Excerpted from Summer Smarts for Cool Kids by Penny Warner (Random House, 2002).

Ages 7 to 12

Materials
•2 large coffee cans, or similar cans, per person
•Hammer and nails
•Scissors
•5 yards of rope per person

Skills Learned
•Cognitive skills/problem solving
•Math and measurement
•Fine and gross motor skills
•Social interaction
•Competence

What to Do
1. Get 2 large cans for each player.

2. Turn the cans upside down so the open side is down.

3. Punch a hole on either side of each can, near the bottom, using the hammer and nail.

4. Measure a length of rope from the ground to your waist and double it.

5. Tie each end into either side of one can.

6. Repeat for the other can (measure another length of rope and tie it into the other can).

7. Put the 2 cans next to each other, about 1 foot apart.

8. Carefully step up onto the cans, holding its looped rope with the hand that's on the same side.

9. As you take a step with your right foot, pull up on the rope in your right hand, keeping it taut to your foot as you move it forward. Repeat with your left hand and foot, and so on.

10. After you practice walking around a while, set up an obstacle course and see if you can race through it.

More Fun
Put on a pair of Dad's old pants, long enough to cover the ropes and cans, so it looks like you're super tall.

Excerpted from Summer Smarts for Cool Kids by Penny Warner Copyright (c) 2002 Penny Warner. Excerpted by permission of Prima Lifestyles, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.