Wondrous Wanderings
~Out and about time

Kids find magic in ordinary places, and they're eager to unravel life's mysteries. When a place encourages exploration, discovery and imagination, it taps into kids' innate sense of wonder.

Play is a particularly powerful way to unleash kids' wonderment, which is infectious. Enabling parents and caregivers to see the world through kids' eyes can activate their own sense of wonder.

Infusing wonderment into an family outing takes a little planning and a little magic. We're all dreaming of an epic summer vacation right now. At the same time, you and your family may be feeling like it's an impossible time to get away. But don't despair—if you can't hit the open road for your annual beach getaway or car camping trip, the next best option is to simply open your back door.

That's right—turning your backyard into your own personal campsite is a fun and pretty easy way to experience the great outdoors without packing the car and the bags and (perhaps the best perk of all) no one will ask, "Are we there yet?" (Another bonus: indoor bathrooms. Are you sold yet?) Create a backyard camp by pitching a tent, setting up the best camping chairs around a fire or one of these best camping stoves, and cook up some delicious campfire recipes (s'mores are a must-have sweet treat while telling spooky stories!). And if bugs are a problem in your backyard, don't forget the best bug zappers that really work!

These 25 backyard camping ideas will make your summer staycation a fun family memory—and maybe even a tradition—for years to come.

1

Pitch a Backyard Tent

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You can go two ways here: Grab your best camping tent from the garage and pop it open, or get crafty and create a teepee for the kids.

2

Build a Backyard Firepit

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Camping—even in the backyard—calls for a fire (you can't have s'mores without it, right?). To keep it contained safely, a sturdy flagstone firepit will keep the family warm and on a sugar high all night long.

3

Elevate Your S'mores Recipe

Next-level the regular s'mores trio of ingredients—graham cracker, marshmallow, and chocolate square—with these exciting combinations. We'll have one of each! Try these campfire dessert treats for a change of pace.

Get the recipe.

4

Have a Scavenger Hunt

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For a fun camping activity, take the kids on a backyard scavenger hunt. Write the names of insects, flowers, and trees on paper bags, and let them make a run for it. Collect each specimen in the bags.

5

Drink Hot Chocolate in Vintage Thermoses

HELEN NORMAN

Add a sense of history to the campfire with a vintage thermos filled to the brim with delicious hot cocoa.

Get the recipe.

6

Play a Backyard Game

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Sure, you could bring board games and cards outside, but if you're in your backyard anyway, why not break out some fun lawn games? All ages will enjoy a game of corn hole, washer toss, badminton, Frisbee, giant Jenga, croquet, and more.

7

Put a Spin on Campfire Hot Dogs

DAVID TSAY

Ketchup and mustard are classic, but if you have adventurous campers in your crew, add some creative toppings to those buns.

Get the recipe.

8

Hang String Lights in the Backyard

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Simple string lights add a magical touch to backyard camping. Hang strands of lights from four poles—mapping out your campsite—or hang them inside your backyard tent. Check out backyard string light ideas for fun ways to light up your space all year long.

HUGE List of FREE (Or Nearly FREE) Summer Activities For KidsWell, summer is almost here, and the kids will soon be out of school… you know what that means! Yep, brace yourself for choruses of

“I’m bored.”

Stave off the boredom by filling your calendar with cheap and free summer activities for kids.

This HUGE list of inexpensive and free summer activities for kids has something to offer everyone including indoor entertainment, learning opportunities, and outdoor adventures. Yep, no matter what the day is like, you’ll be able to find something exciting (and possibly educational) to keep the kiddos engaged (and out of your hair)! 😉

I’ve scoured the Internet, and here are the funnest, most awesome frugal and free summer activities for kids out there!

Let’s all go to the movies…

Movies are great low-cost or sometimes even free summer activities for kids. Plus, they offer mom a fantastic opportunity to kick back and relax for 2 hours! Here are some summer movie viewing options:

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse: Okay, while this isn’t technically a free summer activity for kids, it’s darn close. The kiddos can enjoy 10 movies for only $5 which works out to just $0.50 per movie! The 2018 summer lineup hasn’t been announced yet… but keep checking back.

Classic Cinemas: Check out the Wednesday Morning Movie Series happening June 6th through August 8th. You and the fam can see G and PG rated films for just $1.

Regal’s Summer Movie Express: This summer movie program is on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. meaning if you can’t make one show you have a second chance. Admission is $1, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Will Rogers Institute.

Tip: Looking for a totally free summer activity for kids? Turn your home into a movie theater complete with nutritious and delicious coconut oil popcorn.

Get Up and Go!

Help the kiddos work off some of that energy with these active free summer activities for kids!

AMF Bowling: Bowling at AMF locations is a frugal summer activity for kids that’ll allow you to beat the heat! Register your kids for the Summer Games program at AMF where they can bowl up to 3 games every day for one low price. AMF offers passes for kids AND Mom and Dad (if you want to get in on the fun). Kid’s passes are just $31.95 each and include shoe rental. The Summer Games program runs May 21st through September 3rd.

Kids Bowl Free: Find a participating “Kids Bowl Free” location and each of your kiddos can snag 2 free rounds of bowling each day. Please note that taxes and shoe rental fees apply and vary by location.

Kids Skate Free: Looking for free summer activities for kids that are guaranteed to wear them out? Look no further! Kids can skate for free this summer at participating “Kids Skate Free” rinks. Find a location near you now and sign your kids up to snag their FREE skating passes. Note: Fees (including skate rental fees) and age limitations vary based on location.

Tip: Need more outdoor free summer activities for kids? Here are 25 Awesome Outdoor Party Games for Kids of All Ages. Gardening can also be a fun free summer activity for kids. If you’ve got a green thumb and want to pass it along to your little one, check out the best plants for kids and get started now.

Be a book worm.

While it’s great to get outdoors and be active during the summer months, be sure to give your child’s brain a workout as well. Reading is the perfect free summer activity for kids.

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program: Free summer activities for kids can be fun and educational. (No, really.) Just take a look at this offer from Barnes and Nobles…. When kids in grades 1 through 6 read 8 books and answer questions (using the Summer Reading Journal) they can snag a free book! This program runs May 15th through September 3rd.

Scholastic Summer Challenge: The 2018 reading challenge kicks off May 7th. With the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge kids log reading time to earn rewards and unlock activities.

Sylvan Learning Book Adventure: This free summer activity for kids is great because it ensures they’re actually reading and absorbing the information. How it works is kids (K through 8th grade) select Sylvan approved books, read them (offline), and then take quizzes. Good “grades” on these quizzes can earn them cool prizes. Start this activity now as the book adventure is ending in June of 2018!

Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program: This free summer activity for kids is open to kids 14 and under (or 8th grade and under). During June and July, kids accumulate reading minutes (keeping track of their time using this reading log). Once they reach 300 minutes, they can turn their log in at participating Half Price Books® locations to earn Bookworm Bucks.

Pottery Barn Kids Book Club: Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., join Pottery Barn for FREE story time! In addition, kids will receive a special FREE gift after attending five sessions.

Tip: Looking for even more reading oriented free summer activities for kids? Don’t miss these:

• FREE membership in the LEGO Club – For kids 4-12, this also includes a subscription to Lego Club Magazine!

• FREE eBooks for kids on Amazon.

A job well done….

Okay, so chores aren’t the most fun free summer activities for kids, but maybe a reward will make them a little more appealing!

Chuck E. Cheese Rewards Calendars: Reward your kids for great behavior, daily chores, reading, and more with the Chuck E. Cheese Rewards Calendars. Download and print the calendar of your choice and once your child has completed all the tasks on the calendar, bring it to Chuck E. Cheese to be rewarded with 10 FREE tokens.

Another fun way to keep encouraging the kids to do their daily chores is with this free printable chore chart. Motivate your kids to help out around the house by offering rewards like a gold star, a sweet treat, an outing to the park, or access to other free summer activities for kids they would enjoy.

Shop till you drop!

Uh-oh! Dealing with a sudden summer shower (or downpour) and need an indoor free summer activity for kids? Here is an indoor shopping option for those not so sunny summer days.

IKEA: This is a free summer activity for kids AND mom! Head to Ikea where the kiddos can test out all the toys in the children’s department or hang out in the FREE supervised playroom while you shop. Note, contact your local Ikea to find out about any restrictions.

Have some DIY and high tech fun.

These hands on free summer activities for kids are so fun your little one won’t even realize he or she is learning valuable skills like coding, crafting, and cooking! 🙂

Home Depot: If you want a DIY free summer activity for kids, head to Home Depot. They offer a variety of completely free workshops for do-it-yourselfers of all ages and experience levels.

Lowe’s: Bring the kids to a Lowe’s Build and Grow workshop where they’ll get to tackle all sorts of DIY projects. These workshops are free and take place on Saturday’s at 10 a.m.

Michael’s: Have a future DIY diva on your hands? Don’t want your own house to be covered in paint and glitter? If so, be sure to take advantage of Michael’s nearly free summer activities for kids! Sign your kiddos up for the Michael’s Kids Club where, for only $2 (which includes all necessary supplies), they can take part in a variety of craft projects.

Apple Camp: Sign your tech savvy kids up for a FREE Apple Camp at a participating Apple Store. At Apple Camp, kids ages 8-12 will have the opportunity to spend 90 minutes for 3 days exploring tech.

Apple also offers a variety of other free summer activities that can help the whole family hone their tech skills. For example, find a photo walk near you to learn to take amazing photos with your iPhone. There’s also Apple’s Kids Hour where kids can spend an hour learning computer programming, illustration, and filmmaking with Apple tools. Check your local Apple store for additional details.

Microsoft YouthSpark: Microsoft offers a variety of educational free summer activities for kids of all ages, both online and in person. One of my favorites is the FREE YouthSpark Summer Camp which offers computer science and coding courses for kids as young as 6 and all the way up to 18.

Lakeshore Learning Crafts: Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids as young as 3 can participate in free craft classes. Find a location near you… classes are in progress now! Bonus: You don’t need a reservation so this is a great last minute or spur-of-the-moment free summer activity for kids!

American Girl In-Store Events: Have an American Girl store nearby? Head on over so your kiddo can participate in fun in-store events including crafts, movies, lessons on manners, tea parties, and much more.

Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp: Bass Pro Shop offers free summer activities for kids and the whole family! Dates and times for 2018 haven’t been announced yet so keep checking back. Past activities have included crafts, a casting pond, campfire s’mores, and the opportunity to earn merit badges.

Whole Foods Kids Cooking Classes: Do you have a little Iron Chef in your family? If so, then check out the Whole Foods Kids Cooking Classes for kids 5-12 years old. Prices vary depending on the class but the most expensive I saw was $20. Pre-registration is required for all cooking classes, so head over here to see what classes are coming up or contact your local store.

Tip: Cooking is a fun and free summer activity for kids that you can do together at home. Want to give it a try? Find kid friendly recipes by following Freebie Finding Mom’s Cooking With Kids Pinterest board.

Let’s go exploring!

Exploring parks, trails, and other outdoor locations are great low-cost or free summer activities for kids. Here are just a few fantastic options!

FREE National Park Days: Take the kids and head outside to explore America’s national parks for free on National Park Days. Go here to learn when you can snag FREE admission and plan your next trip.

Use Trail Link to Discover Local Trails: Don’t live near a national park? No worries, the great outdoors are all around you, and exploring them makes for fun and free summer activities for kids! Try using Trail Link to find local trails where you can go hiking, biking, and more.

Go Geocaching: If your kids love a good treasure hunt (and who doesn’t?) then try Geocaching.com. All you need is a GPS enabled device such as your smart phone and you can play a real-world treasure hunting outdoor game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using their smart phones and then share their experiences online.

Tip: Don’t have a GPS or can’t find a geocaching adventures near you? Create your own treasure hunt for the kids to enjoy.

Make a friend.

Summer is a great time to reconnect with old friends or make new friends. Bonus: socializing doesn’t cost an arm and a leg which means social activities are great low-cost or free summer activities for kids.

Write to a Pen Pal: If you Google “find a pen pal” you’ll find many sites where you can locate pen pals from all over the world to correspond with. Not only is this free summer activity for kids fun but it can also help them practice penmanship, spelling, and vocabulary as well as learn about different cultures.

Give back.

Looking for an inspiring free summer activity for kids? How about volunteering. Help your little one locate and sign up for a volunteer project they’re passionate about! VolunteerMatch.org is a great way to find volunteer opportunities for you and your kids.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation: If your kids want to have a lemonade stand, encourage them to donate the proceeds to a charity such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation which helps children with cancer.

While volunteering is great, if you’re trying to teach your kids the value of a dollar and about the benefits of making and saving money, another free summer activity for kids is a job. Here are 15 ways for kids to make money!

Explore the arts.

This summer, take your kids to community events, museums, or other local art exhibits. These low-cost or free summer activities for kids can help stretch their creative minds while school is out for the summer.

Target Community Events: Target partners with local museums to offer you and your kids FREE or nearly free entry to attractions in your community.

Bank Of America Museums On Us: Bank of America and Merrill Lynch is giving members access to over 200 free summer activities for kids! Yep, their credit and debit card holders can score FREE admission to over 200 museums the first full weekend of every month.

Printable mazes, printable travel games for kids, and free printable word searches: These free summer activities for kids are great for keeping the kiddos entertained with minimal interaction with you. In other words, they’re great for that summer road trip you’re thinking of taking!

Coloring: This activity is beneficial to kids and adults alike. Seriously, coloring has been shown to promote relaxation so perhaps you and the little ones should sit down and give it a try. Here are some fun and free coloring page options:

• Color Crayola Disney Coloring Pages

• Disney Cars Maze Coloring Page

• Disney Cars Race Coloring Page

• Disney Cars Mosaic

• Disney Fairies Tinkerbell Coloring Pages

• Disney Princess Belle Coloring Page

• Disney Toy Story Woody and Buzz Coloring Page

• Disney Mickey Mouse and Friends Coloring Page

Indoor activities for toddlers: These free summer activities for toddlers are great when you’re trapped inside and need to ward off cabin fever fast!

REI Adventure Journal: Find a whole slew of fun activities in this printable journal for kids including games, quizzes, and “bloopers.”

Online: The Internet offers a plethora of free summer activities for kids. Be sure to check out:

• FunBrain.com – Play games, read books and comics, and more!

• Nickelodeon website – Play games, watch FREE online videos, get kid craft ideas, find kid-friendly recipes, and more!

• PBS Kids – Visit PBS Kids for FREE educational videos, games, and activities.

• Disney Video – Kids can watch their favorite Disney shows here.

• Kids National Geographic – Kids can watch videos, play games, and learn lots of cool stuff about animals and more.

Apps: Smartphones and tablets offer even more fun, high-tech free summer activities for kids. You can download FREE Android apps for kids on Amazon, head over here to check them out. For iPhone and iPad users, be sure to head to the iTunes store to download free apps.

How to Rock Your Next Family Road Trip

Family road trips are classic childhood and family experiences that provide memories to last a lifetime!

Our large family has traveled thousands and thousands of miles, in a car, across the United States over the last 11 years, sometimes for a major cross-country move, and other times to visit family, or to attend conferences, or to go on fun family vacations.

Through our many long family road trips, we have learned a lot about what works well to keep us safe, happy, healthy, and entertained. We’ve also figured out ways to make it more affordable too.

Be sure to pin this page, or bookmark it, as I continue to add more content to it over the coming months and years! We truly hope you’ll have great family road trips with your family, no matter how big or small that family is.

Things to Do During a Road Trip

With babies, toddlers, grade-schoolers, and teens trapped in a car for long hours, it’s good to have things to do so cries of “I’m bored” don’t have to grace your ears, or at least not too often on your trip.

And let’s face it. Adults get bored too and need distractions and things to help them stay mentally alert while driving and sitting for long hours too.

That’s why I put together an awesome list of the Best Audiobooks for Family Road Trips.

We’ve listened to several of these and love listening to audiobooks in the car on a normal basis too. Of course, you can listen to whatever you want, but my list should appeal to a wide audience of listeners.

Even kids as young as 2 or 3 can start to enjoy listening to audiobooks.

That said, toddlers are often the wild cards when it comes to family road trips, and can protest against audiobooks and just being in the car generally.

That’s why it can be super helpful to check out my list of Toddler Road Trip Games and Activities.

One of our favorite games to play, and a great way to work on those letter skills, is the Car Alphabet Game. If they are still a little too young for that, “I Spy” is good too, or just singing a lot of songs together.

55 Ways to Be the Silly, Fun, Playful Parent You’ve Always Wanted to Be

NOVEMBER 25, 2014 BY KATELYN FAGAN 

We all have at least one characteristic about our mothering that would have many calling us a Super Mom. It could be your constantly cheery disposition even in the face of epic meltdowns, or your ability to potty train your child in a day, or getting your kids to eat their vegetables with a smile on their face. I tend to feel like a super mom for how I am not afraid of playing with my kids in public and being a goof.

Maybe it’s because I’m a young mom, am (relatively) fit, or my personality, but I love playing with my kids. Of course every mom does. But, I’m talking about active, wild, fun, silly play. And in public.

Kids are the best educators on how to be a playful parent, if only we’d follow our children’s prompts.

I think actively playing, joking, and having fun with your kids, create the best memories! My father did play with his kids and is very goofy. The way he talked, joked, teased, and added play into his parenting and his life have created some of my fondest memories of him. He would let me ride around on his back, bounce me on his knee, race me into stores, or sing some silly songs. I also have awesome memories from playing and joking with many of my older siblings. There is just something special about active play, about movement, that creates happy, genuine feelings toward other people. And there’s something endearing about those who can be playful, who don’t take life, or themselves, so seriously.

However, I am not saying you need to drop everything you are doing to play with your child that very second, every single time, or that you should be an immature adult. No, what I am advocating is infusing fun, play, life, energy, and silliness into your parenting, into your life. I’m suggesting you take advantage of everyday things you already do, like taking your kids to the park, the pool, and the grocery store, and imbue them with a bit of creative playfulness. It’s about forgetting the to-do lists momentarily and being silly. It’s about creating some levity into your otherwise stressful parenting. Being silly, goofy, and fun will release some of those good happy hormones and relieve some stress.

I want everyone to find ways they can become that silly, fun, playful parent they’ve always wanted to be (or that they should want to be!). I think as overworked parents and individuals, we need it. So, start embracing your inner child, your inner goofball, and have some fun with your child. Below will find 55 (or so) ways of being a more playful parent.

Ways to Infuse Fun and Play Into Your Parenting

Stop saying “Run along and play” and Play by Yourself

Don’t encourage them go ahead without you. Encourage them to beat you there. Stop taking your child to the park, and start playing at the park with them. I mean, fun is fun after all, so go ahead and play!

You don’t have to do this every time, as I do believe a child needs some space to be independent, but come on mom and dad! They want you to enjoy the playground too, and not because you got to check your phone for 30 minutes. So, don’t watch from the bench: slide down the slide or climb up it. Swing on the swings, independently or with your child on your lap. Show them how to jump off them; give your child an underdog, and when they are swinging, pretend like your child’s foot is kicking you.

Try to go across the monkey bars without touching the ground. Do some (fake) rock climbing. Show your child a cool trick like flipping over bars, and how you can talk through the “telephones.” Your kid will think you are so awesome. Bonus points if you start an imaginary situation for your child, preferably with pirates.

Get in the Pool. All the way in.

Not only should you go take your kids to the swimming pool, but you should actually get in the swimming pool! Stop ignoring your child’s pleas for you to get in the water, and stop worrying about improving your tan. Get in the pool, perhaps via an awesome cannonball, or an elegant swan dive. But, get your whole body wet, including your head. Don’t worry about your hair: worry about showing your kid how playing and having fun at the pool is done! Once in the pool, shoot hoops, dive for “treasures” at the bottom of the pool, play Marco Polo, host an underwater tea party, or flip your child off your hands and into the pool (assuming your child can swim for some of these). If you want your child to enjoy their childhood, occasionally you have to show them what being a child is all about.

3photo credit: geatchy via photopin cc.

Get Physical. Be Active.

Obviously, some of us have physical health issues and we can’t be as mobile or flexible as we would like. But, for the majority of us, some of the following will still be very doable, and I highly recommend. Go get your blood pumping. Plus, sports are a huge part of our culture. They are a great way to have fun and be active, all while developing new skills (like hand-eye coordination). And even if you don’t play a particular sport well, most likely you can at least fake it. Don’t wait for a coach to teach them how to dribble, shoot, kick, throw, or catch. Do it yourself. If not, you can show your child how to handle being bad at something. But, sports usually only require a simple ball, glove, raquet, or bat to make happen. And you can have some great conversation as you play catch, and feel good knowing you are working to develop those large gross motor skills.

1. Roughhouse and wrestle with your child. Steamroller them. Make a monkey pile!

2. Tickle your child. Let them tickle you.

3. Blow on each others bellies. I think it is hilarious to when my young children blow raspberries on my tummy. Fart noises anyone?

4. Give your child a piggy-back ride or put them on your shoulders.

5. Twirl, spin, or toss them, jiggling and bouncing them as you go. These can all be done anytime, anywhere. It can make a mundane trip to the store much more exciting if you give your child a little twirl to the music playing in the store.

6. Show them how to do a handstand, headstand, cartwheel, or somersaults, then help them do one themselves.

7. Get on all fours and pretend to be a horse (or other animal) and let your child ride on your back, neighing and rearing up on your back legs.

8. Have a race! Chase them up the hill, to the playground, on your bikes, to the car, or wherever. Don’t let them win every time.

9. Throw them onto the bed.

10. Swing your child between you and your spouse, lifting them high above the ground.

11. Help them climb trees, and climb it with them.

12. Play tag, freeze tag, or monkey freeze tag.

13. Play Duck, Duck, Goose.

14. Roll down hills.

15. Actually go sledding.

16. Jump! As high as you can, as far forward and backward as you can. Now jump on one foot.

17. Throw them up into the air and catch them.

18. Lift them up on your legs or drag them around as they sit on your feet.

1. Go play in the rain and jump in rain puddles.

2. Play with a Hula hoop

3. Jump rope or do a little double dutch.

4. Play with Yo-Yo’s

5. Blow or make bubbles. Look up recipes on how to make giant ones.

6. Draw with sidewalk chalk.

7. Play some T-Ball, Softball, Baseball, or catch

8. Go shoot some hoops and play a little Basketball. Challenge your child to a game of Around the World.

9. Play some tennis. Courts are plentiful!

10. Practice serves, volleys, and spikes as you play a little volleyball.

11. Throw around a Frisbee. Try throw it overhead and forehand.

12. Throw a football around in the backyard. Do some mini plans. Practice kicking.

13. Set up a 4-Square court and make up some crazy rules!

14. Play a little dodgeball.

Infuse Fun Into Work

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, and chances are make him hate doing chores. The following are some great ways to get the job done and still enjoy and have fun in the process.

• A great way is to play some music! Dance, bounce to the music, sing-a-long, swipe to the beat, or sing into the mop handle. Music is great for everyone, and helps put you in a better mood as you clean up some grime.

• Or you can start some timers and make it into a race to see who can get their duties done first, or can be the first one to pick up X amount of items.

• Or you can make it into a game, shooting trash into the wastebasket, toys into the toy bins, dirty clothes into the laundry basket. You can even pick up the baskets or bins and sway or move them around so your child has a moving target.

• In the kitchen, don’t be afraid of a little mess, or a little food tasting, as you create a meal for your family. Throw a dash of flour into the air. Flip a pancake without the spatula.

• Have water fights in the bathroom as you clean up in there, or outside as you wash the car, or do yard work. Or as you cook in the kitchen.

Make errands fun in store and on the way there.

Errands with children in tow are not always so fun. That’s why you should infuse some fun into it! Race to the buildings. Pretend the shopping cart is a racecar and race it fast down the aisles, swerving the cart from side to side, making engine noises, and stopping on a dime. Obviously this works best with a young child in the seat of the cart, but I still think your kids will think you are pretty awesome, even without them attached to the cart (or horribly embarrassing, depending on your child’s age). You can can dance to the music playing throughout the store, giving your child a twirl or two, and maybe even doing one yourself. You can also let your child push the shopping cart, gently guiding it as needed. Maybe even see if you child can push it when you are standing on the front of it!

In stores you can also be a playful parent by pointing out some of the worst clothing, or trying on clothing that clearly won’t fit you (i.e. clothes that would fit your gradeschooler), or by putting on a silly hat. You could try out crazy colored makeup, put on loads of jewelry, and try on shoes that you would never buy.

And maybe, you could even play a game of hide n’ go seek among the racks of clothes, perhaps making it a bit like the Marco Polo game. Growing up, my sister and I would find each other in a store simply by baaing like a sheep back and forth. It was hilarious.

On your way to run your errands, there are so many fun ways to make that little car ride a little more fun. You can keep the windows rolled down on, even on the Interstate. You can blast music, sing at the top of your lungs, and do some serious headbanging. You can stick your hands out the window and wave to all the cars going the opposite direction, saying “Hi” as they pass. You can sing nursery rhyme songs, or ones you make up on the spot (I prefer making up songs about my children, or switching out words to a tune we all already know – my kids think it’s hilarious and then they make up their own in turn, which are even better). You can also swerve the car (small little twists of the steering wheel back and forth and of course only when safe to do so) on the road. My kids absolutely love it when I do this. You can also do fun things like lifting yours hands up as go over bridges, or holding your breath as you pass a graveyard. And honk the horn, and throw things like banana peels or apple cores out the window where they can biodegrade.

9. Other Awesomely Simple Ways to be a Playful Parent

1. Laugh hysterically, obnoxiously, ominously. Have a laughing contest with your child.

2. Get excited when you find a penny on the ground and have your child pick it up.

3. Squeeze their hand when your holding it, just for fun.

4. Don’t step on the cracks/lines when you walk.

5. Have a funny faces contest.

6. Make farting noises and burping noises.

7. See who can hold out a sound/syllable the longest. (Kind of like the “Most Annoying Sound in the World.”)

8. Scream. As loud as you can. Just do it while outside so as not to break your ear drums.

9. Pick flowers (or flower-like weeds) with them!

10. Lie down in the grass with your kid and look at the clouds rolling by, pointing out funny shapes.

11. Pretend. Whatever your child wants to play and pretend, join in.

12. Let your child brush your hair, put clips in it, mess it up, and put clips in it.

13. Let your child paint your nails or do your makeup.

14. Go wading in a creek.

15. Throw leaves up into the air and jump into a leaf pile.

16. Pick up rocks, and skip stones.

17. Build a fort.

18. Make something out of their LEGOs or Blocks

19. Draw and Paint a picture with them

20. Make up a story. Tell some tales.

Get Creative

This list could go on and on. I realize that many of these you may be doing these things already; or that these all just seem like fun activities to do with your kids. So, I want to emphasize that it’s not so much about scheduling in these activities, or making them happen, as I am not an advocate for forcing activities and events on your kid or over-scheduling “fun” times with them, all while saying “You will enjoy this!” (whether to yourself or your kid). Just keep some of these in mind and look for ways to incorporate play and fun in your life as organically, naturally, and spontaneously as possible.

Because, obviously you cannot do not do these things all the time,, and sometimes you may not want to: you may just want to have a moment to sit on the bench at the park and have a 10 minute break from your child. But, please, don’t remove the joy and fun out of your parenting, simply because it’s tiring, because you will feel foolish, or because you can’t stand certain activities. Try new things, be creative, embrace childishness occasionally, and you will inadvertently create some of the best memories you will ever have with your children, and likely an improved relationship.

Make a friend.

Summer is a great time to reconnect with old friends or make new friends. Bonus: socializing doesn’t cost an arm and a leg which means social activities are great low-cost or free summer activities for kids.

Write to a Pen Pal: If you Google “find a pen pal” you’ll find many sites where you can locate pen pals from all over the world to correspond with. Not only is this free summer activity for kids fun but it can also help them practice penmanship, spelling, and vocabulary as well as learn about different cultures.

Give back.

Looking for an inspiring free summer activity for kids? How about volunteering. Help your little one locate and sign up for a volunteer project they’re passionate about! VolunteerMatch.org is a great way to find volunteer opportunities for you and your kids.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation: If your kids want to have a lemonade stand, encourage them to donate the proceeds to a charity such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation which helps children with cancer.

While volunteering is great, if you’re trying to teach your kids the value of a dollar and about the benefits of making and saving money, another free summer activity for kids is a job. Here are 15 ways for kids to make money!

Give your brain a workout

Printable mazes and coloring pages serve as free summer activities for kids to help them continue building their art and critical thinking skills.

Printable mazes, printable travel games for kids, and free printable word searches: These free summer activities for kids are great for keeping the kiddos entertained with minimal interaction with you. In other words, they’re great for that summer road trip you’re thinking of taking!

Coloring: This activity is beneficial to kids and adults alike. Seriously, coloring has been shown to promote relaxation so perhaps you and the little ones should sit down and give it a try. Here are some fun and free coloring page options:

• Color Crayola Disney Coloring Pages

• Disney Cars Maze Coloring Page

• Disney Cars Race Coloring Page

• Disney Cars Mosaic

• Disney Fairies Tinkerbell Coloring Pages

• Disney Princess Belle Coloring Page

• Disney Toy Story Woody and Buzz Coloring Page

• Disney Mickey Mouse and Friends Coloring Page

Indoor activities for toddlers: These free summer activities for toddlers are great when you’re trapped inside and need to ward off cabin fever fast!

REI Adventure Journal: Find a whole slew of fun activities in this printable journal for kids including games, quizzes, and “bloopers.”

Online: The Internet offers a plethora of free summer activities for kids. Be sure to check out:

• FunBrain.com – Play games, read books and comics, and more!

• Nickelodeon website – Play games, watch FREE online videos, get kid craft ideas, find kid-friendly recipes, and more!

• PBS Kids – Visit PBS Kids for FREE educational videos, games, and activities.

• Disney Video – Kids can watch their favorite Disney shows here.

• Kids National Geographic – Kids can watch videos, play games, and learn lots of cool stuff about animals and more.

Apps: Smartphones and tablets offer even more fun, high-tech free summer activities for kids. You can download FREE Android apps for kids on Amazon, head over here to check them out. For iPhone and iPad users, be sure to head to the iTunes store to download free apps.

Feeling hungry?

At many great restaurants kids can eat for FREE, making eating out the perfect free summer activity for kids.

Find out where kids eat FREE! You can also head over to KidsMealDeals for more places where kids eat free.

May I have this dance?

Dancing is a fun indoor or outdoor free summer activity for kids… so put on your dancing shoes and let’s boogie! 🙂

Children’s music from Amazon – Head to Amazon to check out their selection of free music for kids.

How do you like to be a playful mom or dad? How are you infusing fun into your parenting?

If you still want some more ideas, check out Kids’ Activities Blogs post on 47 Ways YOU Can Be a Fun Mom!

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