101 things to do with your kids this summer

By Elisabeth

Today is the third day of our summer break and we're all about to go balls to the walls CRAZY in my household. This girl has got to get her act together and get these kids involved in something constructive, NOW.

I was on Facebook the other day and saw a sorority sister link to the blog Counting on Me and her list of 101 things to do with your Toddler. Now I don't have a toddler per say, (my baby is two months old and my toddler turned into a preschooler this past year) BUT this list still does have very good ideas for fun things to do with my 3 yr old and 6 yr old. (plus some other activities that the kids can do themselves! SCORE.)

(Of course, these aren't that difficult to achieve, which is why I like them. If I need a few hours to fill, or just 15 minutes, then these could work in my household.)

Here is my adapted top 25 list of things to do this long, long loooong summer:

Make a car out of a box.
Play with Play-Dough.
Make a horseshoe game.
Make a shape puzzle.
Make a drum out of an oatmeal box.
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes.
Make a playhouse out of a large box.
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a smelling hunt.
Frost cookies.
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together.
Make binoculars and go "bird watching" or "stuffed snimal watching."
Act out a story from a book.
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk.
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through.
Make a super-hero costume out of household items.
Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals.
Make a domino chain.
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in mommy or daddy's clothes.
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it.
Make a nature collage.
Mirror each other.
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells.
TAKE A NAP!

Our lovely writer Emily wrote a post on her personal blog recently (that I still have a tab open to!!!) on her ideas to keep her kids happily busy this summer. Make sure you read the comments. Lots of ideas as well. Check it out!

{image credit: craftbits.com}