Summer is coming soon! We finished our last day of school! It is time to have fun this summer!

　For American kids, summer is the best season to relax and have fun. Most students don't go to school from mid-June to early September. There are three warm months to do many things with friends or family!
The weather is usually very hot, so the beaches are full of people. Families go to the beach together for one day. The kids like to swim and play in the water. Other people take long trips to faraway places. They go to Australia, Hawaii or Europe. Some parents send their children to summer camp in the mountains. In America, we have different types of camp. It could be sports camp, educational camp or nature camp. My family and I often went to Mexico to visit some family members. They always had a town festival. There were many decorations, shows and different types of food! We always had a good time.

　Many children stay in their neighborhood too. They go to the park to spend time with friends. Kids also like to "hang out" at the local shopping mall because there are restaurants, shops, movie theaters and video game arcade centers to play in. At home, they play in their yards too. Some children have swimming pools! So they like to invite their friends for a pool party! At our home, my parents liked having barbecues outdoors. My father would be the chef. I would help him cook steak, chicken, potatoes and vegetables on the grill. It was a great way to spend time with family.

　Sports are always popular in America, especially in summer. Boys and girls play everything from baseball to soccer to volleyball! They play in the street, the local park or at school fields. My friends and I used to play American football in our very big grassy yard!
In the USA, we don't have the Japanese holidays like obon (お盆) or Marine Day (海の日). However, we do have fireworks festivals just like in Japan! We have fireworks on July 4th, Independence Day. It is the birthday of our country. Many people hang American flags from their home or go to special events and festivals to see the big fireworks show. We can also buy safe fireworks like "sparklers" and "dancing flowers" and light them on the street near our home.
I hope you liked reading about American kids' summer activities. Have a great time this summer vacation with your friends and family!

アメリカの楽しい夏

アメリカの子どもたちにとって、夏はリラックスしたり、楽しんだりできる最高にいい季節です。６月中旬から９月初めまでほとんどの学生は学校に行きません。暖かい３ヶ月は、友だちや家族と多くのことをするためにあります。
非常に暑いのでビーチは人々でいっぱいです。遠い国に旅行する家族もいます。アメリカのサマーキャンプには、スポーツや教育など様々なキャンプがあります。私は家族と親戚の家を訪ねて、よくメキシコに行きました。その町のお祭りでは、たくさんの飾りつけやショーや様々な食べ物などがあって、いつも楽しく過ごしました。
自宅の周りでは、子どもたちは公園に行って友だちと遊んだり、ショッピングモールをブラブラ歩いたりするのも好きです。ショッピングモールには映画館やゲームセンターやレストランなどのお店があるからです。家にいるときは、庭で遊んだりします。プールがある家では、友だちを招いてプールパーティをします。私の両親は家の外でバーべキューをするのが好きでした。そのときは父がシェフ役をし、私はステーキやチキン、ポテトや野菜を焼くのを手伝いました。家族と楽しく過ごすにはバーベキューが最高です。
スポーツは特に夏に人気があります。男の子も女の子も、野球、サッカー、バレーボール、あらゆるスポーツをやります。私は友だちとよくアメリカンフットボールをしました。
お盆や海の日はアメリカにはありませんが、日本のように花火大会があります。7月４日の独立記念日には花火大会が行われます。独立記念日は私たちの国の誕生日です。多くの人々が家に国旗を掲げ、特別なイベントに参加したり、花火大会を見に行ったりします。

みなさんも、友だちや家族と素晴らしい夏休みをお過ごしください！