This post may contain affiliate links.
50 Fun and easy Summer Activities for Kids – Print a school holiday bucket list to keep them busy!
Oh HELLO 6 weeks of school holiday time to fill.
I’m super excited about no school runs and time with my little pals, but, I’ve learned the hard way that planning the summer is the best way of making it fun.
In previous years, I’ve always asked them to write down 10 things they’d like to do over the summer, but last year I came a cropper as they were a bit outlandish sometimes. (I couldn’t find a roller disco for a 6 year old to go to!)
This year, I decided to write a list for them, to try and encourage them to try new things.
Also, oh my goodness, the weight of responsibility every morning.. “MMMUUUUUUMMMM What are we doing today?” This list is helping so much already, one week in.
(You can scroll down to the bottom for a printable version too.)
Top tips for writing a list of Summer Activities for Kids:
- Mix in as many low or no cost adventures as possible.
- Keep it simple. Things they don’t normally have a chance to do as still very exciting for them.
- Add in some things that tie in to playdates or holidays you already have planned (like splashing in the sea).
- Plan how to achieve the list before you give it to them (I have made this mistake before and made it too complicated!)
- Have at least some of the items needed in the house ready for bored moments (like flour and yeast for pizza etc).
- I tried to include some activities that encourage George and Harriet to do things for other people, hopefully including a few life lessons!
- Invest in a National Trust Membership. So many of these activities will be covered during those days out which are free with our membership.
NB There are a couple of changes from this list to ours as ours were so specific!
Our number 7 is make an Egg Stand (selling our eggs from outside our house) pretty niche right?!
Plus our 38 is ‘Go to the Lego shop’ as we are going to London and George is DESPERATE to go and spend his pocket money he’s been saving.
50 Summer Activities for Kids:
- Have a water fight.
- Fly a kite.
- Have a picnic on the beach.
- Go on a family bike ride.
- Make ice lollies.
- Swim in the sea.
- Do a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
- Watch a sunset.
- Climb a tree.
- Explore a new place.
- Read a new book each week.
- Go to the library.
- Make ice cream sandwiches.
- Sleep in a tent.
- Roll down a grassy hill.
- Jump into a swimming pool.
- Eat a watermelon.
- Surprise someone!
- Go on a train.
- Watch a movie outside.
- Have a midnight feast.
- Paddle in a stream.
- Splash in the sea.
- Donate to a charity shop.
- Have ice cream for breakfast.
- Send a postcard.
- Play on a slip and slide.
- Draw on the floor with outdoor chalk.
- Watch some fireworks.
- Have face paints.
- Go on a long walk.
- Make S’mores.
- Paint a picture on a canvas.
- Go crabbing.
- Have a campfire.
- Make smoothies.
- Do some yoga.
- Build some Lego.
- Have a dance party.
- Visit a castle.
- Draw on rocks.
- Go to the cinema.
- Bake cookies.
- Plant something in the garden.
- Make pizzas.
- Run through the sprinklers.
- Learn to cook something new.
- Eat something you’ve never tried before.
- Watch the stars outside at night.
- Keep a scrapbook of your adventures!
Other ideas I didn’t use (I’ll add to this as I think of them):
- Have a home ‘spa’ day with face masks.
- Write a letter to someone.
- Build a garden ‘assault course’.
- Write your own book.
- Bake a cake for someone.
- Go fruit picking.
- Paint your nails.
- Make jam.
There’s also heaps more LOVELY inspiration on the National Trust website about kids activities.
If you’d like to download the PDF
printable version of the
Summer Activities for Kids List
CLICK HERE
Hope you enjoy this post. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you do the activities!
If you fancy showing me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see and try and share as many of them as I can.
