When the kids have a break from school, there’s often a lot of time to fill. That doesn’t mean you have to break the bank with expensive activities and entertainment. Here are some fun ideas of things you can do in your own neighborhood – or your own backyard:
Get Outdoors
- Go to the Park
- Go for a hike
- Ride Bikes
- Feed the ducks
- Go to the lake
- Have a picnic (indoors, too)
- Photo Safari – make a list of items outdoors. Let your child use your digital camera to document each item they find on the list.
Backyard
- Gardening – Plant flowers in little pots that the kids have decorated. Plant an edible garden. Tend to your plants all season long, watering, weeding, and harvesting.
- Can it Float? Make a miniature boat out of household items/recycling. See if it floats in a bucket or backyard pool (or the bathtub). Attempt to put very small toys in the “boat” to see how much weight it can hold. You may need to help young ones with things like cutting a plastic bottle, but try not to give them too much direction so they can see the results of their experiment. When they’re done, suggest ways they could improve next time (i.e. don’t use Scotch tape or cardboard).
- Set up a Tent – Whether it’s for an afternoon, or overnight, kids will love the idea of camping in their own backyard – or indoors!
- Paint Outdoors – Let the kids use washable paint to create a masterpiece on your sidewalk, driveway or fence!
- Puddle Fun – Kids love puddles. Let them enjoy splashing around and getting as dirty and wet as they’d like. Be sure to have plenty of towels and clean, dry clothes ready!
- Wash the Dog – If Fido is cooperative, let the kids get out the hose and bucket and wash the dog. They’ll giggle with joy, while chasing it around with soap and towels.
- Wash the Car – Let the kids get messy and wet as they clean your car or van.
- Shaving Cream Fun – Set the kids up in the backyard with some inexpensive shaving cream and some food coloring. Let them go to town. (Great in the bathtub, too)
- Star Gazing – Share your knowledge, even if it’s limited to the Big Dipper and Venus. Moonless skies are best for seeing the stars, but moon-gazing is fun, too. If you don’t have a telescope, an ordinary pair of binoculars will help.
Misc. Backyard Fun
- Make a rope swing
- Have an egg toss
- Set up an obstacle course
- Organize a scavenger hunt
- Have fun with water balloons
- Collect different bugs
- Climb a tree
- Find a spider’s web & study it
- Eat Watermelon in big wedges
- Look for 4-leaf clovers
- Dunk for apples
- 3-Legged Races
- Search of lizards, snakes & bugs
Traditional Outside Games
- Freeze Tag
- Hide & Seek
- Hopscotch
- Marbles
- Red Light Green Light
- Dodge Ball
- Crab Soccer
Traditional Toys
- Bubbles
- Chalk
- Hula hoops
- Jump Ropes
- Yo-yos
- Balls
- Frisbee
Invite a bunch of kids over and have an afternoon of fun and games!