Summer Activities to Keep The Kids Occupied

Summer is fast approaching and with it comes your kids complaining of being bored and having nothing to do. Meanwhile, your to do list is just as long or longer than ever. So, here are a few free/low cost activities and ideas to (hopefully) keep the kids occupied for a little bit.

 

 

Go on a bug hunt and learn about different insects

 

Go on a nature scavenger hunt

 

Splash around in a local splash pad or water park.

https://www.kenosha.org/departments/city_parks/pools_and_splash_pads.php 

 

Have a day at the beach and build sandcastles

Download the Kenosha County Parks app for locations and amenities of local parks: https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/2171/Parks-App

 

Set up a backyard camping adventure with a tent and s’mores

 

Plant flowers or vegetables in a small garden

Here are some easy plants for kids to grow and maintain: https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/kids-gardening-projects-pictures

 

Create colorful sidewalk chalk art

https://www.mkewithkids.com/post/these-10-sidewalk-chalk-activities-will-make-your-child-s-day/

 

Ice cube painting

https://www.mothercould.com/posts/icepaint

 

Frozen animal rescue

https://momentsenriched.com/free-the-animals-ice-play/

 

Make homemade popsicles with different flavors

https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/how-to-make-popsicles/

 

Set up a backyard water painting station

 

Make tie-dye t-shirts using vibrant colors

https://www.mkewithkids.com/post/tie-dye-patterns-for-kids/

 

Build a birdhouse and learn about local bird species

 

Make bird feeders

https://letgrow.org/diy-bird-feeder

https://happygardens.com/blogs/news/diy-bird-feeder-for-kids?srsltid=AfmBOoqKn4OmoOSr9oIx9OpJwIDFRWFMylVMP5_2JkgWFAAyvaDD-FWo

 

Have a bubble party with different bubble wands

 

Paint rocks and hide them in the community for others to find

Hint: Rocks are Free! Go to the beach and pick out your favorite rocks

 

Create a nature-inspired collage using leaves, flowers, and sticks

https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/14525/nature-craft-collage/

 

Make paper plate masks and have a dress-up party

https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/50883/make-paper-plate-masks/

 

Set up a mini science lab at home and conduct simple experiments

https://www.childsci.org/home-experiments

https://funlearningforkids.com/science-activities-preschoolers/

 

Set up an obstacle course in the backyard or living room

 

Have a family relay race in the backyard

 

Water balloon toss or a water balloon war

 

Outdoor movie day

You can rent a projector and/or inflatable screen from the KLP library

https://mykpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S196C3040425

https://mykpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S196C3000824

 

Cooking and Baking Together

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/easy-recipes-for-kids-to-make-by-themselves/

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/recipes-for-kids/cooking-with-kids/recipes-kids-can-make

 

Sensory Bins

https://napacenter.org/sensory-items/

https://yourkidstable.com/ultimate-list-of-sensory-bin-ideas/