SWEET SUMMERTIME: IDEAS FOR FUN CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS

2567
4
Submitted Date 05/28/2019
Bookmark

Parents, are you ready? Within a week or two schools are going to be out and summer vacation will be in full swing. Even if you keep them busy all summer, I'm sure you will still have those moments when you hear, "Mooooom, I'm bored." No worries, I've got a list of activities and crafts that you can do to keep your little ones happy and entertained.

Activities

1. Go to the Library-There are all kinds of great things at the library for kids and adults. Storytime, activities, picking out books and movies. What's not to love?

2. Go to the Children's Museum-The children's museum has lots of things for children of all ages to do. Let them play until they are worn out.

3. Go to the Planetarium-If you have older kids that love astronomy, take them to the Planetarium. They will enjoy learning about all the planets and stars and feeling like they are in space.

4. Go to the Zoo-If your kids are animal lovers, take them to the zoo. Don't forget the sunscreen.

5. Water Balloon Fight-Buy, some balloons, fill them with water and let your kids have a water balloon fight in the backyard. On one stipulation, they MUST clean up the balloons afterward.

6. Go to a Cat Cafe-If you have an older child who loves cats then you must take them to a cat cafe. These cafes let the cats run loose, and usually, there is a fee per hour. Why? All the cats are up for adoption, and the cost helps buy food and supplies. Don't worry, the litter boxes are in a different area, and the food is brought in, not prepared on site. At least this is how it is with our cafe here in town. Your kids will be purring with contentment.

7. Volunteer-Volunteer at the zoo or a shelter or somewhere else and take your kids with you. They will enjoy keeping busy while learning about themselves and others.

8. Water Gun Fight-If your older kids have water guns, let them have a showdown in the backyard.

9. Backyard Ball Game-If your kids like baseball and you have enough room, have a backyard baseball game. Invite a few of your kid's friends and their parents over to play. For even more fun, serve hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and soda before you start the game to make it feel like a real ballpark.

10. Take a Day Trip-Look online for a museum, zoo, historic site, park, unique store, or even a city that has lots of kid-friendly things to do and take a day trip.

11. Every Kid in a Park-This is an activity you'll have to plan, but it's one you can't miss out on. This program gives a free pass to national parks, lands, and waters if your child is a fourth grader. This pass also includes all members of your immediate family, so everyone gets in for free. You can find more info at www.everykidinapark.gov.

12. Go to an Amusement Park or Water Park-Pack up the kids and head out for a day or two of fun, sun, land rides, water rides, slides, and pools.

13. Make Ocean Jello Cups- Prepare blue gelatin and add Swedish fish to it. Pour it into glasses and let chill for a few hours. Add crushed graham crackers to look like sand on top for a beach like look.

14. Indoor Bowling-Is there a place in your house where there is a lot of room? Break out the plastic bowling set and have a tournament. For extra fun, do this on a Friday or Saturday night and order pizza.

15. Play a board game-This is something people hardly ever do anymore. Break out the board games and some snacks and let the family fun and bonding time begin.

16. Table Slip n Slide-This is best done on a table that doesn't have carpet underneath. Buy a roll of bubble wrap and tape it to the top of each side of your kitchen table. Add a dollop of baby shampoo where each child will stand and then spray the blobs with some water. Invite the kids over to play in the soap with their hands for some slippery fun.

17. Make Homemade Bubbles-Who doesn't love bubbles? Find a recipe on Pinterest to make homemade bubbles and buy several different size wands. Take the kids out to the backyard and let the bubble blowing begin.

Crafts

18. Puff paint-Mix some shaving cream, glue, and paint together and make a puffy creation.

19. Kool-Aid Painting-Mix Kool-Aid packets with water and let your kids paint on heavy-duty paper. When the paintings dry, they will have a fruity, delicious smell.

20. Homemade Slime-Slime is all the rage with kids these days, and you can make various kinds like fluffy slime, glitter slime, unicorn slime, and more. You can find lots of recipes on Pinterest.

21. Read a Book and do a Correlating Craft-Have your child pick out their favorite book and think of a correlating craft you could do. For example, The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss. You can read the book and then make footprint paintings.

22. Finger painting-Either buy or make finger paints, get some finger painting paper, and let your kids go to town.

23. Make "Fish Bowls"- Cut out a template of a fishbowl, then glue Swedish fish onto it and cut a piece of blue cellophane or plastic wrap to cover it. Instant fishbowl.

24. Picnic Ants-Buy paper that looks like a picnic blanket and let your kids dip their fingers in black paint and make "ants" on the paper. Add legs and antennae with a marker.

Keep these ideas in mind to bust the "boredom blues" this summer.

 

 

 

Comments

Please login to post comments on this story

  • Miranda Fotia 4 years, 10 months ago

    Great ideas! I like the ocean jello one especially (I LOVE SWEDISH FISH!) Thanks for the info about the Every Kid in a Park program! My daughter is a rising fourth grader :)

    • Carrie Lowrance 4 years, 10 months ago

      You're welcome. When I saw the Every Kid in a Park program, I HAD to share. I thought it was a cool thing to do.

  • No name 4 years, 10 months ago

    I need my car to not be broken, sigh. These all sound like fun.

    • Carrie Lowrance 4 years, 10 months ago

      Ugh, car problems are the worst. I'm sorry, Kiersten. I hope you can get it fixed soon.