Summer is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to create unforgettable memories with your keiki. At Neighborhood Place of Puna, we believe in nurturing strong, healthy families. Our mission is to empower families and communities in Puna and East Hawaiʻi by building strong foundations through healthy relationships that value each person’s uniqueness. To help you enjoy the summer season, we’ve put together a list of fantastic free and low-cost activities for the whole ‘ohana to enjoy together. Whether you’re looking to stay active, enjoy nature, or explore your creativity, we hope these suggestions will keep the whole family entertained and healthy.
How Neighborhood Place of Puna Supports Families
Neighborhood Place of Puna is a family-focused nonprofit dedicated to assisting families on Hawaiʻi Island in accessing the necessary tools and resources they need to raise their keiki within a safe, nurturing, and stable home environment. Our Family Resource Center (FRC) offers free and confidential strength-based services for families with minor children.
The FRC is a hub of resources, referrals, and information. Membership is FREE and benefits include access to emergency supplies like diapers, wipes, hygiene supplies, parenting supports including coaching, classes, informal talk-story sessions, special events and activities, as well as guidance for families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. Apply for a free membership today to see how the FRC can help you!
Fun Activities to Enjoy This Summer
Reading Adventures
Dive into a world of stories with the Hawaii State Public Library System 2024 Summer Reading Challenge. This fun, free activity promotes reading throughout the summer. Readers of all ages are invited to participate from June 1 – July 31, 2024! This summer’s theme is “E Heluhelu Kākou; Moʻolelo,” and Hawaii’s public libraries will be celebrating the rich and varied stories that shape our communities. Join and log your reading minutes to enter a drawing for a grand prize of four roundtrip tickets on Alaska Airlines to travel and build your own new stories!
The Hawaii Department of Education is also hosting a reading challenge, the #808Reads Summer Reading Challenge. This initiative aims to provide enrichment and acceleration opportunities, reduce learning loss over the summer, increase family engagement in developing literacy, and acquaint students and families with library services. Parents and students can sign up to participate and be eligible for rewards and recognition.
Creative Arts & Crafts
Get creative with a simple and fun activity like painting a pet rock, just like the participants at our Hale ʻIki Emergency Family Shelter. All you need to get started are some smooth rocks, acrylic paints, and a paintbrush. Let your imagination run wild as you transform ordinary stones into colorful critters and characters!
Summer Programs
Looking for a summer program for your keiki? The Hawaii Afterschool Alliance offers an interactive map containing Hawaii Department of Education summer learning opportunities, community-based summer programs, and much more! These programs provide a great way for keiki to learn, grow, and make new friends during the summer months.
Beach Day Adventures
Nothing beats a day at the beach! Pack a picnic and head to one of East Hawaiʻi’s beautiful beaches. These locations offer calm waters and plenty of shaded areas, perfect for families with young children.
- Moku Ola (Coconut Island): An island in Hilo with picturesque views of the bay with a few small beaches and a large grassy area with several picnic tables perfect for gathering with the whole family.
- Richardson Ocean Park: Located in Hilo, this beach park is great for swimming, snorkeling, and exploring tide pools filled with marine life.
- Carlsmith Beach Park: Also located in Hilo, this beach park features calm waters perfect for keiki and plenty of picnic spots under shady trees.
Zoo Adventures
Panaʻewa Zoo offers a free petting zoo every Saturday from 1:30pm – 2:30pm. Silkie chickens, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hair sheep, goats, miniature horse, miniature donkey and miniature pigs are among some of the animals you will encounter.
Free Family Game Night Ideas
Bringing the family together for game night is a fantastic way to bond, have fun, and create lasting memories without spending a dime. Here are some free family game night ideas that don’t require any special materials or equipment:
- Charades: Charades is a classic game that only needs your imagination. Split the family into teams and take turns acting out a word or phrase without speaking, while the rest of the team guesses what it is. You can come up with your own categories or use a charades app for ideas.
- Simon Says: A fun game for younger keiki, Simon Says is all about following instructions. One player (Simon) gives commands, and the others only obey if the command starts with “Simon says.” If Simon doesn’t say “Simon says” before the command, anyone who follows the command is out.
- Storytelling Round-Robin: This game sparks creativity and is perfect for families who love stories. One person starts a story with a sentence, and each family member adds a sentence to continue the tale. See where your collective imagination takes you!
- Freeze Dance: Put on some music and dance around. When the music stops, everyone must freeze in their position. Anyone who moves is out. This game is perfect for burning off some energy and enjoying some laughs.
- I Spy: This classic game can be played indoors or outdoors. One player says, “I spy with my little eye, something that is [color/shape/size],” and the others guess what the object is. This game is excellent for observation skills and vocabulary building.
- Would You Rather: Take turns asking fun and silly “Would you rather” questions. This game is perfect for getting to know each other better and can lead to some hilarious discussions.
- Hot and Cold: One person hides an object, and the others try to find it. The hider gives clues by saying “hot” when someone is near the object and “cold” when they are far away. This game sharpens searching skills and patience.
- Guess the Sound: Take turns making sounds with your mouth or by using objects around the house, while others guess what the sound is. This game is great for sensory development and can be quite entertaining.
We hope this list inspires you to get out and enjoy all that East Hawaiʻi has to offer this summer. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter if you haven’t already and stay tuned for our July Newsletter for more updates on community events and activities.