When I was a little girl, I used to love my summer vacations. Hands-down, my favorite part of the break was that my mom was able to take some days off with my sister and I—and she worked a lot!—before we had to head back to class. It was the perfect time for the three of us to be together. So before your own kids have to go back to school, make sure you do the following 10 super fun activities with them. The clock is ticking—be sure to take full advantage of these last days of summer!
1. Take them to a fair. What kid doesn't like fairs? It's like being in paradise! Together you can all go on the rides, catch the shows and live music acts, and go crazy with candy! Make sure to stay till dark when your children will surely be wowed by the lights.
2. Spend a day at the beach. If you haven' t done so already, make sure you take advantage that it's still warm enough and head to the shore! Bring tons of toys to play in the sand and once there, organize a game to see who collects the most sea shells. We guarantee this will keep them entertained for hours!
3. Plan a picnic. The day itself is fun, but the most fun is actually in the prep work: Decide where you'll be spending the day and then get your kids' input and help with putting together your picnic basket. Fill it with travel-friendly snacks, drinks, and desserts.
4. Let them sleep in. Or go to sleep much later! Once class is in session, your kids will have to head to bed and wake up super early, so let these last days of freedom be as relaxed as possible.
5. Head to a museum. Learning can still be fun! Many museums offer tons of teachable opportunities—all in a kid-friendly, entertaining environment. Houston's Space Center, Bridgeport, Connecticut's Discovery Museum and Planetarium, or Jersey City, New Jersey's Liberty Science Center are just some examples.
6. Go to the zoo. It's a no-brainer: Kids love zoos, so make sure to plan an outing to a zoo near you. It's a great place to learn about other species and just spend some quality time together. Some parks (like Rochester, New York's Seneca Park) offer unique night-time activities.
7. Make cupcakes or cookies together. Cooking will be more fun if you get your kids to help! And we're sure they'll love making sweet treats. Buy embellishments and decorative ingredients to get them to join in and spice up their creations.
8. Volunteer. Help your kids understand the plight of others who are less fortunate. You can make an activity out of collecting old clothes and coats to donate or find out about organizations that need some administrative help that you and your kids can help out with. It will hopefully get your kids to appreciate all that they have.
9. Plant a tree. This simple activity will help create some awareness in your kids about preserving our natural recourses. Check out these instructions to help you get started!
10. Play videogames with them! One night, try (we said try!) to leave your mami role aside and pick up one of their game console controllers. Play a few rounds with them—let your inner kid out, at least for a few minutes!
What are you planning to do with your kids before they head back to school? Tell us in the comments below!
