1. Visit a food factory or fast food restaurant
Get in touch with a local food factory or fast food restaurant and ask if they have family tours. McDonalds regularly takes visitors on a store tour inside their kitchen and working areas to show visitors how they work. Very educational and eye opening for kids to see how their burgers are cooked.
2. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Get in touch with your local community soup kitchen and ask about their day volunteer programs. Not only an eye opener, but a reality check for you and your kids.
3. Visit your local fire station
Fire Stations often have visitor programs to teach kids and visitors how fire fighters live and work, and during those visits, sometimes they let you try sliding down the fire-fighter pole and even test a hose.
4. Visit an orchard and pick fruits
If you live near farms or orchards, ask if they'd mind letting you pick fruits from their orchard. Some kindly owners will let you pick fruits for free but paying for them is the nice thing to do.
5. Go fishing with hand made poles
Return to the good old days when fishing poles were simple tree branches. Bring lots of drinks and finger food.
6. Organize and donate
A great activity for kids during summer is to organize their school supplies, rooms, and closest. Take any outgrown clothes and toys and donate to charity. Let your child carry in the donation and get the receipt. It will help them feel good about their hard work.
7. Picnic in the park
Actually you don't need a park. A nice big ol' shady tree (even in your backyard) will make a really nice place for a picnic. Have a hearty meal, lie down, and watch the clouds go by as you make out imaginary animals with your kids.
8. Turn your garage into a cinema
Rent a projector and turn an old bed sheet or white linen into a screen. Invite the neighbors. Throw some carpets or rugs on the floor so everyone can just laze around if they want. Be sure to pass around plenty of popcorn!
9. See a "one dollar" or even "FREE" movie at the theater
Lots of cinemas have one-dollar days or even FREE days where they screen movies and tickets are $1 or FREE. Take the whole family for one of these movies.
10. Go to a drive-in movie
A must for those lazy long summer nights!
11. Attend "story time" at your local library
Most libraries have readying times or story times where either a staff or authors are invited to read a story. Kids have a chance to interact with the story-teller and answer questions about the book. Then take the time to explore other favorite reads.
12. Set up a lemonade or snow-cone stand
Help your kids learn to earn a little extra cash by selling lemonade or snow cones. Teach them the basics of running a small business. A great opportunity for your kids to experience life as a little entrepreneur. You never know when you might light the business flame in one of them and they go on to make a cool million as a businessman or businesswoman. I have even seen supplies for this activity in the "dollar spot" at Target recently.
13. Go on a family camping trip
A family camping trip can be a great blessing. It can also turn out to be the worst nightmare of your life. It all depends on how well you prepare and how far every family member is willing to go to make your camping trip a success. There's NO better way to bond with one another and get to know each other than to take away the TV, get away from the malls, and go where there is no cell phone reception. Preparation is the key, but expect the unexpected and when they DO happen, cherish the memories they bring. Remember this can even happen in your backyard. Lock your house up and NO reentering!
*WHAT'S TO COME!!
Arts and Craft Activities.. Indoor Fun and Games.. Outdoor Fun and Games.. Tasty Food Activities.. Wet and Wild Fun.. Nature, Science, and Stuff..
Mrs. Varner
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