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I’ve noticed a lot of “splash pads” popping up around my area. If you have one of these near you - check it out. If your kid loves water as much as mine does, you’ll have a blast. Just remember that you need to pack all the necessities you’d take to the pool - i.e. towel, sunscreen, change of clothes, little swimmer diaper (if your little is still in diapers), etc. and don’t forget the snacks! Your little one will work up an appetite running through the water and playing.
The library is also another good place to go. Our local library has summer activities and story time for the kids. I know it’s not outdoor, but I live in Washington state, so I know we’re going to have some rainy days this summer and those are the perfect days to hang out at the library.
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Visit your local fire department. They love to give tours to kids and show them how everything works in the fire station. Not only is it free - it’s fun and informative. I bet you’ll even learn a bunch yourself.
Make kites and then fly them! I remember making a kite out of some sticks and brown paper bags when we were little and they did better than the fancy, expensive kites. Plus, your little one will be proud to show off their beautiful piece of flying art. If you need some inspiration, Google it. I know it sounds silly, but I turn to Google every time I don’t know the answer to something.
Spend the day at the beach! Plan to have a picnic lunch and bring all of your favorite beach toys. Have a mini sandcastle building competition or have a mini scavenger hunt. There are so many things to do at the beach besides just playing in the water. If you’re anywhere near the ocean like we are, looking through the tide pools is a lot of fun too. Be sure to check out the tide tables before you go so that the tide pools will be accessible. Here’s a link to NOAA’s tide tables: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/. If you don’t have access to the beach, bring the water to you! Fill up a wading pool or some large pots with water and play. When I was little, we kept breaking the wading pool, so my parents took the biggest pots they could find and would fill them up with water so we could each have our own mini wading pool.
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If your little one is into cars like mine is and you’re stuck inside on a rainy day, make a masking/painter’s tape racetrack. The tape is gentle so you shouldn’t have a hard time peeling it up when you’re finished and it won’t ruin your floors. The best part is that you can make the track as big or as small as you’d like. Have your little one help you “design” your track. It keeps them interested and lets them feel proud that they created this fun map on the floor.
Make a bird feeder. It doesn’t have to be complicated. If you spread some peanut butter on a pine cone and then roll it in birdseed, you’ve got a cheap and easy bird feeder. You can always search DIY bird feeder on Google and see what you come up with.
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If I ever run out of ideas of fun things to do, I turn to Google. I usually search for things like “Free things to do at home with your toddler” or “fun summer activities to do with your child”. You could even make it specific to your area if you want to go out and have an adventure. It doesn’t matter where you go, or if you stay home, as long as you’re having fun. With an almost -year old, I find myself always having to come up with new ways to keep this smart little boy entertained. Don’t be afraid to be creative and use your imagination. Break out of your shell and find new ways to have fun with the kiddos.
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