Posted on July 19, 2012
by Diana Chaplin
Even if you don’t have time to get out of town, summer is peak season for spending quality time with your family. At Integrative Nutrition, we love stand-by classics like the beach or a backyard bbq – but wouldn’t it be more fun to try something new?
Challenge yourself to be the coolest parent on the block with these creative, active, and kid-friendly activities:
- Camp overnight in your backyard.
- Take photographs of the family and make a collage.
- Plant a garden or an urban garden.
- Visit a water park, or make one with sprinklers and mini-pools.
- Write and perform a play of your child’s favorite story.
- Make Tie-dye t-shirts.
- Let your kids choose a simple recipe, shop for the ingredients together, and allow them to do most of the cooking (with your guidance).
- Visit a local farm that allows children to interact with the animals.
- Create an arts-and-crafts project using recycled materials.
- Go fishing.
- Host an ‘iced-tea tasting’ with a range of black, green, and/or herbal teas flavored with honey, agave nectar, or fresh fruit.
- Throw a family dance party with balloons and other decorations.
- Make homemade popsicles with fresh fruit juice.
- Build the biggest living room fort ever!
- Take a family bike ride to a picnic destination.
- Challenge your kids to a water balloon battle.
- Have a slumber party with homemade avocado facials.
- Visit and explore a local state park.
- Arrange a toy scavenger hunt.
- Learn a new language together.
- Spend a day hiking and enjoying nature.
- Have a jigsaw puzzle challenge for who can complete it in the least amount of time.
- Create a family band with real or toy musical instruments and/or household objects.
- Build a house for your pet.
- Host a mini-Olympics in your backyard with homemade medals/prizes.
When you’re thoroughly worn out from all of that, send the kids to grandma’s and have a romantic weekend alone with your partner, you deserve it!
What are your favorite, creative ideas for summer family fun?
