TSA's Summer Guide: a fun summer for the little ones

July 15, 2020By Esra Buke

This year's summer break turns out to be slightly different. As the pandemic creates some uncertainties, many families are deciding to celebrate summer at home or within boarders. For those who are planning a staycation and wonder how to entertain the kids: we’ve got you covered!

In this Summer Guide we gathered easy and entertaining activities for kids to do, fun and time-saving summer recipes that will make kids feel like they’re on a holiday, and some interior tips that will bring summer straight into the kids' room.

Summer activities

Color Sorting & Recognition Activity by The Mama Notes:
This activity is all about learning while playing. Pick three clear boxes and cut three pages of paper in the shape of the bottom of the boxes and make sure that each page has a different color - or if you have colored tupperware, you can use that instead. Gather random toys and objects from your home that have these three colors and put them in a tray.
Painting Stones by Pfefferminzgruen:
This one doesn't ask for much materials and is a lot of fun! Collect some flat stones and make sure they're cleared of dirt and sand. The most suitable paint to use on stones is acrylic paint. In the example in the picture, you can see they painted animals, which makes for a fun game where kids can puzzle the individual pieces together and make their own creation of animals. The result could be a fun mix and match where suddenly the rabbit's head has a tiger's body.
Egg-box Boats by Prima
This activity is perfect for creating a story together with your child. Which of the cuddly friends wants go sailing? And where will they sail off to, after we build the boat? Before starting, gather a cardboard egg box, a wooden skewer, twine selection of patterned papers and PVA glue. Here you can find all the steps to creating the boat.

An additional tip we found:
If you'd like to let the boat float in water, cover the egg box with aluminium foil. Be aware that it may sink if too much water gets in.
Easy Rainbow Spinning Tops by Craftulate (photo by Handmade Charlotte)
Remember these? Before starting this activity, make sure you have a white card, toothpicks, a circle template (you can use the the toothpick container), a pencil, marker pen and/or crayon.

How to make it:
- draw a circle on the white card using the template
- colour in the circle however you like
- poke the toothpick through the middle of the circle. It's probably best to do this for the kids
Cereal Necklace Stringing by The Mama Notes
Creating a necklace is always fun! For this one you'll need colored cereal and a leather cord or ribbon or thread to string the cereal. Color sort the cereal in different bowls and you're good to go.
DIY craft stick puzzles (photo by Plain Vanilla Mom)
Who knew puzzling was just half the fun, when you can also create one yourself? Gather some peeps cookie cutters, popsicle sticks, paper tape and colored markers. Make sure to have enough popsicle sticks to have some space left around the cookie cutter. And tape the popsicle sticks at the back with paper tape. After drawing the puzzle's image, carefully take off the paper tape, shuffle the sticks and start puzzling!
In case you've missed our previous blog, we also put together a fun fishing game activity, which you can find here.

Colorful Summer Snacks

Easy Apple Donuts by Hello Wonderful:
It looks as yummy as real donuts - but much healthier. And if the little ones are old enough, it would even be a fun activity to work on together. This recipe includes apples, cream cheese and sprinkles. If you'd like to make them more colorful, you can use food coloring as well. Slice your apples about 7-10 CM thick. Use a knife, corer, or pastry tip to make a hole in the center. Color your cream cheese with food coloring if you’d like. And finally, add the sprinkles.
Watermelon Heart Pops by Craft-O-Maniac
Fruit suddenly got more attractive! For this appetizing snack, you'll need a metal heart cookie cutter, popsicle sticks and washi tape (optional). Decorate the popsicle sticks with wasi tape, cut the melon with the heart cookie cutter and put the popsicle stick through the bottom of the heart shaped watermelon.
Lemon Strawberry Yoghurt Smoothie by Citymom.nl
This one would make a fun desert for the little one, just like when you're on a holiday. And it's even healthy too. To create these cute lemon yoghurt smoothies, you will need 1/2 a lemon per person and blend strawberries with yoghurt. Cut the lemons in half and remove the pulp and pour the mixture into the lemons. Cool it down in the freezer for just a little while and your colorful treat is ready!
Watermelon Slushie by My Fussy Eater (photo by Bellyfull)
You can even let your imagination go wild on this one and call it the "Princess drink" or anything else related to your little ones' favorite movie characters. What you'll need is 500g watermelon, 15 ice cubes and 20ml of water. Chop the watermelon into large pieces and put into a blender with the water. Blitz until the melon is broken up and then add the ice cubes and blitz again. You can add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Serve immediately.

Books for the little ones

to celebrate summer

Pearl by Molly Idle
"..with stunning watery spreads full of curves reflecting the gently scalloped edges of the giant clam that is Pearl’s home." (source: kirkusreviews.com)
And Then Summer Comes by Tom Brenner
"Summer’s smells, sounds, rhythms, and rituals unspool luxuriantly in this tribute to the season when “days stretch out like a slow yawn,” when “bumblebees bumble,” and “every day is like a Saturday." (source: kirkusreviews.com)
Today by Julie Morstad
An interactive colorful book that can be a different story every time, depending on the day.

How to bring summer right

into the kids' room

No other colour could bring a seaside's calmness to a room like Pantone's colour of 2020 'classic blue'. Combine it with some hints of wood and invite a few ocean cuddly friends for a beachy decor.

photo credits (from left to right):
@inandoutkids, @_our_pretty_little_world, Nicolas Aubert-Maguéro

The colour grey combined with wood, white and hints of pastel, makes the room look soft, open, sweet and light. Add an extra touch of coziness by setting up a camp with a big cloth, inviting all cuddly friends and reading stories.

photo credits (from left to right): @mamalina, @huisjemerlin, @by.es.trella

Delicate and soft, rose has forever been the color of summer. Combine it with light hues of terracotta, green and gold to create a playful summer vibe.

photo credits (from left to right):
@familie.wolkenzauber, @sophias.kleine.wunderwelt, @lightpoem_living

Green is nature's color that brings outside in and creates a fresh, yet colorful look. Add some wooden details to make it look even more natural - almost as if you were staying in a cabin in the woods.