June 20: Summer Fun

During one of my webinars about planning for summer, I recommended that families plan a couple of special, fun activities each week this summer so that everyone has things to look forward to at a time when camps, vacations, and family visits may have been cancelled or curtailed.  A parent asked if I would share some ideas about simple special events to plan this summer.  I’m certain that there are many creative ideas available online, but here are a few thoughts to get you started:

· Pizza day - listed first because this was an annual summer favorite with my 3 children – we would make pita pizzas with fruit and peanut butter or cream cheese for breakfast, English muffin pizzas for lunch, a giant cookie pizza for a treat (we got very creative with toppings), and make-your-own pizza for dinner

· Backwards day – wake up and wish everyone, “Good night”, eat dinner foods for breakfast, wear your clothes backwards, try some backwards relay races for an activity, and have pancakes for dinner

· Halloween in July

· (Design and make your own) crazy hat day

· Blueberry muffin bake off - try several recipes and do a blind taste test. 

· Top chef – choose a few ingredients and have family members combine them in a creative way, then everyone gets to taste the finished products

· Teddy bear/doll/stuffed animal picnic or tea party

· Field day at home – which could include a water balloon toss, 3-legged race, wheelbarrow race, etc.

A resource to share this week: If your child is having difficulty navigating friendships while physical distancing, check out this ebook for children ages 6-12.