It's official. School is now in full swing. With the first week under wraps, it has finally sunk in that our summer vacation is really over. I keep marveling over how quickly August came to an end and wish we had just one extra week to enjoy the outdoors. But just because the weather is getting cooler, it doesn't mean that we can't keep the summer fun alive for just a little while longer. And Disney Junior has got your back.

Tune in on Sunday, September 11 at 8:30am ET for an outdoor adventure. You and your child can join Handy Manny during the Handy Manny Great Outdoors marathon! And if your child loves Izzy, don't forget Izzy’s Adventure Week. Watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates from September 19-23 starting at 5pm ET and join Izzy on an exciting pirate adventure during the entire week!



In the meantime, you can keep summer alive by taking the kids to the local park. With the cooler temperatures, it is a lot more bearable to be out in the sun while the kids play to their heart's content. We still have all their outdoor toys on the deck and we can even do homework on our patio table. (Is it weird that I'm so excited for my daughter who brought home her first homework assignment for grade1?) And there's nothing like an outing to an ice cream parlor or gelateria to help remind us that summer is not quite over yet. You could even pitch a tent in your backyard. I've always wanted to do that...

You can also check local listings for family-friendly events happening in your area. Help! We've Got Kids is an excellent online resource with a crazy amount of events listed for the Toronto area this month.

I will end this by misquoting the great Dylan Thomas: