Greene Acres Hobby Farm: Summer Two of the Traveling Book Boxes

When last summer was just around the corner, I began thinking about the long 3 months ahead of us, and the Texas heat. My son's can get a little bored without the constant stimulation of school, and it is hard to go outside in the peak heat of the day. I figured my friends might need some boredom busters too, so I dreamed up the summer of the traveling book boxes. It reminds me of the concept of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Have you read the story or seen the movie? It is precious.

My plan was to create multiple themed book boxes with books, games, activities, crafts, and entertainment ideas. We would trade out every 2-3 weeks and get a new box for our kiddos. I tried to make them light at first, so I could ship them back and forth. Then I realized everyone was truly close enough, that we could just drop them off.

I sent out an email to see who might be interested in my crazy plan. I received four positive replies back and I began creating my book boxes. This being the second summer, it appears that everyone is in on the idea again. This year I am going to solicit some help from some of the other moms to hopefully make a book box each.

The first one I created this summer is themed Frogs!

I sent a printed sheet with this picture and a listing of the contents and activities.

Frog Book Box Contents

· Frog Incentive Chart with star stickers. Place a sticker on the chart as you read each frog book. When all ten books have been read, reward your child with one of the Frog blowouts.

· Frog stuffed animal. Please pick a frog to keep. Let your child name their frog and bring them along on their frog reading adventures.

· Too Many Frogs by Sandy Asher

· The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog (please take one of these books and keep it for your child’s collection.)

· Froggy Loves Books (please take one of these books and keep it for your child’s collection)

· The Teeny Weeny Tadpole by Sheridan Cain

· National Geographic Kids Frogs!

· The Day the Frogs Came to Lunch by Suzanne Weyn

· Let’s Go Froggy! by Jonathan London

· Froggy Goes to Camp by Jonathon London

· From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer

· Frog in the Kitchen Sink

· Game: Frog Leap Pad Launcher. Remove the small plastic frogs from the bag. Place one in the large bottle cap top on the launcher. Set out the plates as lily pads. Now launch away and try to get your frog back to its lily pad.

(Launcher made from a piece of 2x4, clothespin glued on top, tongue depressor glued on the clothespin, and a bottle cap on the end of the tongue depressor. Launch away!)

Game: Frog Jump and Measure. Make a starting line with chalk on the sidewalk. Jump like a frog and measure with a tape measure how far you made it. Leave your little frog stuffed animal as a marker. Keep trying and see if you can out jump the other "frogs" in your family.

· Craft: Frog Foam Activity Kit

· Have fun! Make sure everything on this list is returned to the book box for the next child.

· Let me know when you have worn out your book box and we will trade. I am hoping to trade about every 3 weeks and just meet up with you. Thanks! Michelle

In case you missed the box boxes last year...here they are...