My kids are counting down to the end of the school year. They dream of long days playing outside, swimming in the pool, and yes, lots of Xbox.
I look forward to three months without fights over homework or permission slips to sign. But I also dread long days with my kids just staring at screens and whining, "Mommy, I'm bored."
Which is why we need to work together. Calling all SheSpeaks moms, grandmas or anyone who has ever been a kid themselves!
Share ways to keep kids busy over the summer. They can be big plans or little projects. They can be for big kids or little ones. All ideas will help! Anyone who gives a suggestion will be entered to win a set of 5 Outdoor Games, perfect to occupy your kids' time.
Comment below! Give us an idea you have for filling up those long summer days.
AND/OR
Tweet a way to stay busy this summer using the hashtags: #SheSpeaksSummer, @SheSpeaksUp & #Giveaway.
Bonus: We have some upcoming kids programs! Make sure your SheSpeaks Profile is up-to-date here so we can see if you qualify.
And now, some summer ideas from the SheSpeaks staff to get you started...
"I always loved loved loved the summer reading program at the library." - Carol
"I'd like to to do both big things and little things with my kids this summer - everything from riding the tallest roller coaster to collecting rocks." - Jenny
"My summer vacations as a kid were pretty standard - I went to our town's "summer rec" program that had swimming lessons, tennis lessons, and arts & crafts. Lots of boondoggle lanyard making." - Emily
"My 15- year old is most likely watching entirely too much Netflix! She will take a week to do a service trip with her youth group. " - Missy
"We bought a kids cookbook and my kids looked through it. We're going to try to make a new recipe each week." - Susan
"My sister has her kids on a schedule so it's similar to school (they are 4 & 6). She has time slotted for coloring, writing/reading, outdoor chores, meals and snacks, and 1 day a week adventures (pool, zoo, etc). Also they are doing swim lessons. " - Lori
*One lucky commenter or Tweeter who enters by June 11th, 2017 will be chosen at random to receive a Franklin 5 Game Beach Bag Combo Set, valued at $29.99. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents at least 18 years of age. Entrants must be a member of SheSpeaks. If you are not a member, click here to join. Winner will be notified by email.
Update: Thanks to everyone who entered! Congratulations to the winner, SheSpeaks member cknittel1!
We love taking trips to different libraries and discovering new books!
we spend it in the pool or by having water gun/balloon fights.
We love our local parks summer program. The kids are kept active all daywith different sports and field trips. They have so much fun, there's no time tho get bored!
water games, water balloons and an inflatable pool in the backyard....always works
my kids are so happy in the sand
Making slime, baking cakes, or an outdoor scavenger hunt
I love making summer treats with the grandkids - home made popsicles and ice cream especially!
We like to head out to Grandma's house to explore. She lives on 40 acres of woods.
The beach
We love to go for walks, go to the park, visit family, eat ice cream, swim, and go to camp!
Get outside -- no reason to be bored! Play frisbee or catch, have a scavenger hunt (for older kids, give them a list of things to photograph with their phones and send them on a trip around the neighborhood), have a family vegetable garden, make a fairy house, go for a hike, hit your local library, write letters to grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, make a time capsule. Really, no need to be bored.
My kids love to swim and go to the park!
We're planning a starycation at home this year - budget says no trips and travel. But, we're making it awesome! Some projects are BIG - in the process of building a beautiful new cedar gazebo on the patio, rearranging patio furniture and decor, fixing the pool. But on a smaller scale, we're creating fun: my daughter is almost 7. My nephew is with me often, he's almost 11. Each week has a themed vacation spot: so, during the week we're visiting Hawaii, we make Hawaiian themed meals, find a local restaurant to try, wear flowers in our hair and leis to the store, pretend the pool is the beach, watch Hawaiian themed movies, make a Hawaii pandora station, crafts, books, games, etc. We have Mexico, France, Australia, China, Ireland, Italy so far planned out. SO much fun!! And it doesn't have to be expensive at all - I get the majority of our fun supplies at Goodwill and Dollar Tree :)
We plan to spend our summer outside!
We take stretchie guys, plastic toys, misc and freeze them into large blocks. The kids use squirt bottles or squirt guns, aim water at block and try to rescue toy inside.