Are We There Yet?- Parents waiting for the school year to start.
As this summer drags on and the kids seem to have endless energy, we parents can find ourselves counting down the days until school starts. If you’re like me, you're probably running low on ideas to keep your little ones busy and definitely don’t have the time, money (or sanity) for elaborate Instagram-worthy projects. With weather so extreme you could either bake cookies in your car or swim through the streets with all the rain from the hurricane coming up the East Coast, keeping everyone entertained indoors can be a challenge. Fear not! I've got you covered with a few quick and easy activities that will entertain your kids without breaking the bank or your patience. Here are five engaging activities that require minimal preparation but offer maximum enjoyment. Let's make these last days of summer memorable without losing our minds!
1. Floor Is Lava Game
Transform a room into a challenging obstacle course with the "Floor is Lava" game. Spread different colored sheets of paper on the floor like stepping stones, leaving gaps between them. Tear off a corner of each color and place the pieces in a paper bag. Designate a start and finish on opposite sides of the room. Each round, someone pulls a color from the bag, and you remove that color stepping stone, making the game progressively harder. The goal is to reach the finish without touching the "lava" (the bare floor).
What You Need:
- Colored sheets of paper
- Paper bag
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2. Nature Color Scavenger Hunt (Or indoor scavenger hunt)
Transform an egg carton into a color-matching scavenger hunt tool by coloring the divots with different shades. Give the carton to your kids and head to the backyard or local park to find items in nature that match each color and are small enough to fit inside. This activity works well indoors, too, if going outside isn't an option. It's a great way to encourage observation skills and an appreciation for colors in the environment.
What You Need:
- Egg carton
- Crayons or markers
- Items from nature or around the house
Prep Time: 5 minutes
3. Butterfly Camouflage
Engage your kids in a creative and fun camouflage activity. Draw an outline of a butterfly or moth on a blank piece of paper and have your kids decorate it to blend into a specific location in your house. Once everyone has completed their camouflage creations and taped it to the location, go on a "nature hunt" inside your home to find each other's hidden butterflies or moths. This activity promotes artistic skills and helps kids learn about adaptation and camouflage in nature.
What You Need:
- Paper
- Tape
- Pencils or markers
- Colored pencils, crayons, or paint
Prep Time: 5 minutes
4. Baking Soda Fizzy Paint
Create a fun and fizzy painting experience with baking soda paint. Mix baking soda with water and a few drops of food coloring to make a thick paste. Let your kids paint on paper using brushes or their fingers. Once they're done, add a splash of vinegar (our spray it using a spray bottle) to make the painting fizz and bubble, creating a dynamic and interactive art piece.
What You Need:
- Baking soda
- Water
- Food coloring
- Vinegar
- Paper
- Brushes or fingers
Prep Time: 5 minutes
5. Alphabet Clothespin Game
Turn learning letters and colors into a fun game with this simple activity. Write the letters of the alphabet on clothespins, and have your kids clip the pins onto items around the house that start with those letters. For younger children who don’t know letters yet, use colored clothespins and have them match the pins to items of the same color. This game is great for letter and color recognition and helps improve fine motor skills.
What You Need:
- Clothespins
- Marker
- Household items
Prep Time: 5 minutes
So there you have it—five low-prep activities to keep the kids entertained while you hang on until school starts. I hope these ideas help you enjoy the last stretch of summer without having to resort to yet another round of "lets see whats on the TV..."
Hang in there MacKID fam! —School is just around the corner, and we've got this!
