Let’s jump right into this post, answering the most pressing question. What exactly is a Breakfast Invitation? A Breakfast Invitation is a simple hands-on activity for toddlers and preschoolers set up by an adult the night before. In the morning, the child to comes to play as the adult preps breakfast and drinks coffee (hot). A Breakfast Invitation allows your family to transition from morning screens and implement more play in our day. So what better way to kick off summer, than with our favorite summer Breakfast Invitations for Kids!
What are good summer activities for kids?
I like to put away anything like a worksheet or activity book for summer and remind my children (ages 6,8,9) that they have the power to play. The best summer activities are the freedom and flexibility for kids to try new things, make new friendships, practice life skills, and know what to do when bored.
When my boys were toddlers and preschoolers, we encouraged more play by starting the day with a Breakfast Invitation. (I wrote this post in 2017 as the morning activities for toddlers began to take off) These low-prep activities begin the day with creativity and problem-solving. I can see how being intentional in the morning influenced the rest of the day. (and their play as big kids)
Where to begin can be tricky, so I wrote you this free guide on creating a calmer morning routine with kids to give you a step-by-step guide.
Morning activities are not just for the morning
Breakfast Invitations are morning activities for kids. But what if you are getting kids off to daycare and trying to blow dry your hair for work? These easy ideas are not just for the morning.
If you are rushing out the door, or have a morning routine that works for your family, think about the time of day that is not working. After preschool, post-nap, or dinner prep are some popular times of the day when families enjoy these easy ideas.
Since we are in full-on summer mode, I created a list of effortless Breakfast Invitations to begin the hot days with play.
Summer Breakfast Invitations
Over the years, we have created many simple morning activities for kids. These summer starters help improve fine motor strength, inspire creativity, and use supplies many of you already own. As a mom of three, I know how significant downtime is, and you will not be using it to prep complicated activities for kids.
Begin with one of these morning activities, then zip on to bubbles, water balloons, or sand sensory play to help pass the time and enjoy the day.
Feed the Sharks Counting Activity
It’s amazing how fun shark drawings will encourage counting. For toddlers, use numbers they are familiar with. Preschoolers can combine two numbers to add the total amount of stickers.
Fine Motor Letter Resuce
Rescuing anything seems to be an easy win in our home. Here, your child improves fine motor strength by grabbing each letter and moving it to the boat. Pinching fingers is also a great precursor to a strong pencil grip if your child dislikes the tongs. Let your child take the lead.
Treasure Map Preschool Color Hunt
If your child likes to move (all hands go up), this color hunt is for you! Sketch a simple treasure map with color stops. As your child traces each color, have them run off and find something to bring back. Place the object on the map and continue tracing! A sneaky way to encourage handwriting.
Vocabulary Activity for Kids
Have half sheets of stickers you don’t know what to do with? This is the easiest toddler and preschool activity to set up and a super fun way to introduce new vocabulary.
Rainbow Color Sorting
Summer is an excellent time to bring out the counting bears for color sorting and imaginary play. Draw a simple rainbow and invite your child to begin matching the colors.
Sticky Sun Suncatchers
Contact paper is great fun for children. It is sticky and stimulates the senses. You do not want to skip out on this idea if you have contact paper and yellow and orange tissue paper.
Sun Threading Activity
(Taming Little Monsters)
This sun threading activity is a simple way to work on hand-eye coordination. Color match or make a simple pattern with the beads and pipe cleaners.
Ice Cream Corner Bookmarks
(Red Ted Art)
If you have big kids, show them how to make ice cream corner bookmarks!
The Watermelon Seed Craft
Painting before breakfast may not be on your list, but this summer activity pairs so well with a favorite children’s picture book that we couldn’t leave it off.
Chalk Fireworks
(Toddler Approved)
Gather the spare pieces of sidewalk chalk. This fireworks drawing is a fun change of pace from markers and white paper. Watch the colors pop!
Which morning activity will you try first? Not to play favorites, but Feed the Sharks is in my top five.
FAQ
There are so many good activities to do in the summer with kids. Simple activities like playing with bubbles and water balloons are guaranteed for a good time. You can also plan for activities requiring more prep work, like going to a baseball game or taking a road trip.
There are many ways to entertain your kids at home during the summer. Encourage messy outdoor play, get creative with summer-themed arts and crafts projects, and let go of busy schedules. Use The Summertime Bundle to help take the guesswork out of your summer schedule with kids.
A bucket list is simply a checklist of activities, ideas, and experiences you aim to accomplish. Ideas can be fun summer ideas such as day trips, catching fireflies, or simple moments at home. Here is the summer bucket list for kids that I created.
