Summer is here and everyone is excited until you hear those two dreaded words: “I’m bored.” We love to learn through outdoor play and believe it’s so important for kids to get outside and explore. Check out the activities below to keep your child engaged and entertained all summer long.
Outdoor Picnic
A simple way to change up mealtime is by bringing your meal outside! You can enjoy this activity together at your home, or add an extra fun element by taking the picnic to a local park. Grab a large blanket, pack a cooler with easy handheld foods such as sandwiches, apples, and carrot sticks and head outside. Make sure to pack plenty of water to stay hydrated. Additional tips: beat the heat of the day and enjoy breakfast outside. When searching for the perfect picnic spot, search for a shady tree with flat ground. Check the weather for rain before you go!
Nature Walk or Scavenger Hunt
Round up your kids and announce you’re going on a nature scavenger hunt! Print this template below and see if your kids can find everything on the list! This can be done in your neighborhood or local park. The kids will enjoy searching high and low for the items on their list and will have fun exploring nature along the way.
Magnetic Block Garage Door
Magnetic Blocks such as MagnaTiles and PicassoTiles are popular manipulatives that we love to use at Peas in a Pod Learning Center. We often think of these as indoor toys, but if you have a metal garage door, you can bring these magnetic 3D building blocks and create 2D creations right on your garage door. Your child will enjoy exploring how high they can stick the magnets and all the different pictures their imagination holds. You can also use this as an opportunity to sort by color, shape, and size!
Ice Block Treasure Hunt
This fun activity is sure to keep your little ones cool and engaged. You can freeze small toys in muffin tins to create a tiny toy rescue game. Fill a bowl with warm water and use a turkey baster to transfer the warmer water on top of the frozen block. This repetitive fine motor activity will break down the ice over time and free the trapped toys. You can also choose a loaf pan and fill it with water and toys to create a larger ice box that needs rescuing. The outside temperature will also help melt the ice.
We hope you’ll give one of these ideas a try. Let us know which activity your family enjoyed the most! There are so many fun activities to do outside in the summer. We’d love to hear what some of your favorite summer activities include!
