Summer break is always a tricky time to keep kids entertained, especially as a working parent. I work from home, which makes it easier to have the kids home all day with me, but makes it difficult to keep them occupied and off screens. This year my kids convinced me to plan themed weeks of activities, games, crafts, decorations, and sometimes food.
Themes for Summer Break: Disney, Oceans, Harry Potter, Spa Relaxation
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Hidden Mickeys
I cut out mickey heads in various sizes and hid them around the house – easy! You could print them out or buy a set of cutouts, I used my cricut to cut mine out. I kept track of how many I hid in each room and gave them a checklist to keep track.
Later in the week, I reused the Mickeys too! I cut the bigger ones in half using crazy scissors. Then I hid half of the head and gave the other half to the kids. Then they had to search for the matching half.
Tsum Tsum Game
We have a good collection of Tsum Tsum Mini Figures, which I created a game for. I wanted a game that would have kids multiple figure sizes, could work with any figures, and worked with any number of players.
I created a simple board game you can download and use. While racing to the finish, players might have to switch character sizes to take different paths or answer fun questions about their characters!
PDF contains the board, instructions, and challenge question cards. The instructions show how to assemble the board. Everything prints on regular letter paper.
You could play this with other Disney character figures if they had various sizes.
Marshmallow Olaf
Combining a craft with food? Yes please!
The kids were tasked with creating Olaf using marshmallows, toothpicks, and candy eyes. They put them together in different ways and definitely enjoyed eating the final product!
Make a Forky… or a Spoony
Similar to the craft of creating Olaf, I thought about what other Disney characters were easy to make. Forky to the rescue… he’s literally made from trash!
I provided playdoh, large popsicle sticks, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners. I printed out an inspiration picture and they made their creations. We did use forks instead of sporks, and we got a spoon in there too.
Charades
Charades, or Pictionary, are good games to incorporate Disney movies/characters and include a lot of kids and adults. I found this list of charade topics from a fellow blogger.
Emoji Game
Another simple activity I found in my searching was an emoji game. Using emoji images, provide clues to a movie or character for the person to guess. Usually this is done as a single worksheet but I wanted something interactive.
I created a set of emoji clues that were large, then I cut them out with the answer on the back. Then one person could hold up the emoji clue for a group to guess together. My kids turned it into a game to buzz in and guess the movie.
To make sure the papers held up, I laminated them using a bookmark laminating pouches.
