Low-effort summer solstice celebration with kids

June 21, 2019 12:23 PM

I would like suggestions for easy activities or videos for a mellow summer solstice celebration with kids, ages 7 and 5.

When we talked about the summer solstice, my kids were quite curious about it. I'd like to do some solstice-related media or activities with them this weekend but am not having particularly good ideas. I'd appreciate suggestions for things such as kids' movies or videos related to the solstice in some way, easy drawing/craft projects that we could do, outdoor solstice related...something? or other ideas. What do you think?

posted by medusa to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

Best answer: Make daisy chains or flower crowns from fresh wildflowers.
Make bouquets to bring inside
Collect and press flowers and plants
Get a cyanotype kit form the craft store and make sun prints in your yard or local park
Make an easy dessert with whipped cream and local fruit that's in season (check out what the farmer's market has to offer or just buy summer fruits like strawberries and cherries)
Do some gardening!
Paint happy suns on paper and decorate them with glitter and stickers

More into the science side of things? Watch some YouTube videos on why this is the longest day of the year.
posted by ananci at 12:39 PM on June 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A picnic outside to watch the sunset, and maybe bring along some facts about what they’re seeing.
posted by sallybrown at 12:44 PM on June 21, 2019 [2 favorites]

Best answer: If you're not on a fire ban, having a little backyard fire and getting each of them to write down something they'd like to let go of and burning it can be a really nice impactful way to honor seasons changing.
posted by Sweetchrysanthemum at 1:02 PM on June 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My kids are six and seven and we have started a tradition of having a bonfire and staying up late - mostly because it's not worth the fight trying to get them in bed when it's still so bright out. We have smores and lay on the hammock and eat fresh fruit and spend as much time outside as we can. We also talk about what makes the solstice happen, and if it rained we'd we inside with candles instead.
posted by SeedStitch at 2:33 PM on June 21, 2019

Best answer: Things I did with a 3.5 year old today:
- Dandelion crown for her (they do NOT last long - shrivel very quick - daisies are probably better, but I was going for the yellow sun theme)
- Sing "Mr. Golden Sun" by Raffi
- Gave her a prism for her window - we had fun finding where the rainbows moved as the sun went down
- Lemon tart for dessert (again with sun theme)
- Sun/summer colouring pages
- We watched "The Longest Day" on Puffin Rock
- Used a bubble wand and made wishes to float up with the bubbles

We are in apartments in the city, so no bonfire for us sadly.
posted by obliquity of the ecliptic at 7:08 PM on June 21, 2019 [2 favorites]