As Southern California sees its first summer temperatures, some Angelinos and Santa Monicans are already needing a respite from near-triple digit temperatures. Well if this describes you, here are five days of indoor activities that are sure to make you and your child happy. Your body will be thanking you as you beat that summer heat.
DAY ONE: Watch Game Show Network (or a local channel) and play along with the contestants.
This one requires a little bit of prepping, as you will want to have prizes (one for every show) to reward the winner. All you will need besides the prizes are a pen and paper to keep track of your own Game board. Once you are setup and ready to go, you and your child become the contestant!
Watch “Deal or No Deal” with them, and instead of playing for money, play for different types of candy or pieces of fruit. Watch “Match Game” and see if you and your child can match celebrities! Catch witch celebrities are lying or telling the truth on “Late Night Liars” or “Hollywood Squares.” Take on the mob on “1 vs 100” with your child. See how far you can get.
If the real contestant gets eliminated before you or your child, you can either keep playing with the next contestant, or declare yourself the winner, and say you made it “all the way!” With the variety of game shows on the Game Show Network or your local channel, this can easily become an all day activity. If game shows aren’t your thing, have a movie-marathon for the day with your child’s favorite actor or actress, or a themed movie day such as moves that have the word “sun” in their title or is the subject of the film.
DAY TWO: Arts and Crafts, Part One.
Remember when you were a kid and made cool crafts out of things like beads, macaroni noodles, Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners and rice? Well, those fun activities never grow old to do such things!
Pick a theme, such as “Power Rangers,” and set a time limit of two or three hours with the above mentioned items (and other items you want to use) and see who can build the best replicas of things that resemble the theme… a whole Power Ranger Empire! Of course, don’t forget things like glue and tape as well.
DAY THREE: Arts and Crafts, Part Two.
Go to your local toy store, such as Kay Bee Toys, or Toys “R” Us, and buy one or two different model kits, such as an airplane, a car or even a figurine of an animal (like a pony). Take your child with you and let him/her pick it out so it’s interesting to them! Take it home and build the models together. From my experience, planes and cars seem to keep a child’s interest the more than any other building activity.
DAY FOUR: Board Game Mania Day.
This day is pretty easy to setup and complete. Get out four or five of you and your child’s favorite games (buy them if you have to – after all they are your favorites!) and play. Have a competition with them with minor prizes. See who can win the best-of-seven series of Chutes and Ladders!
DAY FIVE: Catch a Movie and help the homeless.
As with all five-day camps, Friday always brings in the grand finale! Make some sandwiches, and other side items that you can put in brown paper bags. Drive around Santa Monica area for a few hours and distribute them to the less fortunate. This will help you and your child have a better sense of community and nothing bonds two people closer together than those who serve together.
When you’re done, hit the local Cineplex to watch a movie with your child. With the amount of child-appropriate movies out right now, maybe you can even catch two of them. Afterward, take your child to their favorite place for dinner and to celebrate a week of indoor fun!
Above all, don’t forget to have fun with your child and build great memories with him/her. A child’s memories and imagination are only as big as their parent allows them to have. Remember, this is their vacation and who doesn’t want to make a vacation great?
