Summer is coming to a close, so you need to make the most of these last few weeks. When school starts the harsh reality for most kids is that their small amount of free time will soon be filled with homework, soccer, music lessons, church classes and sleeping. To read more about how overscheduled kids are destined to become perfectionist adults (riddled with Adultitis), check out this article.
It’s time to cross-reference your recent summertime activities with my list of 11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer. If you would like more ideas, I highly recommend the awesome book, “101 Things Every Kid Should Do Growing Up,” by Alecia T. Devantier. These ideas are not limited to the under 18 crowd, so feel free to bring back some childhood memories by tackling these on your own without the company of kids. (I’m not sure about adults sitting at a lemonade stand, though.)
1. Sleep outside. If you missed the Great American Backyard Campout a few weeks ago, grab the sleeping bag and get going.
2. Have a water fight, preferably barefoot. You don’t need those fancy super soakers. We used to soak each other with the hose and empty shampoo, syrup, and dish soap bottles. Fill a few balloons while you’re at it.
3. Make homemade ice cream or popsicles.
4. Create an obstacle course, dragging out whatever you can find in the garage to make one of a kind challenges.
5. Play flashlight tag.
6. Have a lemonade stand.
7. Have a picnic in your backyard.
8. Climb a tree.
9. Be allowed to be bored. The most creative projects are born from “boring” afternoons.
10. Catch lightning bugs.
11. Make homemade chocolate chip cookies and mix the dough with your hands.
By the way, one of the added benefits of providing these activities for your kids (or doing them yourselves) is that the childlike excitement is contagious, helping you escape adulthood, and it builds your immunity against Adultitis.
Which one will you pick today?
[tags] summer, Great American Backyard Campout, Adultitis, overscheduled kids, 101 Things Every Kid Should Do Growing Up, Alecia T. Devantier[/tags]
Looks like we’ve covered 3 or 4 of those things already and Patrick is only 3! He loves for me to spray the hose for him to run under and away from. Haven’t made cookies in a while, but really should soon. Being bored is good. We played flashlight tag the other night, although I’m not sure he really got it. And we picnic just about any where these days, including the backyard. Thanks again for the great blog. It’s so much fun.
And hey, don’t rain on our parade: School doesn’t start in the northeast until end of August or after Labor Day. Our summers are way too short to start any earlier. We’re just getting started on warm weather. Happy playing!
We’ve done a lot of these, but the list reminds me that the pint of cream I inherited from a friend emptying her fridge before leaving town needs to be turned into fabulous french vanilla ice cream. I may even gild the lily and use a vanilla bean instead of extract!