The summer break is finally here!
The kids act like they have ants in their pants and need some fresh
ideas to keep them occupied. TV is a bad babysitter, and after a
half hour, the kids are telling you they are "Bored, Bored, Bored!"
Now what?
Well, don't fret..... We have some really old, but cool ideas.
Water Works:
Water Paint. You'll need a bucket of water and some clean paint
brushes.
Let the kids paint the house, the garage, bicycles, the fence, etc.
Kids will love the idea of painting everything. And you won't mind
because it is just water.
Water Balloon Toss. You'll need some water balloons and a bucket.
See how many water balloons you can throw into the bucket. If they
break easy, see who can fill the bucket up first by throwing them
really hard into the bucket.
Water Hose Rainbow. Take the water hose and spray water up into the
air in different directions. If the you're lucky, which you will be
often, you'll get a pretty site of a homemade rainbow. At the same
time, the kids can run through the water and cool off.
Dirt Works:
Remember the fun you had playing in the dirt when you were young?
Does your Grandma still have that mud pie you made her? Dirt is the
cheapest and fun summer joy for kids. Though messy, we have some
tips to get you started before you start.
First, dress the kids in play-clothes. Then make sure you have a
water hose on hand for a quick, cool wash up. You can also supply
your kids with gardening gloves.
Here are some creative ways the kids can have fun in the dirt:
Mud Pies. Make some mud pies! It would be great if you had one of
those really old steal strainers. They sift out the rocks and chunks
really well. If not, that's ok. Just mix the dirt with water and
let your child's imagination take over.
Worm Hunts. Tell the kids to go on a worm hunt. Ask them to count
how many there are. You may need to provide them with sticks or
small shovels for digging. If you would like to go fishing, have
the kids put the worms into a bucket of dirt.
Discovery Time. Go around the yard with your kids, or in the woods,
and go on a discovery hunt. Notice all the wonders of nature. Dig in
different areas of the woods to see what you might find.
Buried Treasure. Bury some old toys (Like McDonald figurines) in the
sand or dirt. Give your children something to dig with like a shovel
or stick. Have them find the treasure as if you were on a Treasure
Hunt for lost Pirates Gold.
Your Planet. Create your very own planet. Gather some dirt, grass,
sticks, rocks, etc. Place them in a box outside. Be creative as you
design your planet. You can use old figurines as creatures who may
live there, like Barbie and Godzilla figurines. Give your planet a
name and leave this box outside. Every day, go outside and see if
there are any visitors from Earth to your planet. Look at everything
and see if there are any changes. Watch your planet daily and you
might see some changes. This is very fun for kids. Especially as an
afternoon discovery.
Scavenger Hunt. Write up a list of things you want your children to
hunt for outside. These could be anything like a rock, dandelion,
worm, ball, leaf, stick, an old toy, etc. Give each of the kids a
bag or box to collect the items in. The kids can share the same box
or bag. Reward the kids with ice cream after they find all of the
items on the list.
Cover Works:
Tree House Fun. Build a tree house with the kids. You don't have to
be fancy. Use whatever boards you already have and some nails. Let
the kids paint it their style.
Box House. Don't have wood? No problem. Go to your local appliance
store and ask for some of their refrigerator boxes. Bring them home
and let the kids color on them with markers and crayons. Cut a few
windows out for them. Now they have their own Box House!
CJ Krebs, proud mother of four children, who writes short parenting
articles and bible studies for Sheeze.com. She also helps maintain
and moderate The Parenting World board.
