60 Fun Summer Activities for Kids

Summer break is exciting, but it usually does not take long before someone says, “I’m bored.” Kids are used to full school days, and suddenly having weeks of unstructured time can be a big adjustment.

In my house, my kids would happily spend the entire summer on their screens if I let them. I want them to get outside, move their bodies, use their imaginations, and make fun family memories. At the same time, I know how hard it can be to keep coming up with ways to beat summer boredom.

Daily outings can get expensive fast, so this list focuses on 60 fun summer activities for kids that are easy, affordable, and realistic. You will find sidewalk chalk games, water activities, backyard challenges, indoor ideas, free outings, and nighttime family fun.

Most of these ideas use things you probably already have at home. At the bottom of the post, there is also a simple shopping list for the few extra supplies you may need.

60 Easy Summer Activities for Kids

Use the table of contents below to jump to the type of activity you need:

• Sidewalk chalk activities
• Water activities
• Sponge activities
• Plastic cup games
• Easy outdoor activities
• Free and inexpensive outings
• Indoor summer activities
• Nighttime summer activities
• Affordable activity supplies

Summer boredom jar idea: Write favorite activities on slips of paper and place them in a jar. When the kids need something to do, let one child draw the day’s activity.

Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids

Slap on the sunscreen and get ready to get crafty! These outdoor summer ideas for kids will keep them entertained for hours!

Sidewalk Chalk Activities

Grab the sidewalk chalk and turn the driveway into an art studio, classroom, and active play area.

1. Hopscotch – the classic choice and mom and dad can play too
2. Chalk Circle Game (draw circles in a pattern, and have your kids jump from one circle to a matching one! ~ Vary your pattern depending on ability!)
3. DIY Dress Up with Chalk (trace your kids, and let them color faces, clothing, etc)
4. Snail Hopscotch
5. Draw a parade (bugs, kites, kids, etc) with chalk
6. Draw a rainbow
7. Tic Tac Toe
8. Connect the dots
9. Lily Pad Jump (draw lily pads for the kids to jump to and from, making them different distances apart)
10. Practice letters and numbers
11. DIY Blue’s Clues – Draw Blue Paw Prints on things to have kids guess what the next activity is (a tree, a bike, and a swing could mean you are going to the park, etc)
12. Shape hunt
13. Murals
14. 2D obstacle course
15. Sidewalk Simon
16. Alphabet Games
17. DIY Constellations

Water Activities

These backyard water games are perfect for hot afternoons. Always supervise children closely around every amount of water.

18. Ginormous Ice Cube of Awesomesauce!
19. Water Balloon Toss
20. Soda bottle sprinkler
21. Spray Bottle War (Fill clean spray bottles with water and let the kids go at it… against each other, and YOU!)
22. Wash Cars (bonus – depending on the ages of your kids, your car might actually get clean!)
23. Water Balloon Pop

Sponge Activities

Kitchen sponges make inexpensive, reusable water toys and learning games.

24. Drip Drip Drench (duck duck goose with a sponge ~ Drip a drop of water onto each person’s head until you get to the person you want to drench)
25. Sponge Relay
26. Sponge Bombs (for each bomb cut 3 sponges into thirds, layer, and wrap middle with elastic hair tie 3 times)
27. Sponge Bowling (use bigger sponges for littler kids)
28. Pool Scrabble
29. Alphabet Sponge Letters
30. DIY Chia Pet (You can use sprouts too!)
31. Cool off Necklaces

Plastic Cup Games

A stack of lightweight cups can become a building challenge, target game, relay, or backyard bowling set.

32. Mini Marshmallow Shooters
33. Summer snow forts
34. Tower Targets (stack cups in a pyramid and use various things to knock them down… balls, squirt guns, water hose, Nerf guns, etc)
35. Water Relay
36. Bowling (tape 2 cups together and roll balls at them to knock them down)
37. Catch (use cups to catch objects – if it’s super hot out, use them to catch water balloons or Sponge bombs!)

More Easy Outdoor Activities

These simple outdoor activities need little planning and work well for a range of ages.

38. Hide and Seek
39. Bubbles
40. Melt Broken Crayons into New Shapes
41. Scavenger hunt (use pictures for young kids!)
42. Fly Kites
43. Angry Birds Live (grab some empty boxes, a few buckets, and some balls you have laying around, and let your kids go to town)
44. Bird Feeders

Free and Inexpensive Summer Outings

When everyone needs a change of scenery, try one of these free or inexpensive family outings.

45. Go to the library (check out summer reading programs, story time, and more!)
46. Check out the park for summer activities and instant play dates
47. Go on a walk around your neighborhood – or a random neighborhood! Maybe even make it a scavenger hunt
48. Instead of eating inside, have a picnic ~ It doesn’t have to be fancy, just take your sandwich, fruit and veggies outside
49. Bowling ~ So many places have FREE bowling
50. Go to the lake – the list of things to do at the lake is limitless
51. Try Geocaching – it’s like a scavenger hunt, where you leave a new prize
52. Feed the ducks (there is strangely a lot of controversy on this… so maybe bring birdseed instead of bread)

Indoor and Nighttime Summer Activities for Kids

Although your kids will have a blast with all of the fun summer activities above, they’re mostly daytime activities. Once it’s night time or once they come inside for the day, continue the entertainment with the summer family activities and ideas below!

Indoor Summer Activities

Save these indoor summer activities for rainy days or afternoons when it is simply too hot outside.

53. Living room camp out
54. Family Game Night
55. Table Fort
56. Spy Training
57. Balloon Rockets

Nighttime Summer Activities

A later bedtime occasionally feels extra special during summer break.

58. Glow stick ring toss (use 4-6 bracelet sizes to build a large ring, then make several “rings” with the other bracelets)
59. City wide movie night
60. Stargazing

Affordable Supplies for These Summer Activities

Now – some of the stuff we assume you’ll have (like blankets for the fort), but if it’s not an everyday item, it’s on this list.

• Chalk
• Kites
• Glow Sticks (I highly suggest skipping the dollar store on these… out of the 36 we bought, 6 worked)
• Sponges
• Water Balloons
• Cardboard Boxes (recycled is great! – or you know… from your Amazon deliveries!)
• Balls
• Plastic Buckets
• Liquid dish soap
• Birdseed
• Empty toilet paper rolls
• String
• 12 inch Balloons
• Plastic Cups

How to Keep Kids Busy Without Overscheduling Summer

Kids do not need an expensive outing or a perfectly planned schedule every day to have a memorable summer. A box of chalk, a bucket of water, a picnic lunch, or a blanket fort can turn an ordinary afternoon into something special.

Choose activities that fit your children’s ages and interests, keep a few basic supplies within reach, and let them repeat their favorites. Unstructured play is part of the fun, too.

Summer Activity Safety Tips

• Supervise children closely around buckets, tubs, sprinklers, pools, lakes, and all other water.
• Use sunscreen, shade, hats, and regular water breaks during outdoor play.
• Adjust activities for the youngest child participating and watch for balloons, marshmallows, rocks, and other choking hazards.
• Use soft balls and lightweight materials for throwing and target games.
• Keep active games and kites away from roads, driveways, grills, fire pits, and power lines.
• Provide adult help with cutting, melting, tying, or poking holes in activity supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Summer Activities for Kids

What are some free summer activities for kids?

Free ideas include visiting the library, going to a park, taking a nature walk, having a backyard picnic, making a scavenger hunt, building a blanket fort, playing hide-and-seek, and stargazing.

What can kids do outside when they are bored?

Try sidewalk chalk games, bubbles, a backyard obstacle course, water play, a sponge relay, a nature hunt, kite flying, backyard bowling, or a family car wash.

What are good indoor summer activities?

Indoor favorites include a living room campout, family game night, table fort, spy training course, balloon rocket race, reading challenge, craft station, or indoor picnic.

How can I keep kids entertained all summer without spending a lot?

Use household supplies, repeat favorite games, visit free community programs, rotate indoor and outdoor ideas, and keep a summer activity jar ready for slow afternoons.

More Fun Summer Ideas for Kids

What is your family’s favorite inexpensive summer activity? Leave a comment below and share your best idea. We would love to hear what keeps your kids busy and having fun.