Guest Author - Susan Thompson

Finally it is summer! Longer days, warmer weather, kids are out of school – now what? Basically the first few weeks of summer are great. You get to relax, swim, the kids play outside, but after a few weeks you start hearing the old tune “I’m Bored!” Almost makes you wish for year round school. Well here are some ideas to tackle that boredom. These are tried and true ideas that my friends and I have used, so I know they work.

Make your own Bubbles

Bubbles make hours of fun, here is how to make your own.

Bubble Recipe

1/2 Cup Liquid Dish Soap
1 ½ Cups Water
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1Tbsp Glycerin (optional for better bubbles)

Gently mix ingredients in a sealable container (an old water bottle works perfectly). You can add a few drops of food coloring to make colors.
Experiment with different things to blow bubbles with such as straws or serving spoons with holes in them.

Feed the Birds

Have some day old bagels lying around? Let the kids cover them with peanut butter and bird seed then tie them to bushes or trees. Walah! You have an instant bird feeder (in my area of the woods, the squirrels like it too).

You can also purchase unfinished wooden bird houses or feeders fairly inexpensively. Let the kids paint and decorate them as they choose (good for a rainy day project). Fill them with seed and see how many birds come to visit.

Organize a Bike Parade

Get together with some neighbors with kids in the same age group as yours and organize a bike parade. Let the kids decorate their bikes and have refreshments at the end of the parade. You can also print up awards on your computer for all of the participants.

Bring a Picnic to the Park

Anything goes with this one. You can let the kids pick the menu and assist in the preparation or you can go to the local deli and buy your lunch. You can invite friends or keep it to you and your own kids. What ever you decide to do, make sure there are some surprises in the picnic basket like maybe a piece of candy or some cookies for dessert. You can use this idea for breakfast, lunch or dinner (have Dad meet you after work)

You can adapt these ideas to suit your needs most important – enjoy spending time doing these activities with your children. I have a bunch of backyard water activities I will feature in an upcoming article. When you try these ideas, please let me know how they work out for you.

Thank you for stopping by the Early Childhood site and remember to check back often.

Susan