Sunny, summer days are here. Looking for easy kid summer activity ideas? How about taking the sun itself and plan a fun summer activity for kids? The sun is our closest star and very important to us. The sun gives us light, warmth, energy and life.

I recommend the book, Sun, Our Nearest Star by Franklyn Mansfield Branley to read with school age children. The book explains why the sun is so important to us in a colorful and lively format. If you have Internet access, check out the NASA Dynamic Sun web site.

Before we had clocks and watches, people used sundials to tell time. Make a simple sundial with heavy cardboard. Cut out an 18" square of cardboard. To make the gnomon (the upward part of the sundial), cut out an 8" square of cardboard. Cut out a " notch from one corner. Fold up the two sides "to make the flap. Fold the square in half to create a triangle shape. Tape the flaps of the gnomon to the center of one side of the large cardboard square.

To calibrate the dial, you'll need to orient the upward point of the gnomon to the south (use a compass). Observe the sundial every hour and mark a line on the cardboard at the edge of the shadow cast by the gnomon. Write down the hour next to the line. On the next sunny day, you can use the sundial to check the time instead of a clock! Make sure you keep the sundial in the same location each day.

Another fun activity is to make sun prints. You'll need dark colored construction paper and distinctive shaped objects such as keys, small toys, or cut out letters or shapes from black paper. Place them randomly on the colored paper and leave out in the sun all day. At the end of the day, the colored paper will have faded except for the areas covered by the objects. Finish by creating a sunny greeting card to give to someone special!

Try cooking with solar power! Make plum jerky with the use of the summer sun's heat. You'll need 2 pounds of fresh plums and cup of light corn syrup. Slice the plums thinly; discard pits and place in large saucepan. Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside to cool. Cover cookie sheets with clear plastic wrap and pour the strained puree to " thickness. Let dry in the sunlight (can take up to 2 days in the sun). The plum jerky is done when it pulls off the plastic wrap easily. Kids love this healthy, homemade jerky!

Some other summer activity ideas for kids include playing "shadow" games such as tag or charades, create a baker's clay sun to hang in the home, and brew sun tea. And at the end of the day, go out and watch a beautiful sunset together!