Back-to-school time is certainly on our minds... even in the United States Congress!
In an effort to promote better nutrition for our children, the U.S. Senate recently passed a bill increasing school lunch budgets by $4.5 billion. This piece of legislation is the first increase of its kind since 1973.

Along with an overhaul of school lunch menus, school vending machine contents will also get a make-over. The goal is to increase the quality of all foods offered at school. With one in three children in the United States now considered overweight or obese, readily available healthy food in schools will benefit our children.

Let's hope that Mystery Meat Mondays will become a thing of the past. Packed lunches are often the healthier route, but only if the food that’s packed is healthy and it doesn’t get traded for junk food. (We all did it!) Fruits and veggies seem to taste a lot better when one is involved in the preparation. Spend some time with your child cutting and packing produce or baking healthy treats. Everybody wins!

Our Food and Nutrition Songs offer an excellent springboard for teaching about healthy foods.

Listen to a short clip from Tickle Tune Typhoon's Vega Boogie in the audio player below.

Pack your bags and grab your favorite harmonica, it’s camping season!
The best part of camping is making s’mores, of course, but the second best part of camping is singing campfire songs.

Douse yourself in bug spray and take a deep breath of that crisp clean forest air. Imagine the earthy smell of campfire smoke wafting under your nose and feel the cool grass beneath your toes.  The stars have just woken up and the sky is still has a pink afterglow. Dodge the marshmallow your little sister threw at you. Crickets are singing their nightly chorus and the spring peepers join in. This moment right here, this is summer.

Now that you’re in your happy place and I have your attention, please grab an acoustic guitar (or a musical friend) and learn these songs for your next camping trip. These songs are even great in the car on the way to a camping trip.

The great thing about camp songs is that they are often sung in rounds, have interactive parts, hand motions, and silly lyrics so even those reluctant to participate will crack a smile after a few minutes.

Maybe you’re like me and completely, utterly, hopelessly a lost cause when it comes to singing. No worries! Campfire songs are not known for their difficulty and many can be lyrically spoken like “Going on a Bear Hunt.” No excuses. Everyone can enjoy a little Kumbayah or Down by the Riverside. 

Don’t forget the scary stories either. Songs, stories, and s’mores are the essentials of every camping trip.

See our many Campfire Songs and Folk Songs to liven up your next camping trip. 

We've prepared a Free Downloadable Lyrics Book with Campfire Songs you can print out for summer singing fun.