(Easy, Screen-Free Ideas That Actually Work for You and Your Kids)
Sneak peek: Summer activities for kids don’t have to involve a lot of camps or scheduled outings. Find a compilation of simple, classic ideas for summer fun that kids still love.
Summer sounds magical… until you’re the one trying to fill long days without defaulting to screens.
If you’ve ever thought:
“Why are they bored already?”
“I do not have the time or energy to plan another elaborate activity”
You’re not alone.
This list of summer activities for kids is designed for real life—minimal prep, low cost, and things kids will actually do (without you hovering the whole time).
Having two kids at home full-time really ramps up the activity level around the house. My kids will be doing a few day camps for some weeks this summer, but the majority of the time it will just be the three of us during the day, finding fun summer activities at home (while I try to work some too!).
In this article, you’ll find some of our favorites and classics that we always return to each summer.
| Situation | Try this… |
|---|---|
| Kids are bored | Scavenger hunt, lemonade stand |
| Too hot outside | Indoor fort, crafts |
| You need a break | Audiobooks for all (or Toniebox) |
| Low-energy day | Water play with cups, baking soda-vinegar experiments |
Ending Summer Over-Stimulation
I glanced at some of the day camp agendas for some of the full-day camps for kids in our area. At first glance, they seemed like every kid’s dream day every day of the week. Days were filled with visits to museums, splash parks, movies, tours, amusement parks (!), and pools. I thought maybe I should just send my older son to some of these camps. Besides being price-prohibitive for many of them,
I realized the underlying reality of this idea—a summer of over-stimulation.
My kids, probably like many of yours, can get overstimulated and “overdone” pretty easily. I think these points to an unseen, but present feeling in our culture right now.
We often feel the need to entertain, direct, organize and otherwise “enrich” our kids’ lives to the point of exhaustion.
Granted, if you work in an office each day or even from home full-time, having kids at home all day during the summer is overwhelming. I totally feel that—but there has to be a better option than weeks of endless overstimulation.
Besides being exhausting for our kids, this desire to “enrich” every moment of our kids’ lives is actually counterproductive. Research continues to point to the value of boredom and unstructured play as two of the best things we can do for our kids. Kids who are allowed time for daydreaming, boredom, and other “do nothing” time, tend to be more creative and mentally healthy.
Unstructured play has similar benefits. When kids are left to make up their own games, negotiate rules with friends and manage (age-appropriate) risks on their own, their self-efficacy and confidence soar.
Related reading: How to Give Your Child a 1980s Childhood {and it’s backed by research!}
The other big benefit—this approach makes it much easier on parents. By allowing for boredom and unstructured play, we actually free up time for ourselves as well.
That being said, this summer my goal is to give up being the “cruise director” for my children’s summer.
I’m more than ready to retire from that job. Yes, we will do activities, and we might do some crafts, but it’s going to be at a pace and style that is all our own. If we decide to spend most of the summer with friends, playing by the neighborhood pool, and really doing much of “nothing,” then I’m okay with that.
Related reading: Surprisingly Helpful Calming Activities for Super-Active Kids
I have included some ideas for activities and crafts in this post, but they are just ideas. If your kids are feeling creative and want something to do, these might be fun ideas, but there’s no pressure.
This is not one of those “bucket list,” we-must-do-everything-before-summer-is-over kind of posts.
Let’s all make this summer one of relaxation, free play, and fun memories.
Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids
Old-Fashioned Classics
Lemonade Stand
This can turn into a great lesson in entrepreneurship (earn extra money for treats). But you could also use it as a great example of charity as well by supporting Alex’s Lemonade Stand to end childhood cancer.
Related reading: The Reverse Bucket List Summer: Helping Kids Grow in Gratitude
Tie-Dye T-shirts (or dresses)
Easy, fun and you have something wearable at the end. One of the best fun summer activities at home.
Shaving Cream Extravaganza
When my older son was a toddler, this was one of his favorite activities. Anything that can keep a toddler occupied for more than 10 minutes is a miracle in my book. We often spread the shaving cream on a slide in the backyard. Fun!
Mud Pie Kitchen
Okay, I admit I haven’t done this yet, but it’s on the top of my list. My little guy loves mud and earthworms, so I think this is a must this summer. This is one of the best classic summer outdoor activities for toddlers.
Ice Cream in a Bag
It’s not summer without ice cream. Plus, this little experiment actually teaches a bit about science.
Camping (backyard or elsewhere)
Even if you are not into camping in the forest, you can set up a tent (real or made of sheets) in the backyard. Camping is one of those classic outdoor summer activities that kids still love. Bring in some books, snacks, card games and make an afternoon of it.
Try Greenlight!
Low-Effort Summer Activities
Audiobooks + Drawing Time
Some kids may grumble at reading, but audiobooks are different (and equally good for the brain). Use that handy Audible subscription or something screen-free like the Toniebox audio player. Pair this with drawing paper and colored pencils to help them keep their focus.
Water + Paintbrush
It’s just as easy as it sounds. Bring out buckets of water, some paint brushes, and go to town “painting” the fence or back patio.
Pre-set “independent play bins”
Board Games or Card Games
All the classic ones are still great. We love Monopoly, chess, and checkers. Some popular newer ones include Wits and Wagers, Bounce Off, or Cat Crimes.
Puzzles or LEGO challenges
Repurpose those piles of Legos into new creative challenges. It’s a great way to use mixed-up Lego sets in a new way.
Summer Activities for Kids – The Creative Crowd
Water Balloon Piñata
These look so fun! I just have to find water balloons big enough to make it work. Some other awesome water-related fun ideas include painting ice cubes and car wash (for your or the kids’ toy cars).
Marble cards
This is a lovely project, plus kids learn a little color theory along the way.
Puffy Paint
Here’s a cool little project that’s easy and it involves an amazing transformation in the microwave.
Perler Beads
Some people love them, others can’t stand them, but we have fun with these at our house. You can find a lot of cool patterns online for new ideas. These saved me last summer when my then-6-year-old would spend hours working on new projects.
Summer Field Trips for Kids
Museums
Look for museums you may not have visited before. Use this helpful list of museums across the country. Keep an eye out for free days or special summer programs for kids. Take a look at Groupon for great deals on attractions like museums, zoos or other kid-friendly outings.
Library (summer reading program)
Summer visits to the library are another classic activity we do every year. Even little kids can sign up for the summer reading program. Many libraries have lots of fun summer activities like concerts, magic shows or game time.
Local Farm or Dairy
Summer is the perfect time to check out what’s harvested locally in your community. You might be surprised at the variety of fruits and vegetables grown close to you. Somehow, when kids pick out a vegetable themselves at a farm stand, they seem more likely to actually eat it.
Zoo
Of course, summer is not complete without at least one trip to a local zoo. Some zoos offer special summer programs, including overnight stays.
Bowling
Check your local bowling alleys for Kids Bowl Free. It’s a great summer program that makes bowling more cost-effective. It’s a nice way to cool off when the summer heats up.
Independent Summer Activities
When you need something for the kids to do without constant help. The goal here is building independence, not perfection:
Create a comic book or story
My boys loved this when they were younger. You can even find books with pre-made comic layouts so they can feel like a real cartoon artist.
Puzzle or brain teaser time
Puzzles (jigsaw or other types) are always fun, along with brain teaser books, Rubik’s cubes, or puzzle balls.
Pre-set independent play bins
For younger kids, play bins are a great way to encourage independent play. Set up a bin of toys and activities, usually around a certain theme. Pull these out only when it’s time for independent play, so they won’t get bored with them too soon.
Unconventional Summer Activities for Kids
Theme Day
For a fun change of pace, how about letting the kids pick a theme day? It could be superhero, backwards day, funny hat day or anything else you can think of. You could read books around that theme, dress up, and/or make fun food.
Ice Skating
If you are lucky enough to have an indoor ice skating rink in your city, take advantage of it during the summer. I just realized our local YMCA has one, so this is definitely on our list for the summer.
Chef Day
Need a break from cooking? How about letting the kids “cook” or prepare the food for the day? Of course, you may need to set a few limits (candy is not a major food group), but it could be a great learning experience for the kids. I found these great kid-safe knives that actually help them learn some useful slicing skills.
Related reading: Unbelievably Simple Summer Learning Activities that Kids Can’t Turn Down
Easy Indoor Summer Activities
When the weather doesn’t cooperate, you need some backup plans.
“Create your own game” challenge
Challenge your kids to create their own game of any kind—board game, obstacle course, arcade game (my boys loved this one!). Just provide basic supplies like cardboard, tape, glue, markers, etc.
Fort building + flashlight stories
This one is still a favorite, even during the day, especially if it’s cloudy or rainy outside. Offer fun snacks and a wide variety of books.
Dance party or music time
Music can lift anyone’s spirits on a rainy day. Let your kids pick the playlist and dance on.
Reading Log
We do try to keep the “summer slide” at bay by doing some school-like learning activities during the summer. Reading is a priority. My 6-year-old has just become a real reader, and I’m hoping we can keep up his skills over the summer. Reading logs or reward cards seem like a good approach to make it fun with a little reward at the end.
Coding Workbook
I just saw these at a store the other day and I’m thinking it might be a good investment. My son likes video games, and he says he wants to make his own. What better incentive to learn some computer coding? Good thing my husband is an engineer, so he can help him!
Activity Books
Speaking of activity books, there are tons of great ones out there now. Included in my collection of favorites are ones for kids who love puzzles, logic games, baseball (Mad Libs!), stickers, and crafts. The possibilities for summer fun are endless.
I hope you all have a fun and relaxing summer with your kids.
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