It’s hard enough to plan your family’s summer activities without a pandemic, but with the pandemic, it’s infinitely harder. When it comes to family activities during this difficult time, you have to be careful with what plans you make. Here are five activities you can participate in with your family this summer that allow you to practice social distancing and keep you and your family healthy.

Plant a garden. The best thing about the summer is the weather. While it can get hot in some places, summer weather, especially in the mornings and in the evenings, is glorious and should be enjoyed. The perfect activity for children of all ages is to start a family garden. Gardening teaches children so many positive things, such as discipline, consistency, and patience. As a bonus, you will be able to eat the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor – literally.

Create an at-home science camp. For kids who love learning, you can create your own science camp. There are plenty of websites that have DIY science projects listed, and the majority of the ingredients you need for the science projects can be found at your local hardware, grocery store, or ordered online. Planning a science camp is a great way to keep your kids engaged in learning while having fun.

Go hiking and make a map. Another fun and engaging activity is to create a DIY map while hiking. This activity may require multiple hikes over a couple of days and will engage your child’s critical thinking skills and memory. Making a map can be a fun activity for all ages, and you don’t have to be in the woods to do it. If you don’t have access to the woods or a park, then you can make a map of your neighborhood or even your town.

Have a scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt is a fun afternoon activity for younger children, and there are two ways to set up this game. You can have your children find nature items outside, or you can develop a specific list of things for them to look for, and hide them in your backyard. No matter how you decide to build this game, it’ll keep your children busy for a couple of hours and have them tired for the rest of the evening.

Create a photography journal. Finally, you can have your children create a photography journal of their summer experiences. This is especially unique because of the times we’re living in, and they may want a visual record of these unique times for years to come. A photography journal can be made in several different ways. You can purchase a disposable camera for your children or they can use their (or your) cell phone or professional cameras to collect photos. After they have collected several photos, you can either print them out and add them to a photo album, or you can upload them to an app that allows you to keep track of memories.