Soon enough, the lazy, hazy days of summer will be over — at least as far as Champaign-Urbana area schools are concerned. While the weather will still have us wilting, kids will be back at their desks after next week.
We got to thinking of all the summer stuff we love to do, and how getting back to the grind will make many of them a distant memory. Without further ado, our Top Five Things to Do Before School Starts:
1. Go out to breakfast
Gather up the kids and head out to your favorite breakfast joint for some chocolate-chip pancakes and a yummy omelet for mom. Where to go? The choices for a delicious brunch are nearly endless! We love Le Peep, The Courier Cafe and Uncle Jack’s Family Restaurant, for starters.
2. Pack a picnic lunch
One of the best things about living in Chambana are the parks, and we know kids love them, too. Burn a few hours of daylight at one of the great green spaces here in town, and bring a lunch with you. Who doesn’t love a picnic? Just be sure to pack the sunscreen, too.
3. See a matinee
Is there anything more decadent than going to the movies when the sun is still up? There are plenty of deals in town for kids’ movies. And why limit yourself? Why not see two movies, and hit the drive-in, too? Bonus: You can go in your pajamas!
4. Visit a museum
Education doesn’t begin and end in the classroom. Why not take the kids to play at Champaign’s Orpheum Children’s Science Museum, or for a quick tour of the Spurlock Museum in Urbana? If your kid likes trains, take a ride out to the Monticello Railway Museum. You can even stop for a lunch date at the Brown Bag. Yum!
5. Do nothing
That’s right, do nothing. Dawdle. Relax. Laze around. Sit on the front porch with some books and lemonade. Lay on the grass and look at the clouds. Kick your feet in a kiddie pool and close your eyes. Before you know it, the holiday rush will be upon us, and you’ll be missing these hot, languid days with all your heart.
How will you spend your last week of summer vacation?