It’s been a great year at MGCS.  Students, teachers, staff, and parents have all worked hard and everyone has earned a rest.  Summer is just around the corner!  Here are some suggestions to maximize these golden summer days.

Take the ferry to Southport and have lunch at the Southport Tea House.  Then, walk down the street for ice cream and enjoy the shops. – Toni Gaskill, Pre-K Teacher

Over the summer, my husband has a Father/Daughter date night with Peyton and I have a Mother/Son Date night with Bryson.  We plan the whole evening, or the kids plan the evening as a surprise to us.  We also have FFF nights one time each week.  Now that our kids are teenagers, this has become “Forced Family Fun” Night.  This involves card or board games and a movie at home.  This summer, we plan to get an inexpensive projector, hang a sheet out from the second floor and watch outdoor movies with family and friends. –  Kim Furtado, 5^th Grade Assistant

My husband and I always enjoyed taking the kids camping, hiking and fishing. – Cindy Mc Bride, Pre-K Assistant

Throughout the summer, plan several “Mystery Days.”  Wake the kids up, tell them how to dress, but don’t tell them where you’re going until you get there.  You can turn it into an exciting day trip to some place like the NC Zoo in Asheboro or Raven Rock State Park in Lillington.  Or stay closer to home with a visit to the aquarium, or a spontaneous trip to a movie theatre or bowling alley.  You could add to the anticipation by making it “Mystery Monday” so the kids know they are looking forward to every Monday morning, but they don’t know exactly why! – Stacey Miller, Head of School

Write a note and deliver it to the mailbox on the North End of Wrightsville Beach.   Celebrate Christmas in July.  Play Christmas music, watch your favorite Christmas movies and eat Christmas treats. There are some great recipes for frozen hot chocolate online.  Have your child choose a friend or cousin as a pen pal.  It is a great way to practice writing skills and they will love getting mail back in return. – Corina Eddy, PK Teacher

 

Have a picnic at the arboretum. It is beautiful, relaxing, and pet friendly. Definitely a hidden gem in our great city. –  Sandra Godsey, 4^th Grade Teacher

 

Hike the trails in Carolina Beach State Park and take pictures of wildlife.  Then make a book or journal out of the pictures. – Shelia Whitmeyer, Kindergarten Assistant

Keep a small, wallet-size accordion folder with blank note cards in it for each child in the car along with an assortment of colored pencils and markers.  On trips, kids can draw and write about something they see that day or along the way.  This makes for good memories of the trip and keeps them busy in the car. – Paula Starling, Kindergarten Teacher

Over the summer, some Mom friends and I plan a weekly “Art Day.” We rotate from house to house and each take turns planning an art activity. We typically read a summer themed story the follow up with a related craft. For example, read Rainbow Fish and make a fish using a paper plate and tissue paper. – Tiffany Ivey, 2^nd Grade Teacher

Check out the NC Aquarium. There are many displays and even outdoor activities about butterflies and dinosaurs. If you are a frequent visitor, you can become an Aquarium Member and have unlimited visits for the year. When you join, you can also get free admission to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. – Barbara Nail, 1^st Grade Teacher

The free movie series from the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce begins the last weekend in May and runs through the first week in September.  It’s a great way to spend a balmy summer evening. Held on the spacious lawn of Carolina Beach Lake Park, the event offers family-friendly features and delicious concessions. With admission free and the snacks very reasonably priced, it might be worth extending your trip an extra day for these movies by moonlight. Load up the kids, the lawn chairs and a blanket or two and show up early for good seats. Films begin at dusk, usually around 8:45 PM in the summer months. – Melanie Coefield, 8^th Grade Teacher

We love to download the free Geocache app and go on a scavenger hunt looking for the caches around town or wherever we travel too.  Baldhead Island has 5-6 of them to find! For more fun, you can pay and get advanced clues! – Julie Ashcraft, Assistant Administrator

Collect seashells from the beach, then use ideas online to turn your collection into a beautiful art project.  Examples include a door wreath or picture frame. – Kim Price, Chorus Teacher

Take a trip to the library and enroll in the summer reading program.  You get a bag with ideas for fun things to do, a list of all their summer programs, and coupons for freebies. – Tammy Chapman, Receptionist

Enjoy homemade popcorn, lemonade, and a night of cards or board games. Pack a picnic for a late meal on the beach and stay until the sun sets.  Give the kids water guns and a hose for a water battle.  (Moms can stay inside for this one!) – Chris Jensen, 7^th Grade Teacher

Visit the NC Museum Of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. The museum is comprised of two buildings chock-full of interactive experiment labs and investigations. Researchers state that younger minds who are deliberately exposed to science have increased possibility to remain in a science-related field when they are older.  Another option is the North Carolina History Museum, which is across the street.  Of course, the price is my favorite…free! Take your child, develop their minds and talent.  You never know what God has in store for them.  Have a great summer! – Sandy Sciales, 4^th Grade Teacher

Make Friday into Fun Day.  Visit a park, meet friends for lunch, or take a day trip. – Vickie Singer, 5^th Grade Teacher

Enroll your kids in a computer class or work on a typing program online. This will help prepare them for the Chrome Books coming to school in the fall. – Jen Reese, 5^th Grade Teacher

Read Little House on the Prairie and then find a pioneer recipe to make. – Jodi Davis, 3rd Grade Teacher

Raleigh makes for a great day trip that would interest children of multiple ages.  In addition to our state’s Art Museum and Natural Sciences Museum you can also visit the state capitol buildings and Pullen Park, a great city park with a carousel, train, and other attractions. – Glenn Pleasant, Lower School Principal