Summertime and the livin’ is easy? I think summer should be different for a kid than the school year is. A time when kids can try different things, explore, and just be a kid. Camping, hiking, free play. Summer can be a great break from organized leagues, formal practices, and scheduled routines.

Trying different games and activities with your kids—especially if you’re a coach or active sports parent—allows them to see you in a new setting and may help them gain another perspective on the value and meaning of play.

Posted by Doug Donaldson at 01:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Summer is great because the kids step out of the organized leagues and get to have a bit more goofy fun…lots of bike riding, body surfing and swimming in the lake and ocean, surfing, and skimboarding.

Also ladderball, which I guess is more of a game like horseshoes than an actual sport. Who know?—Let’s hear from you horseshoe pros and ladderball aficionados.

Posted by Doug Donaldson at 02:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The family is in Maine this week; we’ve got a place on a lake near my parents. I’m bringing up an old windsurfer that’s about 14 feet long, so I’m excited about showing everyone how it’s done (!).

After we’ll be in the ocean-side town of Ocean Grove, NJ. The main sport for Jack and me will be surfing. I found this old beat-up board a few years back that I got repaired for him. Six feet long, with a single fin. Jack loves it.

He’s also a pretty good skimboarder. Watching him do that is hilarious because he puts on this “I’m cool” face as he’s whizzing by people in the surf.

Doug

Posted by Doug Donaldson at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)