Summer is flying by, but you still have time to connect with your kids by having a few more adventures together this summer. Need some ideas to add to your list? Here are 12 great activities you can do as a family to build attachment and make memories:
Build something
Bring out the blocks and build a city together. Work together to make a model. Pull out the blankets and create a fort in the living room or go all out and build a piece of furniture together.
Paint something
Watercolors, poster paints, acrylics…the choice is yours. Start with a paintbrush and paper and let your imagination (or a quick Internet search) take it from there. Make clean-up easier by taking the paints outside.
Cook something
Pick up an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable at the store and work together to use it in one of your meals. Find a new recipe and try it out. Or let the kids take over the kitchen, and you become their sous chef for a day!
Try sensory play
From a bin of uncooked pasta to a kiddie pool full of water to one thousand kinds of playdough that you can make yourself, this kind of play helps meet sensory needs for kids, helps calm overactive or anxious bodies, and is just plain fun.
Explore a new hobby
Ask your kids what interests them and give it a try. My kids and I started painting and hiding “kindness rocks” this summer, and although I was skeptical at first, it’s surprisingly fun!
Go to the library
Libraries aren’t just for books anymore (although I love a good book!). Many branches have play areas for kids as well as storytimes, activities, and classes for everyone. If you frequent your local library, try exploring one in a neighboring town.
Pick some fruit
Check out an orchard together. You can pick some delicious fruit to take home (cherries are my kids’ favorite; they love climbing ladders to get the ones at the very top of the trees), and some orchards also have animals to visit or play areas to explore.
Visit a museum
Children’s museums are great but don’t dismiss the option of taking your kids to a “grown-up” museum. Bonus points if you take the subway to get there (that’s an adventure in itself!).
See a minor league baseball game
You can get all the fun of a major league game for a fraction of the price. Our minor league baseball games are fun community events that often raise money for local charities. And weekend games have fireworks!
Learn what happens at a factory
See if you can tour a local (or not-so-local) factory. Learn together about how things are made. It sounds educational (and it is!) but it can also be fun.
Do a college visit
My kids are too young to be seriously considering colleges, but they aren’t too young to cheer on a soccer game and run around on a college green. The pop tarts from the snack shop might be their favorite part, but it’s never too early to plant the seeds of higher education.
Enjoy an outdoor concert or movie
In our small city, outdoor concerts and movies abound during the summer, and many of them are free. Learn what’s available in your area and spend an evening under the stars, enjoying some entertainment together.
These are some of my favorite summer activities to enjoy with my kids! What about you? What are you doing to connect with your kids this summer? Leave a comment and let me know!
