10 Fun Things to Do This Summer in Brighton

We are weeks into summer and Brighton Patch is here to help parents avoid hearing those three dreaded words... I'm so bored. So, here is a handy check list of ten great things to do with your family around Brighton this summer.

1. Get artsy. Other than the comical appearance of the “The Little Green Man,”  perhaps the most unique characteristic is the fact that it is painted with chalkboard paint so children can draw on him… an open invitation by the artist for participation from youngsters.

2. Renew your crush on your local library. Prevent “summer brain drain” by taking advantage of your library’s summer reading programs and storytime sessions. Find out when kids story times and events are held at the Brighton Library here.

3. Gone fishin'. The Brighton Recreation Area offers Hook, Line and Sinker programs every Thursday at 7 p.m. and every Saturday at 10 a.m. starting June 13 and running through August 17. Meet at the fishing pier between the campground and the beach. Bait and limited number of poles will be available or bring your own. A fishing license is not required for those under age 17.

4. Start a lemonade stand. Let your kids run a business while fighting cancer this summer by having a neighborhood lemonade stand. Have your kids sell lemonade and baked goods and donate the proceeds to Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

5. Explore your kids talents. 242commons will help yout child find their inner Picasso or Shakespere through a variety of summer camps for kids ranging from art classes to theater. 

6. Visit your local museums. Check out a Michigan Activity Pass through your local library for discounted admission and ideas. 

7. Go bird hunting. Osprey, herons, and more, oh my! Bird and farm animal facts are just a call a way, with Kensington Metropark’s new cell phone tour, now available through July 19. 

8. Have fun in and on the water. Enjoy the summer sun while having buckets of fun at Turtle Cove Family Aquatic Center. Zip down two waterslides, drift along a lazy river, get soaked under the 300-gallon dumping bucket, and wade into the zero-depth entry pool with lap lanes.

9. Put on a show! Toss leftover Halloween costumes, masks, dress-up clothes, shoes and hats in a box with some potential props and tell your kids to come up with a play. They’ll love performing for you. You can find great items for a dress-up box at a local resale store like Trading Closets in Brighton.

10. Go on an adventure. Meagan Buckmaster-Ross, a Duvall, WA mom of four and author of the blog An Adventure Every Day, frequently creates “day trip adventures” for her kids. Pick some interesting places to explore that are an hour or less drive from your house. You can help your kids remember their adventures, says Buckmaster-Ross, by encouraging them to take photos and draw the interesting things they see. Her 7-year-old already has her own sketchbook, and her older siblings have kept journals for years. Need some ideas of places to go? Check out our Patch Passport series with ideas for day trips to other Michigan Patch towns.

Have any other ideas? Tell us in the comment section below.