Finding Summer Fun with the Kids in Poway

With school out, our kids have a lot more time on their hands, and our hands as parents have filled up even more. What activities can we do with our kids to keep them active, safe, and having fun at the same time? Here are a few ideas for thought:

1. Add some physical basics during downtime. For example, during television time make commercials a time for jumping jacks or jogging in place. Or when kids are playing video games, make losing a turn or a game a time for stretching or stair climbing, or even a time to help with a household chore.

2. Buy or make a Slip ’n Slide for your backyard, or play games with your sprinklers. Combining water with physical activity offers hours of outdoor fun for kids of all ages, regardless of the temperature.

3. Have an outdoor barbecue with the family. While the food is cooking, play backyard games like freeze tag, Wiffle baseball, Frisbee, or lawn bowling using a softball and pins made from plastic bottles.

4. Cook up a simple meal or  even bake some of your favorite cookies with your children’s help. Make cooking a simple meal a family activity. Talk to your children about food groups, and experiment with different recipes.

5. Create an indoor and outdoor scavenger hunt by hiding treats and fun trinkets throughout your property. Use themes from storybooks or a movie to guide the fun for older kids. With each treat or trinket, add a fitness activity such as walking on all fours, doing an handstand, doing a somersault, etc.

6. Plan physical activities as a family, such as walking to or around one of our many parks or Lake Poway, playing miniature golf or going to the zoo. Make a game out of walking quickly. Pick out a landmark ahead and walk as fast as you can without breaking into a run. First one to the landmark wins!

7. Organize neighborhood or blockwide activities for kids. For example, hide and seek, kickball, tag, or bicycle relays. Neighborhood games and activities promote fun fitness and it’s a good way to bring the neighbors together and a great excuse for parents to socialize among each other and decompress as well.

8. On hot days, avoid the urge to stay home by looking for healthy indoor activities. Take your kids bowling, go to an indoor gym or skating rink.

9. Make one day a week a theme day for the family. For example, make a day all about flying. Take your kids to one of our San Diego County museums and look at planes up close. Fly a kite, launch model rockets, make paper airplanes and chase after them as they fly. More than just physical activity, these activities can help educate your kids.

10. Make use of our local community pool, or a private pool. Water games such as Marco Polo and swim relays are another great way to beat the heat, but more importantly they help kids get comfortable with the water.

The days in and days out of being a parent and trying to entertain our kids can be demanding and tiring, but being together as a family and having fun is what counts in the long run, no matter how strenuous. 

Let us know what fun summer activities you have planned or ideas you have! Have a fun, active and safe summer!