School’s out for summer! The sun is shining bright. The kids are running through sprinklers with popsicles running down their chins. It’s all fun in the sun … until that dreaded moment when your child collapses dramatically on the couch groaning “I’m SO bored!” As the summer stretches on, it becomes increasingly more difficult to limit screen time and keep your kids engaged. So we’ve compiled a list of activities to help fend off the summer blahs. From exploring nature to whipping up a refreshing treat, there is something for everyone. Keep your kiddos entertained and active all summer long with these fun ideas!

Recipes

Banana Split Breakfast 
Start off the summer days right with this tasty twist on the banana split. In the morning, set out an assortment of berries, yogurts, and granola. Then let your kiddos go bananas putting together their own banana splits for breakfast!

Ice Cream in a Bag 
What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with some homemade ice cream … made in a plastic baggie! You don’t need to wait for the ice cream truck to enjoy this customizable sweet treat. And your kids will savor it all the more having made it themselves!

Homemade Fruit Popsicles
Beat the heat with this refreshing recipe! Made with fruit purees and fruit juices, these popsicles make for a nutrient-rich tasty treat you can feel good about. Try out the suggested flavors or get creative by experimenting with different combinations of fruit. Add yogurt or coconut milk for a creamy popsicle that is sure to delight!

Crafts

Colorful Sand Jars
You don’t need to take a beach vacation to make these vibrant look-a-like sand jars. In fact, you don’t need sand at all! You simply dye ordinary salt with gel food coloring in plastic baggies. Once the salt dries, your kids will get a kick out of layering different colors into recycled jars concocting their own colorful creations!

DIY Tie Dye Beach Towel
After taking a dip at the neighborhood pool or throwing water balloons in the backyard, your kids can dry off in style with these awesome personalized tie dye beach towels. Spray tie dying is easy, kid-friendly, and wildly fun!

Milk Carton Bird Feeders
Brighten up your trees with these cheerful bird feeders! Your kids will get a thrill out of collaging colorful tissue paper squares onto recycled milk or juice cartons. Then invite chirpy visitors to your yard with the cutest finishing touch – a wooden spoon perch!

Excursions

Visit Local Parks
There’s no need to travel far to find adventure! Local parks not only provide amusement for kids of all ages, they also promote physical, emotional, and social development. By engaging in free play at playgrounds, kids burn off energy, take risks, and use their imaginations. With a quick online search, you can find the parks in the area, ratings and reviews, and photos of the playground equipment and features. Over the summer, explore the parks in your area and let your children decide which one is their favorite!

Visit the Library
When it’s raining or too hot to play outside, hit up your local library for an adventure with books. Most libraries offer summer reading programs, educational activities, computer games, and interactive storytimes. Letting your child pick out books to read and check out inspires a lifelong love of reading!

Visit a Children’s Museum
Running out of activities near home? Then plan a day trip to a children’s museum! Designed especially for young learners, the interactive, hand-on exhibits encourage play, stretch the imagination, and foster curiosity. By opening their eyes to new ideas and different perspectives, kids discover connections to the world around them. This type of exploratory play provides countless learning opportunities, all under the guise of having fun!

Activities

Plant a Butterfly Garden
Go outside and get those hands dirty! A fun introduction to gardening, butterfly gardens provide a hands-on way to learn about plants that attract butterflies, the life cycle of butterflies, and the importance of pollinators to our planet. All the hard work will be rewarded as your children delight in watching the flowers bloom and butterflies flutter around your yard.

Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Whether strolling around your neighborhood or hiking a local trail, encourage the exploration and appreciation of nature by turning your walk into a nature scavenger hunt! Print off a checklist of nature’s treasures – a ladybug, a pine cone, a feather, etc. – and your child can mark off the pictures when they’re spotted. Search the many free printables online or try this one by Free Kids Crafts.

Put Together a Summer Bin
For when you want to cut the kids loose to play on their own, fill a large bin or bucket with toys that encourage independent play – items such as bubbles, sidewalk chalk, balls, water balloons, magnifying glasses, water blasters, and jump ropes. A bin full of fun will keep kids of all ages engaged without leaving your yard.

Have a Family Game Night
Entertain the whole family by planning a family game night. This beloved tradition benefits the whole family by strengthening bonds, encouraging teamwork, promoting conversation, and practicing problem solving, all while having a blast together. Just grab your favorite game, put out some tasty snacks, and let the friendly competition begin!

Enroll in a Summer Program
Kids look forward to summer as a time for creativity, adventure, laughter, and thrills. While giving kids a break from the academic year, the summer can be stressful for parents as they try to keep their kids busy, in a routine, and out of trouble. Summer camps, classes, and leagues are a great way to infuse some structure into those long summer months. Search online and use directories like AfterSchool HQ to find summer programs in your area. Summer programs provide invaluable opportunities for youth to explore their interests and dive into their passions!

With this assortment of ideas, you’re sure to keep summer boredom at bay and make lasting memories with your kids. From recipes and crafts to outings and structured activities, we’ve got you covered. What are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy the summer sun!

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