Summer is upon us, which means it’s time for adventures! Grilling, family vacations, beach trips… but with summer activities, comes risks: sunburns, ticks, and heat strokes just to name a few. Here are some articles to help keep health in the forefront of your mind this summer:
How Can I Protect My Children from the Sun?
5 Tips for Healthy Summer Hydration
Tips for Preventing Heat Related Illness
Tick Bites: What to Know, When to Worry
Tips for Safe Summer Travel with Pets
Stay Healthy at Animal Exhibits
When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
25 Biggest Summer Health Hazards
WebMD’s Top Summer Health Hazards
LOOKING FOR… FUN THINGS TO DO?
Did you know that family vacations can have long-lasting impacts on a kid’s happiness? “Family holidays are valued by children, both in the moment and for long afterward in their memory,” psychologist and best-selling author Oliver James explained to The Telegraph. “It’s all about talking nonsense with your parents, sharing an ice cream and moments of time in which your interests are genuinely taken into account.” Additional research shows that exposure to the ocean, a lake, a river, or the like, for example, actually reduces depression, boosts creativity, and relaxes the brain.
Check out these articles to help prepare you for family vacation time:
5 Fun, Educational Summer Activities for Kids
10 Fun Car Games the Whole Family Will Enjoy
The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with Kids
If you don’t have a lot of money for big family vacations, keep it local:
- Get artsy! Take a visit to the Academy Art Museum, Talbot County Historical Society, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Kiln Born Creations, Oxford or St. Michaels Community Centers and enjoy an art show, see a play, or paint something for your home.
- Explore the Environment! Visit the Pickering Creek Audubon Center or Phillips Wharf Environmental Center to explore nature and natural habitats.
- Be entertained and have fun! Knock down some pins at Easton Bowl, catch a movie at Easton Premier Cinemas, or enroll in a program at the Talbot County Parks and Rec.
Don’t forget the Easton Carnival opens on June 28th!
LOOKING FOR… A GOOD READ?
Check out some of our top book picks for the summer:
Memoirs:
Air Traffic: A Memoir of Ambition and Manhood in America by Gregory Pardlo – A Pulitzer Prize-winning poet looks at his troubled youth, his father and the plight of black men in America.- The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú – A man who worked for the Border Patrol for four years describes his efforts to stop and help people coming into the United States.
- The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath by Leslie Jamison – An uncompromising look at addiction — and writing about addiction — based on the author’s experience.
Air Traffic: A Memoir of Ambition and Manhood in America by Gregory Pardlo – A Pulitzer Prize-winning poet looks at his troubled youth, his father and the plight of black men in America.Fiction:
- Circe by Madeline Miller – A thrilling reimagining of the myth of Circe, the witch in Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
- The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce – Can a man wholly dedicated to old vinyl records find modern love? Play on!
- Sociable by Rebecca Harrington – A delicious romantic comedy about love and work in the digital age.
Circe by Madeline Miller – A thrilling reimagining of the myth of Circe, the witch in Homer’s “The Odyssey.”Thrillers:
- Sunburn by Laura Lippman – Inspired by ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice,’ a superb psychological-suspense tale starring an enigmatic femme fatale.
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn – First-rate entertainment — a beautifully written, brilliantly plotted tale of love, loss and madness.
Cooking:
- Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World by Sam Kass – This former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor makes it easier to do a little better for your diet–and the environment–every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes.
- Saladish: A Crunchier, Grainier, Herbier, Heartier, Tastier Way with Vegetables by Ilene Rosen – Cooking the saladish way has been Ilene Rosen’s genius since she unveiled the first kale salad at New York’s City Bakery almost two decades ago, and now she shares 100 fresh and creative recipes, organized seasonally, from the intoxicatingly aromatic to the colorfully hearty.
Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World by Sam Kass – This former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor makes it easier to do a little better for your diet–and the environment–every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes.Sports:
- Why Baseball Matters by Susan Jacoby – A baseball fan pays homage to a sport that seems doomed in this age of distraction. How, she asks, can America’s pastime be saved?
Children:
- Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine (PreK–2) – One of the best parts of summer is staying up late! The nighttime adventure these children have will inspire students to click on their own flashlights—and their imaginations—and head out into the dark.
- The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell (grades 3-6) – Make-believe definitely isn’t just for little kids. This engaging graphic novel will inspire bigger kids to spend summer break building and creating with friends.
- The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi (grades 5–8) – Summer is for compelling page-turners and characters that move you. Everything changes for Jason when he finds out that his Afghan mother, who he thought was deported, is living illegally in the United States.
Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine (PreK–2) – One of the best parts of summer is staying up late! The nighttime adventure these children have will inspire students to click on their own flashlights—and their imaginations—and head out into the dark.For more information on summer reads, check out these articles:
Washington Post 2018 Summer Books
New York Times Summer Reading List 2018
Best Products Books for Summer Reading
and then head on over to your local library (Talbot County Free Library – Easton or St. Michaels branches) to check them out! Need some motivation for your kids? Try this: How to Inspire Summer Reading and then go download these fun Summer Reading Bookmark Challenges.
LOOKING FOR… SUMMER FOOD?
- Free Meals for Kids: Many children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year may not have access to nutritious meals during the summer when schools are closed. To help address this need in our community, Talbot County Public Schools is participating in the 2018 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The program is made possible with support from the Partnership To End Childhood Hunger in Maryland, the Maryland State Department of Education, and No Kid Hungry. Meals are available to children and teens age 18 and under free of charge.
- Working on that beach body? Check out 51 Healthy Recipes To Get You Ready For Summer or The Food Network’s Fresh & Healthy Summer Recipes. Head on over to the articles page of our website for some more healthy recipes and food tips, too.
- Produce lover? Check out Savor Summer for tips and tricks to catch fruits and veggies at their peak of ripeness and be sure to visit the local Farmer’s Markets every Saturday in Easton and St. Michaels or Harris Farm’s produce stand – now located in Marlboro Plaza and open 7 days a week.
- Sweet Tooth? Sure, we’re all trying to cut down on processed foods and added sugars, but constantly denying yourself a sugar fix is a surefire way to lead to binging. Talbot offers so many options, that you should have no problem satisfying your cravings, but remember: moderation is key! Beat the heat this summer at Rita’s Ice, Tutti Frutti, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, or JoJo’s Cupcakes and Cream in Easton, Scottish Highland Creamery in Oxford, or Justine’s Ice Cream in St. Michaels, just to name a few. And be careful when you’re at local carnivals or the Talbot County Fair this summer because those tempting funnel cakes pack an easy 700 calories and 40 grams of fat. Pack your lunch ahead of time if you know you’re heading somewhere this summer where healthy options are limited.
Working on that beach body? Check out 
Everyone have an amazing summer! Be sure to check back to our website often for new topic articles and resources, and most importantly – stay healthy!