15 Easy Ways to Enjoy Your Summer with Kids

Find ways to enjoy your summer with kids with these easy, hands on tips!

Are you enjoying your Summer so far? I can’t believe June is almost over. June tends to be that way, sneaking up on you with its beautiful weather and then running off into July before you know it. I for one have been enjoying the mornings of no where to be. You know, just hanging out and wondering what I should do to try to entertain the kids for the day.

Now that I have three kids and two arms my trips of creative ideas for the Summer have felt limited. I want to do fun things that are fun for my kids and easy for me to do. This is what I came up with and I hope that this list inspires you in some way!

1. Have a tent night in your own back yard

My parents have a home that they are lucky enough to have a place that sits on a lot of land. Camping in their back yard is just as good as going to the woods, if not better. I have access to a bathroom when I need it and I can sleep the babe inside.

2. Stay in your pajamas

Seriously, some days, we just stay in our pj’s all day and that is okay. I actually relish in the days that I am not required to get everyone ready to go somewhere. And yes, in this occasion they even ate some ice cream before lunch.

3. Go to local Splash Pads

I cannot say enough how much I love splash pads. They are super fun for the kids and you don’t have to worry about them drowning. You can also relax and read a book if your kids are old enough! We are lucky because we have a couple close by that are FREE. So if for some reason it doesn’t work out for very long that day it isn’t a big deal to go home.

4. Read a BOOK

I love the gorgeous weather of Summer under a shady tree or umbrella. It is such a fun time to pull out a book to indulge in our start a new series with your kids. We even created this Summer Reading Bucket list to inspire you if you are looking for some more reading ideas. I also love using the local library for inspiration and joining in on their weekly activities when I get the chance.

5. Hold a No-Electricity day

This could be a great way to limit the iPad, TV, phone, computer time with your kids in a fun way. Explore outside, make a fort, go for a walk or a hike. You could even take it into the night and use candles for some fun stories by candlelight or campfire!

6. Turn your home into a restaurant

Pick a meal that your family could work as a team making together. Let your kids pick some special music, set the table, and create an atmosphere that is special with its own flare.

7. Play Night Games

Pick one night to let your kids stay up extra late and play games in the dark with you. Kick the Can will be a fond memory that they will remember forever.

8. Park Hop

Make a list of parks in your area and plan out different days that you will go visit them. A change of scenery can offer imaginative play in so many new ways. Don’t forget to pack a lunch or even a sweet treat! I love Station Park  for the fact that it offers soft chairs, fountains, and a playground right in it’s center. I decided this would be a perfect time to pack our own sweet snack. The thing I loved about packing along Blue Bunny’s ice cream cones is the fact that there is no added sugar and it makes for a much healthier option!

9. Play with Bubbles

There are so many fun ways that you can play with bubbles by simply mixing up a batch of dish soap and water. You can make wands out of pipe cleaner or hangers and even color it with tempera paints, dish detergent, or liquid starch.

10. Paint Crazy

One of the funnest memories I had as a child was when we painted with our feet. You could use a large, old sheet and bring it outside and let the kids go to town.

11. Volunteer at a Local Animal Shelter.

If you are pet lovers, why not give pack and volunteer at the animal shelter. This would be an awesome way for your children to give their love and service in a way that makes a difference. It would also be a good time to talk about the responsibility of owning a pet if you already have one or are thinking about getting one.

12. Grow Butterflies

For $20 you can open up your child’s eyes to the wonder of the formation of a butterfy in your own home. Go to insectlore.com to purchase a live butterfly garden.

13. Schedule play dates

Kids need to get out and enjoy the fresh air. I find that it is so helpful to schedule time to spend with your friends so that it actually happens! It is good for body and soul, yours and your kids.

14. Host an Olympics

For one day create a few obstacle courses for your kids to compete in! This would probably be most fun if you involved a few others families to join in with you. You could have a jumping course, running, jump roping, races etc. It might be a good idea to get some older kids involved to help put these together with you. Let the kids practice for a few hours and then have an “official event.”

15. Relax.

As much as is humanly possible during these Summer months do your best to just RELAX. Life gets so busy so quickly and sometimes sitting and enjoying a bowl full of watermelon with your feet up is just what the doctor ordered.

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Happy Summer! What do you like to do in the Summer?

Want more? Come join us in our Summer Learning Series where we pick a topic every week and give you ideas on snacks, activities, books, games, videos and more!

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