Written by Samantha Walter-Cano, Edited by Olivia Zugay

Running out of at-home activities for your kid to do? Whether it’s a rainy day or if you’re looking to stay in the comfort of your backyard, we have some good ideas for your child to get involved in this summer. Some activities may involve parent supervision, so you can tag along for fun!

Family Baking

Who doesn’t love a warm cookie or sweet treat fresh out of the oven? One way you can get involved this summer is by baking with your child. Not only does baking produce delicious treats, but it is also a good learning opportunity. Baking is proven to help stimulate focus and attention. Improving motor skills and language development are also other benefits of baking with your child. Some fun treats to consider making with your child include cake mugs, sugar cookies, and brownies! Get your roller and some flour, and get messy!

Summer Reading

While summer reading may sound boring, reading is super beneficial for your child. Reading together may help with bonding, listening skills, language development, and expanding vocabulary. For more fun, we recommend choosing books that have movie adaptations. Reading a book that has also been adapted into a movie can be a great way for children to see book characters come to life. Some examples of books adapted into movies include Harry Potter, The Jungle Book, The Witches, and many of the Disney classics. After watching the movie, discuss what was different from the book and what they enjoyed the most about the movie!

If your child is older and has required summer reading, consider showing them this blog to inspire ways to make this reading more fun!. Some ways to add fun to your summer reading include making a bookstagram, starting a book club, and annotating as you read.

Backyard Olympics

Everyone loves running around during the summer, so why not make it competitive? Hosting your own backyard Olympics or obstacle course can be a great way to teach kids about teamwork and sportsmanship. While this may seem time-consuming, it can be as simple as tug-a-war and hula hoop contests. Gather the rest of the family or neighborhood and get your game on! For some ideas of games, check out this resource: https://www.parentmap.com/article/best-olympic-games-ideas-kids-home.

Science Fun

If your child is interested in science, consider conducting fun science experiments from home. Many simple experiments can help your child visualize concepts such as physics, density, and many more. Some of these experiments only require common household items you may have around the house! Doing these experiments can be a great way for kids to see science in action and do some summer learning! Remember to supervise these experiments and do any parts that require heat or sharp materials. For ideas on experiments to conduct, check out this resource: Kids Science Experiments | Science Experiments for Kids | Science Fun.

Scavenger Hunts

Whether it’s in your backyard or in your home on a rainy day, there is so much fun to be had with scavenger hunts! Scavenger hunts can be done outside looking for items such as flowers and pollinators, or even in the comfort of your own home! Participating in scavenger hunts can help stimulate problem-solving and critical thinking. For scavenger hunts that include living organisms, make sure to clarify that these organisms aren’t to be picked up but rather just found. This way they can learn about ecosystems and protecting natural homes. To check out some of the varieties of scavenger hunts your kid can do, check out this blog: 35 Best Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids – Treasure Hunt Clues (goodhousekeeping.com)!

References

LaChance, Nicole. (2016, May 24). Benefits of Scavenger Hunts. Institute for Educational Advancement. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://educationaladvancement.org/blog-benefits-scavenger-hunts/.

Marcin, Ashely. (2020, Oct 14). Reading to Children: Why It’s So Important and How to Start. Healthline. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/reading-to-children.

McCarty, Kaitlyn. (2022, Dec 22). Holiday Baking with Children. UF IFAS Blogs. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/indianriverco/2022/12/22/holiday-baking-with-children/.

Science Experiments for Kids. (2020). ScienceFun. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/

Zugay, Olivia. (2023, June 7). How to Add Fun to Your Required Summer Reading. UF IFAS Blogs. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/indianriverco/2023/06/07/how-to-add-fun-to-your-required-summer-reading/

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