When school closes and summer begins all children look forward to sunny days, running popsicles and the frolic of long days. However, co-parents with joint custody might find a juggle when it comes to summer activities for kids. It is quite essential to schedule fun, constructive, and nice bonding time in order to ensure that summer is a memorable one to both kids and parents.
Summer is not an easy time and to ensure the co-parenting challenges are taken into consideration requires careful planning, flexibility, and communication. Setting schedules, making sure both sides of the parents do enriching activities, putting together a week of activities and more, it is a collaboration to ensure your child is going to have memories of laughs and connection.
In this article, the most dependable outdoor summer activities for kids will be discussed which is abundant in situations of shared custody. Such notions help the two parents in ensuring that they create happy memories with their children without ending up under pressure, overcommitted and at war.
1. Weekly Nature Walks: Simple Summer Activities for Kids
Nature walks are easy, cheap and flexible with any schedule. They can take children to the park, play in the fresh air or walk along the lake or even visit a botanic garden, which allows children to exercise.
Parents and children can engage in this exercise every week when they are involved in shared custody. Parents could alternatively do walks on Tuesdays afternoon and reserve Saturday mornings.
2. Backyard Camping
Backyard camping is a superb option as summer activities for kids when the whole camping adventure is too complicated to plan with alternating custody. Pitch a tent, get out the sleeping bags, roast marshmallows and star-gaze.
Have one backyard camp out by every parent per month. By doing this, children would feel that both homes are fun and comfortable rather than one.
Tip: To make camping fun, use glow sticks, tell stories, or play card games.
3. Create a Summer Activity Calendar Together
Children live on routine, even in the summer. A very good method of incorporating” fun and structure is by making a common summer activity calendar. Sit down with your child and your co-parent (where possible) and schedule outdoor summer activities for kids such as visiting the zoo, water balloons day, weekend bike riding or any activity that is of interest to your child.
Then tape that calendar on the refrigerator of both households. The mutual planning makes children feel confident and eager regardless of their parental company.
Bonus: Give the kid one choice of activities per week – that creates autonomy and strong feelings of connection.
4. Summer Activities for Kids Through Local Camps and Classes
It can be tennis, swimming or nature camp; enrolling in well-organized summer activities for kids provides them with some anticipation. Most day camps can deal with a steady pattern of custody (such as alternating weekends or weekly changes of custody).
Most organisations have become accommodating to divorced families therefore be open with your time with signing up.
How does it help? Kids get to burn off their energy and make new friends and both parents are able to go to work or rest.
5. DIY Outdoor Scavenger Hunts: Educational Summer Activities for Kids
One of the most appropriate summer activities for kids is the scavenger hunt since it can be shaped concerning any age or location. Printable scavenger hunt lists are available but you could create your own using natural elements such as a red flower, a butterfly or a pinecone.
Every parent can design his own expedition or utilize a thematic hunt every week animals of the jungle one week, the other week colors.
6. Farmer’s Markets and Fairs
Summer activities for kids are an ideal time to get together within the locality. Outdoor fairs induce games, snacks, and crafts and offer colorful experiences at farmer markets. They are particularly perfect when a parent has not so much time, but they would like to make the most out of their weekend.
Provide your child with a budget of a treat and train them to make decisions.
7. Photography Projects as Creative Summer Activities for Kids
Hand your child a camera and give him or her a new photo theme every week such as, “My Favorite Tree” or “Summer Colors”. Both parents are permitted to do it and your child can show his or her pictures at both homes.
Towards the end of summer, make the photos into a scrapbook as a reminder of all the experiences.
8. Water Play Days: Fun and Easy Summer Activities for Kids
The water games are never out-dated. It can be water balloons, splash pads, sprinklers, and children simply adore it and it is simple to organize. switch houses and offer something new to your kid to look forward to once per week.
Additional fun can be provided by setting up mini competitions or obstacle courses
9. National Parks and Trails
In case you and your co-parent are willing to cooperate, extended trips to the national parks on a day basis will be an incredible experience to children. Better still when the parents adopt different destinations, it makes things more interesting and produces a healthy feeling of anticipation.
In shorter excursions, nature reserves or hiking paths give an equivalent adventure.
These types of summer activities for kids provide both exercise and meditation as well as family time, all within a few hours.
10. Outdoor Movie Nights: Relaxing Summer Activities for Kids
Backyard movie nights are magical. Put blankets, pop the corn and use a projector. All you need is to allow your child to choose the movie and alternately to whom the movie night belongs to.
Add some themes, costumes, or special snacks to make the experience maintain emotional freshness and fun.
11. Gardening Projects: Growth-Focused Summer Activities for Kids
Gardening teaches children the sense of responsibility, patience and nature. Install a small flower pot or a garden box in every house. Allow your child to pick what they would like to grow, strawberries, sunflowers, herbs.
They can tend to their plants in your company and the other parent takes over when they are not around. With time this is a common achievement.
Note: This is the kind of summer activities for kids that become more fulfilling as the summer wears on.
12. Library Visits and Storytime
There are many libraries that present outdoor storytime or summer reading. Select once a week and combine it with a stroll or a picnic in the park.
Beginning a common reading log or journal helps to keep children occupied between households and builds literacy expertise.
13. Fishing and Boating
Fishing and boating are great summer activities for kids to consider especially when you are close to a lake, river, and ocean. The activities are quite concentrated and need a patient mind, and this promotes silent bonding.
Throw in some more fun like the art of tying knots, making small boats or local fish recognition.
Safety Tips: Never forget life jackets, sunscreen and water.
14. Family BBQs and Picnics: Social Summer Activities for Kids
It is also a good idea to involve extended family during summer. Plan a BBQ, a picnic or a lake day with grandparents or cousins. This assists children in preserving extended family relationships despite the fact that the parents are apart.
There are even cases of parents asking the question: “Should co-parents spend time together?” In case you and your co-parent are in a good place and have a cooperative relationship, then having some time of low-stress events during the summer, such as a birthday picnic or school celebration, can serve to facilitate stability in your child. But, this is only healthy when the two parents are comfortable and respectful amongst themselves.
Swapping of these events may provide a sense of belonging in both family units.
15. Reflect, Don’t Compete: Keep Summer About the Kids
The top summer activities for kids are never about how much money you spend or how fun a parent you want to be, they are about presence, laughter and love. Be consistent, align considering each other, and make your child feel wanted at both homes.
Maintain an upbeat tone and emphasize on emotional appeal. The most important thing is the memories.
Final Thoughts
Visiting summer with a shared custody arrangement is not always easy- however it is jam packed with opportunity. Even with careful planning and a bit of imagination, both parents are capable of granting their children bite-size, memorable, outdoor experiences, which they will never forget.
Whether we talk about water balloon fights, movie nights under the summer moon or going on a quiet stroll in nature, these summer activities for kids can create a lifetime of good memories in both households.
Need an additional guide to your co-parenting?
Check out https://smartdivorcenetwork.com/, which provides expert information, community tales, and resources that make shared custody both easier and more satisfying. You can also follow us on Facebook.
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