Riri - " Mommy, why 9 and not 10 summer activities? "
Mommy- " You are 9 and hence 9 activities. Next year I'll add one more to the list and repost .....LOL . "
In these unprecedented times entertaining kids at home sure seems like a mammoth task. States have started to reopen in phases but this mommy is a little too wary and I'm glad my family agrees and we all are on the same page about continuing our personal lockdown a little longer.
I agree it is tempting to be outside when the weather is so good but personal safety comes first, especially when the cases are still rising in my county. Anyways, we feel blessed to be able to WFH and even more blessed to have a backyard that we have been putting to some really good use. We dance, we play, we have impromptu picnics in our backyard and soon the blow up pool will be out for our own beach oasis.
While there are numerous activities that can be enjoyed outside with your family, below are the top 9 that you can do right away in your backyard.
Build a fort or camp outside
This one has to be the most popular and commonly done outdoor family summer activity. Invest in a tent/teepee like or use a like ours that can be hung just about anywhere. We hang our canopy on tree branches and it just works fine. One of our friends used large moving boxes to build a fort with tunnel and their kids loved it. They even had a sleepover inside their fort. I'm sure it must have been an adventure. Don't forget to bring out your mats, sofa pads for some cushioning, some food and drinks including marshmallows, books and board games, bug sprays- have fun and be creative with whatever resources you have at home !
I have seen so many amazing chalk art creations on social media over the course of the last few months- there is so much creativity out there. Both patriotic and inspirational messages, the internet is inundated with Chalk art drawings that you could do with your kids. Check these out, they sound mess-free and apt for all ages.
Pick up a fun outdoor sport
Our family favorite is badminton. Ever since we were forced to hunker down we have been playing badminton on non-windy evenings and Riri has gotten so much better at it. Another thing we tried with Riri was rollerblading and girl, did she surprise us!!!! She was up and rolling in two days and now loves to rollerblade every now and then. Glad, the days are getting longer, we can accommodate so many activities in the evening. Talking about an outdoor activity- Riri's mommy is getting better at hula hooping.
Blow up pool
Since this year public pools will not be on the activity list, we have decided to keep our inflatable pool out for the entire summer. We have one similar in size to one and I'm sure we will not miss the pool as much. We even bought as an extension to the pool and we can't wait to make our own backyard waterpark.
Picnic or BBQ- go impromptu
Picnics don't have to always be planned, an impromptu picnic is equally fun. Just grab what you've cooked in your kitchen, lay out a picnic blanket and eat out. If this ain't your thing and you are more of a griller- then you and hubs can be really good friends. He enjoys showing off his grilling skills and over these three years of being a backyard and grill owner he sure has become a pro. Our favorite dish to grill is Indian Tandoori chicken and Bihari Litti. Check this post out for more impromptu picnic ideas.
Gardening/Yard work
Back in India we never did any gardening or yard work. We always had gardeners/professionals doing it for us. When I came to US gardening was a huge part of being a home owner. The first year we did some planting, killed all, failed miserably. The second year we tried again, failed again. This year we decided to do educate ourselves first cuz we sure have extra time to research and educate. We now have a plan. We have been weeding, cleaning, trimming and it's good to get dirty. For the past couple weekends we have been doing this as a family and it feels amazing. We play loud music, dance and dig grounds.
Fun In Sprinklers
This would be two in one work. Water your plants and have fun in that too. Sprinklers are always a hit with kids in summer and if you don't have sprinklers- water hoses are a great alternative. A friend of mine bought this and her kids love it.
Build an obstacle course
If you have ample outdoor space an obstacle course would be an innovative and challenging way to get the entire family to exercise. Ms. Riri has been making her own course using planters, sticks, mesh and furniture. We are so encouraged with this that we have been looking into buying an obstacle course set for her, somewhat likeone. There are different courses for different age groups and they all look fun. If you have big trees in your backyard consider this Zip line set.
Feel like doing nothing. Just bring yourself outside, lay a blanket, wear matching PJ's, blow up some soap bubbles and PJ all day. Shop our matching sets here.