Who doesn’t love summer vacation? While life and its rhythms look a little different for families of kids with cancer, we guarantee those kids still look toward summer vacation with a sense of freedom and adventure. While reality may prevent your child from tackling more demanding summer activities, there’s plenty you can do to orchestrate a fun and memorable summer.
After all, the parents and guardians of pediatric cancer patients know better than anything that there’s not a moment to waste. As much as you can, be together and make memories!
Here are a few ideas for summer fun that don’t require too much energy. Even if your child feels less than their best because of their treatments, they can still have fun and enjoy these activities.
8 Summer Fun Ideas for Kids with Cancer
#1 – Outdoor Picnics
Plan a picnic in a park or a shaded area where the child can enjoy a meal with friends, family, or both! Include their favorite foods and snacks, and consider providing both active and low-energy activities. Bring a frisbee or a bocce ball set. Hit a beach ball around the park. Or bring your binoculars and hunt for wildlife!
Picnics aren’t limited to daytime romps, either. At night, grill out or get a fire pit going. You can make smores and roast hotdogs together.
#2 – Nature Walks or Scavenger Hunts
There are some big benefits to getting out in the sunshine, so create opportunities to get outside. Take the family on a nature walk, even if it’s short. You can assemble a list of things to find – common animals in the area, landmarks, lakes, strange trees, certain flowers, and park amenities. Take an insulated cup with your child’s favorite chilled beverage and enjoy some friendly competition!
#3 – Arts and Crafts
You can’t go wrong with arts and crafts, no matter how old your child is. First, establish what your child enjoys. They might be into coloring but enjoy “craftier” projects, too. Take them down the aisles of your favorite crafts supply store and pick out a kit or project they can enjoy and be proud of. Paint plant pots for their favorite flowers, do diamond art, or create a statement piece for their bedroom…the sky’s the limit!
#4 – Water Play
Cool off and enjoy water games if it’s okay with your child’s care team. You can set up a sprinkler gauntlet, soak in a kiddie pool, hit the splash pad, or max and relax at the pool. Enjoy a friendly water balloon fight, too! The heat can be tiring, especially for kids with cancer. Fun with water helps keep everyone nice and cool.
#5 – Game Nights
Whether at home or in the hospital, game nights are always a hit. Let your child pick their favorite board or card game and play together. You may even want to play video games together – kart racing is always popular! You can even set a prize for the winner as a little competition booster.
#6 – Field Trip!
If possible, get out and explore. Museums, gardens, zoos, aquariums, or historical sites may be nearby. Even if your child can’t stand or walk for long, many of these venues offer free wheelchairs. If that’s not an option, consider virtual exploration. Many organizations provide virtual tours and educational programs that can be accessed from the comfort of home.
#7 – Sensory Play
Set up sensory play activities that engage the senses. Play with kinetic sand, make slime or homemade play-dough, and go to town! Sensory play is a (mostly) mess-free activity that entertains for hours. You can experiment with different add-ins, scents, and textures when making slime. Trust us, you’ll probably need to make more than one batch to get the consistency right. Thankfully, the process makes as many memories as the play!
#8 – Outdoor Movie Night
All you need for an outdoor movie night is a big white sheet, a projector, and movies via DVD or streaming. Grab bean bags and blankets for extra comfortable outdoor seating, and load up on your favorite snacks and drinks. Just remember to wear bug spray!
There are a thousand fun, inexpensive ways to make summer memorable. Kids with cancer may feel limited, but there’s so much they can do and enjoy. All it takes is the effort to make it happen.