Summer is officially here! That means lots of time with your children, long days spent hanging out and playing, and hopefully getting some much needed time outdoors. If you are at a loss, however, on what to do with your kids, check out some of these fun (and cheap or free) ideas. They’re simple and can be fun for kids (and adults) of all ages.
Art show: Put on an art show for the whole neighborhood or family. Have your kids take old sheets or rags outside and paint on them. You can also ask them to take old scraps of paper and make art pieces, or use plastic milk jugs or soda cans to make “sculptures”. Have them display all their art in the backyard, send out invites, charge “admission” (can be a canned good that you will later take to your local food bank), get dressed up, and have your kids tell their guests about their art pieces. If you feel so inclined, you can even have guests “purchase” some of the art with canned goods, pet supplies that you can donate to a local animal shelter, or even clothing that you can take to a local charity. It teaches your kids about recycling, art, and giving back.
Sidewalk darts: Darts can be a fun activity, but the thought of having your little ones throw sharp objects can paralyze any parent with fear. Instead, draw a bulls-eye imitating a dart board on the sidewalk using sidewalk chalk, then have kids toss a colored coin or a checkers piece at the bulls-eye. You can even pick up a pack of colored sponges at the Dollar Store and give each child their own to use. It’s safe, easy, and cheap!
Scavenger hunt: Summer is a wonderful time to go exploring. Turn your kids’s natural curiosity into a learning experience by asking them to do a nature or neighborhood scavenger hunt. They can collect items and bring them home in a bag, or they can just take pictures of everything and leave the items undisturbed. They must write doe the item’s location, though, to go along with the picture.
Glow in the dark bowling: This is another cheap, easy, and fun activity that involved reusing old materials and gets your kids outside at night. Simply take glo-sticks, which you can get at the dollar store, and put them inside empty or partially empty water bottles. Set the bottles up like bowling pins and use a ball to play glow-in-the-dark bowling.
Bake cookies and deliver them: This activity can be done weekly and will teach your kids about giving back, but it can also be more educational than just that. Each week, choose a place to deliver cookies (such as a fire station or nursing home). Have kids wrap the cookies and write a note or color a picture. Then, deliver the cookies and ask to get information on the place in which you are delivering them. For example, a firehouse may show your kids the truck and teach them about fire safety. At a nursing home, your kids can learn about being an aid or a nurse, and they can meet elderly people who have wonderful stories. Have fun and visit different places each time to learn about what goes on there and to brighten people’s days with something sweet to eat.
