I'm famous (maybe infamous?) for being tough to get out of the house in the summer. When the temperature goes about 80 degrees (70 if i'm being really honest), I'll do almost anything to avoid leaving the air conditioning so I've become an expert at finding ways to keep the kids busy indoors.
Here are my faves!
1. Visit one of our local indoor play spaces
Personally, we looooove Screamin' Parties in Springfield (you basically don't see your kids the entire time and they burn a ton of energy with virtually no effort on your behalf) and ice skating (we have Richard Codey Arena, Mennen Arena, and Union Sports Arena all very close by). Check out this guide for more local suggestions and don't forget to pick up a Summer Bucket List for some great offers at some of these places this summer, including a free coffee at Village Play Cafe, a free (indoor) swim at Goldfish Swim School Livingston, and $2 off open play at Kidville Summit!
2. Go to the library
Libraries have such great kids' programming, and even if you don't make it to one of their actual events (always check the MacKid calendar for a TON of library event listings), you can still spend a few hours there with kids. They have LEGOs, puzzles, some have Maker Spaces (lookin' at you, Maplewood), and there are other kids to play with! If I'm planning to do a day at the library with my kids, I usually bring my own book or check one out for myself once I get there to read while they do puzzles or LEGOs. Then they usually pick out a few (more like 25 each) books and we either sit and read them or bring them home and read them all at once.
3. Have a fun bathtime
... or just a regular bathtime! If you've got them, bath crayons, bath bombs, colored bath foam, and bath color tablets can really amp up a bathtime. If you don't have them, just throw in some of your regular toys and let them have some indoor water play.
4. Tie dye
OK, so this is ambitious to take on indoors and I admit that when we tie dyed recently, we did the dyeing portion in the backyard. BUT I do think it could be done. Get a super cheap and huge plastic tablecloth or shower curtain, and get to work!
5. Have a movie day
If you're feeling up to leaving the house, check out this list for a few theaters having kids' summer movies for free or really cheap. Or, if you're me, get a DVD from the library, set up floor pillows and popcorn, and do the theater at home instead.
6. Get in the kitchen
My 5yo got a kids' cookbook and set of kid knives for his birthday last year and they love picking out recipes from it to try. Some other favorites: pizza (I just get pre-made dough from the grocery store), baked goods (cupcakes, cornbread, cookies), and milkshakes in the blender! You could even make homemade Play Doh in the kitchen!
7. Pull out an old stash of toys
We recently got a HUGE bin of hand-me-down LEGOs and, at Evelyn The Toy Tamer's recommendation, I plan on stowing away about 80% of them for a quiet day. Evelyn also recommended this awesome idea for when I take them out: set a timer and challenge them to make as many spaceships or cars or creations as they can before the timer goes off!
8. A modern toy exchange
Pop into your local moms' Facebook group and ask if anyone has any old toys they don't want anymore! This is how we got our huge bin of LEGOs mentioned above and part of the whole thrill of it was that we went together to pick them up and they got to sift through novel toys. It's so fun for them to not know exactly what's in the bin and they get more excited when they find something cool than they would if we just bought a set ourselves. This is a win on so many levels - you're doing someone a favor by taking something they don't want, you're saving it from going into a landfill, you save money, your kids are entertained, and my favorite part: your kids learn first-hand about generosity and giving and receiving. We pack up toys to donate all the time and it's been really fun for my kids to be on the receiving end and make the connection to how the kids who receive their toys feel.
9. Board and card games
I'm really not great at playing pretend with my kids but I have an easier time playing with them in a structured game. You can find a list of our favorites here and I'd add Smack It! to this list too!
10. Make a sensory bin
"Sensory bin" sounds way fancier than what I do which is just fill a $5 wash basin with some kind of material I think the kids might like. Some of our favorite add-ins: dried beans, dried or cooked pasta, water with food dye, outdoor materials like rocks and feathers, Play Doh. I let them get creative with what the materials they use to play with them but a couple of their favorites are: recyclables with different sized openings and lids, egg cartons, whisks, wooden spoons, ladles, tongs, measuring cups, and silicone baking cups.
Have anything I should add to this list? I'm always looking for ways to stay in the air conditioning, so drop me a line on Facebook with more suggestions!
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