With a houseful of three kids (for those who have followed my posts know that I have two boys. Yes there’s another girl in the house, my boys’ first cousin. We live in a joint family) , all under five, summer vacations did not pose a very pleasing proposition to me. I have dreaded this years summer vacation with all my might and pondered on every resource available trying to figure out how I could keep the kids busy throughout the vacations.  Summer camps and activity classes were an option, but most of the options available last only a week or so that too just 3-4 hours a day. This really wasn’t a sustainable solution. To add to that the kids constantly insisted that they do everything together. My elder son is the only one at a respectable age to gain from the summer camps and like activities, but he won’t go alone.
“Why should I go, when these two are chilling at home?” my elder one has ranted endlessly.
This made me brainstorm on a more sustainable work around to keep the kids busy. I researched and finalized a handful of activities to keep the kids busy without losing my sanity. But three days into my plan, my boy was bored already.
“Mom! I am bored. Please think of something new and more exciting!” Nik cribbed.
I listened to him in despair thinking of how I was ever going to make it sane through the 40 days of vacations. (Yes! 40 days! I know, its sacrilege of parental  peace)
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”@anupriya_guptaa” suffix=””]Then it struck me! Kids don’t need special, they need variety.[/inlinetweet]Especially my kids! With an attention span a size of a match stick, I need to keep them juggling from one chore to another. That will keep them excited and engaged. So I sat down with a pen and journal and created this list of activities that my kids could keep busy with. I had certain criteria to put an activity into the list –
1)Â Â Â Â Age appropriate
2)Â Â Â Â Should assist in Skill building
3)Â Â Â Â Keeps kids busy for atleast half an hour
4)Â Â Â Â Involves the kids to interact with each other
5)Â Â Â Â Should meet my philosophy of minimal expenses (yes, I am a minimalist mom and do not believe in mindlessly splurging on things that I can arrange at home through DIY)
6)Â Â Â Â Have some activities that do not need my assistance
7)    Least casualties even if there’s a lot of mess
8)Â Â Â Â A mix of indoor and outdoor activities
While meeting the above mentioned criteria and keep kids busy throughout their summer vacations, I divided the potential activities into five categories.
These activities were also listed with the idea of facilitating various developmental needs of kids upto five year old. These needs are primarily building up of cognitive, sensory and tactile skills, boost imagination, team work and free-play.
So, here you are. Presenting to you a minimalist mom’s long but not necessarily exhaustive list of 50 Ways to keep your kids busy this summer vacation.
Home Chores
- Clean up your bicycle
- Sort out your clothes/ discard the ones that you have outgrown
- Clean up your table and chair
- Clean up your toys
- Sort out your toys / Discard the ones that have broken and you don’t need
- Do a clean up on your books / Discard the torn ones
- Dole out some water in the balcony or varendah and wipe it out with a wiper
- Clean up the windows
- Pick up washed clothes from the lines and fold them
- Water the plants
Kitchen and Food
- Learn to eat on your own (if not learnt yet)
- Help with washing fruits and vegetables
- Help with peeling and de-seeding fruits and veggies (ones that can be done without knife)
- Serve a dish to grand-parents
- Learn to make a smoothie
- Learn to make an ice-cream
- Learn to cut veggies and fruits with a plastic knife
- Learn some non-flame dishes such sandwiches, salads
- Help with rolling matthee (salty snack )
- Help with mashing potatoes for paranthas
Co-curricular Activities
- Read new books
- Learn new words
- Listen to a story
- Tell a story
- Do a role play
- Learn a new song
- Learn to play an instrument
- Learn to draw and color
- Make different patterns with folding news paper
- Learn color mixing
Indoor Fun
- Learn to dance on a new number
- Learn to skate
- Learn self-defence through martial arts
- Learn to play LUDO
- Learn to play CHESS
- Spend time on a Skate Scooter
- Learn to play Basket Ball
- Play house with friends or cousins – role play
- Create a dim lighted ambience with music and make shift a café experience
- Get a nylon swing or make shift one with a bedsheet in the balcony
Outdoor Fun
- Learn to ride a bicycle
- Have fun with sand in the porch
- Visit a zoo
- Visit a water park
- Visit an amusement
- Visit cousins’ place
- Visit a local park and enjoy the swings
- Visit a museum / planetarium
- Wash and clean the porch
- Spend time in the pool (a mini one at home or a real one)
How did you keep your kids busy this summer vacation, the minimalist way?
You may also read –
What we did last summer for homework – Shape Craft
Such an amazing way to keep our kids busy in so many activities , they can learn so many things .
it’s always difficult to engage kids specially during summers, thanks for sharing such useful post.
My daughter’s summer vacation has just started. Kids definitely need something to keep themselves busy during holidays. I have also planned s couple of activities for her. I like to keep it a combination of outdoors and indoors.
Awesome ways you point out to busy kids this holiday.. Activities and colouring is the best option…
Superb post, Anupriya! These are the best activities to keep kids happy and engaged during summer vacations. My son is 2 years old and I am also doing some Montessori and play-based activities with my son. I am going to take a few age-specific ideas from your post and use these for my son. Your kids are having a great summer at home.
This list of activities so needed.. Specially when there is a hyper active toddler kid at home.. Thanks
Wow what a detailed post full of interesting activities
Very nice article.
Such a helpful post!!! Will definitely use your ideas for my son too!!!!
Kidss surely need something to keep them busy!!! This perfect list is going to be with me for future refernce…..
Wow…those are really fab ideas. And I am happy this arrives at a time when I was headbanging as to what can I do to engage my one year old. Really helpful post! 🤗
Wow.. This post is just in time asy son’s vacation started today.. Already pinned your post.. Thanks for sharing..
Awesome, exhaustive post! It’s a great read just in time for our summer holidays
Awesome tips you have shared. I am struggling to keep my son busy these days as his vacation is going on. This is very helpful for me.. Thanks for sharing.
It’s so much to do list and I am so confused too engage her in summer vacation. Going to try out your list
Ohh what a co-incidence..I had planned almost similar planner for girls for this summer vacation. loved your way of representing it, I had heard a lot about your writing style from Zainab, and today found the same thing, very well written..loved it.
These are some amazing activities. I love them all. Will try these with my little one. Thanks for sharing
V interesting way to engage kids in fun loving activities. Sure WL try these out
Amazing list to keep kids busy for vacation. Will share it with my friends.
Wow wat a interesting detailed blog.
My girl is 22 months old, i already introduced indoor games to her and your post will be helpful for me…thanx for sharing
This is insane. How you thought about these many ideas. Mothers who read this post are going to bookmark it for sure. I have already done it. Great post..
Useful post at the right time. Liked all your ideas .
Wow! That’s an extensive list of amazing ideas.Keeping the kids engaged in a productive manner is a hard task and you’ve made it easy now
Omg when i m out of 1 idea u gave me a list of 50… Amazing… loved the post