Need creative ideas for summer? The first week or two is always a blur, but once optimal routine sets in you may find yourself fresh out of ideas for the summertime. When you need a quick, fun activity you don’t want to get sucked into hours on Pinterest; you need something to do with your children to keep things lively and creative. So, here you go–30 ideas for 30 days worth of fun and creativity.
You can use this list/calendar as a guide by doing one of the activities daily. Or if you want to spread them out, you can choose to pick an activity a day Monday through Friday lasting for the next 6 weeks. If you want to get crazy, you can mix all the ideas up and then allow your children to pick one a day. Make yourself a “creative jar” so you can be spontaneous. It’s entirely up to you.
For preschoolers keep it simple and use markers to draw pictures. Have them find something blue, something brown, something round, something sharp, something soft and something hard. For the elementary school aged child, use more complex ideas such as something that tastes good, something you would feed your dog, something that starts with “T.” Keep it fun and straightforward.
Take some water bottles (the kind with the squirt lid) fill with water and have a contest to see who can “paint” the most creative image on your driveway or blacktop. Keep it even more interesting by saying the picture is completed when the bottle of water is gone…no more water refills.
Use some fresh fruit, blend with a small amount of water and then put into popsicle molds for a wonderful afternoon treat. Our favorite is 2 bananas, 6 strawberries and ½ cup water blended and poured into molds. If you don’t have popsicle molds, you can use old yogurt containers and freeze the delicious fruit blend with a fork stuck smack dab in the middle.
Find a fun meal; it can be anything you want, and learn to use chopsticks together. Use them for an entire day. If your child is very young, take your chopsticks and a small bouncy ball and secure the bouncy ball between the chopsticks at one end so your child can master it with more control. If you didn’t know already, you could also buy trainer chopsticks.
Using a vegetable peeler and long carrots (not the mini baby carrots) slice off long shreds of carrot and then make into a fresh “spaghetti” of sorts allowing your child to eat their vegetables with their fingers. For added fun, dab a bit of ranch dressing over the top and have them eat their “spaghetti” with chopsticks!
Grab a stick of chalk and a few rocks, the rules are simple, and the game is quick. Simply draw out your squares, put numbers in them and when you roll your rock, you have to skip the square where the rock landed while you are hopping on one leg down the row of blocks.
Put all ingredients (except food coloring) into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until a solid forms, add food coloring and cool before enjoying with your children. You can even add 1 drop of essential oil for a scented play dough experience, like having an aromatherapy sensory toy!
This can be done running, jumping, talking, singing, counting, whatever you do, do it backwards. Kids seem to enjoy it if this also translates to meal time and they get to eat dessert first!
Beyond handprints, use your fingers and some non-toxic paint, and then have fun. It is best when you can do this activity outdoors so clean up is a breeze. If you are not brave enough to endure the finger paint, or if it is a rainy day, use Q-tips and call it painting with stilts.
This can be done as a scavenger hunt where you look for a flower that is white, one that is yellow, one that smells good, one that smells bad, etc. What makes this activity even more fun is if you save some of your treasured finds and then press them in a book. After a week or so, when the flowers dry out, you can make bookmarks by ironing the flowers between layers of waxed paper.
Pack up something simple and grab a flat sheet then head out. You can make this one as elaborate, or as simple as you choose. Go to a park you have never been to or sit in the middle of your yard and do be sure to lay on your back for a quick game of cloud shapes afterwards.
This can work for girls or boys, boys can turn their “crown” into a chain, and every little girl wants a flower crown. Simply find the longest stem dandelions you can and begin by braiding the stems together, add more dandelions as you braid until you start a chain. (Similar to French braiding but much simpler). You can finish off the crown with a bread tie or allow the chain to go on for as long as you like.
Every child should have the experience of running barefoot in the summer through a sprinkler, be sure your kids don’t miss out on this nostalgic childhood experience.
Use waxed paper to cut out a shape (heart, circle, square) and then use Elmer’s glue to add scraps of colored tissue paper. Once hung in the window your waxed paper shape (circle, square or diamond) will look almost like a stained glass window with the colored tissue paper and light shining through.
This is almost a scavenger hunt in itself because first you need a “Y” shaped stick and a large rubber band. Once you have found two of these items that work well together, watch out, and be sure to have eye protection available. It works really well to take your invention to a nearby water source (pond, creek, lake) and shoot the rocks into the water. If not available, use marshmallows as your shots.
A balloon, newspaper strips, some flour and a little water is all you need. Mix equal parts water and flour for the glue and dip the strips of newspaper in them before laying in thin layers over the inflated balloon. Let each layer dry thoroughly before adding the next. After drying overnight, check for any remaining wetness and then either layer some more or stick a pin inside to pop the balloon so that you now have a hollow shape you can paint, fill with candy for a homemade piñata, or make a hot air balloon craft.
If you don’t have fresh lemons to squeeze you can use 1 cup lemon juice, 2 cups sugar and fill a 2 quart pitcher full of water. If you want to do it like the carnival and fair workers, add ¼ cup sugar and 1/8 cup lemon juice to a plastic cup, fill with ice and water and invert a second plastic cup over the top, then shake for a lemon shakeup.
Using a sandwich baggie add 5 cotton balls saturated with water, 3 bean seeds and seal the bag. Tape it to a sunny window and watch as days go by and sprouts start to grow.
You can buy a packet of these at your local dollar store and plant them inside in a sunny spot or outside in a container, water often and enjoy the beautiful colors that spring up.
You need to visit a creek or a pond for this one, but a rock skipping class can last for quite a while. Look up rock skipping on youtube if you are unfamiliar with techniques, this is definitely an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
Ask your child what their favorite breakfast items are and make dinner out of it. This is even more fun if you let your child help with the meal prep. Your toddlers can put the eyes and nose (using chocolate chips or raisins) onto a teddy bear shape that you make too.
This can be as entertaining as you like, depending on the age and daring nature of your child. The challenge is to guess what is placed on the tip of your tongue and the experimenter can choose whatever they like from the refrigerator, watch out, this can bring lots of laughter, and again this is one that mom should join in on!
A unique sensation, and if you don’t have mud, simply add water to the dirt and make some fresh mud to do this one with. Join in with your child if the mood strikes you, definitely a fun activity everyone should try at least once.
Take a banana (peel on) and slice from one end to the other, slightly open the slit to add chocolate chips and nuts and then bake the “banana boats” at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until soft and melted. Eat by scooping out the cooked banana and toppings with a spoon.
It’s a rite of passage for any child to have climbed a tree. For the younger ones, find yourself a sturdy pine tree (the branches are lower to the ground). For the older ones just give some tips about sturdy branches. Now let them turn into the little monkeys you have seen them be.
If you can’t remember any of the jump rope rhymes from your childhood, just look up a few on the internet. Bonus points if you can teach them to double dutch!
Another youtube opportunity if you don’t already know how to play string games. All you need is about 3 feet of string tied into a knot to form a continuous loop. Even little ones can get in on this and it helps with fine motor skills.
These can be used for decoration or turned into bookmarks when folded. Take a coffee filter and some markers, then have your child make dots or lines with the marker before misting with water which creates a tie-dye pattern.
This one requires a bit of forethought as you need to take a small toy (Lego man or mini toy) and put it in a small amount of water in your refrigerator. For each of your children, you’ll want some little Dixie cups or other small containers filled with water. The object is to melt all of the ice off and free the item trapped inside. You be the judge to see who can do it first.
Summer is such an amazing time in our children’s lives, the weather is usually beautiful, there is little to no school happening and time is plentiful. Enjoy the days with your kids and be sure to let them see mom having fun and being silly right along with them. Enjoy, they don’t stay little long.
Sara Elizabeth is a Christian homeschooling mom to 7 and a Family Herbalist. Having both typical and special needs children, ranging from preschool through high school, she not only understands the unique challenges of teaching several children with different learning styles and abilities, she has experience balancing therapy schedules with family life. Her passions include sharing home remedies, homeschooling tips, encouraging mothers and most importantly, making it all less intimidating.
What a wonderful resource! There are so many great ideas here. Thank you for sharing this post and the free printable with Hearth and Soul. Sharing on the Hearth and Soul Facebook page. Hope to ‘see’ you at the party again this week!
Love to eat with chopsticks! I haven’t tried that with the kids yet. Thank you for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Thanks so much, Pat! 🙂 Always lovely to see you here. I hope you, and your readers, find some great activities to enjoy.
[…] at AMamasStory continued with the “sweet and simple summer” theme with her post “30 Days of Creative Ideas for Summer + a printable calendar“. Oooh, another money- and memory-saving printable! Thank you, […]
There is something to be said about old fashioned hospitality, the kind of days gone by where ladies in dresses visited for tea and always had a gift for the hostess. This is no longer an expected form of politeness, in fact, if you arrive at a friend’s home and present her with a hostess gift, she may well be taken aback. It is no longer a well-established custom in our fast paced culture. However, as with many of the older ways of doing things, it is worth bringing back. The next time you are invited to the home of a friend, be it for a barbecue or a family game night, try one of these awesome hostess gifts that are sure to make you a favorite guest.
Nothing says I thought of you like a monogrammed gift. You know that the giver didn’t re-gift it and they actually gave some significant thought into what they did for you. The nice part is that you can often find monogrammed boards and other monogrammed gifts at places like Hobby Lobby.
Think Godiva, Harry & David or some other delectable, with chocolates you really can’t go wrong. It would be a rare gal who would not delight in a fancy box of high-end deliciousness. If you are feeling extra creative, how about chocolate covered blueberries or coffee beans?
Not every girl is a writer, but many of us are list keepers. Just having an unscathed and clean slate to use for whatever you desire is a luxury. There are so many beautiful versions of blank journals you can get as fancy or plain as you like.
Something tasty and foreign is always a good choice. Imported coffee or flavored coffee is like a piece of paradise in a vacuum sealed package. Bonus points here if you can come up with something she has never tried before, and if she is not a java princess, go for some unique tea samplers.
If not monogrammed then pretty blank cards, a handwritten note is almost as wonderful as an old-fashioned hostess gift. Provide her the carrying device for a beautiful note to a friend or loved one.
Find her a statement piece, one that is functional yet showcases her personality. We all like to look beautiful, even if we are trying to protect our clothing underneath while whipping up a fabulous meal for guests. If you need inspiration check out some Etsy finds in the apron department.
Whichever the gift, a sweet note of thanks for her hostessing talents presented with a thoughtful gift can go a long way in letting her know just how appreciative you are and how special she is.
Giveaway rules: No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Open to US and Canada residents only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or associated by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. By entering this giveaway, you agree to release Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Woman to Woman Ministries and all participating bloggers of all liability. Contest ends at 11:59PM CST on December 11, 2017. Winner is randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and will be emailed.
A simple, 5 day series with clear, actionable steps you can begin today to become a more peaceful and joyful mom.
Great gift ideas for hostesses! I would be more than happy with any of these especially the chocolates and gourmet coffee!
As a family of 12, we would use the money for Christmas gifts or to help our oldest fly home to see us!!
A friend gave me a beautiful, monogrammed cutting board a few years ago as a Christmas/hostess gift… I have enjoyed using it so much.
I hope all is well with you and yours this Christmas season. 🙂 I know it can be difficult trying to keep the budget in line around Christmas.
With the extra $420, I would buy a special gift for my husband. We rarely exchange gifts for Christmas because we are always focused on gifting others.
How awesome! We’ve been working on teaching our children about being a blessing to others and focusing on what we can do for them.
Thank you so much for offering this $420 Paypal giveaway! I would use half of this money to gift a family in need in my community and the other half to provide my family with a gift each person really wants.
I pray all goes well. I often mention our children with special needs and sometimes I wonder if we will get caught up. We always do, but it can sure feel like a challenge sometimes.
I make homemade hot pads and always give them as a hostess gift for a party or any invite.Practical, pretty, and easy to both make or buy.
I always tell the hostess to be sure to throw away her ugliest pair when adding the new ones to her drawer. Everyone always laughs and says they know exactly which ones they will throw out! We are a family with 12 children , so I decided long ago that if anyone was brave enough to invite us they ought to be thanked in a special way!!! : )
I’m so sorry to hear this. 🙁 We had some unexpected expenses come up recently ourselves and so many unexpected changes around the holidays can make it difficult. I hope things work out for you.
An extra $420 this Christmas would be such an incredible blessing! We live with my in-laws & I would use it to help us all get on top of & ahead of bills!