Summer Activities for Kids
Ah, summer. Backpacks and books make way for swimsuits and summer camp. It’s a great time of year — unless you’re trying to figure out how to keep the kiddos entertained and their brains (at least somewhat) engaged. After all, we want them to relax and have fun, but we don’t want their minds to turn to mush. (Sheesh! When did I become my mother?!)
With harvests in full swing, summer can be a great time to introduce kids to agriculture. Fun projects can get them involved and teach healthy habits without turning every activity into a character-building chore. (Not that there’s anything wrong with character. We approve.)
Play with My American Farm
This initiative from American Farm Bureau has great ideas for families to bond over hands-on ventures, as well as online games to keep the information fresh and fun.
Here are just a few of their family-friendly activities.
- Make a flower pen: Great for younger kids, this activity teaches them the parts of a flower while they make a festive pen in the process. (May we suggest a sunflower?)
- Create a rubber glove window box: This simple activity will give your little ones a front-row seat to watching plants grow. Unlike planting in soil, this unique project will let them see the actual seed as it sprouts.
- Make a necklace with a live plant inside: Geared toward older kids, this activity uses the same principle as the window box, only kids can wear their sprouting seeds as jewelry.
Bonus: Certain activities include a technology element. Sure, we’ve all felt a little guilty handing our kiddos a tablet to try to keep them engaged (or at least quiet!). We’re not bad parents — we swear! But if they’re playing educational games for a little while? See ya, techno-guilt.
Several apps are available for different age groups. Download them from the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon. Or download a Science Day Camps Guide here to find more activities.
Learn About Farming
Whether you visit a farm or explore at home, teaching your family about how their food gets to the dinner table is a game changer.
Stacey Uhorchak of Manhattan, Kansas, has three children and prioritizes farming exploration.
“I really wanted my children to learn organically and by just being kids,” she says.
To incorporate these lessons in your own home, here are a few of Stacy’s tips:
- Let your kids get dirty: “Let them dig in the dirt and plant random seeds. I had a hard time with this at first, but once I let go, they explored, discovered and learned a lot more.”
- Cook with your kids*: “Involving them in their food is amazing! My oldest didn’t used to eat veggies. Her first taste was of green beans she had grown and picked herself. And she loved them! I involve them in the kitchen daily and both my girls can scramble their own eggs from start to finish.”
- Look for resources: “Seek out farms that have family days or special interest clubs, or go to the library, get books and reinforce learning through reading.”
*More on that next!
Here are more helpful resources to help you foster interest in Kansas farms and farming:
- Schedule a virtual field trip with a Kansas pork farmer for school.
- See if a Sunrise Project program would be a good fit to get your kiddo out in nature.
- Join your local 4-H club.
- Take an educational field trip to learn more about agriculture and farming.
Cook with Your Kids
Bringing kids into the kitchen has many benefits. Even if things take longer or get a little messy, the extra time and cleanup are worth it! Not only are children more likely to eat foods they help prepare, but involving them from a young age can also instill a love for cooking and teach fundamental life skills.
With plenty of things to stir, measure and whisk, these recipes are great to make with younger kids:
Requiring more skill and care, try these recipes with older kids:
For age-appropriate tasks, safety tips and more, take a gander at our guide to getting in the kitchen with kids.
Visit a You-Pick Farm
Many farmers open their fields to folks this time of year for a farm-to-table experience. For a small fee, you can check out their operation, learn about farming and pick your own produce. Farms offer everything from berry to apple picking. You can enjoy some time outdoors and build a greater connection with (and enjoyment of) the food you put on your table. Now that’s something we can sink our teeth into!
Check out these listings to help you find your perfect farm adventure:
And there are plenty of options near major cities, too:
We recommend contacting the farmers first to double-check hours and cost and to make sure produce is in season.
Garden with Your Kids
Gardening encourages kids to become more in tune with nature, and research shows a myriad of benefits from stress reduction to coping with mistakes or circumstances beyond the gardener’s control.
If you don’t have the space for an outdoor garden (or the time to manage one), container gardening is a wonderful way to turn your child’s thumb green. Some plants are perfectly happy growing in pots instead of in the ground, so you can start small and see how they like it.
Local resources like K-State Research and Extension’s comprehensive Kansas Gardening Guide can help you get going. To get the dirt on all-things container gardening, start on page 19!
For tips on planting with every age group from toddlers to teens, read our article about gardening with kids.
Whew! With so many options, we hope you pack this summer with fun, quality time and even a little education. We won’t tell the kids.
