Summer Fun in the Sun

Summer is a perfect time for creating memories. There is so much to do both indoors and out.

1. Pick Your Own Fruit Farm: My kids love fruit. This summer I thought it would be fun to take them to the U-Pick your own fruit farm. If you are not sure if there is a farm in your area log onto www.pickyourown.org and put in your zip code. You might want to ask around too. The website only list farms that have registered with the site.

2. Water Park: For more fun in the sun, try creating your own backyard Water Park. Build a pirate ship using sturdy buckets to support a wood plank over a kiddie pool filled with water. Watch out for the shark infested waters below.

3. Water Fight: Have a water fight using spray bottles or squirt bottles.

4. Slip-N-Slide: Use plastic ground cover and dish soap to make a “slip n slide.”

5. Backyard Waterfall: Use a sprinkler as a shower waterfall.

6. Car Wash: Have a car wash. Line up the kiddie cars and bikes. Fill a couple of buckets with soapy water. Give each kid a sponge or wash cloth to wash the cars. We have also added small toys that needed to be cleaned.

7. Water Carnival: Plan a carnival with water games reminiscent of summer camp?

Water balloon toss– toss a water balloon back and forth. Take a step backwards after every toss. The last pair left with a water balloon wins.

Shave the balloon– Give each team a can of shaving cream, a razor and a balloon. Place the items at the finish line. The first player runs from the start line to the finish line, blows up the balloon, runs back and tags the next player. That person runs to the finish line and puts shaving cream on the balloon, runs back and tags the next player. That person runs to the finish line and shaves all the cream off the balloon. The first team to finish wins.

Sponge tag– throw a wet sponge at a player. If they get hit, they are it.

Sponge Race– give each team one empty bucket and one filled with the same amount of water. Place the bucket with the water at the starting line. The empty bucket is places across the yard at the finish line. Using a huge sponge the first person on each team soaks up as much water as they can and carries it to the finish line. Squeeze the water into the bucket and run back to fill the sponge up again. The team to empty their bucket first wins. You can also hand the sponge to the next person on the team.

Water hose limbo– attach a nozzle to a garden hose. Turn the nozzle to the strongest setting. Use the stream of water as a limbo stick.

Beach Ball Race – Place two beach balls on a starting line. Use a water gun to drive the ball across the yard. The first ball to reach the finish line wins.

8. Go Fishing: Take your kids on a fishing trip.

9. Go Camping: Depending on your level of comfort, you can rent a cabin or pitch a tent. If you have little kids pick a spot close to the bathrooms just in case they need to make a midnight visit.

If you have any summer traditions or activities you would like to share let us know.