Planting Seeds"Summer Fun"
When I was driving to work recently, I heard on the radio that the sales of hacky sacks were up. That’s not a sentence I thought that I’d be writing in 2026!
Hacky sacks, the small, round bags filled with plastic pellets or sand that are kicked into the air, were popular in the 1980s and 90s. Hacky sacks remind me of the fun I had decades ago as a child, along with yo-yos, sticky hands, slap bracelets, and Pogs.
Retailers have reported an 800% to 1,000% increase in orders of hacky sacks within a single week, causing widespread stock shortages. The “footbag” craze has returned, in part due to popularity on TikTok and Instagram, as a screen-free social activity to do in groups.
I love that younger generations are returning to hands-on, screenless activities. Being offscreen and “touching grass” is becoming more and more popular.
Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy Mother Nature. From hiking through forest preserves, visiting a zoo, and swimming in Lake Michigan, there’s lots to do in Cook County this summer.
I would recommend doing something agricultural: take a horseback riding class at a nearby equestrian center, visit a greenhouse and shop for a plant, visit a farmer’s market or farmstand, or create a summer garden either in your backyard or in container pots, growing heat-loving plants like cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes.
What is great about all of the ideas I listed above – and the hacky sack – is that you can do them all alone but doing them with others makes it more fun. Planting veggies alone can be tough work, and eating a salad and pasta made from fresh cherry tomatoes that you grew yourself is much more enjoyable when you enjoy the meal with family and friends.
This summer, get out and explore! You don’t have to drive a car or go far away from home to have a summer adventure. Pick out a good book (look at our summer reading challenge for book recommendations), plant some seeds, or spend time out and about enjoying the warm weather.
You can see our Agriculture in the Classroom Program at upcoming events around Cook County. We will attend multiple events this summer with booths that feature ag education, fun hands-on activities, arts and crafts, handouts, and giveaways. Stop by and say hi at Historic Wagner Farm’s Livestock Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, and at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Pollinator Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 23.
If all of the ideas I mentioned aren’t your idea of fun, don’t worry – I heard that hacky sacks are cool again! Enjoy your summer, whatever you decide to do!