Just because children use the summer to unwind and relax from the hectic school year doesn’t mean their downtime needs to be wasted time if problem-solving, physical coordination and creative activities are incorporated into daily routines with our summer ideas for kids. While getting the kids to the library may seem an impossible dream to most parents, creating fun summer activities for kids in an educationally interactive environment at home can become a smart reality.

Food for Thought

Instead of being couch potatoes, kids can participate in the shopping and preparation of meals since these tasks require them to calculate product prices, measure ingredients, track times and follow cooking instructions.

Let’s Get Physical

If the children aren’t already part of organized summer activities such as Little League, soccer or swimming, it’s important to encourage physical movement that requires coordination. Creating dance parties is ideal for kids who aren’t fond of sports while industrious-minded youths may be motivated by chores with rewards such as washing the car or windows for money.

Game Boys—and Girls

Incorporating post-dinner games is a great way to keep the kids socially engaged with the family instead of being solely consumed by social media. Board games such as Checkers and Monopoly help tweens develop their strategic minds while parlor games such as Charades inspire performance skills and allow kids to think on their feet.

Draw on Experience

Allowing bored children to draw on the walls will keep them from climbing the walls—so long as the walls are first coated with Whiteyboard’s Clear Dry Erase Paint. When used with the company’s Dry Erase Paint Markers, all scribblings can be easily wiped off. Whether writing out math equations or creating beautiful drawings, these simple tools can discreetly transform a family room into a summer classroom.