50+ Crazy Fun Summer Activities for Kids (and their Parents)

The school summer holidays are nearly upon us and for kids this is a great time of year because it means 6 weeks off school! For parents, it can be a time of dread as it is inevitable that the kids will soon starting moaning that they’re bored! Don’t tear your hair out with stress, I’m here to help you! I’ve rounded up 50+ fun Summer Activities for Kids so that when you’re all out of ideas, you’ll find something new for them (and you!) to do.

50+ Crazy Fun Summer Activities for Kids

My son is now a young adult, but there was a time when I would hear those cries of “I’m boooooored” and I know how easy that can get on your nerves when you’ve exhausted all of your ideas! Yes, it’s good to let the kids get bored every once in a while, but they’re only kids for a short time (believe me, I still can’t fathom how my little blue eyed boy is now a strapping young man) and I say do as much as you can with them, while they still want to hang out with you!

To compile this list, I have shared my own ideas – with links (where relevant, marked with an asterisk *) to posts on my blog. I’ve also called upon the blogging community to share their summer activities for kids, and there is a great mix of ideas on this list. Some are from British Bloggers, and some from International Bloggers, so days out suggestions may not be relevant to your area… but you might find similar in your own hometown, (or a drive/journey away).

I’ve not put these summer activities for kids into any sort of order (yet!) as I wanted to just get this post out there before summer has been and gone! Please do save this post to Pinterest, and share it with your friends so that parents everywhere can benefit from these fun ideas! I’ll be updating this post as time goes by and sorting it into categories and age groups too.

1. Make S’mores*
2. 10 Things To Do Around A Campfire*
3. Spend a night under the stars
4. Have an outdoor movie night
5. Play miniature golf
6. Go to a family music festival*
7. Visit a theme park
8. Visit a zoo – Whipsnade*
9. Visit a safari park – Woburn Safari Park*
10. Go to the beach*
11. …and build sand sculptures
12. Make ice cream sandwiches
13. Go fruit picking
14. …and make jam!*
15. Visit the library and set up a comfy spot in the garden to read

16. Do a summer photo project
17. Paint pebbles and stones to tell a story*
18. Go rock pooling
19. Visit a museum
20. Visit your local country/state/national park
21. Sort through your toys and give away the ones you don’t play with to a local charity – thrown tatty/broken toys away
22. Have a water fight
23. Buy some cheap clothes from a charity shop/car boot sale, and play dress up with them – or put on a play!
24. Visit the fun fair – and try and win a prize at one of the sideshows
25. Build a den in the garden* – make it even easier with this fab den kit! (UK Amazon)
26. Try geocaching
27. Make Coke Floats*
28. Go on a picnic*
29. Build a snowman*
30. 100 games for kids to play*

31. Easy DIY Backyard Badminton or Volleyball Court – Little House Big Alaska
32. Sponge Soaker Balls – My Home Based Life
33. DIY Sidewalk Chalk – Two Kids And A Coupon
34. Fun Trampoline Games – Two Kids And A Coupon
35. Back Yard Camping Tips – Something 2 Offer
36. Budget Friendly Summer Activities – Something 2 Offer
37. Garden Bug Hunt – Daisies & Pie
38. Try folding an origami samurai helmet – great for a rainy Summer day, or a calm activity outside in the shade. – The Paperdashery
39. Spend a day out cycling around Cambridge – Memories & Mayhem
40. Summer A-Z I did a summer A to Z few years ago with kids. Everyday a letter and try to do as many things as possible. – ET Speaks
41. Hold your own Olympic themed activities – Bubbablue & Me
42. Take a walk around one of London’s lesser known boroughs like South Kensington for some stunning views without the crowds – Shy Strange Manic
43. Get outside and make some nature crafts – Mummy Alarm
44. Make an easy watermelon ice cream in 5 minutes – The Things We’ll Make
45. Sun-upcycled Crayons – Mama Smiles

46. Frozen flowers sensory ice play – Crafts On Sea
47. Enjoy a free day out at the beach. Summer holidays don’t have to cost a lot of money. Pack a picnic, and the family and spend a day at the beach. – The Life Of Spicers
48. Do a Giving Project: Summer time can be scary for many children who are food-insecure. Believe it or not, there are a lot of kids whose only meal of the day comes from the free lunch program at school, and that’s not available to them in the summer. So my kids and I are helping out our local food bank by doing some grocery shopping to stock their shelves. It’s a fun way for the kids to learn about charity and giving. Some other ideas: Collect canned food from your neighbors and donate it to the food bank; See if your church supports a soup kitchen and volunteer your time there; Have a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a local charity. Or get creative and come up with another giving project on your own! – Nicole Roder
49. Movie night at home with the kids – The Crazy Ammi Blog
50. Nature craft: making natural noughts and crosses. Simple instructions for making a noughts and crosses set with materials found in nature – a fun, easy nature craft that really gets imaginations firing! – Growing Family
51. Cracking Dinosaur Ice Eggs – Me and B Make Tea
52. Homemade banana ice lolly making – Actually Mummy
53. Day trips to the seaside, picnics, walks in the woods Anything outdoors as I find my children are less feral with fresh air! – Living With A Jude
54. A Family Trip to BeWILDerwood – A great day for all the family from face painting to vertical slides, its a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the outdoors. – Big Family Little Adventures
55. Make Giant Bubbles – Red Ted Art
56. Bubble Wand Making Station – Red Ted Art
57. Water Balloon Pinata – Red Ted Art
58. Dinosaur Ice Excavation – Life At The Zoo
59. Make a Colorful Flip Flop Hello Sign – A Fun Easy Summer Craft!*

Crazy Fun Summer Activities for Parents!

And here are a few summer ideas for just the parents! Don’t worry I will be adding to this list over time too!!

1. Read a trashy novel while laying out in the garden (or on the beach) while the kids run riot play nicely
2. Make frozen cocktails – try this frozen strawberry daiquiri from Daisies & Pie. Or make a pitcher of this fresh watermelon cocktail, spiked with rum and tequila.
3. If you can pack the kids off to a relative – grandparents/aunties/uncles for a couple of nights, take advantage and do something that is adults only – a fancy restaurant, a couple of nights away somewhere, go on a mini road trip
4. Go wine tasting
5. Host a beer festival at home*

I’m pretty sure at least one of these fun summer activities for kids will take your fancy! Don’t forget that I will be adding to the list as time goes by, and as more ideas come to me!

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