Brainstorm and discuss possibilities. Involve your child in discussing chores, rules, consequences and safety for the summer. Put lots of energy into catching your kids doing things right and telling them how proud you are of them. Use caution not to overly schedule your child's life during the summer. Part of summer fun is relaxing and discovering creative, unplanned things to do.
Kids love playing games in their own backyards.
Introduce them to your childhood favorites, then let the kids teach you theirs. Plan a storybook picnic. During the picnic, read to the children and have them act out the stories. Make other children feel welcome at your home. Something magical happens to the night when the weather turns warm lay on a blanket with your kids and gaze at the stars, play flashlight games, chase lightening bugs or just enjoy some shared quiet time.