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Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Phone: 509-242-7752
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Lots of fun activities for kids are planned this summer throughout the Liberty Lake community including games in the Alpine Shores neighborhood on July 4th and a bike race in the River District (left).

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In the July Wave: Seize the summer
6/26/2014 1:56:59 PM

 
By Tammy Kimberley
Splash Staff Writer

The lazy days of summer are finally here! If you're a kid who enjoys soaking up every moment of the warm-weather months, read on for some ways you can do just that.

Be active.
Whether you enjoy running, biking, playing tennis or golfing, chances are you can find a local group of kids (plus adults) who share the same interests as you. Some upcoming events featuring opportunities for youth include the Liberty Lake Loop (July 12), the kids bike race (July 29) at Half Moon Park, and the Barefoot Soccer tournament (Aug. 2-3) at Pavillion Park. And there is a huge list of sports camps and athletic events offered by the city of Liberty Lake as well as the Hub Sports Center.  

Read a book.
Science meshes with books in the 2014 "Fizz, Boom, Read!" summer reading program offered by the Liberty Lake Municipal Library. Kids are invited to keep a reading log to earn prizes, as well as participate in a full slate of activities including Wednesday morning science activities, Science with Travis on Thursday evenings and the Minute to Win It! challenges on July 24. Lego Club, story times and Saturday crafts will continue during the summer; go to www.libertylakewa.gov/library for a complete event list with dates and times.

Celebrate the Fourth.
It's no secret that Liberty Lake likes to celebrate July 4th in a big way! The festivities begin at noon with the traditional parade in the Alpine Shores neighborhood showcasing kids who decorate their bikes, scooters and wagons in patriotic garb. It is followed by an afternoon of games for the entire family. An evening concert at Pavillion Park rounds out the day with a fireworks finale at 10 p.m.  

Play in the water.
When the temperature is rising and you need to cool off, there's no better place to be than Liberty Lake. Whether you are able to access the lake via one of the private beaches or have to pay a few bucks to enjoy the sandy beach at Liberty Lake Regional Park, the lake offers a summer playground for swimmers, skiers, fishermen, canoers and paddleboarders. And if you can't seem to find your way down to the lake, take advantage of the water features at Pavillion Park or the sand and water area at Half Moon Park.

Watch a late-night movie.
There's no better end to a perfect summer day than to snuggle under a blanket with your friends and catch an outdoor flick. Put on by the Friends of Pavillion Park, the summer movie series kicks off with "Frozen" on July 3 and ends with "Brave" on Aug. 29, both at Pavillion Park. Other movies that may be of interest to kids include "The Lorax" (July 11) and "Turbo" (July 26) at Pavillion Park, as well as "How to Train Your Dragon" (July 25) and "The Croods" (Aug. 16) at Half Moon Park. 

• • • 

How to make ice cream in a bag
If you're looking for something that's part science experiment, part dessert and a whole lot of cool fun, consider making your own homemade ice cream! In honor of national ice cream month in July, do some research to discover how the salt interacts with the ice to cause the mixture to freeze and how the motion of shaking the bag breaks up large ice crystals to create smooth ice cream. And if you're feeling really adventurous, look for ways to customize the flavor of your concoction by adding bits of fruit, crushed cookies or small candy pieces. 

This kid-friendly recipe for vanilla ice cream makes about eight half-cup servings. So grab an adult and some friends and get mixing!

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups half-and-half cream
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 bag crushed ice
4 cups coarse salt
Pint-size resealable plastic freezer bags
Gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bags
Gloves or towels

Directions:
1. Stir the whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar and vanilla in a large measuring bowl until sugar has dissolved.

2. Pour half of mixture into pint-size bag and seal carefully. Please the sealed bag into a second pint-size bag, being sure to squeeze out any extra air; seal carefully.

3. Fill gallon-size bag with ice about halfway and add ½ cup coarse salt. Place a small bag into the larger one, squeeze out air and seal large bag.

4. Protect your hands from the cold with gloves or towels, and then shake and massage the bag for about five minutes or until mixture thickens. Add more salt and ice to the outer bag if ice cream hasn't formed after 10 minutes of motion.

5. Be sure to remove the outer pint-size bag before you open the inner bag so you don't get any of the salty ice on your ice cream!

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