From the article: 12 Ideas for Summer Fun for Kids
Keeping kids challenged and entertained over the summer doesn't need to cost a lot of money. Sometimes all you need is your imagination. What do you do with your kids to expand their minds and explore their imaginations that are either free or inexpensive? Share Your Ideas
reading in the park
- Bring a book that you will enjoy with some snacks. Pick a nice spot with shade in a park. Relax and enjoy a book with your child.
- —Guest reading in the park
Water Fight
- Gather some of the neighborhood kids for a water fight! Grab the hose, water balloons and some water guns and watch the action unfold. For some added fun choose teams (if there are enough people) and designate a hideout for each team. Its a great way to cool off and get some exercise.
- —Guest Emma
Puzzles
- Our son is crazy about jigsaw puzzles (and they're pretty cheap) so we have him do continually harder ones and watch his progression.
- —Guest Steve
Baseball!
- We like to take in a baseball team or two or three or.. :-) It doesn't matter if it is our major league team or a local town team, it is all fun.
- —FamilyCrafts
Paper Airplanes
- We check out a huge book of paper airplanes and spend a few days making them. Then we have contests in the back yard with prizes going to the furthest, the fastest, the coolest, etc.
- —Guest Robin
Add Learning to Fun Family Projects
- We are doing our garden again this year and have added two more types of lettuce - we like salad. My youngest was wondering if one grows faster than the other - so we set up a growth chart. She's so excited.
- —ab_parenting
Theme Days
- When I was a kid I had a wonderful babysitter who would do theme days with us--something as simple as "the color green" where we'd wear green clothes, eat green food, do a craft with green materials, etc. Obviously the theme can be as elaborate or as simple as you like, and kids can pick their own too.
- —Guest catherine
Blow Bubbles
- Take a break and blow bubbles. Even older kids who, if I asked, would tell me they've outgrown blowing bubbles, love it when we go out after dinner and blow bubbles.
- —childrensbooksADM
Another Idea
- Sidewalk chalk is a great activity for your budding artist or just some creative fun. It's fun to do it with your children too and there are so many sidewalk chalk options available. Not bad for the budget either!
- —Guest Emily
