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Last week, with the kids out of school closing in on me fast, I started researching on Pinterest for things to do to entertain my 13 and 14 year old children this Summer. I found so many of the lists to be geared towards young children. For example, I would love blowing bubbles like we used to do, but I’m thinking my 13 year old son would look at me like I was from another planet if I suggested that now.
So, I reviewed many lists to come up with my own to reduce the “I’m boreds” this Summer. And here’s what I came up with….
- make an obstacle course
- ride your bike
- play hide and seek
- plant flowers
- wash your bike
- have a race
- roller skate
- play capture the flag
- plant a garden
- make smoothies
- go on a picnic
- make sugar cookies and decorate
- dip a banana in chocolate and freeze
- make your own pizza
- freeze grapes
- hike a nature trail
- make homemade snow cones
- visit a nature center
- go to the zoo
- go gem mining
- go to a baseball game
- go to an arboretum
- go to a “new to you” park
- have a family board game night
- make story stones
- make strawberry and watermelon lemonade
- play board games – outside!
- tour a factory
- make ice cream sundaes
- go on a scavenger hun
- take a picnic to a family member at work
- make kool-aid ice cubes and 7-up
- make a tent in the living room
- make a treasure map and go on a hunt
- have an outdoor movie night
- catch fireflies
- read books outside
- run a race
- learn (play) street games
- make marshmallow and toothpick sculptures
- make a paper mache bowl
- make taffy
- make a star gazing map
- have a root beer float
- build a fort
- make friendship bracelets
- learn about a different country
- try a new food
- make tie-dyed socks
- put on a play
- go to an outdoor concert
- grill pizzas
- bake cookies & deliver them to a neighbor
- have a dance party
- play wiffleball
- make finger paints
- play beach ball volleyball
- tell ghost stories
- go to a local festival
- learn to paint like Monet
- go for a walk at twilight
- have a party for no particular reason
- make a terrarium
- have silly races
- learn how to use real tools
- go to an art museum
- paint with cars
- fill a sketchbook
- make an Olympic logo painting
- build LEGO towers
- tie dye a t-shirt
- examine nature with a magnifying glass
- Reenact your favorite movie
- go on a scavenger hunt
- cook
- learn frisbee golf
- go fly a kite (why not make them first)
- play jacks
- make sock puppets – put on a puppet show
- go fishing
- camp in your backyard
- melt and create with crayons
- visit a local state park
- go bowling
- tour local historic sites
- check with a local farm – offer to help feed the animals.
- set up a lemonade stand
- have a LEGO building contest
- write a poem
- take a picnic to a family member at work
- walk your neighbors dog ~ color
- blow up Diet coke with mentos
- make a checker board and your own checkers
- play “I Spy” as you walk around your neighborhood
- play tennis
- have a Christmas in July party and ask all the guests to bring donations for your local food pantry
- draw a self portrait
- make campfire cones
- create silhouette pictures
- go to a bounce house
- make cupcakes in ice cream cones
- go to a aquatic center/ swimming pool
- make a splash pad
- hike a nature trail
- visit a planetarium
- visit a children’s theater
- go camping
- go to a farmer’s market
- host a cookout
- make ice cream in a bag
- visit a natural history museum
- make popsicles
- go to a pick-your-own farm
- go to an amusement park
- go on a bike ride
- use candy melts to make suckers
- make fruit kabobs
- draw
- make pool noodle hurdles
- go on a picnic
- visit a garden
- build a sand castle
- make dirt cake
- make your own board game
- do science experiments
- throw frisbees
- write a story and illustrate it
- make s’mores
- eat watermelon
- cook over a campfire
- make fresh salsa
- hunt for seashells
- write a letter
- have a water balloon fight
- look for shapes in the clouds
- go to a parade
- be a nature photographer
- go to a splash park
- make your own slip & slide
- go for a walk on the beach
- go on a sound hunt
- go to a parade
- watch the summer Olympics
- have a lemonade stand
- play mini golf
- make homemade cards & mail them to faraway friends
- make a marble run
- paint a self-portrait
- watch the sunset
- go geocaching
- make a Prezi
- attend an auction
- create your own movie
- swim in a lake
- learn a few jump rope rhymes
- learn a new card game
- go to a flea market
- paint with watercolor spray paint
- work a jigsaw puzzle
- swim in the ocean
- be a tourist in your own town
- play flashlight tag
- go on a road trip
- wash the car
- have a sleepover
- go to a movie
- visit a local park
- read a chapter book together as a family
- go window shopping
- make a scrapbook of all your summer fun!
- take a field trip
- take an “alphabet tour” of your town
- scrapbook your “alphabet tour” photos
- check out kids free days at your museums
- take a trip to tour your state capitol or local courthouse
- gather, paint, make pet rocks
- volunteer at a local charity/Habitat for Humanity
- have a pajama day, enjoy movies and popcorn
- play soccer
- take an art class
- see a movie at drive in
- take a photo excursion
- go on a nature scavenger hunt
- play kickball
- take a bike excursion
- play football
- build an amazing sand castle
- make mexican ice cream
- daydream
- read at a local coffee shop
- make paper flowers and deliver to a nursing home
- keep a journal
- make your parents day and clean your bedroom
This post was written by
I’m Jan; I handle the day-to-day duties at Nu expression. While I’ve been with this crew almost a year, I’m a former corporate rat-racer turned entrepreneur – the business I began over eight years ago, Carolina On-Site Fleet Services was bought last year by Gallins Vending. When I’m not keeping the Nu team in line, you’ll likely find me spending time with my family, visiting my parents, and shuttling my son to soccer practice and my daughter to dance class. I love to travel and our family are Road Warriors. We don’t think twice about a 7 hour drive each way – just for a weekend!
