family vacations means that they will get to experience plenty of things for the first time. Their enthusiasm when you get to a beach will make you enjoy that place even if you have been there countless times.

Sign them up for interesting mini adventures, such as seeing the local animal world or tours of the local area. Simply sit back and watch their faces light up when they see something new to them. Soak in the excitement and you will get to experience these things from a whole new perspective

Learning opportunities

Kids are very curious and they are eager to learn new things and taking your kids with you on vacation is no exception and is next in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Traveling will allow them to absorb information quickly because the environment is completely different from a standard classroom. So if you are traveling to a country that has a lot of historical sights, make sure you take them there.

You can do a bit of preparation and act as a tour guide. Your kids will become better students and probably learn some other practical skills which will be useful later on. So make sure you include some interesting quests during each family vacation.

Treasured memories

Some of our most cherished family memories are closely related to travel and is one of the top positives in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Many unforgettable moments happen while you are exploring the world. You can probably recall a couple of them right now. So if you want your kids to experience similar things, do your best to travel as much as possible as a family.

You will often mention the adventures from your vacations even after you come back home and they will stay with you forever. Continue the tradition and your kids will do the same once they have their own families.

Cons of taking your kids on vacation

Unsatisfied kids

Sometimes your kids might not like a certain place and they could feel bored. The chances are they will start complaining and asking to leave even if it is not possible. Different weather conditions might have an influence on their mood and the heat can make them feel agitated.

There are plenty of solutions to this problem such as handing them an iPad and letting them play video games or watch a cartoon. You also have to listen to their needs and make sure to include engaging activities into your daily schedule.

The price

Going on a vacation as a couple is more affordable than traveling with kids and is definitely something we won’t forget to mention among our negatives in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation. Taking your whole family out of the country will definitely cost you more. You can either accept this or try to find a more affordable version which will be more budget-friendly.

For instance, try to find an early bird or last-minute offers on trusted discount websites. There are some great offers that are ideal for families. All-inclusive vacations are a good idea because the price includes unlimited foods and drinks, as well as other activities within a resort which can be something your kids will enjoy.

If you do go all-inclusive, just remember there’s family-friendly resorts and adults-only resorts. Look at the marketing materials and pick one that works for kids and adults. You don’t want to be staying in the honeymoon suite with your kids.

Excess luggage

Traveling with kids often includes additional luggage and you might feel overwhelmed and this is among those in our list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation.

They do require more space because they would want to pack toys, games, etc. Plus, there are piles of clothes, gadgets, baby equipment, and so on. You need to know what to expect. After all, there is a huge difference between a stay at an all-inclusive resort and a camping trip. The latter will require much more baggage.

The best thing you can do is to try not to over pack. Be smart with your decisions and limit the number of clothes, especially if you are traveling to a warm place. Allow a couple of toys for each kid and bring only the necessary equipment. Your kids will probably forget that they have no toys because there will be so many new things to do on your family vacation.

So, what do you think of this list of pros and cons of taking your kids on vacation? Do you have something to add? Something that you completely agree with? What is your experience while vacationing with kids? Please share with us by leaving a comment below.

About the Guest Post Author

Kiley Morrow is a content strategy writer from Wilmington, Delaware for Beaches.com who submitted this paid guest post submission.

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For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Enjoy this infographic shared with us by Nature Rated and get outdoors with your kids, today

Today’s guest post comes to us from Joe Black of NatureRated.com, and he shared this great list of 15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature infogrphic. Joe speaks about the health benefits of taking 90 minute or longer walks and what it can do to help alleviate stress, anxiety and much more. He discusses that screen time for kids can have lasting negative affects where spending time in nature can inhibit those effects and he would love to see children inspired to climb a tree or build a fort and I happen to agree with that wish.

I too, would love to see children outside more often, not forced outside because mom or dad scheduled a playdate, but truly because they want to be outside. It starts with you, mom and dad, let’s show our kids how nature is something to enjoy and pursue activities that make us all get up and get outside.

We’re delighted that we are able to share this great infographic below with you from Nature Rated, and we are also happy that we were able to share it with you with a couple weeks left of official Summer to get out and enjoy it. We hope you get inspired by some of these 15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature infographic a little more each day.

Besides, with numerous lakes, trails and Lake Tahoe less than 30 minutes to an hour away, why not? It’s in our own backyard. The Northern Nevada region is perfect for a family-fun adventure. Get out an enjoy the outdoors, today!

Enjoy.
– Will

15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature

What are your kids doing this Summer? For many of us Summer time with the kids is a time to enjoy the outdoors, the sunshine and, if you’re lucky, the ocean.

As much as kids love Summer holidays, keeping them busy can be a real chore! If you don’t have the luxury of a Summer camp, then it’s up to you, as parent, to find things for the youngsters to keep busy with.

Failing that, your kids might spend all their time in front of a computer, tablet, cell phone or other screen and research has shown that spending too much time in front of a screen can have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of children.

On the other side of this discussion, studies have shown that taking part in nature-based activities helps people who are suffering from mental ill-health and can contribute to a reduction in levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. In fact, a daily walk in nature has showed decreased activity in a region of the brain associated with a key factor in depression.

One in four people are estimated to experience bouts of mental illness and it’s on the rise. Doctor prescribed medication of antidepressants are also at a record high level and the demand for more invasive treatments are also on the rise. Health and social care commissioners are examining and commissioning different options for cost effective services for mental health and one of these options is a daily walk of 90 minutes or more. We need to learn from the past when kids got excited to spend their time climbing trees and building forts rather than spending hours inside, and in particular glued to a screen.

Joe at Nature Rated understands this all too well and has put together an infographic on 15 Summer activities to help your kids appreciate nature.

From baking a blackberry pie to constructing a pond or insect hotel, there’s plenty for the youngsters to get up to. Head on over to his site for step by step instructions to get your kids out and about enjoying nature.

Video Credit: Tahoe in a Day | Summer at Lake Tahoe – 4K from Peyton Z Peltier on Vimeo.

About the Guest Post Author

An outdoor enthusiast, Joe Black is the lead editor at Nature Rated; a website which rates and reviews the best outdoor gear for people who quickly want to know what to get. He believes in no fluff, to the point reviews, which help you choose the right gear for your next adventure.

Whenever daily life gets him down he heads to the nearest lake or river with his kayak and camera spending time recharging his batteries.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Building a small garden in your backyard isn’t as hard as you might think

Today’s guest post comes to us from Ann Katelyn of SumoGardener.com, and she writes about building a small garden in your backyard. She covers everything from soil preparation, seeds, choosing an optimal location and much more.

One of our first posts on Windy Pinwheel was about building a raised garden bed in your backyard, so this one strikes us very near and dear to our hearts.

Thanks for the great post about building a small garden in your backyard, Ann.

Enjoy.
– Will

Tips to Build Beautiful Small Gardens Quickly

Are you thinking of building a small garden in your backyard? Did you know that it is possible? If you are one of the many people considering building a small garden in your backyard, then knowing the tips to building beautiful small gardens quickly is essential, for you to be able to start planting your seeds and growing them immediately.

Having your garden, no matter how small or big it is, is fun because you get to grow the plants that you like. It ‘d be good to look out the window and see how beautiful your backyard is with all the colorful flowers that you have. No matter how small or big your yard is, you will surely be able to get the garden that you want for yourself to build your own personal oasis of relaxation when you look out into your yard.

Here are the tips to build a beautiful small gardens quickly:

1. Think of the type of garden you want
   The first thing that you need when building a small garden in your backyard is to decide about the kind of garden that you want for yourself. You can opt to have a garden that is full of vegetables, or you can also choose to have flowers in your garden. Of course, if you prefer to have both then you should know that it is necessary for you to divide your garden into two parts, for you to be able to have an area to plant your vegetables and flowers.
   

   

2. Choosing an area in your backyard
   The next thing that you need to do is to select an area in your yard where you want to start growing. It is important to choose an area where the soil is rich and one that can easily drain. You need to avoid areas in your backyard where the water is taking too long to drain, as this only means that plants will have a hard time growing since the soil is clay or too soggy.

   Now, if you don’t have good soil in your backyard then creating raised beds will do. Raised beds, like this one on Amazon will also allow you to grow vegetables and flowers and are usually built on the top part of the soil so you can control the quality of your soil that you are using.

3. Start Designing the Small Garden
   Since you only need a small garden, this means that you don’t have to use your entire backyard when building a small garden in your backyard. You need to create your garden depending on the plants that you are going to grow as it will usually dictate the amount of space you need. For instance, if you are growing vegetables, you need to make sure that you will be able to harvest them once they fully ripen.

   For flower gardens, on the other hand, it would be best to choose flower colors that will look great together and fit perfectly. You may also choose to create a pattern out of the flowers that you are planning to grow. Of course, don’t expect them to bloom all at once, especially if you plant different types of flower seeds. So, plan for that when building a small garden in your backyard that focuses on flowers.

   

4. Preparing the grden supplies
   Now you can start preparing the garden supplies that you need when building a small garden in your backyard. Of course, this includes the gardening soil, seeds, topsoil, soil fertilizer, compost, soil tilling stuff, spade, shovel, garden hose, and fencing materials if needed. You will need all these things to prepare the garden for the planting, which is why it is necessary to get them before you even start planting the seeds that you have in mind.
   
5. Preparing the soil in Your garden
   The soil tiller should be used to break the garden soil that you have. It would be best to work the ground to up to 12 inches in depth. You also need to make sure that the ground is loose and don’t have clumps that are large. Any solid objects that you see should be separated from the soil that you want to be prepared for planting and fertilizing. Using soil mix or mulch are quick ways for planting in garden beds.
6. Start planting your chosen seeds
   

   

   Now that you have prepared your small garden, it would be the best start digging holes using the spade. Always make sure that the holes are an inch apart from each other and as deep as possible.

7. Fertilize the soil as needed
   Applying fertilizer will depend on the plants that you have planted in your garden. You can check the packaging of the seeds and learn whether or not it needs to be fertilized more often. The reason behind this is because there are plants that require a lot of fertilizers, while there are some that don’t require too much.
8. Watering your garden well
   

   

   Of course, for your plants to be able to grow well, you need to water your garden generously. Some people prefer watering by a sprinkler since a sprinkler will ensure that you will be watering every part of your garden.

We hope you find these helpful when building a small garden in your backyard beautifully and quickly, so you can instantly start planting the vegetables and flowers that you want when creating the backyard oasis of your dreams.

About the Guest Post Author

Ann Katelyn is the owner of SumoGardener.com. She has dedicated most of her life to a passion for gardening. It is the subject she enjoys the most. Since then, she is committed to developing her website to be the best guidance when it comes to taking care of flowers and plants. She is seeking to become an expert on plants found in desert areas, tropics and even in Mediterranean climates. On her site, you can expect to find information about gardening, the best tools and materials to use and even information about the seasons and weather conditions.

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The way the game is meant to be played, on a Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole game set, showing off your school spirit

Show off your team spirit with this officially licensed, regulation-sized, tournament grade Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole game set! Grab your corn-filled bags and toss ’em with Nevada Wolf Pack pride during any tailgate, barbecue (BBQ) or family event at home or at a park or even while camping. If you don’t know about the game of Cornhole, it is a game similar to horseshoes where you take a bag filled with dried corn kernels and toss them at an opposing team’s game board. The game board has a single hole that aim the corn-filled bag at and try to get it to go through the hole. Each bag through the game board hole equals a point. The first team or individual to 21 points wins the game. Learn more about how to play the game of Cornhole at CornholeHowTo.com.

With this game set you get two choice quality wooden Nevada Wolf Pack Cornhole boards with folding legs, a complete best matching colors bag set (8 bags), and a FREE string pack to carry the bags (A $10 value!).

This Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole game set is in a position to play, right out of the box! No assembly required. We ship via ground service and fully insure against loss or damage.

These Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole boards are constructed with quality and use of 1/2″ cabinet grade plywood. Not the cheap stuff many other dealers use. 24″x 48″ with the 6″ hole centered 9 inches from the top and 12 inches from each side. The Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole play surface is framed with sturdy 2×4 boards and folding legs for portability. The back measures 12″ off the ground and the front measures 4″ off the ground.

Our standard bags are made of quality Duck Cloth canvas material measuring 6″x 6″ and weighing between 15-16 ounces filled with whole corn kernels, not sand. This is the regulation that every serious cornhole player uses.

Standard Features

• Quality 1/2″ Plywood Tops – Smooth finish, excellent playability.
• This isn’t like the plywood you buy at the local hardware store!
• Standard plywood tends to warp, may have voids, knots, and so on.
• Top Choice Finish Grade 2x4s – Superior to the basic framing boards others use.
• Finished with clear gloss sealant for protection.
• Strong pocket hole joint construction.
• Perfect 6″ holes. No jigsaws here!
• No visible screw holes or spackle on any painted surface.
• Strong, foldable 2×4 leg construction with carriage bolts and wing nuts
• Our legs may not snap in half when your friend or kids by chance stand on our boards!
• No tripping over our legs! Our legs do not fold back at the back of the board.
• We paint the sides and legs and touch up our boards!
• We touch up the joints, bleed, and so on. to give our boards a quality finished look.

The Details

• Officially Licensed Collegiate Product Nevada Wolf Pack cornhole game set
• ACA Regulation Size 24″ x 48″
• Tournament Grade Construction
• Includes Bag Set & Folding Legs
• Fully Assembled & Made in the United States

You. Me. Camping. Let’s get outside and do something you’ll remember this Summer and don’t forget to bring these free Summer time camping printable love notes with you for your kids.

Some of the best memories my husband has from when he was a kid was when he was outdoors and campaing. Well, with Summer time comes the time for campfires and s’mores. Are you ready to build lifelong memories with your children?

Start by printing these free downloadable camping printable love notes to share with your little ones to share with them during your summer outdoor experience.

What do you think? Do these camping printable love notes work for you? Which one is your favorite? Let us know by posting a comment below.

We hope this summer brings the most joy through a camping experience

Like or share to download these free summer time camping-themed printable love notes.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Kidgits Club “Dino Days” at Meadowood Mall on Saturday, July 19, 2014 at 11:00AM.

This Saturday, July 19, 2014 at 11:00AM until 12:00PM Meadowood Mall will host an event through Simon Mall’s Kidgit Club®. The event is called, “Dino Days”.

There will be many prehistoric activities:

• crafts
• Coloring
• Games
• A dino photo opportunity
• Pin the head on the dinosaur
• Decorate your own car sun visor
• Reassemble your own set of Dino bones
• Loads of Dinosaur coloring and activity sheets
• And a prize “Summer Fun Package” giveaway drawing that includes:
  • 4 sand pails
  • 4 sand shovels
  • 2 sand castle molds
  • And 2 sand sifters

Additionally, your kids can spin the wheel to select their choice of Dino Mask!

Come on out and enjoy the fun!

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July is here and the heat of the summer marches on. Here are some fun activities to inspire your summer.

Well, July is here and this Friday is July 4th… Independence Day. For us, here at Windy Pinwheel, the first half of the year really flew by. With the heat of the Summer in full swing, we thought we would share some great ideas for fun Summer activities found throughout the internet… well mostly Pinterest of some things to do this July 4th and beyond.

July 4th in Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe, Nevada

First, we would like you to take a look bring some previous articles that we published last year around this time discussing the many things there are to do in the area on the July 4th Independence Day holiday, here and if you’re interested in a day trip to Lake Tahoe, please take a look at our write-up about where to go from a local’s perspective.

A summer treat

Have you ever had a root beer float? How about a root beer float popsicle? Well, now you can make your own. Find out how at Raining Hot Coupons.

I’m finished swimming, where can I hang and dry my swimsuit?

With Summer comes the unavoidable time for swimming, spalshing, and water play. So, where do you dry your swimsuit? Have no fear, this DIY project will set your mind at ease and bring a decorative element to your towel rack for all things swim and water-related. Learn how to make this craft at A Turtle’s Life for Me.

July 4th activities

• Over at Sophie’s World find out about some adventurous ways to have a fourth of July picnic.
• What Rose Knows shares with us how to create a beautiful patriotic-themed basket for hosting any dining experience during the fourth.
• I Love to Create brings back the 70’s the American way with their version of a DIY tie-dye red, white and blue shirt.

We hope these activies and other ideas inspire you this summer to keep cool and have a wonderful Independence Day holiday.

What’s your favorite article we shared with you in this post? Share by leaving a comment below.

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

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Get some relief from the hot Summer sun with these places to keep cool in Northern Nevada and the Sierras this summer.

When it comes to hot Summer days, Reno, Sparks and Lake Tahoe are not short on places to cool down. Whether it’s a local pool, a “sprayground” or a water park, you’ll definitely find something to do with your kids to help take the edge off the heat for you and your family.

You don’t need the be near an ocean to beat the heat. In Northern Nevada and the Sierras there are several lakes, rivers, and streams to keep cool if you’re interested in taking your family to the great outdoors. Even though we’re technically in a desert, water is out there, IF you know how to find it.

Reno/Sparks/Truckee Meadows area

There are several free options as well several paid options to choose from to cool down this Summer. Since a lot of families are on a shoestring budget, let’s start with the free activities and move into paid options.

Century Theaters in Sparks

This location is perfect for the parent on the go. If your children do not know how to swim, this is a great place for a nice cool down and keep cool. Water shoots from the ground in various bursts and your kids can go running and play amidst the shower of spraying water to keep cool. This is one of my favorites that the Reno/Sparks area has to offer.

Lazy 5 Regional Park

One of the things that I enjoyed while living in Alexandria, Virginia was a heavy emphasis on civic projects that the public can enjoy. One of those projects that my family enjoyed while we lived there is the Our Special Harbor sprayground located in the Family Recreation Area at Lee District Park in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Reno has come close to the magnificence of Our Special Harbor as a way to keep cool with Lazy 5 Regional Park. Because I live in the South end of Reno, I have yet to take my kids to this location. However, the reviews on yelp suggest it’s a wonderful place to take my kids to play in the water on a scorching hot day.

Joel T. of Reno, Nevada says on Yelp,

“Never have I seen my boys just turn off their brains and run away from me, arms flailing into the water.  Reminded me of a cat chasing after a laser pointer.

They were super tired afterwards and they took a long nap.  Any place that can do that for me will get 5 stars.”

Lazy 5 Regional Park is located on Pyramid Highway on the north end of town. Be careful, and please note that the park closes at 5:00 PM daily.

The Outlets at Legends in Sparks, Nevada

The Outlets at Legends is a great location to take your children for some water fun to keep cool. There are many fountains located throughout this shopping area. One in particular, in the center, has free-flowing water that children can play in. If you’re out and shopping, this might be a great place to take your young children. If they promise to behave during your shopping experience, they just might be able to play in the water. Or you can come just because of the water feature. Either way, your child is sure to have some fun here at this location in Sparks, Nevada.

Tracy S. of Reno, Nevada writes on Yelp,

“What I really love about this place, though, is the public art.  Legends is crammed full of terrific installations, all of which represent the history of Northern Nevada…very, very cool.  It’s really worth coming here just to wander around and take a look.  Toddler particularly loved the central fountain.  Other more prepared parents actually had their kids out there in swimsuits and water shoes; it really is a lot of fun for kids.”

Wild Island Family Adventure Park

Wild Island is located in Sparks and is a long-standing Reno/Sparks summer tradition on how to cool off. With many water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool and a place for young children, you can’t go wrong with a visit to this location to keep cool. That’s not all. There is also a bowling alley on the property called Coconut Bowl and a go-cart track, when you’re done with the water play. This is a family-fun destination in Sparks, if you’re willing to pay to play for the day.

Your local municipal pool

There are many local municipal pools in the area where your children can get some refreshment from the sun’s intense rays to keep cool. Be sure to take a look at the Reno and Sparks city websites for a listing of pools that you can visit. They may come at a cost, so please be sure to research before you show up with swimming trunks/bathing suit on and no money. Oh yeah, as my grandfather used to shout, “no peeing in the pool!”

Tip

Many pools often are frequented by ice cream trucks throughout the day, so be prepared for a nice afternoon treat if you’re into that sort of thing by having some cash on hand to pay for ice cream for you and your children.

A Parental Note of Caution

Anywhere where there is water, it is always slippery. Make sure that your kids don’t run too fast or they might fall and hurt themselves. Also, hot days equal high UV rays from the sun. Please be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen to any outdoor location to keep your children from getting a sunburn.

As Jimmeny Cricket, a Walt Disney cartoon would say, “I’m no fool. No sir-ee. I’m going to live to one-hundred and three. You play it safe for you and me, ’cause I’m no fool.”

Lakes and Rivers

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a wonderful getaway for the day. In fact we have a whole post dedicated to it. North Shore, South Shore, East and West all have great venues for Lake Tahoe “water babies” to play in the water and cool down and keep cool during any hot day.

Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake is located about a 30-45 minutes drive North of Sparks, Nevada. Surrounded by desert, this oasis is a great place to camp as well as cool down and keep cool. It’s a great place for fishing, boating, and swimming. However, be careful, there are various undercurrents and drop-offs very close to shore where people have mysteriously drowned in this Lake contributing to rumors and myths surrounding the lake’s reputation. I myself, have swam in this Lake, and can testify that it is not too dangerous. However there is a slight risk, just be careful and keep an eye on your children that they don’t swim out to far and keep cool by the shore.

Truckee River

The Truckee River runs right through the middle of Reno and Sparks. There are several parks dotted along its path in it’s great for fishing as well as swimming to keep cool. Additionally, it makes for great day of tubing down the river as well. There are several companies actually market tubing and you can rent a tube to float on down the river. A nice relaxing day for anyone looking to get away in the middle of town.

Other Rivers and Streams

Of course, this post cannot encapsulate every single body of water where you can keep cool that’s out there, but these are just a few to get you started in your search for quick cool down. There’s Lohantan Reservoir, the Walker River and Lake, Carson River (there are reports of Mercury in the water as a vestige of a bygone era of mining in Virginia City where they used mercury on the metals harvested from mines in the area, so please enjoy at your own risk), Topaz Lake and even Mono Lake if you find yourself outside of Reno or Tahoe.

We hope you find this information useful for you to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors and dip your toes some cool water to keep cool. With that high heat of mid-Summer upon us we hope this helps you find a quick getaway for you and your family.

What are some your favorite places to cool down and relax?

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By sponsoring this article, your sponsorship will display for a period of 180 days (6 months). If, for any reason, and it is up to the discretion of the authors of Windy Pinwheel, we feel content linked to or the name provided does not coincide with the objectives of this site for our audience we will issue a refund and pull the sponsorship of the article. This action does not limit you from sponsoring an article on our site again. However, by sponsoring again, we will issue the same review criteria as the prior sponsorship and if it fails, we will follow the same process as before and issue a refund and pull down the sponsorship. We truly appreciate the support of our audience and hope you can help offset our costs of operating this site by sponsoring our site articles.

For all reviews, please exercise discretion. If the sponsor of the article is in conflict of the topic of the article, we will pull down the sponsorship to remove any conflict of interest with the article at-hand. For instance, there is an article about a hamburger restaurant and a competing hamburger restaurant sponsors the article; we will pull the sponsorship and issue a refund.

By clicking the button below, I agree with the Terms & Conditions.