With summer in full swing, kids may be bored, and you may be going crazy already! Keeping the kids busy and out of the TV may seem hard, but I am here to help! No matter the age of your kids, I am sure that you can find at least 5 things that you can do with your kids and everyone involved will have fun!
These activities can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make them. I selected them keeping a small budget in mind! I know that trying to entertain kids can get expensive and exhausting. Pick a couple of these activities and your wallet should be pretty happy and you may even get some peaceful sleep!
Let’s make this summer a memorable one with some of these top activities!
1. Go to a Park
There are tons of free parks around the world! Take the kids to the playground, go look for bugs, look for as many animals as you can. Pick flowers, or do an impromptu photo shoot with your smartphone! They grow up too quick, so why not capture some sweet moments! Even if you have bigger kids, this can be fun. Walk through the park and see who can find the most unique this there, or take the best photo of nature… lets face it, kids these days know how to take better ones than we do!
2. Have a Picnic
Have a picnic while you’re at the park or make it another adventure another day at a different location, like a riverfront or on top of your favorite hill! Pack a lite snack or a full-on meal for lunch, your pick! Pack some good ol’ fashioned PB&J’s, chips and a couple of bottles of water! Picnics do not need to be fancy! Have fun with it and don’t forget to pack the frisbee!
3. Go on a Hike
Hiking may be best for the slightly older kids who are independent enough to go long distances before their legs grow tired. If you are up for packing your little ones part of the way, this is an excellent way for everyone to burn some energy and explore the beauty that nature offers! There are lots of free trails open to the public. Another option is to ask someone with some property if you can take a walk through the woods!
4. Get Wet
If you have a pool, AWESOME! If not, it can seem like a chore to load the kids up and take them to a pool or water park. Up for a more public adventure? There are several nice public pools and water parks that can offer all day fun! Here are 3 really cools ones that I found in the US thanks to the Travel Channel! Check out more of the top water parks in the US Here!
- Kalahari Resort (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
- Holiday World Theme Park and Splashin’ Safari (Santa Claus, IN.)
- Legoland Florida (Winter Haven, FL)
The next two activities can be alternatives to the having to go to a public pool!
5. Public Beaches
Here you can have free fun playing in the sand and water! Pack some snacks and towels and enjoy a few hours in the water and build an impressive sand castle! For those with older kids, bring a ball or frisbee and play some catch! Don’t forget your sunscreen!
6. Homemade Slip and Slide
Get yourself an inexpensive tarp, some castile soap and turn the water hose one! If you are like me and are cautious about that water bill, limit the kids to 30-45 minutes. They may be sore anyway! You can pick up some legit slip and slides up at Target, Walmart or even online!
7. Plan a Scavenger Hunt
This can be fun in teams or individually depending on the age of your kiddos! If your kids a younger, try to plan a hunt around the house with big signs that are colorful to help the little ones out! If you have older kids that are more independent, you could even plan on that involves some of your families favorite places! Divide between vehicles if possible or places that they can walk to if you feel comfortable! A little friendly competition can be good for a family!
8. Go Camping
This was one of my favorite things to do as a kid! We would pitch a tent in the backyard, have a bonfire, roast marshmallows, and stay up late! Now, I know some places it is WAY to hot for this activity! If this is the case for you, Makes a pallet in the living room and the whole family can stay up late eating popcorn and watching a movie! If you and your family love the outdoors, totally go on a full-blown camping trip! Camping is awesome but making sure you have everything you need can get pricey, so know your budget!
9. Make Homemade Frozen Snacks
This is such a fun activity to do with kids! They really do love to help out in the kitchen. Plus, it helps them become more aware of the foods they are eating! I love getting fresh strawberries, raspberries, or watermelon and blending it up and making popsicles or slushies! If your mixture is a little thick, add some apple juice or water! When the kids come in from a hot afternoon, they have a sweet, refreshing treat that they will love!
10. Build an Animal House
I will admit building anything can be a bit more labor-intensive, time-consuming and may cost you a little extra if you have to buy it all! We built a birdhouse with the kids not long ago. They were a bit too young to do most of the work (3 and 4 years old). They did love painting the birdhouses! We happen to have had the scrap wood laying around which made it was pretty inexpensive. You can buy kits that are easy for kids to assemble or purchase pre-built ones. The pre-built ones are nice if your kids just want to decorate it! If your kids are old enough actually to help use a hammer or even a power tool, try making a dog house and donate it to foster home!
I hope these have given you some ideas for how to keep you and your kids from going crazy this summer! Share what you love to do with your kids, even if it isn’t any of these listed here! The more ideas, the better!
Enjoy your summer and your kiddos!
