Summertime is here and chances are your kids are loving the break from school, looking forward to an upcoming vacation or camp, or already complaining that boredom has set in. Even if your kids are in day camps or with babysitters, free time around the house can be a blessing or a burden for the caregiver. Kids of all ages need an outlet for their energy and being kept busy helps them out just as much as the parents. Whether you have toddlers, big kids, or teenagers, try Invitation Homes’ list of summer activities sure to be fun for the whole family.
Lemonade or Ice Cream Stand
I don’t care how old you are, most people won’t turn down lemonade or ice cream on a hot, summer day. Depending on how old your kids are might determine how creative to get and what type of supervision is needed. Let your kids write their own business plan and decide how they want to spend their profit. Let your middle school-aged girls bake cookies for homemade ice cream sandwiches. Older kids could go set up their stand at a park where there is bound to be a lot of thirsty and hungry customers. Let them host a weekly stand at the local farmers’ market or neighborhood entrance as a way to build up loyal customers.
Summer Olympics
A great activity for kids of all ages is to create your own outdoor Summer Olympics with relays, races, games, opening and closing ceremonies. Get neighborhood kids involved and ask them to create games for your backyard or have games in several backyards for a series of rotating Olympics. Games can be customized for toddlers such as scavenger hunts, tricycle races and hopscotch. While older kids could do running relays through sprinklers, jump rope competitions and basketball games. Make it a neighborhood block party by asking parents and other grown-ups to be spectators, judges or help with awarding the medals.
Backyard Campout
When timing or busy schedules prevent you from camping in the wilderness, a backyard campout is the next best thing and a great activity for the whole family. Try to make it seem as authentic as possible by building a campfire (if you have a safe space to do so), make s’mores, pitch a tent and use sleeping bags, and leave your electronics in the house!
DIY Home Projects
Make a list of home projects that you’d like their help with and get creative about how they can get involved and make it their own. Incentivize them with a reward (of your choosing) for their completed project. Ideas include:
Photo Album. Print photos from your last family vacation, your kid’s school year, or other special family time and ask your kids to assemble the photos in a photo album. Let their creativity shine. Some kids may even want to turn it into a scrapbook or other memento album.
Need a wall painted? Even if you have to help with the prep work and painters tape to ensure they don’t paint outside the lines, this is a great way for older kids to help with a small room or area in your house that has needed a paint job. For smaller kids, is there a piece of furniture you’ve been meaning to spruce up with a fresh look? Let them paint it!
Closet Clean-Up. Let them go through their closet, set aside clothing or shoes that no longer fit, and toys or games they no longer want. Get a few storage or organizational bins for them to use, or put up a new hook for hanging items. Their closet may look new again, and even inspire them to organize another area of their room!