The day that some parents dreaded while others yearned for has finally arrived: the last day of the school year. After a year filled hybrid learning, masked school days, and lots of uncertainty, summer of 2021 is bound to be a welcome reprieve for most children. If you’re a parent whose children will be home most days this summer you may be wondering, how do I keep them busy? What activities or games can I show them to provide countless hours of stimulation? Below are 10 boredom-busting ideas to keep kids occupied and amused during the dog days of summer.
Get Outside
1. On a hot day, allow the kids to cool off by running through the sprinklers, engaging in a water balloon fight, or helping wash the family car. If they are out splashing around during high heat and humidity, ensure that they lather up with sunscreen (SPF 30+) and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Sun safety should always be a top priority as overexposure to sun can cause skin aging, skin cancer, and/or heat exhaustion.
2. Take advantage of your backyard or local park – bring out the jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, balls, and lawn games! Kids and parents both love spending time outside in the warm summer months. Let your kids try their hand at shooting hoops or playing catch! As Barney & Friends once famously sang “When you have a ball, you have the world’s greatest toy of all!”
3. Send the kids to get outside and build a fort made of towels, a large box, or anything else they can find around the house. Then, as the sun sets, spend some family time making s’mores, telling jokes by flashlight, or star gazing. Bug spray is a nighttime essential as it not only repels mosquitoes, ticks, and gnats, but also prevents the spread of insect-borne diseases.
4. Visit the local library with your kids. Apart from offering a wide range of books and movies you can take home for hours of FREE entertainment, libraries also host events geared towards kids like board game evenings or free cooking classes. For an added bonus, inquire at the front desk about discounted passes to local attractions like museums, aquariums, and local parks.
Stimulate the Imagination Inside
5. Keep arts and crafts time exciting by including fun materials such as pom poms, feathers, beads, yarn, or even flower petals and leaves! Give your little artist challenges like grouping materials (by size, shape, or color) or creating their favorite animal. You’ll be amazed by their creativity and it’s a fun way to build their self-esteem. Other essentials to keep in your craft drawer for countless crafting opportunities include scissors, crayons, construction paper, and glue.
6. Allow kids to explore their imagination through finger painting! They will love spending a morning mixing colors and creating a masterpiece. Use washable nontoxic finger paint so kids can get messy and you won’t have any stress. You’ll love both the easy clean up and new refrigerator decorations!
7. Storytelling is a great way to bond with your little ones in addition to helping them develop literacy skills. Spark curiosity by using funny voices and encouraging questions. Encourage smaller children to look at illustrations and draw conclusions. Looking to set your kids up for success while you tackle other tasks around the house? Try using coloring or activity books.
8. Get competitive – Board games are a great way to teach kids how to set goals and learn patience while increasing cognitive skills like problem solving. Some favorite classics to keep around the house include Candyland, Uno, Jenga or Bananagrams. Games are the perfect activity to pass a rainy days or for after the sun sets. Play for prizes to keep things interesting.
Stay Safe Inside
9. Inevitably there will be days when you can’t provide kids with a plethora of creative activities or outings to keep them busy. If you allow your kids unsupervised time at home, make sure you child-proof the house to keep kids safe. If you have little ones install gates near staircases and locks on drawers to keep curious kiddos away from things they shouldn’t be able to access. You should also check that all your electronics are powered up with the kids in mind. Use a small piece of duct tape on your remote controllers, gaming consoles, and toys to ensure all batteries are safely tucked away. As an extra precaution, use Duracell Lithium Coin batteries, which have a non-toxic bitter coating specially designed to discourage swallowing which can be life threatening.
10. More time at home often means more meals and snacks at home. A well-balanced diet is essential to help growing children maintain healthy weight and prevent a variety health problems. By keeping quick, easy, and healthy snacks within arm’s reach like fruit and yogurt, juice boxes, and granola bars you will steer your children in the right direction. With WB’s selection and delivery you can keep your full pantry stocked for hungry bellies and minds.
We hope you find these ideas helpful to keep the kids engaged all summer long.
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