With each day offering just a bit more daylight, we’re all taking advantage of the extra time to play outdoors with our families. Games like catch, red-light/green-light, and tag are fun and do get everyone up and active; but sometimes it is nice to jazz things up a little and infuse a bit of creativity into the plan! Below are a few fun activities you and your family can enjoy this spring and summer:
Have a Bike Parade – Kids love going to parades and seeing all the floats, so why not create a parade just for them? Invite all the neighborhood kids to participate and let the kids decorate their bikes, scooters, or wagons with streamers, flags, and other decorations. Then, let them ride around the cul-de-sac while the adults cheer them on.
Make Your Own Crayons – This activity is one that’s best for a warm day. Gather up some old crayons, a few cookie cutters, paper plates and some aluminum foil. Take the paper off the crayons, break them up, and then cover the paper plate with the aluminum foil and arrange the broken crayons within the cookie cutters. Let them sit in the sun (it may take a few hours), then bring them inside to cool. Slide it out of the cookie cutter and you’ve got multi-colored crayons!
Make a Drip Sand Castle – Whether you’re at the beach or playing in your backyard sandbox, you’re likely to build a sand castle, but sometimes kids can get a little frustrated with the tedious process it takes to build one. This fun twist on a favorite activity creates a castle by funneling wet sand onto the ground. The final result – an abstract masterpiece!
Try Your Hand at Making Floral Arrangements – Collect flowers and greenery from your garden, and then place in a vase or other container to create a beautiful arrangement. Use the arrangement as your centerpiece on your outdoor dining table, around the house, or present it to a family member or neighbor as a surprise.
On Target – This game is like a combination of lawn darts and horseshoes. Sand-filled plastic bags are used in place of metal darts, and ropes are used to create targets. Place the targets about 35 feet apart, divide into two teams, and take turns trying to land your dart in the opposing team’s target. Three points are awarded for darts landing at least halfway in the target, and one point for darts that land nearest (but outside) the target. First team to 21 points is the winner!
What unique outdoor activities do you use in spring and summer to break up the outdoor play routine? Share with us in a comment.
And don’t forget to protect your family’s skin and eyes anytime you’re out in the sun. Check out the Real Kids Shades website to view our kids sunglasses that offer protection from UVA and UVB rays!