Do your kids whine at you all summer long? They claim hunger and boredom until you almost (or totally!) wish that school was back in session.

 

And the worst part is that you had great intentions of making this the summer to beat all summers — the one your kids would remember forever! And yet, regardless of all those great intentions and planning, here you are. Kids whining, mama ticked, everybody hot and sticky and just plain bothered. What happened?

 

This list could be your salvation.

 

Thank you to fellow blogging mama’s and experts at keeping kids busy and happy: Gena from Ginger Casa, Carrie from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home, Katelyn from What’s Up Fagans, Kim at Two Kids and a Coupon, Sarah at She Holds Dearly, Lauren at Hillsborough Homesteading, and Andrea at Sharing My Favorites. I appreciate all of your fun suggestions!

 

Without further ado — I present the list:

 

1. DIY backyard splash pad from Ginger Casa
2. Potluck neighborhood BBQ
3. Make your own popsicles with these fun popsicle molds. Freeze homemade pudding, or fresh-sliced fruit and juice. Make a bunch and open a popsicle stand.
4. Outdoor movie night. Get out your projector, hang a white sheet or use a portable movie screen and play your favorite kids movie for the neighbors. Have everyone bring blankets to sit on and treats to share.
5. Kickball
6. Backyard obstacle course from Ginger Casa
7. Night games with the neighborhood from Orison Orchards
8. Greatest Showman Sing Along
9. Build the World’s Best DIY Slip and Slide
10. Neighborhood treasure hunt An amazingly fun way to increase your kids’ physical activity from Ginger Casa
11. Visit the residents at an assisted living center with homemade drawings to share.
12. Geocaching A great way to get kids outside, learning and playing. From Ginger Casa
13. Visit the beach or local park
14. Plan an epic river trip with suggestions for keeping it safe and fun, along with the essentials you’ll need. From What’s Up Fagans.
15. Go swimming
16. Go fishing or boating
17. Outdoor Tic Tac Toe Board This project sounds fun to make and fun to use. From Kenarry: Ideas for the Home
18. Visit a local farmers market
19. Make a fort out of cardboard or blankets
20. Spend some time outdoors with this list of 19 Unique Outdoor Activities from Lauren at Hillsborough Homestead
21. Draw a sidewalk-chalk-city in your driveway, including homes for everyone playing and use bikes and trikes as vehicles to navigate it
22. Build DIY Terra Cotta Pot Luminaries from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home
23. Plan a picnic in the park
24. Hold a D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) camp from Orison Orchards
25. Serve at a soup kitchen
26. Scripture-themed Carnival complete with fun activities and snack ideas. This would be fun to plan as a neighborhood. From What’s Up Fagans
27. Play in the sprinklers or have a water fight.
28. Here’s a list of Fun Games Kids Can Play on a Trampoline  created by Two Kids and a Coupon.
29. Toss around water balloons
30. Make a fun DIY Bubble Refill Station from Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons
31. Play Backyard Games. Here is roundup of 10 of the best, curated by Two Kids and a Coupon.
32. Play a game of soccer
33. Go on a nature walk
34. Take your children Yard-Sale-ing from She Holds Dearly
35. Have a sundae bar
36. Institute fondue night from Orison Orchards
37. Go camping in your backyard
38. Visit the local water park
39. Plan a neighborhood carwash with big, sudsy sponges
40. Play mini golf
41. Go hiking (google waterfall hikes in your area)
42. Set up a lemonade or cookie stand
43. Volunteer to visit the elderly while delivering meals with Meals on Wheels
44.  Build a sandcastle
45. try 50 Fun Science Experiments for Kids from Mommy Poppins
46. Explore your neighborhood on Google Earth, then try to draw a map from memory
47. Have a tree-climbing contest
48. Visit your local art gallery
49. Play Twister on the lawn
50. Make pinecone bird feeders from Mom Life Busy Wife
51. Swim in the pool
52. Play lawn bowling
53. Create a gorgeous painting for your bedroom
54. Play badminton
55. Make, play with and eat yummy (fast and easy, too!) edible play dough from Orison Orchards
56. Have a themed-movie marathon
57. Sew a basic project like an apron, a pillow case, or this easy 20-minute dress from Orison Orchards
58. Visit the water slides
59. Play charades
60. Have a picnic breakfast at the park
61. Go camping
62. Have a fire pit and roast hot dogs and marshmallows
63. Visit the next town over for a day and act like tourists
64. Attend an outdoor concert
65. Plan a scavenger hunt. Here are Ten Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas from My Kids Adventures
66. Make a craft from myfroggy.com
67. Have a family board game night
68. Find a local flea market
69. Rest and relax
70. Cook campfire tin foil dinners in your fireplace. From 50 Campfires
71. Have a tea party
72. Set up a lemonade stand
73. Set up a cookie stand
74. Visit a national park or several (4th graders can get a free National Park Pass)
75. Take a free kids workshop at Lowe’s or Home Depot
76. Attend a local baseball game
77. Play board games as a family
78. Find a local u-pick and pick fruit or vegetables
79. Have a family dance party. Here’s a great playlist from Wondermom Wannabee
80. Stargaze and learn basic astronomy for kids
81. Take a field trip to your local water treatment plant
82. Research a country that interests you
83. Find a round-the-world cookbook and try recipes from different countries
84. Make homemade ice cream in a baggie from 2 Little Hooligans
85. Build a lego project
86. Have a sleepover with your cousins or friends
87. Learn to skip stones on a pond
88. Surprise your kids with a Treasure Hunt from My Kids Adventures
89. Go bird watching
90. Have a Nerf war
91. Learn a simple instrument, like the Ukelele with free instruction
92. Visit your local recreation center
93. Play Ultimate Frisbee in the park
94. Pick wildflowers
95. Make a video of yourself singing and post it to youtube
96. Plan a Hawaiian luau in your backyard
97. Dance in the rain (has to be spontaneous) and sing
98. Build a teepee
99. Plant a garden
100. Make a fort with boxes (you can get free huge appliance boxes at home improvement stores)
101. Hold a Kids Cooking Camp right in your own kitchen with Thirty Handmade Days

 

 

And to top it all off, Carrie shares some great ideas for scheduling all the summer fun, with her kids’ help, and the creation of their actual ‘bucket list’ bucket. Check out their Summer Bucket List, with free, helpful printables and more ideas for family summer fun.

I hope you have a wonderful summer full of lots of happy memories and no whining, ha, ha!  Remember that you can enjoy the simple things for free.

 

 

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