Turning Round

Entertaining the Kids this Summer Vacation

Summer months are the best occasion for togetherness while the children are out of school.  It can get costly taking them places that cost tons of money just to get in such as theme parks. If you happen to be in the same situation as many people are, you shouldn’t worry, because there are lots of money-saving fun things to do at home. For kids 10 and younger, these activities are perfect. Many of these suggestions are concentrated around  learning and activity together.

Everyday Items Can Be Included in Your Games

Everyday things from your home can be the props in the mock scenes you create.  An entertaining game to play at home is to pretend you run a medical clinic. Have the children gather a baby doll or other toy and then use things from around your house that can serve as pretend surgical instruments. Most homes are treasure troves of  oddly-shaped utensils that can be imagined into surgical kits.  You can also do another take on this game by imagining that everyone is a news reporter. A baby doll or other toys can be used as part of the crazy stories that you and your child are describing to the pretend audience.

Escape to the Wild Outdoors

A game that is particularly entertaining is to pretend that you’re on a safari trip in your living room.  Gather some large bed linens and tie the ends into chairs, the sofa, or any strong fixture in the room.  Drape the blankets so that thechildren feel like they are covered by the thick leaves of the Amazon or in the thick brush where the wild critters can’t see them.If you have binoculars, give them to the kids to make it feel more real.  Have your kids gather all of the stuffed creatures and critter figures they can find and set them up throughout the area, mostly hiding from view, and then use the binoculars to spy on them. Have the kids shout the names of the animals they find and then you can make the animal noise back at them. They always have big fun with this game!

Bring the Fun Outdoors

Another budget-friendly, yet really fun thing to do is to go out as a family for a ride on Schwinn bikes.  If you have little ones, you can bring them with you in a trailer attachment where they can sit in an enclosed seat. For smaller trips, some kids might want to use their skates to get from point A to B. To make it even more entertaining, take your time and suggest animals and things for them to find, like a treasure hunt. Things like birds, flowers, or squirrels can all be great things for everyone to call out as they find them. This game also works beautifully on a stroll in the great outdoors and can help kids learn about nature and their environment.

Things to Do After the Sun Sets

When evening comes, the fun doesn’t have to be finished!  If you have a tent, set it up in the back of your house along with binoculars for star gazing. If you have a place where you can safely make a fire or a small charcoal barbeque, you can make a wood-burning fire for them. Have the kids get together some long sticks for browning marshmallows. If you have several free days this summer, go camping at a local lake or beach and extend your time outdoors! These ideas will surely give you and your kids a fun summer break full of imagination, activity, and learning.

Flo Rida – Turn Around (5,4,3,2,1) [Clean Edit]