Alphabet Adventures: A is for Airport

This spring our family made some changes which are allowing us more time home together during the summer months. As my husband doesn't leave for work until early afternoon and I'm home for summer vacation we have most mornings together a week, as well as the weekend days. Like many families as summer approached we started listing all the things we hoped to do this summer. 

But then, we started thinking . . . keeping Big Brother's new interest in learning the letters of the alphabet in mind, could we take on the challenge of making our summer fun list follow the letters of the alphabet? We would still be doing the things we'd hoped to do and allowing him to explore the alphabet in a hands on and personal way. Hence, we began to brainstorm for our "Alphabet Adventures."

Our first goal is to find something we can do as a family of four for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet. Our hope is to finish it by the end of summer, while knowing we will probably go into the fall. We're also hoping to keep most of the adventures close to home, affordable (or even better free,) doable, and fun. We'll keep track of our adventures by collecting photos in a binder and adding an extension project for each letter.

We're excited about our challenge and this morning when we told Big Brother so was he. After we gave him the bag in the car he made up an alphabet adventure song.

Today was our first adventure: A is for Airport!

For each adventure the letter and a clue about the adventure will be in a small fabric bag. Big Brother very quickly figured out that today we were headed to the airport.

At the edge of our local airport's runway they have a small parking area and two picnic tables. The public is allowed to park here and picnic if they would like, while watching the planes as they land and take off. As a child my husband used to love going here and he's shared that with us. It was a great fit for our "letter A adventure." 

We packed a picnic lunch, complete with a special peanut butter and honey sandwich for Big Brother. 

We also added apples and apricots to our lunch. (As well as a few other foods that didn't start with the letter A.) 

At first we didn't think we were going to see any airplanes, but then we witnessed two take off in a row. 

All three guys watch the plane as it taxis and waits (Little Brother is sitting in Daddy's lap.) 

Big Brother eagerly waits for the plane to start its trip down the runway.  

I had planned for us to read a book at the airport and had brought along a copy of Jet Plane: How It Works by David Macaulay. But it was too hot and sunny, so we decided to read it at home this evening instead. It made for some great connections to what we'd observed. 

Big Brother and Little Brother take a break from the sun and heat by hanging out in the shade of the picnic table. (Both were actually much happier than they look in this picture.) 

After we got home, had some time to cool down, and Big Brother took his daily rest, we did our second letter A activity of the day. A is for apple! We did a slightly more "traditional" letter of the day project: apple printing. 

Both pictures from the adventure and the apple prints will go into our family binder. Big Brother also wants to add other words that he knows start with the letter A, specifically "alligator." Check back soon for images of the finished A pages!

And in case you wanted to try your own alphabet adventure, here's a few other ideas of places families could go with the letter A: animal park, apple picking, art museum, art show, and air show.