{"id":174000001485,"date":"2022-07-14T17:54:50","date_gmt":"2022-07-14T21:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kidsrkids.com\/avalon-park\/?p=174000001485"},"modified":"2022-07-15T09:03:07","modified_gmt":"2022-07-15T13:03:07","slug":"summer-activities-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kidsrkids.com\/avalon-park\/2022\/07\/14\/summer-activities-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Activities for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer is in full swing, and that means the kids are out of school<\/a> and looking for things to do. Keeping kids entertained during summer is challenging for busy families. Still, there are plenty of fun activities everyone can engage in that don\u2019t involve sitting on the couch staring at a screen all day. Here are some free and inexpensive ideas for summer fun for the whole family.<\/p>\n

\"EducationalGet Into Nature<\/h2>\n

Summer is an excellent time to get out of the house and explore your natural surroundings thanks to long, sunny days and warm weather, and best of all, it\u2019s free. Consider taking the day and going hiking through a local park or forest. Not only are you getting out of the house and enjoying what Mother Nature has to offer, but you can also turn this into a learning experience. Use your phones to identify plants, trees, flowers, and insects native to your area and learn more about them. Take plenty of photos to make a visual diary of what you saw, so the kids can share them with grandparents, friends, and teachers once they return to school.<\/p>\n

Another fun nature activity is to start a garden. Gardening is a great way to teach kids about the value of planting, growing, and eating healthy fruits and vegetables and about being responsible for planting, watering, and caring for what they\u2019ve planted to make it grow and thrive. Finally, if you can\u2019t travel far, you can get out into your backyard and do some bird watching or insect hunting. Again, use your phones to look up what you find and see how much you can learn.<\/p>\n

Explore Local Landmarks<\/h2>\n

Almost every city has a few landmarks or oddities that make it unique, and summer is a great time to explore them. Whether it\u2019s a popular eating spot, museum, flea market, historical landmark, or weird local attraction, there\u2019s almost always something you can find to make your day an adventure.<\/p>\n

Painted Kindness Rocks<\/h2>\n

What is a painted kindness rock<\/a>? Well, it\u2019s a new craze that\u2019s swept through many communities in the last few years. Kind rocks are ordinary rocks that kids and parents paint with decorative, fun designs that include a kind message. Once the rocks are painted, the idea is to hide them throughout your town or neighborhood and give hints on social media on where to find them. People in the painted rock community go on these scavenger hunts to find the rocks, photograph them, and post the pics on social media with relevant hashtags. There are many communities on social media dedicated to painting, hiding, and finding kind rocks, and it\u2019s a great way to be creative and have fun while getting out of the house and being active. And, like the other ideas on our list, this is something you can get into with very little money; chances are you already have some paint and brushes around the house, and the rocks can be anything you find around the yard.<\/p>\n

Photo Scavenger Hunts<\/h2>\n

Speaking of scavenger hunts, another fun activity that everyone can enjoy is photo scavenger hunts. Most kids are tech-savvy and attached to their phones, so this is one activity they\u2019ll love. To start, determine the area to explore, make a list of items for the kids to locate and photograph, and set a time limit. Depending on the kids\u2019 ages, you can make it more challenging by using riddles or cryptic clues that require a little brain power to figure out. Clues can be specific for young children, such as \u201cfind something green\u201d or \u201csomething in the sky,\u201d or more challenging for older kids, like \u201cfind something that flaps in the wind, or \u201cfind something that\u2019s square and green.\u201d You can make this a competition or do it just for fun; just be sure to limit the area the kids can explore to keep everyone safe and ensure no one is out of sight. Or, if you want to give them more space, consider sending a responsible adult or teen to guide them.<\/p>\n

Indoor Ideas<\/h2>\n

Sometimes, when you intend to get out of the house for some summer fun, Mother Nature has other ideas. Whether it\u2019s raining or too hot, you\u2019ll have to make do with activities confined to your home. The activities you can do as a family indoors are endless, and here are a few.<\/p>\n