Lie in a Hammock
There’s no better way to spend a lazy afternoon than in a hammock. It’s a great place for kids to rest after a hike or a big backyard barbecue. Bask in the midday sun or cuddle under a blanket to watch the stars come out; there’s no wrong way to hang.
Make a Fort
Left to their own devices, kids will make a fort or a clubhouse out of anything. Large cardboard boxes are perfect, but old sheets and poles or rods that can be stuck into the ground will also do. Supply your children with some art supplies, and let them turn your discards into a castle of imagination. If you’re lucky, you might get a peek inside before they make a “Keep Out” sign.
Predict the Weather by the Clouds
If kids can learn to tell the difference between types of clouds, they can try to predict the weather.
Cirrus clouds, which form high in the atmosphere and look like thin, feathery wisps, are a sign that fair, sunny weather is on the way.
Altocumulus clouds look like cotton puffs, slightly gray in parts, and appear in large clusters. If you see these above, rain may follow.
Stratus clouds are big blankets of thick gray clouds that cover the sky. These usually arrive with some light rain.
Cumulonimbus clouds are tall and look like mushrooms with wide, flat tops. When you see these, head for cover — there’s a thunderstorm coming.
Kind of puts a different spin on looking at clouds with kids doesn’t it? While kids love it when you take the time to go cloud gazing with them trying to describe what you see in the different shapes, you’ll be pleased how proud they are of their new weather knowledge based on clouds!
Make a Dandelion Necklace
When you’re not trying to eradicate them from your lawn, dandelions are actually quite pretty. Pick a bunch with the kids — the longer and thicker the stems, the better. To make them into a necklace, knot the stem of one dandelion just under the flower of another, and so on until you reach the desired length.
Tin-Can Telephones
Actually, any kind of cup will work for this classic experiment in sound vibration. If you do use tin cans, make sure they have no jagged edges. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each can or cup, just large enough to thread some string through. Knot the ends of the string so they won’t come out of the holes, and start talking.
Feed the Birds
Anyone can throw crumbs on the ground. But you and your children can give the local birds a real treat: Spread some peanut butter in the crevices of a big pinecone, tie it to a branch, and wait for your flying friends to find it. Or slide a stack of plain Cheerios onto a string, tie some small object to one end to keep them in place, and tie the other end to a branch. The birds will thank you for their breakfast.
Bowl Outside
Keep ten two-liter plastic bottles (with caps) out of the recycling pile. Fill each about one quarter of the way with water or sand, enough to keep it standing in the breeze but not so much that it won’t fall when hit by a ball. Cap the bottles tightly, then locate a good spot, like your driveway, for a bowling alley. Set up the “pins” and let the kids have at them with a small soccer ball or basketball.
Make a Sundial
As Earth rotates on its axis, the sun appears to move across the sky. To show kids how this works, help them create a sundial. Place or Find a small tree or pole that’s casting a shadow on a flat area of ground, then trace the line of the shadow on the ground with a piece of yarn.
Wait 30 minutes and see how the shadow has changed; mark the new shadow with a piece of yarn of a different color. Then wait another 30 minutes and trace the new shadow with a third piece of yarn.
Challenge the kids to figure out where the shadow will be in an hour, or what time it will be when the shadow reaches a certain spot on your dial.
Play Red Light, Green Light
This game will help the kids burn off some energy. Line the children up at one end of the yard. You can be the “stoplight”: When you say “green light,” the kids run as fast as they can. When you yell “yellow light,” they must slow to a walk. And when you call “red light,” they must freeze. Whoever doesn’t freeze is out or has to stay frozen until the next red light or goes back to the starting line. (The rules are up to you.) The first racer to the end of the course on the other side of the yard wins. Then line everyone up and start again.
Chuck-O Pro
Sometimes called bags, beanbags, or cornhole, this popular game is fun for all ages. Players try to toss their bags onto the board and into the hole. It’s simple to play but a challenge to master.
