IDEA #10 — CHILDREN June 3, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Uncategorized.add a comment
If the last 9 posts haven’t motivated you to get off the couch, I have one more suggestion — plan a summer of fun for some little kids. Maybe you have little brothers and sisters or cousins, or maybe your friends have younger brothers and sisters. Give them a summer they’ll remember, a summer that’s filled with “adventures.” Most of the museums, nature centers, and libraries listed in previous posts have activities and events for small children and many are free or low-cost. For a really cheap outing, take them to story-hour at the library or even just to a different park or playground. Take them to a local bookstore like Burke’s Books in Park Ridge (http://www.booksatburkes.com) or Magic Tree in Oak Park (http://www.magictreebooks.com). Even browsing books for 45 minutes or so can be a surprisingly fun trip for both you and the kids. If you have some spare cash, set a spending limit (like $5 or $10) and let them pick a book to take home. For a special day, take them down to Millenium Park (http://www.millenniumpark.org) and let them find their reflection in Cloud Gate (”The Bean”) or splash around in the Crown Fountain or run across the serpentine BP Bridge.
If you don’t have any kids handy, voluteer to work with kids at a library or church or community center. Be a coach or instructor at sports or dance camps. You might be surprised at how much fun you’ll have spending your summer planning some fun for a bunch of little kids.
I hope these 10 ideas have been helpful and have sparked some great ideas (and great experiences) of your own. Have a good summer!
IDEA #9 — JOB/VOLUNTEER/INTERNSHIP June 2, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Uncategorized.add a comment
Although it might not top your list of fun summer activities, getting a job, volunteering, or participating in internship opportunities can be a valuable experience that can help you:
- earn money,
- establish contacts,
- get experience,
- learn something new,
- get out of the house.
Try and make the best of a bad economy. Jobs may be for shorter lengths of time (a few weeks instead of the whole summer) or shorter hours each week or day, but you’ll still have a chance to earn some money. If no jobs are available, consider volunteering or an internship position. You won’t make money, but you’ll still get experience that you can add to your resume and references who will put in a good word for you when you apply for other positions or jobs.
Check these sources for jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities:
- Guidance Department here at Res,
- local neighborhood newspaper,
- job board at your local public library,
- websites of organizations or companies,
- church bulletins,
- park districts and community centers,
- nursing homes,
- day-care centers.
IDEA #8 — GOING ON VACATION June 1, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Uncategorized.add a comment
If you’re going on vacation this summer, why not read up about where you’re going? Sure, take a look at a travel guide, but also consider reading:
- about the history and geography of the area;
- descriptions of the culture, art, or music of the current or historical inhabitants;
- fiction set in that locale.
Good travel guides often have reading recommendations. You can also do a Subject Search in your library’s catalog for the places you will be visiting. Use the “Browse” option to see the list of subject subdivisions if you end up with lots of “hits” and want to narrow your list. If you’re really stuck for what to read, contact your destination’s local public library and ask the reference librarian for good books about that place. When I read fiction, it’s usually a mystery, so I like to try and find at least one that’s set in, or near, my destination. It helps makes the place come alive for me.
Another suggestion is to visit colleges and universities, either on the way to, or near, your destination. If you don’t have lots of time, just drive around the campus and surrounding area to see what it’s like. If you have more time, park and walk around campus, stop by the admission office and take a guided tour (call first), and don’t forget to go see what their library is like (tell the librarians I said, Hi). However, be warned that many colleges, especially smaller ones, can be pretty quiet during the summer. Don’t be put off by the lack of activity; it’s probably a lot more of a happenin’ place come September.
IDEA #7 — FESTIVALS June 1, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Uncategorized.add a comment
One of the great things about Chicago is that there are hundreds of interesting neighborhoods all over the city plus hundreds of suburbs, each with its own history and flavor. And most of them play host to some kind of festival or event at some point in the summer. These fests can include food, art, music, fashion, dance, crafts, or ethnic celebrations. I’ve listed a few websites to help you plan your calendar of fest-hopping.
- Explore Chicago (http://www.explorechicago.org)
- Illinois Tourism (http://www.enjoyillinois.com)
- Metromix Chicago (http://chicago.metromix.com) Mouseover “Events” on the top horizontal menu bar and then select “Browse by event type.” Choose from the list to see the events in that category.
And if you’ve got wheels or a willing driver, think about attending SummerFest in Milwaukee or one of the nearby county fairs. If you’re a city kid like me, you haven’t lived until you’ve walked through the poultry barn!
