PHOTO: popofatticus
By Beth S. Pollak
Looking for ways to keep your little ones active, engaged, and smiling this summer? Take some time to celebrate their superhero selves with homemade costumes, activities, and adventures. With most theme parks closed, festivals cancelled, and Comic-Con moving online, you can use these ideas to spark fun summer days for the superhero kids in your family.
Here are seven superhero activities to try from your home:
Design Your Own Superhero Costume
It’s easy to put together an outfit for your favorite superhero, even if you can’t purchase it at a store! Use craft supplies and recyclables to cut, tape, and decorate a creative costume.
- For a cape, grab some old sheets or towels and cut them into shape; or use colorful shawls and scarves.
- Make homemade eye masks with paper plates or fabric.
- Design a shield or breastplate using construction paper or cardboard.
- Create armbands using cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls.
- Use foil and pipe cleaners to craft gadgets and accessories.
Superhero Sprinkler Fun
On a hot day, turn on your sprinkler and turn up your imagination for some refreshing superhero action!
- Move like a superhero: run, charge, fly, and dash like a superhero through the sprinkler. Try different movements and call out different characters!
- Superhero water balloons: Fill up water balloons, and toss them at any backyard villains! Chase away the bad guys with your superpowers.
- Sprinkler freeze dance: Play music and dance in the spray. When the music stops, freeze! Who gets caught in the sprinkler?
Superhero Obstacle Course
Set up toys and tools around your house to make a superhero obstacle course!
- Cross the river: Use brooms, tape, or pool noodles to outline a ‘river’ for kids to jump across.
- Crawl through the cave: Set up chairs in a row for kids to crawl under. Cover them with a sheet to create the ‘cave’!
- Jump over the mountain: Pile up couch cushions to create a ‘mountain’ for kids to jump over.
- Skipping stones: Line up throw pillows like stepping stones for kids to hop across.
- Dinosaur egg balance challenge: Place a line of masking tape along the floor. Walk the line while balancing an egg in a spoon!
Superhero Simon Says
Play the game ‘Simon Says,’ with your superhero characters in mind! Choose one person to be Simon and to lead the instructions. For example:
- “Simon says shake your cape!”
- “Simon says fly like a superhero!”
- “Simon says raise your shield!”
See which superheroes in your family can keep track of what Simon says!
Superhero Scavenger Hunt
It’s time for a superhero scavenger hunt! Make a list of ‘treasures’ to find around your home:
- ‘magic’ bracelet or ring
- ‘superpower’ belt
- ‘enchanted’ scarf
- ‘superstrength’ gloves
- ‘super’ animal sidekick
You can also try one of Caribu’s scavenger hunts in a virtual playdate! There are five scavenger hunts to choose from in Caribu’s in-app library under ‘Activities.’ Download Caribu to your phone or tablet to get started. Challenge your friends or family members to an online adventure, and see who finds the mystery items first!
It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, Its… Origami!
Grab some colorful paper and fold some origami shapes! You can find step-by-step origami guides in the ‘arts and crafts’ category in the Caribu app. Fold a paper airplane, animals, and clothing designs. Experiment with different textures: you can use printer paper, colorful post-its, squares of gift wrap, construction paper, or Japanese Kami paper.
Superhero Superdrawings
Take a look at Caribu’s superhero drawing pages in the ‘Activities’ section of the app. The coloring pages include images of animated heroes from Cartoon Network, Sesame Street, and other favorite shows. Color them with a friend or relative on a Caribu Video-Call! Choose your favorite characters and fill them in with bright shades together. Make it a virtual playdate and try some of the mazes, puzzles, word searches, and more.
And when it’s time to wind down:
Read Your Favorite Comics And Graphic Novels In Caribu!
This week is superhero week at #CampCaribu, and we have selected some of our favorite superhero reads for you. Enjoy classics from DC Comics, as well as new titles like Potty Superhero and Jesse Byrd Jr.’s Dreamcatcher. You can also find books about real-life animals with incredible qualities in the Animal Superpowers collection. Read together with a friend or family member on a Caribu video-call, and enjoy the fun as a dynamic duo.
Beth S. Pollak is a writer and educator based in California. In addition to working with Caribu, she consults with educational organizations and EdTech companies. Beth has worked as a teacher and journalist in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. She holds degrees in journalism, bilingual education, and educational leadership. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, picnics, and dance.