Help create memories of summer

Summer often means vacationing in a different place and new experiences for a young child.  Help your child remember a trip or a day spent in a new outdoor environment such as the beach or at a lake.  Have your child choose a memento from a special time - perhaps a photograph that your child wants taken, a seashell, a rock, or pine cone.  Make a memory box at home from an old shoebox and keep those vacation memories.  Later in the year, bring out the memory box and share stories about what happened this summer.  This is a great way to encourage your child to reflect on experiences, to use language and to have the discover how an object can represent a whole experience.