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    Home » Play and Fun

    15 Summer Activities Kids Will Love

    Published: Jun 27, 2023 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    676 shares
    • 2

    With the weather warming up and kids home from school you are probably looking for some fun activities to keep them busy. Here is a collection of 15 Summer Activities Kids Will Love. There is a little of everything here, with some activities taking place outside and others in the air conditioning. Some of these activities include learning concepts, while others are more art focused. If your kid loves getting messy or wet, I've got you covered!

    multicultural kids face in a circle
    Jump to:
    • ❤Why These Are Summer Activities Kids Will Love
    • 🌞15 Summer Activities Kids Will Love
    • 👀I Spy Games for Summer
    • 🤷🏻‍♀️FAQs
    • ☀Related Activities

    ❤Why These Are Summer Activities Kids Will Love

    • Many of them take place outdoors and involved water which will help them cool off.
    • Can be done again and again without kids getting bored.
    • Help kids get moving and using their creativity while learning new skills.


    🌞15 Summer Activities Kids Will Love

    🌟If you try this craft, leave a star rating below or a review in the comment section. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get my latest crafts!

    Number Hunt
    My kids love this activity because it gets them moving. I love it because of the learning involved. When kids are learning through movement, they are having more fun than they would learning passively and their motivation to learn increases.
    Check out activity here
    Number Hunt
    Playing with Mud
    Do you remember playing with mud as a kid? This idea takes mud play up a notch! We often add water to our soil to create mud. Kids love exploring with soil and water, and playing with mud is a perfect way to stimulate their natural curiosity. 
    Check out activity here
    Playing with Mud
    Garden Sensory Bin
    Kids love planting and getting their hands dirty and this activity combines both fun activities. Kids can practice planting and have fun playing in dirt. They can play with this sensory bin again and again resulting in hours of imaginative play
    Check out activity here
    Garden Sensory Bin
    Squirt Bottle Painting
    A new and exciting way to paint with squirt bottles that is perfect for a hot summer day. Those condiment bottles that you probably already have at home can be used for painting. Painting with condiment bottles is an outdoor activity, as it can get messy. Wear play clothes and get ready for fun!
    Check out activity here
    Squirt Bottle Painting
    Slide Painting Activity
    We decided to use our slide to watch our paint drip. Slide painting is a great way for kids to explore the effect of gravity on paint.
    Check out activity here.
    Slide Painting Activity
    Kids Window Art
    Kids will have so much fun painting a window and they will to learn and practice valuable skills while doing it. You don't need a large sliding glass door like we have to do this. Any low window will suffice.
    Check out activity here
    Kids Window Art
    Panning for Gold Activity
    Recently, we collected some rocks, painted them and incorporated them in our sand play. This panning for gold activity is a fun way to brighten up some rocks (literally) and add new life to a sand table.
    Check out activity here
    Panning for Gold Activity
    Water Balloon Phonics
    If you are looking for a way to practice phonics that doesn't involve worksheets and you want to beat the heat as well, then you need to try water balloon phonics.
    Check out activity here
    Water Balloon Phonics
    Water Balloon Hunt
    I wanted to do a water balloon hunt. I decided to assign each child a shape and then draw that shape on some of the balloons. The kids could only pick up balloons that had their shape on it.
    Check out activity here
    Water Balloon Hunt
    Sea Shell Craft
    A fun craft to do with kids after a trip to the beach. They will love this pretty way to decorate shells using colored sand!
    Check out activity here
    Sea Shell Craft
    Suncatcher Craft
    You'll love this colorful kids Suncatcher Craft that not only looks pretty outdoors, but serves as a deterrent to any birds and small animals that might be trying to dig up your seeds and garden.
    Check out activity here
    Suncatcher Craft
    Bubbling Shell Craft
    If you have been doing some beach trips this summer, it is time to break out your bag of shells and paint them in a new and exciting way. I found that flat, porous (not shiny) shells work better for this Bubbling Shell Craft. This kids activity combines craft with science as kids get to explore what happens when vinegar is added to baking soda.
    Check out activity here
    Bubbling Shell Craft
    Duck Tape® Boat Races
    Use tape to make colorful boats which float perfectly on water. Add some straws and have the kids compete in a boat race!
    Check out activity here
    Duck Tape® Boat Races
    Sand Playdough Recipe
    If you have a kid who loves to play in the sand, you can now bring the beach to them with this easy Sand Playdough Recipe.
    Check out activity here
    Sand Playdough Recipe
    Outdoor Math Game
    I created this outdoor math game which disguises learning with some fun physical activity and good old friendly competition. This math game requires just a few basic supplies and is easy to set up.
    Check out activity here
    Outdoor Math Game

    👀I Spy Games for Summer

    Enjoy the summer with these printable I Spy Games for Kids. Kids will have so much fun with this printable I Spy. They will look and find each item and then write down how many of each item they find. This helps them with visual discrimination skills as well as writing and counting. So many skills to practice with these summer activity sheets. You can get these printables at my Etsy shop.


    🤷🏻‍♀️FAQs

    What are the best summer supplies for kids?

    Check out these reusable water balloons, this fun splash pad, and this toss and catch ball set which is great for working on gross motor skills.

    What about the summer slide?

    By all means have fun with your kids during the summer. Take time to relax and play. But don’t forget about academics completely. My kids enjoy working in the Summerbridge books and Kumon Summer Review.


    ☀Related Activities

    • Summer Art Activities for Kids
    • 10 Pool Games for Kids
    • 20 Summer Activities for Preschoolers
    • 25 Outdoor Learning Games

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    • Halloween Game - Ghost Toss

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    1. nancy john says

      June 09, 2014 at 5:40 am

      They're all so pretty! Great activities for kids. These days, most would just keep them occupied...and quiet playing games on their ipads

      knowledge for kids

      Reply
    2. katef says

      April 25, 2014 at 5:46 am

      wow so many awesome ideas! Love all the water balloon activities, makes me wish is was warming up instead of cooling down here in Australia!!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        June 11, 2014 at 3:53 am

        Thanks so much Kate! When is your winter?

        Reply
    3. Mari Corona says

      April 23, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Great share!!

      Reply
      • Vicky @ Mess For Less says

        June 11, 2014 at 3:52 am

        Thanks so much Mari!

        Reply
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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