When most of us think of summer, we think of lots of outdoor fun. Sprinklers, pool parties, nature walks — we all love being in the great outdoors. But there are some days when the heat just gets to be too much and we have to stay inside. Especially when it comes to little kids — no one needs to be overheating. Never mind that these days, thanks to wildfires, many of us are dealing with poor air quality alerts.
But there are plenty of exciting indoor activities, too, that involve more than just plopping the little ones in front of the television. Prepare for some indoor fun for the hottest summer days. These activities are not only exciting but yield some incredible keepsakes and memories.
More from CafeMom: 15 Indoor Activities That Get Kids Moving on Rainy Days
Set up a tent inside
Even though you may not have room for an open tent indoors all the time, on special occasions (like when it's just way too hot to play outside) bringing the tent indoors can be just as fun. No tent? No problem. Just make a fort with blankets. Playing with dolls, cars, whatever your kid's favorite toys are feels new when a tent is involved.
Make frozen ice pops together
Who doesn't love a cool, refreshing frozen ice pop?! Pick up some of your kids favorite fruits and puree them. I love a strawberry yogurt ice pop — mash strawberries and add yogurt, scoop into ice pop molds or cups with sticks, freeze until solid, and enjoy. Watermelon alone works well, too. Or just freeze a banana for a frosty treat.
Have a movie party
Instead of just turning on the air conditioner and popping in a movie, why not invite some of your kids' friends over for a movie party? Have each parent bring a fun snack (popcorn, ice pops, ice cream) and watch a kid-friendly flick together.
Balloon-apalooza anyone?
While it's not that easy to blow up a bunch of balloons, the reward is great! It's fun to watch them blow away from the air conditioner, too. Invite some other parents over for help blowing them up and have a balloon party. Right before dinner, this activity could get your kids to work up an appetite.
Make your own play-doh and craft your favorite summer things
I'll admit, even as an adult, I love playing with play dough! You can make your own play dough with the kids and stay cool inside crafting your favorite summer things out of the dough. Butterflies, worms, flowers, buses, horses — whatever your kids love, can be made.
Write a book
We read books to our kids all the time, but have you tried writing one with them? You can start the book by crafting a sentence, then having your child write the next one. Keep going until you have a full story. Then you can illustrate it together. What a great keepsake.
Have a treasure hunt
Gather up some toys and treats (treats that hide well, like lollipops, things in packages) and hide them for your kid to find. Make the treasure hunt fun by putting on some music when the kids are on the search. Once the music stops, the hunt stops, and that's when you can start giving hints to find the ones still not discovered.
Draw self-portraits.
I love kid self-portraits. They are so telling and sweet, and they just may surprise you on how much they really do resemble your child. Dedicate the day to drawing self-portraits — or even family portraits. Save them. Each year have your child do another and compare. They make memorable keepsakes.
