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Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, or a career mom, or something in between, it’s always a challenge to keep kids entertained and happy during this long school break. Anyone would love to have a nice summer get-away or summer camp, but if you don’t have the time, finances or both, there are simple ways to enjoy the summer without breaking the bank or leaving the confines of your own backyard.

Get out and get wet (or dirty!)

Kids love getting messy.

Why not take this time of the year to give them that chance to get dirty and get some sun and fun at the same time? If you have a garden, let the kids dig around and plant something that they can watch grow. Just make sure you designate a plot for them, or else they might get carried away and re-do your landscaping!

Or for something more controlled, call some friends or relatives over for a cook-out and then set up an inflatable pool in the backyard for the children to wade in. If you have little ones, let them run around in the yard in their swimsuits and bring out some toys that need washing and let them scrub away! They would surely have a blast doing it and that tiny little chore of cleaning grubby toys can finally be ticked off the list.

Stay in and keep cool

It happens way too often: the entire family is all set for a nice day out, but it’s too hot!

The best thing to do (and probably the safest) is to stay inside the house.

But don’t get too comfy–it’s all too easy to just let everybody do their thing and before you know it, everyone is glued to that all-consuming gadget called the television. Although parents cannot altogether avoid it, the television is just the easiest way to keep everybody entertained and, if you have toddlers, contained. There are ways to skirt around this, however.

The first step is to turn the TV off for a few hours. You’ll be surprised at how everyone–including you, the parent–can turn creative and find something fun to do. First off, there’s reading. There’s no better way to keep the children’s minds engaged.

If you have a teenager at home, take advantage of the fact that most best-selling juvenile fiction books are being turned into movies. Encourage them to check out the book and read it, as they will find some new and interesting aspects of the story that are usually left out or completely changed as the book is turned into a movie.

Gameboards, small art projects, or even exploring a new hobby are some indoor activities that can occupy little minds and hands, and they will end up feeling good about themselves for being able to accomplish something new.

Take a break and get in on the fun!

Not to belabor the obvious, but this one goes for the grown-ups.

As parents, we get caught up on what is best for the kids…sometimes to a fault. Summer activities are a great way to get involved with the children and have fun for ourselves at the same time.

It may seem impossible these days to take a break, what with all the demands of work and everything else, but a few or even a single day off could make a difference and would surely be worth it. It’s a plus, too, that the kids would appreciate the time you take out to spend with them!

We’ve heard it often enough–kids these days are hard to please.

We blame technology and all the electronic fun it brings to our kids in all sorts of sizes and forms. Parents feel they have to keep up with emerging hi-tech products while kids take to them almost as if figuring out buttons and menus are second nature. It’s time parents step back and show the children that life is not all about gadgetry and the internet.

It may sound naive, but going back to the basics from time to time is not such a bad idea. Exploring the woods, riding bikes, learning how to play an instrument, playing ball–these are just a few things that some kids, unfortunately, miss out on just because the whole family is set on riding the wave of technology.

This approach may not be a hundred percent foolproof, but with weeks and weeks of no-school days ahead, it is definitely worth a shot.

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I’ll look forward to your comments and invite you to make suggestions for summer fun activities which have worked for you and your kids enjoy.