Summer is right around the corner, and sometimes it’s really hard to find activities to keep your busy toddler entertained.  In the summer the weather can get really HOT, depending on where you live.  Which means that sometimes we are stuck indoors until the weather cools off in the late afternoon/early evening.  I have found a few things you can do to keep your toddler busy when they have to be inside.  I have found that when toddlers are inside for long periods of time, they get bored and become rambunctious.  So Here are some things I have done in the past for my three year old. 

Inside activities:

1. Water fun: Kids love water, especially my kid :).  So I fill up totes with water (You can add things to the water, like food coloring or bubbles to enhance the fun).  You can put plastic animals in the water, usually you can find these at the 99 cent store or dollar tree.  If there’s food coloring in the water, then it makes it harder for them to search for the animals.  Give your child cups so they can practice pouring the water from tote to cup.  This also helps them build their fine motor skills.  Make sure to place old towels or newspaper on the floor to avoid mess and stains.

2.  Create a mural:  Kids love to paint and create.  You can get large craft paper and tape it up to one specific wall in your house or child’s room.  They can draw, color and paint all over the paper.  Since this paper is big, they can take breaks in between and keep returning to it throughout the day.  This is also a great activity to teach your child the importance of Art and explain what a mural is.  I actually got this idea from Nick Jr’s Olivia 🙂

3.  Make moon sand: I actually found this idea on Pinterest, and have not tried it yet so I’m looking forward to this activity.  So the instructions are to use five cups of flour and mix in one cup of baby oil, once mixed this turns into soft sand.  You can have your child use measuring cups and spoons to play in the sand.  As always, I recommend laying down some newspaper or towels to prevent mess 🙂

4.  Music time: My son is so musically inclined, he loves to sing and drum.  So it’s a great idea to put on some music (kid friendly, of course) and have them rock out.  You can also have them make their own instruments.  Here are some instruments you can make from things around the house! Drum: Use an empty coffee tin, you can cover this with craft paper or construction paper (in my opinion craft paper is a heavy duty and holds better).  Place the paper over the top of the can with a rubber band and have your child drum away, my son refers to them as the bongo drums 🙂 Maracas: Use paper towel or toilet paper rolls, fill them with noodles (macaroni is the best!), and cover each end with construction paper and rubber bands.  Just a few instruments that are simple to create some music fun.

5.  Necklace fun: You can have your child make a necklace also using things you have around the house.  For example, take some yarn (it’s thicker, but you can use any type of string material) and string on penne pasta.  First you can paint the penne, and have your child string them on.  These are great gifts for grandparents :). 

Outdoor activities:

1. Pool fun: If you live in a small place or do not have your own pool, that doesn’t mean your kids have to miss out.  You can buy a plastic pool (I actually seen one at Wal-Mart and it came with a little slide, it was about $24).  You can do this when it’s a little cooler outside so that your kids don’t burn, as always don’t forget the sun block! 🙂

2. Friday Fun Day: I like to have a day of the week where I do something out of the ordinary with my kids.  You can do Chuck E. Cheese, Museums, Water Parks, Zoo, or anything else that tickles your fancy.  Of course I think that weather has a lot to do with these activities, so plan accordingly.

3.  Daily activities:  Check with your local city and find out what they have going on around you.  Sometimes the cities put on street fairs, farmers markets, or other events that you can do with your kids.  My city has parent and me classes, indoor gymboree and many more.  Some of these activities are free or may have a cost but are very inexpensive and the classes last about five weeks. 

4. Picnics at the park: Pack some sandwiches and head over to your favorite park! I like to try different parks every week, it gives the kids a different scenery. 

5.  Outside games:  Games are always fun things to do with your kids, in the summer you can include water games such as a water balloon toss or squirt gun tag. 

6.  Nature walk: If you neighborhood has a local trail or hiking path take your little ones on an adventure.  Show them the different trees and have them name colors and ask them what they see.  This is a great way to teach the game “I spy…with my little eye”. 

            So there you have it, just a few ideas to get you started on your summer adventure with your kiddos.  I get ideas from different sites and then I add my own little twist to them.  Parenting.com is a great site for fun activities, fun.familyeducation.com is great for craft ideas, Disney.go.com is another great site for kids of all ages.  Keep me posted on some of the things you and your child do this summer, I look forward to seeing all the fun you have! 🙂

            Thanks for stopping by and remember to share this great information with other mommies out there.  Keep striving for mommy success…Until next time! 🙂