Summer Fun For Bored Kids
Summer is coming and around here that is news that most people can’t wait to hear. It means we’ve made it through the snow, cold, slush, and ice of winter, and here in Vermont, it also means you and your car survived mud season. You have successfully played Dodge the Pothole, a game we Vermonters hate, but face with a grim determination to win each year.
Sometime after you congratulate yourself on making it through another winter, a slightly unsettling whisper begins in the back of your subconscious. At first, it’s barely loud enough to notice, you can’t quite make it out, but you feel…slightly off. As April turns into May, it becomes like the low hum of a mosquito that you can hear, but not see. You look around, but there is no visible mosquito and you just know that little bugger is going get you the minute you relax. May deepens and now the whisper is audible and it fills you with foreboding
“ The kids will be on Summer vacation soon…”
No parent in the world is going to tell you that they enjoy a bored kiddo on summer break. So I’ve decided to poke around and find some tips to keep boredom at bay and also some fun local summer activities.
Fun Summer Day Trips
Go to Vermont Teddy Bear Factory and take a tour.
Retail store and Tour info click here
Ben and Jerry’s Factory Tour, YUM!
Visit the Echo Leahy Center
Here is a list of Events Also, Plan your visit this link includes ticket info (but if you’re a kin family, we’ve got you covered, just call us), hours, parking and all the things you need to know.
Go swimming
Pack up some snacks and drinks, grab your towels and head to your local beach or swimming hole, if you’re feeling adventurous check some of these out .
Check community calendars
Also check your towns Parks and Rec programs, towns usually have great summer programs and classes.
Go to the Circus
Circus Smirkus is coming to town! Stay tuned to VKAP’s Facebook page for ticket giveaways!
Vermont Kin As Parents Family Fun Day
Stay tuned to this Blog or our social media for news and details
Don’t forget Independence Day!
Lots of towns have great parades and Independence Day celebrations, check schedules and maybe you can check out goings on in a couple of towns!
And finally, go to the the Fair!
Champlain Valley Expo jumps immediately to mind, but
Here is a list of fairs and information in case you want to visit other county fairs.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, all of these suggestions include driving…or money…or both and these two resources can certainly influence activities. So, to cover everyone, I have also dug around and come up with some neat things to do at home with your Kin kiddo.
Do some gardening
I will tell you that one of the best afternoons I spent with my kin kiddo was spent planting marigolds, which I hate the smell of, in outdoor pots. It was definitely not the process I envisioned, we were dirty, soggy and by the end of it, hungry for dinner. However, she was incredibly proud of those marigolds all summer, and she has great memories of her success planting flowers with her Gigi.
We have since planted veggies and other flowers and she is always ready to help with yard work, and that friends is a win win!
Go backyard camping
This was a favorite activity at my house. We would have camp food for dinner, roast smores, and sleep in our tent in the backyard. This is a great way to get littles excited about camping. BONUS ALERT! This method is also a great “Trial Run” for those of us who may not have gone camping with the elementary school set in a while. When I say that it’s really easy to forget that a five year old may need the potty at 3 a.m., I speak from hilarious experience.
Well Kin friends, that’s all for now. Stay tuned for “Summer Crafts for Bored Kids” coming soon.
*Jeana Lavallee, Wearer of many hats, Kin Mom, Edie's Gigi, Autism mom*
