JUNE 23, 2016 // 11
WHO DOESN’T LIKE A BEACH? THERE
ARE THINGS TO COLLECT, PLACES TO
DIG OR TO MAKE CASTLES, GAMES TO
PLAY, DRIFTWOOD FORTS TO BUILD,
AND PICNICS TO BE CONSUMED.
le
PHOTO BY JOSHUA BESSEX
Fort Clatsop hosts Seaman’s Day every July in honor of the 34th member of the Corps of Discovery: Seaman, Meriwether Lewis’
Newfoundland dog. The event, set for July 13 this summer, attracts children and many Newfoundland dogs and their owners.
best-known fort, Fort Clatsop, at the Lewis and Clark National
Historical Park, which also has pleasant trails through forest and by
water, and a visitor center with displays surrounded by fascinated
children.
Tired of all that hiking and fort exploring? Take a ride on the As-
toria Trolley. It’s only a buck for a ride, two bucks all day. They let
kids ring the bell, you learn something about Astoria, and you can get
off for a picnic on a bench looking out on the river, or Pier 39, or the
sea lions (which kids seem to like, no matter what others may say).
Get off the trolley and stroll along the east end of the Riverwalk.
There you’ll ind Violet LaPlante Park, on Cedar Street in Alder-
brook, which has a picnic area and play equipment. In fact, check out
all your city parks; there’s bound to be a picnic site and playground
near your neighborhood.
You might also get off the trolley at the Columbia River Mari-
time Museum. In addition to being a great museum for kids as well
as adults, the museum offers Teen Art Week day camps in July and
August, and classes like knot making and beginning woodcarving.
When thinking about what activity to do next, don’t forget our
local libraries. They have story times and summer reading programs
for children through teens with games, crafts and prizes. There are
also special events; last year Eli was especially impressed when he
met a Star Wars trooper at Seaside Public Library. This year the As-
toria Public Library will have morning movies and a juggler, Seaside
will have a lineup that includes a puppet show and bubble making,
and Cannon Beach has similar programs.
Finally, one of our favorite activities: gardening. It’s fun, it’s out-
doors, and it’s right at home. At age 3, Eli isn’t much for planting or
weeding, but he really gets into watering and dropping pebbles into
the fountain. As he gets older he’ll plant his irst garden, as I did so
many years ago.
Spending time with a child, it seems to me, isn’t so much about
doing things as it is about relationships, and passing on the joys and
lessons life offers.
ONLINE INFORMATION:
Astoria City Parks: astoriaparks.com/
Parks/Parks_List.aspx
Columbia River Maritime Museum:
crmm.org
State parks: Go to oregonstateparks.
org and enter the name of the park
Lewis and Clark national Historical
park: nps.gov/lewi
Astoria Public Library: astorialibrary.
org or call 503-325-7323
Cannon Beach Library: cannonbeachli-
brary.org or 503-436-1391
Seaside Public Library: seasidelibrary.
org or 503-738-6742
PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL
In addition to being a great
museum for kids as well as
adults, the Columbia Riv-
er Maritime Museum ofers
Teen Art Week day camps in
July and August, and classes
like knot making and begin-
ning woodcarving. Kids — Eli
included — also love to climb
on the anchor and its chain
on the museum plaza.
PHOTO BY
DWIGHT CASWELL
Right: Conduc-
tors and mo-
tormen on the
Astoria Trolley
will sometimes
let
children
ring the trol-
ley’s bell.
PHOTO BY ALEX
PAJUNAS
Left: Garden-
ing is past-
time that you
can involve
your children
in. Planting,
weeding, wa-
tering — and
watching
things grow.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Children, tweens and teens
may register for “Fetch a
Good Book!” which is the
theme of the Cannon Beach
Library’s summer reading
contest.