101 Things to Do with Kids This Summer
This year, our dear friend’s son declared it would be the best summer ever for their family. When she asked him, well what about the Glovers, he said, “Well they are our family!” (I mean, I had to keep myself from tearing up at that point).
But he’s right. I try to start every summer with that attitude. In summers past, I really made it a point to make the summer be all about us. The kids. My husband and I. And now, our extended friend family! Just us and doing and being and going.
We like to try new things each summer. Go to new places. Go on a summer long of adventure of not only exploring our surroundings but our likes and interests as well. As much as I want the summer to be care-free and on a whim, I can’t relinquish all of the control. I need to have some ideas. A few (ok 101) ideas so that we are doing and not just sitting around trying to figure out what we are going to do.
Ready to go on an adventure with us?
101 Things to Do with Kids This Summer
1. Run through the sprinklers.
2. Have a picnic at a local park.
3. Go to a drive-in movie.
4. Have ice cream for dinner!
5. Melt and make crayons.
6. Go bowling.
7. Tour local historic sites.
8. Make popsicles.
9. Have a water balloon fight.
10. Plant a garden of herbs and veggies.
11. Visit a local musuem.
12. Play mini-golf.
14. Have a LEGO building contest.
15. Tour a factory.
16. Make tie-dye t-shirts.
17. Have a Christmas in July party.
18. Go fly a kite.
19. Make a bird feeder.
20. Visit an amusement park or water park.
21. Go roller skating.
22. Batter up at the batting cage.
23. Catch fireflies in a jar (and let them go at the end of the night).
24. Get a pet rock.
25. Make slime.
26. Visit the beach and collect seashells.
27. Decorate bikes and have a neighborhood Fourth of July parade.
28. Attend an outdoor festival or concert.
29. Visit a cave.
30. Paint.
31. Take a train ride.
32. Swing in a hammock.
33. Ride bikes.
34. Build a sandcastle.
35. Go camping in the backyard.
36. Sleep in!
37. See a $1 summer movie.
38. Find a 4-leaf clover.
39. Make your own giant bubbles.
40. Go on a stay-cation.
41. Become a pen pal.
42. Go to the library and read outside.
43. Do a puzzle.
44. Make homemade ice cream.
45. Have a PJ day.
46. Check out a new playground.
47. Play outdoor twister.
48. Have a watermelon seed spitting contest.
49. Do a random act of kindness.
50. Make a sidewalk chalk mural.
51. Go to a baseball game.
52. Visit the zoo.
53. Have a slumber party.
54. Build a fort.
55. Make a pool noodle marble track.
56. Go on a scavenger hunt.
57. Visit a local water park.
58. Go zip-lining.
59. Start a lemonade stand.
60. Swim in a lake.
61. Make a slip ‘n slide.
62. Go stargazing.
63. Make your own pizzas.
64. Feed the ducks at the local pond.
65. Make a family time capsule.
66. Create a summer fun bucket!
67. Climb a tree.
68. Go geocaching.
69. Go fishing.
70. Take a nap under a tree.
71. Have a hula-hoop contest.
72. Have a backwards day.
73. Play hopscotch.
74. Check out the local farmer’s market.
75. Try a new local ice cream parlor.
76. Pick up trash in your neighborhood.
77. Play flashlight tag.
78. Go a nature walk.
79. Make an obstacle course in your backyard.
80. Visit the farm.
81. Watch fireworks.
82. Tour the firehouse.
83. Visit a botanical garden.
84. Give the kids a disposable camera and go on a photo walk.
85. Grow a dinosaur or fairy garden.
86. Finger paint.
87. Go bird watching.
88. Play frisbee golf.
90. Lay in the grass and watch the clouds.
91. Pick berries.
92. Make a stop motion animation video.
93. Have a family game night!
94. Make s’mores.
95. Play outside in the rain.
96. See an air show.
97. Let the kids cook dinner.
98. Eat at the counter at a diner.
99. Watch the sunrise.
100. Brew sun tea.
101. Make a scrapbook of your summer adventures!
Follow our Summer Adventures on Instagram and Facebook! We’ll be using the hashtag #AGLSummer to document all the fun!
Great post! Sometimes I get anxiety when I think about summer but then I remember that we live at the shore and there are endless activities to do here!
Well we will not be bored with all these ideas!! Thanks for all this summer inspiration!
I <3 Summer, and this post gets me even more excited. PS- Pick your own strawberries opens at the former Willow Creek this Saturday! Can't wait!
Reading this makes me so excited to start summer in 2 weeks!
This should definitely keep us busy.
Oh, wow!
Here’s my # 102: Try to do all 101 things in a single day. Ha ha. Just kidding.
This is a great summer list, Stephanie! And don’t forget to snap a picture every now and then just for the memories. 🙂
– Amelia
This is absolutely wonderful-and I adore how they are all activities that are budget friendly for all families <3 We're going on tons of adventures this summer! Thanks for sharing <3