It’s hard to believe that we are already in the middle of summer! If your kids are anything like my kids, the bickering has started and you are on the hunt for simple, FUN activities too keep their hands and minds busy for at least part of the day.

I am excited to share our all-new red, white, and blue learning activities!

Scroll down for our freebie!

In case you missed the introduction to our invitation to play series (click here), let me give you a brief introduction to how we structure these fun, simple activities at our house.  

Lunch has ended, it’s raining outside, and you’re looking for a screen-free way to fill up some time so you can send an e-mail, unload the dishwasher, or (gasp!) read a book without being interrupted.

An invitation to play is an easy, open-ended activity that uses just a few materials found around the house. Keeping these activities set aside for special times keeps them interesting and intentionally engaging for when you need 10-15 minutes to get something else done! Best of all, these simple materials can be mixed and matched for countless other activities throughout the year.

This week, I have a freebie for you: a download with FIVE simple invitations to play, including a materials list!

Here’s a sneak peek at the red, white, and blue activities:

• Drop cut straw pieces into an empty Parmesan cheese container
• Playdough* with colored gems & straw pieces
• Sorting red & blue pom poms by color
• Count pom poms and match to Uno cards (1-9)
• Lace red and blue noodles* on a string

* Be sure to download the freebie for our favorite playdough recipe AND directions for dyeing noodles.

Just add your name here to access our freebie: