12 Borderline Genius Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer

One of summer’s biggest challenges is keeping your kids engaged and entertained, especially while you're on the way to the next adventure. Have no fear, Klutz is here! We’ve collected some of our favorite book-based activity kits to avoid that dreaded age-old question: “Are we there yet?”

Here’s our 100% Klutz certified list of travel essentials:

1) Coloring Crush 

2) The Many Moods of Me Journal

 
3) Color-In Stained Glass

 

4) Create Your Own Quote Art 

5) The Encyclopedia of Immaturity

6) Star Wars Thumb Doodles

 

7) The Marvelous Book of Magical Mermaids

8) Dress Up Your Own Paper Pups 

 

 
9) Cat’s Cradle 

 

10) Prankster Magic 

11) Draw the DC Universe

 

12) Lettering

 

Happy traveling!

Big Bubbles

Owen Keating, designer of stuff, creator of boxes, bubble maker.

Summer in the city with kids means getting out of the apartment and spending as much time as possible outside. After a long winter trapped inside, it’s time to get out of that stuffy apartment and go to the park where the kids can run and shout to their hearts’ content, without incurring the wrath of the neighbors.

When I brought How to Make Monstrous, Huge, Unbelievably Big Bubbles home from work I had strangers on the train asking what it was. I took this as a good sign. If adults are interested, I should definitely be able to convince my kids that bubbles are going to be way cooler than watching My Little Pony and Daniel Tiger. It’s not like it’s that hard to get kids to go the park . . . but the promise of a new toy certainly sweetens the deal.

So we mixed up a batch of bubble solution from the recipe in the book and were off to the park. The Bubble Thing is super easy to use and we got some pretty serious bubbles going in no time. Making bubbles proved to be a bit too hard for my 2-year-old but she could pop them like a pro. My 5-year-old, on the other hand, had no problem making enormous bubbles.

 

We capped off our big outing with a trip to the playground, and all in all I’d say it was a recipe for an awesome afternoon in the park. My girls even decided Big Bubbles was as much fun as the swings—which is pretty high praise from them. 

The bubbles were a big hit and I’m sure we will be making plenty more, and even bigger bubbles this summer. This time we stuck with the basics, next time we’ll go deeper into the book and try out some of the tricks you can do with the Bubble Thing.

P.S. Big bubbles are a great way to make new friends. You’re going to draw a crowd.

My Fairweather Friend (with Friendship Bracelets from Klutz)

Whenever August rolls around, I always get a bit weepy for the end of my favourite friendship. See, for three sunny months a year, Summer and I are the best of friends. There is never a shortage of things to do when Summer is around! I want to run and jump, laugh and play, and just enjoy every moment we have together. Then when Summer is gone, all I want to do is hibernate under the covers till they day she comes back again.

So, while soaking up the sun (through a thick layer of SPF) one cottage weekend, I decided to celebrate our fleeting friendship, while it was still in full force. I grabbed a copy of Friendship Bracelets, the most classic of crafts, and knotted up an ode to my favourite friend. Three colourful anklets--my go-to summer accessory--one for each month we get to spend together!

All throughout August, those bracelets reminded me to enjoy each leap off the dock, dip in the pool and day in the park. And now, even though the cold weather feels like its already set in and I’m sporting long sleeves and pants, I've got three pretty little reminders to keep me going until my best friend is back again!

Back to Basics (with Cat's Cradle from Klutz)

Something about summer always makes me go back to the simple fun of my childhood, whether it’s skipping rope down the sidewalk, drawing on driveways or blowing bubbles in the backyard. Maybe it’s because, when it comes to outdoor play, simplicity rules. Or maybe I get nostalgic because, I think we can all agree, summer vacation is one of the best things about being a kid.

With a long weekend at the cottage ahead, I was reminded of the fun my little sis and I had playing car games on the drive up a couple of years back. So, I decided to break out Cat’s Cradle, the most classic kids game of all, for another spin this past weekend.

I know it seems simple--just a piece of string and some instructions--but with this little book you can have a whole lot of fun! Whether you are teaching little hands how to play (when all they want to do it gallop like a pony), racing against the clock for Cat’s Cradle mastery or using leftover Pom Pom Puppies yarn to stage a giant-sized game, this summer game will always be among the best!

Summer Sticker Celebration (with Washi Tape Stickers from Klutz)

If you haven’t heard of washi tape yet, then get thee to the nearest craft store, STAT! This multi-tasking tape, which hails from Japan, is easy to stick on and peel off and comes in tons of fun patterns and prints, making it a crafting must-have.

I’ve used it to recover old notebooks, add flair to my phone and iPod, decorate vases and so much more. But Klutz’s take on the washi tape craze is my favourite by far! With Make Your Own Washi Tape Stickers, you can shape this colourful tape into completely customized sticker designs that are perfect for any occasion!

With the sun shining up in the sky and the great outdoors calling my name, I pulled my copy out onto the deck at the cottage and washi-ed the summer sights all around me. I mixed and matched the tape in six fun colours and patterns, chose from a ton of easy-to-trace designs, and snipped out seascapes, beach scenes, and sweet treats! Now I’m sending my postcards to some friends so that they can peel-and-stick washi stickers and share in the summer love.  

Get Outside and Happy Canada Day! (with Chalk the Block by Klutz)

In my free time, you're most likely to find me hunched over my desk, crafting up a storm, scissors and glue in hand. But when the weather turns sunny and summer is here, it's all about being outside! 

This Canada Day weekend, I grabbed a copy of Chalk the Block and took my creativity outdoors, to spend some time in the sun, doing what I do best.

With some great ideas from Klutz on how to maximize my sidewalk chalk play, no crack or crevice was safe from my mad doodling! This weekend, everyone will feel the spirit of summer and some Canada Day pride when they pass by my house.

Looking for more great ways to play? Why not throw a Sidewalk Chalking, Balloon-Twisting front yard carnival, like I did one Canada Day past. Hopscotch and skill tests, balloon animals and a roaring chalk rollercoaster, our crafty little carnival was a total blast!

Whatever you do, hope you have a very happy (and hopefully crafty) Canada day!

Bubbles and BBQs (with How to Make Monstrous, Huge, Unbelievably Big Bubbles)

The best things about summer is the world of outdoor space that it opens up. Picnics at the park, playing at the beach, lunch on a patio and a stroll around the neighborhood are a few of my favourites. But the ultimate outdoor fun of summer is definitely the backyard barbecue.

Now, I don’t have a backyard, but this sunny Saturday we were headed to a friend's BBQ party, so I took a peek into my cabinet of Klutz curiosities for a way to make our day extra fun.

How to Make Monstrous, Huge, Unbelievably Big Bubbles is the brainchild of bubble master David Stein and the editors of Klutz. Stein’s invention, the "Bubble Thing," is the magic wand that makes your bubbles big, and inside the book you’ll find the recipe for the perfect bubble mix.

As the ribs and carrots sizzled on the grill, we set up with a bucket of suds and our Bubble Thing and took turns blowing super-sized bubbles out in the sun.

Summer of the Anklet (with Beaded Bands)

My favourite summer camp accessory is definitely the anklet. It’s low key, totally casual and, when you spend all summer in shorts and bathing suits, it really gets a chance to shine. So, every year, I whip up a fancy friendship bracelet to wear from the lake to the campfire to bunkhouse and back again, until it plum falls off from exhaustion somewhere along the way.

Now that I’m a little older, and ever so much more mature (ha!), I wanted to give my favourite summer accessory a sophisticated twist! So, I grabbed a copy of one of my favourite Klutz books, Beaded Bands, and whipped up one of those pretty little wrap-around bracelets that were such a hit at Christmas!

My beaded anklet was so pretty that a friend wanted one too, so I beaded up one for my summer-anklet-sister and we pranced around camp in our fancy new footwear! And, sure, I’ll be sad when this summer camp anklet expires but, just like summer, it’s short time here is what makes it so special! And, plus, that just gives me a chance to make up a fancy new one for next year!

Greetings from Summer Camp (with Cootie Catchers)

I woke up this morning to find the strangest thing… A patch of colourful Cootie Catchers growing wild by the water!

So I picked a bouquet to share with all my camp friends and we had a great day of fortune-telling fun! First, a game of truth or dare on the dock, followed by some silly fill-in-the-blanks over lunch, then a fortune telling session by the camp fire, and a glow-in-the-dark midnight game of cootie catchers in our cabin. It was so much fun that I stashed my bouquet in a jar on my dresser so that we can do it all again tomorrow!

If you’re not lucky enough to stumble upon a patch of wild Cootie Catchers, fear not! You can find these pretty little fortune tellers pre-packaged in one sparkly little book! If you’ve got camp on your summer agenda, be sure and pack this fold-and-play summer essential in your duffel bag!

Pom Pom Monsters High (with Klutz: Pom Pom Monster Salon)

I went to see Monster University last weekend and, guys, it was amazing! I had pretty high expectations for this one and wondered how a prequel would do without cute little Boo... But it definitely lived up to my love of the first and, after that, I just couldn't get those monsters off my mind.

So, I grabbed a copy of Pom Pom Monster Salon and put my inspiration to work. I took things even further back and whipped up some cute pom pom monsters to populate my Monsters High School!

School’s out guys, congrats!

What will you get up to this summer?

Beachy Keen (with Window Art)

One thing this crafty gal has always dreamed of — besides my very own crafting room, of course — is that one day I will get to live near a beach. As a born and bred city gal, sometimes this dream seems destined to stay just that... But with a little inspiration from my favourite friend, I’ve found a way to bring the sun and sand to my skyscraper-filled view.

With a  couple of rounds of Window Art under my belt, this time I decided to take those pretty little paints off-book and make some dreamy summer scenes that take me to my happy place.

So, I searched out some beachy clip art online and printed them out in full page format (don’t worry if it gets a little grainy, as long as you can see enough of the picture to trace, you should be good to go). Then I popped them in the plastic sleeve and got to painting. And all those bright and shiny colours that I raved were perfect for fall and Christmas, turned out to be pretty great for summer too!

So now, this city-bound gal just has to look out her window to see soft sand beaches and bright turquoise water! Turns out, with a little help from Klutz, dreams can come true!

Pretty Summer Suits (with My Fabulous Look Book)

The season of swimming is upon us, yay! 

But with it comes one of summer's most aggravating rites of passage...

The search for the perfect swimsuit.

To find it, you have to brave fluorescent lights, bunched up underwear underneath, and the inevitable comparisons between the way you look in the suit to how the model on the poster right next to you looks in it. Swimming season has its downsides…

But when you find a winner, oh boy, is it great! There’s nothing like hitting the beach, playing in the waves and soaking up the sun (through a thick layer of UV protection, of course!) without a care for too loose straps or a recurring wedgie.

So, in preparation for my summer swimsuit search, I grabbed a copy of My Fabulous Look Book to try and pick out my ideal styles before I hit the stores.

I mixed and matched bright neons with classic black, a retro high waister with a bustier top, a daring strapless beauty with a pretty gold accent, and a Minnie Mouse inspired skirt suit that I absolutely love!

So many choices, so much time in the change room avoided. Knowing what you’re looking for is half the battle. Now my only problem is deciding which I like best!

Straight On to Summer (with Scoubidou)

This week we got our first glimpses of the warm weather we’ve been waiting for. Sure, it was short lived, but I soaked that little bit of sun right into my soul and now I'm filled with summer dreams of swimming in lakes, bunking at summer camp, and roasting marshmallows over a campfire. I'm choosing to ignore the warnings of hail(!) ahead and am hunkering down with some Klutz that was made for summer fun.

Whether you know it as gimp, lacing or boondoggle, Klutz give new life to this summer-camp fave with its original name, Scoubidou. (Fun fact: it was a fad in France in the 1950s!) Sure, there are instructions for the classic bracelets we all know and love, but it doesn’t stop there... Pretty ponytail holders, cool Celtic knots, flip flops, and more all get the scoubidou- treatment too! And with enough cord to make all 12 projects, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy till those sunny summer days actually arrive!

Summer Sisters (with Me and My Friends: The Book of Us)

Oh summer... parting is such sweet sorrow!

It’s almost time to say goodbye to still-light nights, eating popsicles and riding bikes. Pool parties, BBQs, and the odd too-hot-to-bear crafternoon indoors, I will miss you dearly during the glum winter days ahead. But most of all, I will miss my summer friends, those special people who come around when the sun is shining and make each school-free day extra fun!

My cousin Carolyne is my favourite summer friend. There is almost no one that I’ve known longer; we’ve been friends since birth (hers, of course, since by that time I was already a mature six months). We’ve done it all; playing in laundry baskets, staging stairwell productions of The Sound of Music, and indulging our embarrassing love of a certain dance movie franchise. But then she had to go and move away for school. So now our friend-fest is summer only… Sigh!

Before we said goodbye for yet another school year, she and I had a little fun with Me and My Friends! We gabbed and giggled about food, friends, and being carefree for one more week, as we filled out pop quizzes, compatibility tests, and more to commemorate our awesome friendship. So now, on those days when her absence is particularly stinging, I can look up all the reasons that she’s totally worth the wait!