Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to kick off our annual Trailblazer Challenge. Team up with your family, participate in fun, group-friendly summer activities for kids and earn badges.
Looking for ways to stay busy this summer? Check out our Trailblazer Challenge for summer activities the whole family can enjoy! We’re talking rubber ducky races, fitness challenges, skill-building exercises and other activities you can complete as a family.
See how far you can get working together and take time to celebrate your achievements. Read on for more information on the Trailblazer Challenge. Does your family have what it takes?
How to Plan Summer Activities for the Whole Family
Prepare for the Journey
The Trailblazer Challenge is a collection of six different challenges and activities for kids. Hitting certain benchmarks will earn you special titles.
After completing the first challenge, you will become a Pathfinder. You become an Explorer by completing two additional challenges.
To become a Trailblazer, you must complete all six challenges.
To begin, you’ll need to print out your Trailblazer Challenge Card and badges. Post it in a prominent place to remind you of your progress. The refrigerator, perhaps? Each time you complete a challenge, cover it up with a badge.
Plan out the dates you want to do each activity. Agree on what you will do to celebrate each level of achievement. We’ve listed a few suggestions below:
o Pathfinder – everyone gets their favorite dessert
o Explorer – movie night with pizza
o Trailblazer – everyone gets a “whatever” day. Do whatever you want, eat whatever you want and watch whatever you want. You’ve earned it!
Complete the Challenge
Kick things off with an Opening Ceremony speech. Here’s a fill-in-the-blank template you can use.
Complete your challenges. Remember, you have to work together to achieve your goals!
Here’s an activity guide to each of the challenges:
1). Limbo and Conga Line (Pathfinder)
3). Water bottle Bowling (Explorer)
4). Ducky 500
5). Minute to Win It
6) Build a Wolf Den (Trailblazer)
Celebrate your achievements! Once you reach Trailblazer status, conduct a closing ceremony. Here’s a fill-in-the-blank template you can use. Take note of what kinds of activities and rewards the family enjoyed most. It’s never too late to start planning for next year!
More Summer Activities for Kids
The challenge may be over but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Check out some more summer activities for kids below.
Sidewalk Fires
Turn your sidewalk into a makeshift fire station! Grab some chalk, head outside and draw a ladder with a fire at the top. Place a bowl of water and a sponge at the bottom of the ladder.
Tell your little ones to wet the sponge, climb the ladder and squeeze it out over the fire. Don’t let them stop until the fire is complete out! This game is a great way to develop gross motor skills.
Paint Rocks
Still looking for things to do with toddlers this summer? Head outside with the kids and ask them to pick up a few rocks. Create a painting station for them to decorate their collections.
They can turn their rocks into pets, write messages on them or simply cover the rocks with their favorite colors! Check out this post for more fun rock activities for kids.
Scavenger Hunt
Why not add a scavenger hunt to your list of summer activities for kids? Decide whether you want to do this one inside or outside.
Scout out a few good places to hide all the items on the list and see how long it takes the kids to complete the list!
Plant Flowers
Planting flowers can be a great summer activity to enjoy as a family. It’s also a great way to teach kids about the plant life cycle and growth.
Besides, who doesn’t like getting their hands dirty every once in a while?
Make a Bird Feeder
Spend some time making your very own bird feeder! All you’ll need is a plastic bottle, two wooden spoons, a sharpie marker and some wire.
Cut holes in the bottle so that the spoons can fit through snuggly. Make sure they’re positioned in about a 90-degree angle from one another.
Wrap some wire around the top to hang outside, fill with birdseed and see who shows up for a snack!
Backyard Camping
You don’t have to travel far for this fun, summer activity! Set up a tent in the backyard.
Grab a sleeping bag, a flashlight and other camping essentials to set the mood. Spend the night stargazing together!
Water Balloon Bash
Stay cool this summer with this next activity! Grab a pack of water balloons, fill them up, tie them off and let the kids have at it in the backyard!
Homemade Creamsicles
Looking for more things to do in summer? Treat yourself to a yummy snack that you can make at home!
The recipe calls for just two ingredients: orange juice and vanilla ice cream. Place a scoop of ice cream in your popsicle mold, fill the rest with orange juice, pop a stick into each and throw the whole thing in the freezer.
Water Wall
Make sure to check this one off your summer bucket list! Grab some empty bottles and containers and hang them on a fence, chain-link fence, deck rails or even a baby gate.
Cut the bottles in half and attach to your wall with a staple gun. Place a plastic bin filled with water at the bottom. Give the kids a cup to scoop some water out and pour down the wall!
It’s a great way to stay cool while practicing fine motor skills and strength.
Garden Soup
Get ready for some more family fun with this next summer activity! Spend some time collecting materials from the yard, such as flowers, leaves, rocks, or anything else you could fit on a plate.
Get a big bowl and fill it halfway with water. Have the kids empty their ingredients into the bowl and give it a good stir. Grab a ladle and ask them to prepare you a bowl.
It’s a great way to develop fine motor skills and enjoy a little fresh air!
Doll Washing Station
Looking for more things to do in the summer? Grab a large plastic container, some washcloths, spray bottles, a soap pump, some toothbrushes, and a couple of travel shampoo bottles.
Fill the container with warm water and put your dolls in for a bath. Don’t forget to brush their teeth, either!
Backyard Obstacle Course
Next up on our list of summer activities with kids is the backyard obstacle course. Grab some hula hoops, jump rope, hoses, sticks, stones and other materials you can find around the house.
Ask the kids to help you arrange them around the yard and take turns working your way through!
Bike Parade
Ask the kids to decorate their bikes with streamers, stickers, flags and anything else you can think of! Let them show off their designs with a ride around the neighborhood.
Chalk Balms
Head out to the curve for another fun summer activity! Fill up a water balloon with one cup of water, two tablespoons of cornstarch and a few drops of food coloring.
You can even draw some targets on the ground for the kids to hit. Bombs away!
Backyard Picnic
Who says you need to leave the house to have a picnic? Have the kids help you prepare lunch and carry it out in a basket to the backyard.
This simple activity is a great way to teach kids about cooking and spend some time together as a family!
Outdoor Painting
Trying to think of more fun summer activities to keep the kids entertained? Spend the day painting in the backyard. Feel free to get creative with your canvas.
You can use paper, cardboard, or even household items to decorate! There are a lot of things to observe outside, which means there will be plenty of inspiration around. It also makes clean-up a lot easier!
Homemade Goop
Looking for more fun summer activities? Think about whipping up a batch of Oobleck for the kids to play with!
All you need is a large mixing bowl, two cups of cornstarch, one cup of water and a few drops of food coloring.
Give the kids a handful and watch it ooze from their fingers! See what kinds of shapes they can create with the mix!
Shaving Cream Finger Paint
Find a large surface to set up shop. Cover the area in shaving cream and throw a few drops of food coloring in. Ask the kids to mix in the color with their hands.
They’ll have a blast creating different shapes and designs with their hands. It’s a great sensory experience for them to enjoy!
Thanks for reading about our Trailblazer Challenge! Here at Great Wolf Lodge, we create family traditions, one family at a time. These days, we’re looking to take that mission out of the lodge and into your home. Make sure to check back in with us often for more summer activities you can enjoy with the kids!
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