Children's Summertime Activities at Home

Blowing bubbles is a fun summertime activity.

It's not long after school lets out for the summer before children complain of boredom. Without school, they may not have the same contact with friends, and without lessons to complete, time hangs heavy, especially when they spend most of their time in and around their home. Through planned activities at home, you can encourage your children to have a more fun and fulfilled summer.

Bobbing for Apples

Bobbing for apples is usually reserved for Halloween or fall parties. But bobbing for apples makes a fun summer activity for your children. Fill an ice-cream-carton-size container with water for each child. Place the containers outside and add apples you've already washed. The children stick their heads into the containers and try to take a bite out of the apples in their containers -- no hands allowed. Once the children bite their apples they can take them out to eat.

Chalk Drawings

Purchase sidewalk chalk in different colors. Let the children's creativity run wild in drawing pictures on sidewalk by your house. Once they are finished, take pictures of their creations and print them out as a keepsake. If the weather doesn't allow for outside creativity, use a clean part the garage floor for the chalk pictures. Indoors, children draw with crayons and markers. Let them also use construction paper and chalk to add interest to their drawings.

Games

Lead the children in games and activities. Have them play "Simon Says." Children only follow commands started with "Simon Says" such as "Simon says jump up and down." They do not move if you give a command without "Simon says." Children take turns being Simon. Let the children race one another by playing "Red Light, Green Light," where children race forward when you say "Green light," and stop when you say, "Red light." If they miss a command, they return to the starting position.

Bubbles

While you can buy bubble blowing supplies, you can also make your own. Make loops out of flexible wire for the children. Have them dip their loops into dish soap you've poured into a bowl and gently blow to make bubbles.

Garage Sale

Make holding a garage sale a family affair. Talk about the benefits of passing on those things your family does not need or no longer uses. Have the whole family, including the children, search through their rooms for items with which they are willing to part. (Make sure to check the items in case the children try to sell off something you wish them to keep.) Have the children work together to clean their rooms and the garage as they choose items to sell. Let the children help mark the items with prices and display them in a manner that makes them easy to find Use a different color sticker for each child. An older child can make change during the garage sale. Use a notebook. When an item is sold, remove the colored sticker and place it on the page in the notebook for the person in the family with that particular sicker. Allow the children to keep the money they've earned. If it is significant, allow them to keep some as cash and save the rest.

References

• The Dollar Stretcher: 200+ Ideas for Summertime (or Anytime) Fun!
• Games Kids Play: Simon Says