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Playin In The Crick

As Bandit says, It’s the creek. You just sort of muck around. Spend the day crossing logs, looking for arrowheads, skipping rocks, hanging a rope swing, making a fairy garden, fishing, splashing, racing stick boats, playing spa, poking holes with a stick…

Bring a good knife to cut grape vines to swing on, and be sure the kids wear some boots or water shoes.

Pirates

Yaar about to have some fun if pirates ye may be! Sword fights, high seas, treasure hunts, crocodile waters (floor is lava), brave rescues, plank walks… all you need is a boat (ottoman, shopping cart, laundry basket etc.), maybe a few props (paper towel tube for a spyglass, t-shirt as a head bandanna, some sort of sword, unwrapped paper towel rolls for cannonballs), and a little imagination.

DADDIO TIME AFTER DARK: Same basic idea, only this time it’s role play with your wifey…

Tarzan Swing

Give your best Tarzan yell and take a swing on old growth Riverbank Grapevines (Vitis riparia)! A lucky find along riverbanks (duh), near forest clearings, and alongside roads or railroad tracks, these vines can stretch to the tops of the trees and will swing freely when cut at the bottom. An invasive vine common in all but very arid states will not be missed by the ecosystem and is sure to bring lots of spontaneous joy. Note, however, that there will always be a risk related to its load capacity and Humpty Dumpty potential. Don’t miss the opportunity when stumbling upon these natural swing sets – always bring a good serrated knife along for a hike. We recommend the Gerber NXT.

Costco Day!

So you’re the proud new owner of a 30-pack of paper towel rolls… But to your kid, those are castle bricks, bowling pins, and footballs! See who can build the tallest tower, build a wall to smash through, or get them ready for the season by having the kids knock them over with a soccer ball.

Dude… You Have A Box?!

That’s more than a box. That’s a fort, a helmet, dartboard, robot part, pair of airplane wings, crash pad, grass hill or staircase sled, a car to slide across the floor, a rocket ship (give it a good shake for takeoff), or even… a box… that you’ll use to ship your kids off to a new destination (which could either be a veiled threat or a gateway to a make believe world).

AMP UP YOUR WORKOUT: Flatten out a large box, fold over the end so there’s about 6 inches of overlap and poke a hole through both plies a couple inches from the edge. thread a rope or webbing through and tie it off. Reinforce with a little duct tape and Add kids for weight, and you now have $200 push/pull weighted training sled that will help instill values of healthy living while also providing a fun way to bond with your kids.

Dig A Hole

Just like it sounds. But don’t discount it – kids love a good hole and collecting worms in the process. Makes great cover for a pine cone war. Turn it into a hideout by gluing leaves and pine straw to a plywood cover for an ultimate ambush. Competitive, goal oriented boys in particular may spend hours or days digging a bunker. Deeply therapeutic – just like pressure washing. Give them praise for their hard work and accomplishment that they will sure take pride in, even though it’s just a dumb hole.

If there’s a small stream around, a variant of this activity is to build a dam. They will spend hours building and repairing the dam, and take great pride in doing so.

Rocket Launcher Build

Like a potato cannon without the heavy projectile. Launch rockets, water balloons, or snowballs!

Drive home the need for responsible behavior. Set boundaries and consequences ahead of time. Demonstrate safe usage and supply them with safety gear.

Building a potato cannon with your kids can be a fantastic activity for their socioemotional development in several ways:

Collaboration and Teamwork:

  • Shared Goal: Working together towards a common goal, like making the potato cannon launch the farthest, fosters teamwork and communication skills.
  • Problem-Solving: Inevitably, things won’t go exactly according to plan. Working together to troubleshoot and solve problems builds resilience and critical thinking skills.
  • Taking Turns and Sharing: Building a potato cannon requires sharing tools and materials. This teaches kids about taking turns, respecting each other’s ideas, and working collaboratively.

Confidence and Self-Esteem:

  • Sense of Accomplishment: Seeing the finished product, a working potato cannon, gives your child a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work.
  • Learning New Skills: They’ll learn new skills like following instructions, using tools (safely!), and understanding basic scientific principles behind the launch.
  • Overcoming Challenges: Building a potato cannon might involve some trial and error. Overcoming these challenges builds confidence and teaches them that perseverance pays off.

Communication and Expression:

  • Sharing Ideas: Discussing design ideas, troubleshooting problems, and celebrating success all require communication.
  • Expressing Creativity: While following a basic plan, there might be room for customization. This allows kids to express their creativity and personalize their potato cannon.
  • Scientific Inquiry: The launch itself can be an experiment! Varying the amount of propellant (hairspray) or the potato size can spark discussions about cause and effect.

Remember, the key is to make it a fun and engaging experience. Here are some additional tips:

  • Age-appropriate tasks: Assign tasks based on your child’s age and skill level.
  • Safety first: Always prioritize safety. Wear eye protection and supervise closely, especially when using tools or launching the cannon.
  • Focus on the journey: The process of building and experimenting is just as important as the final product. Celebrate the learning and teamwork along the way.

Building a potato cannon can be more than just a fun activity; it can be a valuable learning experience that contributes to your child’s socioemotional development in many ways.

Volcano That Doesn’t Suck

Forget the baking soda and vinegar and bring on the fire and brimstone! Mix sugar and potassium nitrate! Mix in a 60/40 ratio and you’ve got a flaming smoke grenade that will take your kid’s science experiment to another level. Be sure to ignite outside…

Setup A “Permanent” Tent

Feeling Pintresty? Get those string lights and a cheap tent to make a backyard hangout. Or fill it with sand from Home Depot for a perfectly covered sandbox.

Trampoline Chalk

Think hopscotch sidewalk chalk for the trampoline. Jump to the target landing zones in a given order. Maybe one zone requires a butt bounce, jumping jack, or football catch. Or come up with some trick shots with the H-O-R-S-E rules. Or heck, just have a sword fight or throw some balls at each other and show off some sweet dodge moves. Either way, your child will be learning valuable body self awareness.