Simple and Active Summer Fun

My mom only had to limit my TV before I ran out the door, but today, if TV is limited, there is the Internet, and if told to get exercise, children elect virtual exercise through the family Wii.  These indoor inventions make raising kids much easier, as parents always know where kids are, as five hours later, they are right where they were left.
Yes, this lifestyle eliminates the worry of sunburn, heat exhaustion, and West Nile, but the risk of these generally less-than-deadly ailments is far out-weighted by the rewards.  So what are some great, inexpensive items to get kids moving and imagining:
 

Learning Resources 12-Inch Inflatable Globe
Get an inflatable globe for a beach ball
for fun and education for older kids.


1.  For younger kids, pick up the classic beach ball.  Just $.99 at Target, they are great for eye-hand and foot coordination, as they are large and easy to contact.  Better yet, there are no tears, as no matter how hard it is thrown, a beach ball can do little damage.  Older children like them too, as they test how high they can kick and hit the ball. 
2.  The classic baby pool.  Available for less than $10, we avoided the inflatable pool and for $8 bought a hard-plastic pool that has been with us for three years, as it is indestructible.  It is also great to fill with leave in the fall for another couple of hours of messy fun.

3.  Fore-go the expensive made-for-kid sprinklers, as mom and dad's is far more fun.  The giant inflatable, spouting beach balls, alligators, etc. stay in one place and spray water consistently in one direction, where as the oscillating or pulsating sprinklers are constantly moving for great fun jumping over, through, or running away from them, all of which translated into expended energy!
 

Crayola Outdoor Giant Sidewalk Chalk 5ct
The larger chalk is easier to clean up and
keep up with.

4.  Side-walk chalk.  Get your artist and athlete to share space, as kids can draw anything from their surroundings to hopscotch to a game of their own creation.  

5.  Need another "can't get hurt" toy?  Buy a soft, light weight "flying disk" which even young children will enjoy throwing to someone, up in the air, or simply seeing how far they can throw it.  Need a way to cool off, Target has flying discs made of the same material as the small, soft pool balls, so water flies everywhere when the Frisbee is thrown.

6.  Want a toy that kids will enjoy watching mom and dad enjoy as much as playing with it themselves?  Get a hula-hoop (or two or three).  Older kids will love competitions to see who can keep it around their waist, leg or arm the longest, or seeing if they can run through the rolling hula-hoop, but young kids will love to roll it or chase it as it rolls or bounces.  They can also be used like a jump-rope, game of horse-shoe, or any other thing you kids can dream up.  Look for a hula-hoop that has some weight to it and is not covered in a tape or film, as it will tear in one use.


Funrise Gazillion Bubble 64 oz. Solution
If you have to order bubbles, get
a bottle large enough to last.

7.  Bubbles are a dying art, but nothing is more fun (or relaxing for parents).  Target took them off their aisles this summer, as "it was no longer in demand," so this mom had to do what she never thought conceivable; she ordered a bottle of bubbles.  The bubble guns and other toys do not ask kids to figure out how many ways they can blow bubbles or discover how the wind blows, more or less encourage them to catch bubbles or see how high one can drift without popping.

8.  Got wheels?  No child should ever be without something to ride, be it a bike, trike, or ride-on.  It does not need lights or music and if it is motorized, you have diminished the experience; all kids need are wheels, toughness, and safety (for mom and dad).


Dinosaur 7" Playground Ball
Up the learning value with balls
covered in everything from animals
to the solar system and beyond.

 9.  No house is complete without a "kickball."  They are fun at any age and can be used for a neighborhood game of kickball or use your side-walk chalk to draw four-square boxes.  For younger kids, bouncing, kicking or simply rolling one down the hill is great sport.

10.  Nothing....or everything.  Sometimes the most fun starts with a stick; after it rains, poke a branch to make it rain again, for the kid who likes dirt, it is a great shovel or worm-finder.  Who needs a toy when you have boots, as you have nothing but adventures in boots, whether puddle stomping or a march around the neighborhood.  A towel is a cape, a paper bag a treasure holder, pine straw is great for making a nest, bushes are perfect for a game of chase and trees were designed for hide and go seek....so get up, get out and go find the adventures that await!