Imagine this: the sun’s warmth on your skin, the sound of laughter echoing through the air, and the thrill of new adventures just waiting to be discovered.
Summer isn’t just a season – it’s a time for families to come together, make memories, and have a blast!
If you want to make the most of these long summer days, foster strong family bonds, and keep everyone engaged without reaching for screens or feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, these 15 fun and (mostly) simple activities are just what you need.
But please don’t feel the need to try ALL of these or to make every single day memorable. It is absolutely okay to have slow, “boring” days with nothing planned. As a matter of fact, these “boring days” are actually great for strengthening creativity, imagination, and problem-solving!
I hope you enjoy!
15 Summer Activity Ideas for the Whole Family
1. Makeshift Water Slide
Create a DIY water slide in your backyard or at a local park using a tarp, some water, and a bit of eco-friendly dish soap. The setup is extremely simple, very budget-friendly, and is sure to provide your family with a whole day of entertainment.
If you want to make it more elaborate, add inflatable bumpers and even a small inflatable pool at the end.
Team up with other parents for even more fun.
2. (Backyard) Camping
If you have the opportunity, the budget, and an adventurous spirit, you should definitely take your family on a camping trip.
However, if you are looking for a simpler, cheaper, and closer-to-home activity, try backyard camping instead.
You can bring out sleeping bags and a basic camping setup, or even DIY your camping tent for a more budget-friendly experience.
Prepare a campfire (or a small fire pit), make s’mores, stargaze with a telescope or star map, play board games, or have a dance party. I can guarantee that you’ll create some lasting memories.
3. Sunset Picnic
Pack some sandwiches and snacks and head to a local park or viewpoint to enjoy dinner as the sun sets. You can take a blanket and cushions to make it even more special.
This is a super simple and low-prep idea, that can provide your family with an evening of bonding and memorable moments together.
4. Gardening
Summer is a great opportunity to get your kids started on gardening.
The best part is that it is not a one-time activity, but rather a project that can last all summer long and provide daily or weekly activities and tasks for your little ones, which helps to build a sense of responsibility, care, and independence.
Gardening is also a great way for kids to connect with nature and learn about the process of growing food.
If you don’t have a backyard, you can still experiment with growing herbs, microgreens, sprouts, flowers, or even some fruits, like strawberries and tomatoes.
Have fun with it and embrace the mess and dirty clothes, as it is part of the experience.
Oh, by the way! Check out these 7 Simple Activities for Boosting Your Toddler’s Fine Motor Skills!
5. Scavenger hunt
One of the things I like the most about scavenger hunts is that they can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like them to be.
If you’re looking for a simple, low-prep activity, you can create a list of items for your family to find around the neighborhood, at a local park, or even in your own backyard. This can include common items like a feather, a specific type of leaf, or a unique rock.
For a more elaborate hunt, you can hide different items (or gifts) and create riddles or clues that lead to each item or location.
6. Summer scrapbook
Collect mementos from your family’s summer activities and adventures, such as photos, postcards, ticket stubs, drawings, pressed flowers, maps, notes, and more to create a scrapbook full of amazing memories.
Add journal entries, sketches, quotes, handprints, decorative elements, and more personal touches to make it even more special.
From my experience, your kids will love to look back on it and show it to their grandparents, friends, and anyone who visits!
7. Declutter day
Spend a day organizing and decluttering a room in your house together.
Make sure to have a conversation beforehand explaining the purpose of decluttering, donating, and opening up space for new things. Get your children engaged by explaining to them, for example, that not every kid has a family, a home, or even toys to play with as they do. Show videos of orphanages, and teach about the importance of helping others.
Make it fun by playing some music, dancing, and chatting. Create 3 color-coded bins for items to keep, donate, and throw away.
When it comes to their toys, let them choose what they want to keep and what they want to give away.
Read more: Transform Tantrums Into Emotional Intelligence: A Step-By-Step Guide According To Neuroscience
8. Go for a bike ride
It can be as simple as that, but doing it together, as a family, already makes it special. If your family is not into biking, bring rollerskates, skateboards, or scooters instead.
Stop for ice cream or to play at a park. This is a great way to stay active, enjoy nature, and spend quality time together.
9. Play in the mud
Encourage your kids to get messy and muddy! Yes, that’s right! Not only is it fun for kids to play with mud, but it is actually healthy and proven to support their immune systems and mental health!
You could let them play in the rain, jump on a puddle, build mud castles, or go the extra mile and set up a mud kitchen with old pots and pans.
10. Go hiking
Find a local trail and enjoy a hike as a family. Choose an easy, preferably short trail if you have young kids or don’t have the habit of hiking. Pack some snacks (perhaps even plan a picnic too) and bring along a guidebook to identify plants and wildlife.
This is a great opportunity to teach your kids survival skills such as recognizing poisonous plants, reading maps, purifying water, starting a fire, avoiding wildlife conflicts, etc. If you don’t have a lot of experience with these skills, this is an excellent chance for learning and practicing together!
This beautiful image is by The Walton Adventure. They create amazing content on hiking with kids and other outdoor adventures for the whole family. I definitely recommend checking them out!
11. Paint the landscape
This is one of my favorite family “date” ideas.
Find a beautiful landscape around your neighborhood and bring your paint supplies. Play some music, sing, or chat while each of you paints your version of the landscape around you.
12. Read aloud outdoors
Take a favorite book outside and read it aloud together. This can be as simple as grabbing a blanket and a book and gathering the family. Make it extra cozy by creating a reading nook with cushions, lighting some candles (or string lights), and bringing some snacks.
13. Morning walk/watching the sunrise
Kickstart the day with a family walk around your neighborhood or at a nearby park and catch the sunrise (if you can). Get active together! Play some games, practice a sport, or do some stretching together. Bring breakfast and enjoy some bonding time afterwards.
This image is by Jodi Mockabee. She creates content about homeschooling and intentional family culture.
14. Volunteer together
Volunteering together can be a very special and even emotional experience.
Find a local organization, such as a food bank, an animal shelter, or a community group that needs volunteers and spend time helping out.
Another idea is to let your kids figure out and plan a way to help your community or a specific cause they are drawn to.
When I was about 8 years old, my friends and I spent a whole weekend baking cupcakes and selling them around our neighborhood to raise money for an institution that treated poor children with cancer. That’s an experience I’ll never forget.
15. Fruit picking
If you live near a farm or orchard that offers fruit picking, take advantage of this different and fun outing. Many of these places also offer free tours where you can learn about the farming process and the various fruit varieties.
After enjoying some fresh fruit, bring home some extra to make homemade jam or bake a delicious pie together.
Now it’s your turn!
As you embark on these screen-free family adventures this summer, please remember it is not about the complexity of the activity or the grandeur of the outing. It’s about the laughter shared, the bonds strengthened, and the memories created together.
Don’t feel pressured to fill every single day with activities and entertainment. Try the ideas that speak the most to YOUR family, but remember to rest and embrace the “boring” days as well.
Boredom is actually extremely important for healthy child development! Read more on that: What is FREE PLAY and How To Get Started
I hope you enjoyed this post! Make sure to check my other blog posts down below!
