Since I'm doing some traveling later this week to witness the birth of my niece (EEEEEK!), the kids and I will have to make the most of the time we do have together. It will seem like a shorter-than-usual summer break, but I am excited for all this summer will bring! So here's to some creative inspiration to help you plan some summer fun for your kids, besides the usual visiting the pool, park, and playdates. Here we go . . .
1. Set up a fishing pond outdoors with plastic swimming pool and race Juice Box Boats!
2. Pillowcase /potato sack races out in the backyard.
3. Have your kids work on their typing/keyboarding skills.
4. Give them some fun busy work with "Worksheet Wednesdays". Get some great printables here.
5. Have a Read-In - the kids can get into their comfiest clothes and slippers and bring along a pillow and stuffed animal sit and enjoy reading throughout the day with the kids! Don't forget an endless supply of snack foods & drinks!
6. Set aside a day for puppet shows & paper bag puppet making. Buy a stash of 50 brown paper bags for under $2 at Target and then set out stickers, construction paper, markers, and more for the kids to create their own fun puppets!
7. Turn up the volume on your boombox, CD player, iPod, or whatever you've got and have a dance par-tay! (a great way to sneak in some fun exercise!)
8. Bust out the board games and go to town!
9. Visit a local garden center and purchase a few inexpensive plants/flowers and plant them together one afternoon.
10. Go on a nature scavenger hunt and take this fun printable along as your guide!
11. Make prayer journals. Purchase small notebooks from the dollar section at the craft store and have kids cover them with paper and other embellishments (buttons, ribbon, glitter pens, etc.) to personalize them. You and your kids will love looking back on these at summer's end to reflect on their summer blessings & prayers!
12. Have an outdoor track & field day. You can event print out fun participation certificates!
13. Break out the water squirters, water balloons, sprinklers, for a water fun day!
14. "Do-nut" use your hands for this fun game: Simply tie a line from two trees with string or clothesline wire. Tie a single donut and each child tries to eat the donut without using their hands. First to finish wins!
15. Bob for apples (or pears or any other fun summer fruit!)
16. Make a yarn laser hallway like this one by using yarn and duct tape!
17. Make a family time capsule.
18. Bake and decorate cookies.
19. Make tissue paper flowers with tissue paper and pipe cleaners.
20. Have your kids make their own music videos! Video them dancing to some of their favorite tunes. Then get ready to hit the playback button because you know they won't want to stop watching themselves on camera.
21. Make your own pizzas for lunch or dinner.
22. Have ice cream for dinner . . . at least once! This is a family favorite of ours and my kids go bezerk when they find out I am declaring "ICE CREAM FOR DINNER!"
23. Visit a local park and bring bread to feed the birds.
24. Park & ride your local city bus downtown or to someplace fun -- my kids and I do this every summer!
25. Visit your local library for one of their FREE children's events. Most of them have their calendars and special events online for easy planning.
26. Have your kids document you (and their day) in photos.
27. Before finding out your kids' teacher, have them write a letter to their teacher for the upcoming school year describing what they're most looking forward to about back to school and their new grade level.
28. Interview your kids about their favorite things and their life right now. Then have them interview you!
29. Host a toy-trade-a-thon - invite your kids' friends over and have them bring 10 toys (large or small) to trade or swap with others! Assign each toy a point value - 5 points for small toys, 10 for medium, and 15 for large. Then have kids trade accordingly.
30. Have a water balloon and water spray bottle fight outside.
31. Gather some friends and schedule a news or radio station tour.
32. Make wacky paper bag hats like these.
33. Make Christmas ornaments in July. Here's some inspiration to get you started.
34. Make banana dogs for a fun lunch or snack.
35. Play restaurant - and YOU be the customer while your kids make you lunch!
36. Hop aboard the Summer Movie Express and see a movie for a buck and all for a great cause!
37. Build an indoor fort and enjoy board games and lunch in it!
38. Build with marshmallows & toothpicks.
39. Make friendship bracelets to wear and share!
40. Sit out on your deck, patio, or in the yard and paint rocks.
41. Organize a neighborhood service project in your area. Call your local food pantry to see what their greatest need is and then go around your neighborhood with your kids to collect items in a wagon or rolling backpack/suitcase to donate.
42. Make soda can robots.
43. Turn your family room into a movie theater -- print tickets for the show and feature a great movie along with popcorn and candy.
44. Make homemade soaps with fun objects inside.
45. Attend a fun {and FREE} Pottery Barn Kids storytime event in your area.
46. Visit your local mall and spend some time cooling off in their indoor play/kids area. Enjoy some mall walking with the kids and you've got some great exercise.
47. Write letters to your friends and family and mail them.
48. Do a balloon release.
49. Bake cupcakes or cookies and take them to your neighborhood pool for sharing!
50. Decorate your bikes for 4th of July - think: streamers, horns, balloons, signage, etc.
51. Choose a weekly journal topic to write or draw about at least one page per day.
52. Play duck, duck, goose out on the lawn.
53. Organize a neighborhood block party with the kids and parents on your street. Serve popsicles, lemonade, and do sidewalk chalk.
54. Have a science day - perform fun science experiments in your kitchen with everyday household items.
55. Take a photo of your kids everyday of summer in the same chair or spot in or around your house. When it's back-to-school time, look back at the photos to see how they've changed!
56. Work on a family LEGO project.
57. Enjoy a "puzzle" day at home, where all leisure time is spent working on puzzle projects together.
58. Organize a "donation-only" car wash and then donate your earnings to a local charity.
59. Design a "coupon book" for your kids with fun things they can redeem - i.e., going out for ice cream, movie time, one-on-one time with mom, reading, breakfast in bed, etc.
60. Look through old family photos of previous summers and reminisce!
61. Visit the library and check out their selection of video games and DVDs and have a day of indoor fun on a rainy day!
And, if these ideas aren't enough to satisfy your creative mama brain, check out this list of holidays for everyday and use it to inspire you to summer it up!
