With pools officially closed for the summer, and libraries, museums, playgrounds, & zoos still not opened what’s a parent supposed to do with the kiddos this summer? Here’s a list of some fun activities/ideas to get you started…..
Make it a Re”MARKABLE” Summer, Ohio!
Ohio’s Historical Markers
If you’ve traveled around the state you’ve probably seen one of the historical markers. The Ohio Historical Markers identify, commemorate and honor the important people, places and events that have contributed to the state’s rich history. The Ohio Historical Markers Program, administered by the Ohio Historical Society, is a vital educational tool, informing residents and visitors about significant aspects of Ohio’s past. Currently there are over 1200 historical markers in the state.
Choose a few local markers or go on a mini road trip to learn more about our states rich history!
Resources….
Click HEREto learn more about these markers, where they are made, & how to read the markers.
Click HERE to see a list of Historical Markers by counties
Pics with Public Art Scavenger Hunt!
Kids will have a blast with this one!
The Arts Commission has written an awesome book to help you locate all the amazing public art located in NW Ohio. The ABC’s of Public Art, is the perfect resource, it’s broken down by the alphabet….”A” is for Arch, “B” is for Bird and Bear, etc. and then at the end it list the locations of all the public art.
OPTION 1: Make a summer of it! Choose a few letters a week to explore.
OPTION 2: Make a fun day of it….Look at the index/end of book with all the location of the public art and put together your own scavenger hunt.
Visit 577 Foundation
Mural Me!
Make a mid-morning/afternoon of this! Grab breakfast or lunch via drive-thru or carryout, let kiddos eat in the car (I have no idea why this is so cool, but for some reason kids seem to get a kick out of eating in the car or at least mine do) and go on a mural hunt throughout Toledo! Once you find a mural let kiddos get out and get creative with a pic in front of the mural….once home print off pics and let them make a post or book with their images.
Click HERE for locations of murals around the city.
FREE Virtual Summer Camps
Varsity Tutors FREE Virtual Camps
Varsity Tutors FREE Virtual Camps has a nice variety of camps for kiddos K-12 including, Improv, Spanish, book club, cooking, dance, you name it, they’ve got a camp for it!
MORE Camps…..
AFFORDABLE AND FREE SUMMER CAMPS ONLINE
15 Online “Camps” Fill Kids’ Summer with Learning Adventures (mostly free)
40 Virtual Summer Camps to Keep Kids Busy While Safely Social Distancing
Hula Hoop Hideouts
These are the best! If you kiddos are anything like mine they get to a point during the day/week when they just need some time to themselves and these are the perfect solution. It’s basically their own little hideaway from their siblings where they can listen to music, draw, etc. They’re super easy to put together, CLICK HERE for details on constructing your very own Hula Hoop Hideout.
Now that each kiddo has a proper hideout for the summer let’s give them a chill activity they can do while they’re hiding out…… READING!!
Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza
Scholastic is committed to providing at-home learning over the summer months with Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza. The free program unites communities in a nationwide campaign that celebrates reading for fun while improving access to books during the summer. For 2020, we are excited to share a brand new kids experience in Scholastic Home Base, a free digital destination which offers full books, live events, and games in a safe community for readers! Kids will be encouraged to track their reading streaks™ to earn rewards and unlock book donations, with the goal of donating 100,000 books by July! To learn more, CLICK HERE
DIY Water Blob
Materials
- Big roll of plastic sheeting
- Duct tape
- Hose/water source
Directions:
1 Fold the plastic sheeting in half and tape the three open sides with duct tape. Make sure you leave a small hole to insert the water hose.
2 Insert the hose and fill the “blob” with water. When it’s full, tape the small opening shut and let the kids run loose! Make sure you don’t fill it too tight or there won’t be room to slosh around.
3 Optional: If you’d like, you can add some blue food coloring just for that wow factor. You can also add glitter, confetti or small gummy items like worms or fish for a theme party. Just make sure the items are very soft with no pointy edges.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/outdoor-water-blob
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 
As always, you’re so timely with information I needed to hear! That public art scavenger hunt–we’re on that this summer! Thanks!
My pleasure, hun! I know it’s gonna feel like such a long summer, but we really are blessed to be “stuck” here, we have so many amazing resources in our area!