Has the novelty of summer vacation worn off (even if it’s just started)?
Are your kids (and very possibly you) looking for some new stuff to do?
Keep reading to find new ways to construct some sure-fire summer fun – without spending a dime!
Read the funnies (in the greeting card section)
Seriously. They’re often jam-packed with funny (and, okay, often goofy) one-liners. You and your kiddos can enjoy a few laughs and free air conditioning.
The stuff stories are made of…
Collect a bunch of random stuff, small and large, and put it all in a pile. Sit in a circle and take turns grabbing an item. Each item selected must show up in the story in some way. Continue the story until all the items have been selected and used in the story. (Consider putting a time limit on each turn to keep the story—and game—moving along. Additionally, for older children, this activity can be done independently and silently in writing. Then, have fun sharing the stories aloud and checking off each item as it appears in each of the different stories.)
Enjoy an “Inside Out” Activity.
Inject some novelty into the ho-hum by taking traditionally ‘inside’ activities outdoors to enjoy. Find a breezy, shady outside spot in the grass to enjoy coloring or reading a book. Take a cookie sheet and some craft clay outside and let your child make nature impressions with everything they find outside. “Inside out” activities are only limited by your creativity.
Sharpen your senses while enjoying the quiet.
If you’ve ever tried to play the game “Who can be the quietest for the longest?” just to get some peace and quiet, you know it doesn’t work. Kids are smart. That’s no game and certainly isn’t any fun. But this one is, and it’ll have you and your kiddos enjoying the quiet. Best of all, it can be played anywhere at anytime. (I like to play this game in restaurants while we’re waiting for our meal or in doctor’s offices while waiting for appointments.)
Have everyone close their eyes and listen for as many different noises that they can identify. Either set a time limit (such as 2 minutes) or have each person either raise their hand or silently open their eyes as soon as they’ve heard and identified a set number of noises. (My sons are 8 and 10 years old, and we usually play to 5 noises.) When the time is up (or everyone is ready), take turns sharing all the different noises you heard.
Got a reluctant reader?
Don’t just change what they read. Help them change how they read, too.
Sometimes all we need is a change of scenery, even when it comes to reading. Encourage your child to find the fun by reading in every room of the house this summer for at least 15 minutes. This activity not only helps increase the time your child will spend with his or her nose in a book, but it will also help him or her discover new ways (and places) to enjoy a good book. (Psst! One of my children’s favorite places to read on a hot summer day is actually in the bathtub—no water needed! Just a pillow for their head, a small clip-on reading light for their book and lights out equals a cool, quiet, private place to slip into another great story.)
What sumer fun are you constructing with your kids? Give other moms some more ideas!