It’s summer! School’s out, and the kids need to be entertained. That can prove to be difficult, especially in a pandemic, but here are 24 fun ideas for those long, summer nights at home.
- Go stargazing
By far, the most beautiful time of year to see the sky is in the summer, so be sure to
take advantage of that. Take the kids out in the backyard, lay some blankets and pillows
on the grass on a clear night, and do some old-fashioned stargazing. - Play with play-doh
What’s more fun than creating new things and playing with shapes and colors? Playdoh is a great creative outlet for kids, because it allows them to shape anything their
little hearts desire, it’s colorful, it’s safe, and – thank god – it washes off. Let them run
wild making summer flowers. - Summer paintings
I’ve never met a kid who didn’t like to paint, and summertime is the ideal season for it.
Equip them with some bright colors and some paper and let them go to town. Have
them paint using your own garden as a reference – you’ll be surprised at what your little
ones can create. Get creative with your painting and fill water guns with colored water and hang paper on a clothesline or the fence and let the water fiends paint. It’s fun and creative. - Sleep in a tent
If I know one thing about kids, is that they all love sleeping in a tent or fort, no
exceptions. So why not take them “camping”? You don’t need to go far, your backyard is
right there. How convenient! Start a fire in the fire pit and roast marshmallows, tell ghost
stories, and live your best camping life – with access to all the comforts of home! - BBQ at home
Summer is the season for endless barbecues, so involve your kids in preparing the
meal. The ideal way for them to participate is to hand them little skewers and let them
construct their own kebabs – fruit, veggies, meat or fish – and throw them on the grill. - Have a water fight
The best thing on a hot summer day is a refreshing water fight. Use everything in your
arsenal – hoses, water guns, sprinklers – and splash around until there’s just one
person left standing. Parents vs. kids, go go go! - Paddling pool
If splashing around and getting your whole yard wet doesn’t sound great, how about a
paddling pool? The kids can get their feet wet for a quick refresh or splash around to
their heart’s content. - At home beach
If you want to take things one step further, you can even create your own little backyard
beach. Fill up the paddling pool with water, and place it near the sandbox. Put your
bathing suits on and grab your tools: it’s sandcastle time! - Picnic in the backyard
Warm weather is for one thing – picnics! And you can even have one close to home.
Just pack a picnic basket full of goodies, get a blanket, and have your dinner in the
backyard, al fresco! The kids will love eating on the grass, and it’ll make a regular meal
just a little more special.
10.Evening bike rides
Encourage your kids to be more active, especially since the weather is nice. Lead by
example and grab your bike so you can join the children for a nice evening bike ride
around the neighborhood.
11.Watch the sunset
You may be shooting too high trying to get the kids to wake up to watch the sunrise, but
the sunset is just as beautiful. Make an evening of it and spend some time admiring
everything that nature has to offer – culminating with the sunset. They’ll never forget the
night they were allowed to stay up late.
12.Build a LEGO castle
Every kid wants to be a princess or a knit, but you can’t do that without a castle! LEGOs
are the perfect medium for your children to create that fairytale and live out their
dreams.
13.Play with chalk
Do you want to encourage their creativity and artistic inclinations? Turn your driveway
into an art gallery – with chalk! It’s a cheap, easy activity that’ll allow them to let loose
and has the bonus of decorating your driveway. None of the neighbors will have your
unique artwork, that’s for sure!
14.Make ice cream
What do we want? Ice-cream! When do we want it? Now! Why buy ice-cream, when it’s
so easy to make tasty, healthy ice-cream at home? You just need milk, fruit, a mixer or
blender, and some freezer space. Let your kids get their hands dirty and work for their
icy dessert – they’ll appreciate it more.
15.Build a bird house
Birds need somewhere to live, too, so if you want to attract them around your home, you
need to build one for them, too. It’s a great lesson to teach kids – taking care of animals
and a creative pursuit, all in one. What’s more satisfying than building a little home and
then seeing birds live in it?
16.Plant flowers in the garden
Involving kids in “fun” chores not just teaches them responsibility, but it helps them learn
to enjoy the skill that you’re trying to teach them. Give them a sunhat and a pair of
gloves and let them help you plant a new rose bush. They’ll have loads of fun digging in
dirt.
17.Movie in the backyard
At-home projectors have become super popular in lockdown, as people are creating at home movie experiences. Hang a white sheet in the backyard and project your kids’
favorite movie. Bonus – the popcorn is much better, and cheaper, and you get your
choice of a healthy drink, instead of sugar-laden soda.
18.Go “fishing”
Remember that paddling pool? You can also use it to teach a man – or err, a child – to
fish. Fill it up with water and drop in some fish. You can use live fish, and cork on your
tackle, just to make sure that any fish you catch remain unharmed.
19.Make pizza
Kids love learning new skills, especially if they’re messy, so cooking fits the bill perfectly.
Tech the kids to make their own mini pizzas. Help them make the dough, and then let
them decorate them on their own, they’ll love adding their own toppings.
20.Paint a fence
Imagine how cute your children would look in little overalls, and covered in paint. Let
them help you give the fence a fresh coat of paint. After all, kids love painting, and you
could use the help.
21.Make a scrapbook
They grow up so fast. They’re small right now, and next thing you know, they’ll be gown
up and off on their own adventures. Take this opportunity to create a scrapbook with
pictures of the kids – they’ll be grateful for it when they’re older, and putting it together is
really creative and fun.
22.Set up a scavenger hunt
Send your kids on a wild goose chase to find the ultimate treasure. Write up clues, hide
stuff around your house and backyard, and offer them the satisfaction of discovery.
23.Write a story
Oftentimes, the best inspiration is real life. Encourage your kids to be creative and write
a story together. Your family can be the characters and you get to go on all sorts of
adventures. It’ll provide hours of fun.
24.Work on a puzzle together
Giant puzzles are the ultimate rainy day activity. The best part about them is that the
whole family can participate and contribute bits and pieces. Talk about teamwork!
Final thoughts
Coming up with fun stuff to do for your kids isn’t always easy, especially when the
summer is long, and all the usual kids’ play spaces are closed. Fortunately, there are
plenty of ideas to entertain the kids, even without leaving your home.
