For children, there’s no greater feeling than hearing the dismissal bell on the last day of the school year. School is out for the summer, which means the fun can begin! However, without the structure of classes, projects, and assignments kids can sometimes become bored with having so much free time. It’s important to encourage kids to keep exercising their minds, bodies, and creativity even when they are not at school. Here are some of our favorite fun and educational backyard boredom busters for kids.
Get Crafty
With summertime weather, why not enjoy arts and crafts time outdoors? Set up a space in the backyard for your child to experiment with their creativity and let their imagination run wild. You can even plan craft projects for them that incorporate the nature elements of the outdoors.
- Rock Painting : Explore these 25 Rock Painting Ideas that include rock puzzles, jewelry, and more!
- Leaf Art: Your kids will love these leaf art projects. From leaf painting to making a suncatcher out of leaves, you and your child will have a great time creating!
- Sidewalk Art: This recipe for DIY sidewalk chalk is super easy and made with ingredients you probably already have in your home.
Fun with Water
When the weather gets too hot in the summertime, why not turn your backyard into a water park? There are so many fun ways to incorporate water play into your child’s day. Whether it’s simply running through the sprinkler system or creating your very own slip and slide, your child will be soaking up the water all day long.
- Slip N’ Slide: Want to build your own slip n’ slide for the backyard? Here’s how to build a HUGE one for less than $50.
- Water Games: Beat the heat with these fun water games for the kids!
Social Games
With school being out for the summer, the kids probably miss the socialization with their friends. Invite some of the neighborhood kids over to play some fun games in the backyard. Whether for fun, or friendly competition, they’ll want to play all day long!
- Fun Outdoor Games for Kids: Your kids can have a blast without even leaving your backyard. They will love these exciting games to play with neighborhood friends.
- 15 Outrageously Fun Outdoor Games: Check out these fun outdoor games for kids, playing these will guarantee your kids will have an awesome summer!
DIY Building Projects
Your kids are going to be spending a lot of time in the backyard over the summer. Why not make it into a place where they can build new projects and have fun while doing it? Here are some ideas for DIY projects you can build together and some ideas you will have to build yourself as the adult, but the play area will be well received from your little ones.
- Outdoor DIY Projects for Kids: Keep the children entertained all summer long with these 8 kid-approved DIY outdoor project ideas!
- 40+ Dest DIY Backyard Ideas for Kids: Transform your backyard into a place where the kids will want to play all summer long with these DIY Backyard ideas.
Money Makers
Why not keep those math and number crunching skills fresh over the summer break from school? Help your child come up with new ways to play outside while making money to keep their skills sharp for the return to school in the fall.
- 25 Effortless DIY Lemonade Stand Ideas: Show your child the traditional lemonade stand way to have fun and make money. Here are 25 ideas to DIY your own lemonade stand.
- How to Have a Successful Garage Sale with your Kids: Teach your kids valuable transaction skills while having them help with your outdoor garage sale. Here’s some tips on how to make it a success!