By Kate Hodges
22nd July 2020
EVENT Free New Issue
The latest - free online - edition of The Green Parent is here! There’s everything you need for a fun packed summer inside. Tasty recipes to make the most of garden gluts, home science experiments, creating a gift economy in your community, the best books and games and how babywearing can support little ones in these strange times. You can read about how to dismantle racism at home, how to raise a bookworm and the best games to play with your baby. Download your free issue here. Happy reading!
DO Garden Creations
For many of us, the starting pistol for the summer holidays fired this week. With the weeks stretching in front of us, why not take on a big outdoor project? These long-form ideas are perfect for your garden, a community space or allotment.
*Clay pizza ovens are ambitious builds, but a hugely fun group project, create a focal point for summer nights outside and result in dirt cheap, utterly delicious dinners forever.
*Find a secluded spot, and transform an old bathtub into a wood-fired hot-tub. Scatter candles, take a book or your kids and soak under the stars.
*Sitting around a fire pit, cooking, singing and watching the sparks fly into the air is a dreamy way to spend warm summer nights; why not try building your own?
*Growing your own creeper-bedecked teepee creates a shady space to spend sunny afternoons reading, meditating, or just chilling. Why not try this project with your children?
*For those with smaller gardens, less time or lower budgets, there are plenty more outdoor play space ideas here.
DO Garden Flours
Days spent at home call for super-casual, picky meals. Stock up on cheese, make a big jar of perfect hummus and bake tear-and-share loaves for lo-fi lunches. Want to make things a little more fancy? Indulge your artistic side and bake focaccia that looks as good as it tastes. We love this butterfly-and-flowers loaf or be inspired by the gallery-worthy creations here.
DO and LEARN Shore Thing
National Marine Week (actually a fortnight) runs from July 25-August 9, and is a chance to help The Wildlife Trusts to find out more about and celebrate our shore and seas. Join from home with virtual tours of beaches, Zoom-based talks for toddlers, and, if you’re near the seaside, socially-distanced rockpool rambles, beach cleans and sea watches. Download the brand-new Do-It-Yourself Shore Life Spotter Guide from the Trusts’ website and record and submit your own findings to scientists in order to help them monitor the health of shore life across the UK.
MAKE and DO Come Sail Your Ships
Simple, beautiful, easy to make. These little floating boats fashioned from a piece of soft dead wood, a stick and some leaves look heavenly floating across a lake. Make a flotilla and race them downstream.
What we’ve been reading this week:
What America Asks of Working Parents Is Impossible
More and more, the goals of being a dedicated employee and being a dedicated parent seem to be in conflict.
“We as a society and in workplaces can no longer ignore that certain people are juggling a ton. One woman who’s been working remotely told us something like, “For the first few days, we used to apologize for the kids coming in to our Zoom calls, or the dog barking, and now we don’t. It can’t be any other way, so I no longer feel bad.”.” Read more here
Found something inspirational to read that you’d like to share? Want to share your creations with us? Have an idea for things to do? We’d love to hear from you. Email Kate
