Summer is upon us and with the kids out of school, finding easy kids’ activities is the goal of every parent looking to keep summer screen time to a minimum. However, with some planning and creativity, you may find that you already have all you need to make summer engaging. So, to get your creative juices flowing, here are five examples of backyard kids’ activities you can do with little to no expense.
Banish Summer Boredom with These 5 Backyard Kids’ Activities:
- Plant an herb garden
- Go camping
- Paint rocks
- Make washable paint or DIY chalk
- Play an impromptu game/outdoor sport
-
Planting an Herb Garden is Fun and Easy
A little smaller and much easier than a vegetable garden, an herb garden is an easy kids’ activity that lets youngsters get their hands in the dirt! Herb gardens don’t take up much space and, when grown from seeds, the plants will keep your kids coming back to check on growth. Planting small herb plants gives the added enjoyment of experiencing the smells of each herb as they grow.
-
Go Camping in Your Backyard
Do you have a couple of extra sheets and blankets? Then you have the makings of the perfect tent for an overnight (or daytime) campout! Clip your sheets to a clothesline to make the two “walls” and spread the blankets underneath to create a cozy hangout. Bring books and games, or spend your outdoor time talking about animals, sports, or stories they want to share.
-
Paint Pretty Pictures on Rocks
Our children adjust to many changes in their young lives, and sometimes just a positive word is all they need for encouragement. For an easy kids’ activity in your backyard, gather a few smooth rocks, DIY paint, and a few small brushes, and let your kiddos paint their rocks! Help them add the encouraging word of their choice, and then let them hide one at each place you stop to run errands over the next couple of days.
-
DIY Chalk is an Easy Kids’ Activity
Have a budding artist in your home? You can encourage their creativity with a simple DIY chalk recipe and let them color the concrete! Expressing creativity in a washable way is great for them – and makes for easy clean-up after the backyard kids’ activities. Whether it is the front driveway or a backyard patio space, there will be no meltdown when your kiddos want the picture to change – rinse with a hose and start over on a clean “canvas!”
-
An Impromptu Game is an Easy Backyard Kids’ Activity
Many games are great for the backyard! Invite the neighbor children and start a game of “Statue” or dodgeball. Pull together a few of your beach frisbees (or the dog’s favorite frisbees!) and a couple of laundry baskets, and you’re ready for a game of frisbee golf. Sack races in pillowcases, learning how to do a cartwheel, or playing catch are all easy kids’ activities that use items you probably have in a hall closet.
Whatever easy kids’ activity you choose to do with your littles, just remember – it doesn’t have to be perfect. The best memories come from the time they spend with you. Looking for more easy backyard kids’ activities? The Breakie Bunch Learning Center specializes in finding opportunities to bring kids and their parents closer together.