This past weekend we had a family water gun fight in the front yard.
My two-and-a-half-year-old son, David, is currently obsessed with water guns, trucks, and bulldozers, so he was thrilled. It can be tricky to keep an active toddler busy, so this was a great way to spend some quality time with our kid, use up some of his energy, and have fun with some easy activities. It was also cost-effective, as I only spent a few dollars.
Here are some other fun summer activities to do with young kids:
- Playing in a sand box. My son loves the turtle sandbox at my parent’s house; he will play in there for hours. In particular, he likes using his bulldozers to move the sand around.
- Take your kids to a park and play t-ball or catch.
- There is a great duck pond on UNM Campus where you can enjoy a variety of wildlife, including fish, turtles, ducks, sparrows, and pigeons–all of whom appreciate a wholesome snack, such as oats or corn.
Duck Pond - Get a kiddie pool for your backyard. These pools are safe, inexpensive, and a good way to cool off during those hot summer days!
- Have a water gun or water balloon fight (if you get biodegradable balloons, you don’t even have to worry about the cleanup.) Even at two-and-a-half, my son really gets into this.
- Taking walks or hikes. There are a number of great walking and hiking trails in and around Albuquerque and in the foothills, so getting out to explore is a fun summer activity. Be careful and aware of your surroundings; rattlesnakes also like some of these areas.
- Bike rides. My parents just gave David an early birthday gift called a KaZAM. This is a bike designed to help toddlers learn how to ride, practice balance, etc. David loves it. Taking him to the park to play around with is a good activity to do with him.
KaZAM! - Another good way to engage young kids is having them help with yard work. Get them a small set of tools, or find tools that fit them and let them dig in the yard, water the trees, or plant a garden. It can be a great teaching tool.
