Summer can’t come soon enough! This winter has been a rough one and getting outside with the kids has surely been a challenge. But as the weather starts to warm up and the snow stops making such frequent appearances, it will be easier to get out and about with the kiddos. We are sure your kids are excited for summer, too.
So, rather than waiting for the warm season to show up to start planning fun family activities, start planning now! The more you plan the less your children will be sitting inside, bored and wondering what to do. While every year you hope that your kids will be able to think of things to do themselves, we all know that will likely never happen. So, planning activities for them will help ensure they aren’t watching televisions and playing video games all summer long.
We believe in outdoor time and exploring and understanding the environment, which is why we allow our students to play outside and explore their curiosities. When you enroll your kiddos at Yellow Brick Road, they will learn through play, exploration, and supportive teachers.
You may not have a lot of time to spend with your children this summer, but when you do, having a plan can help you make the most of your time. Make a list of everything and pick from the list whenever necessary, or make an idea jar and write different ideas and activities on pieces of paper or popsicle sticks and make the activity for the day a random surprise! However you keep track of your ideas is up to you, but coming up with a list is a great idea to ensure there is endless summer fun!
We know that coming up with ideas can be difficult, so we will help! In this blog, we will give you different ideas and activities to do with your kids this summer. Start your list and get excited about the warm summer days ahead!
Bike Rides
Bike rides are always fun, especially during a nice summer day. But children are not as into biking for exercise as adults are, so having a destination is a good idea if you want them to enjoy it. A bike ride to the park is always a quick and easy choice and allows your children to get a ton of play time outside. But you can also bike to other places that will get your kiddos excited. Try biking to the local ice cream shop. The long ride in the summer sun is well worth it once your children start enjoying their frozen treats in some shade under the tree. Your kiddos will enjoy this activity because it allows them to stay active and receive an awesome reward on a hot day.
Swimming Trips
Minnesota is home to more than 10,000 lakes, meaning there are a ton of places to bring your kids for a nice swim. Playing in a lake with toys, water guns, and floaties is a great way to spend the weekend. Pack lunches, drinks, snacks, towels, sunscreen, and games that can be played on the beach as well! Your children will enjoy a day at the lake, splashing in the water. If you have a speed boat, you could even take them out on the boat, go tubing, or teach the older ones how to waterski!
Play in the Sprinklers
You may not always have enough time to head to the lake or bike to the neighborhood pool, or perhaps you are trying to clean the house while spending time outside with the kiddos. A great way to enjoy the water at home is to turn on the sprinkler and let your children run through them. They will have fun running around the yard, cooling off in the hot sun. You could also get a kiddy pool, a Slip ‘N Slide, or a hose attachment that makes running through your sprinklers even more of a thrill. You could even add to the water game fun and have a water balloon fight with your kiddos—this is fun for everyone. You can let your children play freely in the yard as you do whatever needs to be done. It will be fun for them to spend the day outside and close to home.
Plan a Picnic
Picnics are a fun and simple way to get outside. Pack up some lunches, a blanket, and some toys or games, then head out to your favorite park to eat lunch and enjoy a beautiful day. You can bring frisbees, kites, balls, and other outdoor kid games to play in the grass after lunch. You can also bring books to read to your kids or that they can read while they are resting after running around. The kiddos will be excited to be able to eat outside in the grass because, well, they are kids and that kind of stuff excites them.
Go Camping
Camping in the wilderness may not be fun to do with super young children, but camping in the backyard sure is! Set up a tent, bring a flashlight, stock up on snacks, and spend the night camping in your backyard. You can even set up a (safe) campfire and roast s’mores. This is a great way to spend time with your children and enjoy the warmer summer nights.
Decorate the Driveway
Drawing with chalk on the driveway will get your kiddos creative and outside. They can spend time tracing each other, drawing pictures, and coloring the driveway and sidewalk with chalk. This is fun for kids and can add some color to the exterior of your home. You could even join them and start drawing a mini city for them to add to. Drawing with chalk is a simple way to get them outside and keep them busy. This could be a perfect activity for them to do while you finish making dinner or wrap up some work.
The list goes on and on—these are just a few of the many ideas and activities you can do with your children this summer. Take them to the zoo, go on a road trip, work on the garden together, do crafts outside, or spend time relaxing in a hammock—the options are truly endless.
Planning your summer activities now can help you get excited and ready for summer and will allow you to have solid plans that your children can enjoy all summer long. Trying to get your children to get outside is hard unless you help them figure out what to do, so start planning!
With summer right around the corner, it is time to get excited for warmer weather! You certainly don’t want your kids sitting inside all day saying how bored they are. Planning fun outdoor activities can help ensure your kiddos have fun this summer and spend time doing different activities. Get ready for the summer and start planning activities for your kids. At Yellow Brick Road, we make sure that our students get time to play outside and explore the world and their curiosities. Contact us today to learn more about our early childhood development center and what we are all about, and get ready for some fun in the sun.