Summer fun bags Part One: Elementary bag

What are "Summer Fun bags?" These are bags filled with fun and educational activities for the summer months when your kids are out of school.  You can do SO MUCH with this idea.  I chose to to DIY lots of the items for the bags, but it would also be really quick and easy to fill a sand bucket with items, books, flashcards and candy from the dollar store.  My FAVORITE PART is that my kids receive these when they arrive home on their last day of school.
(Lots of excitement and fanfare!!)


Come back later this month to see the Preschool and Toddler "Summer fun" bags. (Note: these can (AND WILL!) also double as "Road trip" fun bags too!)


The first bag is for my daughter who is finishing 2nd grade.

Bag: ThirtyOne gifts
Cost: Free from hosting a party

2 New books--
1. Judy Moody (a new favorite around here)
Cost: $4.99
2. A to Z Mystery book club kit (included a free book). Looks like the kits are gone, but the printable version is here.
Cost: Free


I am sure we will be purchasing some more books as a reward for completing these:

Summer reading log

Summer reading STAR bingo, banner, bookmarks, and printables from HowDoesShe?
Cost for both: Free

Summer Fun Passport--This is sort of like the World Showcase passports at Epcot.  Kids get a stamp or signature as we run different errands.  In the past they have gotten stamps from the postal worker, signatures from cashiers, stickers from customer service, etc.....  They enjoy collecting different things, and it makes running errands easier.  So maybe this one was more for me?  WIN-WIN!
Cost: Free

Date with Mom and Date with Dad coupons--each kid gets two.  These are simple too--a meal out together, a movie, a craft project, etc....nothing fancy: just one kid and one parent.  Sadly, that something that doesn't happen often in our family of three.

Cost: Nothing now, but maybe $10 per activity once we go DO them together.

Grade appropriate educational activity books
Cost: $5.99

A puzzle
Cost: $.99

Box of Science experiments.  These are all homemade science experiments you can do with around the house items.  I originally wanted to include the items to do each experiment in the box, (Like this!) but when I didn't have time to go chase down Borax and some other ingredients, I settled for a composition notebook with the experiments included as well as pages for her to journal about the results.  The supply lists will help her gather what she needs to do the experiment. I'm sure the little boys will enjoy this too.
I had a book from when I taught school that included several experiments.
Here are some I included:
Rock Candy
Moon Sand
Soap Clouds (I am excited about this one!)
Lava Lamp
There are literally TONS of "homemade" science experiments out there.  I included about six in her box.
Cost: $.10 composition book I bought during back to school sales in the fall
Additional $5-10 for supplies (we actually have most on hand).  Maybe less with coupons. ;-)


Then there are some candies and glowsticks (pictured above) that I got in the dollar section at Target to split among the three kids.
Cost: $.66 per child


Total cost for this SUMMER FUN BAG contents: $15.  I am not including the price of the "future" activities with each parent or the prizes.  It will vary depending on what we do AND I have coupons for most of them in my Entertainment book.


Want a quick and easy version for your kids?  Surprise them on the last day with a Summer Fun Bucket list!
There are some ideas from some of my favorite bloggers:


Summer To Do list on Eighteen25

Summer Activities Chart by The Crafting Chicks
Activity jars by the Crafting Chicks






Do you want more ideas and inspiration?
Check out my Pinterest Boards: Summer Fun and Kids crafts and don't forget to follow me there!


What about you? Do you do anything like this?