Okay, parents. You’ve had your rest. Now it’s time to get up, get outside, and start having some fun! These games will do the trick, guaranteed!
Design Your Own Box Kite (Seedling)
This high-quality kit (we wouldn’t expect anything else from Seedling) includes a foldout box kite, tubes of fabric paint, and other materials that you and your little one(s) can use to create a one-of-a-kind soaring, dodging, flying, masterpiece that you’ll use over and over again. All you need is time, imagination, and lots of wind. For ages 8+. About $30. https://www.seedling.com
DIY Build N’ Fly Drone Kit (FlyBlocks)
With most drones, you open the box, take out your already-assembled drone, plug it in, put batteries in the control unit, and in a few hours, you’re good to go. That’s wonderful, but with this FlyBlocks kit, you get to be the technician and engineer as well as the pilot. There are a total of 72 snap-together pieces, including building blocks, motors, and blades. Choose from four models with either four or six motors, and whether you and your child are first-time flyers or drone experts, you’ll have a blast working together to build, fly, crash, and rebuild this durable kit. Promotes collaboration, creativity, and fun. For ages 8+. About $60. https://www.flyblocks.com
Rocket Fishing Rod (Goliath)
There’s something wonderfully relaxing about fishing, plus, it’s a great way to hang out with kids. At least until the lines get snarled and tangled and little fingers get pricked on the hooks. The Rocket Fishing Rod has eliminated all of the problems, leaving only the relaxing and stress-free hanging out. With its pump action, you can launch the bobber up to 30 feet. When it hits the water, the bobber releases the hook and bait. Comes with the rod, bobber, two hooks, 150 feet of line, instructions, and more. It’s for ages 8+. Under $30. http://goliathgames.com
Zoom Ball and Zoom Ball Hydro (Goliath)
Zoom Ball is an incredibly simple—and just-as-incredibly fun—game. Simply pull the handles and you shoot the attached ball over to your partner, who does the same thing to send it back. It’s fast-paced and will get you sweating in minutes. Since the ball and cords are attached, you won’t spend half your time chasing after overthrown balls or looking for them in the bushes. Zoom Ball Hydro is nearly identical, except that you load up the ball with water balloons. You never know when they’ll pop and leave you soaking. Zoom Ball is for ages 6-8 and retails for $13.99. Zoom Ball Hydro is for ages 8+ and retails for $14.99. http://goliathgames.com
Kidizoom Action Cam (VTech)
With all these outdoor activities, there are endless photo ops. Sure, you’ll capture some image and vids on your camera, but why not let the kids get in on the action? The Kidizoom Action Cam is durable, versatile, and designed especially for kids. It features a 1.4” color LCD screen and can take videos, still photos, stop motion videos, and time-lapse images. It also comes with plenty of games, effects, filters, and more. It comes with mounts, so the kids can attach it to their bike, skateboard, or something else, and it’s waterproof up to 6 feet. You can download everything to your computer with the micro USB cable. Better yet, use the 32GB microSD card (which you’ll have to provide). Records up to 240 minutes of video or 278,000 photos. For ages 4-9. Under $43. http://www.vtech.com