Summer is half over and I am starting to hear those familiar words, “Mom, I’m bored” or “There’s nothing to do.” You would think that with a room full of toys and a big backyard there would never be a dull moment. My kids are perfectly willing to let me take them to the movies or amusement park every day but who can afford that?
- Look to the outdoors: picnic at the lake, hike to a waterfall or play in a creek.
- Backyard game of wiffle ball or kickball. Our Aunt Catherine created a squirt gun/wiffle ball game where you squirt the person to get them out. Very cool.
- Play Ultimate Frisbee at the park. My teens enjoy this with their friends.
- Squirt gun or water balloon battles
- Swimming --- Neighborhood pool, YMCA pool, Recreation Dept. pool. Just make sure you pack lots of sunscreen.
- Family movie night. Don’t forget the popcorn! Two good kid’s movies that also incorporate money concepts --- "Richie Rich" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
- Visit grandparents.
- Look through recipe books and let you child select a recipe to try. Buy the ingredients and let the kids help cook. If you are really adventurous, let them invent a recipe!
- Look for free tours. We just took three of our kids to the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta. The tour was free and they each got a bag of shredded money to bring home!
- Let your kids have a friend over to play. Or, if you have a teen, let them have a friend over to “hang out”.
- Have your child pick a career and try out some skills related to it. Check out Earn My Keep for a year’s worth of ideas!
- Movie theaters and libraries will often have free/cheap movies during the summer.
- Visit the library for a fresh supply of books. My boys just recently checked out books about simple science experiments. That reminds me….I need to buy more baking soda and vinegar!
- Help your kids plan and set up a lemonade or cookie stand. Planning the business, buy supplies, deciding what to charge and selling the product are great business skills.
- Plant some quick growing seeds. Marigolds, basil and cilantro are great choices.
- Make bird feeders. A quick online search will show lots and lots of different methods. Of course, you can’t beat the old fashioned pine cone, spread with peanut butter and rolled in birdseed.
- Bubbles and outdoor chalk are always a hit with younger kids.
- Let your kids pick a charity that they would like to help. They can earn money to donate or buy/gather products to give to them.
- Family game night. Favorites at our house are: Scrabble, Monopoly, Apples to Apples and Uno. However, I was recently “whooped” at Monopoly so it may be awhile before I recover.
- Roast marshmallows. You don’t need a giant bonfire to do this. We build a small fire in our charcoal grill in our backyard. Keep the water hose nearby for safety reasons.
I am sure there are many more ideas out there. What are some of your favorite summer activities with your kids? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!
Only comment is about #14 - be careful, as depending on how friendly your area may be, you could get asked to get/show a business license, or even get fined. Something to do, specifically to selling *food* (including lemonade) - if you google, there are also many news about kids who get stopped by health inspectors.
ReplyDelete@takabanana Excellent point. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun list! Here's one to add: Kids love planning things, so put them in charge of an "evening under the stars." This can be just a picnic dinner with flashlights or a backyard sleepover with sleeping bags & a tent. They can plan the food, create a ghost story and maybe do some online research about native nocturnal animals to share. And by all means, just use whatever you've got already in the house! :-)
ReplyDelete@Alisa --- Love the "evening under the stars idea" and I am sure my boys would love it as well. We may just have to give it a try. Don't forget the bug repellent!
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