25 Summer Activity Ideas

Last year I started to keep a list of some ideas for when the kids said they were bored. I wanted this list to be things they could do with little supervision. I mean, going to the swimming pool or library require me to leave the house too and there are just times that isn't the most convenient thing to do when they are bored! Some of these things on this list require adult help but at least I can still be home to monitor laundry or cook dinner while they entertain themselves for a few minutes!

Here are some ideas I have on that list and I plan to use this list over the summer break:

1. Digital camera scavenger hunt. Have the kids take a digital camera (we happen to have an old one that takes "ok" pictures, but it doesn't like to download them anymore so we gave it to the boys) and search for things on the list. Make this is as easy or complex as you want. My boys are 7 and 8 and then Lady Bug is 4, so I tried to go somewhere in the middle so the boys would have fun, but it wouldn't be too hard for a 4 year old. (some of the things on our scavenger hunt list last year were: Rolly-polly, 2 small worms, a large rock, a crayon, a clean bedroom (mom's doesn't count!), a Lego, a squirrel, an orange flower, a yellow dandelion, a red car...etc) Have the kids go in the yard (or take them to a park, whatever your parameters might be) and let them use the digital camera to find the items, then they bring you the camera when they complete the list! Hey, this should kill 30-45 minutes at least right???


2. Wash my car (or dad's)


3. Wash your bikes


4. Sidewalk Paint - My kids think this is the coolest stuff. Cornstarch is fairly cheap and it only takes a few drops of food coloring. The colors are vibrant on the sidewalk and it cleans up easily! I bought a pack of sponge paint brushes for $1.00 at the craft store. We wash and re-use them so this activity is overall a fairly cheap one.


5. Sidewalk chalk - This is fun too. The kids enjoy making it!! The hardest part is waiting for it to dry.


6. Set up the tent indoors and have an indoor camp-"out"


7. Build a fort using blankets and/or sheets


8. Play "Dance Freeze". Turn on some music, the kids dance and dance until someone stops the music. They must freeze as soon as the music stops or they are "out". Then start the music again and dance and dance until someone stops the music.


9. Have a Balloon Race. This is fun if you have neighborhood kids over because more kids are better. Take some Dollar Store toys, whistles or even coins, anything small but rewarding to the kids. Put it inside a balloon, blow up the balloon and tie it closed. You will need one balloon per child. Have the kids stand at one end of the room and the balloons on another. When you say go the kids run to a balloon, they sit, stand, jump, kick or whatever it takes to pop the balloon. Then they get to keep the prize. Last year our sitter did this and she put money in the balloons, then took them to the Dollar Tree to buy something with the money. The kids thought it was the coolest thing E.V.E.R.!


10. Another super fun balloon game: Wits and Consequences. Write some simple questions on strips of paper and, like the toys in the Balloon Race game, insert the strips into the balloon, blow up balloon and tie shut. Do the same thing with some simple "to-do's" such as rub your tummy while patting your head. Or do a cartwheel. Label the "question" balloons "WITS" and the to-do's "CONSEQUENCES". Have the first child draw a "Wits" balloon, pop it and then answer the question. If they answer incorrectly they must choose a "consequences" balloon, pop it and follow the instructions. If they do THAT correctly they get back in the game. If they don't then they are OUT. If they answer the question correctly the first time, they are still in the game and DO NOT have to pick a consequences balloon!


11. Make Sponge Balls. Go here and check out the instructions. Martha Stewart suggests a game of tag with these, but I am worried my boys would be throwing too hard, but these still look like a ton of fun and I'm sure you can have some serious fun with these. Dollar Tree has packs of sponges so these balls would be cheap to make!


12. Pull out the craft box- I have a box full of scraps (paper and fabric and ribbon) and odds-n-ends, some noodles (left over from a recipe where I didn't use the whole bog but it wasn't enough for another meal), googly eyes, etc. I pull out this box and let the kids create stuff. Now that the boys are a little older they can usually come up with something on their own, Lady Bug needs some help getting started. We have made bugs with paper and pipe cleaners, sock puppets, pet rocks with paint and googly eyes, little animals with pon-poms and google eyes...you get the idea. So let them take the box to a nice covered work area and create away.


13. Wash toys. Fill up a bucket with soapy water outside and let the kids wash all the washable toys, cars, etc. They can wash and rinse and let them sit in the sun to dry. Lady Bug likes to wash some of her dolls --"give the dollies a bath"-- so that is pretty fun for her too!


14. Make your own bubbles. Go here for some bubble recipes and fun ideas.


15. This Treasure Ball idea sounds fun!


16. Summer Fun Journal. I thought it would be fun for the kids to keep a journal of what they do all summer - we do have some day trips and longer road trips planned. I would like to encourage the reading and writing throughout the summer.


17. This sun-faded paper art from Martha Stewart sounds fun to do.


18. Have a picnic in the backyard. Let the kids make the sandwiches and gather all the items and then we can all sit down outside to eat together.


19. Make ice cream in a Ziplock bag. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it sounds fun.


20. Make whipped butter. There are lots of different recipes for making your own butter, but here is one I have tried. It took an hour to make it. The whipping part took a long time. But the kids all took turns holding the mixer and spinning the bowl. They had fun making it.


21. Play with File folder games. I have made some of these for Lady Bug but I think you could easily make math or spelling ones for older kids so they don't lose what they learned in school. Here is a good link to get you started.


22. Make homemade playdough and then play with the playdough.


23. Make cornstarch clay and then create some critters to paint.


24. Have the kids make this Horseshoe Game to play.


25. Make your own t-shirt. Give the kids some Sharpie markers or fabric pens and let them design their own shirt. If you have embroidery hoops you can put a section of the shirt in the hoop and pull tight to make it easier to draw on. You can still color on shirts without the hoops, the hoops just make it a little easier, but it certainly isn't necessary.

So there ya go, hope you get some good ideas from this list! Happy summer!

Head over to We Are THAT Family or to Mom Advice for more summer tips and ideas!