I am not a fan of the heat. I will be honest and say that I was quite happy having the low 70’s and upper 60’s stretch into late June. Unfortunately, I think my 60 degree weather is done. We are now officially in the heat of the summer.
So what do you do when the weather gets unbearable? You do what Minna did and head for the water! Our July Get Outside Like Minna strives to give you the tools to make the most of the humid weather!
Go to the Beach!
We are so fortunate in New York State. We are the only state that has coastlines along the ocean as well as the Great Lakes! Growing up in Central NY, my favorite stomping grounds are Fair Haven State Park in Fairhaven, NY and Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville, NY. On a warm summer day my Mom and aunt would pack a cooler and load the kids into a mini van and we would spend the day on the water. I learned how to ride waves at Fair Haven Beach. At Green Lakes, I learned how to paddle a row boat quickly and efficiently so I could win row boat races. These moments were some of my favorite summer memories. If the beach is your happy place, like it is mine, here are some great places to check out this summer!
https://www.iloveny.com/blog/post/amazing-beaches-youll-only-find-in-new-york/
While I am partial to Ontario Beach (hometown for the win!) I would highly recommend Glimmerglass State Park! The camping is great there too!
Get in a Boat!
The beach is not the only way to enjoy New York State’s amazing water options! Our main character Minna spent her summer in a canoe. The great thing about canoes is that kids can catch a ride long before they can help to propel the boat.
My sister Molly and I took my daughter out in a canoe for the first time last summer. She was 5. Molly is well trained in boat safety (something everyone should be before they take a boat out on any size lake!) and so I was really confident we would be successful.
Here are my two suggestions I would like to make to help you have a successful first or next canoe trip with an excited, overly helpful child! Number one: it is really important to teach a child before they enter a canoe is that they have to remain seated at all times. Number two: Make sure your child understands they can’t reach over the side of the canoe because they could tip it over. We definitely had to reinforce this fact several times through out the trip. I would suggest demonstrating the importance of this lesson before you leave the shallow water! We definitely had to circle around to retrieve an item that inadvertently ended up in the water. But overall the trip was a success and my daughter is looking forward to this summer’s canoeing adventure!
Ready for an adventure? Check out the places listed here!
Want to learn more about Minna’s summer adventures? Reserve your copy of Blazing A Trail: The Story of Minna Anthony Common today!
If you plan an adventure and Get Outside Like Minna, I would love to hear about it in the comments below! Be sure to use the hashtag #GetOutsideLikeMinna and #GOLM on Instagram and Facebook so the Minna community can share in the summer fun!
Until next time,
Becky