The summer holidays are something that all children look forward to – it means no school. However, it is also a stressful time for parents as they find ways to entertain their young ones for the time being.
Older children are not much of a hassle since they will often opt for hanging out with friends and will find something to keep them entertained; finding younger kids summer activities is harder.
Kids summer activities – How much money are you willing to spend?
The first question that you need to ask is whether you are looking for any free activities for kids to do. There are plenty of free ideas if that is what you need, including a trip to the library or events in the local area. New York’s Central Park has free concerts on a regular basis and there are plenty of museums and attractions around the country that have free entry.
Go to the park or swimming
Kids love to stay active and it will help them sleep at night. There are some great ways of doing that by going to the park or even going swimming. The best thing about these options is that they cost little or no money.
You can take a football or sports set to the park with you and play as much as you want and you can take a picnic so you do not need to spend money on food – and it will be a healthy option instead of the local junk food places. Swimming is a fun event, especially if there are community pools that have slides and diving boards.
For a rainy day
You cannot go to the park when it is raining and it will usually lead to the children being stuck in the house all day. The good news is that there is something available here in kids summer activities. Opt to have a movie day in the house and make your own popcorn. This is cheaper than going to the movie theater and will take up at least two hours of your day. Have a selection of movies to get through in one day if you want.
If you do decide to watch something in the movie theater then consider looking for ones that have a pass for children. There are many that put on offers over the summer.
The summer job
If your children are old enough to go out and work, suggest that they get a summer job. This will help them build up a resume and will also keep them out of mischief – they will also have their own money to spend so they are not always coming to you.
If they are not old enough, find some fun kids summer activities that they can do such as a lemonade stand. You can set up a small table on your lawn and make the lemonade yourself – or get the children to help you. You can also throw in brownies and cupcakes to sell on the stand if you have the time and resources. This will also help to teach your children about the value of money.
