The Adventure Book

In my on-going effort to find ways to help TD burn off some energy (although, truly, a giant gerbil wheel might not even be enough), he and I started going on "adventures". We've always called every outing that, but these are special. On these, we take (dramatic music) the camera.

We go someplace cool, usually looking for something specific. When we're out looking, we're Adventurers and Explorers. Most recently we went hiking on some local trails looking for bugs. This gave TD some much needed practice in both walking slowly (for once in his young life) and being quiet (proof there are miracles). When he would spot a bug, he'd point to it, and I would crouch down and line up the shot. He dictates when I push the button, when it's a good picture.

When we get home, we upload his pictures to the Walgreens web site, mostly cuz I love that we can choose to have them printed at the one closest to us, they email me when they're done a mere two hours later, and we go pick them up. Ie: no shipping! Yay!

Then, we paste the pictures in his Adventure Book. He gets to use the glue stick -and- place the photos and pat them til they stick.



No, it's not the prettiest job, but it's all his and he's very proud of it.

So, for this very simple project, you really only need 3 things: A book to use for adventure pictures, a camera, and an enthusiastic child...take mine! JK.

Don't get hung up on the "adventure" part; you can make -anything- an adventure, even just touring around the basement looking for cracks in the walls or flowers and bugs in the back yard. One of our upcoming adventures involves sandcastles in the sandbox outback.

What really matters is the time you're spending with your kid, the fact that you are practicing relaxing and stepping back and letting them be in charge, the joy and pride you'll see in them as they find what they're looking for, take the photos, choose which pictures to paste, and put the adventure book together like a big kid, like Mom or Dad.

Bonus time: Anything we can't identify, we plug a description into The Oracle (Google) and search around til we find it. This is when we're Scientists and Researchers. He does like all the pics to have complete captions. And, it's another chance or him to practice being patient and thorough, so crucial for the juggernaut child.

Most of all, have a good time!

Ooh, and pack snacks for every adventure; nothing's fun if you're cranky. ;)