Summer is here! In our household, summer holidays usually involve sleeping in, iced tea and lemonade, and just hanging out. And while all of those things are nice to do, the kids often find themselves fighting off boredom (or just fighting!) by the time the second week of July hits. To fend off the “Mom, I’m bored!” complaints, I’ve compiled a list of inexpensive ideas that we can do to be sure to spend intentional time with our daughters and have fun at the same time!
Get outside
Head outdoors for a long hike (try the early morning or evening when it’s cooler). It’s amazing the things our girls will open up about when we’re just going for a walk. Add some fun by taking silly selfies along the way – just because!
Take board games outside
Make giant-sized game boards or pieces and play on your lawn. My two favourites are giant Scrabble (using large, cardboard squares to make letter tiles) and lawn Twister.
Have a good old fashioned water fight
Try making these easy sponge balls instead of using water balloons. Or just grab a hose and some buckets!
Plant a garden
I’ll confess, gardening and I are not good friends. I can’t stand weeding and we’ve battled so many gophers and moles over the past few years that I have all but given up. Still, there’s just something about fresh produce from your backyard that can’t be beat. Have your daughter help you choose what to plant and work the garden together. Even if you just plant flowers, working the earth together is a great bonding activity and teaches our kids about the value and results of good, hard work. You can’t beat that!
Seek cooler temperatures
Long, hot summer days are sometimes wearing. Take a break from the heat by seeking cooler temperatures, either by window shopping at the mall and sharing a fun snack, or visiting your local library. While at the library, why not look for a favourite or new movie to borrow?
Have a movie night
…or a favourite show marathon. The last few summers my kids and I have started the tradition of watching The Brady Bunch in the afternoon when it is too hot to go outside. If you’re having a family movie night, make sure to serve a special treat. How about ice cream floats, or top your own popcorn?
If you can stand the heat, get in the kitchen!
Take a cue from MasterChef – shop your pantry and fridge and see what yummy concoction you can make together. Or, if you’re feeling particularly brave, make up a mystery box and give it to your kids to see what they come up with (just make sure you let them know they have to eat it, too!).
Get your craft on
Pinterest has a ton of fun, inexpensive crafts you can make with your daughter. My favourite ideas are ones that upcycle items from around the house, like old t-shirts or clean tin cans. Or how about these super fun flip flops?
Makeovers, anyone?
My girls and I love having a spa afternoon at home. We soak our feet, do our nails, and drive the men in our house crazy with all our giggling. Why not let your daughter fix your hair and make-up for you, too, just like when they were preschoolers?
Do a Bible Study together
Most summers my girls and I like to do some sort of study together, even if we only manage to get into it once a week or so. I recommend are the Between series by Vicky Courtney, Becoming God’s True Woman While I Still Have a Curfew by Susan Hunt and Mary Kassian.
What activities do you like to do with your daughters? We’d love you to share them in the comments!
Leave a Reply