Ideas for fun summer activities.

[Adinsmom]

I love summer and spending the days with my kids. :) They get out of school on Friday and I need a refresher on fun summer activities. Thanks in advance.

[Bsbllmom]

Some AMC and Regal theaters have free or $1.00 movies. I like to take the boys to the local park to go fishing. I don't touch the stuff though they do it all. We like to go to the beach or take the dog to the dog park. We have annual passes to Disneyland so we are there quite often.

[CJ's Mom]

Well, I wanted to buy a Slip N Slide last weekend but my gentleman friend said I was too old for that :(

We used to go to parks, swimming, bike riding, squirt gun fights, our library has reading programs. Trips to the zoo are always fun. Nature walks and short hikes. I try to get the kids involved in outdoor chores-gardening, washing the car (we all get soaked), have a 76' x 10' covered front porch that we clean off every couple of weeks-again everyone getting wet.

Painting & playdoh outside, picnics in the back yard....

[frizzyrazzy]

what I like best, riding bikes over to my mom's and sitting by the pool for the day. Sleeping late, staying up late and not having anything we "have" to do. I try not to schedule anything other than our beach vacation.

[Midwestmomma]

Well, I wanted to buy a Slip N Slide last weekend but my gentleman friend said I was too old for that :(

We used to go to parks, swimming, bike riding, squirt gun fights, our library has reading programs. Trips to the zoo are always fun. Nature walks and short hikes. I try to get the kids involved in outdoor chores-gardening, washing the car (we all get soaked), have a 76' x 10' covered front porch that we clean off every couple of weeks-again everyone getting wet.

Painting & playdoh outside, picnics in the back yard....

Be careful on those Slip & Slides....they can be dangerous for adults;):eek: I know....

[CJ's Mom]

Be careful on those Slip & Slides....they can be dangerous for adults;):eek:

;):D He looked at me like I was nuts!

[CJ's Mom]

How about a lemonade stand to benefit JDRF?

[momandwifeoftype1s]

I just happened to post this for my mom's group - so here is a long list of my family's favorites. I used to have my own business "Art Fun with Amy" for toddlers and preschoolers (just in case you wonder why I have this list).

Summer Fun Ideas from Amy

1. Draw outlines of your kids on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. Let them draw your outline. Add details with the chalk (facial features, clothing, shoes, etc…)

2. Draw a road with sidewalk chalk on your driveway. Include two outside lines and a middle dotted line to look like a real road (about 2 feet wide). Have your kids drive their Cozy Coupes, tricycles, etc. to follow the road around your driveway.

3. Get a bucket full of soapy water and an assortment of old sponges and scrub brushes. Let the kids wash their Cozy Coupes and bicycles with the soapy water. Let them spray them clean with the hose, and use old rags to dry them off.

4. Give the kids wide paintbrushes and a bucket of water. Let them paint the house and driveway with water.

5. Fill up your baby pool with water. After playing in the pool, empty it by letting your kids dunk watering cans or buckets in the pool to water your plants.

6. Put an adjustable shower type nozzle on your hose. Let your kids water your trees and plants and grass. What fun!

7. Take an old wardrobe box or other big box, and turn it on its side. Fill up cleaned microwave meal trays with different colors of washable paint. Let the kids paint the box with the paint. Add glitter and feathers, etc. when the paint is still wet. When the box is dry, tape one end shut and cut out windows to make a house.

8. Put a hard sided baby pool at the bottom of a slide (stand-alone or part of swingset). Put the end of the slide inside of the pool. Give your child a huge container of Matchbox cars, golf balls, balled up socks, (whatever you have a lot of). Let them roll the cars or balls down the slide and into the pool.

9. A fun winter activity is to put out the pool, and give the kids plastic shovels. Have them pretend to scoop coal (snow) into the back of the train (pool). This kept my kids occupied for hours in the winter.

10. Get a collection of empty various sized glass jars or vases (not your good ones). Fill each one with water, and put them on a big tray. I like to use baby food jars because I have so many of them. Go outside, and add a drop of food coloring to each jar. Have your kids pour one jar into another jar to mix the colors. It’s like magic to them. Have a big pitcher of water available to add more water to the jars to start over when all the colors are mixed.

11. Add watered down tempura paint to spray bottles. Hang up a sheet of butcher paper on an easel or fence. Let your child spray the paint to create a masterpiece.

12. Spray shaving cream in a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle some powdered tempura paint on top of the shaving cream. Let your child fingerpaint and mix in the paint. Make a print by putting a piece of paper on top of the artwork and pressing lightly. Let it dry with the peaks and valleys made from the shaving cream. It’ll look like clouds if you use light blue paint.

13. Go for a walk with your child in a wagon. Bring a bucket with a handle to collect “treasures” such as leaves, flowers (weed ones), feathers, pretty grasses, etc. When you get home, stick the “treasures” to a piece of clear contact paper. Add another piece of contact paper, sticky side down to seal in the “treasures”. Trim edges, and hang in your window.

14. Add ice cubes to your sandbox for the kids to find. I also like to hide shells or plastic animals in the sandbox for the kids to uncover.

15. Make an obstacle course in the backyard and name each station something from Dora the Explorer or another funny name. Examples: Use a crawl tunnel, and cover it with a blanket. Put stuffed bears at the entrance and call it the “Bear Cave”. Put belts horizontally in a row for them to jump over, and call it “Jumping over the Snakes”. Have them wade through “Crocodile Lake”, which is a baby pool with plastic crocodiles in the bottom. Make an “Animal Alley” for the kids to weave through by topping jars/cans with animal hand puppets. Coil up several hoses and tape them into shape. Have the kids jump in and out of the “Snake Pits”. Have the kids walk on tiptoe through the hot “Desert”, which is the sandbox. Set up a card table, and hang green crepe paper streamers to have the kids go through the “Jungle”. Add jungle stuffed animals under the table for them to find. Add your own creative ideas based upon the items that you have available in your home or garage. Just make up silly names for the stations to make it fun.

16. Give your child an old camera that still flashes. Even if there’s no film in it, the kids think they’re taking real pictures. Take them for a walk, and have them snap pictures of their favorite things.

17. Make a book by stapling folded white computer paper inside of a piece of folded construction paper. Sit with your child as he/she draws pictures for their book. Have them dictate a story to you. Write their words on the pages. Show them how to start with a title page and end with the words “The End”. I often have them do a dedication page too. My son loves to “read” his book to me – it’s his favorite one.

18. Duct tape a long strip of contact paper sticky side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of bubble wrap bubble side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of butcher paper to the driveway. Be sure to tape all sides (entire length and width). Let your kids explore with their feet with the sticky texture and pop the bubbles. Put out a tray with paper towels saturated with tempura paint at the end of the butcher paper. Have the kids make footprints across the white paper. Have a bucket of soapy water at the end and rags to wash off their feet.

19. Add bubbles to the baby pool when you’re filling it up. If you use bubbles, fill the pool and dump it out on the driveway sloping into the street when you’re done. The bubbles are not good for your grass.

20. Cut out shapes, letters, etc. out of sandpaper. Put the sandpaper shapes under a piece of butcher paper, and have kids use the side of crayons to make rubbings. The images come out very clear. Kids can rearrange the letters to spell out their name if desired.

21. Use a tape recorder to tape sounds in the neighborhood when you go for a walk. Your child can tell you which sounds he/she wants to record.

22. Give your child a bucket with a handle. Ask him/her to collect things that are a certain color, such as green. If you have more than one child, give each of them a different color to collect. Spread out their collections and talk about the items. This also works as an inside activity.

23. Another fun inside activity is to put together an alphabet floor puzzle (we have a long train one). Help your child to find items in your house that start with each letter. My son likes to match up the names of his plastic dinosaurs to the different letters. You could also use Thomas the Train trains or other collections that your child is interested in.

24. Face paint your child’s face using watercolor pencils dipped in a cup of water. Regular colored pencils work too. Let your child face paint your face too. They could also paint their whole bodies this way, and you could just hose them off when they’re done. The colors wash off easily.

25. Visit my favorite website for more Summer Fun activities and crafts at www.preschoolexpress.com. They have great, age appropriate activities. I highly recommend this website.

HAVE A FUN SUMMER!!!

[hold48398]

I just happened to post this for my mom's group - so here is a long list of my family's favorites. I used to have my own business "Art Fun with Amy" for toddlers and preschoolers (just in case you wonder why I have this list).

Summer Fun Ideas from Amy

1. Draw outlines of your kids on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. Let them draw your outline. Add details with the chalk (facial features, clothing, shoes, etc…)

2. Draw a road with sidewalk chalk on your driveway. Include two outside lines and a middle dotted line to look like a real road (about 2 feet wide). Have your kids drive their Cozy Coupes, tricycles, etc. to follow the road around your driveway.

3. Get a bucket full of soapy water and an assortment of old sponges and scrub brushes. Let the kids wash their Cozy Coupes and bicycles with the soapy water. Let them spray them clean with the hose, and use old rags to dry them off.

4. Give the kids wide paintbrushes and a bucket of water. Let them paint the house and driveway with water.

5. Fill up your baby pool with water. After playing in the pool, empty it by letting your kids dunk watering cans or buckets in the pool to water your plants.

6. Put an adjustable shower type nozzle on your hose. Let your kids water your trees and plants and grass. What fun!

7. Take an old wardrobe box or other big box, and turn it on its side. Fill up cleaned microwave meal trays with different colors of washable paint. Let the kids paint the box with the paint. Add glitter and feathers, etc. when the paint is still wet. When the box is dry, tape one end shut and cut out windows to make a house.

8. Put a hard sided baby pool at the bottom of a slide (stand-alone or part of swingset). Put the end of the slide inside of the pool. Give your child a huge container of Matchbox cars, golf balls, balled up socks, (whatever you have a lot of). Let them roll the cars or balls down the slide and into the pool.

9. A fun winter activity is to put out the pool, and give the kids plastic shovels. Have them pretend to scoop coal (snow) into the back of the train (pool). This kept my kids occupied for hours in the winter.

10. Get a collection of empty various sized glass jars or vases (not your good ones). Fill each one with water, and put them on a big tray. I like to use baby food jars because I have so many of them. Go outside, and add a drop of food coloring to each jar. Have your kids pour one jar into another jar to mix the colors. It’s like magic to them. Have a big pitcher of water available to add more water to the jars to start over when all the colors are mixed.

11. Add watered down tempura paint to spray bottles. Hang up a sheet of butcher paper on an easel or fence. Let your child spray the paint to create a masterpiece.

12. Spray shaving cream in a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle some powdered tempura paint on top of the shaving cream. Let your child fingerpaint and mix in the paint. Make a print by putting a piece of paper on top of the artwork and pressing lightly. Let it dry with the peaks and valleys made from the shaving cream. It’ll look like clouds if you use light blue paint.

13. Go for a walk with your child in a wagon. Bring a bucket with a handle to collect “treasures” such as leaves, flowers (weed ones), feathers, pretty grasses, etc. When you get home, stick the “treasures” to a piece of clear contact paper. Add another piece of contact paper, sticky side down to seal in the “treasures”. Trim edges, and hang in your window.

14. Add ice cubes to your sandbox for the kids to find. I also like to hide shells or plastic animals in the sandbox for the kids to uncover.

15. Make an obstacle course in the backyard and name each station something from Dora the Explorer or another funny name. Examples: Use a crawl tunnel, and cover it with a blanket. Put stuffed bears at the entrance and call it the “Bear Cave”. Put belts horizontally in a row for them to jump over, and call it “Jumping over the Snakes”. Have them wade through “Crocodile Lake”, which is a baby pool with plastic crocodiles in the bottom. Make an “Animal Alley” for the kids to weave through by topping jars/cans with animal hand puppets. Coil up several hoses and tape them into shape. Have the kids jump in and out of the “Snake Pits”. Have the kids walk on tiptoe through the hot “Desert”, which is the sandbox. Set up a card table, and hang green crepe paper streamers to have the kids go through the “Jungle”. Add jungle stuffed animals under the table for them to find. Add your own creative ideas based upon the items that you have available in your home or garage. Just make up silly names for the stations to make it fun.

16. Give your child an old camera that still flashes. Even if there’s no film in it, the kids think they’re taking real pictures. Take them for a walk, and have them snap pictures of their favorite things.

17. Make a book by stapling folded white computer paper inside of a piece of folded construction paper. Sit with your child as he/she draws pictures for their book. Have them dictate a story to you. Write their words on the pages. Show them how to start with a title page and end with the words “The End”. I often have them do a dedication page too. My son loves to “read” his book to me – it’s his favorite one.

18. Duct tape a long strip of contact paper sticky side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of bubble wrap bubble side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of butcher paper to the driveway. Be sure to tape all sides (entire length and width). Let your kids explore with their feet with the sticky texture and pop the bubbles. Put out a tray with paper towels saturated with tempura paint at the end of the butcher paper. Have the kids make footprints across the white paper. Have a bucket of soapy water at the end and rags to wash off their feet.

19. Add bubbles to the baby pool when you’re filling it up. If you use bubbles, fill the pool and dump it out on the driveway sloping into the street when you’re done. The bubbles are not good for your grass.

20. Cut out shapes, letters, etc. out of sandpaper. Put the sandpaper shapes under a piece of butcher paper, and have kids use the side of crayons to make rubbings. The images come out very clear. Kids can rearrange the letters to spell out their name if desired.

21. Use a tape recorder to tape sounds in the neighborhood when you go for a walk. Your child can tell you which sounds he/she wants to record.

22. Give your child a bucket with a handle. Ask him/her to collect things that are a certain color, such as green. If you have more than one child, give each of them a different color to collect. Spread out their collections and talk about the items. This also works as an inside activity.

23. Another fun inside activity is to put together an alphabet floor puzzle (we have a long train one). Help your child to find items in your house that start with each letter. My son likes to match up the names of his plastic dinosaurs to the different letters. You could also use Thomas the Train trains or other collections that your child is interested in.

24. Face paint your child’s face using watercolor pencils dipped in a cup of water. Regular colored pencils work too. Let your child face paint your face too. They could also paint their whole bodies this way, and you could just hose them off when they’re done. The colors wash off easily.

25. Visit my favorite website for more Summer Fun activities and crafts at www.preschoolexpress.com. They have great, age appropriate activities. I highly recommend this website.

HAVE A FUN SUMMER!!!

WOW these are AMAZING!! Thanks soooooo much!!!!!! :):):)

[momandwifeoftype1s]

You're welcome! I'm glad you liked the list.

Amy

[Karenwith4]

Some suggestions for inspiration:
Dangerous book for boys/Daring book for girls (depending on how old they are).

the Crafty Crow Blog (http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/)

Family Fun magazine (http://familyfun.go.com/)

101 Nature oriented things to do this summer (http://www.backyardnature.net/101/summer.htm)

eta these look like fun as well (http://fun.familyeducation.com/hobbies-and-interests/childrens-science-activities/32820.html)(depending on how old your kids are)

hth
Karen

[twodoor2]

I just happened to post this for my mom's group - so here is a long list of my family's favorites. I used to have my own business "Art Fun with Amy" for toddlers and preschoolers (just in case you wonder why I have this list).

Summer Fun Ideas from Amy

1. Draw outlines of your kids on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. Let them draw your outline. Add details with the chalk (facial features, clothing, shoes, etc…)

2. Draw a road with sidewalk chalk on your driveway. Include two outside lines and a middle dotted line to look like a real road (about 2 feet wide). Have your kids drive their Cozy Coupes, tricycles, etc. to follow the road around your driveway.

3. Get a bucket full of soapy water and an assortment of old sponges and scrub brushes. Let the kids wash their Cozy Coupes and bicycles with the soapy water. Let them spray them clean with the hose, and use old rags to dry them off.

4. Give the kids wide paintbrushes and a bucket of water. Let them paint the house and driveway with water.

5. Fill up your baby pool with water. After playing in the pool, empty it by letting your kids dunk watering cans or buckets in the pool to water your plants.

6. Put an adjustable shower type nozzle on your hose. Let your kids water your trees and plants and grass. What fun!

7. Take an old wardrobe box or other big box, and turn it on its side. Fill up cleaned microwave meal trays with different colors of washable paint. Let the kids paint the box with the paint. Add glitter and feathers, etc. when the paint is still wet. When the box is dry, tape one end shut and cut out windows to make a house.

8. Put a hard sided baby pool at the bottom of a slide (stand-alone or part of swingset). Put the end of the slide inside of the pool. Give your child a huge container of Matchbox cars, golf balls, balled up socks, (whatever you have a lot of). Let them roll the cars or balls down the slide and into the pool.

9. A fun winter activity is to put out the pool, and give the kids plastic shovels. Have them pretend to scoop coal (snow) into the back of the train (pool). This kept my kids occupied for hours in the winter.

10. Get a collection of empty various sized glass jars or vases (not your good ones). Fill each one with water, and put them on a big tray. I like to use baby food jars because I have so many of them. Go outside, and add a drop of food coloring to each jar. Have your kids pour one jar into another jar to mix the colors. It’s like magic to them. Have a big pitcher of water available to add more water to the jars to start over when all the colors are mixed.

11. Add watered down tempura paint to spray bottles. Hang up a sheet of butcher paper on an easel or fence. Let your child spray the paint to create a masterpiece.

12. Spray shaving cream in a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle some powdered tempura paint on top of the shaving cream. Let your child fingerpaint and mix in the paint. Make a print by putting a piece of paper on top of the artwork and pressing lightly. Let it dry with the peaks and valleys made from the shaving cream. It’ll look like clouds if you use light blue paint.

13. Go for a walk with your child in a wagon. Bring a bucket with a handle to collect “treasures” such as leaves, flowers (weed ones), feathers, pretty grasses, etc. When you get home, stick the “treasures” to a piece of clear contact paper. Add another piece of contact paper, sticky side down to seal in the “treasures”. Trim edges, and hang in your window.

14. Add ice cubes to your sandbox for the kids to find. I also like to hide shells or plastic animals in the sandbox for the kids to uncover.

15. Make an obstacle course in the backyard and name each station something from Dora the Explorer or another funny name. Examples: Use a crawl tunnel, and cover it with a blanket. Put stuffed bears at the entrance and call it the “Bear Cave”. Put belts horizontally in a row for them to jump over, and call it “Jumping over the Snakes”. Have them wade through “Crocodile Lake”, which is a baby pool with plastic crocodiles in the bottom. Make an “Animal Alley” for the kids to weave through by topping jars/cans with animal hand puppets. Coil up several hoses and tape them into shape. Have the kids jump in and out of the “Snake Pits”. Have the kids walk on tiptoe through the hot “Desert”, which is the sandbox. Set up a card table, and hang green crepe paper streamers to have the kids go through the “Jungle”. Add jungle stuffed animals under the table for them to find. Add your own creative ideas based upon the items that you have available in your home or garage. Just make up silly names for the stations to make it fun.

16. Give your child an old camera that still flashes. Even if there’s no film in it, the kids think they’re taking real pictures. Take them for a walk, and have them snap pictures of their favorite things.

17. Make a book by stapling folded white computer paper inside of a piece of folded construction paper. Sit with your child as he/she draws pictures for their book. Have them dictate a story to you. Write their words on the pages. Show them how to start with a title page and end with the words “The End”. I often have them do a dedication page too. My son loves to “read” his book to me – it’s his favorite one.

18. Duct tape a long strip of contact paper sticky side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of bubble wrap bubble side up to the driveway. Duct tape a long strip of butcher paper to the driveway. Be sure to tape all sides (entire length and width). Let your kids explore with their feet with the sticky texture and pop the bubbles. Put out a tray with paper towels saturated with tempura paint at the end of the butcher paper. Have the kids make footprints across the white paper. Have a bucket of soapy water at the end and rags to wash off their feet.

19. Add bubbles to the baby pool when you’re filling it up. If you use bubbles, fill the pool and dump it out on the driveway sloping into the street when you’re done. The bubbles are not good for your grass.

20. Cut out shapes, letters, etc. out of sandpaper. Put the sandpaper shapes under a piece of butcher paper, and have kids use the side of crayons to make rubbings. The images come out very clear. Kids can rearrange the letters to spell out their name if desired.

21. Use a tape recorder to tape sounds in the neighborhood when you go for a walk. Your child can tell you which sounds he/she wants to record.

22. Give your child a bucket with a handle. Ask him/her to collect things that are a certain color, such as green. If you have more than one child, give each of them a different color to collect. Spread out their collections and talk about the items. This also works as an inside activity.

23. Another fun inside activity is to put together an alphabet floor puzzle (we have a long train one). Help your child to find items in your house that start with each letter. My son likes to match up the names of his plastic dinosaurs to the different letters. You could also use Thomas the Train trains or other collections that your child is interested in.

24. Face paint your child’s face using watercolor pencils dipped in a cup of water. Regular colored pencils work too. Let your child face paint your face too. They could also paint their whole bodies this way, and you could just hose them off when they’re done. The colors wash off easily.

25. Visit my favorite website for more Summer Fun activities and crafts at www.preschoolexpress.com. They have great, age appropriate activities. I highly recommend this website.

HAVE A FUN SUMMER!!!

Do you babysit!!???:eek: My kids usually look at me like, "okay, what do we do with you mom?" I just ordered a microscope because I thought that would be fun for them. :confused:

[momandwifeoftype1s]

Do you babysit!!???:eek: My kids usually look at me like, "okay, what do we do with you mom?" I just ordered a microscope because I thought that would be fun for them. :confused:

Connor would love the microscope - that's fun too! We took him to the planetarium a couple months ago for a presentation about black holes. Their huge telescope (forgot the technical term) didn't work though because there were too many clouds. Science and math can be fun too, but I drop out around Kindergarten...

I don't babysit any more, but I used to watch other kids to supplement our income. I have a teaching degree (Elementary Education), so I'm finally working in education (part-time) as an Autism Tutor. I love it - my job is like playing for me! I love to be silly and creative.

[Karenwith4]

Do you babysit!!???:eek: My kids usually look at me like, "okay, what do we do with you mom?" I just ordered a microscope because I thought that would be fun for them. :confused:

Microscopes are a blast. What kind did you get?
We have a digital one and the kids love to send pictures to their Dad asking him to guess what it is they have been looking at. One day he took it to work and sent pictures back to them which they thought was hilarious.

[Beach bum]

We draw a whole city on our driveway. If the weather stays nice, we add more, transitioning to a village then a country. One week last year we covered 3/4 of the whole driveway.

Grow butterflies and release them.

Put on a circus with outdoor toys, hula hoops, jump ropes. Get face paints and paint them up like clowns.

At the end of every summer we have a lemonade stand to benefit JDRF and our walk team.