Last year was bad enough for all of us. But as things start to go back to normal, let’s make sure we have some fun this time around! Here are a few ideas to keep the kiddos (and yourself) busy this Summer…
1. Eat at Cool Restaurants
If you’re anything like me, you love a good restaurant! So set out on the adventure of finding some new cool dining experiences in your area. Your kids will thank you for it! Here are a couple you can get started with (because I can’t tell you all my secret spots 😉).
• Medieval Times (Various locations)
Who wouldn’t want to watch sword swinging battles of fine horsemanship in a castle while eating dinner? Medieval Times is exactly the type of dining the whole family can enjoy. Relax, eat your food utensil-free and watch the fun unfold! Feel free to dress for the occasion!
• Ellen’s Stardust Diner (NYC)
Home of the singing waitstaff, your kids can get their groove on while enjoying a fun meal at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. With it’s retro 1950’s theme, it’s sure to be a hit!
• Sugar Factory (various locations)
Who doesn’t love sugar?! The Sugar Factory isn’t only suitable for kids, but makes for a fun date night as well.
• Rainforest Cafe (Various locations)
Your children are guaranteed to love this tropical rainforest dining experience, where they’ll sit through a replicated rainstorm and watch the animals come to life! Don’t worry, you don’t really get rained on 😉. Oh, and they have some cool deserts too.
• Jekyll and Hyde Club (NYC)
Is your family into spooky things? Then they’ll love to have a bite at the Jekyll and Hyde Club. Here, you’ll encounter some gruesomely scary characters, including seeing the transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde!
• Beetle House (NYC & LA)
Here’s another terrifying place to grab a plate. At Beetle House, everyday is Halloween! But beware, they warn that some characters may be too scary for children under 10. And don’t forget to dress up!
• Brownstone Pancake Factory (NJ)
Now this is a fun one! If you’re looking to be wowed with Sky high milkshakes and candy topped pancakes, this is where you need to be! Totally Instagram worthy and guaranteed to leave you satisfied.
2. Waterparks, Amusement Parks , Beaches & Resorts
You can find amusement parks pretty much anywhere, and beaches are easy to get to, as well. And since these will always be an all time favorite, you should probably plan to visit a couple times this Summer. For NY/NJ & PA here are a couple good ones….
•American Dream (NJ)
This place has all you need for a day full of fun! You can eat, shop, ice skate, have some water park and amusement park fun, enjoy Nickelodeon Universe, go golfing and even spend time in their aquarium! Seriously, here, you can never run out of things to do.
•Sahara Sam’s (NJ)
Rain or shine, come spend some time at Sahara Sam’s indoor and outdoor water parks! Not the biggest park around, but it’ll make for a great day.
•Kalahari (Various locations)
Apparently, Kalahari Resorts have the biggest indoor water parks in the US! Go for a day trip, or the spend the night, their themed resort rooms are sure to excite! (I know, that was waaay too corny 🤣🤣). But seriously, this place lives up to it’s hype.
• Legoland (Various locations)
Any Lego lovers in your family? Here’s one they’ll love! Go have some fun with some of your favorite Lego Characters. New York has the newest resort location due to open 2021 Summer season!
• Hershey Park (PA)
Ok, we all love chocolate, right? And paired with some family fun, paying this place a visit has to be a no-brainer. But beware, if your kids sway you into buying them some giant candy bars, don’t let them eat it all one night! 🍫 🍫🍫🍫
• Sesame Place (PA)
Ahhhh, good ol’ Sesame place… I can’t imagine having children (especially toddlers) and not coming here at least once. The dynamic Sesame Street characters, street parades and cool aesthetics, the kids won’t only have fun, but it’ll be some cool nostalgia for us millennial parents, too.
• Morey’s Piers (NJ)
Not your typical day at the beach. In 2019, this location hosted “Breastfast in the Sky” where you could eat breakfast during a ride on the Ferris wheel! How cool is that? Unfortunately, I was told that this will not be offered for the 2021 season, but keep a look out for it next year, it’s sure to come back 🎡🎡.
• Jenkinson’s Boardwalk (NJ)
Another New Jersey favorite, Jenkinson’s boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach. Rides, arcades, aquarium, beach…. what more can you ask for?
• Cartoon Network Hotel (PA)
A Cartoon Network themed hotel with all the frills! From the Power Puff Girls to Adventure Time, this hotel’s decor probably couldn’t be more pleasing for the little ones.
• Six Flags (various locations)
Do I even need to explain? Six Flags is a Summer staple. Always has been, always will be….
• Funplex (NJ / SC)
Small in size, but HUGE in fun. Funplex isn’t amongst the largest of kid entertainment venues (at least the NJ location isn’t), but it literally offers everything you need to keep the family satisfied for awhile.
• iPlay America (NJ)
Super cool place for both children and adults. iPlay America is set up as an indoor boardwalk. With live bands, amusement park rides, a bowling alley, laser tag, golfing suites, a 4D theatre, great food (including adult drinks 😉), and so much more! How you could not want to give this place a try?
3. Visit Museums or Historical Landmarks
Learning a bit of history is always a good idea. You’re guaranteed to find some sort of historical landmark all around the world. Whether it be a building, a statue or an actual museum encompassing a number of historical artifacts, give it a try. And of course, you could always choose to have a little more fun with the non-conventional museums like, Museum of Illusions and Museum of Ice Cream in NYC.
4. Visit an Aquarium
They’re everywhere. Children love them. Adults love them…..Get to one. End of story.
5. iFly
If this list weren’t for the kids, I would suggest real skydiving 🪂, but for now, I’ll recommend iFly for a little indoor action. Here, you’ll get to experience a simulation of skydiving, and it’s way too much fun to pass on. Give it a go! You can read about my skydiving experience, here.
6. Go on a Helicopter ride
Helicopter rides are cool and easy to access almost anywhere. But you want to know how you can make them even cooler? Try one with the doors off, like at FlyNYON. It’s an experience you’ll never forget! And you’d get extra cool points from your kids for taking them 😉. You can read about my experience helicopter experience, here.
7. Take a ride in a Hot Air Balloon
I know most of children like the thrill of things, but a steady ride through the sky in a balloon could be just as exciting. I mean, it was for me anyway. Here in NJ, we have a Hot Air Balloon festivals that the whole family can enjoy. Try it out! You can read about my experience here.
8. Try the Adventure Challenge
The Adventure Challenge gives you a full book of great ideas to keep things fun and exiting! There’s one for couples, families, friends and even one you can do alone. We’re getting started on ours now!
9. Madame Toussauds (Various locations)
Imagine being able to take your family to a place where they meet all of their favorite celebrities, dead or alive…….Yea, it’ll never happen 😐. But at Madam Tussauds, you can get up close and personal with all the Stars. Like, the backstage pass of a lifetime! And so what if they’re just wax figures. We can use our imaginations, right 😬.
10. Go Kayaking
My best friend and I just went kayaking for the first time in Silver Springs, Florida, and it was a beautiful experience. It’s outdoors, it’s memories, it’s quality time….. So go find your nearest kayaking location and give it shot! You can read about my experience here.
11. Try Whitewater Rafting
Here’s one to get your adrenaline pumping. Whitewater rafting is definitely not for the weak, especially if you’ve never done it before, but it’s definitely FUN! Grab your crew, and get going! You can read about my experience here.
12. Go Jet Skiing
My favorite water sport!!! I was way to excited when I figured out I could go jetskiing from a harbor right here in NJ! If you’re vacationing this Summer, or live anywhere near a jet skiing site, gather the older kids (I would suggest at least 11), and hit the waves! It’s fast, it’s exciting, and you look cool doing it 😎. See how my jet skiing experience went.
13. Drive in Movie Theater
Drive in movie theaters are a thing of the past, but we’ve seen quite a few of them pop up recently since the beginning of the pandemic. And since most of our children haven’t yet experienced one, now’s a better time than ever! A couple favs are Skyline Drive-in NYC and Delsea Drive In, in Vineland. Check your local event’s calendar and movies theaters, to see if Drive In’s are offered anywhere near you!
14. Go Hunting for Graffiti and Murals
Mostly all major cities have some form of creative street art. Ride around, go hunting for the coolest backgrounds and take pictures!
15. Visit Trampoline Parks
Trampoline Venues such as Urban Air, SkyZone and Launch (and quite a few others), will have your kids literally bouncing off walls. But it’s ok, it usually means they’ll get a good nights sleep too 😊.
16. Have some backyard fun
All the excitement could literally be in your own backyard! Set up a water slide, rent an outdoor movie projector, host a bbq, host a paint and sip (kid friendly of course), play games…No matter the size of your outdoor space, the possibilities are endless!
17. Go Camping or Hiking
If your children are into the great outdoors, then taking a nice hike or going camping is a must-do.
I 8. Bowling
Bowling is always a good idea! This all time family favorite can never go out of style. Two of my favorite alleys happen to be Bowlero and this one.
19. Go skating
Grab those rollerblades and hit the pavement! Whether it be at a rink, or around your neighborhood, skating is always enjoyable.
20. Play Nature Bingo
Pick out a few flowers, plants, trees or rocks that you can search for outside. Make a Bingo chart (or simply a list) and see what you find!
21. Start a Garden
There’s something so exciting about planting, and seeing your seeds blossom. My girls started gardening at the community garden with their Grandmother and love every minute of it! They like to see the different flowers bloom, but for me, I love eating the veggies they grow 😋.
22. Plan a picnic
Grab a nice spot in the park (or in your backyard), some good snacks, games, a few friends and enjoy!
23. Build Something
Put your handy skills to test and build something this Summer. It could be as simple as a bird house, or as complicated a house for yourself. The project doesn’t matter, just get to it.
24. Set up an Ice Cream or Lemonade Stand
Actually, any type of stand will do. Cookies, candy, water or handmade crafts would be fun to sell too!
25. Set up an Escape Room
Ok, so this may take some planning, but who doesn’t enjoy escape rooms? Set up an escape game right in the comfort of your own home, and tweak it however you like! You can choose to get crafty and create a maze or puzzle throughout the house, or you may want to keep it simple. You can opt to have them solve riddles, or make it educational. This way, they’ll have to answer math problems, or questions related to another subject such as history or science, in order to move on to the next room or “level”. Whatever you do, make it fun! Let’s see which child can escape first!
26. Horseback Riding
Because we supposed to take horses for a ride in the Summertime.
27. Have a Water fight
Playing with water balloons, water guns and water hoses (or anything dealing with water), puts a smile every child’s face…. or is it just my children? Anyway, get wet this Summer. Show your sportsmanship with some nice healthy water combat.
28. Take a Road Trip
Pack up the kiddos and HIT THE ROAD! It could be somewhere far or near, just get there! Enjoy some sightseeing in different cities as a family. Get lost, laugh, sing, face the unknown and just enjoy each other. What’s really better than that ❤️.
29. Visit Sloomoo Institute
I’ve never met a child who didn’t love slime. And at Sloomoo, not only could you make slime, but you can get slimed too! This would be like a dream come true for your kid. So TAKE THEM!
30. Go Fishing
I haven’t done it yet, but I heard it’s cool 🎣……
*BONUS* NYC just opened a new Floating Park, Little Island! It’s located in the Hudson River, and has an amphitheater, over 350 species of flowers, food vendors and activities for children of all ages!
What did I miss? What types of things do you do with your children over the Summer? Let me know! Don’t be afraid to comment!
And don’t forget to head on over or HeadSlay for some cool accessories and Dad Caps!
TTYL,
Lexi 💋
