The long Labor Day weekend is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family. If your summer life is as hectic as mine, you may not be able to get away for a vacation, but there’s still time to have some fun with your children. Here are some ideas for fun activities to keep the kids busy playing outside this Labor Day weekend.

Lemonade Stand

Nothing says summer like a good old fashioned lemonade stand. It’s also a good opportunity to teach your children just a little bit about how to run a business, keep track of funds, and advertise their product. Plus, it’s just plain old fun. The proceeds can be donated to a favorite charity to help those in need.

Chalk Art

Decorate your driveway with original artwork by your favorite little Picassos. Have them draw things they love, things they’re thankful for, and things they dream about. Make sure to snap some photos so you can save their masterpieces once they’ve been washed away.

Scavenger Hunt

This one will get your kids outside while also exercising their brains! Take some time to think up some fun clues that will lead them to locations around the house or the neighborhood. At the end, have a prize ready for them like homemade cookies or a new toy they’ve been eyeing.

Sprinklers and Slip ‘n’ Slides

Labor Day is the last hurrah of summer, so it’s a great time to get outside one last time and enjoy the sunshine. Why not set up a mini-water park in your backyard with sprinklers and slip ‘n’ slides? For added fun, prepare water balloons and play a game of catch.

Obstacle Course

Use cones, ropes and household items to create a miniature obstacle course for your children to enjoy. They can take turns timing each other and make it into a competition, or just have fun trying to get past all of the challenges.

Jump Rope

Jump roping is a perfect activity to have some fun and get some exercise, too. Try your hand at Double Dutch and see who can go the longest without stepping on the rope. The children can even make up their own chant and clapping game to go with the jumproping.

Bubbles

There are tons of recipes online for easy, eco-friendly bubble mixtures. Have the kids help you concoct the DIY potion and then let them loose with bubble wands and machines. Who can make the biggest bubble? Who can pop the most? Let’s find out!

Body Art

This fun activity is one step up from finger painting, but so much fun. Lay out a large sheet of white paper in the yard or driveway and coat the family’s hands and feet with non-toxic paint. Then they’ll press them to the paper to create shapes like flowers, butterflies and more. Don’t forget to sign your names at the end.

Hopscotch

An oldie but a goodie! This simple game can keep your children occupied for ages. You can also add variations to the board—like making it circular or adding extra rules—to make it more difficult, or have them decorate the squares however they like.

Tie Dye

This activity takes a little more preparation, but it’s a great way to savor time spent together and create a memento you can treasure. You’ll need a plastic tarp or tablecloth, fabric dye mixed with water in squeeze bottles, gloves, rubber bands, plastic bags, and whatever material you want to tie dye. The kids will love doing this ‘science experiment’ in the backyard!

It’s so important to spend time enjoying the families we’ve been blessed with. I hope your children have a ball with these outdoor activities this Labor Day.