Just like that, summer’s here. Doesn’t it feel like it came fast this year? It feels like we were just enjoying Spring Break, and now the school year is winding down, and the kids are going to be home for the summer. Maybe you’re like a lot of parents, and you’re starting to wonder what the heck you’re going to do to keep the kids occupied all summer, especially in our heat and humidity. Here are three fun summer activities for kids.
Indoor Activities for those extra hot and humid days
Children’s Museum of Houston
The children’s museum offers all sorts of interactive, play-based learning activities for children of all ages. Kids can spend the day exploring, playing, and learning, while the parents or grandparents play along with them.
Kids can enjoy pretend play in Kidtropilis their very own city within the children’s museum. Parents are allowed to play, but the jobs all belong to the kids in Kidtropolis. Kids can explore a grocery store, news studio, bank, restaurant, and much more. Kids can choose jobs and complete their work and earn a paycheck, so they can use that to save or spend at one of the shops in town.
If your little one wants to climb everything they may want to check out the challenge course rope climbing area. This is for kids 5+ so the little ones can’t do it, but it’s a fun activity for the bigger kids.
Fun at home
Paint anything.
Yeah, you read that right. Paint anything. You choose what the kids paint. Find a large, shallow storage container (a 28-quart one works great) and set their favorite toys, cars, trucks, dinosaurs, whatever you think they’d have fun painting in the container. Get out your washable paints (washable is the key here) and some paint brushes. If you want to contain the mess, even more, place a large beach towel under the container when you’re setting everything up. Open the paints and let the kids have fun painting their toys. This messy, creative play allows them to have fun and relax and stay entertained without turning on the TV even on the hottest day. If it’s nice out, you could easily do this outside. Consider having the kids wear their swimsuits and then let them wash their toys/cars/whatever with the hose and if they get wet, it’s OK, they’re already in their swimsuits.
Outdoor Play
If the weather is nice enough, pack a picnic lunch or snack and head out to the park, splash pad, or sprayground with the kids. Organize a playdate with friends from school or the neighborhood and let them run free. Kids need unstructured play time to relax and unwind and be ready to learn more. Allowing them to run free at the park or play in a splash pad lets the kids recharge, relax, and have fun. Join in the fun with them, when’s the last time you swung on swings or went down a slide? Play with your kids, spend time with them, and enjoy an afternoon at the park together. Choose a shady area and spread out a blanket or look for a table under an awning and have a picnic together. Changing up your routine and enjoying a picnic together can be a great way to spend a day as a family and enjoy some outdoor time together.
Whatever you do this summer, whether you’re indoors or out, find ways to relax, bond, and enjoy your extra time together. Turn off the TV, turn up the radio and have a dance party, take a bike ride together, go on a picnic, turn on the sprinkler in the backyard and run free, buy a slip and slide and join them on it and be the coolest mom or dad on the block… come on, you know they were a blast when you were a kid. Show your kids how to have fun this summer.
