These summer activities for kids will keep your crew entertained while school is out. Enjoy these fun craft ideas, art activities and games to play with your kids this summer.
School’s out for summer and mothers everywhere are scrambling to come up with ideas to keep their kids entertained for the next three months. Oh, wait… maybe that’s just me?
I’ve been saving up fun craft ideas, art projects, games and activities to do this summer when my kids start tossing around the dreaded “B” word– you know — B.O.R.E.D. I am going to keep those kids busy so they don’t just sit around watching TV or worse, fighting with each other. If you’re a mom, I know you can relate!
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite summer activity ideas with you. Be sure to bookmark this page or pin it so you can refer back to it all summer.
I started by printing out these pages so my kids know all of the things they need to do each day before they can ask to watch TV or play on the computer.
Hopefully this will help provide structure, ensure that the most important things get done every day and limit screen time.
One summer, I even took the idea step further and made a Summer Fun Basket full of new toys and activity kits that the kids could earn.
And to all you mothers out there… good luck. It can be frazzling, but the very best days with my kids have been on lazy summer days.
No-Mess Tie Dye Sneakers
Use Sharpies to decorate plain white canvas shoes, then do this technique to make it look like watercolor. This one is so fun and much less messy than traditional tie dye.
Graph Paper Art
Make this fun pixelated art using a sheet of graph paper.
Duck Tape Zip Pouch
Turn a plastic zip bag into a durable and waterproof little pouch, perfect for taking to the pool.
Clothespin Flower Fairies
Turn an old-fashioned wooden clothespin into the cutest little flower fairies that look like they just stepped out of a cottage garden.
Egg Carton Animals
Recycle an egg carton and turn it into these cute turtles!
Unicorn Marionette
I’ll always be a fan of marionettes because of that scene in Sound of Music. It would be such a fun summer project to make all the puppets, then put on a show!
Popsicle Stick Bracelets
Did you know there’s a way to permanently bend a wooden craft stick into the shape of a cuff bracelet? It totally works and is so fun!
Color Changing Squirty Chalk
Make liquid sidewalk chalk for hours of screen-free summer entertainment for your kiddos.
Painted Rocks
This classic summertime craft is fun to do, especially if you hide the rocks in the yard or around town for others to find.
String Art
This is a fun craft, but definitely requires help from an adult to pound in those nails and stringing the floss is probably more suitable for older kids. I’d guess fourth grade and up on this craft.
DIY Moon Rocks
Make your own moon rocks! Such a cool project, especially if you’ve got a kid who loves outer space.
Paper Poppers
Show your kids how to fold these paper poppers, then send them outside so you don’t have to listen to the popping sound until you go crazy. Hahaha.
Fired Ink Art
Use fire to make art? Yep! Clearly an adult needs to help with this one, but the process is mesmerizing and the finished art is super cool. This is definitely a memorable art project.
Tie Dye
Tie dye is such a classic summer activity. If you want to try it this summer, be sure to check out this ultimate tie dye guide with everything you need to know, tips and tricks and lots of pattern and folding ideas.
DIY Bird Seed Feeder
Use cookie cutters to make these fun seed cakes, then hang them in a tree and watch for birds to come visit. How fun!
Marshmallow Catapult
Permission to launch marshmallows? That’s a winning idea for any kid!
Around the World in a Week
I did this series of activities with my kids when c-0vid hit and it was actually so much fun. Each day you “visit” a new country, learn about that country, make crafts, eat food and do activities from that country. We had a blast and I’d highly recommend doing it with your kids or grandkids.
How to Make Giant Bubbles
These bubbles are huge and absolutely mesmerizing to watch.
Shaving Cream Slip n Slide
Oh, the memories they’ll have of this crazy, messy, fun day. Make a giant slip and slide and cover it in shaving cream!
Duck Tape Animal Popsicle Holders
Little hands are always freezing while eating popsicles, so grab the Duck Tape and make these cute popsicle holders.
Sand Volcano
If you’ve got a sandbox or you’re visiting the lake or beach this summer, this idea for a sand volcano is sure to be a big hit.
Water Balloon Piñatas
Set up a dozen water balloons on strings and let the kids go to town breaking them and getting splashed.
Bug House
Make a little bug house, then pretend to be a scientist and collect “specimens” from the yard for observation.
Giant Water Blob
A water blob is like a giant water bed (child of the 80’s here). It’s bouncy and fun and sure to provide hours of entertainment.
DIY Glitter Bracelets
These glitter-filled bracelets are fun to make and can be customized in so many different ways.
DIY Bouncy Balls
Make your own bouncy balls that glow in the dark. Neat!
Make Your Own Rock Candy
Making rock candy is like a science experiment, but you get to eat the results! It takes about a week before the candy is ready to be eaten, but it’s really fun to observe daily.
DIY Balloon Rocket
Make a cool rocket that’s propelled by the air of a balloon. This is a fun craft to make, then play with over and over again.
Rubber Band Rocket Racers
Make rockets out of toilet paper rolls and rubber bands and you will be amazed how high they can fly.
Make Edible Water Beads
Try making your own water beads or really they’re like little boba. I’ve found that any projects where you get to eat the end results are a win with my kids. LOL.
Sumo Wrestling
They make inflatable sumo suits now, but back in the old days, we used to just sumo wrestle this way. Good times.
DIY Lego Aquarium
Turn a mason jar into a miniature aquarium featuring a Lego underwater explorer.
Plastic Cup Towers
All you need is a stack of paper cups and some cardstock or playing cards and your kids can build all kinds of towers and structures.
Cardboard Box Dollhouse
This is a project that could keep your child busy all summer. Give them a stack of cardboard and let them build a house or castle or school. A low temp glue gun for kids over eight would work really well to keep all the pieces together.
Pool Noodle Sprinkler
This one is so fun for hot summer days. Make a pool noodle sprinkler and water the lawn while the kids play.
Hot Rocks
Warm up rocks in the oven, then use crayons to draw on them and the wax will melt onto the rock, making really cool designs. Parent supervision is a must on this one, of course.
Giant Paper Butterflies
Make big beaded paper butterflies out of pretty patterned paper.
How to Make Slime
Get all the best recipes for different types of slime in one place, plus tons of tips and tricks and troubleshooting. This is the ultimate resource for learning to make slime! The recipes are all printable too.
Clay Bead Bracelets
Making stretch bracelets out of clay beads is such a fun summer craft. My kids love making them!
Road Trip Snack Bingo
If you’ve seen Snackle Boxes, this is a similiar concept, but turned into a game. Free printable included.
Cookie Sheet Magnetic Story Scenes
Have your child draw different background scenes, then place it on a cookie sheet and use magnetic figures to play in the different scenes.
Well, there you go. Tons of fun ideas. I hope you found something fun you want to do with your kids this summer.
If you need even more ideas, be sure to check out my Pinterest board called Activities for Kids. I’ve been saving fun ideas there for years!
Let’s Get Social
I’m sharing tons of fun ideas on my social channels and I’d love for you to join me there.