50+ Best Fun Summer Activities & Play Ideas for Kids

Summer is here! Don’t let your kids be bored this summer! Get moving and be creative with these summer activities for summer fun for kids of all ages. This summer will be full of play and memory making for the entire family with all these fun things to do in the summer.

Fun Summer Activities

Here are some Crazy Cool Summer Ideas! Every time the summer break comes around, my kids tend to get kind lazy and whiny. Don’t wait for summer camp or your town’s summer programs, you’ll definitely want to try out some of these super awesome summer activities for kids ASAP.

Related: Summer camp games and activities

Summer is here and if you’re like me you want your family outside and enjoying the nice weather, not glued to screens. The local park is fun and so is a water park, but sometimes it is nice to enjoy summer days in your own backyard.

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Summer Fun for the Entire Family

The best part is, you can do a lot of these fun summer activities together as a family which makes this the most wonderful time of the year!

Related: More summer fun games for kids

Most of these ideas are simple and can be done outside, others not so much. Like on long summer trips? But we can help keep your little one entertained with these fun activities! We even have some ideas for entertainment for your next family road trip.

Related: Have you picked up our Camp Mom Summer Guide?

Coolest Outdoor Activities for Summer

Let’s have some fun over the next few months with this massive list of summer activities for kids!

1. Bubbly Ball Pit For Kids

Check out this bubbly ball pit for kids! They are a blast, and bubbles make them even better in this kiddie pool activity idea. She did it with her preschoolers – my 9 year old thought it was a blast too! It is like having your own splash pad in the backyard which is way easier than a trip to the water park. via Small Potatoes 

2. Best Water Gun Games

Love water guns? Then this is the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon with one of the best water gun games ever! Race with squirt guns! You can see who can fill a cup up first, or string cups across your yard and squirt them along the line. FUN! via All For The Boys

3. Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Science and art meets playing outside with this awesome fizzy sidewalk chalk paint – super fun activities! Make some fizz. This fizzing sidewalk paint recipe is a blast! Whip together some baking soda with bubble juice and clean up with vinegar.

4. Backyard Water Slide for Outdoor Play

There are so many ways to create either a homemade waterslide like this kids water slide. Or another way to play with water that is a little less messy is this DIY water blob. Both are super fun and make a water park in your own yard.

5. Sponge Water Bombs

Water balloons aren’t great for small children, but sponge water bombs are! Transform some sponges into a water bomb. Play hot potato with your water filled sponge ball. The whole family can have fun and stay cool and I think they are less dangerous than a water balloon fight. via Inner Child Fun

6. How To Make A Rainbow

Just because it is summer doesn’t mean kids should stop learning. Now you can teach your kids how to make a rainbow and celebrate the colors of the rainbow with a little science. Make the rainbow blocks ahead of time. via Fun a Day

7. Sponge Necklace

Video: How to Make a Cooling Necklace for Summer

Who knew you could make a super cute sponge necklace with pieces of sponges? String them to help keep your kids cool outside. Love this idea! You can get a bunch of sponges at the dollar store really cheap. via One Crazy House

Indoor Summer Activities for Kids

8. Boat Craft For Toddlers

Check out this boat craft for toddlers, preschool kids, and even older kids! Recycle soda bottles by turning them into boats. This is something we made at summer camp one year and it always reminds me of summer. You could even race your homemade boats. Via The Pinterested Parent

Related: We have more than a dozen ways how to make a boat with kids

10. Ice Cream Coloring Pages

Download and print these summer coloring pages for kids that feature some of our favorite yummy & cool summer treats like ice cream and popsicles. They are free and perfect for passing some quiet moments inside or on the back porch or in the car on your next road trip.

More Summer Printables Kids Will Love for Fun Activities

Fun Things to Do in the Summer

11. Water Gun Painting For Kids

Break out those water guns to try this water gun painting for kids. It is so much fun, messy, and leaves you with amazing works of art! This is one of my favorite summer activities. Via Fireflies and Mudpies 

12. Fun Activity Ideas for Summer

If you are looking for a more cohesive plan for organizing summer activities to have the best time with kids and creating a summer schedule, check out our favorite at home program, Camp Mom! <–It is in its 7th summer season and packed with cool things to throw your own homemade summer camp.

13. Colorful Ice Cube Art Project

This colorful ice cube art is perfect on a hot day. Ice cubes are always fun in the summer – add paint for a colorful day of decorating the sidewalk. It will wash off. via Learn Play Imagine

Related: Check out this fun ice play using colored ice cubes

14. DIY Sand Spray Paint

Don’t just make sand castles! Bring along this sand spray paint and decorate your sand castles with some color…super fun activities. via Sandy Toes & Popsicles

15. Throw Summer Camp at Home

With over 50 summer camp ideas that you can do at home as a family, as a group of neighbors or with a group of friends…let’s host a summer camp night each week! So many fun summer campy things to do…so little summer.

16. Make Your Own Kinetic Sand

Make a batch of kinetic sand – all you need is some slime and play sand. This stuff is a blast – half play dough, half wet sand.

Related: More kinetic sand ideas for kids

Fun Summer Activities for Kids of All Ages

17. How To Make A Volcano

Want to know how to make a volcano? If you have a sandbox or go to a park that does, bring along some supplies for a kids play date at the park, make a volcano. Perk: The vinegar will help kill bugs and bacteria in your sand! via Growing a Jeweled Rose

Related: How to make a volcano for kids

18. Fun Summer Ideas

Looking for more fun summer ideas? Watch it soar! For a fun rainy day summer activity, make a set of flying contraptions from cardboard tubes and straws. via Snotty Noses

Related: Rainy days get brighter with these rainy day coloring pages

19. DIY Lightning Bugs

These DIY Lightning bugs are super cute and easy to make with leftover plastic Easter eggs. Summer camp memories like this made at home. via Joann

20. ABC Mouse

Going on a road trip this summer? Try using this app to keep your kids occupied in the car! It is a great way to keep peace in the care and it is also a fun way to learn. via ABCmouse

Related: Need summer learning? Try our easy and play based preschool curriculum

How to Make Summer FUN for Kids

21. Backyard Water Fun

You don’t have to go to the pool, water park or beach to have fun! Check out this backyard water fun. Play a game of outdoor water pinata or even darts (if your kids are older). Hang balloons filled with water down for your kids to bop. via Meaningful Mama

22. Kids Zipline

Is your kids daring and brave and into fun activities? Then take a look at this kids zipline! Make a zipline in your backyard. You will be the talk of the neighborhood, promise! via Bring The Kids

23. Backyard Obstacle Course

Get inspired by the Mario obstacles on this Super Mario Bros obstacle course inspired by the video games. You can make a fun and simple obstacle course in your backyard or in your living room depending on the weather and how much effort you want to put into the event!

24. Bug Scavenger Hunt

Go on a bug scavenger hunt. If your kids love “nature” they will love the summer kids activity of making a bug house and collecting specimens to live in their mini-buggy-hotel. You could even pick teams and get the entire family involved. via Worth Writing For

Related: Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt

Related: Go on a road trip scavenger hunt

25. Angry Birds Party Ideas

Does your child have a summer birthday? Then check out these Angry Birds part ideas. Now this is AWESOME!  Make a giant slingshot to use with balls. Next build a tower with shipping boxes – it’s a backyard game of angry birds! via Honey Mommy

Related: More Angry Birds birthday fun & games

26. Sunflower House

On the list for next year – make a summer hideaway – grow a sunflower house! I love this so much. You don’t have to go on a nature walk to be around nature, you’ll be surrounded by it! via Lets Lasso The Moon

Related: Make a backyard sunflower house

Summer Ideas for Kids

27. Make Bubbles

Bubbles! Let’s blow bubbles! They are a blast! A Classic Summer Activity. Out of bubbles? Need to know how to make bubbles? Make a batch with this fail-proof recipe. I think bubbles are one of the more fun things to do to because there are so many wands to choose from. via Red Ted Art

28. Make Bubble Wands

You can also make giant bubbles and a giant bubble wand with this fun craft idea and easy bubble recipe.

With sticks, yarn and a washer you can have a blast this summer making giant bubbles wands. These bubbles are huge! via Inner Child Fun

29. DIY Playground

Check out these DIY playground ideas. There are over 25 different DIY ideas to help make your child’s summer epic! Learning and memories! via Woo Home

30. Host a Lemonade Stand

Lemonade stands for kids are a great way for kids to earn money and learn about running their own “business”. It can also be a blessing to your neighborhood on a hot summer day! Try out our favorite lemonade recipe whether you are setting up the full stand or not!

31. Make Big Backyard Wooden Dice

Go big with board games and bring them to the back yard with a pair of giant wooden dice! What a great time everyone will have tossing around giant dice. via The 36th Avenue

32. DIY Designed Clothes

Got a kiddo with a lot of personality? For a fun summer activity, let them wear it with these DIY Designed Clothes. This is the perfect time to let your child’s creativity shine. via My Cakies

Making the Summer Moments Count

33. Summer Fun For Kids

Want more summer fun for kids? Make foot prints! Your kids will enjoy doing this with paint on their flip flops! They made animal prints similar to these. It will wash off the sidewalk eventually! via JDaniel4’s Mom

34. Hand Print Summer Art

At the beach this year, bring some plaster and make casts of your kids hands. Adorable! And something you will cherish! These hand print crafts make great keepsakes. via Crafting a Green World

35. DIY Water Blob

Another favorite – reminds me of a waterbed! For an unusual summer activity, make your own “bladder” and a water blob for your kids to wallow in. via U Create Crafts

36. Fun Ideas For Summer

AND… free the toys! Give your kids some tools, and their toys – frozen in a block of ice. Watch as they chisel their treasures free. This is one of my favorite fun ideas for summer. via Sarah E. Frazer

37. Family Movie Night

Let’s host a family movie night! We have a great list of the best family movies that you don’t want to miss. Pair a family movie with some favorite movie night snacks. If you want to host a movie outdoors, check out our DIY movie night kit ideas and check out this really cool inflatable movie screen that works great in the backyard or driveway.

38. Summer Reading Program

Those words…summer reading program…doesn’t need to elicit sighs! Reading over the summer break can be one of the favorite quiet time activities. We have a few resources that you will find helpful if you are encouraging books this summer and inspire a trip to your local library:

Summer Crafts for Preschoolers & Littles

39. Make a Snail from a Paper Plate

This most adorable snail art project starts with a paper plate and some art and craft supplies you likely already have around the house.

40. Twist a Bouquet of Summer Flowers

Make a bouquet of pipe cleaner flowers with preschool age kids or toddlers. The simple shapes are easy to create with colorful fuzzy chenille stems.

41. Craft a Colorful Rainbow

Try this easy mosaic art to make a paper plate rainbow craft that couldn’t be any more fun!

42. Make a Ladybug from a Cupcake Liner

This easy ladybug craft starts with a cupcake liner, but that is only the beginning of the summer bug fun!

Summer Crafts for Kids of All Ages

43. Let’s Make Summer Slime!

Try this fun and colorful unicorn slime recipe for some good old summer slime fun for kids of all ages. Want something even MORE colorful? Try this galaxy slime recipe too!

44. Craft Roses from a Paper Plate

Try these super easy paper plate flowers! One of my favorite summer flowers are roses and this craft can be used with any leftover paper plates you have on hand from a summer party!

45. Make Your Own Building Blocks with Paper

Check out how to make paper boxes with regular paper you have at home and then use them as building blocks to build towers and cities.

46. Build and Fly a Paper Airplane

Let’s learn how to make a paper airplane and then use it to challenge a friend or sibling in a flying contest.

47. Let’s Make Friendship Bracelets this Summer

Let’s make an easy friendship bracelet with a DIY loom and easy friendship bracelet patterns.

48. Paint & Hide Rocks for Others to Find

Use these rock painting ideas to create some custom rocks to hide around your neighborhood for others to find as a sweet surprise.

Summer Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

49. Make a Water Wall in Your Backyard

One of our favorite DIY backyard toys is the easy to create water wall or waterfall wall. Take some items you already have around the house and transform an area on your fence to be a center of waterfall play!

50. Make Monster Truck Art

This monster truck for kids art project is fun and a little messy so the backyard may be the perfect place to create tire tread art.

51. DIY Backyard Walking Rope

Try this easy DIY walking rope for younger kids you can create for your backyard.

52. Transform Pool Noodles into Star Wars inspired Light Sabers

No summer will be complete without an epic battle (where no one gets hurt). We love these toy lightsabers you can make with pool noodles for every member of the family — choose your light saber color carefully!

More Summer Activities from Kids Activities Blog

What summer activities for kids are you going to start with first?