Summer Fun Ideas for Tweens

I have been searching for Summer Fun lists online, and the majority of them are geared towards toddlers!  I don't have toddlers...and I just want some fun fresh ideas to entertain my kids and their friends this summer. I honestly have no idea what ages are considered "tweens", but I am considering my 7-10 year old kids because they are too big for toddler/kindergarden age fun and they still need to be supervised all the time.

 I have been wracking my brain and took 4 super cool kids to breakfast this morning and drilled them on fun stuff they have never done...want to do.....and are basically free.  It is easy to entertain your kids spending money to entertain them.....but I subscribe to the old school summer of just having good old fashion fun!  And fun can be free!

Here are a few of what we came up with....and I am going to add another list soon.

* Camping in the backyard with some of their friends.  They put up the tents with their buds, plan the meal, and games!  (allow for plenty of room inside if it rains or if they can't stay outside all night)

* Let them plan a meal, make the shopping list, and pick items out at the grocery store. (maybe even give them a budget to plan meal around)

* Download an app that allows them to earn points to cash in for money, events, or whatever they are interested in. (baseball cards, books, whatever!) Give them jobs that they usually wouldn't do without complaining and allow for bonus points.  We did this last summer and included feeding the dogs, taking out trash, loading dishwasher....all stuff that they normally would complain about.

* Plan a "book club" with their friends.  Pick fun books, have them meet at a coffee shop, book store, or someones house and let them feel so grown up and excited about reading over summer.  They can do a skit about the book, report, draw your fave scene....or just read it and eat donuts and talk about it!

* I "hire" my kids to help me package orders and organize inventory and I actually pay them.  They definitely don't HAVE to help me, they can choose if they want to.  BUT if they decide they want to help, they have to really work hard and I pay them. (suckers....the money actually all goes into their savings acct but I seriously do write them checks and they get to deposit like a real paycheck)

* Go to an amusement park and let them plan out every single ride they want to do.....and promise to do them all with them!  I am honestly nervous about this one because there are a few rides that I can't even stand at Busch Gardens.....but I am going to go for it anyways.

* Free movies at the theater. (call your local movie theater to see if they do this...ours offers free movies twice a week and my kids love it!)

* We generally go once a summer and paint pottery.  The kids love it....and I LOVE it!

* Let them rearrange their room and plan it all out themselves!  I literally woke up the other day and my 9 year old daughter had moved her bed, dresser, and everything around in her room ALONE!!!! She was so beyond proud of herself!   Do I think it looks great...no!  Does it take every ounce of strength in me not to move it all back while she is in school....yes!  BUT.....was she BEYOND proud of herself after she did it....YES!  So it is staying!  (I used to do the EXACT same thing....so it actually made me almost cry w excitement when she thought of it on her own)

* Organize a kickball "league" with their buddies.  We play kickball almost daily in front of our house.  I go around picking up my kid's friends at their houses and they LOVE IT!  Nobody ever remembers the score, nobody fights, everyone is tired...and I couldn't love it any more than I do!

* Go for a bike ride and let them lead the way!  Often times I set out on a bike ride and I have planned where we will go and when we will be home.  I have been letting my kids decide the route lately and it is AWESOME!  I usually am annoyed at how they don't look when they cross a street they just literally follow me.....and this gives them the opportunity to lead......look ahead.....plan......and feel awesome!

* Art projects....Any art project is fun!  It is amazing how even big kids like to do silly little crafts or experiments and totally get into it!

* We go to the pool at least 3 times a week.  It wears them out BIG TIME...and they beg to sit and watch tv or a movie after we get home!  PERFECT!!!!!!!!

* Go Geocaching! We have never done this before, but I just searched for apps and there are loads of local treasures to find!  We aren't really planning any local hunts right now, but we are mapping out fun little finds along our hike we will be going on in Maine.  I am actually really excited about this!

* Plan a "surprise dad at work" day!  We visit his office and kidnap him for lunch, or pack a lunch and have a picnic there.  (we honestly do this almost once a week)

I hope this helps you plan out your summer fun list...and stop freaking out that you will soon have kids telling you "I'M BORED" all summer long unless you figure out some fun ideas!