Summer is here and with it, sunny days with vast stretches of time just waiting to be filled. As a parent, filling the long days of summer for your kids can be a full-time job. The long daylight hours extend the evenings during the week, not to mention weekends!
With so much available technology, it’s easy to feel like electronic gadgets and video streaming services are necessary parenting tools to fill the time.; but it is simply not true. The old-fashioned ways of playing and being a kid are not gone. Don’t believe us? We’ve compiled a list of low-tech, low-cost ways to beat boredom, get outside, and inspire active play this summer.
Backyard Obstacle Course. Turn an ordinary yard into an obstacle course with outdoor toys and a little imagination. Hula hoops, swing sets, sports equipment and more can be used to create obstacles for kids to jump into, over, and through. Don’t put the burden of figuring out challenges entirely on yourself. Let kids come up with their own obstacles – just be sure to supervise the creation of the course for safety. Encourage them to rearrange obstacles and see how that can change the difficulty level.
Washable Spray Paint. Sidewalk chalk is great, but during the summer everything is better with water.
Chalk Spray Supplies
:
- 1 tsp. washable tempura paint
- 1 cup of hot water
- 1/2 cup of cornstarch squirt of dishwashing liquid 1 squirt bottle
Instructions:
- Add cornstarch to one cup of hot water whisking to mix so that there are no clumps.
- Add one teaspoon of washable tempura paint and a quirt of dishwashing liquid. Mix well.
- Pour it into your squirt bottles and shake well.
Watch your kids enjoy making designs and pictures on your driveway. I always spray my driveway down when we are done. After you let your spray sit a while it will separate. Shake it really well before you use it each time. Mix up a few different colors and let the kids loose to paint the town, or at least the driveway, without worrying about messy chalk dust.
Drive-In Puppet Show. Drive-In movie theaters can be a lot of fun, but it’s not uncommon to spend over $50 to get drinks and popcorn for a family of four. Save money without the screen when you bring the fun of the drive-in home with a drive-in puppet show in the backyard. Cardboard boxes make great cars and kids can decorate them with crayons, markers, and stickers before the show. Make puppets out of paper bags or just use favorite stuffed animals. Kids can take turns being the audience and performers. Let their creativity run wild and enjoy the show.
Soap Boat Race. A lot of outdoor play is messy. Honestly, getting dirty is often a big part of the appeal of playing outside for kids. Soap boat races, on the other hand, may actually leave your kids a little cleaner when they are done. Young children can decorate their soap with sails made from a toothpick and triangle of paper. Older kids can carve designs using toothpicks, forks, or clay tools. Once your boats are ready, set them afloat in a kiddie pool or water table. You can also consider picking up a couple of rain gutters, around $5-7 each, at a local hardware store to create a track. Place a garden hose at one end and watch the boats speed from one end to the other.
Make Your Own Ice Cream. Ice cream is a favorite summertime treat. Save money and encourage physical activity when you make it at home using zip-top freezer bags.
For 1 serving:
- 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 sandwich zip top bag
- 1 gallon zip top bag
- 3 cups crushed ice
- 1⁄3 cup rock salt
Put first 3 ingredients in the smaller zip-top bag and seal bag (Make sure it is tightly closed!). Put ice and rock salt in the larger bag and then add the filled small bag. Seal the large bag. Squeeze bag until ice cream is thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Remove small bag, unseal, and eat with spoon.No need to even dirty a bowl!
Sources: food.com
