10 Ideas For Summer Family Fun At Home Slideshow

The Tribe has spoken. See who has the endurance, strength, and willpower to survive a night filled with food challenges, obstacle races, and knowledge trivia. Tiki torches will transform your backyard into a remote tropical island. Unappetizing condiment concoctions (think Tabasco with mayo with Caesar dressing) can be on the menu for the food challenge. A more appealing alternative for the menu can include gross-looking food similar to what one would see in a haunted house. 

Worried that all of this time away from school is making your children's math a bit rusty? Bring them to the store with you to pick up sugar, lemons, and ice, and see them use those addition and subtraction skills. Check out the educational Lemonade Stand online game to see just how much math can play a role.

Lasso up! Turn your yard into the Wild West by letting your little ranchers wear spurs, square dance, and lasso some "cattle." Then, enjoy a Chuckwagon dinner around the campfire, complete with beans, sourdough biscuits, and beef jerky. 

See what is available at your nearby Redbox, check out what is at your local library, or scroll through the On Demand list — choosing a movie is the hardest part of this simple night. When grabbing snacks, think movie theater style. Order your favorite movie theater candy online. Experiment with different popcorn toppings, including everything from Parmesan to lime juice. Feeling more ambitious? Rent out a projector and watch the movie in the backyard. 

Not sure what time Mr. Softe passes by your house? Don't feel like driving all the way to the nearest ice cream or frozen yogurt shop? Forget waiting and turn your kitchen into an old-school ice cream parlor. Pick up some waffle cones, sprinkles, hot fudge, and different ice creams from the grocery store. Lay them all out on the kitchen table — buffet style. Then, it's time to create the ultimate sundae! Feeling wacky? Try replicating these crazy ice cream concoctions. 

Think anyone in your family can beat last year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winner? Gather around and watch to see if anyone can eat more than 62 hot dogs in one sitting. Not a fan of hot dogs? Just substitute the franks with any of the tastier things on the menu at these American food eating competitions. 

Pitch a tent in the backyard, grab some flashlights, and start thinking about your scariest stories. Everyone loves a good old-fashioned campout. And everyone loves some campfire s'mores. 

Before handing out the treasure maps to everyone, serve up some Pirate Ship Sandwiches and Pirate Pasta. Then, it's time for your pirates to go find their loot. What kinds of treasures will they find buried in the backyard? Perhaps a treasure chest filled with chocolate gold coins. 

Make your kids feel like major-leaguers by hosting a backyard ball game. Take the whiffle ball and plastic bat out the garage. Then feature some stadium food for dinner by tossing some burgers and ballpark franks onto the grill. Play ball! 

Discover the galaxy that exists beyond your backyard. Bring out a telescope, print out a star-gazing map, and launch a miniature rocket into the sky. Let your children be astronauts for the night. Feature freeze-dried fruit, nuts, flour tortillas, granola bars, re-hydrated soups, and other space food for dinner. For more ideas, scope out The Astronaut's Cookbook written by Charles T. Bourland and Gregory L. Vogt. The possibilities are infinite — and beyond..