Riot and Frolic

In case some of you thought it was all rainbows and fairies and cupcakes around here, I thought you needed to know about this week's theme : Picnics.

Despite an unbelievable haul from the library, Picnic Week has mainly been a bust because, as you Minnesotans know, it's monsoon season here.  

Two picnics (including an excursion to the St. Paul Saints berm) have been cancelled due to inclement weather.  Boo.  Hiss.

While the food was still great last night (Thug Kitchen's Butternut Squash Queso(ish) Dip! surprisingly cheese-like! way delicious!), it was time for a rain-check craft.  We had a cool t-shirt designing kit that I had been saving for just an occasion.

Despite multiple efforts and techniques used, our t-shirts were a big FAIL and everyone ended the night crying into a bowl of M&Ms (except me! well, I didn't have the crying part, I DID have the M&M part).  

Here's the theme week breakdown for the summer, if you'd like to follow along (you can check out my Pinterest board for theme weeks if you're looking for more projects):

Picnic Week

• um, picnics?
• geocaching
• books (to be listed shortly)

Rubber Band Week

• geoboard
• exploding a watermelon with rubber bands

Butterfly Week

• visit a butterfly garden
• watch Flight of the Butterflies
• books 
• make butterfly pasta

Red, White, and Blue Week

• pick strawberries
• fireworks
• make pinwheels

Rain Week 

• make a rain gauge
• that crazy shaving cream and food coloring rain cloud 
• make a raindrop suncatcher

Color Week

• make rock candy!
• make paper spinners
• rainbow smoothies
• paint on wet glue
• Sharpie and rubbing alcohol t-shirts

Star Week

• visit the planetarium
• watch Star Wars
• constellation flashlights

Nature Week

• scavenger hunt
• nature walk bracelets
• visit the Forest History Center

Boat Week

• make boats out of egg cartons
• … origami
• … twigs
• … corks
• see the Tall Ship Festival

Flower Week

• make paper flowers
• make bubble paint hydrangeas
• make rainbow roses

Heat Week

• play with a giant ice cube
• make paper fans
• make ice cream
• visit a splash pad

Hope you're enjoying your summer!