Tech vs. Nature: Fun Activities To Do With Your Little One This Summer!

Technology is all around us, from the sophisticated technologies that manufacture many of the things we use in our daily lives, to the pocket-sized computers and phones we carry with us to stay connected to one another, we are constantly surrounded by it. For some of us, we can remember a time before the digital revolution — but for many children of this era, frequent interactions with technology are not only uncommon, but are part of every day life. Technology can be a great thing, it offers many modern conveniences — but sometimes it is important, especially for children, to take a breather from those glowing screens and become more in touch with the natural world around them.

Yard Sale

Hold a yard sale! We all tend to hoard things away through the winter, and as the warmer summer months come, holding a yard sale is a fun activity that also doubles as an excellent way to de-clutter your home. If your child is a bit older, you can give them a list of things they might want to sell and allow them to pick which items they feel they no longer need. If you have a littler one you can always go through their things and have them assist you in making a box of “for sale” items. You can even spice things up by having your child help you make signs and decorations for the sale, this will be a fun job for them and will attract more people to your yard sale! At the end of the yard sale, your children can take the money they have made from selling their things and stow it away in a piggy bank for something they have had their eye on! This will be very rewarding as they will earn the money all on their own, and it will keep them outside and interacting with the neighbourhood all day!

Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Making your own sidewalk chalk paint is a fun craft for the whole family, and when you’re finished making the paint, there is more fun to be had through creating sidewalk chalk paint masterpieces on the driveway and pavement! Check out this great tutorial on mommyskitchen.net for making the sidewalk chalk paint: http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2013/07/diy-sidewalk-chalk-paint-fun-frugal.html

Note that the paint will be more translucent when it is painted on the sidewalk but that as it dries it will become more opaque — this transformation is sure to amaze and delight your little ones.

Picnic

Who doesn’t love a picnic? A sunny, summer day is the perfect opportunity to have the children help you pack a delicious lunch and head off to your family’s favourite park for some yummy snacks and fun in the sun! Here are just a few kid-friendly snack ideas that your little ones can help you prepare and that will be easy for them to eat outside as they play:

Mini Sandwiches
Simply use cookie cutters to cut fun shapes out of bread and cut a small hole in the middle of the shapes, to make a donut-like sandwich. Add different fillings to each mini sandwich such as peanut butter, jam, ham and cheese, and more. The mini sandwiches will be easy for little ones to maneuver, and the fun shapes and different fillings are sure to have them asking for seconds!

Frosting Graham Cracker Sandwiches
These simple hand-held desserts are yummy and bake free! Simply take two graham crackers and smear chocolate, vanilla or whatever icing your little one desires between them and squash them together! They will be a tasty dessert that doesn’t require the use of an oven or any complicated ingredients, making them a perfect picnic dessert.

Fresh-Cut Veggies and Home-made Dip
Nothing is more refreshing, delicious and healthy on a picnic than some fresh cut veggies and a yummy homemade dip. They are incredibly easy to make, allow your kids to pack the veggies away as you cut, and they can even help to mix the ingredients together for the dip!

Check out this delicious dip recipe from foodiewithfamily.com for dill dip using greek yogurt!
http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2009/11/06/dill-icious-greek-yogurt-dip-dip-your-chips-and-vegetables-with-wild-abandon-this-is-good-for-you/

Nature Walks

Take your little ones on a nature walk! Simply visit a local park or nature trail, and spend some time exploring. To make things a bit more fun, bring a list of commonly sighted plants and animals in your specific area and have your child see if they can spot them all! You can even bring a camera along and have your child help you take pictures of each of the things they are looking for, and help them make a scrapbook of these special nature walks to keep as a memento. This activity can be as long or as short as needed and is a great way to be active, enjoying the outdoors, and can even be educational as you teach your child about the local wildlife!

balafant boutik offers workshops!

If you are searching for a fun activity in the Bathurst-St. Clair neighbourhood, come check out our workshops! They are completely free, and on a drop-in basis with no registration required.

We hold arts & crafts workshops twice weekly, on Fridays at 11:45 AM and Sundays at 3:30 PM. We recommend this activity for children ages 1.5 — 6 years old. The crafts are themed and combine fun with education as your child creates fun pieces using artistic techniques they learn throughout the session! This is also a great social event for little ones and parents as it creates a space where people can meet and greet, and get to know one another.

We also hold story times twice weekly, on Thursdays at 11:45 AM and Saturdays at 11:30 AM. These are open to anyone and everyone who loves a good story!

For more information, check out our workshops page!

Summer is a time of fun in the sun! With long, warm, sunny days, there are endless opportunities for your children to engage with the world around them, and many of these lie within your own home! Kids love their technology, but with just a little creativity and innovation, they will be lured into the magic of summer and before you know it they will be begging for more fun activities to do! These are just a few simple ideas of ways you can turn summer into a time of adventures, memories and fun for your child — no iPad required.