Summer is right around the corner and if you are like me you don’t want the kids sitting around just playing video games but you want them to have fun and get out lots of energy. Here is a HUGE list of Summer Activities for Kids, that includes recipes, crafts and places you can go to have a TON of fun this summer many with out breaking the bank because there is so much that is FREE or really cheap to do!

Also make sure you check out 9 Ways to Have Summer Fun on a Dime! Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive! Also check out the FREE Summer Activities for Kids for lots of places you can take the kids! Plus don’t miss the printable Summer Bucket list Printable at the bottom of this post! It is totally FREE, just print it and start having fun!

Summer Activity Ideas for Kids

 

Summer Activity Ideas for Kids

• Barnes and Nobles Summer Reading program
• Kids bowl FREE Program – the kids can bowl for FREE all summer long
• Regal Cinemas Summer $1 Movies
• AMC $4 Movies are also fun if you have an AMC Theater – for $4 you get a snack pack and a movie ticket!
• Summer Reading Programs for kids
• Home Depot kids workshop
• Kids skate FREE 
• FREE Ice Cream Days
• American Girl Instore Events

 

Crafts to do with Kids

• Make Homemade Playdoh 
• Make a Hairbow rack
• Pool Noodle Fire Cracker Craft 
• DIY Chalk Paint– great for getting the kids involved in home decorating
• Tissue Paper Rainbows 
• Butterfly craft 
• DIY Slime without Borax
• Glittery Fluffy Slime
• Edible Slime made with Lifesaver Gummies
• Pumpkin Spice Edible Slime
• DIY Rainbow crayons 
• Homemade Finger Paint
• Stick raft
• Disney Character Art 
• DIY Flower Pots
• Homemade Sparkle Playdough
• Clear Slime Recipe
• Homemade Slime Recipe
• Fluffy Slime Recipe
• Unicorn Slime
• Apple Painting

• Saline Slime Recipe
• Starburst Slime
• Kid Safe Slime Recipe using Instant Pudding
• Scented Playdough
• Homemade Air Dry clay
• Homemade Cloud Dough Recipe
  
• DIY Flag Crate
• Kid Handprint 4th of July Craft
• Footprints in the Sand Kids art  
• DIY Minky Blanket 
• Cake Batter Scented Playdough
• Kids Handprint Hand towels
• DIY Lovie Blanket
• DIY Taggie Blanket
• Potato Stamps
• DIY Wooden Growth Chart
• DIY You are My Sunshine Canvas
• DIY Little Mermaid Shirt
• 
• Bubble Painting
• Family Photo Tree Craft 
• Picture Tile Wall Art
• Tye Dye 
• Sand Candles 
• Cup Bell 
• Harry Potter Wand Craft
• Ceiling Fan redo 
• DIY Flower Flip Flops
• Pop Bottle Rockets 
• DIY Magnet Chalkboard 
• Rice Box Activity 

Kids Learning Activities to do During the Summer

• Reading at home – Find FREE Kindle books for kids on Amazon
• Summer Journals
• Math Beach Ball Game
• Shaving Cream Rain Cloud
• Celery Experiment
• Pipe Cleaner Color Sorter
• DIY Block Puzzle Learning
• Sun Tea Science 

 

Outside Fun for kids

• Washable Chalk Paint
• Duck Duck Splash
• Sandbox Treasure Hunt 
• Sponge ball Toss 
• Grow Asparagus 
• Backyard staycation luau
• Geocaching
• Go fishing
• Go on a hike
• Veggie picking – search online for local U-Pick farms
• Blow bubbles
• Play hop scotch and use chalk to draw yours
• 15 Water Games for Kids
• find a local pond that has ducks and feed the ducks (make sure its ok first)
• Chalkboard Herb Planter
• have a water gun fights
• have a water balloon fight
• run through the sprinklers
• Swing on the swings
• Have a campfire and make S’mores – Make Homemade Marshmallows
• play tag
• play in the sandbox
• play hide-and-seek

 

Inside Summer Fun (For Rainy days)

• Build a fort with blankets
• Indoor Scavenger hunt 
• Summer Jokes for Kids 
• play hide-and-seek
• Chores Bingo
• Mess Free Finger Paint

Summer Recipes for kids

1. Kettle Corn Recipe 
2. 3 Ingredient Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
3. Watermelon Pink Lemonade 
4. Bagel Pizzas
5. Grilled Cheese Roll-ups
6. Copy Cat Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Hot Dog
7. Hand squeezed Lemonade Recipe 
8. Rainbow Cake
9. Watermelon Jell-o
10. Wendy’s Frosty Copy Cat Recipe 
11. Homemade Pudding Pops
12. Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Bites Copycat Recipe
13. Color Changing Milk
14. Orange Soda Cake 
15. Trail mix 
16. Cinnamon Sugar french toast sticks

Download and print the Summer Bucket List Printable here.