Fun summer activities for kids

As a parent, I know just how challenging summers can be for children. Yes, they are excited to be out of school and have their summer vacation. The reality is, they can get bored very easily.

We are always looking for fun things and summer activities for kids. We want to keep our children busy while at the same time look for summer activities for kids that have some purpose and meaning.

Christmas in July

The most magical time with Santa Claus. All for the purpose of fun and creating artwork that will take care of your Christmas shopping and also prepare your home with stunning heirloom wall art.

Kids create using their imagination and they do not really care when they get to see Santa Claus. Companies such as Masterpiece Christmas create the ultimate fun summer activities for kids with their world-famous Christmas in July Magical Santa Sessions.

The children will have the time of their lives and Master Photographer and Artists Larry and Ela Hersberger will create breathtaking heirloom artwork from the images captured during the session.

You kids will talk about this for years to come and your family will have artwork and books that will last for generations.

Santa Claus in the Summer

Can you imagine your child receiving a gold ticket invitation in the mail, along with a bell from Santa's sleigh...in the mail...in July. WOW!

If you were a child and Santa sent you an invitation to have milk and cookies with him I am sure you would want to clear your summer activities calendar.

Once you reach out to Masterpiece Christmas at masterpiecechristmas.com or 336-870-6503 and speak with either Larry or Ela, you will understand how this has become one of the greatest summer activities for kids in the USA.

Easy fun activities for kids

Classic Fun Summer Ideas

Fun summer activities for kids such as the tried and proven lemonade stand, a nature walk at a local park, or a water balloon fight in the backyard are certainly fun summer activities for kids on a hot summer day. You can never have too many fun ideas.

Obstacle Course

Another great fun summer activity during summer break right in your own backyard is a backyard obstacle course. Invite friends and provide other kids activities such as water balloons for a good ole fashioned water balloon fight and you will keep them busy all day. Bring on the flip flops.

Yard Activities for kids

Now take your day to the next level by adding sponge water bombs, a beach ball, and balloon tennis and you will be the hit of the neighborhood. Do you have your own kite? That also fits into a play day. Older kids and younger kids alike will enjoy taking part in this fun outdoor play date.

Scavenger Hunt

Of course, you also cannot go wrong with a scavenger hunt. This fun summer activity is so much fun. I still love a good scavenger hunt and I am an adult. This can provide extra fun and is a wonderful time for all.

Snacks for kids

Provide some light snacks on paper plates, drinks with plastic cups, and ice cream to keep kids cool down, all while putting smiles on their faces. The dollar store can be your friend here for sure.

Summer is a time to get creative

You may want to take a day trip. The local library often has summer activities for kids. You may even find they have a summer reading program.

This can be a wonderful summer activity if your children want to get out of the sun for a day. Go with them and read some books together if you have younger children.

Day Trips

Libraries

Libraries often have indoor and outdoor play areas. Let your kids know that the library is fun. Books are important and fun. Learning this at an early age will enrich their lives.

Libraries often have summer reading programs. You will want to take advantage as much as you can by utilizing your local library as much as possible.

Local Parks

Many parks offer summer activities for kids and it is worth checking the websites of park and recreation affiliates in your community. Often they will even provide qualified guides who will lead children in fun summer activities where they can play games and meet friends.

The ZOO

If you have a zoo close by, check out their day pass prices. Many zoos also offer annual passes that are of great value. A day at the zoo provides numerous summer activities for kids as many zoos offer featured activities for kids. Get your own ice cream and enjoy the day with your children while they learn about animals.

Local Park

A hike or walk in a local park is a fun summer activity for kids. Especially when you bring some fun things for the whole family to enjoy. Older kids may love a Frisbee, football, or soccer. Younger children may want to just run, skip and blow bubbles. Invite another family with children to join you and make it fun for the whole family.

Water Park

If you have the budget, a water park is one of the best fun summer activities for kids. Fun ideas seem never-ending when at a waterpark. This kind of day trip can be fun for the entire family. Kids love the plethora of rides for all ages.

County Fair

You can find all the fun in the world at a local county fair. This may be one of the most fun summer activities for the entire family. This is a fun way to get out of your familiar surroundings, perhaps eat some hot dogs and chips, and just let the kids check out all of the events a fair has to offer.

You may just find a lemonade stand, crafts, face painting, and many more fun summer activities

Camps or Free Activities

Summer Camp

When planning Summer fun, booking a summer camp can be one of the best summer activities for kids, however, they do come with a cost. And a word of warning for you, Summer camps book up very quickly, so you will have to book your child in early in the years to get the camp that fits your child. Summer fun at a summer camp is almost assured and a great place for your child to meet new friends.

Summer Camps offer many fun options for a wide variety of interests. Many of these camps are special interest camps that fit with a child's personality. Many are indoors to get away from a hot day in summer.

Kids love a camp that fits their interests. They will also meet many like-minded children. It may be just the fun summer activity that helps your child develop while having summer fun.

Home Creativity

A great fun summer activity for kids does not have to be outside of your home or budget. Get creative with your kids and stay at home. You bake cookies and experiment with food coloring. Break out the craft supplies and kids paint and watch the creations begin.

You may want to use the late afternoon for backyard camping. A family movie night might be just the stress-free relaxing evening the kids are looking for to complete their day while giving them a chance to cool off.

Find an easy bubble recipe, blow bubble by hand or rent a bubble machine and let your kids and their friends loose in the backyard. Sometimes the simplest of things make for the best summer activities.

Older kids may want to climb trees but just be careful no one gets hurt. The backyard can have many uses to play games and soccer is certainly one great summer fun option. Mark out an imaginary field, set a few very basic rules, and let your kids burn some energy.

Supervised Play Dates

This is a great way for kids to enjoy their summer while getting to interact on a more one-on-one personal level with another child. Or perhaps your play date includes a small group of children. Either way, your child will be enriched by enacting developmental and communication skills.

You will want to contact the parents of your child's friends. Perhaps you can offer a play date or your home in trade for a play date or sleepover at their home. A home and home arrangement can be so much fun for both kids love, learning, and nurturing.

I have always believed that sharing time with others is the best way to learn about friendships and relationships. It is also a time where children can have a bit of private time with their friends (still supervised) and show a bit of their own personality.

Friendship Skills

Your child will learn about friendships and what it means to share and be kind to others. There are just so many good things that can come from supervised playdates.

There is so much fun that comes from sharing time with other kids. A play date is one of the best kids activities and a great way to make new friends as well.

Imagination

Kids will be kids and create their own sports leagues. Kids create kids activities out of just about anything. Watching their imaginations run wild is one of my favorite activities. Just watch out for those water balloons as you will become a target.

Bike Rides and Bike Parade

Another couple of great summer activities during summer break can be done by getting creative with your kids bicycles. Have them dress up their bikes for a colorful bike parade. Children's activities do not have to be difficult or extensive all summer long.

Once they have dressed up their bike for the bike parade, use a clothespin to clip an old playing card wheel arm. Be sure the spokes hit the card as it turns. Your kids will love the sound it makes and how fun things get once riding.

The Beach is one of the Great Summer activities for kids.

If you have a public beach close by, you will want to take advantage all summer long if possible. Building sandcastles, and swimming on hot summer days (be sure to wear sunscreen for ALL the fun activities outside). Pool noodles and floaties are also great at the beach.

As usual, you will need to keep an eye on your kids so as not to let them get into trouble playing in the water. The beach can be just a lot of extra fun throughout the summer.

You will not go wrong going to the beach. It is one of the best kids activities in my opinion. Whether you are swimming, playing games, building sandcastles, collecting shells, or just relaxing in the sun, there is something for the whole family at the beach.

Keep an eye on your kids this summer.

As a reminder, be sure to keep an eye on your children whether at a location or at home. They should always be supervised. It only takes a second for things to go wrong.

I am not saying you should be a helicopter parent, just be there and be aware.

Free Concert or Performance

Do a little research and you will find there are free concerts around your local area. Your local library may also have options for performances for kids during the summer. Children's activities such as summer performances nurture creativity and imagination.

Summer Planning

Talk to Your Kids

The summer is full of options that can be found with a little research and planning. Make a schedule and even include your children in the decision-making. Get them excited about their summer activities.

Choose activities that are specific to each child and also kids activities that are also fun for the entire family. This will provide your children with a balance of fun activities so as not to get bored. This will help you as a parent as well.

Plan Ahead with a Sumer Fun Calendar

We like to make a game plan. What is fun for a child one year, in many cases, is not the next. We talk with our kids and want them to communicate things they have an interest in.

Each year your kids will have new friends or the continuation of friendships from previous years. We love to nurture many of these friendships.

Let the kids paint on the calendar and dab events as they pass. Make it colorful and again it will become a game and something they can look forward to doing. Summer fun also comes from just doing things together and that includes planning and keeping things colorful.

If you plan on utilizing your backyard, start preparing with games, obstacle course items, and other items for summer-long fun. So much can be accomplished from pre-planning and staying at home.

Plan Your Budget

As you make your summer activities for kids "plan" and calendar, put costs to each event. You can then make your summer kids activity budget and know what you can and cannot do.

Sometimes just staying at home to bake cookies or play in the backyard obstacle course will just have to suffice. But that does not mean it has to be boring. You just have to get creative.

In Summary

Plan To Succeed

Fun summer activities for kids, with a little planning and creativity, can take a great deal of stress away from your summer months. Make this year's summer break a great one for your children.

The Three "L" Words. Learn, Love, Laughter.

Keep your kids learning, entertained, and enjoying all of the fun that summer has to offer. Your kids will remember a summer full of love, learning, and laughter.

Friends

They will have met new friends and nurtured friendships they already had. And some friendships will go by the wayside, which is all part of the learning and development of life skills.

Budget

Keep your eye on your budget by planning and sticking to it. You can have a great deal of fun by just being a bit creative. Pick and choose where you want to spend your money.

Communicate

Talk to your kids and you will be surprised what you learn from year to year. Plan around the things they love to do and nurture their minds.

Enjoy

Make sure everyone is on board and participating. Choose things you can all enjoy and somewhere the entire family can participate.

Be Realistic

Know you still have to work, pay your bills and that life will through curveballs. Keep your plan flexible and of course, know that sometimes you will just have to say "no".

Be Creative

Creativity is usually great for your pocketbook. Kids need your time more than anything. Sometimes the simplest of things combined with your time is really all they want and need.

Love

Surround your children with love and kindness. Nurture those little minds so they learn and grow. Stay calm as you, the parent, get hit by the never-ending changes and issues that come with having children.

Know they are the heart and soul of your own personal journey. Show them that you love them each and every day.

Choose things that have purpose and meaning.

Choosing things such as Christmas in July by Masterpiece Christmas is a great option. The children will have the time of their lives (as will you) and you and your family will get heirlooms for generations to enjoy. Do you Christmas shopping early while providing a fun Summer activity your children will never forget.