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Curious Kids: Vacations & Staycations

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Some books below may be eBooks or audiobooks. Ask a librarian or parent for help.

Activities

Do a Mad Lib
Go camping, to Wonderland, or a park - just to name a few places - with the library's own Mad Libs!

Hike a Nature Literature Trail
Hike and learn in one of our fabulous local parks! Click on a trail image for information about that trail and lots of books and fun activities to help you get ready for your hike. The Nature Literature Trails are made possible through a partnership between the Washington-Centerville Public Library and the Centerville-Washington Park District and were fully funded by the Yeck Family Foundation.

Join a Sports Team
Join other local kids to play baseball, softball, volleyball, and more!

Kids & Teens at Five Rivers MetroParks
Find a cool activity to do during summer. Scroll down to choose your activity, then click on it to find out where it’s offered. For a map of any park, go to that park’s page and scroll down to the bottom to download a map with all the trails and other features of that park.

Make a Life List of Animals
On your staycation, start a "life list" of animals! You can begin by listing all the creatures you find in your own backyard, from bugs to birds, to the neighborhood cat. If you go traveling, you can add to your list - location names and dates will help you remember them. Maybe you could turn your growing list into a blog!

My Little Camp
If you were a mouse, what would your campground look like?

National Museum of the United States Air Force
Admission to this amazing museum is free (but they do charge for the Air Force Museum Theatre and flight simulators).

National Parks Virtual Tour
Choose between 360 degree tours of live cams or some of the coolest parks in the nation! You might not have heard of them all...

Nature Scavenger Hunt
Brought to you by Nature Bridge. There are several scavenger hunt themes to choose from, but all are equally fun!

Town Hall Theatre Auditions
Learn what it takes to be involved in a play at Town Hall Theatre in Centerville. (When plays are currently in production, the details will be here.)

Databases

A to Z Maps Online
For free with your library card. Learn all about the place you are camping - from tree maps, to bird maps, and topography.

A to Z USA
This resource is free with your library card. Travel from the comfort of your home as you explore neat facts about each of the 50 states.

Magazines

Eco Kids Planet
Learn about nature and the conservation of resources.

Highlights
Tons of cool activities to keep you busy!

Movies

The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island [DVD]
The Alden kids have a home with their grandfather now, but their adventures are just beginning! The first surprise comes when they learn they'll spend summer on their private island. A kind stranger who lives there is always happy to help the children out, but does this new friend have a secret?

Camp Rock [DVD]
Mitchie Torres is a teen with an amazing voice and a driving ambition to be a pop singer. All she wants to is to spend her summer at a prestigious music camp. But, the camp is expensive. Will she be able to go, and if so, will she fit in?

Garfield Travel Adventures [DVD]
Garfield and his friends take three trips: camping, visiting a tropical island, and going to Hollywood.

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer [DVD + Blu-ray]
Judy Moody is looking forward to the best summer vacation ever. The trouble is, her parents are called out of town and her BFFs are going away with their own families, which leaves Judy trapped at home with her pesky brother Stink under the watchful eye of Aunt Opal. But with a little playful planning, and a lot of imagination, Judy turns a snoresville summer into the way-not-boring adventure of a lifetime!

Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown! [DVD]
Charlie Brown and his friends are in a raft race at summer camp – against a bunch of cheaters!

Websites

Art Vids for Kids
Just for kids, here are videos about some of the art at the Dayton Art Institute to enjoy online. Get some paper and a pencil out – they might challenge to you draw!

Discover the Forest
This organization has tons of ideas for things you can do outside, no matter the weather, your budget, or the amount of time you have to play.

Hilarious Hotels
You can tour these weird places from home!

Species Guide Index of Ohio Wildlife
Hiking or camping in Ohio? Use this guide to learn about the wildlife you see! Each entry has a full description and a photograph.

What Tree Is It?
Look up any Ohio tree by its leaf, fruit (or seed), or name.