Every year, parents struggle to find something for their children to do over the summer. While summer camps are always an option, not everyone can afford to send their children to summer camp every week. Besides, it’s good to have some time together as a family during the summer.
If you are looking for fun, inexpensive options to keep your kids occupied, here are 10 activities to try:
- Public library: Once a week most of the summer, I take my son to the public library. It’s a great way to spend an hour or two, and you come away with new books and movies to try out.
- Have a children’s book club: This is a fun way for children to interact with others in a meaningful way, as well as learn new things. Get together with parents to take turns hosting.
- Start a collection: This can be anything your child wants to collect: Bugs, rocks, leaves, flowers, and more. Have your child look for items to collect, and then arrange them attractively.
- Plant a garden: Let your children help you with the garden. They can plant and care for the garden, and then harvest the fruits of their labors.
- Go to the park: Head to the public park for hours of enjoyment. From playing on the playground, to other activities that your children might enjoy, the park is a great place. Plus, many parks have summer programs, from outdoor concerts and plays, to special story times, that are free.
- Scavenger hunts: Children love to go on quests. Put together scavenger hunts for them to complete. These can be done in the house (on a rainy down), in the yard, around the neighborhood, or at the park.
- Visit various stores in town: There are different stores in town that can provide novelty and amusement. The pet store is a great choice. But other stores can be fun, too. Consider what’s available in your town. A really fun activity can be letting your child take some of his or her money (two or three bucks), and try to find the best deals at the dollar store.
- Star gaze: Star gazing can be a fun activity to do with the kids. During the day, look at star charts, and learn how to read them. Find out which constellations will be out that night, and where they will be when you go outside. Then, look for the constellations. In some cases, if your child is up late enough, he or she might even sleep in the next day.
- Learn about native flora and fauna: Find out about the plants and animals native to your area. Then, go on a walk to identify them. Take binoculars to find birds, and consider collecting specimens of insects and plants. Mark of which things you see. You can even create a sketchbook and have your child draw pictures of what you find.
- Enjoy cultural experiences: Together, learn about different countries. Then, cook food from that country for dinner. You might even try to learn a few words of the language, and practice saying them. For a really fun experience, learn about a different culture each week, or every other week.
In the end, the activities you choose for the summer can also help your children keep learning, even though they aren’t in school. Don’t forget to have them read each day, and practice age-appropriate math.