Summer Fun for Kids

School’s out for summer, now what? If you’re a busy parent, trying to find fun activities to keep your kids entertained and engaged can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Here are a few suggestions to help you get through the next 12 weeks and the kids might even learn something while they’re having summer fun:

• Take a walk in the woods – Illinois has dozens of great state parks, forest preserves and grasslands to explore, from Starved Rock to Silver Springs to Blackwell Forest Preserve. Each one is unique and provides ample opportunity to picnic, scavenge and check out the wildlife. And most are FREE!
• Visit a museum, zoo or aquarium –Whether your kids’ love learning about dinosaurs, tornadoes, local history or checking out polar bears, northern Illinois has something for just about everyone – even a World War II tank and a U-boat. And if you’re feeling really inspired, pick up a KDRMA Passport to Adventure- each time your child visits a location in DuPage or Kane Counties, they get a stamp. At the end of the summer, kids can turn in their passports for fun prizes.
• Sign up for Summer Camp – Building robots, creating smoking volcanoes, churning butter and honing lacrosse skills are just few of the many camps available for kids of all ages. Check your local park district, museum, athletic program and school for a listing of age-appropriate camps.
• Hit the water – On sunny days, a trip to the beach, waterpark, local pool or even splash pad makes for a fun family outing. And make sure to check out the newest thrill ride, the Wonambi, at Raging Waves making its debut 6/4.
• Minor league baseball, major league fun – With the Kane County Cougars™ and two other Minor League teams right here in the burbs it’s just a short drive to catch a game. And they’re so much fun to attend, with theme nights, mascots, water balloon tosses, running the bases and more. Do you remember how to Y-M-C-A?
• Tour the Truck – Your kids can have fun this summer investigating a real news van when the NCTV17 production truck makes a scheduled stop at our Naperville Operations Center between 10 a.m. and noon Friday, 6/17 during our Drive, Drop & Donate event. Stop by, we’d love to see you!

Summer will go by in a blink, so take advantage of all that the Chicagoland area has to offer during the next few months. Because before you know it, the white stuff will be flying. If you have other ideas for fun summer activities, share them below!