ElderSong Publications, Inc. Newsletter

JULY 2009 - DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

July Printable

Look at the calendar and you'll discover that the dog days of summer are in full swing. The dog days run from mid-July through mid-August - 40 hot, sultry days. Remember all the ways you tried to beat the summer heat? Senior adults can share a memory or two - from lemonade stands to a dip in the old swimming hole. Here are a few activities to refresh more summertime memories - and stay cool in the process. (Note: A helpful resource for the topic of dog days is Everyday Life Photos: Children & Family Life and Everyday Life Photos: A Grown-Up's World. featured products for the month.)

Rekindle more classic car memories with a few of the activities suggested below. Adapt the activities, as needed, for all of the car enthusiasts in your group.

Say the following key words to your group: pigtails, bare feet, hopscotch, fireflies, ice cream, Kool Aid, four-leaf clover. Ask participants to share childhood memories of lazy summer days and cool, relaxing nights. Snack on watermelon.
Dress up like a 1950s soda shop waitress - cap, pink flared skirt, white blouse, and short apron - with a tray! Participants can wear white paper hats. Serve root beer floats. Pass around a photograph of an old A&W Root Beer Stand (drive-in restaurant) and share recollections of carhop service in the 1950s.
Reminisce about summer concerts in the park. Ask: Did you grow up going to outdoor concerts at a band shell? What kind of music did you hear - swing band, orchestra, marching band, jazz group? What did you like about the experience?
Watch the 1950 musical film Summer Stock, starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Ask participants if they ever saw a play or musical at a summer stock theatre in the 1940s, 50s, or 60s.
Hold a Scrabble competition or a bridge tournament.
Listen to the lyrics of songs like "In the Good Old Summer Time" and "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree." Sing parodies of the songs. (Several parodies are in the ElderSong resource Funny Bones Don't Get Arthritis: Humor for the Young at Heart.)
Paint some pictures of poppies in bright red, orange, or yellow. Enjoy a summer bouquet of sunflowers, snapdragons, and poppies.
Reminisce about summer water fun. Show old photographs of swimming and family beach activities. (Use the photographs titled "Swimming" and "Beach Vacation" in the ElderSong resource Everyday Life Photos: Children & Family Life. You'll also find discussion questions in the companion book.)
Show a photograph of a house with an old-fashioned porch swing, rocking chair, or glider. Share recollections of this favorite family gathering spot. Sip some fresh lemonade or iced tea. Pass around old paper dolls, a childhood favorite.
Ask participants to describe the perfect summer nap, complete with shade tree and hammock. Ask: Do you enjoy catnapping? What are the benefits of napping? Where is your favorite place to catch forty winks?
For some intergenerational fun, plan an old-fashioned pie and ice cream social. Enjoy the flavors of the season, including strawberry, peach, and cherry. Add music, games, and prizes.
Make a small terrarium or dish garden, using African violets.
Encourage participants to talk about life before air conditioning. Ask: How did you stay cool at home, in the car, at work, at church, on buses or trains? Do you remember going to air-conditioned movie theaters as a child? Show some vintage handheld fans or make simple paper fans with craft sticks.
Plan an indoor summer picnic (no ants allowed). Use recipes from an old cookbook, like The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, first published in 1950.
Sing some old campfire songs around the piano or ask a volunteer to play the guitar for accompaniment. Ask: Did your family take an annual camping trip? Did you stay in a tent, cabin, or RV? What kind of activities did you enjoy on the trip? Describe ideal weather for camping.

You'll find more resources related to summer dog days in the ElderSong catalog. Three items are highlighted below.

Continue to look for upcoming editions of this newsletter the last week of the month. Our newsletter contains useful information to make your job of working with older adults more fulfilling. Here's what you'll also find in this issue:

Dog Days of Summer Resources
Summer Fun Trivia Quiz
Featured Products for July
Thought for the Month

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER RESOURCES

Remember taking a refreshing dip in a pool or lake on a hot summer day? How about a run through the sprinkler? Water has always been associated with summer fun. Your group will enjoy reminiscing about hot weather activities, using Everyday Life Photos: Children & Family Life. The resource is designed to help participants recall memories of everyday routines and occasions at home, school, work, or play. The photo collection from the Library of Congress highlights activities during the mid-20th century. (Sample topics: Baby Care, Car Trip, Family Games, Girl Scout Volunteer, Mother's Helper, School Days, Suppertime, Swimming) The set includes the following:

20 black-and-white vintage photographs on 8-1/2" x 11" card stock
Companion book with a detailed description of each photo (Things to Notice) and discussion questions on each topic (Questions to Ask)

Simply pass around the photograph in your group and ask some questions from the companion book. Here's a sample:

"Beach Vacation" photograph (taken January 1941, Sarasota, Florida) Questions to Ask: What is your favorite part of going to the beach? What is your least favorite part? Describe a swimsuit you remember wearing when younger. Did you wear a swim cap? Where did you stay when you went to the beach? Which beach did you like to visit?

Also available: Everyday Life Photos: A Grown-Up's World (Sample topics: Barber Shop, Bridge Club, Front Porch, Grocery Store, Man's Best Friend, Picnic in the Park, The USO, Wash Day)

Do you recall listening to your favorite crooners on the radio on a warm summer night? Was there a touch of romance in the air? The 3-CD set Tony Bennett - the Good Life will remind your group of happy times with loved ones. The set features 32 notable hits including "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," "Just in Time," "The Very Thought of You," "Who Can I Turn To," "The Good Life," "Funny Valentine," and "Once Upon a Time."

A little hot weather won't stop the antics of a playful puppy. After all, dogs have their own unique traits and personalities. Discover what they are in the DVD Ambient Puppies: Puppy Tales, a humorous look into the minds of some of our four-legged friends. Giggle at the adventures of 13 breeds in skits such as the following: Cocker Spaniels in "Sleepover," Boston Terriers in "BoSox Detox," and Poodles in "The Olympic Poodle Team." Enjoy the improv comedy of the Ironicals as they voice the thoughts of these precocious puppies. (Can be played with or without the comical voices.)

SUMMER FUN TRIVIA QUIZ

Name some synonyms for hot that begin with the letter ‘s'. Sizzling, sultry, sweltering, scorching
Finish the title of this popular summer song: "Those Lazy, Hazy... Crazy Days of Summer"
If you take a summer trip to Austin, Dallas, or Houston, in which state are you traveling? Texas
Which major tennis championship is played around the 4th of July? Wimbledon
An annual gathering of Boy Scouts, large and lively, is known as a what? Jamboree
Complete George Gershwin's song line: "Summertime, and the livin' is... Easy"
In which summer sport might you hear the words birdie, bogey, or par? Golf
What does RV stand for? Recreational Vehicle
Which ice cream chain is known for its "31 Flavors" slogan? Baskins-Robbins
What is a s'more? A Girl Scout treat made of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate

FEATURED PRODUCTS for JULY

Everyday Life Photos: Children & Family Life - 20 photocards plus activity book. Cost $24.95.

Everyday Life Photos: A Grown-Up's World - 20 photocards plus activity book. Cost $24.95.

Tony Bennett - the Good Life - 97 minutes total on 3 CDs. Cost $27.95.

Ambient Puppies: Puppy Tales - 63 minutes on DVD. Cost $15.95.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the most beautiful words in the English language." ~ Henry James

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