Since I moved to the Northeast, I realized I love summer a lot. I didn’t know that until I left Florida and discovered the brutal winters we go through in Philly and New York. It becomes even more important when you have kids because you can spend time outside instead of destroying your home and you won’t mind it because it is not freezing.
My problem is that I am very tired when I get home from work and don’t feel like going outside. This blog post is definitely not about the 50 most fun ideas you can do with your child outdoors that involve a lot of equipment and energy. This post is about the low hanging fruit you may not be thinking about when there are 2 long hours between dinner and bed time and you are trying to avoid making that entire time screen time.
If you identify with my struggle, please keep reading for some inspiration on how to pass the time outside during the work week and even the weekend if you don’t have anything planned.
- Bike ride or scooter ride – this is one of our number one activities for warm and sometimes not so warm weather. The trick here is to pick a nearby, small area where they do this. We used to walk across the street to the high school parking lot when everything was virtual and no one used it but now we use the dead end street at the end of our block. All we do is stand around while they go back and forth from the dead end to the corner. I may start bringing one of those foldable chairs…
- Pool – this may not work for everyone and it is not as low energy as I would like it but I do enjoy it and it passes the time fast. We joined our community pool late this summer but have been trying to do early dinners or bring a picnic and then spend an hour and a half there before bed time. Kids love it and when we come home, we do a quick bath/shower and then bed. Inflatable pools in your backyard also count and will keep kids entertained for a long time as well.
- Washing toys – my nanny came up with this one. Barbie and her friends with a pool for my daughter and same pool with Paw Patrol toys for my son. They will spend a long time washing all of these toys while you sit and watch. The best part is the water mess stays outside. You’re welcome!
- Chalk art – this is an oldie-but-a-goodie. Not much to add here except that when all else fails, grab some sidewalk chalk and let the kids do their thing.
- Bubbles – this is really my go to when I am getting desperate. I keep random wands of bubbles, bubble machines from Five Below, and all the little bubble party favor things the kids get and try to use them when we don’t have a lot going on. I often combine this with the chalk. Inevitably, all the soap will end on the ground and that is the end of whatever bubble container we had.
- Swing sets – definitely worth the money. These sets basically babysit your children while you watch them play. There are many different types and price points. I highly recommend finding one that works for you if you have the space to put one. Other things can be little outdoor houses, kitchens, or little toy cars they push around.
- Gardening – this one is great for me because I don’t garden at all but my two kids will “help” my husband with whatever task he is doing. They have little plastic gardening tools and things to water the plants with, which helps their enthusiasm. You can probably even teach them how to weed if you feel inclined but I don’t think that has happened for my children yet.
- Backyard picnic – I like doing this one if things are getting a little crazy before dinner has even started. It helps get the kids to calm down if they can help pick snacks and dinner items to bring and then we have dinner outside on a blanket, which then leads to playing on the swing set. Another version of this is eating popsicles outside after dinner.
I hope these tips can help you plan some laid back but fun times outdoor with your littles! I would love to hear any of your ideas for easy, low key outdoor summer fun!
