Get the most out of the end of SUMMER

As the summer days start to dwindle down, your kids must take advantage of every sunny day from until school starts. Outdoor activities are not only perfect for exercise, but they also give kids the freedom to be creative. They are in charge of the games and activities they play. Teamwork, communication skills, and good sportsmanship are just a few life skills that outdoor games help develop. So get off that couch, grab your sneakers, and seize the summer day with a few of these great outdoor activities!

Beach Games

The beach is a perfect place to be on a hot summer day, and there are lots of opportunities to be active and have fun. When you and your children are getting ready to head out to the beach, grab a few fun toys. Don’t be afraid to get creative! The everyday beach ball, volleyball, and sandcastle building can only be fun for so long. Bring along a football, soccer ball, Frisbee, or even a lacrosse stick! Give your child the opportunity to be as creative as possible in creating a new game. Let them come up with the rules and have them tell you step by step the way to play.

Driveway and Street Play

There are so many opportunities that await right outside your house. Street hockey, a chalk maze, a bicycle or rollerblading obstacle course, or even creating your very own miniature golf course are all fantastic ways to keep your child entertained. Making up your own games can be extremely fun too. Take a look in the garage and find as many objects you can use to create a fun game. For example: Take those old life jackets, put on an old bike helmet, and grab that old Super Soaker! Play a game of water tag by running around and spraying each other.

“Frankie Says Relax”

Take your child outside, sit down, and relax. You can do this at a park, in the front yard, on a porch, or even in a safe spot on the roof! Lay out a blanket and watch the clouds. Take a couple of minutes and embrace nature. Now that you both have taken the time to listen, smell, and see what is going on around you, make up a story. Have your child start to tell a story and whenever they want, he or she can stop and pass it on to you. Now it’s your turn to continue the story by adding in the sights and sounds of your experiences.

And They’re Off!

Grab a magnifying glass and your safari hat and pull up your tube socks – you’re going on an adventure to catch the speediest bug you can find! Search in the dirt, on some leaves, and in the cracks of the sidewalk. Once you’ve found your bug, build up an arena speedway for the big race! Make sure there are walls so that your bug is moving in the right direction. Draw a start and finish line with sidewalk chalk and wave that checkered flag. Set down the bugs and the race is on. After the first heat, go search for different types of bugs and see which ones are faster. You can use a stopwatch for this activity and rank the bugs from fastest to slowest. Once you go back inside, have a drawing competition with your child to see who can draw the best picture of the champion bug.

Summer is quickly coming to an end, and it won’t wait for anybody! So grab your child and take advantage of this opportunity. Summers come and go; give your kid a reason to remember and cherish the time you’ve spent together! Your blessings only come into your life once, so cherish them!!!