Water gun fights, playing in the sprinkler, baking goodies inside when it's just too hot to be outside, putting up blankets as forts, painting and drawing....
Water balloon toss or water balloon fights. Not sure where you live but you could go to the lake if you have one nearby.
Sidewalk chalk Fill a kiddie pool with a couple of bags of play sand Slip and slides water balloons eating popsicles on the lawn use spray bottles (set on stream) to "write" on the ground/wall/car set the sprinkler near the driveway- jump rope in the water! bubbles art projects- google ideas for kids but here's a couple: - find a box with rather high sides (for the kids to hold on to). Place blank paper in the bottom and put several "dollops" of paint around the paper. Drop in a couple of marbles and let the child tip the box around-rolling the marbles through the paint. - Fill a small pan (like a pie plate size) with a colored bubble mixture (again, google). Give the child a straw and instruct to blow a mass of bubbles up from the plate. Gently place a piece of paper on the top of the bubble mass and voila- a picture of a variety of circles. (It's really cool when it works!) - Finger paint and then hose everyone down when the art is put safely away. Make a ring toss- pound a thick dowel into the ground (off to the side of the yard)- use those flyer "rings" from the dollar store and try to land them around the dowel. (If you really need something quickly, use a craft knife to cut out the inside of paper plates to make the rings. Have the children stand pretty close to the dowel to start.) Bean bag toss- use paper plates as targets and toss bean bags (a little fabric with rice or beans sewn inside) to score points. Tricycle obstacle course in the driveway Soccer skills- put up several small cones (or stuffed animals or empty shoe boxes) and have the kids try to go through the cones while softly kicking a soccer ball around each obstacle. Some of those ideas won't work in super-heat or direct sun, but would be fun for children outdoors for a bit! MT3
