Whether you are sending your kids to one of the few day camp options opening up for summer 2020, or you are keeping them home full time, this summer is going to look a lot different than ever before.
Finding fun and engaging activities that your kids can do at home is going to be the name of the game this summer. It won’t be as simple as heading to the park or dropping them off at overnight camp—we parents are going to need to get creative to keep our kids busy.
That’s why we’ve rounded up 25 amazing at-home activities to help you keep your kids entertained all summer long.
Nature hunt
Almost like a scavenger hunt, get the kids out in your backyard and have them on the lookout for slugs, bugs, and other creepy crawlies. Arm them with a jar with holes in the lid and see what they come back with.
Tie-dye
Not only is tie-dye the hottest trend, but it’s also a fun activity for the kids! Buy a kit online and let the kids get creative.
Summer Olympics
While the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to next year, you can set up a series of fun Olympic events for your kids. Create a variety of events, keep a tally, and award “medals” for the winners of each event.
Bubbles
It’s an oldie but a goodie—kids love bubbles after all! And if you want to get them more involved, use this bubble recipe for the perfect giant bubbles from Happy Hooligans.
Frozen paint popsicles
These popsicles aren’t for eating… they’re for art! Frozen paint popsicles are not only fun to make but they are great for little hands to hold while painting outdoors.
Water wall
Get the kids learning without even knowing it with a fun, interactive do-it-yourself water wall. Exploring how water moves is a great way to bring some STEM fun into your summer.
Ice cream parlour
While it’s not impossible to go to an ice cream shop, it won’t be the same carefree experience it used to be. So why not grab a few flavours, toppings, and cones and set up an ice cream parlour in your kitchen?
Homemade popsicles
Grab your favourite recipe and get the kids to help you make popsicles! We love this creamsicle recipe and these yummy summer flavour combinations.
Sensory ice bin
Create an icy experience for little ones with this great sensory ice bin. Add in some scoops, shovels, and other sand toys for even more fun.
Make a city
With all the online ordering we’ve been doing, there are a ton of cardboard boxes lying around. Grab them all—plus some glue and paint—and create a city.
Paint the sidewalks
We all know and love sidewalk chalk, but why not take it to the next level and paint the sidewalks? Create your own washable, non-toxic sidewalk paint with this recipe.
Shaving cream car wash
If your kids love cars and getting a bit messy, they will love playing with shaving cream and giving their cars a nice wash at the same time.
Wash the car
Okay, okay, so this is technically a chore, but your kids will love getting soapy and wet as they help you wash the car.
Construction site
Little ones will love this sensory bin/construction site made with a box, some sand, and their favourite truck toys.
Dye water
Summer fun is all about playing with water. Take it to the next level with a bit of food colouring and maybe even some bubbles.
Build a bird feeder
There are lots of fun ways to make a bird feeder—try one of these 13 DIY bird feeders.
Have a backyard camp out
Grab your tent, sleeping bags, and flashlights and let the kids spend the night “camping” in your backyard.
Chalk bombs
Have the most fun and messy summer afternoon with these amazing chalk bombs from One Good Thing.
Build towers
Find a variety of items around the house and challenge your kids to make towers. Think blocks, plastic cups, cards, books, or anything else that is stackable, unbreakable, and that you have a lot of!
Ring toss
Not only will your kids love playing this ring toss game, they will also have a blast making it out of paper plates!
Make a lightsaber
For any Star Wars fans out there, this fun and easy craft is sure to be a hit and provide kids with hours of creative entertainment afterwards.
Learn origami
With a few internet tutorials and a stack of paper, you can keep the kids entertained while they learn a fun, new skill. We love this jumping frog tutorial.
Fly a kite
Take your normal kite flying one step further and have your kids build their own kites to fly.
Moon sand or cloud dough
If you’ve never heard of moon sand (sometimes called cloud dough) it’s moldable sand. Sure it can be a bit messy, but that’s why it’s the perfect summer outdoor activity. Get the recipe from Tinker Lab and make your own!
Play doh contest
Who can create the most fantastical play doh creation? You can even set categories or themes that the kids have to use as guidance.
The blog shared is really good to read. All the summer activities seems pretty interesting for all kids. Great way to keep little ones engaged for long hours in such ideas. In summer when it is little difficult to allow kids for outdoor fun, all your ideas will be so much helpful. Saved your entire list to make my young ones enjoy all these activities & have a great summer. Thanks for sharing this!