Thursday, May 30, 2019

30 Summer Break Family Fun Ideas!

My kids finish school this week. And then we have two months to fill in with making memories! Which isn't easy on our strict budget. But it is also not impossible. I've been reading Living a Beautiful Life on Less. The author had 2 lists that I pulled some great ideas from. One list was all the great things you can do as a family while the other was date night ideas. In addition, my sons teacher sent a link of events that will be held at one library near us over the summer. They are all free and there are various ones that are divided by age groups. 

What are my favorites?  

I'm going to list out some of the ones I plan on trying with our family. Leave me a comment below about additional ideas you might have!
  1. Lego! Pull out some Lego blocks and see who can build the coolest, tallest or most original creation. Don't forget to take pictures! In the past, we built our own versions of a house or a boat and even a city together. 
  2. Make some s'mores. If you have a fire pit, even better! But if not, there is no harm to making some inside. Don't be afraid to get messy. Making a mess is all part of the fun! 
  3. Visit a water park. We have a splash park up the street. It is small, but also free. And when the triple digits hit us, we might need to cool off for a bit. Especially when being stuck inside for days and weeks on end hit us hard. Cabin Fever is real, people! Just remember that you love each other very much. 
  4. Visit a museum. Sometimes your local museums have free days or times just for those who live nearby. So see what is available. Our library offers free passes to some of our local museums and attractions. I'm hoping to get one for our family to see the Astronaut exhibit that is currently being held. 
  5. Geocaching. I heard about this from an awesome friend of mine many years back. He participated. It is a real treasure hunt! You use coordinates to find hidden containers near you. You can create a free account and search for ones near you. Once you find it, you sign the log book inside to prove you found it. Some are big enough to contain items for trade as well. Little trinkets and toys, usually. Just remember to put something in if you take something out! Be fair. Don't leave trash or junk. And put the container back EXACTLY as you found it. That way someone else can find it later. I'm seeing over 800 near our area alone! Can't wait to take the kids searching. This also makes a great date if you and your love like being outdoors!
  6. Bowling. I absolutely loved going bowling with my besties. After our shift at the library, we would go bowling and spend a couple hours unwinding and sharing laughter. It was always a blast. How much more so with family? Check out your local bowling alley to see what deals they offer. This is another great date night idea! 
  7. After dark treasure hunt. When it gets dark, turn off the lights! Hide something special like a treat or something from the Dollar Tree even. Draw a map with clues and have them figure it out! 
  8. Check out the local ice skating or roller skating rink. Again, look on their website or ask about any specials they might have. Another date idea!
  9. Vampire hide and seek or just hide in the dark. Two ways to go about this. Vampire hide and seek is something I learned from my in laws. One person hides. As other people find them, they have to hide with them. Until the last person finds the group. Or, just turn off all the lights and have the seeker try to find everyone with a flashlight. Just remind the kids that you will not be going outside! My kids freaked out the first time we played it. 
  10. Have a movie marathon. Pick a series of movies. We might do a bunch of Star Trek, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings movies. Get some snacks and snuggle up in front of the TV! 
  11. Go for a hike. Pick a park with trails or somewhere new to walk and hike. Get the kids to identify things they are seeing. Maybe look up things you don't know what they are and learn something new together! 
  12. Have a bake-off challenge. I love this idea! Do boys versus girls. And see who can create the best dessert! 
  13. Create an ice cream bar at home. Get all the trimmings and let everyone design their ultimate ice cream treat! 
  14. Pull out the telescope! Or if you don't have one, find a place away from the city lights and spread a blanket. You will be amazed at what you can see without interference. My husband has a great telescope that I hope we get to use this summer. That or a trip to your local planetarium. Check to see if they have discount days!
  15. Family picture fun. Normally, family photos are boring. And time consuming. And everyone can't wait for them to be over. So how about letting the kids take some? Everyone gets to pitch in on ideas for new family photos. Maybe even add props. 
  16. Paint canvases together. The Dollar Tree carries canvases. Get enough that everyone has one and let everyone paint the same scene together. See how we all see things differently, but beautifully at the same time. 
  17. Play a card game. 
  18. Play a dance game together. We have games for the Wii and the Xbox 360. Such games like Just Dance. Pop one in and have your own competition. See who the Dancing Queen really is in your household! Date night idea!
  19. Go for a walk. Sometimes it is good to just walk. Talk. Explore the neighborhood. The key is to be together. Also great for date night!
  20. Make your own movie. Work together to write a script and create some costumes. Then film your own movie! 
  21. Garden. This might not be the best for the summer. But you could do this as a family. Plant a garden. Even if it is just a few little seed starting trays or pots. 
  22. Check your local library. One of the libraries here is having an event nearly every day over the summer. And these are free! They have everything broken into age groups with some being for the whole family. 
  23. Read a book together. Take turns reading from a book. Our family loves the I Survived series or American Girl stories. They are riveting, but insightful as well. Reading also helps them maintain their skills for the next school year. 
  24. Make cards. Work together to create cards for friends and family. You can use all kinds of things. Construction paper, wrapping paper bits, stickers - be creative! Father's Day, birthdays, other holidays - heck, get a head start on Christmas cards if you want! Just do it together. 
  25. Play a video game together. We love playing Minecraft, Mario Kart and dance games. Find something you all enjoy! Also a great date night idea!
  26. Watch a documentary. I know, I know. Who watches those anymore? But there are some really interesting things out there. Find out what interests everyone and pick accordingly. Talk about what you learned. 
  27. Write a story together. I did something like this with my friends in my younger years. I got a journal and we each took turns writing a chapter. I'm looking forward to seeing what we come up with as a family. Take it easy. Each person write 2-3 sentences. Let it get crazy! Let it be funny. Let it be you. 
  28. Create a Blessings Bag and help someone in need. We see homeless people quite often. Putting together a bag and grabbing it on the way out is no biggie. Get the kids involved. Water, snacks, gum, small things that help pass the time, cash - whatever you think could be useful to someone with nothing. You could even take it a step further by taking the family to volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen or nursing home. 
  29. Go to the movies! AMC is having a special this summer that should save you some big bucks. $4 for the tickets, popcorn and drinks for kids. Check out the article here
  30. And this last one is a favorite of mine! Nerf gun battle! Grab your weapon of choice and pick your corner. Then open up and listen to the laughter!!! Another fun date night idea. 
Stay hydrated! Stay safe!

This summer is predicted to be a hot one. So don't forget to keep everyone well hydrated. Especially if you plan to be outdoors. And always play it safe if you are going hiking or walking. Know where you are going and be mindful of what is around. 
What are your plans for the summer? What cool things would you like to try? Leave me a comment below!   

20 comments:

  1. I used to be an avid geocacher and its always an economical way to have fun. We will definitely have to add some of these suggestions to our summer fun. So far, we have swim lessons (free), camping, and a nature scavenger hunt on the agenda.

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    1. That is awesome! I can't wait to start tomorrow with my kiddos. We even have a bunch of things to trade in the cache. You scavenger hunt sounds like fun!

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  2. that is a super long list of things to do. one thing i think you guys could also do is old school chalk on the sidewalk/pavement. creative and cheap especially i think there are DIYs on how to make your own chalk.

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    1. That is always a good idea! They do that too already.

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  3. Love these ideas!! My daughter would love the vampire hide and seek and after dark treasure hunt! Definitely gonna try these:)

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    1. So glad you liked the list! I hope they enjoy it :)

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  4. This are awesome way to have fun with your family for the summer. I know that your kids will love this. When my kids were little we did the same thing, and it was a blast. to do. Enjoy your summer.

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  5. These are so helpful! Thanks for sharing with us

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  6. All of these are great ideas! I really love reminding people to go explore their local museums. There are some really amazing ones in my home town that people miss, but they are perfect for the summer.

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    1. That is a great idea! Especially with the heat.

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  7. Omg these are such great ideas! I am a sucker for a good book and my hubby already says I am going to force the kids to have me read to them LOL

    XOXO
    CarnationDreams.com

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    1. I picked up a new one today from The Ghosts of War series. My kids love them!

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  8. Visiting waterparks are lovely especially during this summer heat.
    Lego is one of our ultimate favorite as family game.

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  9. Geocaching sounds like something interesting to try. I just might do this! Lavern Moore

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  10. LOL, I wanted to write something fantastic in here but the BAKE OFF jpeg image had me laughing real hard! BTW, I am going to the movies. Thanks for sharing fun posts as always.

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    1. That is one of my favorite parts of this post too :) What movie are you catching?

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