Stay cool with these fun summertime activities.

There’s nothing quite like spending the summer doing activities as a family. Your kids will always remember those summer days spent at the park, community pool, museum, or hiking trail. There are tons of awesome summer family activities to do here in Plano, TX. But if it’s too hot to safely spend time outdoors, there are plenty of activities for kids that will help them make memories and keep the little ones engaged, entertained, and active at home. Here are 10 great summer activities for kids of all ages.

1. Make your own healthy popsicles.

There are lots of cool summer treats kids can enjoy that don’t contain unhealthy amounts of sugar, which can cause cavities. The best treats are the ones they make themselves. With a simple set of popsicle molds, you and your kids can spend some time making your own frozen treats. Your kids will absolutely love picking healthy popsicle recipes and mixing fruit and yogurt or fruit and juice to make their own popsicles. You can find some fantastic recipes for all-natural homemade popsicles here.

2. Start a summer reading challenge.

Whether your kids have a summer reading list they need to get through for school or they just like to read, creating a summer reading challenge is a fantastic way to keep your kids reading all summer. When the weather is too hot to be outside, kids can read in the cool comfort of the house, rack up points in the reading challenge, and redeem them for prizes. You can structure your reading challenge however you’d like, but there are some great ideas to help you get started.

3. Make slime.

Kids of all ages love slime. They can amuse themselves for hours making up games with their new goopy toy. Luckily, slime is super simple to make at home. You only need a few ingredients that you probably already have. If you don’t have some of the ingredients right now, it’s a good idea to keep them on hand so your kids are prepared for the next hot day. Use this easy recipe and don’t forget to add some glitter to the finished product!

4. Do some science.

Kid-friendly science experiments  can be incredibly fun when everyone is stuck inside, especially if the experiments involve using household objects. Doing experiments on their own makes science come alive for kids and can inspire years of interest in STEM topics. Try conducting some of these science experiments with your kids to make the most of a hot summer day.

5. Make friendship bracelets.

A fun activity for middle school and older kids who can be difficult to amuse during the summer is making friendship bracelets. Making friendship bracelets from leather cords, beads, embroidery floss, can tabs, and other materials you have around the house is something that can keep your kids occupied for hours. Your kids may even start a new trend when they make a few friendship bracelets for their friends.

6. Make a fort.

When it’s naptime and the kids need a cool and cozy place to stretch out or when it’s too hot to move and the kids want a quiet place to get away from the heat you can help them make a fort. No matter how old or young your kids are, they will enjoy making and playing with a fort. Your pets may even like it too. In fact, the fort may become everyone’s favorite summer hangout.

7. Create your own backyard water park.

If your kids really want to be outside, but it’s too hot, beat the heat by making your own water park in the backyard. That might sound like it would be really difficult, but if you have sprinklers and a hose, it’s fairly easy. You can create a splash pad for smaller kids, or you can copy some of your older kids’ favorite water park activities using items you probably already have in the garage.

8. Have a scavenger hunt.

When your kids become bored of sitting still and doing activities like coloring, you can get their brains and bodies moving with an indoor scavenger hunt. They can hunt all over the house for the items on the list, and you can make the clues as difficult or easy as you want depending on how old your children are. You can easily make a scavenger hunt with clues that are appropriate for a range of ages if you have a lot of kids to entertain at home.

9. Paint rocks.

Painting rocks is a wonderful way to keep kids amused inside. First, send them outside to find rocks they want to paint. While they’re doing that, set up some acrylic craft paint and get out smocks, brushes, and other craft supplies. Inspire them by asking them to paint their favorite monster, a fun message, or paint their rocks like cars. The finished rocks can be used in games or can be hidden around your property and around town for people to find.

10. Listen to podcasts.

If it’s really hot, your kids may just want to lie quietly and enjoy the cool air. This is the perfect time to enjoy some kid- and family-themed podcasts.

Visit your pediatric dentist.

Summer is the perfect time to schedule your child’s routine dental evaluation and professional cleaning. Come see us before you head to your backyard water park, or let your child bring in their latest work of art or science to show off what they’ve been up to this summer. We’ll help you beat the heat and keep your kiddos smiling! Schedule your appointment today.