Summer break is looming in the not-so-distant future and it’s time to start seriously thinking about how to entertain kids for entire day-long stretches while still providing some kind of educational benefit and physical activity. In our home the kids think summer break is code for a video game free-for-all, and we always spend a couple of weeks going back and forth over just how much screen time they will actually get. In the end the best solution is to make it so fun to be outside together that they don’t even give their xbox a second thought.
Check out some of our favorite ways to keep busy over the summer without being glued to s screen! One of our go to summer activities is to have a family water gun battle. Prime Time has something for everyone in their Adventure Force line!
1.
Adventure Force Super Storm Constant Pressure Water Gun
– This water gun has a huge 68oz reservoir and shoots water up to 38 feet, making this my favorite water gun. It’s perfect for keeping you at a safe distance and catching your opponent’s by surprise! It also features three different spray options for even more fun!
2.
Adventure Force Hydro Storm Water Guns – These mini water guns are a must have for any water fight. They come in a 6 pack so there’s plenty for everyone, and they shoot water up to 25 feet, so they still pack a big punch! Their smaller size is perfect for very young kids too.
3.
Adventure Force Water Balls – I love these because they’re easy for little kids to fill – just leave a bucket out and submerge the ball (no fighting with thin balloons and the hose!), and you won’t be picking up pieces of balloon off of your lawn for days either!
4.
Adventure Force Battle Blaster – Another pump action water gun, the Hydro Storm shoots water up to 35 feet and has a detachable scope for added accuracy. Honestly, the scope makes this one my kids favorite, hands down!
You can always plan to ambush a loved one on their arrival home too. Just make sure to leave them something to defend themselves with!
And have the big guns at the ready!
5.
T-Ball Set from American Plastic Toys – Talk about classic summer fun, this t-ball set is perfect for kids just learned to swing a bat. The stand is adjustable, the bat is lighweight and the balls are large for easy learning. My favorite part? Everything stores away in the stand, so we can always find what we need when it’s time to play again!
6.
Thames and Kosmos Build Your Own Flying Ornithopters – We love Thames and Kosmos science kits, and this one is perfect for the great outdoors. An ornithopter is a mechanical aircraft that flies by flapping it’s wings, like a bird. This kit allows you to build four different rubber band powered ornithopters – a bird, bat, butterfly and dragonfly. There’s a workbook included that walks you through the build and also includes great information about how birds and insects fly, and how wings generate lift. This is a great hand on educational activity that you can do in your backyard on any calm day!
7.
Disney Cars 3 Model Assembly Kits – Made for younger Disney Cars fans these Junior assembly model kits are great for kids age 5 an up. The kit includes all pieces, screws, nuts and tools needed to assemble the car and each piece is large enough for small hands. You can mix and match facial expressions and each car has working lights and sounds! My favorite part? The tool used to build the car stores underneath it, so it will always be there when you want to take it apart and build again! Choose from three popular Cars 3 characters: Lightning McQueen, Jackson Storm and Cruz Ramirez.
8.
Wet Head Game – One of our favorite games last year is back out for more summer fun! Wet Head is a water roulette game where one participant is going to get drenched! We love playing – outdoor play is highly suggested!!
9.
Pley Box Disney Princess Subscription Box – Young Disney fans will have plenty of fuel for their imaginations with this new Disney subscription box! Each bi-monthly box comes filled with toys, activities and accessories. We checked out the Beauty and The Beast box and couldn’t believe how many toys came packed into one box! With six high quality collectible figures, a tiara, tshirt and a box that turned into a color-your-own castle, there was plenty to play with again and again!
10.
Summer Escapes 10′ x 30″ Quick Set Round Above Ground Swimming Pool with Filter Pump System, 48.00 at Walmart – This might be our best summer investment yet! Since not all of my boys know how to swim, and I’m not comfortable supervising all four of them on my own around a pool – this was our middle ground. It comes with a pump, and it’s been wonderful to be able to cool down in this on hot summer days. For under $50.00 this was a total summer steal!
This pool sets up very quickly and is large enough for all six of us to get into. It’s only 30″ deep, so all of the kids can stand it, but still large enough for my six month old to float around on a baby raft! We actually hooked a Summer Waves Salt Water System up to ours, making it even easier to maintain and allowing us to skip harsh chlorine tablets!
11.
Ozark Trail Kids Indoor Camping Tent – When it gets too hot – or too wet – for outdoor fun, we turn up the AC and head inside for some indoor camping. We love the Ozark Trail Kids indoor tents, with colorful designs for every style and quick, easy set up.
We use these tents with matching sleeping bags and camp chairs to set up an indoor campsite. Some well placed lights, lanterns and a campfire movie from Netflix set the scene. Then we make some S’mores dip and spend the night playing board games!
12.
This Green Science Weather Station Kit is perfect for budding scientists over the summer. Build a weather station and record daily changes. You can also use it as a terrarium, growing your own plants right before your eyes! We do one of these just about every summer and it really is so much fun to build and use! I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we end up getting more advanced weather stations in the future when the kids are a little older.
Let me know what your go-t backyard summer activities are in the comments!
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