Summer has rolled around and even if your kids are in camp, there is still a lot of time to be filled. Having silly family fun with your kids helps make lasting memories for them. The activity actually can be secondary - it is the idea of giving your children all of your attention, tuning out the world just for them.

Here are some of the creative ideas we've used or have on tap for this summer.

-Make your own tie-dyed shirts

-Grow some cactus, you'll be amazed how many varieties there are

-Have a water balloon fight

-Get a bird book for your area and try to pick out some in your yard

-Do a summer photo project where you take a photo each day of the summer, a summer version of the Flickr 365 project.

-Write a family song (sounds silly but it is hysterical and your kids will love it). One of ours is based on the Sesame Street Rubber Ducky song but with Nuggle Bunny inserted and verses we made personal.

-Let your kids set up lemonade stand

-Using plaster of paris, make hand or footprints

-Help your kid learn one good magic trick (or more)

-Teach your kid a couple of good jokes- not just the joke but the timing to say it.

-Start an Amish Friendship Bread. Amish Friendship Bread is a sweet bread that you can pass on to a friend along with the 'starter' for them to make the bread to continue the cycle.

-Hang out for an afternoon at a college campus.

-Buy blank postcards and have your kids color them on one side and then write a short note to mail to family, friends or anyone they want.