With summer break around the corner, the kids will have free days once again before you know it. Even if summer intramural sports, summer camp and your family summer vacation are all planned, here are some at-home activity ideas you’ll love doing with your kids in between.
Plant a small garden
Whether you’ve done this before or not, it is a great learning activity for kids for a multitude of reasons. Head to your local home improvement or gardening store with the kids and buy the following items: organic soil, kids’ gardening gloves, gardening containers and/or flowerpots, starter plants and seeds. In a designated spot in your backyard or on your deck, lay the soil and starter plants or seeds and then cover with more soil. You can ask your kids to make homemade labeling cards for each plant. You may also want to create a watering calendar to share the responsibility of caring for the garden.
Be sure to pick a combination of flowers and vegetables that your kids will love to watch grow. Or, get your inspiration from foods your kids love to eat. Spaghetti lovers? Pick tomatoes and fresh basil. Zucchini bread fans? One plant is probably all you need for a bountiful harvest this summer. Your kids will love being in your kitchen cooking foods from their own garden.
Tie-dye shirts with the neighborhood kids
Send out a quick e-vite to a few neighborhood friends and host an afternoon of tie-dying in the front yard. Ask each friend to bring an old white shirt and wear old clothing. Supply the materials and fabric dyes necessary for the activity.
Grab some easy snacks and drinks for the kids to enjoy in the yard after you’re done.
Re-paint an old piece of furniture
Head to your local thrift shop or consignment store with your kids and pick out an old dresser, chest or small table to purchase. Once you’re at home, set up a drop cloth on the driveway and disassemble your piece of furniture. Ask the kids to sand down the surfaces you’ll be painting with sand blocks. Once sanded, clean the piece thoroughly and allow to dry before you start painting. If your kids are older, you can supervise spray painting. If not, then either hand paint or spray paint in your kids’ choice of color. This is the perfect fix-up project for a kids’ playroom or child’s bedroom.
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