Sun’s up, school’s out, and you’re now scrambling for ideas to keep your kids occupied all summer. The good thing is there are a lot of things families can do for free (or almost free) inside and outside the house. Finding the right activities may not always be easy, but summer is a great time to explore interests and discover new talent.
Here are some fun ideas for the whole family to enjoy in the summer:
Backyard camping
You don’t have to travel far for a camping trip. Enjoy the outdoors with the comfort of your entire home within reach by setting up a campsite in the garden. Grab a pop up tent for hassle-free pitching, bring out the grill, and enjoy all the perks of camping right in your backyard.
Build an obstacle course
Hula hoops, furniture, ropes, sticks – practically anything around the house can be used to build a makeshift obstacle course. It can be as easy, difficult, simple, or complicated as you can make it out to be. You can even have an indoor and outdoor version! It’s also a fun way to add exercise to your kid’s routine.
Create sidewalk or driveway murals
Bring out the kids’ (and yours!) creative side with some colored chalk and an area of pavement. Chalk murals are a fun way to create designs and drawings without making too much of a mess. Draw landscapes, cartoon characters, or even each other and have a good laugh.
Stage a bike parade
Riding bikes is fun but making a parade out of it is even better. Take bike riding to a new level by decorating bikes with streamers, flags, or stickers. The louder, the better! You can also pick themes or have a bike design competition. When done, cruise around the neighborhood so the kids can show off their work.
Take a hike
Kids in nature have become a bit rare nowadays with the rise of tablets, smartphones, and video games. This summer, take the kids on a hike to remind them of how much fun they can have outdoors.
For younger kids, opt for an easy stroll with lots of views and a fairly flat walk. For older kids, look for slightly difficult hikes for a more interesting physical and mental challenge.
Cook up a storm
Cooking can be a chore for most adults, but it can be a fun family activity when kids are involved. Pick easy recipes of the kids’ favorite foods and have them help in every step of the recipe.
You can have a cooking session on a designated day of the week so the kids have something to look forward to.
Build an outdoor cinema
Summer nights are best spent outdoors. With a plain white sheet, a portable projector, and your phone or laptop, you can create your very own outdoor cinema.
Gather floor pillows and grab some warm popcorn to make the movie night comfortable and fun.
Tour your hometown
You’ve lived in your town for years, but how well do you really know it? Most people take their neighborhoods for granted, opting to travel far and wide to do some exploration.
This summer, look up local landmarks, public libraries, or the city hall, and get to know your town a little more. If there are not that many local attractions to visit, why not go food hopping with local restaurants? Window-shopping with local stores? There are many things to do around town if you just look closely.
Create a scavenger hunt
Adventurous kids will always be up for a good scavenger hunt. This is something you can do indoors or outdoors, depending on how complicated you want your hunt to be.
To keep it interesting, choose special items to hide that your kids will really want to find so they don’t lose interest mid-hunt.
Stage a mini play
Staging a mini-play is fun for kids with an active imagination since you’re able to play out their favorite stories or create your own. Dress up in makeshift costumes, use items around the house to build a stage, create some props, and have the rest of the family turn stories into reality. If you’re planning a big production, you can even invite friends or relatives to watch over video calls!
