Running out of things to do with the kids yet? Take a look at what I found.
In my search for fun ideas, I found a bazillion things to do. Narrowing them down to fit here was difficult. My biggest resource was Pinterest. If you’re on Pinterest, do a search. If you’re not on Pinterest, you’re missing some great things shared there.
Some of these make great science projects. I won’t jabber on so I can leave space for all the links and suggestions. So, here we go:
* Instructions for things to make
1) Make your own lava lamps.
http://slsmithphotography.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/06/lava-lamps-summer-fun.html
2) Make a city using masking tape
* Let the kids go wild with a roll of masking tape. They can tape over the carpet, the furniture, wherever, to make roads for a city. They can add Matchbox cars, Legos buildings, blocks, etc.
3) Draw out a city on vinyl
* Use a large piece of cardboard or you can get a scrap piece of vinyl at a flooring store for very little money. Turn the vinyl on the wrong side. Whether you use the cardboard or vinyl, give the kids markers to map out a city or do this part yourself. Plot it out first. Add stickers for road signs. Use Matchbox, Legos, etc., as above.
4) Fizzy “drawing” fun.
http://kadydiddesigns.blogspot.com/2012/04/fizzy-fun.html
5) Make a giant ice cube.
http://www.crumbbums.com/?p=2476
6) Buy one of those large plastic jars filled with all sorts of craft makings
* Add some glue or whatever else they need and let the kids loose.
7) Make butterflies
* My granddaughters love this one. Depending on the age of the child, either you or the child can draw a pair of butterfly wings on paper. Printer paper (or similar type) seems to work best.
* Let the kids color use crayons, markers, or colored pencils, or add stickers. Cut them out. Use pattern-edged craft scissors if you have them. Tape them to a bendable straw of their choice of color. Tape front and back. As they wave it up and down, the wings will flap.
8) Word-making game
* Cut circles out of cardboard. Mark each circle with letters of the alphabet. Make extra vowels. Set a timer for one minute and see how many words the kids can make.
9) Plastic eggs
* Make popsicles in plastic eggs.
http://kailochic.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-egg-popsicles.html
* Other uses: use markers for each egg half for 1) shapes to match, 2) matching upper and lower case letters, 3) a math problem on one half, the answer on the other half, 4) writing different words on each half then connect the halves, like sea+side, baby+bottle.
http://www.lessonplandiva.com/2011/11/freebie-and-lots-of-pinterest-ideas.html
10) Make fairies in a jar.
http://organisedchaoswahm.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/fairies-in-a-jar/
11) Make raised salt paintings.
http://oneperfectdayblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/kids-art-raised-salt-painting/
12) Make fruity play dough. Recipes for using Jello or Kool-aid.
http://www.create-kids-crafts.com/playdough-recipes.html
13) Clean picture making with torn paper.
http://www.makeandtakes.com/creating-torn-paper-landscapes
14) Make exploding plastic bags.
http://homeschooljournal-bergblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/summer-fun-43-fizzy-explosion-bags.html
15) Make a river in the backyardhttp://www.camoandbows.com/2011/08/river-runs-through-it-in-our-front-yard.html
16) Make your own fruit roll-ups.
http://thecopycatcook.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/fruit-rollups/
17) Make a homemade butterfly feeder.
http://www.ehow.co.uk/way_5484767_homemade-butterfly-feeder.html
18) How to make jelled water marbles. This is a great science project.
http://www.chemspider.com/blog/a-well-done-scientific-hoax-called-water-marbles.html
19) Make a soap cloud.
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/04/kitchen-craft-soap-clouds-and-homemade-kiddie-tub-soaps/
20) 100 ways to avoid TV.
http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/100-ways-to-avoid-tv/
21) Make rainbows with pre-schoolers.
http://kid.tipjunkie.com/making-rainbows-for-preschoolers
22) Make quicksand goo.
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/quicksand-goo
23) Make a squishy giant water bag to jump on in the backyard.
http://themommiesmademedoit.blogspot.com/2012/03/giant-squishy-sensory-bag.html?spref=fb
24) Buy PVC pipes and put them together in fun shapes. Then, turn on the hose!
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/h2-ohhh-787451/2/
25) Make humongous bubbles.
http://innerchildfun.com/2010/12/top-10-posts-of-2010-5.html
* Links with multiple suggestions
1) http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/fun-ways-to-save-this-summer/
2) http://whipup.net/2011/06/14/80-things-your-kids-love-to-do/
3) http://cuegly.blogspot.com/2011/09/75-kid-activities.html
4) http://www.divvyupdiva.com/search/label/102%20Summer%20Activities
5) http://www.the36thavenue.com/2012/03/20-fun-kid-activities.html
6) http://www.homeschool.com/articles/101ThingsToDoThisSummer/default.asp
7) http://www.digitalreflections.typepad.com/digital_reflections/2009/06/100-free-things-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer.html
8) http://www.mrfreestuff.com/120-free-things-to-do-with-kids-this-summer/
9) http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-age/toddler-crafts-866244/?CMP=NLC-NL_FFUN_Crafts_072111_toddler-crafts
10) http://cuegly.blogspot.com/2011/09/75-kid-activities.html
* Old stand-bys
1) Tons of ideas for making fun cupcakes; do a search on the internet or on Pinterest; fun photos
2) Play miniature golf
3) Have a picnic
4) Collect plastic bottles. Fill with a couple of inches of water to make them stable. Set them up for bowling in a flat area.
5) Play in the hose in the backyard. Hang the hose or sprinkler from a tree for more fun.
6) Bake cupcakes. Make it a math lesson with measurements. Since cupcakes are all the rage, let the kids go wild in decorating them.
7) Legos, always a favorite
8) Don’t forget the chalk for the driveway!
9) Set up a theater in a doorway. Have kids make up a play and you’re the audience. Or do a puppet show. Make sock puppets to go with it.
10) One of the best things is a tent inside the house. Use sheets or blankets. Put a blanket or sleeping bag to sit on. Add pillows, a tea set, have a picnic, books, etc. If you allow, drape the sheets over the kitchen or dining room table.
11) There’s always the old craft of pasta pictures. Kids can use crayons or markers to color dried pasta and then glue them to construction paper.
12) Does anyone in the family (or friend) have a birthday? Make a card out of whatever you have around the house. Use old buttons, string, bits of ribbon, stickers, color pieces of cardboard and cut out heart shapes to glue on. If you’re a scrapbooker or a cardmaker, then you’ll have plenty of goodies for them to use. Discuss with the kids ways to help someone. Is there someone in the neighborhood who is sick or a shut-in? Make cookies, a card, or do something else nice for them. Or go to a nursing home and give out the cards the kids have made.
13) Get a large (18 inch or so) styrofoam airplane. Great fun. But be careful; they will break. Get more than one. If you can find a small one, they can play with it in the house. Or make an airplane out of paper.
14) Get a pair of binoculars, small enough for a child to hold. Go outside and discover God’s tiny creations: watch the birds, see ants up close, etc.
15) Make a list of things for a scavenger hunt.
Enjoy making memories!
From one mother’s heart of love to another…
Lynn Mosher
http://lynnmosher.blogspot.com
Lynn writes devotionals and inspirational stories. She has one book waiting to be published in 2015 and is working on a second one. Her greatest passion is to fulfill God’s call on her life to encourage others and glorify the Lord with her writing. She currently writes for several sites and writes bi-weekly on her site, Heading Home. http://lynnmosher.com
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