Summer Activities for the Whole Family

Are you finding that the long days are giving your family more time to connect? If you are looking for fun ideas to add to your bucket list to enjoy over the next few months, here are a few of our favorites to try. Summer is an excellent season to teach your kiddos that boredom often encourages creativity, and to create family memories that will last a lifetime.

Around the House
You don’t have to leave your own property to have some summer fun together as a family. Grab a bucket of sidewalk chalk and test your drawing skills. Each member of the family can draw their own creation, or you can have your child lie down on the concrete and trace around them with chalk. Then, let them color in their own outfit and transform themselves into something new! Sidewalk chalk also turns ordinary sidewalks into obstacle courses, with directions to spin, jump, or skip written on the ground. For kids learning numbers, letters, or even math facts, sidewalk chalk can be a fun way to practice that new skill.

For water fun, try water balloon baseball by swapping out a baseball for the water balloon. Pitch the balloon to your child and have them swing away with a plastic bat. When the balloon bursts upon contact with the bat, squeals of laughter are sure to follow. Water balloons are also great to toss into hula hoop targets or onto a tree.

Around Town
If you are ready to hit the town this summer, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have an enjoyable experience. Visit your local library to read through favorite books or check out a new game. You can also grab a calendar of their family friendly activities and attend a few together. You can also find free activities during the summer from your park district or school system.

Discover new foods at your community’s farmer’s market. Most vendors offer free samples, making it the perfect place to encourage healthy eating.

Here’s to a wonderful summer full of lazy days and family memories!