Weber State College Comment, April 1987. page 8 Mini-Vacations Offer Great Summer Fun by Dr. Gary Willden ave vou ever noticed that real vacations usually mean a week or so. spent traveling? Southern California attractions, Utah Parks, Yellowstone, Tetons, Black Hills country or other western locations are among the most fainiliar and popular extended vacation spots. Other typical uses of family vacation time include camping, boating, fishing, visiting family members and other sightsee ing or travel based plans. But how about maximizing the tamily Fun Unity Nuture .FUN) value of those shorter, more trecucnt opportunities when we don’t have a week or more tor travel, but perhaps do have a day, an afternoon o1 even just an hour or two. These briet **mim Vacations’’ should not be missed. They have the potential of being much more valuable in raising the P.ULN. Quotient than full blown vacations because ot their relative trecuency and lower assochited just habitual) summer activities. But many of us do less well in making good family F.U.N. use of these short blocks of unobligated, discretionary time. Below are three annotated lists with suggestions Stress. Most of us seem to have our traditional (or maybe Things To Do Things To Do With An Hour Or Two With An Afternoon eWatch the video of one of the ‘‘Jaws’’ movies late one hot summer evening while sitting in a children’s wading pool on the patio. Skip rocks on a local pond or reservoir. eMake and fly a kite. It doesn’t have to be 2h eBuild a ‘‘go-cart’’ with old wagon wheels. It’s an blast.! eVisit the county library. Read a fun book together. Go tubing down a river. It’s the best way to spend a July afternoon that ever was. (Put life jackets on the kids.) eCatch supper at a local trout farm. eCatch the current star show at a _ planetarium or go to a local museum. Tour a local historic spot on the day for which it is historic. cE Take a self-guided historical walking tour. The Chamber of Commerce or local tourist organization should have free brochures. aE (DW: OOAM to ae: Things To Do With A Day To Play “|Qu— aee SS G: COPM — ell: eHike (walk) any of the local trails. Consult local sporting goods/specialty outdoor store personnel for information on trails and guidebooks. ae eVisit an aviary or the zoo. eTour local caves or other done in March. eFly kids instead of kites. Parasailing is Outrageous run. eHave a family workout at a spa or gym. eVisit a trading post or the Army Surplus store. Both are fun places. Take in a children’s museum. You and the kids will love it. eThe water’s fine at any of the many water slides. Water parks are in. lake, resort or park with a picnic. e‘‘Mini-vacation’’ 2. Drive a local route. eVisit a ghost eTour a new museum. Your eSort slides and photos of previous family F.U.N. activities and vacations. Sometimes reliving is as good as the original experience. they are. eCollect maps, brochures, schedules, etc. and plan the next family F.U.N. activity. ®Ride Dr. Willden is chairman of the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and doubles as Lupo The Clown. He teaches recreation and play classes at the college as well as to a wide variety of off-campus organizations. He suggests that anyone wishing further information on ‘‘minivacations’’ contact him by letter, addressed to: Dr. Gary Willden, Weber State College, Ogden, UT, 84408-2801 or by phone at (801) 626-6470. natural geographic wonders. eTry a one-day ‘‘mini-vacation’’ of fun ata somewhere whomever, will know nearby. where : a train, resort tram. eSit down ‘‘significant soon. town state travel council scenic a gondola or summer ski and brainstorm with your others,’’ spouse, kids or and plan a F.U.N. day together pce for Family F.U.N. activities to try when you only have a day or an afternoon or just an hour or two and want to fill that time with something new, unusual, eclectic or even esoteric. These three lists are by no means authoritative or definitive. Rather, they are offered by way of thought provocation. One of the most productive uses of time that any family can employ is in develop ing a heritage of F.U.N. memory making. Young adults. don’t often write home from college or wherever to say, ‘‘Gee, Mom and Dad, [| still remember how nice our remodeled bathroom was.’’ Time spent --invested--in making memories with our children may have the most far-reaching benetits im aginable. Don’t let this summer get past without making some new memories and without enjoying more F.U.N. together.