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26 Family Fun Things To Do On a Beach Vacation ...
While Learning Valuable Life Lessons

REMEMBER YOUR OWN FAMILY MEMORIES.
They are the family times spent together.

Give your children memories that will last a lifetime just as yours have.

Family time knits lasting relationships!

For even more exciting things to do be sure to check out the
Pacific Beach, Washington's Official Website

Take a barefoot walk along the beach.
It is a lovely way to exercise and see the splendor of a small part of God's creation. Talk to your children about footprints and how we leave them behind us long after you can't see us anymore. Use them to look back and see where you have been. Learn from your mistakes and successes. Look ahead and see the opportunities ahead. Read Ecclesiastes 7:13 together. Then look up Philipians 1:6 and talk about how God knows what is ahead of us and had a purpose and a plan.
Let the sound of the waves soothe your soul while the sand gives your soles a free pedicure.
Hunt for seashells.
They are everywhere and the most unique ones are found during low tides. Talk to your children about how seashells are old homes and as the sea animal grew it needed a new home. Explain to them how Jesus has a mansion prepared for His children and ours is ready and waiting for us if we are His child.
Collect sand dollars.
They abound especially after high tides. Teach your children that money doesn't grow on trees. The Bible says you work before you play. Look up 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and talk about it. Explain that you have to work for money or for sand dollars.
Start a new collection of beach glass.
Beach glass is broken pieces of glass that the sand has rubbed into smoothness. Look for a variety of colors and the clear ones too. I like to teach my children that beach glass is a perfect picture of what God does with our lives when we give them to Him. He takes plain ordinary glass containers that have been broken into pieces and by holding, gently working with them and teaching us, makes us into something new and lovely.
Take home a table decoration.
Look for the little flat round shaped stones between the big boulders. Collect a variety of colors and take them home. Display them in a dish and put a pillar candle in the middle to remember your family beach time together. Talk about letting your light shine in the world.
Get out your fishing rod and try surf fishing.
Remind your children that Jesus' disciples were fisherman who became fishers of men. Look up Matthew 4:19 with them.
Fly your kite and send it soaring.
Talk to your children about keeping our eyes on Jesus and looking up
Feed the seagulls.
Watch them swoop and listen to them holler. Old bread has never been so fun! Explain to your children that God loves the birds He made and He loves them even more.
Play on the sand.
Volleyball, catch, or frisbee take on a new meaning when you play on the sand. Talk to your children about how where and when we do things makes a difference. The sand makes your legs work harder but the work is good for your body, which is a temple of God.
Play in the sand.
Bury your feet or your legs. Build or create with it. Let if sift between your fingers. Write in it. Sand is fascinating and you can't help but take some home with you even if you try … you will always take some back in between your toes. Talk to your children about what God says about foolish and wise men. Foolish men try to build on the sand of the world. Wise men build on the Rock.
Watch the sun go down.
A beach sunset is hard to beat for beauty and serenity. This is the perfect time to talk to your children about not letting the sun set while they are still angry.
Have a beach cookout.
Food never tasted so good! Roast your dinner over an open fire and have a delectable dessert of smores all with the free concert provided by God, ocean music of waves lapping along the shore. Explain to your children what God says about fire. He compares it to tonuges and how they can wound us. He also compares fire to how He molds us as in the Refiner's Fire.
Play in the ocean.
Straight in front of the beach house is the Pacific Ocean and it is not safe for swimming due to rip currents and rogue waves. But just to the left is a tributory called "Joe Creek." This is where you can swim from a safe sandy beach. Talk to your children about how the ocean is like life and people. They can look the same from the outside but once you are in it and it might be too late to get out, then you can see the danger and evil that was there all along.
This is homeschool science supreme! From Joe Creek watch how the fresh and salt water merge.
Taste the water on your tongue and see how far along the river you can taste salt. Talk about how what you do and say leaves a bad taste in people's mouths long after you leave. Look up Proverbs 20:11 with them.
Also at Joe Creek you can watch how the tide going out and the river coming in meet.
Talk to your children about how marriages look like this. Two different people become one family.
Pretend you are Lewis and Clark.
Imagine how they felt when they could first smell the beach, see the signs of the ocean, then hear the surf beating, and finally see their destination! Explain to your children that as children of the King we have to keep our eyes on the final destination. This world is just where we are for the moment.
Visit the "Wacky Warehouse."
You can't miss it on your way into town! It's a little garage sale/general store and is a town landmark. On your way out the door he'll say "Have a wacky day." You can respond with a smile and say, "God loves you." Teach your children that a kind word and a smile are free and that they make a difference to the receiver. The Bible says that a kind word turns away anger. Teach them to try that out next time someone is angry with them.
Get your picture taken at the lovely gazebo overlooking the ocean.
As you drive into town it will be straight ahead of you. Grab a passerby and ask them to take a group shot for you. This can be a record of your trip. Talk to your children about how God's Word is like a picture for us to read and learn from.
On your way into town at the first intersection there is a grade school.
Play in the playground swings, monkey bars and slides. Use the basketball hoops or rollerblade on the pavement during the hours school is not in session. Explain to your children the truth of the saying, "Families that play together stay together.
Next to the elementary school is Pacific Beach Community Church which we excitedly recommend to you.
It is just two and a half blocks away from the house. Sunday School is at 9:45 a.m. and church at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday service is at 7:00 p.m.
Ron Roberts had been the pastor there for 50 years. In Febuary 2007 he went Home to his eternal reward. He left a wonderful church family of Bible-believing people. His daughter, Karleen will be playing the piano and his sister-in-law, Diane will be the lady playing the organ. They would love to meet you!
Teach your children that God says believers need to be in fellowship with other believers to grow strong.
Go clam digging
Buy a license and make sure it is an open day. Then join the crowd and have the best clam chowder in the world for dinner. I'll post my recipe here for you too! Teach your children that the truth of God's Word is sometimes easy for us to see. Other times it is like clams, we have to dig for it.
Just pull up a seat of sand, log, or rock and sit with your eyes closed.
Listen for the sounds. Identify them. Explain to your children that the beautiful things of life are like this. They are there all along and we just need to stop and smell the roses ... or the beach!
Go to the museum.
This is well worth the trip. See whales teeth and much more! Head back out of town and turn left at the 4-way stop sign on Hiway 109. It is a couple of miles down on the right. Teach your children that history is something we can learn from.
Take a drive.
There are lovely beaches up and down the coast just waiting for you to explore.
While you are on your drive see a rain forest.
Drive out of the museum and head right. Keep on until you see the ferns getting as big as your kids. Then you are there!
Letty's Mouth-Watering Chill-Chasing Clam Chowder
I bet you thought I forgot! Here is my clam chowder recipe:

The first time I tasted Letty's clam chowder I thought I would melt away – it is that good!

½ pound bacon
½ onion
3 large potatoes
½ cup celery
1½ cups carrots
Johnny's Seafood Seasoning
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp parsley
3 cups clams, drained
4 cans evaporated milk
1 cup of butter
½ cup cornstarch
3 cups water

Sauté half pound of bacon and half of an onion together on high until just brown.
Cut up into small pieces the potatoes, celery, and carrots. Simmer the veggies in water almost covering them. Season with three good shakes of Johnny's Seafood Seasoning, salt and pepper, and two tablespoons parsley. Cook until soft.

To the cooked vegetables add drained bacon and onion's, drained clams, evaporated milk, butter, and approximately 2 cups water. While you wait for the butter to melt, mix up a paste of cornstarch and 1 cup water. When the butter is melted add the cornstarch mix and stir it in.

Simmer soup to desired thickness. If you cook it slowly for a few hours it brings out the flavors and heightens taste buds until everyone is ready for a tasty cup of chowder!

You'll love it!

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