Looking for suitable camps and activities to cover the weekdays when you’re called back in to the office can be a full-time project on its own, but summer also offers abundant options to share some weekend fun with your kids. Try a few of these five summer fun activities to do with your kids to get the most out of your time together.
Plant a Garden Together
All you need is a few sunny square feet in the backyard, or even just a patio planter. Kids will have fun learning to prepare the soil and plant flower or vegetable seeds. They’ll learn that growing things requires care and persistence.
Together you can create reflective bird deterrents with iridescent ribbon or foil, or plant marigolds around your garden to give the rabbits something other than your vegetables to eat.
RELATED: How to Grow a Garden With Your Kids This Spring
Join Your Library’s Summer Reading Program
For kids who like books more than baseball, or to redirect the “I’m soooo bored!” complaints on rainy days, head to your local library. Almost all public libraries run summer reading programs for both kids and adults.
Set a joint summer reading goal and cheer each other on as you complete each book and move on to the next one.
RELATED: Summer Reading List for Every Age and Grade Level
Attend Local Carnivals and County Fairs
Country and city kids alike love a carnival or county fair. Between the games and rides, kids may learn a little about animal husbandry, not to mention the extraordinary range of foods that can be fried or served “on a stick.” When your child wins a goldfish at a carnival game booth, study up on how to care for goldfish so you won’t be conducting a fishy funeral just days after the fish comes home.
RELATED: How to Save Money at the County Fair
Visit a State Park
A visit to a state park makes a wonderful summer road trip. Read up on what your state parks have to offer, and choose one to visit that’s within reasonable driving distance. Pack a picnic and plan a hike to keep kids active and engaged. With any luck, you’ll have a quiet drive home when they fall asleep in the back seat, dreaming of birds, butterflies, and babbling brooks.
RELATED: 10 Easy & Exciting Ways To Embrace National Parks
Pick-Your-Own
If you don’t have the space or time for a garden of your own, many farms offer “pick your own” programs. Look for a berry farm or orchard near you that allows families to come and fill a bushel (or a pint or a quart) basket with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or apples. Many such farms also set up educational exhibits or attractions like giant slides to keep kids amused.
RELATED: 5 Tips for Visiting Pumpkin Patches With Kids
With a little creativity, there’s no end to summer fun activities to do with your kids. Rain or shine, summer can provide a memorable time together time for busy, working moms. Take advantage of summer hours and weekends to enjoy time with your kids on long, lazy summer days!
