75 Fun Summer Ideas for Kids to Keep Busy!

With school coming to an end, we thought we’d share our giant list of 75 Summer ideas for kids.

The summer months are ahead and what in the world are you suppose to do with your kids each and every day? Keep it new and fresh and FUN is easier said than done but fret not, we are here to help.

Awesome Summer Ideas for Kids

We’ve updated the list from 50 to 75 summer fun things to do with kids – bonus, these are almost all screen-free activities. 

You snuck up and welcomed us with open arms and we are vowing this year to fully embrace it. Of all summers, this year I am most excited for what’s ahead.

The kids have a few camps and the toddlers still have preschool a few days a week, so I will still be working – but there are a number of days where we have no obligations.

Stress Free Summer with No Obligations

Those words are sweet to my ears. No obligations doesn’t mean we won’t do anything, it just means that we don’t have to be anywhere at any specific time and with 4 kids – that’s a very wonderful thing. While I love nothing to do days, the kids hate them. They scream “I’M BORED!” despite the playroom full of toys.

For those down days, we are creating a summer bucket list of things to do. Not sure what to put on your bucket list? Here’s a few ideas you can steal from our summer bucket list ideas – here are 75 different fun summer activities for kids.

75 Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids

Have you downloaded our summer bucket list printable? Fill it out and brainstorm some fun ideas for you and your family to do this summer. 

1. Weekend get-away (Check out this family-friendly guide to Austin, TX)
2. Dress up in capes and be super heroes
3. Have a water balloon fight.
4. Choose a night each week for family movie night (we are watching the Harry Potter series together – in anticipation for Universal Studios!)
5. Let the kids get out the hose and wash your car
6. Make homemade pizzas – let the kids make it by setting up various pizza topping stations
7. Go to the park
8. Make cookies for a neighbor
9. Dance in the rain (here in Texas anytime it rains, we dance in it and be thankful for it!)
10. Vacation bible school tour
11. Take a nature walk
12. Make and take sandwiches for the homeless
13. Unplug all the televisions during the daytime hours
14. Fly a kite
15. Visit a local community garden
16. Host a impromptu barbecue
17. Make puppets out of socks
18. Go to a concert (Did I mention I am going to see GEORGE STRAIT in DALLAS?)
19. Plant a tree
20. Make cinnamon roll waffles
21. Take lots of photos – make a summer photo book
22. Wake up early and enjoy coffee on the porch
23. Institute one day of not saying “NO!”
24. Bring a meal to a family who could use some help
25. Play cards
26. SWIM!
27. Visit your local library
28. Take a family road trip
29. Visit the zoo
30. Ride a train
31. Explore a big city near you with fresh eyes
32. Feed ducks (be careful of those mean geese)
33. Make cupcakes
34. Tie-dye shirts and socks
35. Go on a scavenger hunt
36. Eat snow cones!
37. Go to the movies
38. Make a lemonade stand and give the money to charity – here’s a frosted lemonade recipe,  here is how to make a lemonade stand sign and tips for a successful lemonade stand!
39. Train for a 5k
40. Do a photo shoot, but let the kids be the photographers
41. Go fishing (my father-in-law swears by hot dogs as bait)
42. Have a slumber party
43. Make a fort
44. Throw a spontaneous dance party
45. Stay in your pajamas all day (we do this several days through-out the summer)
46. Paint a canvas
47. Go bowling (learn how kids can bowl for free)
48. Visit a museum
49. Run thru the sprinklers (you too, mom!)
50. Go on a picnic
51. BECAUSE MOM NEEDS A BREAK TOO: Plan a girl’s night out (we’re doing a wine tour in Grapevine, TX!) Can’t get a night out – send a friend one of our funny summer memes.

Bonus Summer Ideas for Kids

We originally included 50 summer activities for kids but decided that just isn’t enough. Here are even more ideas to add to your kids summer bucket list.

52. Write a letter to relatives.

53. Let the kids cook dinner

54. Do a RAOK (random act of kindness) – teach your kids this early!

55. Have a parade, have the kids decorate their bikes and wagon – create a route around the neighborhood

56. Make a fairy garden

57. Read 20 minutes a day

58. Camp out in the backyard

59. Lemonade stand (and give the money to charity)

60. Have a picnic

61. Make playdoh

62. Put together a photo album

63. Go grocery shopping for a food pantry

64. Visit a local national park

65. Play nail salon, at-home manis and pedis

66. Create a chalk art masterpiece

67. Have a color fight – here’s how to make DIY Color Powder

68. Do a kids science experiment

69. Make pet rocks

70. Solve a puzzle

71. Go garage sale shopping (hello, cheap toys!)

72. Read a book – then watch the movie (Harry Potter or Diary of a Wimpy Kid are ideas)

73. Make smores – here’s how to make homemade fire starters for camp fires.

74. Have a shaving cream fight

75. Cereal for breakfast – easy, peasy, kids will love it and mom will too52. Write a letter to relatives.

53. Let the kids cook dinner

54. Do a RAOK (random act of kindness) – teach your kids this early!

55. Have a parade, have the kids decorate their bikes and wagon – create a route around the neighborhood

56. Make a fairy garden

57. Read 20 minutes a day

58. Camp out in the backyard

59. Lemonade stand (and give the money to charity)

60. Have a picnic

61. Make play doh

62. Put together a photo album

63. Go grocery shopping for a food pantry

64. Visit a local national park

65. Play nail salon, at-home manis and pedis

66. Create a chalk art masterpiece

67. Have a color fight – here’s how to make DIY Color Powder

68. Do a kids science experiment

69. Make pet rocks

70. Solve a puzzle

71. Go garage sale shopping (hello, cheap toys!)

72. Read a book – then watch the movie (Harry Potter or Diary of a Wimpy Kid are ideas)

73. Make smores – here’s how to make homemade fire starters for camp fires.

74. Have a shaving cream fight

75. Cereal for breakfast – easy, peasy, kids will love it and mom will too

• Check out Last Day of School Party Ideas

We’re talking about SCREEN FREE kid activities in this blog post, but read more about screen time. We’re talking tips and tricks on all things screen time!

What did we miss? What fun summer ideas for kids will you be adding to your family’s summer bucket list?