The time-honored parental declaration, "Go outside and play!" springs from a rich cultural history of parents being driven completely insane by the equally time-honored child's intonation, "I'm bored!"
If there is nothing out there to do, you can cue this refrain to play over and over again like a Spotify playlist that's only one song long all summer.
Be ready, or this is your fate. Sure, there might be some assembly required, but your actual sanity is at stake here.
Here are some ideas to get you started prepping for the summer boredom wars.
This swimming pool stores easily in the garage.
$149.99
from
There is nothing like a body of cool water on a hot day. And if you can have that body of water without packing a beach bag, driving to a crowded pool, and taking the day off from work? All the better.
This pool assembles in 30 minutes, fills with a garden hose, and is a great place for a small body to learn some basic swimming and for you to get in and get cool while that small body does.
A drain hose lets you use the water to water the garden when you empty it.
It's over $50 off right now!
This ball pit has a basketball hoop built in.
Even before we all became germaphobes, the ball pit at the local indoor play area required a steely constitution and a heavy application of post-play hand sanitizer. It's unlikely we are ever going to trust our children to that big petri dish again anytime soon.
So here's one for your backyard. You can control the sanitation, and the kids don't have to give up their bouncy, ball-immersive fun. There's even a basket to throw the balls into.
A shark float that comes with sun protection.
Baby will love sailing around the pool in this two-piece float that looks like an ice cream-loving shark. The top comes off so baby can enjoy the view and attaches if you start to worry about sun exposure. It's designed so baby can sit up in there.
Play this giant game of Connect Four outside.
Park this 4-foot-tall game on the lawn and there will always be something to do out there. It's plastic, so you don't have to bring it in when it rains, and all the pieces store right on it. It will even be fun if you decide to host an open-air cocktail party or barbecue out there.
This inflatable kiddie pool doubles as a shower.
This fun kiddie pool hooks up to the hose to simulate a little water park at home for the littles. The best thing about your own water park is that you can call it a bath since you know the water is reasonably clean.
It's big enough for a couple of small children to get wet and have some splashing fun.
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