10 Ideas for Summer Time FUN With Your Kids

Summer break is upon us and some parents dread it, while others welcome it!  I for one feel a bit of dread having to come up with activities for the kids all summer, and am also surely excited to spend some extra time with the kids!  By the end of summer my appreciate for teachers is over the top !   If you are in a rut here are a few ideas to keep busy this summer: 

1. Plant a garden, even if its in pots on your deck.  Kids love to see their seeds grow and picking a fresh carrot or strawberry is such a healthy snack as well!
2. Check out your local farmers markets!   
3. Zoos, Science Centers, Historical Museums generally have summer discounts available. 
4. Aquatic Centers, splash pads, pools, or a good ole slid n' slide in the yard can provide hours of sun!  Don't forget the sunscreen! 
5. Geocaching!  Emilie, Ethan, and I love to hunt for modern day treasures others leave behind.  All it takes is a smart phone and a geocaching app! 
6. Local parks and neighborhood walks.  One summer the kids and I made it our mission to visit EVERY park in our town, and we did!  32 parks in all, some we stayed for 10 minutes and others we came back to over and over again.  It was neat to see what all our little town had to offer! Take a picnic!  
7. Movies!  Often if you look into the local parks and rec department there are movies in the park or discounts that theaters offer in the summer on older movies for kids.  It is also fun to turn your living room into a theater...close the curtains and pop some popcorn!  
8. Head back to when you were a kid:  Jump rope, hopscotch, hot potato, kickball, musical chairs, four square, red rover, Simon says.
9. Homemade play dough, and other arts and crafts are good for a quiet afternoon.  You can check out our pinterest board for more kid friendly ideas!
10. Volunteer with your kids.  There are plenty of places that are always looking for some extra help, teen shelters, animal rescue buildings, and community centers.