Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Almost everyone looks forward to summer. Parents hope to spend some time having fun with their kids. But children get bored so quickly. Soon they will be glued to their screens, unaware of your presence.
Nowadays, getting kids to go outside is a real struggle. But if you have amazing things planned out, they won’t be able to resist.
With the activities below, summer will be a blast. You won’t hear whining, and everybody will be excited to make memories.
- Picnic
Food is an amazing way to bring families closer. You may not always find time to share meals because of school and tight schedules.
The thought of a picnic may sound boring (and tiring if you have to cook). But you can invite the kids to help. While at it, teach them a few things and ask them what’s going on in their life.
Make a themed picnic for the smaller kids, based on what they love. Pick out games that everyone will enjoy. On lazy days, going to the park won’t be necessary. A picnic in your backyard will be fantastic too.
- Plant a Garden
There is no harm in teaching kids how to grow food.
This is not a one-day activity—which is great because it will keep them busy for a while. Have them prepare a patch and guide them if they are younger.
Make sure they get their hands dirty and are involved in every step of the way. When it’s harvest time, they will see that hard work pays.
- Treasure Hunt
Children can never say no to a treasure hunt. They love to explore and discover and will keep going for hours.
The secret is planning well and incorporating the themes they like.
Invite their friends and make it a team activity. There are tons of templates online that you can use to come up with the perfect treasure hunt.
An activity like this teaches kids about teamwork and critical thinking. And they won’t even realize that they are learning. They will also be putting their imagination into good use, in addition to getting their daily exercise.
- Stand Up Paddle Boarding
What’s a good summer without water activities? Most likely, you will be spending a significant amount of time in or around the water.
While there, it would be nice to teach them standup paddleboarding (SUP). It is super easy and highly beneficial to your health. You can get an inflatable board for everyone or buy a gigantic one for the entire family to share.
Imagine how much fun you will have. The dog can come too. If your family is already into paddleboarding, join races or go SUP touring. There is a lot to see.
- Hiking
When children spend all their time on phones and tablets, they don’t get time to interact with nature. A hike can solve that.
Long trips may not be ideal for small kids. Not to mention the fact that they require thorough planning. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. The point is to get them moving.
Pick a simple trail with interesting features along the way. A few hours are enough for first-timers. If they like it, you can make it a habit and gradually introduce more challenges.
Carry water and snacks. Occasionally stop to let them rest and/or dig up worms.
- Know Your City/Town
How much do you know about your town? Probably not much. This summer, make a point of visiting historical landmarks with the family.
After that, check out local factories. They will enjoy seeing how things are made.
Every town has something special about it. Explore that.
- Trampolining
What kid would reject an opportunity to jump on a trampoline?
Granted, this is not the cheapest option on the list—but it will be worth the investment. Contrary to popular belief, trampolining is not just about jumping and laughter.
The repetitive but super enjoyable exercise offers so many health benefits; you’d be surprised. It helps with posture, balance and bone density. And if you have a little gymnast in the family, it will greatly improve their skills.
- Fishing
A weekend fishing trip is an awesome way to unplug and share moments with loved ones. The kids need it and, honestly, so do you.
Buy simple equipment and find a child-friendly area. Crowded places may not be a good idea because of safety. You want to catch fish and keep an eye on your kid at the same time. Riverbanks and spacious docks are the best.
- Go to the Beach
If you are lucky enough to live near a beach, you have to take advantage during the summer.
There is so much you can do at the beach without spending a ton of money. One of the greatest things about kids is that they are simple, especially the small ones. They will find the sand fascinating and can play with it for hours.
Bring some toys and put sunscreen on them. Then watch as they have the time of their lives. Take them to the water occasionally for a swim.
- Waterbed and Waterslide
What if you don’t live near the beach? No problem! Your children can still play with water and cool off on a waterbed. Making one is easy and, more importantly, it won’t cost much.
The same applies to a waterslide. Use cheap and readily available materials. Or buy one if you don’t want to go through the trouble.
- Obstacle Course
Get the children moving and burning energy with a homemade obstacle course.
This can either be expensive or cheap– depending on what you want. For the younger ones, complicated obstacles are not necessary. Get creative with ropes, sacks, boxes and everything you can think of. As long as it is safe.
You may have to try a little harder with the older kids if you want to impress them.
Other Fun Activities
- Backyard camping
- Lemonade stand
- Backyard games
- DIY projects
- Bike riding
- Art projects such as painting
- Community fares and functions
- Petting zoo
- Volunteering
While you can never run out summer activities, coming up with a plan that suits your family is not easy. Hopefully, this list helps you narrow down to things that your kids will like. Most of the activities here don’t require a lot of money. Even better, you can customize them to suit the age and interests of your children. What are your favorite summer activities?
