These Fun Activities Will Keep Kids Entertained All Summer Long

Encourage your child to collect leaves, draw bugs, and jot down their backyard discoveries. It’s a fun way to turn outdoor time into a personal science project!

Set up a feeder in your backyard and grab your binoculars. See how many feathered friends you can spot from your porch or window!

Scoop out all your favorite flavors and load up on toppings. Everyone gets to create their own dreamy dessert combo.

Roll out a plastic slide, add water and a little soap, and get ready to zoom. It’s backyard fun that’ll keep kids laughing (and slipping) for hours.

Use mini plants, tiny figurines, and rocks to create a magical little world right in your own backyard. It’s part garden, part imagination station.

Can’t decide where to start? Sit down as a family and write out all the things you want to do before summer ends. Then start checking them off!

Help your kiddo learn a few easy tricks and practice their sleight of hand. Then they can wow their audience with a backyard magic show!

They can’t all be sunny days! A trip to a nearby museum is a fun (and air-conditioned) way to explore art, science, or history together.

Fill a jar with ideas like “make someone laugh” or “share your snack.” Pull one each morning for a feel-good activity.

Head outside at dusk with a jar and try to catch a few twinkling fireflies. Let the kids admire their magical glow up close, then gently release them. It’s a simple summer memory they’ll never forget.

Add plants like milkweed or lavender to your garden to attract butterflies. Then watch them flutter in and learn all about their life cycle.

Let everyone show off a special skill—dancing, magic, singing, anything goes. Invite friends or family to cheer from the lawn.

Use hula hoops, jump ropes, and pool noodles to build a wacky obstacle course in your backyard. Then let little ones race through it as fast as they can.

Make a book list, add a sticker chart, and set some fun goals. Don’t forget to reward your little reader(s) with a treat after they finish each book!

Wait until dusk, grab a flashlight, and head outside for a game of hide-and-seek in the dark. The person with the flashlight is “it” and tags others by shining the beam on them!

Ready, aim, splash! Dive into summer fun with a lively water balloon fight that’ll leave everyone soaked and smiling.

Sun’s out, snacks out! Pack your favorite drinks and light bites and head outdoors for a delightful picnic in the park.

Plan an exciting outdoor scavenger hunt, using clues from nature. This is a great way to explore your neighborhood or local parks and outdoor spaces.

Even if a beach vacation isn’t in the cards for you this summer, you can still plan a day trip to a nearby beach. Spend time soaking up the sun, building sandcastles, and splashing in the waves.

Take a walk on the wild side this summer with a visit to the local zoo or aquarium. Your little ones will love seeing all of their favorite animals up close!