Fun Outdoor Activities to Try This Summer

As the end of summer draws closer, and with the hottest days of the summer upon us, you're likely struggling to find creative ways to keep the kids busy and cool until school starts again. Rather than having them sitting on the couch all day, cranking up your air conditioner (and your electric bill), why not try some of these fun outdoor activities that will keep them entertained and cool them off?

DIY Splash Pad

Splash pads are a more recent addition to many communities. These water-based playgrounds are perfect for helping your kids stay cool and have fun outdoors during the heat of the summer. However, they can also be extremely crowded in the summer months. So, if you don't want to brave the crowds, or you just don't have one near you, why not try making a miniature splash pad in your own backyard?

There are many ways you can do this, depending on how complex you want it to be. One great idea is to drill holes in a PVC pipe and add an attachment that allows it to connect to your hose. Cap the opposite end, turn on the hose, and the water will spray out through the drilled holes. And, with the ability to connect as many pieces of PVC pipe as you like, you can really get creative with it.

If you don't have the time or energy to build anything, you can always go to the classic fallbacks of playing in the sprinklers or running the garden hose onto a tarp for a homemade slip-n-slide.

Water Balloon Fight

Your kids are probably fighting over the remote or the gaming console anyways. So why not let them work through their sibling rivalry outside, with a little help from water balloons? Fill up a few dozen of the balloons, and give each kid a bucket full of them. They'll have a blast chucking the water balloons at one another, and they'll keep cool doing it.

To extend the fun, give each kid a water gun as well. Once the balloons are used up, they can continue playing and squirting each other down with their watery weapons. Just don't forget to have your kids clean up the pieces of the broken balloons when they're done.

Ball Blast

Create a circle on your lawn using rope, string, or even a hula hoop. Place balls of differing sizes and weights inside the circle. Then, give your kids the hose and let them take turns trying to spray the balls out of the circle. Let them compete to see who can do it the fastest.

Or, you can let them try to blast the balls out of the circle using their water guns. Older kids may even enjoy turning it into a battle; use balls of different colors, and have each kid try to keep the balls of their assigned color in the circle, while pushing out their sibling's balls. Everyone's bound to get a little wet with this game, and it's sure to be a blast-pun intended.

These "dog days" of summer can wreak havoc on your sanity, and on your electric bill. But, if you can get your kids outdoors to cool off, they'll have more fun, you'll feel less stressed, and you won't have to be constantly cracking your air conditioner through the hottest part of the summer.