Five “Cool” Activities to Add to Your Summer Bucket List
By: Chelle Stoneburg
We all know Charlotte can get HOT in the summer, so here are some fun ways to beat the heat, from your friends at C&FD!
- Ice Painting! Using an ice cube tray, fill each container with water. Add food coloring to each cube, along with a popsicle stick. Place the tray in the freezer to solidify for several hours. Once frozen, pop out your popsicle paint and get creative! Bonus. This activity is taste safe.
- Splash Pad! Cool off in the water, without the fuss of taking the kids all the way to the pool. Charlotte has many awesome options, and many for free. We suggest Nevin Community Park, Veteran’s Park, and Pineville Lake Park.
- Ice Cream in a Bag! Make your own ice cream at home, and you make even tire the kids out in the process. In a quart size ziploc bag, add 1 cup of half-and-half, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a dash of vanilla. Seal the bag and place it inside a large gallon-size Ziploc, full of ice and coarse salt. Seal well and SHAKE! Continue shaking the bag (or throwing the bag or dancing with the bag…) for 10 minutes until inner bag is frozen.
- Library! The Charlotte Mecklenburg libraries are a great way to beat the heat, and get your kids into a great book. Check out their “Summer Kickoff” events starting soon, including scavenger hunts, story times, block parties, and puppet shows.
- Snow Bins! Create an easy “snow” sensory bin by combining 3 cups of baking soda, with ½ cup of white conditioner. Mix together and place in a large container. Add winter animals such as penguins and polar bears, and maybe you’ll forget it’s a furnace outside.
