46 Fun things for everyone to this summer (in spite of covid 19!)
We’re all bored in the house, in the house bored and as the weather gets nicer we are getting more restless and more anxious. Many of the things we had hoped to do this summer will have to wait. But, with enough creativity, there is a lot we can do! Below enjoy some of my ideas and things that I have had fun doing with my own children over the years.
1. Reverse Tie Dye
Tie dye is all the rage, but what about reverse tie dye? I had fun with this when my youngest was young. So many of his Polo shirts were coming home stained and not wanting to toss them I decided to have a little fun. We LOVED the results. This can be done with sheets, pillow cases, cloth napkins, jeans… anything really. The sky’s the limit! (Apologies - the photos below are 11 years old!) Directions and original blog post here.
2. Make Collages
We love to collage. Even now that the kids are nearly fully grown. Of, course they’ve changed in style over the years, but they’re always fun and you don’t have to be artistic for them to come out beautifully!
We have these for the very young, and you can incorporate them with a story. They’ll also LOVE these using cut out construction paper and recycled popsicle sticks.
Years ago I took the kids to The Eric Carle museum in Massachusetts and it happened to be the Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 40th Birthday. We did all sorts of Carle-inspired collages. They’re super easy to do at home! Why not collage with newspaper or even wrapping paper?!
3. Make your own ice cream! We’ve had such fun over the years with our YayLabs ice cream ball. Want something to do the work for you? Cuisinart’s ice cream maker will not disappoint! Here’s a link to some great ice cream recipes and ideas. (See below)
4. Have a picnic at home - We love making cheese and charcuterie platters for our at home picnics. See below.
5. Make s’mores without a fire pit
We’ve had so much fun doing this in our screened in porch on rainy 4th of Julys. All you need are sterno cans, sticks, marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. Or totally kick up your smores game with other goodies such as Nutella and peanut butter.
Here’s a link to some great S’mores with a Twist recipes.
6. Have a backyard campout
7. Paint seashells (or rocks or pine cones)
8. Organize a treasure hunt/scavenger hunt - This can be a lot of fun for adults too!
9. Start a journal
10. Start a photo journal - All you need is the camera from your smart phone.
12. As they open up, visit a new ice cream stand every week
13. As they open up, discover new lobster roll shacks. Or make your own and have an outdoor picnic or bring them to the beach (if your town permits)
Recipe for New England style Lobster Rolls
4 cups cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash hot sauce
4 hot dog buns
Assemble all the ingredients together and mix well. Then spoon into hot dog buns. We prefer them slightly toasted.
14. As they open up visit a vineyard
15. Make Sun tea
16. Search for seashells and seaglass
17. Start a container garden
18. Start a vegetable garden from your kitchen scraps
19. Take a long bike ride
20. Take a hike!
21. Make your own lemonade
22. Make your own limoncello
23. Go berry picking (where and when allowed)
24. Make your own fresh berry jam!
25. Have a water balloon fight!
26. Watch a summer thunderstorm -
I love nothing more than to sit outside in a screened-in or covered porch or deck and watch the summer sky light up followed by the distant clap of thunder… Bring a sweater, blanket and a glass of wine and enjoy some of nature’s prettiest sights and sounds!
27. Go stargazing
28. Watch the sunrise
30. Celebrate Christmas in July!
It’s been a crazy year. Why not take out some of your favorite ornaments, play some music and bake up some of your favorite holiday treats. Invite a few friends over and have a Christmas party in July!
31. Create an inspiration board or book -
There’s no time like the present! While we’re no longer sheltering in place, we’re still enjoying a slowed pace. What’s your dream come true? What would you love to do next? Capture it all on a vision board or book. According to the popular book The Secret, "The law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and it is doing that through your thoughts. When you are visualizing, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe." If it doesn’t work you’ll have something closely resembling a work of art!
32. Perform a random act of kindness
33. Take a hike!
34. Create an obstacle course in your backyard (for kids)
35. Create an obstacle course in your swimming pool (if you’re lucky enough to have one!)
36. Go skinny dipping at midnight!
36. Hang a tire from a large tree branch
37. Find a drive in… This will be the summer of the drive-in for sure!
When the beaches open up…
38. Sip champagne when the sun sets… This is my favorite thing to do!
39. Have an evening picnic - save the cooking and cleaning. Order from your favorite restaurant!
40. Learn how to Kayak
41. Learn how to paddle board
42. Ride the waves on a boogie board
43. Make a sandcastle
44. Make sand candles (this can also be done at home)
45. Make blueberry or strawberry bread
46. For some terrific Covid-safe ideas for things to do in your state visit Only in Your State.com