Between the pandemic and the hotter summer days settling in, it’s understandable that kids and adults alike want to stay indoors. But what do you do to keep kids from climbing the walls while stuck inside? Or yourself, for that matter? Here are some great indoor summer activities that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Tie dyeing
Tie dyeing is a great way to customize clothing to suit a child’s unique personality and is easier than you think. What you need:
- White T-shirts or other white clothing items (two or three per child is ideal), preferably 100% cotton as most dyes work better with natural fabrics.
- Rubber bands, zip ties, or string (if you use rubber bands, the wider kind is better).
- Fabric dye, either Rit or a more permanent formula like a procion dye. Fabric dye can be found at most craft and hobby stores, and if you use Rit, make sure to buy the company’s ColorStay dye fixative as well.
- A small tub or pail to wet the clothing items before you dye them.
- Squeeze bottles. You can use recycled dish detergent bottles, for example, or you can buy them new at the same place you buy the dye.
- Rubber gloves to keep everybody’s hands clean
There’s surprisingly little preparation that goes into tie dyeing. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the dye bottle and spread some plastic across the play surface and/or floor to prevent damage from dyes or spills. Don’t let the colors of dye limit your creativity! Combining colors can create different and new colors, which is not only fun but a great learning experience for kids—they can see with their own eyes how red and blue make purple and yellow and red makes orange. If you want instructions on tie dyeing technique, you and your kids can look at a video to see how to do it. And here’s a how-to guide for making different tie dye patterns.
Rainstorm in a jar
This project is a great way to get your kids interested in weather and teach them some science at the same time. What you need:
- Clear containers
- Shaving cream (the old-fashioned kind, not the gel kind)
- Food coloring
- An eyedropper or other type of dropper that dispenses only a drop or two at a time
Fill your chosen clear container about two-thirds full of water. Then add a puffy layer of shaving cream on top. Tell the kids that the water represents air and the shaving cream represents a cloud, which is made up of tiny droplets of water or ice. Mix some of the blue food coloring with water and add it—just a couple of drops at a time—to the top of the shaving cream. The result will be a “rainstorm” of blue food coloring coming out of the clouds. Once done with the science experiment, kids can have fun with different colors of food coloring. Learn about the science behind the rainstorm in a jar and find out how you can use indoor summer activities like Rainstorm In a Jar to help kids think scientifically about how rain is formed and falls in here.
Rainbow bubble snakes
This project is easy to do and fun for kids of all ages, and you don’t have to buy a lot of stuff to make it. What you need:
- An empty water bottle from your recycling
- Duct tape
- A sock that is missing its match (everyone has at least one)
- Dish soap
- Food coloring
Cut off the bottom of the water bottle, then slide the sock over the bottom of the bottle. Use the duct tape to secure the sock—you can use a rubber band if you don’t have duct tape. Pour some dish soap into a shallow container with a little bit of water, then gently mix them together. Dip the sock-covered bubble blower into the solution and then gently blow on the other end to make great big bubble snakes. If you want to add some color, simply drop your colors of choice on the sock-covered end. Keep in mind that this is a messy process, so you may want to do this outdoors or cover your play area with plastic or old newspapers. Get a pictorial guide on how to make rainbow bubble snakes here.
Funfetti shortbread bites
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
On a cooler day, baking is a fun activity that provides quality time together and an introduction to math and science—because baking is chemistry, after all. This super-fun baking project is easy for kids and adults to do together. What you’ll need:
- 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon rainbow nonpareils or sprinkles
If you’re not into sprinkles or want a little more of a challenge, try some of the cookie decoration techniques outlined here!
Do you and your kids have any favorite indoor summer activities? Summer baking or cooking projects? Please share them in the comments!
P.S. If it’s hot and you still want your shortbread cookie fix, you don’t have to turn on the oven. Just pick up a package of two of Little Rae’s nut-free shortbread cookies from your local fine foods store, café or nwbakerybox.com.