Plan a garden, wind break, or container garden.
Teach the kids how to cook from the garden, to the store, to the kitchen table. Teach how to comparison shop.
Build a bird house. Let the kids do the research on the types of birds and houses, food sources etc. the birds in your area need.
Change the oil in the car together. All genders need to know how to do this.
For the driving teen, teach them how to change a tire, the oil, fluids, etc. Teach them how to find a good deal on a car. If this is not your forte the find someone who is great at this skill. (Dealers love me, I'm lousy at wheeling and dealing. They see dollar signs when I walk into a dealership for a new car.)
Build a kite - or more than one; then go flying together.
Go fishing. Please wear your life vests or rings even if you can swim!
Go canoeing.
Camp out in the back yard. Cook over an open pit fire for breakfast. (This is not as easy as it sounds!)
Join 4-H! Visit your Cooperative Extension Office for you county. They have great ideas for projects.
Take photos then create a digital or paper scrapbook.
Visit a nursing home and make someone smile!
Ride your bikes together. Take the local bike trail if you have one!
Catch ladybugs, or lightening bugs, or earthworms, or butterflies. Then let them go please.
Visit the library! They have great summer programs.
Have a family reading contest. Who can read the most pages, or books, or paragraphs?
Write and illistrate a book, or two, or three.
Write a song, or poem.
Learn to play the kazoo, or harp, or drums.
Make homemade instruments.
Help g'ma can!
Start a summer business babysitting or mowing lawns, or something that fits your personality.
Learn to build a computer, a robot, or what fits your interests.
Make something out of "found" objects aka trash.
Recycle. Learn about recycling in your area. What does the company do with the materials it recycles?
Learn how to sew, crochet, knit, wood craft, or other craft project.
Visit a farm and help out with the day's chores.
Visit the zoo at feeding time
Visit the museum - great for beating the heat and humidity
Find a local craftsman who is giving a demo
Have the child(ren) plan a vacation. Parents provide the specifics, number of days, dates of trip, cost, how far to travel or destination, then let the kids plan the trip. You will be surprised what they will come up with for ideas. Step in only if the planning is getting off track.
Organize a closet or drawer - just for fun!
Learn to swim.
Learn CPR.
Teach a younger brother or sister how to do something!
Go hiking...even around your neighborhood. What do you see that is new?
Help your neighbor with a chore.
Help your mom, dad, or siblings with a chore. Work goes faster when everyone pitches it.
Play ghost baseball.
Play freeze tag.
Visit with cousins.
Start a blog, or diary, or journal.
Play S-P-O-O-N-S, crazy eights, scrabble, yatzee, or go fish! Make your own cards!
Play Barbies with your friends or family. Make your own furniture from found objects.
Save cans (rinse and dry and pound down any sharp edges), cereal boxes, other box goods and start a store with your younger brothers or sisters. Make play money.
Finderpaint with jello or pudding.
Build with Legos or Kin'ex. Just PLEASE pick up all the pieces off the floor! They HURT when you step on them!
Offer to walk the neighbor's dog, or your dog. Both the dog and you will enjoy it.
Dance.
Play in the rain - NOT thunderstorms please - too dangerous! (Yes, even the Weather Channel gives this advice so it is not just a "Mom thing".)
Play "Mother may I?" or hopschotch, or marbles. Don't know how? Ask your grandparents.
So there are 53 ideas I had in a short time.
What will you do?
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