Kid-Friendly Ways to Beat Summer Boredom

By Jessica Schoen on
July 23, 2018

All year long, kids look forward to summer vacation. But now that July 4^th festivities are behind us, days are long, and temperatures are soaring– you might be fresh out of summer activities to keep your kids busy. We’ve pulled together some ideas to help your kids beat summer boredom. Not only are they fun for the whole family, but you’ll be helping your neighbors in need while teaching your kids to give back.

Fruit picking. Spend a sunny day picking strawberries or your favorite seasonal fruit, and donate your harvest to your local food bank or pantry.
Bake-off. Have your kids challenge their friends to a bake-off and compete to see who can sell their treats the fastest. Donate the proceeds to help provide meals to hungry families.
Lemonade stand. A summer classic. Nobody can pass up a tasty cup of lemonade on a hot day, especially if the money is being given to help others.
Create a kids' community garden. This is a great way for kids to learn a new skill and reinforce responsibility while giving back when they donate a portion of the harvest. Here is a short list of what to grow and give back.
Beat the heat. Throw on one of these movies that help teach empathy and compassion.
Coordinate story time at the public library. Maddi’s Fridge, by Lois Brandt, is a great book to help kids understand that not all of their friends might have a fridge full of food.
Deliciously combat food waste. Create a meal based only on what is currently in your fridge. Need some suggestions? Here are some easy recipes to get you started.
Get other organizations involved. Whether it’s your child’s baseball team or girl scout troop, they can give back in endless ways. Everyone can be involved, from volunteering at their local food bank to creating their fundraiser or tackling some activities from our Family Action Plan.

We’d love to see and hear how you beat summer boredom with your family! Post a picture to Facebook, and be sure to tag Feeding America. To get more suggestions and updates from Feeding America, sign-up to receive the email newsletter.