Beat the summer doldrums with these fun, inexpensive ideas

summer

Summer vacation is here again! This means that children are out of school and are looking for things to do during the day. Planning activities can be difficult, especially if you’re trying to satisfy a picky audience (kids aren’t the only ones who can be difficult to please!) or stick to a budget. Here are our top five picks for kid-friendly, can’t-miss activities you can do as a family during summer break

Visit a Farmers Market: The Granite State has a wealth of farmers markets in almost every town and city. Check out agriculture.nh.gov for this year’s updated list to find one in your area. Summer is peak growing season for NH farmers and you will be able to find everything from local berries to zucchini to tomatoes. Also, if you are a SNAP participant, find out if your local market participates in the Granite State Market Match program, which can double the amount of money you use on your EBT card when buying fresh fruits and vegetables!

Try a New Recipe: Let the kids help choose a recipe that they want to prepare! What’s Cooking has some great ideas that are kid-friendly, such as baked chicken nuggets and homemade lasagna. Get the kids cooking and helping to prepare the meal that they picked! 

Grow a Vegetable Garden: Even if you don’t have space for a full vegetable garden, you can still grow plants such as tomatoes in a pot placed in a sunny spot. You can even grow herbs, such as basil, from a sunny windowsill!

Pick Your Own Berries: Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries will all be in season this summer in NH! Find a local farm near you that lets you pick your own!

Have a Picnic: Pack up a lunch or dinner to enjoy outside in the park or at the beach! Try sandwiches on whole wheat bread, cut-up vegetables with hummus, fresh fruit salad, homemade salsa and tortilla chips and more! Be sure to keep refrigerated foods cold with ice packs in an insulated bag.

Author(s)

Extension Contributor / UNH Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student