85 Totally Awesome Summer Activities for Kids + a Printable

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When I was asked the question for the 874th time that day, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Well, if you're so bored, go clean your room!"

Yeah, that went over well with the child who had posed the question. *insert sarcasm here*

About 1 1/2 days into summer break, I realized that I needed a plan which meant that I needed a list.

So, I grabbed a notebook and brainstormed a list of 85 activities for the kids to choose from when they complain about being bored.  Then, being the awesome person I am, I put the list on a printable for you guys too.  You're welcome :)

You can also see more detail on each of things on the list below the printable with links to help you out.

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85 totally awesome activities for your kids to do this summer + a free printable

 

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1. Paint with water on construction paper
Give your kids a cup of water and some paintbrushes and let them paint with water on construction paper.  The best part is that you can re-use the paper after it dries!

2. Paint with water outside

Get a pack of big paintbrushes (the kind you'd paint your house with) and have your kids "paint" the house, toys, car, etc with a bucket of water.

3. Play in a sensory box filled with dry beans, rice, or noodles

 Our sensory box is a 9x13 cake pan filled with dry beans and a few random kitchen utensils such as measuring cups and a funnel. The Jenny Evolution has a list of 100+ sensory box fillers with some awesome ideas!

4. Play with playdough

 This one's a classic.  This Play-Doh fun tub is a great way to get started with your play-doh collection.

5. Play with kinetic sand

Honestly, kinetic sand is so much fun that I spend as much time as the kids do playing with it

6. Cut pictures out of magazines

Save a few old magazines or catalogues for the kids to cut up with safety scissors.

7. Play a board game

Here are a bunch of really fun games for kids.  Just make sure that whatever game you choose is age appropriate for your kids.
  

8. Dust the house

This is a total win for you.  But seriously, my kids beg to dust the house.  I love the reusable dusters that fit on Swiffer duster handles.

9. Make paper airplanes

Get a book that shows how to make different types of paper airplanes and then have a "race" to see which one can fly the farthest.

10. Have a snowball fight with balled up socks or crumpled paper

Just make sure the kids know they have to pick them up afterwords :)

11. Make a cardboard slide on the stairs

Save some big pieces of cardboard and make a slide on your stairs.  Shannon from Milk and Cuddles shows how to do it.  

12. Baking soda/vinegar/food coloring

Sprinkle some baking soda liberally on a plate or baking dish and let your kids drop colored vinegar on it with an eye dropper. Chelsey from Buggy and Buddy has a great post about this.

13. Play “Is it magnetic?”
Have your kids use a magnetic wand to find out of things are magnetic or not. 

14. Pipe cleaners and colanders

Thread pipe cleaners through the holes in a colander and then take them back out.  Parents magazine has a great article about the benefits of this, even for older kids.

15. Put up the card table tent
You can either buy a tent like the one here, or make your own with a bedsheet.

16. Build with marshmallows and pretzel sticks

Kids get to build something and then eat their creation afterwords!  What's not to love?  Malia at the STEM Laboratory has a great post telling how to do this.

17. Use masking tape to make roads, a hopscotch mat, or a tight rope

There are so many things you can make with masking tape on the ground!  Mama University has a post with a bunch of different games you can play using masking tape.

18. Build with pipe cleaners

Have your kids make a person, a house, or anything they want out of pipe cleaners.  Here's a great starter pack with a variety of pipe cleaners for even more fun.

19. Make a cardboard box train

Save a couple of large cardboard boxes and line them up to make a train.

20. Play with shaving cream

Spray shaving cream on your table (use a plastic tablecloth if you don't want it directly on the table) and let the kids use their imagination to play in the "snow."

21. Read books

Reading is always a good activity.  If your kids are old enough, introduce them to the choose your own adventure books.  If your local library has a summer reading program, be sure to sign up.  You can also see a list of free reading programs here at the Jenny Evolution.   

22. Color in coloring books

An oldie, but a goodie.  For older kids, have them add detail to the background of the picture in a coloring book.

23. Write a letter or color a picture for someone

Doing this will teach your kids to empathy for others.

24. Play restaurant

Set up a table in your living room and let the kids play restaurant.

25. Play with paper dolls

You can find a lot of printable paper dolls for kids online.

26. Have a treasure hunt

Hide something and draw a map to it so the kids can go on a treasure hunt.  

27. Look at picture albums

My kids love looking at old picture albums.  I even bought an extra set of Chatbooks so they can look at them without me worrying that they'll wreck them.

28. Play school

Have the kids take turn being the teacher to avoid fights.

29. Make a giant ice cube with toys inside and watch it melt

Fill a bucket or other container with water and drop a few water-safe toys in it before freezing it.  When it's frozen, let the kids take it outside and work on melting it to get to the toys.  Jody at Premeditated Leftovers has a fun post about this.

30. Wash dishes

This may seem like a strange activity for kids, but my kids love doing it!  Anything with water is usually a hit.  You may have to re-wash a few dishes after, but the kids will have fun and learn an important life skill.

31. Sort change

If you have a change jar, dump it out and let the kids sort the coins.  For older kids, ask them to count it as well.

32. Play hot lava with paper “rocks”

Put pieces of paper (bonus of you use black construction paper!) around the room and tell the kids that they can only step on the paper or they'll end up the hot lava.

33. Color on butcher paper on the wall or floor

You can get colored butcher paper rolls on Amazon or just save some of those big pieces of paper that come crumpled up in packages for the kids to color on.  You can either lay the paper on the floor or tape it to the wall.

34. Sweep or mop kitchen

Another win for Mom!  My kids love these chores, especially since I got them a small broom that they can easily use.

35. Wash toys

Yup, more housework that kids have fun doing!  Take a bunch of water safe toys outside with a bucket of soapy water and let them wash them all.

36. Make rainbow crayons

Start saving those little broken pieces of crayon to melt them into a bigger rainbow crayon.  You can melt them in the oven at a low temperature or in the sun like Rachel from Don't Call Me Supermom did.

37. Play legos
If you don't have legos yet, you can get a good starter pack here.  No fancy sets needed, just a bunch of legos and some imagination make for a fun time for kids.

38. Make macaroni necklaces

Tie a knot in the end of some string and let the kids string macaroni on them for necklaces.  For edible necklaces, they can string cheerios or fruit loops instead.

39. Play with puzzles

Puzzles are a great way for kids to work on a whole bunch of skills!

40.Bake cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are always good, but here are some fun new cookie recipes.

41. Ketchup and mustard in a sealed ziploc bag

Squirt at tablespoon each of ketchup and mustard in a ziploc bag.  If you want to be extra safe, tape the top shut with duct tape to be sure there are no leaks.  Have the kids draw and write on the bag.  Amy from Let's Explore shows how to do it with paint instead. 

42. Play with crepe paper

I had a couple rolls of crepe paper leftover from my wedding and finally decided to just give it to the kids to play with.  They had a blast and it was a pretty easy cleanup afterwords.
 

Davy having a ball with some of the crepe paper

43. Blow bubbles
If you're like me and get dizzy after blowing bubbles for 30 seconds, a bubble machine is a life saver.

44. Have a dance party

Turn on some fun music and have a dance party! I'm enjoying this with my kids now since it won't be long before they are embarrassed of my dance moves :)

45. Make an drive in theater with cardboard boxes

Put a cardboard box for each child in front of the tv and let them have popcorn while they sit in the box and watch a movie.  Bonus points if they decorate them to look like cars first!  Stacy from Not Just a Housewife has a fun post about this.

46. Play hide and seek

For some fun variations on this classic game, check out this post from Jana at How to Run a Home Daycare.

47. Play with sidewalk chalk

I buy the biggest box of sidewalk chalk I can find at the beginning of summer and my kids have usually used it up before August hits.  For extra bright colors, have them dip the chalk in water before coloring on the sidewalk.

48. Make sock puppets

Give the kids some of those lonely socks hanging out in your laundry room and let them put on a puppet show.

49. Play Simon Says

Have the kids write down different tasks such as "jump up and down" or "pretend to be a dog" on slips of paper and then draw them out of jar to play the game.

50. Take pictures

If you have a digital camera that you're comfortable letting your kids use for a while, let them take pictures.  You can also get a digital camera specially made for kids here.  You'd be surprised at their perspective on some things.

Picture taken by Katie at 3 years old

51. Play I Spy

Have the kids take turn spying something with a different color or shape.

52. Play dress up

You don't have to buy expensive dress-up clothes for kids-just hit up your local thrift store and buy some cheap clothes in different sizes.  The kids will have so much fun and will use their imaginations more than with regular dress-up clothes.

53. Have a lemonade stand

Help your kids set up a lemonade stand outside.  This is a great opportunity to teach kids business skills.  If no one seems to be stopping, text a couple of your friends and family and let them know they should "just happen to drive by."  Samantha from Le Chaim on the Right has a great printables pack to teach kids how to set up their lemonade stand.  

54. Melt ice in the sun

Dump a tray of ice cubes in a bowl and send the kids outside to play with them.  They'll have a lot of fun watching them melt in the hot sun.

55. Go to the library

If your library has a summer reading program, make sure you sign your kids up!  If it doesn't, check out this list of free summer reading programs from the Jenny Evolution that they can participate in.

56. Go to the park

Don't just go to the same park you always do though.  Try out a new one that you've never taken the kids to.

57. Shoot rubber bands at a target

Draw a target on a piece of cardboard and have the kids take turns shooting rubber bands at it.

58. Make ice cream in a bag

It's fun and the kids will love eating it when it's ready.  Christina from Two Little Hooligans has a great post about it. 

59. Sew buttons on fabric scraps

This is great for fine motor skills.  After they're done sewing, snip the buttons off and they can do it again later!

60. Have a water balloon fight

Use one of these to fill up the water balloons faster and easier.

61. Match socks

You know that basket of mis-matched socks languishing in your laundry room because you never have time to match them up?  Hand it to the kids and let them see how many pairs they can make.

62. Play “Will It Float”

Give the kids a bucket of water and some water safe toys or things like sticks, rocks, leaves, etc.  Have them guess whether each item will float or not before testing it.

63. Make a guitar with a box and rubber bands

This is easy to make with a shoebox or kleenex box and some rubber bands.  The kids will enjoy figuring out how to make different sounds by adjusting the rubber bands.  Amelia from Fun Family Crafts has a tutorial for several "guitars."

64. Make puffy paint with shaving cream and glue

Add some glitter for some extra fun.  Debbie from One Little Project has a tutorial on how to make puffy paint with just 3 ingredients.

65. Make a calming bottle

This post from Alida at The Realistic Mama has 11 fun ways to make a calming bottle.

66.Make sun art
Have your kids place a few small objects on a piece of construction paper and set them out in the sun for a few hours.  When the objects are removed, they'll see "shadows" where they were.  In the Playroom has a great post on how to make sun prints.

67. Make playdough

Here are some fun recipes to make playdough with your kids.

68. Catch fireflies

Give your kids a jar with some holes punched in the lid and let them catch fireflies after dark. 

69. Play in the rain

Obviously, I'm not saying you should send your kids out in a thunderstorm, but a gentle summer rain is the perfect time to go outside and play.

70. Fold origami

Get a book on how to fold origami and teach your kids how to fold different things.

71. Make popsicles

I like these fun mini popsicle molds.  You can make them out of fruit juice, koolaid, or whatever you'd like!

72. Watch the clouds

Lay out on the grass and watch the clouds change shape as they drift overhead.  Have the kids tell you what shapes they see.

73. Decorate a cardboard box

Give your kids a large cardboard box and let them go crazy with their imaginations.

74. Paint rocks

Find some big smooth rocks outside and decorate them for pet rocks.  You can use paint, markers, crayons, etc.

75. Wash the car

Give the kids a bucket of water or a garden hose and let them clean the car.  Just make sure your windows are rolled up first!

76. Have a reading party

Reading parties are one of my favorite childhood memories.  Have each of your kids pick out a book to read (or several if they read picture books) and have them find a cozy spot to curl up and read.  Hand out some snacks such as cookies and hot chocolate or lemonade.  This is a great way to encourage kids to read more.

77. Make binoculars out of toilet paper rolls

This is an easy craft that kids love made with supplies you probably already have around the house.  Rosandra from Mommo Design has a fun tutorial on how to make them.

78. Help plan the menu for a meal

Have your kids help you plan the menu, buy the groceries, make the food, and serve the meal.  They'll have fun and learn a lot too.

79. Make an obstacle course out of toys

Put some of your kids' bigger toys around the living room and have them jump, go around, or climb over them for an obstacle course.

80. Write and illustrate a story
Fold some paper and staple it in the middle to make a little book.  Have the kids write and illustrate a story and then read it to you.

81. Make homemade pizzas with fun toppings

I don't know any kids who don't like pizza and getting to make their own with their favorite toppings makes it even better.  You can use a packaged pizza crust or just use halved English muffins.

82. Put on a talent show

This is a fun way for kids to use their imagination and show off something they can do.

83.Play hangman

This is a great way to practice letters, spelling, and reading.  Here's a fun Hangman printable for your kids.

84. Play charades

You can either buy a charades game for kids here or make your own by writing things on slips of paper for them to guess.

85. Make root beer floats
Word to the wise...use caffeine free root beet.  I speak from experience :)

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85 totally awesome activities for your kids to do this summer + a free printable

 

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What activities do you like to do with your kids in the summer?  Drop a comment and let me know!  

This post is linked up at: 1. Mom's Small Victories 2. Raising Samuels 3. Mummy Do It 4. Don't Call Me Supermom 5. What Joy Is Mine 6. Donna Reidland 7. Smart Mom, Smart Ideas  8. Marilyn's Treats 9.The Joy Chaser 10. Mrs AOK A Work in Progress 11. Deb CB 12. Cornerstone Confessions 13. Sweet Little Ones Blog