Hobbies And Interests
Childhood Classics
Swinging, climbing trees and riding bikes are indispensable pasttimes of childhood. However, with a little creativity, you can give the old classics a new twist. Family Education suggests a bike photo safari. Give each team a camera, a list of clues and a time limit. Develop pictures at a one-hour processing shop, or download if you went digital, to share pictures and determine who found the most correct locations. Another project to consider: with adult help, children can build a tree house. Simple platform or a mini-mansion, a tree house can provide many hours of imaginative play, from tea parties to pirates. Commercial play sets or tree swings have offered entertainment and exercise to children for generations. For variety, build a tire or disc swing. A scooter can also help children burn off excess energy.
Active Games
"Capture the Flag," "Red Rover," hopscotch, hide and seek, "Mother, May I?", and "Red Light, Green Light," are traditional favorites for children. The simple game of tag has spawned countless variations such as broom tag, flashlight tag, freeze tag, hospital tag, kick the can, partner tag, fox and geese, and more, according to GamesKidsPlay.net. Lawn games such as horseshoes, croquet and beanbag tosses bring family entertainment right to your yard. Try FamilyEducation.com's kid-friendly golf by burying a can to the rim, giving kids a stick or a kid-size golf club and holding a putting contest. Do not forget classics such as three-legged and gunnysack races. Scavenger hunts will get children and parents out and about for a little far-ranging fun. Some children may enjoy experimenting with boat designs and racing them in a pool or nearby stream, as suggested by Activity Village.
Exploring Outdoors
Outdoor explorations let children and parents explore nature together while learning about conservation, geography, navigation, cooking, astronomy and history. Camping, hiking and fishing are the foundational basics but you can add new twists to stave off the boredom of routine. Letterboxing and geocaching satisfy the detective spirit while learning about following directions and using a compass or GPS. Both games are treasure hunts that involve searching for a cache of hidden items. In the same vein, orienteering challenges players to navigate through the woods with a map and compass to locate control points, then race back to the start. Naturely.com's trail sign game is a fun way to teach children about finding their way in the wilderness. Picnics are fun anytime but think outside the box and plan a breakfast picnic at the park, or a surprise midnight feast at a special outdoor location, recommends Family Education. Star gazing, whether at home or at a star party, offers a little after-hours fun for the whole family.
Staying Cool
Backyard pools, water balloons, water gun battles and running in the sprinkler are only the start of hot weather water games. Family Education recommends fun with a hose by holding a limbo contest under the stream of water or playing hose tag. Your local retailer offers many classic water toys that provide hours of summer fun. Alternatively, you can rig up your own waterslide with a long piece of plastic sheeting and a few hoses or other water source. If you have a hill handy, set up the slide on the slope and place a kiddie pool at the bottom for a splashy ending. Add ice cubes to the kiddie pool and hold a contest to see who can remove the most ice with their feet. Setting the sprinkler near the swing set allows children swing in the spray. Older kids may enjoy a game of water basketball or volleyball.
Sports
If you have a large field or park nearby, you can invite friends for a friendly pickup game of touch football, baseball, soccer volleyball or kickball. Try a new twist on an old game, with FunAttic.com's crab soccer, played like regular soccer except that "players must all be in a crab position (both hands and feet on the floor, with bottom facing the ground)"; or blanket volleyball where opposing teams serve and catch the ball using a blanket as catapult and springboard.