Summer Activities for Kids to Stave Off Boredom

2020 summer looks a lot different for everyone due to the COVID-19 scenario. Summer sports are cancelled. Many community pools are closed. Chattanooga summer camps are not in session. So what will your kids do to keep themselves occupied during these weeks off school!? Never fear. Your friends at NiteOwl Pediatrics, after hours pediatric urgent care, have come up with some great ideas to keep your brood busy and happy during this pandemic summer!

Get a kiddie pool

Fast. Cheap. Fun. You’ll be amazed at how much fun your kids can have with a simple kiddie pool in the front yard. Even the older kids will enjoy taking a dip to cool off. Let them splash the day away! We think this one should make every list of fun summer activities for kids– and for adults too! There are lots of options for summer activities for kids, one being make homemade popsicles together!

Make homemade popsicles

Let your littles help make homemade popsicles for a delicious, frozen treat. They’ll love getting to help, and the sweet reward to follow. Cool off with a homemade popsicle on the porch, and make all your neighbors jealous! Try these recipes for homemade fruity, creamy, or even hidden-veggie popsicles.

Project a movie outdoors for a home theater night

Dust off the old projector, and enjoy a movie night outdoors with the fam jam. You can fashion a movie screen from an old, white sheet, or a large piece of corrugated plastic. Get out the lawn chairs, pop some popcorn, and pick a flick the whole family can enjoy. Who needs a drive in?

Catch fireflies together

Quintessential Tennessee summer simply MUST involve catching fireflies– or if you’re really from the south, you probably call them lightning bugs. But no matter what you call them, these flashy little bugs are beautiful, and fun to catch with your kiddos. Take an old mason jar (spaghetti sauce jar, jam jar, whatever you’ve got), and punch some holes in the lid so those caught critters can get some air. But be sure to let them free again after you enjoy their warm glow for a while!

Go fishing!

Tell your kids to put down the Nintendo Switch, it’s time for some good, old fashioned summer time fun. Take the whole family fishing this summer for a great way to spend a little quality time together. What could be more wholesome than a little fishing? Fishing is another great option in our NiteOwl Pediatrics list of summer activities for kids!

Try a new summer recipe

Find a new summery dinner recipe to try with the family. You can utilize seasonal produce to make something fresh and healthy. Give everyone a job to do, and watch as your delicious meal comes together through teamwork!

Rearrange your furniture

Spending all this extra time at home can get a little stale! Freshen things up by organizing, purging things you don’t use or need, donate clothing that no longer fits, and try rearranging your furniture. This is a fun– and free– way to inject your living space with a little personality, and change things up to keep ‘em interesting. Let the kids help! They might have some fun ideas for where to put things, and they’ll get a boost when you let them weigh in. Feng shui today!

Plant a garden

Pick up some supplies at your local hardware store, and build some raised garden beds with your crew. Let your little ones help pick out the plants, plant them, and tend to the garden. There’s nothing quite like growing things with your own hands, especially if you can cook with some of what your garden yields! Try herbs and peppers to start, as they’re easier to maintain than some other veggies.

Get a slip n’ slide for the yard

Get a little old school with a slip n’ slide in the yard! Your kids will love slippin’ and slidin’ as much as they’ll enjoy watching you give it a try. It’ll prove a great way for you and the family to cool off, get active, and have a total blast even in quarantine.

Get a penpal

Encourage your kids to practice their writing composition and penmanship by linking them up with a penpal! It’ll be a great way for your child or children to have something productive and fun to do, while also encouraging them to maintain social connections during these strange times. Find out more about penpals, and let your kids start mailing letters today! No matter how you spend your time this season, we hope you’ll have no shortage of summer activities for kids to explore with the whole family. Try to appreciate this time together, even though it doesn’t look like you expected, and show your kids how much sweeter life can be when you live a little slower and go with the flow!