With much of our country still under some variation of stay-at-home orders or social distancing restrictions, many people are left wondering how they’ll entertain their families this summer while school is out. At Maid to Shine, we’re in the business of making your home a great place to be, so we thought we’d share some creative ways to have fun at home this summer.

Ice Cream Bar

Is your favorite ice cream shop still closed? Bring the ice cream shop to you! Pick up a few cheap gallons of ice cream from the grocery store, some cones and waffle bowls, and then get creative with the toppings. Some toppings we love:

• Syrup (hot fudge, caramel or strawberry)
• SPRINKLES!
• Mini chocolate chips
• Nuts (make sure there are no allergies)
• Mini marshmallows
• M&Ms
• Gummy bears
• Cookie crumbles
• Whipped cream

Cleanup tip: This fun activity can be super messy, but cleanup can be easy on a hot day. Put the kids in swimsuits and let them run around in the garden hose or sprinkler afterwards. Then, be sure and spray off the patio or grassy area where ice cream was served to keep bugs away. 

Balloon Fights

No pool? No problem! If you’ve noticed that kiddie pools are about as impossible to come by as toilet paper these days, water balloons are a great (and cheaper) alternative! If you really want to get fancy, you can get these self-sealing water balloons and fill up dozens of balloons in just a matter of seconds! You can keep it simple and have a good old fashioned water balloon fight, or make up some games like water balloon wiffle ball or dodgeball.

Cleanup tip: Make sure to get all those broken balloon leftovers picked up before you run the lawn mower. If you have little kids, turn it into a game and see who can pick up the most pieces first.

Camping in the Living Room

If you’ve ever been tent camping in the Midwest in July or August, you know it isn’t for the faint of heart! Those 80 and 90 degree summer temperatures can make for tough sleeping arrangements. If you’d rather spend your evening in more comfortable conditions, go camping in the living room. Set up your sheet fort or tent in the living room, follow Paula Dean’s recipe for no-fire s’mores, and get those campfire stories ready!

Cleanup tip: Since you’ll have to wash those sheets and pillowcases after your “camping trip” anyway, this is a great time to try out our ceiling fan cleaning hack.

Get Artistic!

People are making some pretty amazing things with sidewalk chalk these days. Gather your pals and get creative with a sidewalk chalk walk. Get everyone in the neighborhood to put their best drawing on the sidewalk or driveway. Then everyone can walk around the neighborhood and vote for which one they like best.

Cleanup tip: If all that sidewalk art leaves stains on the concrete, water and dish soap and a strong scrub brush (or outdoor broom, for a large area) should take the stains right out.

If you’re exhausted from all that summer fun, call or use our quick and easy online booking tool and let someone else do all the cleaning while you relax!