I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year.
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the days are long and lazy, everyone’s in a good mood, and snow, sleet, ice, and windchill factors are all but a distant memory.
It’s like a slice of heaven.
Of course, I always have so many plans at the beginning of the summer. I commit myself to spending as much time outdoors as I possibly can, and while I usually do a good job of keeping this promise for the first couple of weeks of the season, life often gets in the way and I am inevitably filled with regret for spending so much time inside once September hits.
The good news is that my daughter is now at an age where she needs constant entertainment, and even though I’m relieved my afternoons no longer revolve around watching Dora the Explorer reruns or pushing her on the swings for hours on end, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find summer activities that will keep her engaged for more than 5 minutes.
Now, many parents prefer to let their kids run wild at the park while they check their Facebook and Pinterest feeds, and I admit I’ve been known to do that on occasion. But with kindergarten looming in the not-so-distant future, I really want to make this summer count.
So I’ve been on the hunt for outdoor summer activities for kids that the 2 of us can do together, and I think I’ve come up with some great ideas. And since I know I’m not the only mom out there who struggles to find new and exciting ways to keep her kids entertained during the summer months, I decided to share them with all of you.
1. Get all the neighborhood kids together for a water balloon fight
2. Grab the iPad, pop some popcorn, put the kids in the car, and enjoy your very own DIY drive-in!
3. Challenge your kids to a bubble-blowing contest
4. Organize a summer-themed scavenger hunt
5. Have a firework display in your backyard after the sun goes down
6. Make your own ice cream (or enjoy one from the back of the neighborhood ice cream truck)
7. Have a skip rope contest
8. Make a lemonade stand
9. Have a hula-hooping contest to see who can keep their hoop going the longest!
10. Make your own (washable) paint and decorate your driveway
11. Roast marshmallows
12. Lie in the backyard after the sun goes down and count all of the constellations you can see
13. Organize a family picnic
14. Make a bonfire in the backyard and tell scary stories
15. Go on an ‘I Spy’ walk around the neighborhood
16. Visit the tourist attractions in your city
17. Wash the car!
18. Sit on the deck and play board games while the sun goes down
19. Collect rocks and paint them
20. Organize an overnight ‘camping trip’ in your backyard or living room
Now, as all moms know, planning ahead is key, so I always try to organize one or 2 activities each night so I’m not left scrambling for ideas once my daughter decides she’s bored the following day. And I always consider how long we’ll be outside, make sure I pack enough sunscreen for ALL of the outdoor activities we’ll be doing, and apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to all of our bodies 30-minutes before we go outside. I also reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
My husband likes to give me a hard time about how conscientious I am when it comes to sunscreen, but I know first-hand how important it is to make sun protection a priority. I am fair-skinned like my daughter and suffered MANY sunburns as a child and young adult, and I know that sunscreen does more than protect against sunburns. It also protects against long-term effects that are not always visible as well, like skin damage and skin cancer.
We go through heaps of sunscreen each summer, and I’ve always loved the Banana Boat® line of products, and this year I am especially grateful for the Kids Tear-Free Sting-Free Continuous Lotion Spray Sunscreen with a 50+ SPF. What I love most about this sunscreen is that it goes on white so I can make sure I don’t miss any spots when I apply it on my daughter. Add the fact that it’s a spray and can be applied within seconds, and she’s a huge fan as well!
You can learn more about the Banana Boat® line of products HERE and don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a family vacation with up to FIFTY of your closest family and friends by CLICKING THIS LINK!
What are YOUR favorite outdoor summer activities for kids?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat® . The opinions and text are all mine.
