We can't make the season longer, but we can help you get the most out of summer. Check out our 10 fun ideas, from making the most of your beach time and cooling off with a splashy game to throwing a daytime slumber party, cooking out in style, preserving your backyard flowers, creating a festive Fourth of July with tie-dyed bunting and sneaking in some learning with snacktivities.

1. TURN SOAPSUDS INTO POCKET CHANGE

Running a lemonade stand is a fun activity, but a bike-washing station has cooler fringe benefits: kids get soaked and sudsy while they scrub. Reader Kristie Carlson of Hamilton, Michigan, told us how much her 8-year-old triplets love this hot-weather pursuit. They plop a water-filled tub in the driveway, pour in some mild dish soap, grab their sponges, and wipe down plastic toys and bikes. For the Carlsons, this is simply good clean fun, but if your kids post some signs to attract customers and keep a cash box for making change, they might earn a few quarters too.