The term “dog days of summer” goes back to the time of the ancient Greeks.
In late July, the star Sirius – otherwise known as the “dog star” – would appear to rise just before the sun. In The Iliad, the dog star was considered a bad omen.
Even if you don’t take much stock in omens, the dog days of summer can be unwelcome news for parents. Summer camp and vacation are over, and kids may not have much to do until school starts.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a break from focusing on the world of wooden swing sets and scoured the web to find some fun late-summer activities for your kids.
Water Balloon Piñatas
The traditional piñata offers kids a little reward at parties: crack it open, get some candy or a little toy.
This version has a different goal: cooling off on a hot summer’s day.
A game of water balloon piñata requires:
- Several multi-colored balloons
- Yarn or string
- A tree (or something to hang the balloons from)
- A long stick or pole
Once you’ve filled and hung the balloons, have each kid take turns trying to pop them. You can make a game of it by hanging the balloons at different heights and assigning point values to each color (10 for blue, 5 for red, etc.).
If the kids aren’t enthused by the piñata idea, get a wiffle bat and play a game of baseball. Whether they get a hit or not, the kids will keep cool.
Dinosaur Eggs
Let your dinosaur loving kids play paleontologist with this icy activity. You’ll need:
- Some balloons
- Small rubber/plastic dinosaurs
- A bin for melting water
- Space in your freezer
- Eye droppers
Start by blowing up a balloon, and holding it for 30 seconds to let it stretch. Open the top of the balloon and put a dinosaur inside.
Fill the balloons with water and tie them off, then put them in the freezer and wait. When the water is frozen, cut the knot off the balloon and peel away the rubber. You’ll end up with an icy “dinosaur egg.” Use warm water and the eyedroppers to slowly excavate the dinosaurs.
Squirt Gun Races
This is a game that requires some concentration and may be better for older kids. You’ll need:
- Some squirt guns (or a garden hose with a sprayer attachment)
- Rope or clothes line
- Plastic cups
- Some way of keeping time (a stopwatch or a smartphone with a timer)
Start by punching hole in the bottom of a plastic cup and threading the clothes line or rope through it. Tie the clothes line between two trees or other stationary objects. Have the kids spray water into the open end of cup and time how long it takes to get from one end of the rope to the other.
If you have enough space and clothes line – and multiple squirt guns – you can create two tracks, and have a race.
Frozen Bananas
Give your kids an alternative to the call of the ice cream truck by getting them to help you make this healthy – but delicious – summertime snack.
You’ll need:
- Ripe bananas
- Popsicle sticks
- Chocolate “magic shell” sauce or milk chocolate
- Wax paper
- Toppings (peanuts, coconut, sprinkles, etc.)
Start by cutting each banana into two cross sections. Insert popsicle sticks into each end, so that you have the makings of a banana popsicle.
Put the bananas in the freezer for at least an hour, and get your toppings ready. When the bananas are completely frozen, dip them in the liquid chocolate, and sprinkle them with your toppings.
Then put them on the wax paper and back into the freezer. After another hour, the bananas will be ready to eat.
If you’re looking for other ways on how kids can stay busy during the dog days of summer, turn to Swingset & Toy Warehouse.
Our backyard play sets include vinyl and wooden swing sets, trampolines and basketball hoops, all designed to keep your kids active all year round.
