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Family Time Cures Summertime Blues
20 Cool and Exciting Activities
By Deborah A. Beasley
Happy Anti-Boredom Month! That is right, folks. The month of July is Anti-Boredom Month, here in the good old U.S. of A.! Do not ask why…Let us just move on.
If your kids are complaining of boredom during their time off from school, here is your opportunity to fight off the family doldrums this summer by getting out, having fun, and spicing up the heat! Here are 20 ways to beat the heat, promote fitness, connect with your children, enjoy America, and leave electronics behind.
- Make a day trip to the beach or lake for swimming, fishing, or relaxing.
- Get out the rackets and play a family game of tennis or badminton.
- Plan a picnic (backyard, nearby park, wherever), and let the kids help with the menu. A dollar store Frisbee, watermelon seed spitting contest, and a few kites are all you need to complete the day. A favorite place to spend the summer days when I was growing up was Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site, in Chadds Ford, PA.
- Riding bicycles. Look up the nearest Rails to Trails Program in your area. The quaint town of Jim Thorpe in the Pocono Mountains, PA, has such an opportunity. Easy downhill riding and fabulous vistas for all ages. Bike rentals are reasonable, and child carriers and trailers are available.
- Overnight camping in a tent or trailer is great fun for the whole family, even if it is in your own backyard!
- Explore one of the many beautiful state parks near you for hiking, picnicking, and swimming. You might catch a glimpse of some local wild life. Stop by the Ranger Station for fun activities they offer like identifying animal tracks.
- Visit local historic sights. We live 20 minutes from historic Philadelphia, PA, home of Carpenters Hall, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. We sometimes forget there is much to do so near to us. What historic sights are near you?
- Visit a children’s museum, or other museum in a city nearest you. Have the kids take part is the many activities provided at the museum like scavenger and other discovery hunts. The Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill, NJ offers kiddies hands on activities they’ll love.
- Visit a petting zoo, or your city or state zoo. The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk offers over 350 animals on 53 acres. You can take a safari through Africa and see their African elephants.
10. See the world from down under (under water, that is), and spend time with sharks, penguins, octopi and fishes at the aquarium. The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina is one of our favorites!
- 11. Plan a trip to a living history farm and give the family a taste of early American life.
12. Visit an Amish Community for great food, fun, and help expand your child’s cultural understanding. In Pennsylvania, the Amish Community to visit is located in Lancaster.
13. Pick fruit at a local farm. Then return home for a special treat of the fresh taste of strawberries, blueberries, or peaches. The promise of adding a little vanilla ice cream will give the kiddies an extra incentive to fill their baskets!
14. A backyard bonfire with friends. Don’t forget the s’mores and hokey campfire songs. Here are a few examples:
- She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She comes
- He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands
- This is the Song That Never Ends
Alright. I know at least one of you is thinking – “Kumbiyah”, but I was not going to say it!
- 15. Trip to a Water Park!
- 16. Boardwalk amusements fun! In Southern New Jersey, the Wildwoods offer spectacular fireworks on the boardwalk every Friday night!
- 17. Family and friends mini-golf tournament.
18. Invite another family for Cosmic Bowling. Have everyone where articles of clothing with colors that glow in the dark.
19. Horseback riding on woodsy trails is fun for teens and adults alike.
20. Take advantage of the many traveling circuses and carnivals passing through your area every summer. You will often be supporting a local Fire company, sports team, or other community endeavor in the process of having great family fun.
Well, there you have it. Twenty cool and exciting activities you can do to fill summer down time with your kids. Send them back to school refreshed, reenergized, and reconnected with you. There IS a cure for the summertime blues, and you create the family memories that never fade away! Have fun!
©2012 Deborah A. Beasley All rights reserved.
