It goes without saying that kids are pretty excited when the final bell of the school year rings and summer vacation begins. Sleepaway camps and family road trips might be summer vacation highlights, but what about the downtime?
As every parent knows, it doesn’t take long for summer vacation boredom to set in. Here are a few ways to beat the summertime blues and keep kids engaged and having fun.
Outdoor Adventures
No kid should spend the majority of their summer inside. Even in the sweltering heat of Texas, there’s plenty of outdoor adventure awaiting. Here are a few activities that will get kids off the couch and outside:
- Scavenger hunts
- Set up a bike-track around the neighborhood and have races
- Water balloon wars
- Plant a garden
- Backyard camping
- Go on a bug hunt
- Fly kites
Don’t miss out on visiting outdoor spots like Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center or the playground at Founders Memorial Park. Both of these local options will provide kids an opportunity to have some outdoor fun and burn off energy.
Get Crafty
Arts and crafts are an awesome way to keep kids’ minds active during the summer months and offer a creative outlet. Crafts also tend to be an affordable summer activity that appeals to children of all different ages.
Head over to your local arts and crafts store (or keep things even cheaper and hit up Dollar Tree) to pick up supplies for these summer crafts:
- Paint a bedsheet
- Make homemade playdough
- Make homemade slime
- Create a birdhouse with popsicle sticks and glue
- Wrap a balloon in paper mache to make a bowl
- Fold origami shapes with colorful paper
- Make a windchime with soda bottles
Family Fun Time
Summer is an ideal time for families to reconnect and make new memories. Yes, big, expensive vacations are fun, but you really don’t need to spend a lot of money or travel to an exotic location with children to create memories they’ll cherish for years.
Outdoor movie nights, family game sessions, telling spooky stories around a campfire, stargazing in the backyard, or cooking a new meal together are all ways that families can enjoy each other’s company.
Solo Style
Parents want to encourage their children to be outgoing and play with other kids – and this is certainly a good thing! But the benefits of playing alone from time to time shouldn’t be neglected. When children learn to entertain themselves (without electronic devices), it not only gives parents a break but can help foster a child’s creativity and social independence.
Here are a few things that kids can do on their own to stay entertained:
- Write a short story
- Draw
- Make something with modeling clay
- Play (or make) a musical instrument
- Puzzles
- Develop a dance routine
- Read
- Make a photo collage with old magazines
- Create greeting cards for friends and family
One of the most appealing things about Caliterra is the community’s convenient access to summer fun for families. With walking trails, a playscape, a pool, and an expansive open field, it’s easy to see why Caliterra is Hill Country living at its best. Reach out to us to learn more about our available inventory of homes.
