Top 10 Things to Do with Your Children this Summer (without Spending Big $$$)

 

Summer days are getting warmer and our attention turns to fun & games - but that doesn't mean the learning has to stop! We've compiled a Top 10 list of free activities & events to discover with your children. These options are in Wake County, they are FREE, and they combine education with family fun! Check it out!

 

  1. Outdoor Movies
  2. RDU Observation Park
    • ​Bring a picnic & watch the planes take off and land!
    • Pro Tip: Audio speakers broadcast pilot-tower communications on the elevated platform so you can hear as well as see the planes. Viewers with audio sensitivity may want earplugs.
  3. Museums & Historic Sites
  4. Prairie Ridge Ecostation
    • ​Explore the Nature Playspace designed specifically for families and young children!
    • Pro Tip: There are two entrances to the Playspace, one down a grassy hill and one paved pathway. The site also has bathrooms with a changing station and picnic tables.
  5. Libraries
  6. Waterparks & Splashpads
  7. Fireworks
    • The 'Works, Raleigh's annual July 4th fireworks show, is moving back to the fairgrounds this year! 
    • Other Wake County towns, including Wake Forest and Holly Springs, will hold their own fireworks shows during the week of July 4th.
  8. Capital Area Greenway System
    • Wake County has 100+ miles of paved trails winding through the landscape, just waiting to be explored!
    • Pro Tip: Visit Mile 25 of the Neuse River Trail during late June or early July to catch a peek of a beautiful field of sunflowers! Park in the lot at 6090 Mial Plantation Road, and walk or bike west along the greenway about a mile to reach the field.
  9. Berry Picking & Farmers Markets
    • ​Ever picked your own berries? Many local farms have fields of fruit (think strawberries, blueberries, and grapes) that are free to pick and available to then purchase for a per-pound price.
    • Pro Tip: Each site has a different terrain and different picking options. Call or email before your visit to make sure they have the features you need and what the picking conditions are like that day.
    • If you just want to look at different fruits and vegetables that grow locally with your child, you can visit the Farmers Market - and enjoy some samples from the farmers!
  10. Stargazing
    • Anywhere you can look up at the sky at night, you can go stargazing! Local sites like Dorothea Dix Park and Jordan Lake often have guided activities, but the sky is always open and free for viewing!

 

 

World Cup 2018 Spotlight 

 

The 2018 World Cup, soccer's biggest tournament, kicks off (pun definitely intended) June 14th in Russia. What do you need to know to keep up with the action and share this experience with your child?

 

 

 

Now Recruiting for High School

Class of 2031!

 

Will your child turn 4 by August 31, 2018? Register for Pre-K now! WCSS hosts events at our office every Thursday from 2 - 4pm to walk you through the application process. One application allows your child to be considered for NC Pre-K and Head Start, which are both FREE and prepare children for Kindergarten in a high quality classroom setting.

 

Click here to print the application and for more information.

 

 

Readers' Corner

 

Featured Book: On the Ball

Written & Illustrated by: Brian Pinkney
 

Highlights: Owen loves soccer but isn't the best at playing it. After a particulary disastrous day on the field, Owen is benched. He is feeling so low that he doesn't notice the ball rolling away from him until it's too late. In his effort to get it back, he discovers that he has more skills than he realizes.

 

Best for: Pre-K, ages 3-5

 

Links: Libraries rock! Join our Summer Reading Club - we have fun events, prizes, and of course, so many books to get you through the hot days of summer!

 

Literacy Tip: Can you pounce like a tiger? Use your imagination to retell a story through actions. Playing is an important pre-literacy skill. Learn more about pre-literacy in a storytime at your local library, and check out other action books by this award-winning author/illustrator.

 

 

June's book selected by the Preschool Librarians of Wake County Public Libraries.

 

 

       

     

Wake County SmartStart 

(919) 851-9550

 

Email: eweichel@wakesmartstart.org
Website: wakesmartstart.org

To Manage Your Email Subscriptions Please Click Here.

 

WCSS is getting a new look! Visit our website on June 15th and watch social media for more!

 

Building Blocks

A newsletter about early childhood in Wake County

 

Want FREE books for your child under 5? Sign up for the Imagination Library today!

 

 

Each month we celebrate the child care facilities that have recently obtained or retained a five star rating!

 

Congratulations to:

 

Snack Time

Blueberry Banana Ice Cream

 

 

Put those fresh berries you picked from the farm or the farmers market to use!

 

This easy "nice" cream is a fun transformation of everyday fruits into a healthy frozen treat!

 

Check out recipes & more on our Pinterest Boards.

 

 

Training

 

Visit CCSA's training calendar for all upcoming events. 

 

Ready, Set, Go Transportation Safety (Supervision Series)

June 14, 6:30 - 7:30pm 

Telephone Seminar - Call In Number

To register, click here.

 

Health and Safety for Infants and Toddlers

June 18 & June 25,

6:30 - 9pm

Bambino's Play School

To register, click here

 

Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care Training

June 19 & June 21,

6:30 - 9pm

CCSA Durham

To register, click here.

 

ITS SIDS

July 10, 6:30 - 8:30pm

CCSA Durham

To register, click here.

 

 

 

Body Awareness Activities

 

As you explore your community with your children this summer, they will not only be looking and listening. They will be discovering by feeling and moving their bodies through it as well.

 

Body awareness is important to learn so children feel safe exploring and comfortable in their moving bodies!

 

Here are 10 ideas to get children moving!

 

 

 

Strolling Thunder

 

Bring your baby, your stroller, and your story to speak out for stronger families and a healthy future for our babies!

Add your voice on June 7th as we join with the NC Early Education Coalition and Moms Rising to bring Strolling Thunder to NC's state policymakers in downtown Raleigh.

 

Breakfast and welcome begins at 8:30am at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Events last until noon.

 

For more information or to RSVP, click here.