outdoor activities

Sidewalk chalk is one of those playtime staples that offer endless amounts of entertainment without requiring anything fancy. One bucket will do the trick and lead to several opportunities for fun and learning. All you need are a concrete space, a wild imagination, and a hose (or mother nature) for cleanup. Here are five ways to have fun with sidewalk chalk today!

1. Play games: Introduce your kids to classic playground games by drawing them! Hopscotch, four-square (not the app), and snail are easy to draw and will keep the kiddos playing for hours. You can even challenge them to create their own game and develop their own rules.
2. Draw a city: If you have a large driveway, let the kids take over by creating their own city. Draw streets and encourage them to incorporate their favorite restaurants and shops. Then, when all is said and done (if they aren't exhausted), have them ride their bikes through their pretend city.
3. Create a mural: Your kids will get a thrill out of using the driveway to create a giant work of art. This is especially fun around a holiday to bring a festive spirit outdoors.
4. Make chalk buddies: If you don't mind a little mess, allow the kids to trace each other with chalk. They can then fill in their outlines creating a mini me or their own life-size chalk buddy.
5. Use as a teaching tool: Use chalk to help them learn. Make large shapes, write the alphabet, or practice arithmetic. Designate a specific color chalk to highlight corrections.

It's hot, hot, hot, which sometimes makes it hard to find fun and cool things to do with your tot. Beat the heat with this seriously easy and fun activity. Make some popsicles the day before you know things are heating up, and you're ready for a Summer painting adventure. Along with getting creative, your lil one will test his taste buds too. This is the perfect project to do in swimsuits, and papers can be placed in the driveway or on a picnic table outside to cut down on the mess. Just be prepared to hose down your lil tyke when finished!

Keep reading for the fun and easy-to-follow instructions!

Move over Lady Gaga, there's a new game in town that's changing the way kids say your name! In an age where bans on traditional recess games like tag and dodgeball are becoming more prevalent (seemingly due to the violent nature of the games), new sports are gaining a tot following, and they're gaining traction — fast!

Ga-ga — a fast-paced, Israeli game that has been called "a safe version of dodgeball" — is popping up on playgrounds and Summer camps everywhere. Using a soft foam ball, kids try to hit their opponents below the knees (this is where it becomes safer than dodgeball) while the opponents run, jump, and dodge around an enclosed ring, called a pit. Once a player is hit, she's out. As time passes, additional balls are thrown into the pit to speed up the game, ensuring no game lasts longer than five minutes, and allowing kids to jump back in the ring and start a new round.

Though previously reserved for the playground, New York City is about to see the opening of the city's first dedicated Ga-ga play-site. The Gaga Center will offer 50-minute classes after school every day for $620 per semester.

Have your kids been bitten by the Ga-ga bug yet?

Source: GAGABALLPITS.COM

Try as you might to avoid its shiny and oily leaves, the blistery rash caused by contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac can linger. One of the most common rashes for outdoorsy adults and children can be treated with a common ingredient found in your kitchen cabinet. Baking soda baths and pastes are home remedies endorsed by the American Academy of Dermatology to reduce the itch factor created by these plants.

After rinsing, not scrubbing, your skin with hot water to rinse off the oil do the following to relieve the itch. Draw a bath and add 1/2 cup of fresh baking soda (not the box that has been deodorizing your fridge) and soak for a 30 minutes. Once out of the bath, using a three to one ratio of baking soda to water, make a paste to apply to the affected area. Let the paste dry on your skin — it is believed that the baking soda pulls the caustic urushiol away from the skin, decreasing the itchiness.

If you experience a severe reaction after contact with one of these rash-producing plants, seek medical treatment. Prescription medication might be needed to reduce the swelling and itch.

If Kristen Stewart needs any help kicking her nicotine habit, she can look to her New Moon costar Nikki Reed for advice. In the last few months, Reed has given herself a bit of a lifestyle makeover, thanks in large part, as she told People, to her relationship with Greek shipping heir (and Paris Hilton ex) Paris Latsis.

Reed and Latsis have officially been out as a couple since Summer, which was the perfect time for Latsis to introduce Reed to all the outdoor sports he loves. The pair spent the season hiking, windsurfing, and water skiing, and as a result, Reed says, the pounds started dropping.

Besides having tons of fun, Reed was so inspired by her boyfriend's love of the outdoors that she became motivated to get into better shape. First things first, she quit smoking. Now Reed hits the gym for two hours a day and says that being active has made her "much happier."

Last week I shared with you some ways that your relationship might be making you fat, but keep in mind that as with Reed, relationships can have positive effects on health. I personally am healthier now that I'm with a partner who likes being active as much as I do. He and I love riding bikes, climbing, and going on long hikes together. Do any of you credit your relationship for making you healthier?