Ideas for keeping kids busy this summer??

[jacksmom]

Hi! Just wondering what everyone is planning to do this summer to keep away the "I'm Bored"! My ds is going to (2) week long sports camps, but that still leaves a lot of summer to deal with! We also bought seasons passes to Carowinds and plan on going once a week (it's a 35+min. drive for us)! And, will spend 9 nights at WDW in July! But, would love some other ideas to keep busy!

 

[JeMarie6]

A Chore chart! Any time they utter the words "I'm bored" they have to do a chore off the chart. Helps them to get creative on their own! I always loved make your own craft books in the summer.

 

[princesslily]

We go to the zoo, swimming pool, drive in, and we get passes for Cedar Point.

 

[MonkersMama]

I grabbed a freebie calendar that I rec'd in the mail and started scratching out a daily plan for things to do that aren't going to cost me a fortune....

library story programs
swimming or splash pad
free outdoor concerts
zoo
museums
free movies at Regal theaters (offered on Tues/Wed each week)
drive in movies
WDW (1 week)
picnics/kite flying by the river
little pool/sprinkler at home
bucket of outdoor toys (balls, bubbles, chalk, jump ropes, etc.)
Monday is our chores/errands day
Thurs is our grocery shopping day (there's a kids center at the grocery store)

 

[ilandrazdsw]

We joined the YMCA for family fun (ok, really for me and DH to loose weight with the gym).
2 memberships to museums (Chicago Field and Science & Industry)...they are a year long and have attachments to other semi-local museums.
Local parks/picnics with friends.
The city pool--if I dare brave the cold water.
The county fair will be here August 6-16!!!
Running errands (LOL)
Great America
Gurnee Mills
Weekend trips to visit friends a few hours away.

 

[StephMK]

I have created summer camp at home for my kids. Oldest DD is their counselor & they have a full schedule every day. Just like camp, they have a theme each week - this week is mystery week. Vocab words, science experiments, games, art projects, reading time & journals.

They read a mystery book, decorated t-shirts, created a camp name, made rules, played Clue, wrote invisible ink messages & answered questions in their journal. They even get snack & lunch menus so they're not able to eat all the "good" snacks in one day.

Sounds like your son is probably a little older but you could still tailor activities to his interests & be as involved with them or not as you want to be. You can google any interest & come up with a lot of ideas on different activities.