Summer is here, COVID is still around and your kids are too young to get vaccinated. Here are 100 things to do with them.

Amy Schwabe
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
View Comments
Don't think too hard about summer reading. Let kids choose what they want to read, whether its graphic novels or magazines.

Summer is here again. Because we're still in the middle of the COVID pandemic, it isn't the summer we want it to be, but it has the potential to be a significantly more fun summer than last year.

The first thing to do this summer is to get vaccinated, if you haven't already done so. Vaccination is important because it's extremely effective at preventing people from getting sick from COVID, and there's increasing evidence that it prevents people from spreading COVID. That's especially important because children under 12 cannot get vaccinated yet.

The next thing to do when you plan out your activities is to gauge the safety level of your plans and your comfort level. People who are fully vaccinated can go without masks. As a result, many places have dropped their mask requirements. Since younger children aren't vaccinated yet, you may feel safer avoiding those places. In that case, there are plenty of close-to-home ideas to enjoy summer.

If you feel safe venturing out, check ahead for any COVID restrictions. And continue to be prepared by bringing masks and hand sanitizer with you.

1. Sign up for your local library's summer reading program. Even if you're avoiding in-person programs, you can check out stacks of books and read them for coziness, love of reading and prizes.

2. Join the national campaign to read 1,000 books before kindergarten with your little one.

3. Go to a zoo. Both the Milwaukee County Zoo and Racine Zoo have COVID precautions in place, and most of the exhibits are outdoors. Mask up if you're unvaccinated, social distance and enjoy all the new animals you may have missed seeing during the pandemic.

4. Check out Lake Geneva Animal Safari. You can stay in your car while you watch the animals.

5. If your kids need some new toys to stave off boredom, support local independent toy stores by ordering or buying from them. 

6. Do some nature-themed scavenger hunts and crafts around your neighborhood. Local nature centers have some great ideas on their sites.

7. Make a bingo card with the different types of birds you can see in a Wisconsin backyard. See who can find the biggest variety.

8. Make root beer floats, snow cones or homemade popsicles.

9. Play with sidewalk chalk. Write inspirational messages for people to find on their daily walks, or create your own elaborate games and obstacle courses to play. 

10. Spice up your walks around the neighborhood by encouraging your little ones to use their imaginations. Pretend the stroller or wagon is a race car, make believe you're walking through a jungle or let the kids walk behind you so they can pretend to be spies.

11. Give the kids crepe paper, balloons and art supplies to decorate their bikes.

12. Build some cardboard creations — forts, houses, cars — with all those Amazon boxes.

13. Let the kids sit in their new cardboard cars while watching a movie. It'll be like their own drive-in. 

14. Even if your kids are beyond the block-building stage, get the blocks out from wherever they're stored, and compete to see who can build the tallest tower without toppling.

15. Play with Legos. 

16. Go out to get some ice cream or custard. Leon's has a new flavor.

17. Make your own ice cream. Kids can make it really easily in a Ziploc bag. 

18. Celebrate the beginning of summer vacation. Have a family party in your backyard with an obstacle course. Or sit inside and have a summer-themed movie marathon. 

19. Pretend you're at the beach. Build sand castles in the sandbox, lie out on towels under beach umbrellas and soak your feet in the wading pool. 

20. Go to the beach.

21. Camp in the backyard. Set up a tent, grab some flashlights, sleeping bags and board games. 

22. If you have a fire pit or a grill, dream up some new ideas to cook over the campfire. You can add fun ingredients to classic s'mores, or cook up some campfire popcorn instead of hot dogs. 

23. Go camping.

24. Set up your own drive-in restaurant. Let the kids sit in the car in the driveway, give them a menu and take their orders. You can even go old-school and deliver the food on roller skates if you're skilled. 

25. Drive-in movies are back at Milky Way Theater. So are outdoor movies in parks.

26. Practice the alphabet with your little ones in your yard, neighborhood or just in the house. Have them find objects to match the letter of the alphabet. A is for apple tree, B is for bird, C is for chocolate chip cookie.

27. Bake cookies. You'll have to if you're playing the alphabet game (see No. 26).

28. Give your kid free rein of the kitchen to make their own snack or lunch.

29. Give your kids a cooking challenge. Pick out five random ingredients and tell them they have to use all of them to create something delicious. 

30. Set out frosting, sprinkles, food coloring and candy. Give the kids some cupcakes. Let them decorate.

31. Pick a favorite type of food — potato chips, crackers, candy. Buy different brands of each, have everybody taste test and decide on a tier list of the best to worst. 

32. Pick another favorite type of food — soda, juice, gum. Buy different brands or flavors of each, have everybody do a blind taste test and see if they can guess which is which. 

33. YouTubers are always doing 24-hour challenges — 24 hours in your bedroom, 24 hours in a tub of slime, 24 hours reading. Pick one of the more manageable ones to try out (you could also adjust the time parameters to something more realistic.) 

34. Make slime. There are tons of fun recipes online.

35. Have every family make a five-item bucket list. See how many you can achieve over the summer. 

36. Paint some kindness rocks with compliments for specific family members. Hide them around the house or yard for your family members to find.

37. Try something creative with paint — like hydro dipping, fluid art or tie dying.

38. Buy tickets ahead of time to visit the art museum. Find a nice place to sit near the lake afterwards, get out some art supplies and ask your kids to re-create their favorite artwork.

39. Buy tickets ahead of time to visit the Milwaukee Public Museum. The exhibit about Nelson Mandela is a moving way to teach your kids about apartheid and racial justice.

40. Buy tickets ahead of time to visit Betty Brinn Children's Museum. They're finally open after COVID closed them down for more than a year.

41. Buy tickets ahead of time to visit Discovery World. A visit to Milwaukee's science museum is a great way to ensure science literacy in your children — something the pandemic has taught us is very relevant and very important.

42.Visit a few farmers markets. Go without a plan, buy whatever produce looks good that day and brainstorm how to use it to make your dinner.

43. Plant your own garden.

44. Relax at a beer garden or two.

45. Many fairs and festivals have been canceled again this summer, but you can still enjoy the food at home. Make snow cones, caramel corn, corn on the cob or soft pretzels.

46. Make your own backyard festival. Have the kids come up with carnival games, and help them set them up. Ring toss, a duck pond and a photo booth are good DIY options.

47. Do some backyard science experiments. Discovery World has plenty of ideas. 

48. Take a tour of several playgrounds and parks. 

49. First Stage has several acting classes and workshops scheduled for kids this summer. Be prepared to follow COVID safety guidelines.

50. Put together a water day in the backyard. Gather slip 'n slides, water balloons, spray bottles, buckets and sponges and wading pools. 

51. Play corn hole. If you don't have a set, make your own. Cardboard is plentiful, and bean bags are easy to make.

52. Your kids have gotten tons of screen time over the past year. But a rainy day is still a great time to sit down and play video games. Just make sure to play the games with them.

53. Break out your old game systems or PC and share your own favorite childhood video games with your kids.

54. Go to a nature center to see flowers and hike on trails. Some examples: the Domes, the Wehr Nature Center, Botanical Gardens, Hawthorn Glen or Schlitz Audubon

55. The Urban Ecology Center has three locations at parks in Milwaukee. And members can rent equipment from them, including bikes, Frisbees and croquet sets.

56. Fly a kite with your family.

57. Make up your own charity fun run with your family. Determine a charity and the amount you'll donate for each short distance (lap, mile or block) everybody can run. 

58. Play baseball in your yard, complete with tailgating in your driveway.

59. Follow COVID restrictions and see if you can score tickets to see the Brewers in the newly named American Family Field.

60. Go roller skating, rollerblading or skateboarding.

61. Gather up hula hoops, jump ropes and balls. Set up a backyard obstacle course.

62. In a similar vein, grab buckets, cushions and beach towels. Construct a way to get across the yard (or living room) without stepping on the ground (aka lava).


64. Gather up toy shopping carts and cash registers, and let the kids turn the pantry, fridge and kitchen into a pretend grocery store.

65. Have a board game marathon with inexpensive prizes such as candy or Dollar Store trinkets.

66. Do a twist on traditional puzzling. Split the family up into teams. Give each team a puzzle with the same number of pieces. Compete to see who puts the puzzle together fastest.

67. If your kids have ever gotten doubles of Lego kits for gifts, you can do the same type of competition. Or, just give each team the same types of Lego bricks and see the different creations each team comes up with.

68. Visit a state park. If you're concerned about crowds, these parks typically have the fewest visitors.

69. Give everyone a crazy makeover, manicure or hairstyle.

70. Have everyone choose clothes to make up a crazy outfit. Have a fashion show.

71. Pick a favorite Wisconsin food and go on a curbside pickup, takeout or outdoor dining taste tour. Some ideas? Cheese curds, sausage and frozen custard.

72. Encourage film making. Legos, a cellphone and imagination are all you need to make a stop-motion video.

73. Get one of those giant games to play, such as Jenga, Twister or chess.  

74. Get out the jump ropes and set the timer to see who can jump the most. It's great exercise.

75. Make up a family trivia game and see how well you know each other.

76. Milwaukee is considered the city of neighborhoods. Choose a few neighborhoods you don't live in, and explore.

77. You might not feel comfortable visiting places with ball pits, inflatables and climbing walls yet. If you have trees in your backyard, help your kids to safely climb them. And then have them fill a wading pool with balls, foam or crumpled pieces of paper. And jump in it.

78. Remember those parachute games you used to play in gym class? You can buy parachutes on Amazon. Order one and have a family parachute game.

79. Collecting leaves, rocks and flowers is fun. Have the kids keep an eye out for signs of animals too — footprints, feathers, even actual animals.

80. Walk around downtown Milwaukee enjoying Sculpture Milwaukee.

81. Think of people who have really helped you out during the pandemic. Write thank you notes, decorate them and send them.

82. Set aside one-on-one time for the different members of your family. Do an art project with your crafty kid. Run around outside with your active child. Snuggle together reading some books with your bookworm child. 

83. If you're still working from home, take your child along with you to work at an outdoor coffee shop or cafe. Bring along a tablet, books or art supplies so the kids can "work" alongside you, and make sure to treat them to a fun drink or snack.

84. Have everyone in the family brainstorm one thing that would be part of a dream house. Get the family together to draw a massive picture that incorporates everyone's ideas.

85. Celebrate the Olympics in your backyard. Put together your own family competitions, from soccer to volleyball to gymnastics.

86. Get out the sidewalk chalk, but not just to draw with. Color really thickly with it, then pour some water on the dust. Mix it together. It will be the perfect consistency to paint with.

87. Take a short road trip with snacks, music and backseat games.

88. Keep up the summer learning with a research project. Ask your child what subject really fascinates them. It could be dinosaurs, the solar system or Amelia Earhart. Get some books, watch some documentaries and visit some websites to learn interesting facts. Have them make a poster or a presentation to show to the family.

89. If your kids are reluctant hikers or bike riders, give them an incentive. Before you set out on your hike or ride, pack a backpack with some favorite snacks. Tell them they get a surprise after 10 minutes without complaints.

90. Think about the new things you did to entertain your family during the height of the pandemic. What were some new hobbies you learned? Things you didn't realize you would learn to love? Schedule some time to do a few of those activities.

91. Teaching was an especially difficult job this past year. Have your child send a thank you note to last school year's teacher and a "thank you-in advance" note to next school year's teacher.

92. Celebrate Christmas in July. Dress in ugly Christmas sweaters, watch some holiday movies or TV specials, bake some cookies and wrap some inexpensive gifts to open.

93. Designate a special relaxation spot in your house for each person. It could be a corner of the living room, a window seat, even a closet (with the door open). Let each family member set it up with cozy blankets, special toys and favorite things to do.

94. Let the kids stay up late and have a silly family sleepover. You can play truth-or-dare, give each other crazy makeovers and have a pillow fight.

95. Have a try-something-new meal. Yes, the kids have to overcome their pickiness to try a food they've never liked before. But, the catch is, the grown-ups have to do the same.

96. Have a stay-at-home summer camp. You can decide on a theme and make up activities to go along with them, or you can just play a few of the games they usually get to do at camp.

97. This has been a difficult year filled with division among people. Get your kids on the right track toward empathy by thinking of five people in their lives, writing down one thing they love about them, illustrating the paper and then sending it to the person.

98.  Give each of your family members an hour or two to make up and design their own board game. Then play them.

99. Pick a warm, clear evening, grab some blankets and bug spray and head out to the yard to lie down and look at the stars.

100. Institute cleaning races every day. Pick a room, set a timer, turn on some music and see how long it takes to race around putting toys away, dusting and vacuuming.


View Comments