Summer has just started, but chances are most of your kids have already said this to you. For most kids, the fun of summer is already wearing off. Here's some great ideas to have some fun with your kids the rest of the summer:
- Have a movie night/afternoon. We turn off all the lights, get out the sleeping bags, lay on the floor with some popcorn and enjoy Nemo or Cars all over again. The kids love it--unintentional naps are always a bonus!
- Get out the hose and have a car wash. This could include your own car, or it could include matchbox cars, ride-on toys, bikes, etc. The wetter you get, the better!
- Fill up the sink with soapy water, pull up a stool, gather some cups, spoons, funnels, etc. and let your little one go to it. Strip them down so you don't have to worry about wet clothes.
- Go to the zoo. We always buy the yearly pass to our zoo so we can go as often as we want. That way with the pass if it gets hot/rainy/crabby we don't feel bad about cutting the trip short.
- Find a park you've never gone to before, or one that the kids always beg to go to and you never have time for. Pack a lunch and make a day out of it. Better yet, go park hopping. It tires them out fast!
- Gather some old magazines and some scissors. Let them cut away! Not only does this improve fine motor skills for preschoolers, but it really keeps them busy! When they're finished, they can have fun helping you clean up!
- Cook together. Find some kid friendly recipes at the library, and choose what you want to cook. Remember to let the kids help!
- Fill a bucket with water, give the kids a paintbrush, and let them "paint" the house or sidewalk. Give them a bonus if they can paint their names!
- Is your table dirty or sticky from breakfast/lunch/supper? Break out your husband's shaving cream! The kids can fingerpaint with it, the table will get clean, and the kitchen will smell GREAT! Don't want to do it in the house? No problem--clean the picnic table outside! (The bathtub works great too!)
- Go for a nature scavenger walk. Make a list of things to find: sticks, rocks, flowers, leaves, feathers, etc., and don't go home until you've found them all.
- Go swimming. Another place we have a pass to is the community outdoor pool. It pays for itself in a jiffy, and always makes for a fun afternoon. No pool? Research your area, and find out if there's a lake or beach nearby. It's worth a trip!
- Have an all breakfast day. Every meal, have something that you would serve for breakfast. Add more fun to it and wear pajamas ALL DAY.
- Go to the library. The library is always free. (If you don't rake up late charges, that is. Not that I'd know about those...) Check out some new books, and read them together under the trees. Talk to your librarian and see if they have story/craft times. Look through the movies, too--the library does have new releases, and you won't have to pay a rental fee!
- Write a letter to a relative. I mean really write. Even if your child can't form letters yet, they can still draw a picture. Then put the letter in an envelope, address it, and go to the Post Office. Talk about how the letter will get to the relative, and have your child help buy the stamp and put the letter in the box. (Bonus if the relative writes back--starting a new pen pal opportunity!)
So there's some of my ideas that keep us from getting BO-RED in the summer. How about you? Have I missed any? Leave them in the comments, and we'll keep the fun going all summer long!
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