5 tips for a summer of fun

Summer is here in all it’s glory and the kids are ready for their best summer ever. But are you? Am I? It’s always a fine balance as a parent in summer- keeping the kiddos entertained without feeling like you are exhausted with planning ALL the latest activities. And because I want to find a happy balance too, I decided to put together a list of 5 fun (and pretty easy) summer switch up activities/ideas for those days when you just aren’t sure what to do!

I hope these tips are helpful, affordable (and even FREE) but most of all FUN!

1. Sheet Pan Lunches: If you follow my Instagram account, you know these are a staple in our house. Why? Because it turns a regular old lunch into something exciting. It allows the kids to eat family style. And it makes lunch FUN! How do you create a sheet pan lunch? Simple! Grab a cookie sheet pan with an edge (any tray will do, I just started this trend with a sheet pan so it’s what stuck) and start piles of food. I’ve put some inspo pictures below but it truly can include anything. This idea is great for big or little groups of kids and from my experience, they end up eating more than if you dished them out individually. BONUS: No dishes for mom to clean up. Just dump what’s leftover in the trash, wipe off the pan and go on enjoying your summer day!

Here’s a list of some common lunch items we put on our pans:

Lunch meat rolled up, crackers, chips, go-gurts (can cut in half), fruit, veggies, pizza (usually leftover from pizza night), string cheese, apple slices + peanut butter, veggie stick chips, goldfish, jell-o cups, grilled cheese, yogurt smoothies with a straw in them, corndogs, cherry tomatoes, cheese bagels, quesadillas and more! You can really do anything!

2. Just add water: This one is pretty self-explanatory I suppose. I mean, nothing beats the summer heat like good ole cold water. And nothing brings out giggles more than good ole water toys. Some of our favorites that we stock up on are the following: 

Bunch-o-balloons water balloons. 60 water balloons in 60 seconds? Yes please! They are a bit spendier but so so worth the time saver and the fun. A couple more options here and here.

Water squirters from the dollar store. They have simple water squirters and we always stock up on multiple. They create cheap entertainment but actually squirt great. And bonus, they are a lot easier for little hands to manage than big squirt guns. While we are at the dollar store, we also snag pool noodles because the kids love to run around and play with those as well. So next time you are out, head to the dollar store and load up on these toys before everyone else does. Click here for another similar option.

This Melissa and Doug sprinkler toy is one of my favorites. We bought ours over 5 years ago and it is still going strong. Pretty great for only $14. Inexpensive and kids love it! Since it hooks up to a hose, you can control how high or low the water sprays making it fun for all ages!

If you have a trampoline, grab the soap! For some real slippery fun, stick a hose sprinkler under the trampoline. Kids will love bouncing and cooling off at the same time. For added fun, add some dish soap on top of the trampoline while the sprinkler is going. But be careful, it gets real slick, so it’s most suitable for older kiddos!

See all those fancy slip n slides online? Forget about it. Head to your local hardware store and ask them for poly sheeting. They usually come in rolls that are 10 feet wide by 30/50/100 feet. These make for EPIC slip n slides. Put a hose at the top letting the water run down, add a little dish soap and for less than $30 all the neighborhood kids will come running over. If you don’t have a local hardware store…you can also find it here!

3. Friday Night Family Night: This can really be whatever you make it. But what about one “family fun” thing you all do together every Friday night? This keeps things consistent and creates intentional time spent together while also enjoying something fun. Here’s a couple suggestions: 

S’mores Night! Make a tray filled with graham crackers, marshmallows and various chocolates. Turn on the patio firetable, a real fire or even over the gas stove if you have it. Enjoy a night of conversation, giggles and good (messy) treats.

Movie Night! How about this: draw names and let one person pick a fun drink, one person pick a fun snack and one person pick the movie! Then rotate the next time. This keeps it fun for everyone and they all feel included. 

4. Yard Obstacle Course / Yard Scavenger Hunts: No special items needed here! Make the most of your yard or surrounding neighborhood. Use what you have to create a fun obstacle course for the kids (bonus is that it counts as exercise)! Here’s an example: Each kiddo has to do 10 jumping jacks, run around the house, go down the slide twice, swing for 20 seconds, do 3 somersaults in the grass then come high five me at the finish. Easy right? I bet they will love it. 

For the Yard/neighborhood scavenger hunt, no special printables needed. Make up your own. For example: Take a piece of paper and draw 9 different colors on it. Have your child find one nature item that matches each color. Easy for you and easy for them and its educational too!

5. Rest Time: Never underestimate the power of rest time. With all the fun and sun happening, little kiddos (and big too) need rest and time out of the heat. You know how you and I often need a mental break each day? Well their brains need a mental break too. And you may say “well, my kiddo doesn’t nap anymore”. That’s ok! Rest time is simply allowing all distractions to be turned off, the house to quiet down and everyone to just take a breather. For my littlest ones- they will fall asleep and nap. For my older ones, they may grab a book and read quietly while laying on their bed (and sometimes even they fall asleep). But this gives everyone (including mom!) a chance to take a break and cool off from the heat and activities. If needed, set a timer so everyone knows when they can get up. This avoids them coming out to ask you multiple times “is it time yet?”. It allows their body to fully relax because they know everyone else is too. And it gives you as a parent the time you need to recoup, rest and revive a little before ramping back up with playtime. Although listed last- this tip might be the most important of all!

I hope between those 5 ideas it gives you some fresh fun for this summer! And if you have any great tried and true tips that you would like to share, leave them in the comments below so that everyone can benefit!

xo, Sarah

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