It is hot outside, and the kids are out of school for the summer. Are you looking for some summer projects to keep your kids busy, and help you keep your sanity? We have some great ideas to help you out, and assist in making sure the kids don’t spend the summer plopped down in front of the television set, on the phone, or playing video games.

1. Outdoor Tic Tac Toe. You may already have all or most of the items you need to create a garden game laying around the house. You’ll need 9 pavers or tile squares, 10 smooth, flat stones, a can of dark spray paint, some white acrylic paint, and a small brush. Coat the flat stones with a dark, textured spray paint and let them dry. Then, paint half your stones with an X, the other half with an O. Set up your tiles or pavers in a 3-by-3 grid, and you’re ready for a fun game of outdoor tic tac toe.

2. Soap boat race. You’ve heard of a soapbox derby, but have you ever tried a soap boat race? No, it does not involve making a kid sized boat and launching your child down a river, but it is a lot of fun, and you can do it in your own back yard. Here’s what you’ll need: One (or more) pieces of rain gutter (found at your local home good store in the lumber section, if you need one), a bar of soap, a toothpick, fabric scraps, glue, scissors, water source. Simply cut out a small triangle of fabric and glue it to the top of your toothpick to make a “sail”. Insert the toothpick firmly into the bar of soap and it’s ready to race down the gutter. Use a garden hose or pitcher of water to help move things along, if necessary. Two gutters or more and you’ve got a game for kids that will keep them busy seeing whose boat will win the race.

3. Feed your feathered friends. Make these quick and easy DIY bird feeders with your children, and watch the birdies flock to your garden. You will need two gelatin packets, 2/3 cup of water, 2 cups of birdseed, a small saucepan, cookie cutters in your choice of shape and size, a mixing bowl, cooking spray, wax or parchment paper, straws, and twine. Place water and gelatin in the saucepan, and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Heat on medium heat until simmering and remove from burner. Stir in birdseed and mix well; set aside to cool. Spray inside of cookie cutters with cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Pour or spoon bird seed mixture into individual cookie cutters, filling to the top and placing a straw about an inch below the top for a hanging hole. Set in refrigerator to cool for one hour, or until solid. Remove cookie cutters, tie twine through hanging holes once you have removed the straws, and voila! This recipe makes approximately two bird feeders, four inches wide.

4. Pool noodle races. Don’t have any rain gutters around the house, but you do have a pool noodle? Sliced in half lengthwise, these make excellent race tracks, as well. You can use marbles or matchbox cars, and make race flags the same way you made your soap bar boat sail, with toothpicks, fabric triangles, and a little bit of glue. If you don’t have any fabric available, card stock will work as well. You can even make a “start” and “finish” flag for either end of the race track using wooden barbeque skewers. Once you have cut the noodle in half, lay the halves side by side and secure them together by sticking toothpicks through the sides. Place race flags down the outside of the track, and secure your “start” and “finish” flags to either end.

5. Slime magic. Believe it or not, Martha Stewart knows how to make green slime. Is there nothing that woman doesn’t know how to make? To be fair, she had help from Professor Figgy. This is an easy recipe you can make at home for hours of summer time fun. Mix together one-half cup of white glue, 1/3 cup of warm water, and 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened lime Kool-Aid, or 4 to 8 drops of green liquid food coloring. In a separate bowl, mix together 3/4 cup warm water and 2 teaspoons Borax, and pour into the first mixture. Remove slime from the bowl and work in your hands for 2 to 3 minutes. Store in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container in the refrigerator to keep from developing mold.

To make your slime project even cooler, use glow water instead of regular water to render your homemade slime fluorescent. To make glow water, simply fill a plastic or glass container with 2 cups hot water, use a pair of pliers to pull out the felt writing tip of a standard yellow or green highlighter and carefully pry off the bottom and remove the felt ink tube from inside. Soak both tip and ink tube in water for 4 to 6 hours. Use gloved hands to squeeze any remaining ink out of the felt tube and discard both felt ink tube and writing tip. This recipe can be used in any crafting recipe involving water or dye to create projects that glow under black light.

There you have it; five fun, creative ways to keep your kids busy this summer that does not involve electronics, phones, or television. And it’s a good bet that making glowing green slime will score you lots of points with the kids in the “cool” department.

If you need some additional ideas on how to keep your kids busy, check out our kid’s products, and don’t forget to celebrate life’s special moments with Current Catalog.