“Lunch Is”

Lunch is…story time; music time; a lesson in table manners; learning how to cook; asking the big “why” questions over a bowl of hot soup; mom bringing a plate of cheese, crackers, carrot sticks, and fruit slices while you finish your art project (or continue reading your favorite adventure novel, or construct an amazing Tinkertoy structure); wearing a sheet “toga” and laurel wreath on your head, lounging on floor pillows, eating fruit, nuts, olives, grapes, cold meats and cheese; trying to eat Chinese noodles with chopsticks and writing your own fortunes; a picnic in the park (sharing with the ducks, of course!); finger-foods and a movie marathon; BBQ’d hotdogs and frozen popsicles in the backyard (with toes in the wading pool); homemade fruit leather and trail mix while hiking through Lewis and Clark country; Belgian waffles to top off a PJ party on mom & dad’s bed; eating the hot loaf of bread you made to go with fresh-churned butter you learned how to make while studying pioneer life; learning restaurant etiquette after a morning at the art museum; a nutrition unit study; picking tomatoes and basil out of the garden for create-your-own pizzas, a lesson in responsibility: preparing a meal, setting and clearing the table, serving others, doing dishes; an Anne of Green Gables tea party with raspberry cordial; learning Spanish vocabulary over a bowl of paella; pretending to be a waiter or waitress…writing orders on your note pad for burgers and milkshakes; listening to Holst’s ‘The Planets’ while eating star-shaped sandwiches on astronomy day; taste bud science experiment with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter foods; napkin folding, fresh flowers and the finer things in life; budgeting, meal planning, grocery shopping—those important life skills; memorizing poems between bites; green eggs and ham………

“No Time for T.V.”

Read a book                Bake a treat                  Dig sand

Ride a bike                   Breath fresh air             Listen to music

Play with toys               Create a craft               Play an instrument

Build a tower                Play a game                  Have a conversation

Connect a puzzle          Memorize a poem         Stretch your imagination

Learn a language           Perfect a skill                Run a race

See people                   Plant a garden               Attend church

Sing a song                   Take a nap                   Complete your chores

Ask questions               Draw a picture              Dress up in costumes

Write a story                Catch bugs                   Design an obstacle course

Wash the car                Gaze at the stars           Run through a sprinkler

Send a letter                 Perform a play              Attend story time at the library

Visit a nursing home      Sled down a hill            Hike a trail

Catch fish                     Ride a tractor               Roast hot dogs and s’mores

Feed the ducks             Swim at the pool           Play at a park

Listen to a concert        Watch a rodeo             Experience a play

Steer a paddleboat       Eat a picnic                   See airplanes at the airport

Go places…OMSI, the beach, Wildlife Safari, a museum, the zoo, ...