So summer is here and you've decided to stay home with the kiddos. Or maybe, like me, you missed the camp sign up deadline. Whoops! It looks like another backyard summer camp this year.
Are you worried about keeping the kiddos entertained while holding onto your sanity? Besides the obvious sprinklers and kiddy pool and ice pops there are plenty of other activities for kids to enjoy in the backyard. Here are 5 inexpensive ways to keep your kids busy in the backyard:
Everybody Freeze
Years ago I took some of my kids favorite dinosaurs and froze them in a big bowl of water. It was so ridiculously easy and my kids spent nearly 45 minutes working together as a team to free those little plastic toys. It was a really fun way to stay cool and busy on a hot day.
Movin' Out
Kids love painting because it's colorful and messy. But moms aren't too keen on having another mess to clean. Move your kid's easel, or small table outside to the yard and let them get their paint on. Allow their art work to dry outside quickly before bringing back inside. No mess and kids are entertained for a little bit.
Spread the Love
Paint some rocks with inspirational messages, or colorful pictures to leave around the backyard. Let the kids paint as many rocks as they like. Then they can hide them and take turns finding them. Or bring them on your next trip to the local park to leave for others to find.
Make a Beautiful Noise
Recycle some glass jars into a backyard xylophone. Simply line them up and lay them down on their sides. Hand the kids a stick, or wooden spoon, and allow their inner Mozart to take over. Experiment with different sized jars and mallet types to change up the sound. If you are not comfortable with glass, use thicker plastic jars and see how that sounds.
Make Bubble Art
Mix several drops of food coloring, or liquid water colors (for more vibrant colors), into a bottle of bubbles. Blow bubbles over a white poster board, or a canvas to create some really unique works of art.
If you have really active kids this may fill up only one day. My kids enjoyed these activities when they were around 3 and 4 years old and I picked one new activity each day. It was a great way to spend time together and explore in our back yard.
The Whatever Mom is a full-time wife and twin mama living on coffee and wine. She enjoys the pure rush of cleaning the BIG potty between loads of laundry. It is her dream that moms everywhere accept and embrace the Whatever Mom philosophy which can be found here. You can also find her musings and popular shares on Facebook and Twitter. Stay up to date with her creative ideas and outings on Pinterest.
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