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By Meredith Ethington

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Childhood Family Free Printable Parenting Tips Practical Tips

Summer “Unplugged” Activity Card Printables

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So, this post was inspired by two things. First, I read the post, 10 Ways to Give Your Kid a 1970’s Summer by Scary Mommy. Oh my gosh, I loved it. I could relate to all of it. Today I went and got snow cones with my kids, and I was telling them how I used to ride my bike everyday in the summer to get a snow cone. They were super impressed.

Then, we’ve been doing a fun program that my daughter’s school told us about called Play Unplugged. Basically, it’s an incentive program to get the kids doing simple things this summer away from screens. Awesome. Every time they do something on the list, they get to go to a local business and get a little badge and hang it on a lanyard that the school gave them. We’ve gotten the hiking and swimming badges so far.

Summer Unplugged

Soooo, I thought I’d make some free printables so you can do some sort of Summer Unplugged Incentive Program with your kids. I loved summers when I was a kid, but they don’t have to be full of crazy crafts, and activities. Summer can be super simple. Or as I like to call it, retro.

Simple is now retro, don’t you think? In this age of crafty ideas being the norm, I want my kids to just spit watermelon seeds like I used to. Do watermelons with seeds even exist anymore?

Summer Unplugged Ideas for a FREE Retro Summer. FREE Printables to use as incentives, a game, or just to collect

So, I tried to choose activities that were free, easy, and stuff you could mostly do at home. You know, just like the summers when we used to roam the neighborhoods, and drink out of the hose (which is one of the activities by the way).

I created three printables that you could use a few different ways. Here are some ideas for how you can use them:

1. Play Bingo with them and the winner gets a prize. Laminate the cards and re-use them with a dry erase marker!!

2. Create your own lanyard or keychain to collect them and try to get them all.

3. Use them as an incentive to do an activity that costs money like go to the movie, a waterpark or the zoo or something. After they’ve done 10 activities, they get to do an activity that costs money.

4. Use them as an incentive to get screen time. 5 activities gets them 30 minutes. Not my favorite because the whole point is less screen time, but for the true addicts, this could work.

5. Just print them and let your kids cut them out and dream about the activities. NO! Make them do them. But, letting them cut them out is a good idea too.

I decided to laminate mine and make little lanyard out of fabric for my cards. Summer Unplugged Activity Card Printables. Your kids collect them as they do unplugged activities this summer

 

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Free Printables (see below)
  • Key ring
  • Strips of leftover fabric

So, I was surprised how quickly I was able to think of all of these activities! Although I left blow bubbles off the list. Crazy, I know. There are 48 total. I tried to mix a couple of free spaces in there to come up with their own activity, and I put some service activities in there too. See how sneaky I am?

Summer Unplugged Activity Printables at Perfectionpending.net. Use these printables to help your kids stay unplugged this summer!!

 

I printed these at Kinko’s because I don’t have an awesome printer…and then I laminated them too. After that, just hole punch, and attach to a key ring. I cut strips of fabric and braided them to make the lanyard. So easy!

Summer Unplugged Printable Activity Cards. Help your kids do fun activities and collect each card as they do it!!

Summer Unplugged Printable Activity Cards. Help your kids collect them this summer!! Summer Unplugged Printable Activity CardsI hope your kids have fun with these this summer!! I know we will.

***************

Here are all the printables. Just click on the link below each image to get to the download. Summer Unplugged 3. Use these fun ideas to help your kids unplug this summer. Use them for bingo, to collect, or as an award systemDownload this printable here.

Summer Unplugged. Use these fun cards to have an unplugged summer with your kids full of free activity ideas you can do at homeDownload this printable here.

Unplugged Summer 2. Use these fun ideas to help your kids be unplugged. Give prizes, play bingo, put them on a keychain for them to collect all summerDownload this printable here.

 I linked up this project to the Creative Collection Link Party and the Link Party Palooza.

 


15 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kerry says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:20 am

    very cute idea!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      June 12, 2014 at 6:54 am

      Thanks Kerry!

      Reply
  2. Faith says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:44 am

    I love this idea!!! This really psyched me for summer to hurry up and come already! My kids don’t get out until the 20th.. but that means I have time to put something similar together! 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      June 12, 2014 at 6:54 am

      Yay! I hope you can use them. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Ana Lynn says

    June 12, 2014 at 6:44 am

    Awesome idea Meredith! I think I will be using your printables for my kiddos, especially the older one since he seems lost without technology (and majority of his friends too!)

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      June 12, 2014 at 6:54 am

      Yay! I’m so glad! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Megan Lisica says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:00 am

    I love this! We plan on having a ‘simple’ summer too…full of just ‘old fashioned fun’. Are WE old fashioned? 😉

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      June 12, 2014 at 8:14 am

      I guess so Megan!! I’m in denial about it though. Call yourself retro. Does that sound any better? 😉

      Reply
  5. Camille says

    June 12, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    I love this! Pinned it.

    Reply
  6. Karyn says

    June 13, 2014 at 6:04 am

    This is so much fun! I pinned to help me remember 🙂

    Reply
  7. Meghan says

    June 14, 2014 at 10:17 am

    Now isn’t that just something right after my own heart! Pinning this. Stopping by from Bloppy Bloggers. 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      June 14, 2014 at 2:24 pm

      Thanks Meghan! And double thanks for the pin! 🙂

      Reply
  8. kristi@ishouldbemoppingthefloor says

    June 16, 2014 at 9:13 am

    This is absolutely FANTASTIC, Meredith! Such an awesome idea! Love it!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Help your Kids Willingly Get Rid of Toys They Never Play With. -- Tatertots and Jello says:
    May 23, 2016 at 5:00 am

    […] got some free printable cards you can use to help your kids unplug this […]

    Reply
  2. The 5 Toy Save Method: How to Help Your Kids Willingly Get Rid of Toys They Don't Play With - Perfection Pending says:
    June 23, 2016 at 5:01 am

    […] got some free printable cards you can use to help your kids unplug this […]

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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

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Meredith Ethington

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
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Sure, you can commiserate with a fellow parent about teenagers being the worst.

But, to be honest - they’re not the worst. They’re kind of amazing. But their problems make me tired to my core." 

Read the latest on my substack. I promise you'll relate. ❤️
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Follow me @perfectpending and better yet buy my book or subscribe to my substack to support me.
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I already miss so much. The gummy smiles of babes without any teeth. The squeaky voices of 2 year olds. The babbling of a baby that’s just trying so hard to say mama. The grammar mistakes my kids make when they’re talking that I don’t have the heart to correct because I love it too much. 

I miss a lot about those younger years that have already slipped away. My youngest is sick, much like in this picture, but he is too big to snuggle in my arms now when he’s running a fever. 

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It’s the one millionth day of January but Spring feels so far away. 

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