Summer activity ideas - first grade level

[momee]

I know they are out there...which is your favorite?

 

My dd is going into first grade and she is bored.  It is a busy season for me and I feel she's getting pushed in front of the TV more than I would like.  I need ideas.

 

We bought a remote control car and sidewalk chalk, a birdhouse to paint am ordering butterflies, but I am looking for more CRAFTy type things for her to do.  I'd love to do the busy bag thing but activities for her age, not preschool stuff.  

 

Homemade paper dolls and self made outfits worked for quite a while but I think she's ready for something else.

[Acorn]

Just turn off the tv and let her decide what to do.  Bored is a choice in our house.

 

We mail letters and drawings to family.  Sometimes they build crazy lego, megatile and block structures and then we take a photo.  My dd has a "journal" of all the animals that she has seen in our yard.  I've let her use the camera to see if she can get a picture or she makes a sketch.   

[jnaj]

Could you have her make a fairy garden? I don't know if you have a yard, but I send my 6 year old dd outside all the time to collect things for her fairy garden (she has created it, we haven't actually bought anything for it- but I have seen some cute ideas on pinterest!)

 

I'm getting art bins for my kids so they can each have their own access to their own art supplies. Maybe have a craft box that has random things, supplies, etc and let he just make what she wants. My daughter is going through a phase where she wants to save everything and make art with it, but I have actually been hindering her because I haven't provided her with easier access to the supplies and have been "too busy" to let her go at it.

 

I know I have a lot of other ideas, so I will come back to this as I think of them. I'm also curious to hear what others say as well. 

[jnaj]

Just turn off the tv and let her decide what to do.  Bored is a choice in our house.

 

We mail letters and drawings to family.  Sometimes they build crazy lego, megatile and block structures and then we take a photo.  My dd has a "journal" of all the animals that she has seen in our yard.  I've let her use the camera to see if she can get a picture or she makes a sketch.   

 

I absolutely love this idea. My dd is always looking at animals, bugs, etc in the yard. 

[FloridaLisa]

Summer fun:

• sprinklers or pool or play in the rain.  Outside + water = tired and happy kids. 
• free summer movie
• library once a week for summer reading program
• 1 hour of reading for summer reading program
• museums (science, art, childrens) and field trips that are difficult to fit in during the school yea
• Friday Fine Arts (we're using this book). Harmony Fine Arts also has some neat things. 
• pick your own produce or local farmer's markets
• I've assembled summer art boxes before using Michael's 50% off coupons.  I usually put in all sorts of beads, pom poms, stickers and all manner of arts and crafts stuff.

Here's my pinterest for our some summer stuff we're doing.  I also have a board for art activities. 

 

Also, research whether there is a local moms blog or interest blog for your city. Those are great places to find events and activities and discounts that may be happening in your area. 

 

ETA: Just re-read your OP and I see that you were asking for craft ideas.   

[MommaOfalotta]

Pinterest has tons of blog posts, etc on ideas for summer fun. I looked at a few different ones and came up with a 3-4 page summer "bucket list." The ideas range from totally free (blowing bubbles, taking a walk, nature scavenger hunt, taking lunch or books outside) to expensive (weekend getaway in another state/town.) and all price ranges in between. I don't have my list on me but off the top of my head:

 

Go fishing

Go swimming

Side walk chalk, bubbles

Drive in movies

Museums

Library trips

Visiting family

Writing letters/making cards for family members/friends

Gardening

Zoo/Aquarium day

Bake cookies/cupcakes together

Go to local park

Take the dog for a walk

Climb a tree

Summer reading challenge (from local library)

Lemonade stand

Go to a bookstore

Local fairs/festivals

Go out for ice cream

Learn a new skill/hobby

Backyard DIY Waterpark/obstacle course

Paint a picture

Join a sport/class

Mom and daughter mani/pedi (Go out and have one done, or do them on each other at home and save big $$. We think the latter is more fun, anyway.)

 

 

I dk, I had some pretty good things on my list but I'm drawing a blank. My goal is to get out and DO more.. instead of sitting around the house/watching TV. Which is a bad but easy rut to fall into sometimes. :)

 

[73349]

Would she like some things to tinker with? Magnetic toys and bits of hardware are interesting to just try out.

 

Does she have a jump rope? a bike? a bouncy ball?

 

Is she allowed to play in mud? DS will play in a muddy puddle for like an hour.

[mmasc]

We have recently added a nature journal to my rising first grader's day. He goes outside and 'explores' and usually brings in a leaf or flower. He then glues it into his journal and draws pictures of things he has seen. He has an art bag of markers, colored pencils, glue, and scissors so he can do it fairly independently. He also likes to just bang nails with a small (but real) hammer into a small chunk of wood, but that might just be something unique to him. :)

If she likes to draw there's a neat website that has tons of things to draw with video step by step directions. It's artforkidshub.com. It's crafty and there are usually different mediums such as chalk drawings, pencil, paint, etc.

If you want to turn some of that tv time into educational viewing, my kids have enjoyed the Bill Nye the Science Guy and Magic School Bus DVDs from the library. I've also bought Liberty's Kids DVD based on the positive reviews here.

I only have boys, but I know my niece enjoys making those loom bracelets (tiny rubber band things?) for what seems like hours. :)

HTH!