With school just around the corner, it’s important to make the most of these last few vacation days! If you’re looking for a special way to commemorate the end of summer, or simply need a new way to entertain your children before school begins, try one of the suggestions on the following list. These 5 end-of-summer activities for kids will provide some seasonal fun without requiring a lot of effort or expense!
1. Enjoy a picnic in the park. Pack a basket of food and your favorite blanket, then take the kiddos down to the local park for lunch! Once the meal has been enjoyed, digest by running around on the playground, playing catch or lying down and searching for shapes in the clouds.
2. Make a collage of your favorite summer memories. Make copies of real vacation photos or cut images from magazines that remind you of your favorite experiences – or both! Have the kids each make their own college, or work together to make one large one. When the collages are complete, you could even frame them for a homemade summer keepsake. (Tip: To ensure a friendly collage-making session, make sure that there is a scissors available for each child who can safely use one by themselves.)
3. Have a lemonade stand. Set up a card table and homemade sign on the street outside your house (or that of a friend’s, if they live on a busier intersection than you do). The kids can make the sign themselves using a large piece of cardboard and markers or paint, and help mix the lemonade as well. Once the stand is set, they could also be responsible for giving back change to each customer – what a great way to practice their numbers! If time allows and your kids are interested, they could even make a few string friendship bracelets or baked goods to sell at the stand as well. At the end, split the profits and let each child keep their share. What a treat!
4. Camp outside in the backyard. Backyard camping is an easy and inexpensive “vacation” for the entire family – all you need is a tent, sleeping bags and flashlights! You can grill dinner outside and enjoy s’mores over a portable fire pit for dessert, then play backyard games until the sun goes down. Before bed, huddle inside the tent and share stories or play card games. (Perhaps the best part of all this? A clean, easily accessible bathroom!)
5. Visit your local farmer’s market, then make a meal together using the items that you purchased. Having the kids accompany you to the local farmer’s market is a great opportunity to discuss the origin of local food AND enjoy a healthy meal together! Play with colors and have each child make their own salad using as many different-colored vegetables as possible, or follow each step of a recipe together.
What end-of-summer activities do you enjoy doing with your family?
