Summer break has arrived for mine and Kristy’s family, and that means an immense amount of time is spent outdoors! I have lots of entertainment right in my own backyard. Our pool is a big source, and the Jersey heat…IYKYK! We have a huge play set and playhouse so that comes in handy during intermittent pool breaks! There are a lot of fun activities that can keep the kids entertained…here are some of our favs to share with you – a mix of purchasable items and ways to get creative!

Sprinkler Fun – We purchased the kids a trampoline a couple years ago and we were later gifted a trampoline sprinkler and boy does it take the trampoline, which is already a backyard outdoor fav, to another level! A great alternative to beat the heat if you don’t have a pool!

Water Table Play – My littlest guy isn’t too into our pool just yet and isn’t a fan of sprinklers, but give him a water table and he’s set to go. He loves to pour and dump the water and uses the “tools” to make a welcomed water mess, since it’s outdoors of course!

We have gone through a lot of splash pads – they are very much well-loved and get a lot of use during the warmer summer days when the kids aren’t quite ready to be fully submerged in the pool or when they just need a quick cool down!

Balloon Volleyball – This one is fun for the whole family and is pretty simple – grab a jump rope or hose and make a line to separate your courts – first one to 21 wins! If you have young kiddos and tend to be competitive, just tell them it’s like the keepsy upsy game from Bluey!

Hot Day? Try using water balloons (underhand toss) – don’t drop or squeeze the balloon too hard – first team to pop 21 balloons loses!

Treasure Hunt – Kristy’s kids love this activity and it’s considered one of their favorites. Kristy usually creates her own scavenger hunts based off of what she has in eyesight for her kids. Take a clip board or binder and some crayons or pencils and you have a fun yet simple activity! With the treasure hunts, she will grab fun bulk items from our group page and will hide them in the backyard. She recently had extra stars from her son’s birthday party so that’s what she hid the other day. Whoever collects the most gets to choose the game or movie the family watches that night – and of course keep their findings. 

Sun Melted Crayons – Most kids come home at the end of the year with all of the leftovers from their school desk, with 75% of it being broken crayons. Start by ripping the paper off and putting them inside a cookie cutter sitting on tin foil and place them out in the sun. Have the kids take turns checking the progress of their new crayons in the making. Voila! Now they’ll have fun new crayons for summer! 

Rock/Seashell Art – Kristy lives by the beach so they go a lot, both during the on and off season (so you can imagine the collection of rocks and shells they’ve built over the last 6 years). On rainy days or as a boredom buster, they pull out their paint and markers and start creating masterpieces on the rocks and shells. Over time the rain can wash some things away, but it gives them the opportunity to color again and again! 

Outdoor Movie Nights – If you’re like us we take every opportunity to get outdoors in the summer and that even means winding down for bed!! I mean who wouldn’t love movie nights on a cool summer night, enjoying some s’mores?! Grab some old blankets, outdoor pillows, your favorite snacks {mine is popcorn} and a portable projector and you’ll have endless memories for many summers to come! You can use your vinyl fence (if you have one) as a screen, but you can also grab a portable screen off Amazon or get creative with a sheet, clips and siding hooks!

Some of the best memories are made during the summer months so get outside, enjoy the sun and have some fun!

Summer break has arrived for mine and Kristy’s family, and that means an immense amount of time is spent outdoors! I have lots of entertainment right in my own backyard. Our pool is a big source, and the Jersey heat…IYKYK! We have a huge play set and playhouse so that comes in handy during intermittent pool breaks! There are a lot of fun activities that can keep the kids entertained…here are some of our favs to share with you – a mix of purchasable items and ways to get creative!

Sprinkler Fun – We purchased the kids a trampoline a couple years ago and we were later gifted a trampoline sprinkler and boy does it take the trampoline, which is already a backyard outdoor fav, to another level! A great alternative to beat the heat if you don’t have a pool!

Water Table Play – My littlest guy isn’t too into our pool just yet and isn’t a fan of sprinklers, but give him a water table and he’s set to go. He loves to pour and dump the water and uses the “tools” to make a welcomed water mess, since it’s outdoors of course!

We have gone through a lot of splash pads – they are very much well-loved and get a lot of use during the warmer summer days when the kids aren’t quite ready to be fully submerged in the pool or when they just need a quick cool down!

Balloon Volleyball – This one is fun for the whole family and is pretty simple – grab a jump rope or hose and make a line to separate your courts – first one to 21 wins! If you have young kiddos and tend to be competitive, just tell them it’s like the keepsy upsy game from Bluey!

Hot Day? Try using water balloons (underhand toss) – don’t drop or squeeze the balloon too hard – first team to pop 21 balloons loses!

Treasure Hunt – Kristy’s kids love this activity and it’s considered one of their favorites. Kristy usually creates her own scavenger hunts based off of what she has in eyesight for her kids. Take a clip board or binder and some crayons or pencils and you have a fun yet simple activity! With the treasure hunts, she will grab fun bulk items from our group page and will hide them in the backyard. She recently had extra stars from her son’s birthday party so that’s what she hid the other day. Whoever collects the most gets to choose the game or movie the family watches that night – and of course keep their findings. 

Sun Melted Crayons – Most kids come home at the end of the year with all of the leftovers from their school desk, with 75% of it being broken crayons. Start by ripping the paper off and putting them inside a cookie cutter sitting on tin foil and place them out in the sun. Have the kids take turns checking the progress of their new crayons in the making. Voila! Now they’ll have fun new crayons for summer! 

Rock/Seashell Art – Kristy lives by the beach so they go a lot, both during the on and off season (so you can imagine the collection of rocks and shells they’ve built over the last 6 years). On rainy days or as a boredom buster, they pull out their paint and markers and start creating masterpieces on the rocks and shells. Over time the rain can wash some things away, but it gives them the opportunity to color again and again! 

Outdoor Movie Nights – If you’re like us we take every opportunity to get outdoors in the summer and that even means winding down for bed!! I mean who wouldn’t love movie nights on a cool summer night, enjoying some s’mores?! Grab some old blankets, outdoor pillows, your favorite snacks {mine is popcorn} and a portable projector and you’ll have endless memories for many summers to come! You can use your vinyl fence (if you have one) as a screen, but you can also grab a portable screen off Amazon or get creative with a sheet, clips and siding hooks!

Some of the best memories are made during the summer months so get outside, enjoy the sun and have some fun!

Nicer weather is upon us and that means a lot more outside time with my kids, which they live for! They especially love playing with outdoor chalk, so I always keep at least one container of it stocked in our garage. Recently, my 5-year-old specifically requested we bring out the chalk and get creative, and that was a no-brainer for me…chalk play it was! See our creative learning with chalk play below.

I happened to have a ½ box of the 192 count Scented Chalk Sticks by Scentos, so I grabbed those and headed outside on our deck with the kiddos! They love drawing pictures and writing their names, adding on to each other’s designs, and letting their imaginations run wild – it usually always ends up being an easy 30-45 minutes of creative busy time.

My 1st grader and Kindergartener actually really enjoy it when I incorporate what they are currently learning in school and apply it to their chalk fun! For example, I will take their current sight words/trick words and write them in different colors to make a learning game out of it for them! I started doing this last year when we realized my one daughter struggled with her sight words and learning to read. This activity with the chalk really helped her and she was excited to play while learning. I even take photos or a video and send them to their teachers…they love it and praise the “extra” practice!

I love this form of play with the kids not only because it is done outdoors, but because it ignites creativity and personality, and it is just plain and simple fun! It can be done with math and other subjects as well. The options are endless!

Nicer weather is upon us and that means a lot more outside time with my kids, which they live for! They especially love playing with outdoor chalk, so I always keep at least one container of it stocked in our garage. Recently, my 5-year-old specifically requested we bring out the chalk and get creative, and that was a no-brainer for me…chalk play it was! See our creative learning with chalk play below.

I happened to have a ½ box of the 192 count Scented Chalk Sticks by Scentos, so I grabbed those and headed outside on our deck with the kiddos! They love drawing pictures and writing their names, adding on to each other’s designs, and letting their imaginations run wild – it usually always ends up being an easy 30-45 minutes of creative busy time.

My 1st grader and Kindergartener actually really enjoy it when I incorporate what they are currently learning in school and apply it to their chalk fun! For example, I will take their current sight words/trick words and write them in different colors to make a learning game out of it for them! I started doing this last year when we realized my one daughter struggled with her sight words and learning to read. This activity with the chalk really helped her and she was excited to play while learning. I even take photos or a video and send them to their teachers…they love it and praise the “extra” practice!

I love this form of play with the kids not only because it is done outdoors, but because it ignites creativity and personality, and it is just plain and simple fun! It can be done with math and other subjects as well. The options are endless!

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting nicer and you’ll spend hours trying to convince your kids to put down the iPads and get outside for some much needed fresh air! If you’re struggling to find fun outdoor activities for your littles, we’ve rounded up some enticing options that will provide endless afternoons of entertainment. See our roundup below.

Toys and Games

Sensory Garden Box | Sensory Construction Box | Frisbee Golf | Inflatable Wheel | Connect 4 Game | Twangled | Nature Walk Lantern | Scavenger Hunt | Butterfly Garden | Rocket Launchers

Your kiddos will be entertained while building hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and critical thinking skills. They can tend to a butterfly garden, play a game of frisbee golf or Connect 4, or build their very own rocket launcher!

Bubble Wands | Bubble Blower | Water Blasters | Girls’ Bike | Bubble Machine | Sidewalk Chalk | Boys’ Bike | Foam Axe Thrower | Toss & Catch Game | Bubble Lawn Mower | Disc Bowling | 8-in1 Sports Set

These toys will offer hours of fun and keep your young ones active. Watch them blow bubbles, ride a bike, or bowl strike after strike.

Inflatable Pool | Soccer Goals | Water Table | Large Bounce House | Basketball Hoop | Slide | Small Bounce House | Swing Set | Cottage Playhouse

Add a (semi)permanent play fixture to your backyard so the kids can play time and time again. A swing set, basketball hoop, or inflatable pool for those sweltering summer days are all wonderful options!

DIY Birdfeeders

And if you’re looking for an easy hands-on activity you can do with your kids, these DIY birdfeeders are great for spring!!

What you need:

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• String
• Peanut Butter
• Birdseed

How to make birdfeeders:

• Cut cardboard into whatever shapes you prefer (we did hearts!)
• Punch a hole at the top and tie a piece of string into a loop
• Spread peanut butter onto both sides of cardboard cutout
• Dip onto plate of birdseed to cover peanut butter completely
• Hang feeder from tree or bush and wait for the birds to flock!

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting nicer and you’ll spend hours trying to convince your kids to put down the iPads and get outside for some much needed fresh air! If you’re struggling to find fun outdoor activities for your littles, we’ve rounded up some enticing options that will provide endless afternoons of entertainment. See our roundup below.

Toys and Games

Sensory Garden Box | Sensory Construction Box | Frisbee Golf | Inflatable Wheel | Connect 4 Game | Twangled | Nature Walk Lantern | Scavenger Hunt | Butterfly Garden | Rocket Launchers

Your kiddos will be entertained while building hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and critical thinking skills. They can tend to a butterfly garden, play a game of frisbee golf or Connect 4, or build their very own rocket launcher!

Bubble Wands | Bubble Blower | Water Blasters | Girls’ Bike | Bubble Machine | Sidewalk Chalk | Boys’ Bike | Foam Axe Thrower | Toss & Catch Game | Bubble Lawn Mower | Disc Bowling | 8-in1 Sports Set

These toys will offer hours of fun and keep your young ones active. Watch them blow bubbles, ride a bike, or bowl strike after strike.

Inflatable Pool | Soccer Goals | Water Table | Large Bounce House | Basketball Hoop | Slide | Small Bounce House | Swing Set | Cottage Playhouse

Add a (semi)permanent play fixture to your backyard so the kids can play time and time again. A swing set, basketball hoop, or inflatable pool for those sweltering summer days are all wonderful options!

DIY Birdfeeders

And if you’re looking for an easy hands-on activity you can do with your kids, these DIY birdfeeders are great for spring!!

What you need:

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• String
• Peanut Butter
• Birdseed

How to make birdfeeders:

• Cut cardboard into whatever shapes you prefer (we did hearts!)
• Punch a hole at the top and tie a piece of string into a loop
• Spread peanut butter onto both sides of cardboard cutout
• Dip onto plate of birdseed to cover peanut butter completely
• Hang feeder from tree or bush and wait for the birds to flock!