With warmer months right around the corner it’s time to start planning the fun summer activities your preschooler will participate in this year.
Children are young and carefree, and it doesn’t take multiple trips to overpriced theme parks to keep them happy all summer. Instead there are many fun and affordable summer activities for preschoolers that will keep your little one happily entertained and even learning.
1. Go The Library
Little kids love going to the library, especially when you start them off young. Make weekly or bi-weekly trips to your local library so that your child can check out new books each time. This creates a fun way to keep your child reading and engaging with books throughout the summer. Come next year their reading abilities will have naturally advanced, even if you are the one reading them all of the stories.
2. Get Colorfully Creative With Sidewalk Paint
Goodbye sidewalk chalk, hello sidewalk paint! The latest way to decorate your driveway is with the awesome invention known as sidewalk paint. You can mix up your own at home using only a few ingredients you likely already have on hand:
-Cornstarch
-Food coloring
-Water
-Baking soda
-Vinegar
-Squirt bottles (one for every different color you plan to make)
Fill each bottle up around 2/3 of the way with cornstarch and baking soda, about 50/50 of both ingredients.
Add several drops of food coloring.
Fill the remaining space in squirt bottle with water.
Stir the ingredients using a butter knife or something small enough to fit inside of the bottle top. (At first the mixture will seem really thick but it quickly turns into a thinner paint, almost like magic.)
Close top and shake bottle well before using.
Put vinegar in a few other squirt bottles.
The vinegar squirt bottles can be poured on top of your kid’s colorful creations and the paint will foam, an effect kids go crazy for.
This fun activity could keep your little one(s) active for an entire afternoon, or more!
(Summer Fun With Sidewalk Chalk)
3. Have A Lemonade Sale
Making lemonade is simple and cheap. Have your little one set up a lemonade stand with a sibling or friend, and your help of course, and then open up shop for business. This grants kids the chance to learn a thing or two about business while also enjoying the fun and excitement of any child’s first lemonade sale.
4. Have A Yard Sale
Cleaning out your closets might seem like something you do during ‘spring cleaning’ but let’s be honest, there are always more things you can clear out and reorganize, even in summer. Have your child help you sort through their old stuff they don’t need anymore while the rest of the family does the same. A summer yard sale will attract a lot of buyers thanks to the good weather, so get ready to teach your child the value of a dollar while you make some money back on stuff otherwise collecting dust around your home.
5. Family Puzzle Time
Put out a large puzzle the whole family can work on together. Turn on some music and let the puzzle making fun begin. If the puzzle takes longer than one sitting to complete set it up somewhere it can stay out and be completed over time.
(More Summer Activities for Kids)
6. Sign Up For Swimming Lessons
Teaching kids how to swim at a young age is very important. A great way to get your child out, learning and socializing is to sign them up for swim classes at your local pool or recreation center. Your child will have a great time, and you can sit by the sidelines and work on your tan while cheering them on.
7. Make Your Own Pool
You don’t have to have a pool, or even a kiddie pool to give your child a good time. For toddlers you can simply fill up a large plastic storage container with water and few toys. Sit your makeshift kiddie pool somewhere outside in the shade with indirect sunlight. If you have more than one child fill up 2 bins, as 2 kids won’t fit comfortably in one.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/449374869041539806/
8. Make Your Own Sandbox
You can use the same storage container for another great summer activity for toddlers. Instead of water, fill the bin(s) up with sand. The shallow, long storage bins work best for this so that your child can sit outside of the sand box and easily reach inside. On top of the sand provide some shovels, sand stencils and other fun accessories and your child will be entertained for hours.
You can keep your sandbox safe from animals by securing the lid on top of it after your kids are done playing for the day.
(Thrifty Sandbox)
9. Frisbee Tic-Tac-Toe
Take an old sheet or shower curtain, or anything around this size that you can tape with blue painters tape to resemble the squares from a tic-tac-toe board. Place this on the lawn with plenty of Frisbees on hand. Then, have each child make their mark on the tic-tac-toe board by tossing a Frisbee. This is challenging and fun, a great way to entertain a group of kids.
(Reference)
10. Have A Family Car Wash Party
If your child has a mini car, bike, scooter or anything else on wheels have them roll it on out to the driveway for a family car wash party. Get plenty of water buckets, soapy sponges and rags and have everyone pitch in together for a squeaky-clean good time. Don’t forget to crack some fun tunes while you work!
11. Check Out Free Programs Around Your Community
Check with your local recreational center or craft fair store and see if they are offering any free or low-cost classes for children this summer. You might be surprised at all of the options available in your community.
Looking to keep your child busy all summer? ABC Learning offers summer programs for children 12 months to 5 years old.