Summer is very different this year. After months of homeschooling, children don’t have their usual summer camps, family travel or typical events to look forward to. We thought we’d share a few ideas for the youngsters that don’t include a summer binge-watching Netflix!

 

Take it outside: whether it’s an art project, a science activity or even using a tablet, tell the kids to go outside! Create a backyard obstacle course or make a scavenger hunt with things you have in the house. Get outdoor games like cornhole, frisbee, bocce ball, horseshoe or spikeball, and have a picnic, campfire or an outdoor movie night if you have a projector. Plenty of fun can be had in even the smallest backyards!

 

Get crafty by making bath bombs, slime, start a pour painting project or make your own rainstick. NASA's Climate Kids teaches you how to make earth-friendly crafts like a solar oven or bird feeder. Have fun with some science experiments, become an origami master, or make a salt dough candle holder or a lava lamp. The San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design shares at-home projects, and while you’re at it, why not create a COVID-19 time capsule?

 

 

There are lots of free online classes and programs. Imagineering in a Box is a program in partnership with Disney where Imagineers explain how they use their skills to create immersive experiences in themed parks. The MoMA offers classes to learn subjects like photography, fashion design and modern art. Watch TED Talks for students - they cover tons of subjects. Outschool offers a wide range of topics, from babysitting skills to learning about history through Star Wars. Hone or develop new skills with Skillshare from learning calligraphy to learning time management skills to game design and so much more. And for the most studious, MIT has free online courses for high school students focused on science.

 

Looking for a lighthearted podcast? Teen Girl Talk, hosted by two sisters, delves into TV shows, school dances and other experiences. Socially Awkward features fun discussions on various subjects between two brothers, Every Little Thing is a fun way to explore everything from the history of cheerleading to what prehistoric parents fed their kids, while Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me is NPR’s classic comedy news show. For music fans, Song Exploder invites musicians to share how they made their music - Mumford & Sons, U2, Mobb Deep and Janelle Monae are among the many artists who have contributed.

 

 

Work together to make favorite meals and desserts, or make up new recipes. Organize a pizza war to see who makes the best dish. Make a bowling alley in your hallway using non-breakable containers, or have a living room camp out.

 

Game nights are officially back! Dig out those board and card games. You can have an escape room game experience from the comfort of your home, play Taboo, Pictionary (a favorite among the Red Oak staff) or Kids Against Maturity where being the worst is the best.

 

 

These are just a few fun ideas to help get the wheels turning. We don't have to stop having fun this summer, we just have to find creative and responsible ways to spend quality time with our families!