Kids Summer Throwback

I remember rolling up the cuffs of my denim pants and wading through my grandparent’s creek with my brother. I would balance on the creek rocks, sure that if I dipped a toe in the crocodiles in my mind would try to bite them off. With mud on my fingers and in my ponytails, I would search for toads and water skeeters. When I was a little older I remember playing baseball outside with the neighbor kids. The sounds of yelling kids, Bruno’s deep bark, and the crack of the bat echoed off the homes and filled the warm air. The neighbor kids would scurry after each flying ball, until one day it flew right through the neighbor’s window. Then we started playing basketball.  Long days playing outside until Mom called for dinner. That was summer for me when I was young.

Today I desire my kids to experience the joy of spending their summers running around, exploring the “high seas” and recreating their future grand slam, as the crowed in their imagination roars. So in an effort to encourage imagination and creative play I have come up with a list of 90 (one for each day) summer vacation activities.

I have tried to keep in mind a few things with the activities I chose.

1. These activities are meant to feed creativity and imagination.

2. Most of the activities are free or use items that I hope are common to most households.

3. Most of these activities are meant to take 1-2 hours of time. (This will depend on your child’s attention span and creative involvement in the activity. Most of these activities are meant for age 5-10ish. I will add tips for younger kids, but know there will be more parental involvement required for them and it won’t occupy as much time.)

4. Most of these activities are meant to have only limited parental involvement. (Always check on what they are doing so you can make sure they are being safe.) 

5. Check activities often. I will post one a day. Some will be contests in which your kids can win prizes!

Now when your child comes to you, and says those three dreaded summer words, “I am bored.?”, you can have them give these summer throwback ideas a try. Long live the days of summer!

*Please leave comments on the activities you try and let me know what you think.