Summertime

I know summertime is for fun in the sun and a break from school but I'm always worried about all that learning that they lose over these two months.  I would love to say I'm that parent who has her children working on math problems and other educating stuff all summer but that's not reality.  Far from it.  Ryland is open to the idea (more so at the beginning of summer) but Darcy is completely against anything that even hints and educating her in the tiniest amount.  I'm faced with "It's summer and I'm not doing any homework in the summer!  There's no school in summer!!" 

Really, I can't blame her, but at the same time I hate the idea that their return to school in the Fall will begin with re-learning concepts they were taught last year.  Honestly, I would really be all for year round schooling.  I understand that breaks are needed but two months seems extreme. I don't think that we're doing our children any favours.  Real world doesn't grant you two months vacation, at least not in my real world.  Wouldn't it make more sense to have smaller more frequent breaks throughout a full 12 month school year?  Just my opinion... Guess it would cost a lot to have all the schools outfitted with air conditioning and I can't imagine there are too many teachers out there promoting this idea...

Anyway, I digress...

This summer in an attempt to make sure the children's heads don't turn to mush over the summer, I'm happy to report that they've done really well on the museum front.

Caelan and Daddy visited the Aviation and Space Museum.  They had a blast checking out all the planes and were lucky enough to watch a helicopter taking off when they first arrived.  I'm glad they went because although we've taken the girls a couple times, the planes just don't seem to excite them like they do Caelan.

Caelan and Daddy have also been to the Museum of Science and Technology a couple times, once with Gramma and Grampa along.  There are so many wonderful exhibits for children at this museum but of course Caelan is all about the trains!

Another afternoon was spent at the Canadian Agriculture Museum with Gramma and Grampa, Daddy and all the kids.  It sounded like they had lots of fun seeing the horses, cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens and even managed to pet a few...  They also watched ice cream be made and were able to give it a taste.

Next up was the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum where they got to travel back in time and experience rural life in the 1920's and 1930's.   Caelan of course enjoyed playing in the train and seeing the animals.  There were horses, cows, sheep, pigs and turkeys to see.  They visited an old school house where Darcy sat in the corner with the Dunce Cap on.  Sounded like a good time.

They were hoping to maybe get to The Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum this past week but time just went too fast.  We'll have to put it on the Bucket list for next year!!