Summertime came quickly this year, and the kids are already out of school! Whether or not they’re involved in numerous summer camps, sports, and other activities, they’re home more than they were during the school year. Having them home all summer while trying to balance work and other tasks can be challenging, yet it’s a special time to bond and make memories to last.
Summertime makes for a slower way of living; the kids sleep in and life is generally more relaxed. There’s also more time to spend with them since they’re not in school for 7+ hours every weekday, allowing you to sprinkle in some off days from work, plan a family vacation, or spend more time with them each day after work.
Though it’s a perfect time to bond with your children, summer break is a long time and it can be tough finding new activities to do. You often get stuck in the same routine with the same activities and play. Keep reading to learn 10 activities to enjoy with your kids this summer to refresh their summer break!
1. Bird Watching
You may be thinking of your mother or grandmother when you see bird watching as a great summer activity for the kids, but it is! Children love nature and birdwatching can be a fun activity all summer. It’s an opportunity to learn about bird species from eagles to finches, owls, and bluejays, and it’s a great way to bond outdoors. Plus, it’s a great way to save money since walking a nature trail or simply sitting in your backyard is free.
Pack up the kids and load them with sunscreen, take some snacks and a cooler, grab binoculars, and visit a park or nature trail. You could even set up a tent in the backyard to be discreet and place it near a bird feeder. Take it up a notch and have your kids draw their favorite birds and read them some facts about that particular bird. It’s a free activity that’s a great opportunity to learn in a fun way!
2. Start a Butterfly Garden
Everyone loves butterflies; they’re beautiful and gentle insects adored by many. Rewind to your childhood – didn’t you love chasing them, oohing and ahhing at their bright, bold colors while trying to catch them? Children love butterflies and chasing them is an activity many enjoy. Harness your child’s love for butterflies and start a garden for them in your yard. Making a butterfly garden is easy! You’ll simply need to choose a designated area in your yard to plant butterfly-attracting flowers in a cluster. Plant your butterfly garden in an area that gets plenty of sunlight and lay rocks in the garden so they can rest and sunbathe.
Your children will love to check the butterfly garden daily and will constantly be mesmerized by their beauty. It’s also a great learning opportunity to research different butterfly species and learn about flowers and plants.
3. Grow Vegetables
If you haven’t already, grow some vegetables in your backyard! While visiting the farmer’s market is fun, it’s also satisfying and rewarding to build a vegetable garden and pick directly from it when it’s time to harvest.
Growing vegetables is a great summer activity that bonds your family. You can choose which vegetables to grow and learn a little about how to harvest them, your kids can learn how to be responsible for something, and do a DIY project together. Plus, it’s fun for children (and adults) to check the progress of the vegetables daily until harvesting!
4. Paper Airplanes
This may seem like a simple activity, but it’s one that kids of all ages love. Any toddler, tween, or even teenager will enjoy this activity. Research how to make the optimal paper airplane for aerodynamics. Make them from colorful cardstock or printer paper to create different designs. You can hold official races, cheering on one another, creating hours of fun. It’s a great activity all summer long, especially on rainy days or when it’s unbearably hot to play outdoors.
5. Road Trip to a Nearby City
Who says you have to travel far for a vacation? You can pack up the car and take the kids on a road trip to a nearby city. It’s a great opportunity to learn about a different city and explore its downtown, history, and local parks. There will be new activities and places to explore, making it feel like a vacation with a change of scenery.
Road trips near Kansas City include Weston, Excelsior Springs, and Independence to name a few. Choose a city close enough to drive there and back on the same day and plan exciting activities or places to explore. Your kids will have a blast!
6. Visit a Local Farm
Perhaps one of the most educational and exciting summer activities, visiting a local farm is something the whole family will enjoy. Depending on the farm, children can pet the animals, pick fruit and vegetables, and learn about life on the farm. It’s a great way to learn about animals outside the city. Great local farms include Bowlin Family Farms LLC, Young Family Farm, and Urban Bounty Farms, Inc.
7. Join Summer Reading Clubs
Another activity that can span the entire summer break is joining summer reading clubs. Most libraries have summer reading clubs for all ages, including preschoolers and adults, with checklists and certain activities. Some libraries offer prizes for every 50 or 100 books a child reads, offering an incentive to continue to read. Reading is a wonderful activity for children to learn, explore, and exercise their imaginations!
8. Make a Comic Book
Are your kids tired of coloring books or activity books? Give them a new art project and have them create a comic book. They can choose the storyline, make up characters, and practice reading and writing skills while having fun. You’ll love the stories they make up and they make wonderful keepsakes!
9. Crafts
There are countless crafts that children can do all summer long. Weekly crafting time is a great way to help your child relax and use their imagination, especially useful on rainy days. Switch up crafts and choose fun activities like painting rocks, bracelet making, DIY birdhouses, finger puppets, etc.
10. DIY Playdough
Kids of all ages love playdough. It’s satisfying to fidget with and you can create anything with your imagination. The possibilities are endless, and kids could spend hours molding and playing with playdough, perfect for hot or stormy days. Skip the expensive stuff in the store and make DIY playdough! It’s an activity the whole family will love!
Summer break may seem long, but in retrospect, it’s short. Our children are only little once, so plan for some fun activities while they’re out of school this summer. Try the above activities to bond with your child and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Activities and crafts are a great time to connect with your child. They also help to create consistency for your child after divorce. If you are divorced and share custody with your co-parent, make sure you know everything there is to know about custody and travel to ensure you stick to your parenting plan.
If you need help with a divorce or establishing a parenting plan or modifying an existing parenting plan, or child custody, the Law Office of Young, Kuhl & Frick, LLC can help. We’re dedicated to the practice of family law and can help guide you through the entire process. Our office is in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. In addition to our physical location, our firm’s family and divorce attorneys have practiced in Jackson, Clay, Cass, Lafayette, and Platte County, Missouri. Contact our family law firm today to schedule a consultation – we can meet in person or via Zoom.
With over fifty-three years of combined legal experience, our family law firm is a team skilled in negotiation and litigation, handling family law matters from the most complex to the most straightforward. Our zealous team of attorneys will handle your case with expert knowledge and professionalism.
All of us at the Law Office of Young, Kuhl & Frick, LLC wish you and your family a wonderful summer!