Summer Activities for Kids

Kids Activities for Summer - Fun in the Sun

I love summer.  It is hands down my favorite season, probably because my kids and I enjoy water play so much.  While I always have a running list of activities to try in the back of my head I have never written out a summer bucket list.  This year I actually wrote one out, because as I have experienced in summers past, time flies.  I want to be sure to get to all of these summer activities this year, so I decided that writing out a bucket list would help.  

Sidewalk Chalk Art

Make sidewalk chalk paint.  This recipe takes two minutes to prep and is made from common household ingredients.

Paint with erupting sidewalk chalk paint.

Make chalk bombs.

Scented sidewalk chalk paint is another summer fun favorite!

Paint with ice chalk and oil.

Crush sidewalk chalk and make it into paint.

Paint with frozen popsicle chalk.  I think I had even more fun than my boys painting with the popsicle chalk.  The best part was that when we were done painting I put the popsicle chalk back into the molds and in the freezer for another day.

Playing with Water Balloons

Do science experiments with water balloons.

Play basketball with water balloons and other fun water balloon games.

Explore color theory in the play pool with water balloons.

Fill the play pool with water and balloons.

Blow up balloons with soda.  Seriously, this is too cool!

Backyard Summer Games

Create a backyard obstacle course.

Have another newspaper snowball fight, this time with wet newspaper.

Play games with pool noodles and make another obstacle course with them.

Play tic tac toe games with my older boys.  Whether on paper, with sidewalk chalk, or on my iPad this is one of their favorite games.  I also plan to play color mixing tic tac toe this summer.

Play kick the can.

Play hula hoop games.

Kool Aid Play

Paint and play with Kool Aid.

Make textured sand paint that is scented.

Create eruptions with tempura paint.

Freeze Kool Aid and water to make scented ice.

Make scented puffy paint with this three ingredient recipe.

Shaving Cream Fun

Combine shaving cream and water beads.

Make a rainbow in shaving cream and turn it into a slip and slide.

Fill up the play pool with shaving cream for some sensory play from head to toe!

Combine Kool Aid and shaving cream.

Mix shaving cream and watercolors for gorgeous sensory art and play.

Frozen Play Ideas

Paint with frozen watercolors.

Study color theory with ice.

Freeze jello for a whole new sensory experience.

Make icy fizzing letters for multisensory learning.

Eat homemade, dairy free ice cream.

Go ice bowling.  The perfect game for gross motor fun while staying cool in the sun.

Make ice art sculptures.

Explore with colored ice and watch the colors mix as the ice melts.  For even more fun, make it a rainbow of ice!

Freeze watermelons then turn them into Oobleck.

Do ice experiments.

Make frozen smoothie paint.

Play with sensory pudding paint with colored ice.

Make snow cones with fresh fruit.  No sugar or icky sweeteners necessary!

Freeze water beads for sensory play.

Paint with ice.

Build towers with ice cubes.

Make chilly ice cream goo.

Make frozen lemon Oobleck for some chilly sensory play and science.

Fill water balloons with water beads then freeze them to extend the play.

Cool Eruptions

Surprise your little ones with these color surprise eruptions.

Create art that erupts.

Experiment with different liquids and solids to see which mix and which react with each other.

Make giant, vinegar free eruptions.

Ice volcanoes are the perfect way to stay cool with a little science.

Make rainbow eruptions.

Summer Sensory Play

Make rainbow sand slime.

Make watermelon rice.

Mix up a new batch of colored and scented cloud dough.

Make a jello sensory bin.

Cut open a watermelon and set up an invitation to explore.

Play with edible water beads, so Tank and Peanut (23 months) can enjoy the sensory experience without the risk.

Mix Oobleck in the play pool.

Whip up a batch of rainbow slime.

Playing with Bubbles

Make giant bubbles.

Mix bubbles and colors in the play pool.

Play with rainbow soap foam.

Make colored bubbles.

Turn the play pool into a bubble pool.

Make rainbow bubble snakes.

Summer Art Projects

Make textured sand paint and experiment with other textures to add to paint.

Paint with trucks.

Make homemade paint brushes to create big art.

Make confetti paint.

Mix tempura paint in the play pool.  This year we will experiment with different colors and shades.

Make a body paint slip and slide.

Paint with funnels.

Create art masterpieces with erupting paint.

Make scented or sparkly finger paint.

Water Play and Exploration

Add water beads to the play pool.

Make a homemade sprinkler toy.

Put together a simple water sensory bin and add recycled containers to it for scooping and pouring.

Design a foil river.

Teach my boys how to play Marco Polo.

Make a DIY Slip and Slide.

Play sink or float.

Make a giant sensory water blob.

Add the bag of balls to the play pool.

For more summer activities for kids follow me on Pinterest.

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Homemade Paint Recipes ~ Recipes for Play