The following is a guest post from my friend Erin over at a new kid-friendly travel blog, Kidventurous. She is going to share a few tips to keep the kids active this summer. I love the tip about a photography walk- fun to look back and see the world through the eyes of your children! For a few dollars you can get those pictures developed and maybe the kiddos would like putting together little scrapbooks of their adventures.
I’ve known Charlene at My Frugal Adventures for a number of years now and with summer here to stay, I was excited to see her fabulous 30 Days to a Funner Summer series. I was even more excited when she said I could put together a guest post as part of this series.
I blog at Kidventurous and recently finished my very first ebook, 100 Activities to Do as a Family this Summer, which felt like the perfect fit for Charlene’s series. In this free ebook, you’ll find loads of fun activities to do as a family, but in this post, I wanted to focus on some fabulous ways to get outside for summer fun. Take a look at eight of my family’s favorite outdoor summer activities:
1. Take a Photography Walk. Many local parks offer free walks so you can take pictures of plants and wildlife within the park. Or, just grab a camera (a disposable camera will do), a smartphone or an iPod Touch for your kids to take photos of everything interesting that they see outdoors.
2. Create a Butterfly Garden. Children love digging in the dirt, so why not plant a butterfly garden. Choose a sunny location, then add flat stones and a small butterfly pond. Add colorful, blooming flowers, as well as food for larva, like Mexican Milkweed, to attract these fluttering insects.
3. Go to Theatre in the Park. Many communities have outdoor children’s theatre, particularly during the summer months. These are a fabulous way to introduce your kids to musicals and comedies, even Shakespeare. Check your newspaper or go online for show times.
4. Pick Wildflowers. Spring and summer are the best times to see colorful wildflowers along roads and trails. Bring a nature book to help you identify the various flora. Later, your kids will love making a pressed flower picture book or collage.
5. Go to a State or County Fair. State and county fairs offer much for kids to see and do, including farm animals, parades, contests, spelling bees, face painting and horse shows. Go online to check schedules since every day offers new activities for children.
6. Teach Your Kids Frisbee Golf. Once your kids know how to throw a Frisbee, take them to a Frisbee golf course. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon and even offers educational opportunities, like teaching little ones about colors and counting.
7. Do a Kids Fun Run. Participating in a Fun Run as a family is a great way to be active together during the summer. Some festivals and fairs feature a Family Fun Run as part of their festivities, so keep your eyes open.
8. Get Your Passport Stamped. Through the Passport to Your National Parks program, kids can get passport books stamped at any national park. Each stamp records the date of the visit and the name of the national park. Your kids will love receiving new cancellation stamps every time they visit a new park.
Do you have any tips or advice for getting outdoors with your kids during the summer? Let me know in the comments section below.
Erin Gifford is a mother of four who shares family travel advice on her blog, Kidventurous, which was chosen as the Best Family Travel Blog by Parents magazine. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.
This post is part of the 30 Days to a Funner Summer series.
You can catch up with the entire series by click below:
- Day 1: Get Organized! How to organize children’s activity bags.
- Day 2: End of Year Surprises for Children
- Day 3: Strawberry Lemon Slushie Recipe
- Day 4: Homemade Hamburger Seasoning to AMP up your burgers
- Day 5: How to make Giant Bubble Solution
- Day 6: How to Save Money on Road Trips
- Day 7: How to Create a Summer Schedule.
- Day 8: How to make a GIANT water bed (this is so fun!)
- Day 9: Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Strawberry and blueberry picking! Also, sunflower mazes were a hit toward end of summer when my boys were younger.