By TMoM Team Member Suzy Fielders
Summer is here! For parents, the beginning of summer brings multiple emotions. There is excitement for the opportunity to spend more time with the kids. It also often means anxiety if you need to fill so many days with things to do for the kids. No matter the age of your kids, below are some family fun ideas everyone will love!
Making the Most of Summer Without the Boredom
No parent likes hearing the constant “I’m bored” all summer long. That’s why TMoM is sharing some summer fun ideas for all ages. First, we have a few broad ideas to get you started!
Be sure to check out our summer bucket list! It has a ton of places and ideas to take the family, from little ones to teenagers.
Summer is also a great time to volunteer as a family. Check out our volunteering directory for organizations in need or for ideas on where to go. One great idea is to make cards for the elderly and take them to local nursing homes. This is always a sure way to cheer up the residents!
Finally, take a page out of local summer camp books and plan themed days or weeks. A few popular theme ideas include:
- Pirates
- Royalty
- Space
- Carnival
- Hollywood
Now onto some more specific ideas for both outdoor and indoor time!
Summer Fun Outdoor Ideas
One of the best things about summer is the days are longer allowing for more time outside. If you have younger kids or any medical issues, then try to take advantage of the early morning or late evening hours when it isn’t quite as hot. Be sure to stay hydrated too!
Here are a few outdoor family-friendly ideas to beat boredom this summer:
- Scavenger hunts (either find some online or make up your own)
- Splash pad tours (check out the ones throughout the Triad on our Splash Pad directory and have everyone rate each to determine the favorite!)
- Picnic lunch or dinner (head over to our Parks & Playground directory for tons of great options on picnicking spots)
- Game day (either play regular games outside or play outdoor-specific games)
- Slip-n-slide (embrace your inner child with this one!)
- Field day (what kid doesn’t love field day at school, so host your own and have them invite friends and neighborhood kids)
- Camping (either check out the many campgrounds in the Triad or surrounding areas, or have a campout in your backyard)
- Water balloon fight (like slip-n-slide this is something everyone’s inner child will love)
Summer Fun Indoor Ideas
Sometimes summer means storms and showers or intense heat and spending time outdoors is not a great option. These are the days when boredom feels at full throttle for most kids. Here are a few ways to keep the kids entertained on stormy or excessively hot days.
- Scavenger hunts (this doesn’t have to be an outdoor only activity – think outside of the box and create clues for indoor items)
- Picnics lunch or dinner (again these aren’t limited to being outdoor activities, you can put down a blanket and have a picnic right in your living room)
- Movie marathon (have each family member pick a movie to watch or select a theme the movies should tie into)
- Game day (enjoy board, card, or other fun games)
- Spa day at home (teach your kids the importance of self-care and pampering)
- Crafts (one of the best things about crafts is you can find and edit crafts to fit a variety of ages – check out some ideas here)
- Baking day (teach younger kids some baking basics or have older kids do more of the baking, you can even include planning and shopping)
- Camping (if your family was looking forward to a backyard campout but the weather had other ideas, then move the tent and sleeping bags inside)
- Reading incentives (summer doesn’t have to mean loss of learning – create an incentive program for your kids to read during these months and make regular library visits)
Hopefully these ideas help your family have fun and bond – and everyone stays engaged and not bored!
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