WANT EVEN MORE HEALTHY IDEAS FROM SHAPE YOUR FUTURE?
It’s the end of summer. School is just around the corner; the days are hot, and your kids are bored. Keeping the whole family active and entertained every day for three months can be tough. Instead of paying for fancy experiences or spending long days away from home, try these fun ideas you can do around the house.
Here are 6 indoor games and 6 outdoor games using household items.
6 indoor games using household items
Sometimes, the summer heat makes it tough to move outside. However, kids still need 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and you need 30! Try these DIY indoor games for warm weather days.
Games to play with a tennis ball
- Tennis bowling: For this game, you need a tennis ball and 6-10 plastic cups or empty water bottles. Set your cups or bottles up in a triangle at the end of your hallway or in your living room, and bowl! Try different shapes to keep the game lasting longer.
- Bucket ball: Grab your tennis ball and empty buckets, baskets or plastic bowls. Set them up in different formations in your living room and assign different point values. Keep score and move them every round for three rounds. The person with the most points at the end wins!
- Spoon relays: Grab a spoon from the kitchen and your tennis ball for a short race. Hold the spoon out in front of you with the tennis ball balancing on top and walk (don’t run!) from one end of the hall to the next. The person with the fastest time wins.
Games to play with balloons
- Keep it up: Blow up a balloon or two and do whatever you can to keep it off the ground. To make it more challenging, change the rules every round — for example, hop on one foot, or only hit it with your head.
- Balloon races: For this one, you need one balloon for every player and a paper plate. Set a finish line and see who can fan their balloon across it first using the plate! Books, magazines and newspapers also make great “fans.”
- Waddle walks: This game is sure to bring laughs. Walk with an inflated balloon between your thighs, calves or ankles until you cross the finish line.
6 outdoor games using household items
If the weather isn’t too hot, then reap the benefits of being outside. There are plenty of games using household items you can play in your driveway or backyard. Just be sure to wear sunscreen and stay hydrated!
Games to play with sidewalk chalk
- Alphabet hop: Draw letters all over the porch or driveway and play away. Kids can jump from different letters spelling words like their names, favorite animals, colors and more. This is an easy way to get the energy out with just a little effort.
- Doodle maze: Grab one piece of chalk and draw a large, swirly line all over the driveway. Make sure it’s full of different turns and squiggles. Then, your kids just have to follow the maze. Try different challenges, like skipping or leapfrog, to really get their heart rates up.
- Hopscotch: This is a classic sidewalk chalk game! Draw a traditional pattern, or make up a few of your own, and make memories that will last all summer long.
Games to play with water
- Sidewalk painting: With a cup of water and a paintbrush, your kids can give your driveway a makeover — or at least that’s what they’ll think! Sidewalk painting, or water painting, will keep them entertained for hours as they doodle on the concrete or repaint the fence!
- Water limbo: For the really hot days, a water hose may become your kids’ new favorite “toy.” Turn on the water hose and have your kids walk under the stream just like limbo. Get lower every time to keep the game going.
- Jump the stream: This one is similar to water limbo, but instead of walking under the stream of water, kids will jump over it! Raise the hose every time to see who can jump the highest.
It doesn’t take much to keep kids entertained for hours. All you need are household items! Looking for ways to stay in shape yourself with items you already own? Try a few of these workout tips. If you need an energy boost, these kid-approved summer recipes will keep you full all season long.