Summer Classics at Home
It is here! The first day of Summer... officially! If you're like us, it's felt like summer for weeks... heat, no rain, and loads of sunscreen. To celebrate, we created a bucket list of things to do this summer and places to go in Kansas City. However, some of our favorite summer fun ideas are best enjoyed at home!
Homemade Bubbles
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons light karo syrup or 2 tablespoons glycerin
- 4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid
Mix together and have fun!
Homemade Bubble Wands
There are many easy ways to make your own bubble wands. A few simple ideas include:
- Bend a wire coat hanger into fun shapes and use it as a bubble wand (for a wand this large, aluminum pie plates work great to hold the bubble solution.
- Bend pipe cleaners into favorite shapes and use them (these are easier for children to bend).
- Use string and soda straws. Simple run some string through a soda straw or two (straws cut to be shorter work too) and tie the string together... essentially creating a straw necklace. Then hold onto the straws and dip it into the bubble solution.
- Straws work by themselves - but be sure to blow the bubbles and do not drink the solution!
Build a Fort
Remember setting up forts with sheets, pillows, old cardboard boxes and chairs? Pick a day and let the kids create their own forts and hiding places. If you have space, set up a tent in the backyard or basement. Imaginations run wild in new spaces to play!
Make Lollipops and Popsicles
Buy inexpensive popsicle molds at the store and make your own frozen treats. Make your favorite drink or treat, pour it into the mold, freeze and enjoy! Some favorites include:
- Lemonade
- Instant Pudding - Chocolate, Vanilla, Butterscotch
- Fruit Juice
- Smoothie or Milkshake mixes.
- Paint Popsicles... these are NOT edible, but they are lots of fun! Fill a popsicle mold with tempera paint, freeze, pop out and let the kids use the popsicles to paint on white paper.
Two ways make Homemade Lollipops EASILY
- Chocolate Lollipops: Visit a local craft store and buy Wilton easy melt chocolates, molds and lollipop sticks. Melt, pour into the mold, and pop out when hardened to enjoy.
- Jolly Rancher Lollipops: Materials: Hard Jolly Ranchers, cookie sheet, aluminum foil, parchment paper, and lollipop or popsicle sticks. Preheat oven to 275°F. Line cookie sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and then a piece of parchment paper on top of it. Unwrap and place Jolly Ranchers together in groups of two or three. Leave enough space in that they won't melt together and so that have room to place a stick in them as they soften. Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and let the Jolly Ranchers get to where they have melted slightly together.... 6 minutes (still you should watch them closely around 5 minutes). Then, have an adult remove from the oven and quickly twist the sticks into the melted Jolly Ranchers before the candies harden.
Water Pistols and Sprinklers
Water Guns, Water Balloons and Sprinklers are a summertime classic! Discover great backyard Water Games to cool off on hot days!
Paper Airplanes
Kids love to make paper airplanes. Encourage them to decorate and design planes... then hold an air show and see which designs fly the farthest, the longest, and the fastest. For inspiration visit this site for paper airplane designs.
Lightning Bugs
At dusk, lightning bugs start to flicker. Save a plastic bottle (with holes if possible - empty spice jars, cheese shakers and salt shakers work well). Let the children catch fireflies and see who catches the most. Remember to release the bugs before bedtime... they need to live in their natural habitat.