This last year was the first time I had a child in school. She was only gone for a couple hours each day for her preschool. But it’s during nap/quiet time for the younger kids, so I’ve started to rely on that time to get things done or just relax for a bit. It’s when I work on the blog, nap, sometimes even workout or shower. It’s my time.
Now that school is out for summer, I’m a bit worried that I’m going to lose some of that time for the summer until school starts again. So, I’m getting all ready to keep my kids well entertained for the summer. They do a pretty good job of keeping themselves entertained on their own. But I like to keep some fun things ready to get us through the long, overwhelming days. Or to pull out when they need something fresh to play with.
I know my kids will want to spend almost every day outside, so most of these are focused on backyard toys. But we also get quite a few rainy days in the summer here in Cleveland. So I did include a few that can work, no matter the weather.
Water Toys
My kids could spend the entire day in the water if they could. Usually in the summer we get a splash pad or small pool for the backyard that the kids can spend the entire day in if they want. This year we did a 10 ft pool for the backyard and just filled it a small amount. It’s the perfect size for our kids, plus a couple neighbor friends who often come over.
In the pool, we pull out bath toys to play with inside. I have a post with some of our favorite bath toys that would also work great for the kiddie pool here.
One more water option is a water table. A couple summers ago, our next door neighbor had a water table in their backyard, and my kids loved when they got invited over to play. And these water tables are super fun. But if you are looking for something super cheap, grab a small storage tote or a big bowl, measuring cups or ladles, rocks and some toys and let the kids go wild with that.
Bounce Toys
What I love about bounce toys is that it keeps them moving and wears them out. Then by naptime or bedtime, my kids are ready to rest!
We have this bounce house, and it is so fun. It was gifted to us a couple years ago for Christmas. I love this one because it actually fits in our basement as well. So, it gets plenty of use, all year long. And it’s always perfect when we have friends over.
Below I’ve linked our favorite bounce house, and a few other options that will keep your kids jumping (and burning energy before bedtime).
Toys On Wheels
We love anything with wheels here. Bikes, scooters, wagons. My kids could spend hours on their bikes. Really anything with wheels keeps them entertained for hours. They love those roller coaster toys. And the roller coaster is another great one that you can use all year round. We put ours in the basement over the wintertime. It’s easy to pull apart, move and put back together.
Another great one we love is this John Deere tractor. It’s small, so my 3 year old is too big for it now. But my 18 month old has been playing on it since before he could walk, and I think it will fit him well for about another year.
Before you buy any new bikes, check Facebook marketplace! My daughter asked for a bike for her birthday this year and they are expensive to buy brand new. So I checked marketplace and was able to find one for less than $20. My husband cleaned it up, painted it and added training wheels. So in the end we spent less than $50 all together. (and I actually think the training wheels cost more than the bike).
Other Options
And to finish out this post, I’ve got a few more options I found on Amazon that your kids will love all summer!
Let me know what your kids are obsessed with during the summer, and what you’re doing to keep the kids busy this summer in the comments below. If you’re looking for some more tips to keep summers easy and fun, start with this post for the perfect summer lunch idea!
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