Get Out!

The best moments of summer are usually the ones spent outdoors. If you’ve been looking forward to warm temperatures and sunny skies, you’re probably ready to take all your favorite activities (and energetic kids) outside the house.

What are some particularly fun ways to spend your time outside when you feel like you’ve done it all? What are favorite activities you don’t have to keep indoors? I sought fresh suggestions from parents, teachers, blogs and a few of my favorite websites to come up with a quick list of ways you and your kiddos can soak up as much summer fun as possible.

Read on the deck

It’s simple, yet meaningful: Snuggle up with your kids on the deck or front porch and read together. Grab snacks, drinks and a picnic blanket. Reading may evoke your love of story-telling. Share your own stories or make stories up. Talk about your favorite memories together. A simple activity might turn into one of your child’s favorite memories.

Have an outdoor scavenger hunt

An elementary school teacher gave me the idea to have a scavenger hunt involving letters of the alphabet. Find things outside that start with different letters of the alphabet. Fun, free printables can be found online (My favorite printable worksheet I’ve stumbled across is from BroughtToYouByMom.com).

Camp in the backyard

You’re close enough to still use your bathroom or make a cup of coffee, yet one with nature. Set up a tent in the backyard even if you don’t spend the whole night out there. Collect sticks to make a “pretend” fire, identify bugs and birds, and collect rocks and leaves.

Plan a picnic

Visit your favorite park, walking trail, the zoo, or sit in your own backyard with a giant picnic blanket or table or tent. Even if you stay home, fill a picnic basket with your favorite nonperishable food items.

Throw an outdoor shaving cream party

During quarantine, I (along with every other parent) constantly tried to think of new, innovative ways to keep my child entertained with minimal mess to clean up. We decided to try playing with shaving cream outside on our deck. We drew letters and pictures on the table and washed everything when we were done. Pro tip: Sometimes we even added food coloring!

Play with play dough outside

When molding play dough got tedious and messy in the house, sometimes we took it outside to use at my son’s little table under his umbrella. (Play dough dries fast outside, so don’t forget to clean up as soon as they get bored!)

Mold sand on the deck

Kinetic sand is almost as messy as slime (almost), so I’ve found it’s best to take outside in a Rubbermaid or Tupperware container with a lid. Add measuring cups or toys, and your kid will be entertained for at least half an hour while soaking up vitamin D.

Eat dinner on the porch or deck

You don’t have to grill hot dogs and hamburgers to eat dinner outside. Eat bowls of spaghetti on the porch. Cook your favorite dish inside just to bring it outside with the whole family.

Photograph nature

Let your kids use your phone camera to snap shots of different types of wildlife on the walking trail or in the backyard.

Make lemonade

Lemonade is the ultimate summer drink, so try making a pitcher outside with the kids instead of in the kitchen. Gather ingredients and supplies on a table either in your driveway or on the deck.

One of my son’s teachers emailed us a list of ideas at the end of the school year to help the kids enjoy their summer. Here are a few of my favorites.

Summer fun at a glance:

• Go on a hike.
• Build a fort.
• Try cloud-watching.
• Check out books from the library to read outside.
• Play in the sprinkler.
• Wash your car or bicycle.
• Visit the zoo.
• Draw with sidewalk chalk.
• Eat watermelon (this makes a great sensory activity).
• Go to the farmers market.

Once you’ve exhausted all our suggestions, chat with fellow parents, email your child’s teacher or maybe even stop by the library for a new set of ideas.

Emily Morrison is a freelance writer, former copy editor, full-time mommy and Disney fanatic who lives in Independence with her husband, 4-year-old son and two dogs.