Temperature is Heating, Sun is Shining, Summer is Calling

Temperature is Heating, Sun is Shining, Summer is CallingThe sky's the limit on fun projects to keep your children rock 'n' rolling during break

MOORESVILLE, N.C., May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Soon to be gone are the days of math lessons, science projects, spelling tests and book reports. Instead, three months of recess have arrived, days fondly known by students as summer break.

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According to a recent study by The Nature Conservancy, time spent playing video games, surfing the internet, and watching movies, as well as increasing oil prices account for approximately 97 percent of the decline in visits to National Parks, a statistic that is indicative of an increasing national disconnect between children and the outdoors.

"Data shows clearly that children are happier, healthier, and perform better on exams if they engage in outdoor activity and experience nature," said Peter Kareiva, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy. "We know that the future of the environment depends on making sure the next generation gets outdoors and experiences nature in their backyards, in city parks, and in state or national parks -- how can we expect future leaders to make wise decisions about the environment if they have never been outdoors?"

So, when the excitement of summer vacation wears off and your kids start saying, "I'm bored," Lowe's suggests easy projects that will keep their hands off the remote control and onto something more productive. Instead of spending sunny days lounging inside, try some of these outdoor projects with your kids:

Construct a Teepee Hideaway

Ignite your children's imaginations by creating this one-of-a-kind hideout using six, 8- to 12-foot poles. Pull them together at the top, fasten with twine and spread poles out in an eight-foot-diameter circle, leaving extra space between two poles for the entrance. String clothesline around the teepee to support the grid structure and plant your vine of choice.

Personalize a Flower Pot

Personalize a flower pot with new Valspar or Olympic paint samples. These eight-ounce paint cans are available in thousands of colors and can even be custom-matched to any color you provide. Once dry, plant a flower and watch it grow!

Tic-Tac-Toe

From Lowe's Creative Ideas Magazine, create a game made for the outdoors that is easy to make and store. All you need is a drop-cloth, paint sample can in your favorite color, painters tape and PVC accessories. Use the painters tape to mark off squares on the drop cloth, paint your blocks and the PVC in another color to use for your X's and O's. Allow each to dry and enjoy a friendly game.

Limbo

Another great idea from Lowe's Creative Ideas -- build the ultimate backyard limbo game for children and adults alike. See how low you can go with PVC pipe and an assortment of colorful electrical tape. Visit www.lowescreativeideas.com/games for detailed instructions.

Build a Playground

For days you just can't make it to the park together, have no fear. With a do-it-yourself kit from Lowe's, you can have a playground in your very own backyard -- providing hours of care-free summer fun. The modular play set provides hours of entertainment and can have additions added on in the future, including monkey bars.

Create a Bird Haven

Join the 25 percent of Americans who consider themselves bird watchers by adding feeders and houses to your yard, porch or deck. Fill them with seed or nectar and enjoy learning about your local species as they visit your backyard.

Plant a Vegetable Garden

Make sure your children eat their veggies this year by planting and growing them together. Lowe's has everything you need to create the perfect outdoor vegetable garden, from tomato plants and gardening hoes to planting soil and fertilizer. Growing your own vegetables is good for the environment, your health and is fun for you and your children.

    Suggested products:
    --  Ames Scuffle "Action" Hoe (#94329, $16.69)
    --  Swing-N-Slide(R) Play Set; Build the play ground of your dreams (See
        your local Lowe's for details)
    --  Wooster General Purpose Brush Value 2-Pack (#5634, $10.08)
    --  Valspar Paint Samples (#93679, $3.98)
    --  Olympic Paint Samples (# 144337, $3.98)
    --  Garden Treasures Glass Tube Wild Bird Feeder (#69582, $21.65)
    --  Garden Treasures Victorian Bird House (#256868, $24.98)
    --  Lehigh 2,250' Sisal Binder Twine (#66464, $12.97)
    --  Canvas Drop (#126317, $9.98)
    --  PVC Cross tees (#22729) and PVC plugs (#23308)

For more ideas, visit your local Lowe's, Lowes.com or Lowe's Creative Ideas at www.LowesCreativeIdeas.com/games.

About Lowe's

With fiscal year 2007 sales of $48.3 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 14 million customers a week at more than 1,550 home improvement stores in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc.