So, school’s out for summer and it’s time to occupy our little ones. When I was a kid, we loved to use the garage as a performing arts center. Ha ha. We had fashion shows and plays. It was a great way to pass the time. My kids now do the same thing when they visit their Grammy. The cousins band together, plan all week and put on a show for the adults at the end of our stay. We’ve created great memories that way!
Here are some tips for fulfilling your role as Special Events Coordinator for the summer:
- Set up a schedule. Kids like to know what’s happening. Even if they can’t read yet, place pictures of the activities on a calendar using stickers. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to the concept of time and a calendar.
- Break your day into two parts: Morning and afternoon. Plan a morning activity that will involve something creative. Have a picnic lunch in the backyard, then head to the pool or beach in the afternoon. Plan in some downtime too.
- Trade child care. Do you have a friend who you can “help out” by watching their child one day and your watch her child another. This gives you both the opportunity to get some me time.
Backyard Fun
Water fun…If you don’t have access to a pool or the beach, have some water fun in the backyard. Set up a sprinkler, use water pistols, even a wading pool for older children can be fun to splash in.
Paint fun…Worried about paint spilling in the house and kids tracking it all over? Set up paints outdoors. Get washed up outdoors too that way you’re not tracking the mess indoors.
Reading time…Gather some favorite books, throw down a blanket, and enjoy some reading time together.
Lemonade Stand As soon as my children understood that they could earn money to buy something they wanted, a lemonade stand was on the agenda. Now, we live in a cul-de-sac so you can imagine their disappointment when not too many people showed up to buy lemonade, but the idea as lots of fun. We set up a table with an umbrella, an ice bucket, a pitcher of lemonade, cups and a “cash box.” We also had fun making a sign for the stand!
Rainy day activities
Consider setting up an Arts & Crafts center in your garage. The garage, you ask? Yes. This is the perfect place to put down a drop cloth, roll out paper (you can use brown paper that’s made for packaging mail items), put the kids in clothes than can get dirty, use washable paints and have the kids go to it! They’ll love creating a masterpiece that you can then hang in the garage.
Movie Time
Make watching a movie an event. Have a “carpet picnic” with snacks, cuddle with your kids, and enjoy a rented or pay-per-view movie that they haven’t watched before.
More ideas coming soon…
Please share with us how you keep your kids occupied during the summer months!
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