• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Tucson International Academy

We Make College Come True

  • Home
  • Enroll Today
  • About
  • Campuses
    • TIA Campus
    • TIA Midvale Campus
    • TIA West Campus
    • TIA East Campus
    • TIA District
      • Job Opportunities
  • Financials
  • Resources
  • Articles
  • Call Today! 520-792-3255

summer activities

6 Kids Summer Craft Ideas

June 2, 2022

little girl holding colored pencils
Easy and fun summer craft ideas to make with your kids

Stay vacations are all the craze these days. Searching for activities that will keep your children engaged and that are budget-friendly can be challenging. Crafts provide an answer to this issue. Crafts, whether inside or outside, are available for any age group. You can find the materials needed in inexpensive stores or even in your own home. Pack your kids’ summer with action and fun with these 6 easy, fun craft ideas.

Outdoor Craft Ideas

We all know that the extremely hot weather is coming and doing projects outside can be uncomfortable, but sometimes being outside can help you shake off the boring summer days. Remember to drink water and wear sunscreen while enjoying outdoor activities. The following are some fun, inexpensive summer activities that can be enjoyed outside:

water bottles made into kids bowling game
Used water bottles repurposed for a kid’s bowling game

Recycle Bottle Bowling

Like indoor bowling, this outdoor version is budget-friendly, and you can make any rules you want for this game. Go ahead and:

    • Grab 8-10 recycled soda bottles (add sand or water for stability, if necessary).
    • Use any ball (a tennis ball, soccer ball, or volleyball will do just fine).
    • Decorate the empty soda bottles in any way you like.
    • Set up the bottles either the same way the game is designed, or get creative and try something new.
    • Take turns rolling the ball toward the bottles to knock them down.
    • Have fun!

Water Pistol Painting

Playing with water pistols is a fun game anytime but this activity takes it more to a creative level of fun. Remember to aim the water pistols at the canvas, not your friends or parents. You’ll need:

    • Poster Paint
    • Water pistols
    • A large canvas or thick construction paper
    • Water to thin out the paint and pour it into the water pistol

Start spraying that canvas or paper!

Lawn Twister

This exciting, classic family game reshaped for outdoor use is amazing! This lawn version of the game will have you twisting and stretching for those color dots.

    • Cut a 10-inch hole in recycled cardboard.
    • Using contractor’s paint (4 assorted colors), paint six circles of each color the same distance apart.
    • Create a spinner if you need one.
    • Grab the family and have fun.

Very Hot Day Craft Ideas

During the summer, you want your children to enjoy the outside. Healthy practices of exercising and soaking up the vitamins from the sun are essential to a child’s growth. When it’s too hot to be outside, we need to keep their curious minds learning. Here are some suggested projects that can be done in the shade:

Rock Painting

This project will bring out a creative side; there are no limitations to the imagination. Stones should be sealed after painting. You’ll need:

    • Stones
    • Acrylic paint for the background
    • Chalk pens
    • Sealer

Gelatin Flower Suncatcher

Easy and very budget-friendly, this activity only takes a few steps to complete a project. It’s very fun and creative. You’ll need:

    • Flowers (children’s pick)
    • Gelatin
    • Glass dish or a small plastic tub

Now, this is the fun part. Pour half of the gelatin into the container, then add your flowers. There is no pattern to the flowers, just toss them in any way you want. Pour the rest of the gelatin on the flowers. Once set, hang them in the window.

Paracord Survival Bracelets

This bracelet is not only stylish but can help you survive in the woods. The weaved cord can be used to fish, build a shelter, or used to hang food from a tree. To make it, you’ll need:

    • Two bundles of paracord (8 ft in length each) of any color
    • One snap buckle
    • Scissors and a lighter (with adult supervision)
    • A video demonstrating knotting the bracelet
girl blowing paint with a straw
Use a straw to blow paint around into fun designs

The Messy But Fun Crafts

A messy craft is exactly what it sounds like. These crafts can get messy, whether done outside or in. To make sticky sand, measure sand, all-purpose flour, and some vegetable oil and mix well. Then let the sticky sand run through your fingers. Combine 4 oz school glue with food coloring, a bag of Styrofoam beads, a quarter of a tsp of baking soda, shaving cream, and contact solution. Now you have your awesome slime!

For those families who are very budget-conscious, multiple websites can help download templates for paper dolls, character shadow puppets, pop-up cards, and free coloring pages. There is an abundance of activities for all ages.

It’s important that as a parent, we want our children to live a healthy lifestyle while keeping their minds engaged and happy. Making learning fun will only help to improve the child’s social skills and hand-eye coordination and stimulate their creativity.

 

Enroll Today at TIA!

Filed Under: Informative Tagged With: arts and crafts, summer activities, summer games

Fun Summer Things to Do in Tucson With Your Kids

June 1, 2022

Outside fun summer things to do include splash pads
Outside fun summer things to do include splash pads

For your children, summer can be the best part of their year. But for you, the parent, it can be a stressful time of the year. However, there are so many places to take your family that can be fun and educational. That is to say, Tucson has so many activities from which to choose. Outside fun and indoor museums are just a couple of options for your summer family fun.

Fun Summer Splash Pads

As you all know, Tucson can be extremely hot in the summer. Temperatures regularly reach over 100 degrees. To help combat the extreme heat, Tucson offers multiple free splash pads to cool off the whole family.

    • Brandi Fenton Splash Pad – East River Road
    • Zion City Splash Pad – W. Ruthrauff
    • Crossroads at Silverbell District Park Splash Pad – N. Silverbell Road
    • Morris K Udall Park Splash Pad – E. Tanque Verde Road
    • Warden Family Splash Pad – S. San Joaquin Ave.
    • Catalina Park Splash Pad – N. Fourth Avenue
    • Palo Verde Splash Pad – S. Mann Ave

Museums

Parents don’t always consider museums as a place to take the family. But museums offer different exhibitions that are educational and interactive. Most museums offer air-conditioned buildings. Many are also accessible through public transportation.

Children’s Museum – Interactive exhibits that include learning about gravity, public safety, a music garden, and electricity. All exhibits are both educational and fun.

Pima Air and Space Museum – This museum features approximately 400 aircraft, six hangers, and an indoor exhibit of space innovation.

Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium – This science center features exhibits based on fossils, minerals, sharks, and bugs. A portion of the exhibits is interactive.

Arizona History Museum – This museum features artifact displays and stories of the old west. You can also find exhibits of wooden carriages and Arizona treasures.

Tucson has a variety of canyons and parks to enjoy.
Tucson has a variety of canyons and parks to enjoy.

Outside Activities

For the family that likes outdoor activities, these are places for you. Tucson has a variety of canyons and parks to enjoy.

Tohono Chul Park

Located in a suburb of Tucson, set on 49 acres, Tohono Chul Park dessert offers nature at its finest. The botanical garden offers themed garden spaces and resident hummingbirds. Walk among the art exhibits. Visit the gift shop. Eat at the Bistro. The park offers free activity sheets on its Just For Kids webpage. Their vision is to respect cultures and learn about the Sonoran Desert.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

This desert museum has multiple attractions in one place. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum offers a zoo, botanical garden, aquarium, art gallery, and natural history museum. Visitors may have the opportunity to meet special birds not seen in the local area. There is a stingray touch pool. Also, a reptile hall. The desert museum offers views of mountain lions, river otters, gray foxes, and ground squirrels. The museum is partially outdoors, so please refer to the website for safety recommendations.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Though 22 miles from Tucson, this is a full family fun day. You’ll walk through the passageways in the underground landscape. Though an outside activity, the caves stay a cool 70 degrees. Considered a dry cave, the formation will not change. Colossal Cave offers various levels of cave skills, from the beginner to the experienced, physically agile adventurer.

Sabino Canyon

The Sonoran Desert has two rainy seasons. These seasons create a creek that flows over cliffs to feed the vegetation. This canyon offers places to walk, hike, and watch animals. The canyon has an open-air emission-free shuttle that tours the canyon. The canyon is free of charge for specific activities. The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area provides volunteers to help assist visitors.

2 boys playing soccer
Sports camps are always a fun summer option for kids

Indoor Activities

Indoor activities in Tucson are a great option with the summer heat or rainy days. This is a list of indoor activities for children and families on a budget.

    • Skating
    • Bowling
    • Movies
    • Convention Center (children focus events)
    • Rock Climbing
    • Gaming Center
    • Trampoline Park
    • Library events or readings

Summer Camps

Summer Camps are a fantastic way to help children meet a diverse group. The camps offer a 4-day program. These camps offer different themes that will benefit your child’s growth. Please check with the local listing for dates available.

    • Academic Camp
    • Animal Camp
    • Dance Camp
    • Music Camp
    • Performing Arts Camp
    • Sport Camps

In conclusion, fun summer vacations can be full of exciting adventures. To sum it up, it does not matter if you are on a budget. There is always something to do with your children in Tucson.

 

Enroll Today at TIA!

Filed Under: Informative Tagged With: Arizona summer, summer activities, summer fun

3 Ways to Keep Your Kids Learning Over Summer Break

June 6, 2018

Learning Over Summer Break
Summer Break Learning Ideas

Summer vacation is finally here, and this is a time of year that parents approach with both excitement and a little trepidation. On the one hand, it’s nice to experience a lull in an otherwise busy schedule – no more busy nights full of homework, packing lunches, and other school preparation activities. On the other hand, it can be difficult for some parents to keep their children learning over summer break. If you’re wondering how to keep your children away from the computer or TV this summer, we have the perfect place to start. Try one of these activities to keep your kids learning over summer break.

Take Up a New Hobby

Summer in Arizona can be tough, especially since we deal with extreme and sometimes oppressive heat. It’s not always possible to wave your kids outside and tell them to “use their imaginations.” When the summer heat becomes too much to enjoy time outside, encourage your children to take up a hobby. This could be something as simple as joining a summer swim team, or as complex as creating their own science experiments. When children have autonomy over what activities they want to participate in, they’re more likely to follow through and enjoy themselves.

Carve Out Some Family Time

American families have a reputation for being “busy.” We have long school days and homework, extracurricular activities and extra tutoring sessions. When days become overloaded like this, we miss out on important opportunities to connect. Summer’s lull in the busyness presents a perfect opportunity to spend quality time as a family. Something as simple as scheduling a sit-down family dinner can be an effective way to keep your family closer. Research shows that regular family dinners can provide important physical, mental, and emotional benefits – they can cut the risk of obesity, improve your child’s efficacy, and even stave off depression. Use family time as a chance to reconnect with your children and ask about what’s going on with your lives – you’ll be surprised how much you all enjoy it!

Limit Screen Time

Lastly, take steps to reduce the amount of screen time your children have this summer. Instead of using phones or TVs, encourage your children to read by enrolling them in a summer reading program with prizes and other incentives. Take family trips to museums or the local swimming pool.

Summer doesn’t have to be boring – your kids can have fun while learning in the process. Just try out one of these ideas.

For more family fun ideas click here on this article from Neighborhoods.com

 

Enroll Today at TIA!

Filed Under: Informative Tagged With: Arizona summer, summer activities

Footer

Campuses

Tucson International Academy
1230 East Broadway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85719
Phone: (520) 623-3448

Tucson International Academy West
Corporate Office
2700 West Broadway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85745
Phone: 520-792-3255

Tucson International Academy East
450 North Pantano Rd
Tucson, AZ 85710
Phone: (520) 722-9651

Tucson International Academy Midvale
1625 W Valencia Rd 109
Tucson, AZ 85746
Phone: (520) 295-3944

Field Trips

  • College and Career Fair
  • Facing Dragons
  • Senior Day
  • Star Party

Festivals

  • Cinco De Mayo
  • Chinese New Year
  • Cultural Day
  • Winterfest

Connect with TIA!

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Tucson International Academy INC posts all board meeting notices in the lobby of the corporate office.

  • TIA Campus
  • TIA East Campus
  • TIA West Campus
  • TIA Midvale Campus

Copyright © 2022 · Tucson International Academy · Website by The J3 Effect · Log in