Summer Family Activities- Submitted by Sherry

1. FAMILY IDEA JAR. Everyone picks several fun ideas they would like to do over the summer. Whenever you have a free day, pick one idea from the jar.

2. CREATE A "MAKE-IT BOX". Decorate a shoe box or plastic container. Fill with string, crayons, markers, chalk, paint, scissors, stickers, paper, etc. Use it to create crafts on a rainy day.

3. KID’S BACKYARD BBQ. Have kids plan a menu, invite guests, organize set up and clean up.

4. VISIT AN AREA CRAFT SHOW that performs craft demonstrations.

5. TAKE A NATURE SCAVENGER. List 10 specific items to find on your walk ... a small pinecone, a yellow leaf, and a red berry.

6. FAMILY GAME-A-THON. Everyone picks his or her favorite board game to play.

7. PLAN A "NO TV" DAY. Play cards, charades, read, take a walk.

8. VISIT YOUR LIBRARY. Most libraries have a summer reading program that encourages reading with incentives.

9. PLAN BALLOON HOCKEY using water filled balloons instead of a ball or puck. See how many goals can be scored before the balloon breaks.

10. START A COLLECTION using your imagination. Collect rocks, shells, coins, stamps, keychains, thimbles, postcards, fossils, autographs or buttons.

11. PLAY OLD-FASHIONED GAMES. Kick the can, monkey in the middle, flashlight tag, freeze tag, green light, dodge ball.

12. PLAN A SWIM DAY, organize family and friends to enjoy a day at a local pool.

13. BACKYARD MINIATURE GOLF. Use boards, bricks, plastic pipe, empty cans, or buckets to set up a course. Make flags from paper and wooden dowels rods. Us plastic baseball bats and balls.

14. HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD BOOK OR TOY SWAP. Each person donates 3 items. Draw names lottery style, that person picks their choice of one item. Repeat two more times.

15. SERVICE PROJECT. Perform a good deed for someone in need ... clothing drive for the homeless, pull weeds for a church or senior’s center or provide meals to the homebound.

16. CREATE A CHALK TOWN. Draw roads, stop signs, gas stations, buildings and parking lots to use with small cars and trucks.

17. REQUEST TOURIST INFORMATION from a destination each member of the family would like to visit.

18. GARAGE SALE HUNT. Teach children to shop and bargain for items within a certain amount. Great place to shop for the new collection.

19. VISIT YOUR CITY’S HIGHLIGHTS. The zoo, museum, community-built parks, incline or stadium.

20. ENJOY A BACKWARD LUNCH where children plan the meal and start with dessert.

21. INVITE FRIENDS TO A COOKIE AND ICE CREAM BASH. Make a batch or two of no-bake cookies, serve with scoops of ice cream.

22. DESIGN EDIBLE NECKLACES. Thread string through large-eyed, plastic needles, then string popcorn, cereal or candy. Knot and wear.

23. MAKE A SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST. Have children read advertisements to find the best buys, then purchase.

24. SODA CAN BOWLING. Rinse 10 empty soda cans, line up in V formation, and use rubber balls to knock ’em down.

25. CREATE A SUMMER COLLAGE. Use photos, brochures, postcards, newspapers and magazines to capture summer memories. Cut and glue to poster board.

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Theme A Day- Submitted by Sherry

Movie Theatre Day: they make tickets, set up the playroom like a theatre and watch a movie from the video store and eat popcorn and chips.

Pajama Party: This one was always a big hit. The kids come dressed in their P.J.. They got to veg and watch TV when they first arrived. The girls then go to do hair styling, nail polish, etc.)

Beach Day: The kids come with their shorts and t-shirts and towels. I would turn up the heat, play Beach Boys music, and do a few beach type crafts.

Magic Show: I would take the kids to the library and they would pick books out on magic tricks. They have a few days to practice and then we would have a magic show towards the end of the week when the parents arrived for pick up.

Talent Show: The kids love this, they would pick a song from my music selection and spend days practicing lip syncing, deciding on their costumes, etc., and then again, at pick up one day, would perform for their parents.

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Summer Bulletin Board- Submitted by Cindy

Give each child a small paper plate and several colorful "fillers" such as tissue-paper squares, buttons, aquarium gravel, yarn, and fabric scraps. Have each child paint a coat of glue over his plate and then cover the plate with the filler(s) of his choice. Instruct each child to cut out a construction paper stem, leaves, and petals. When the center (the plate) is dry, have him glue the petals around the plate and mount the entire flower on the board.

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Boredome Busters- Submitted by Becce

Read A Book
Play Cards
Make a card for Someone
Using Blankets & Pillows…..build a fort
Draw a Picture
Paint with watercolors
Make an animal from aluminum foil
Make a sculpture out of clay
Cut out pictures from a magazine……write a story about them
Play a board game
Build a Puzzle
Write a skit, and act it out
Work on a crossword puzzle or word Search
Practice some magic tricks
String some beads
Color a picture
Write in a journal
Put on a talent Show
Draw a picture on the chalkboard
Play hairdresser (with your own hairbrush and holders only)
Make a whole new person cutting different parts from a magazine.
Make a house out of legos
Make paperdolls and clothes for them to live in the house
Put on a puppet show
Make something out of craft sticks
Play a gamesystem (Playstation, Nintendo 64 etc.)
Pick a craft to do from a craft book
Paint with bingo dobbers (make sure they are non toxic)
Make a pretend city with toy cars, people, legos blocks…..use your imagination.
Make a suncatcher (using syran wrap over a picture and permanent markers)
Make a magnet out of Perler Beads (place these on a pegboard…then an adult places an ironing cloth over and irons)
Build a house out of a deck of cards
Blow bubbles
Write on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk
Paint the fence with water and a paint brush
Play pig pen….place several dots on a piece of paper….kid take turns drawing a line to connect them…..once a complete square is made, place your initial in the square.
Play with playdough

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