I thought I would share with you Brianna Kelly’s article here on the blog. It was in this past issue of The Sandbucket. Hopefully, it will inspire some fun for you this weekend.
8 Different Kid-Friendly Weekend Activities
by Brianna Kelly, who has over 5 years experience publishing articles on childcare education and parenting. She writes on a regular basis for Giraffe Creches.
Weekends don’t have to be two long, dull days full of chores and families longing to get back to their weekday routines. Weekends can be special family times that are fun for kids and adults alike, and warmer weather gives parents a great excuse to get outside on the weekends and play with their kids. These activities aren’t limited to those with unlimited funds. Budget-minded families can have a good time together without spending a lot of money.
Take the kids for a picnic. Enlist older kids’ help in planning the meal and ask everyone to help pack the picnic basket. Even little ones can pack their favorite fruit and feel that they had a hand in planning a family activity. After a fun outdoor meal together, Mom and Dad can kick back on the blanket and relax while the kids play on the grass. If you’re short on time, have a backyard picnic.
Enjoy your backyard at night, too. Bring flashlights outside after the sun goes down and go on a creature hunt. Or think of your backyard as your own personal planetarium and teach kids about the stars.
Have a movie night. Let the kids take turns choosing a movie from a parent-approved list. Turn the lights low and cuddle on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn.
Get some exercise and explore your neighborhood with a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Give the kids a list of things to find on your walk and award a small prize to the first one to find everything on the list.
Turn your driveway into a mini amusement park. Bring bubbles and sidewalk chalk outside, turn on the sprinkler, make water balloons, and enjoy the fresh air.
Keep an eye out for community events. Libraries often host story hours that are free to the public. Some communities show outdoor movies during the summer. Others have local shops or community organizations that host outdoor projects or other types of events. Sometimes a community’s local zoo or museum will host a monthly community day during which they waive entrance fees.
Visit your local farmers’ market. Choose the most beautiful fruits and vegetables you can find and cook a meal as a family. A farmers’ market is a great place to find a new food to try. If you live near the farms, ask farmers if they allow people to pick their own fruits and vegetables.
Kids are almost universally fascinated by fire engines. If your little ones fall into this category, call your local fire station. Most fire stations will arrange tours for local families and kids delight in climbing a real fire truck, meeting fire fighters, and trying on fire fighters’ helmets. Not only will you get some great pictures, your kids will learn something, too.
With a little bit of imagination and creativity, there is no limit to outdoor things you can do with your kids on the weekend. Kids and parents don’t have to go their separate ways and wish for the routines that come with Mondays. Instead, they will get outside, get some exercise, and enjoy creating precious memories together.
